I haven’t posted a dessert recipe in a while so thought I’d share this recipe which is one of my all time favourites. We had it at New Year and I’ve also made it for several private dinner parties. It’s a great one to make ahead and can just be reheated to service. The pastry is made in a food processor which makes it much easier, quicker and it happens to be delicious. I served it with stem ginger custard but creme fraiche would work just as well. The sweet jamminess of the figs, the citrus hit of the orange, the nuttiness of the almond frangipane, the buttery pastry, and slight boozy hit of the cointreau are all a match made in heaven.

This is one of my favourite things to make when I have people over for dinner. Everything can be prepared in advance and ready to go and all served in the middle of the table for everyone to get stuck into. The slow cooked pork with chipotle, orange, cinnamon, and star anise is so full of flavour and just melts in the mouth. All the other elements add plenty of different flavours and textures to make sure that every mouthful is a proper taste sensation. Can’t wait to share the recipe for this one tomorrow - this is one you’re going to need to save. Would make a fabulous dinner for in-between Christmas and New Year as well when everyone needs a bit of spice.

Baking fish with a breadcrumb topping is one of my favourite ways to eat it. It’s great for a dinner party - not only does it avoid any fishy frying smells in the kitchen (not ideal when you have people over) you can also prepare it in advance and just whack it in whenever you’re ready to eat. There is much less danger of drying out the flesh than when you fry it over a high heat so the flesh stays lovely and moist while the breadcrumb topping gives texture and crunch.

Everyone loves a scone and I thought it had been a while since I posted a baking recipe.  I made these a few weeks ago and they were a big hit. They also freeze really well so you can make a big batch and always have them handy if you have a surprise visit in the future. I added vanilla, orange zest and plenty of sultanas to mine and obviously, they have to be served with lashings of raspberry jam (always, always raspberry) and clotted cream. I won’t get into the order they should be put on (although its clear from the pictures what my preference is…)

This is one of my most favourite bowls of comfort food. You don’t even need the salmon on top, the recipe for the dahl and tomatoes are worth trying on their own with some naan and flatbreads but a piece of slightly charred salmon which is lovely and soft on the inside does go so well. It would also work really well with chicken. There are a lot of spices in the dahl but it just means you end up with maximum depth of flavour and if you double up the recipe it will last you all week and also freeze really well. A healthy, filling and flavoursome dish which will brighten up any rainy day and a bargain at just £2 per portion.

Inspired by a recent brunch at Urban Angel on Hanover Street in Edinburgh, this recipe has become a slight obsession. Perfect for brunch, lunch or a light dinner, it is a healthy dish full of texture and some of my favourite flavours. It’s also super easy to pull together last minute and chances are you will have most of the ingredients in your cupboard already.

I love a traditional Sunday roast, but sometimes, a comforting curry is just what you need to set you up for the week. This recipe will feed an army at a really low cost. Great for a dinner party and also ideal for freezing and keeping on hand whenever you’re in need of an emergency meal fast. I have priced this out to include the rice but not the naan breads which I’ll post as a separate recipe. Lamb shanks are such a good cut of meat - not only are they delicious, but they go such a long way and the bones add so much flavour. As with most rich meat dishes this also really benefits from a night in the fridge.

If you need a little bit of inspiration for a meat free meal, why not give these courgette and halloumi fritters a go. Everyone loves a fritter, and with salty halloumi, warming spices, plenty of fresh herbs, lemon and garlic, these are really tasty and quick to whip up. Feta would also work really well. Some cooling mint tzatziki, fruity pomegranates and nutty toasted pistachios add more texture and flavour. These will become a staple in your house as they have in ours. They would also be a great addition to any big mezze spread.

Sometimes you just need a big ol’ slice of cake. And for me, coffee and walnut cake will always be a winner. My recipe is a slightly spiced version full of plenty of espresso so you get that coffee hit. Walnuts are in both the sponge and on top so you also get that lovely nutty flavour. Perfect at any time of day with a cup of tea or coffee of course.

Roast chicken is up there with one of my ultimate comfort food meals. But sometimes it’s nice to have a lighter version. This recipe is full of freshness and in season ingredients. With a simple lemon, garlic, anchovy and herb marinade, and some roasted fennel and shallots, you get lovely chicken juices to drizzle over the top once it’s ready. A zingy green sauce made with pea shoots, capers, lemon and plenty of fresh herbs it brings everything to life. I tried out a slightly different recipe to my usual goose fat roasties by adding a rosemary parmesan salt during the last five minutes of roasting which I am always going to do from now on. Some simple stir fried greens on the side completes this summer roast feast.

This is such a tasty and comforting recipe. It doesn’t have too many ingredients and they are all easy to access. The peanut sauce is so moreish with lots of yummy soy, ginger and garlic. Crunchy roasted peanuts, sliced chilli and fresh lime all add more layers of flavour and texture. Pork mince is so underrated - it’s cheap, tasty and healthy and should be used more in my opinion.

Nothing screams comfort food more than a bubbling macaroni cheese with a crunchy topping. This is my ultimate macaroni cheese which has a few twists. With some spicy roasted chorizo, charred kale, crispy breadcrumb topping, sweet caramelised onions and some fresh thyme, you won’t be able to keep your spoon out of this one. Plus it is a really cost effective dish which everyone will love. I used three types of cheese which is essential in my opinion. Try and use an extra mature cheddar for added umami punch and gruyere and parmesan help to up the cheese factor. A spoonful of marmite, dijon and a good grating of fresh mustard is also key to add more depth to your sauce.

Loved coming up with this recipe to celebrate Mackies summer campaign to find your Perfect Pudding Partner to go with their delicious range of ice creams. Just because the sun is no longer shining doesn’t mean we can’t bring some summer sun in the form of comforting puddings and Mackies ice cream to the table. For me, it always has to be Honeycomb.

Everyone loves chicken satay and that’s because there is everything to love about this dish. Tender baked chicken thighs covered in a rich coconut peanut sauce with a slight hint of chilli heat, salty umami soy and zingy lime. A crunchy grilled topping and sweet honey glaze completes the dish while all you need to serve with it is some steamed basmati rice and sesame wok greens. Simple, but so effective and the perfect midweek meal to impress.

For today’s meat-free meal it had to be my recipe for this summer vegetable linguine with pistachio pesto. It’s full of plenty of gorgeous, in season greens and is the perfect summery dinner to give you a healthy dose of green goodness. I used spiralised courgettes in place of pasta as I genuinely love the taste and how they soak up all the sauce, but you could of course replace it with normal pasta instead if you prefer. The pistachio pesto is so nutty and full of plenty of fresh herbs, grated parmesan, lemon and garlic. I make this all the time to stir through risottos, top pizzas or just drizzle over some grilled chicken thighs. It is so so good.

I’m obsessed with burrata. Truly obsessed. This is a super simple sharing starter which is either perfect to start a summery bbq feast or to be served as part of a larger mezze spread. We had ours with a dollop of pesto, some warm ciabatta, charcuterie and a simple rocket parmesan salad. With some chilled rosé this is my idea of summer food heaven.

This prawn quinoa salad is perfect for a light dinner, packed lunch or picnic salad. It’s zingy, crunchy and full of flavour. The dressing is so moreish you really could put it on anything. This would be great with chicken or salmon and you can throw in any veggies you’ve got lying around in your fridge. This really is my idea of sunshine in a bowl.

This summery loaf cake is my version of a Persian Love Cake traditionally flavoured with rose and pistachio. The brown butter adds such a lovely nutty, golden caramel flavour to the sponge while natural yoghurt keeps it lovely and light while adding a slightly sour, tangy flavour. I added some cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg for a little bit of warming spice and some orange zest and juice for citrus zing. A little rose water in the icing helps add a slight floral note and fruity pomegranates and chopped pistachio add texture, crunch and colour to finish it all off. This is such a lovely summery bake and is one of my favourite cake recipes so far.

This is a tasty meatfree meal which has saved me on many occasions. It’s such an adaptable recipe and is a great way to clear out whatever you’ve got lying around in your fridge/cupboards. You could really add whatever you like but this is my go-to version. It includes a spoonful of my homemade sun-dried tomato sunflower seed pesto which I will share with you soon in another recipe, however you could also use a tbsp of the shop bought version if you’re short on time. This is nutritious, healthy, delicious, full of flavour and ideal for leftover lunches. If you double up the recipe it can easily last you throughout the week.

A summery salad full of texture and fresh flavours which is delicious on its own, or would work really well as part of a barbecue feast.