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Previous Recipes of the Day: May

Friday 16 May

Pasta with Pepper Relish

The great thing about this is that, because the flavour of the peppers and garlic is so intense, the pasta honestly doesn’t need any cheese.

Thursday 15 May

Gratin of Tiger Prawns with Chilli and Cheese

This is kind of Mexican but works best, we think, with Italian Fontina cheese, as this has the best melting consistency. Fat, juicy tiger prawns combined with cream and the melting cheese, and the added piquancy of lime and chilli, make this one of my favourite starters.

Wednesday 14 May

Char-grilled Aubergine and Roasted Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese

I am indebted to Chris Payne, who very generously gave me this splendid recipe. If you don't possess a ridged grill pan, you could grill the aubergine slices till nicely browned and tender. Either way, this is a truly delicious combination of textures and flavours.

Tuesday 13 May

Kidneys in Fresh Tomato Sauce

I first had these served al fresco on a flowery terrace in Tuscany on a warm summer evening. They are simplicity itself, yet really fresh tasting. Lovely with a pile of lightly buttered fresh noodles and a salad.

Monday 12 May

Asparagus, Cheese and Egg Tartlets

These delightful tartlets contain a combination of melted cheese, lightly sautéed asparagus tips and whole, lightly baked eggs. They are simple to prepare and just need popping into the oven 12-15 minutes before they are served.

Sunday 11 May

Four Seasons Pizza

Originally the toppings were placed on this pizza in four sections, representing each season, but because this pizza serves two, it's better to distribute them around more evenly.

Saturday 10 May

Fried Plaice Fillets with a Herb and Polenta Crust

A good way to avoid making breadcrumbs, and therefore save time, is to keep a packet of polenta (cornmeal) in the cupboard. It makes an excellent coating for all types of fish, and here we've used it, along with garlic, herbs and lemon, to coat plaice fillets. You can also use lemon or Dover sole instead of plaice.

Friday 9 May

Poached Pear Galettes

These are exceptionally pretty to look at, and I like to serve them as a sweet ending to a special meal.

Thursday 8 May

Boston Baked Beans

This is how baked beans should be – the real American sort and not a bit like the ones that come in tins.

Wednesday 7 May

Gammon Steaks with White Wine and Gherkin Sauce

This is best made with the small sharply flavoured gherkins, not the large fat dill cucumbers, and some sharp English mustard would go well with it.

Tuesday 6 May

Feta Cheese, Spinach and Pine Nut Galettes

Galettes are very thin discs of flaky pastry which, unlike conventional tarts, have no sides. The concept is a good one because the pastry is barely there, yet it gives a light, very crisp background to all kinds of toppings, both savoury and sweet.

Monday 5 May

Watercress and Lancashire Cheese Bread

This blissfully easy bread is crunchy and crusty on the outside and soft and squidgy within. It is a treat served warm from the oven but can also be made ahead and re-heated. It even freezes well.

Sunday 4 May

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Herbs

This is a good recipe for a dinner party as it’s easy to carve and serve. To serve eight, just double the ingredients using two fillets.

Saturday 3 May

Lemon Roulade

This is very light, fresh and lemony, with a lovely squidgy centre. If you have only one baking tin of the right size, you can make and bake one base at a time, by mixing half the base ingredients at a time. Don't make it as one big batch and bake them one after the other, as the raising agent will be lost as the mixture stands.