There are some dishes that are more than just food. Comfort, memories, family, heritage... Brodo, an Italian chicken broth, is made when ill, when you have weary travellers arriving, and even when celebrating. A version of this is found around the festive period with mini veal meatballs and even weddings with tiny tortellini.

Red radicchio is one of my favourites. Slightly tricky to find but if you do, this is so worth trying. Griddling softens and sweetens its typically bitter taste so is an ideal cooking method if you aren't enjoying it raw. You can then dress the cooked radicchio with lemon juice or better, with real balsamic of Modena. The thick, sweet and rich stuff.

Ah, the stuffed pepper. Are they not what you serve vegetarians when you can't think of anything else to give them (Come dine with Me contestants take heed)?

Actually no, I've been baking these more lately, they are a great vehicle to carry flavour as well as being a pretty convenient serving solution. I also love that sweet, mellow, squishiness once baked. Add that to the fact they are rammed with vitamins E and C (skin creams can only do so much to your face peeps).

The European Union have actually funded a campaign to educate the nation about the versatility and health benefits of peppers. You can find out more from itspeppertime.co.uk (I can't get Chico out of my head every time I think of it.)

Also on their site, they include a lot of recipe inspiration including what they call "Pepper pots" - stuffed pepper halves to you and me. The versatility of this is endless, but the recipe below is how I like to prepare them for my family.

Filled with beef and lentils this is a great combination of Iron and Vitamin C (which helps absorb Iron - bonus). The lentils also make the beef go further so economical as well as healthier. Texture, taste...it's all there as well as being so easy to prepare. Total mid-week hero.


Serves 4

4 peppers (red, orange or yellow are best)
1tbsp olive oil, plus more to rub over the peppers
Half an onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
400g lean minced beef
Half tsp chilli powder
Half tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
400g tin chickpeas, drained ad rinsed
300g cooked green lentils (tinned and drained or better cooked from dried)
200g tomato passata
Seasoning

To serve: natural yogurt, salad leaves and fresh herbs (coriander or parsley are great)

Preheat the oven to 180C. Halve the peppers lengthways and deseed, rub the pepper surfaces in a little olive oil. Place on an ovenproof tray

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and gently fry until translucent. Turn up the heat and add the beef and garlic. You want the meat to sizzle not stew. Break up the meat with a spoon as it cooks until evenly browned.

Add chilli powder, smoked paprika, cumin and ground coriander and cook for a minute. Then add the chickpeas, lentils, tomatoes. Season to taste.

Once cooked, spoon the beef into the pepper halves and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes for firmer peppers or up to 40 minutes if you like them squishy.

Let them rest for a few minutes, then serve with a dollop of natural yogurt, a side salad and plenty of chopped fresh herbs.

http://www.itspeppertime.co.uk/

I was sent products for this post by the campaign, content and thoughts, as always, my own.

No, these aren't desperate times for a hard working mother. I'm not sloshing liquid sin in every meal I create (just yet).

Remember when vodka sauce was the thing for pasta? (it happened, I promise you, it happened). And if it still seems strange to you, then think of how common wine is to add to your pasta sauces. This is based on the dish penne alla vodka, a rich, creamy sauce. The alcohol isn't really a strong taste, it just seems to amplify the tomatoes and give them an edge.

I like vodka sauce with spice, mainly as vodka has a mild taste in cooking it needs another element for interest. But gin has more character so I think it's best left alone. Same story with the pancetta commonly found in this dish. But the cream and butter? Well, that remains.

This is a dish I have created for #organicUnboxed campaign, so it's totally good for you*



Serves 4

(all ingredients I used were obviously organic!)
10g Butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
500ml of passata or a 400g tin of tomatoes, blended
170ml of gin (I used Juniper Green Organic gin)
150ml single cream
400g dried penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan to serve

Heat the butter and olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and continue to cook for a minute.

Add the passata or blended tin of tomatoes, season well and reduce for 10 minutes.

Add the gin and reduce a little for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add the cream. Check seasoning.

Stir through drained pasta. And serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.


 *OK, probably not.

Aqua Pazza means "crazy water" which makes this a really fun sounding recipe. Apparently the dish comes from southern Italian fishermen cooking their fish for lunch in the little they had; sea water and a few herbs, possibly a tomato or two. It was made famous around the Capri area in the 50s and 60s by visiting tourists wanting a taste of something authentic.

Schwartz, the herb and seasoning company got in touch with me about creating a recipe and this was one of the first dishes to come to mind as it's ALL about the herbs and seasoning. Oregano is one of the most important Italian herbs and I always have a jar of the dried herb in my larder. In addition, you can use most Mediterranean flavours although I always like an acidic edge that either capers or olives bring. Aqua Pazza is a really gorgeous, light and fragrant dish for pretty much any white fish and really quick for a mid-week meal.
http://www.schwartz.co.uk


Serves 2

Ingredients
2 Fillets of firm white fish (sea bass or bream is perfect) or a whole prepared fish
3 Tbs olive oil
A few sprigs of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Half tsp of Schwartz dried oregano
2 Garlic cloves, peeled
Half a celery stick, chopped
8-10 cherry tomatoes or two ripe chopped tomatoes
Small handful of capers or olives
A little fresh red chilli, sliced

Half a glass of water
Half a glass of white wine
To serve: Sliced lemon and good bread

Method
Preheat the oven to 200C

In an ovenproof dish which will fit the fish in a single level, pour in the olive oil then the fish. Arrange the remaining ingredients around the fish (if using a whole fish then stuff the cavity with some of the parsley too) and pour in the water and wine. The liquid should come to about halfway up the fish, and never cover the fish entirely. Season well.

Bake in the over for about 20 minutes until the fish is cooked, it may need a little longer if the fish is whole.

Serve with slices of good crusty bread and lemon slices.

This post was written in collaboration with Schwartz. Thanks for supporting the brands that support The Graphic Foodie.

I had to laugh getting a press release about giving my morning a "make over", maybe playing to some music or making time to listen to the birds sing.

I don't think anything prepares you for the sheer horror of what your mornings become after having children. Pre-kids I would have a lie in at the weekends, get up early to exercise before work, have a full body stretch or read a damn newspaper. I haven't read a newspaper over morning coffee in FOUR YEARS. Lie ins? Pah ha ha ha ha!! Now, I emerge to the sound of screaming, usually around 6am latest after an average 4 hours sleep, my hair a scary mess from getting up and down in the night to the baby, wrench the four year old out of bed and wrestle his clothes on whilst he climbs up the curtains, builds Lego or pretends to be a flamingo (sometimes all at once). I then somehow have to wash and feed these kids, sort my face out and try to put an acceptable outfit together, prepare lunches, yell at the husband to get up and wipe the breakfast cereal off the table/wall/ceiling all before the various nursery runs. Yes, my snooze button is a fading memory.


But one thing I always do is make a decent breakfast. Always. Seriously. No rug rat will ever get between me and a decent feed. My week-day favourites are:

• Porridge topped with a seed mix and fruit
• Grilled tomatoes on toast
• Eggs of any kind
• An overnight bircher
• Soughdough and avocado, chilli and lemon

On weekends we'll always have my husband's amazing fluffy pancakes because they really are the best thing since sliced bread.

Alpro is a brand I use anyway, mainly their milks, but they sent over their latest plant-based soya yoghurt so I tried something a little different and created a corn fritter recipe. These were absolutely delicious topped with avocado, grilled cherry tomatoes and lime wedges, served with spicy dressing (I love a kick of chilli in the morning). They'd also be great for brunch or lunch too.

Sweetcorn fritters with Alpro chilli, garlic and coriander dressing

Serves 2-3

Sweetcorn fritters
100g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 egg
100ml milk or Alpro Almond unsweetened drink
280g sweetcorn (either tinned, drained or defrosted)
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
2 spring onions, sliced thinly
Olive oil for frying

Garlic, chilli and herb dressing
150g Alpro Simply Plain
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 green chilli, chopped finely (keeping the seeds for extra heat optional)
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped finely
Juice of half a lime
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt
To serve
Sliced avocado
Cherry tomatoes, grilled and seasoned
Lime wedges

Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre then crack in the egg and half the milk/drink alternative. Beat with a fork until combined then add the remaining milk/drink alternative and continue to beat until you have a smooth batter. Fold in the sweetcorn, coriander and spring onion and allow to stand for a few minutes.

Meanwhile make the dressing by combining all of the ingredients and season to taste.

Heat a large frying pan and drizzle a little olive oil in the pan. Add a couple of heaped tablespoons of the batter to the pan and flatten slightly to for a patty. Fry in batches until golden on both sides.

Serve the fritters with your dressing, sliced avocado, grilled tomatoes and wedges of lime.

Thanks to Alpro for sending me the products.

When I think of campfires I think of cowboys. When I think of cowboys I think of ranches. When I think of ranches I think of rancheros huevos. And here we are. An obscure, mashed up train of thought whose destination is typically always my stomach.

But when you are thinking about campfire recipes, you don't want to be sat there slaving over a hot, er, campfire. No, no, no...that fire burns for marshmallows on sticks, warmth for rubbish singing and flickering through scary stories. You need quick, easy to prepare, yet delicious food. I've been camping a lot in the past and food wise, always eaten really well. Prosecco and venison pate is almost as essential as bug spray and I'll always remember the bemused faces of other hikers as I prepared a three course lunch on the top of Ben Lomond with nothing but a PocketRocket stove. Kendal mint cake? As if.

When Park Resorts asked me to create a recipe for them, I thought rancheros huevos would be ideal as the ingredients travel well without refrigeration and are a great protein hit. The recipe also translates well into cooking over a fire, adding a smokey element. You don't need all of the herbs or toppings if you are camping proper and packing space is sacred, but if you can, add them to make a fireside feast.



Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 red chilli pepper, chopped
Half tsp smoked paprika (optional)
Half tsp oregano (optional)
2 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 can of black eyed beans, drained and rinsed
4 eggs
Seasoning

To serve:
4 corn tortillas, warmed over the fire
1 avocado, sliced (optional)
Fresh coriander (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

Method
Place a heavy frying pan, or better cast iron pan on a grill over the fire.

Add the olive oil and then the chopped onion, red pepper and chilli. Cook for a few minutes. Stir in the drained black eye beans, garlic, tomatoes, oregano and smoked paprika (if using). Cook until softened and tomatoes have thickened slightly.

Make four wells in the tomato and peppers and crack the eggs into each space. Cover with tin foil or lid and cook for a few minutes, the yolks should still be runny but the whites set well.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas by wrapping in tin foil and placing on the lid or in a separate pan over the campfire.

Season well and serve the tomato/peppers and one egg with or on top of the tortillas and any of the optional toppings you have.

Poached pears are an incredible carrier for flavour, normally wine or spices added to the poaching liquid. But something totally different would be to cook the pears in tea and you could try an unusual tea like this Bonfire Toffee from Bluebird Tea Co. (use a real blend like this, not a tea bag of any kind). The caramel, apple, toasted cinnamon and smoke from this tea really makes this a perfect autumnal dessert. I also loved the vibrant, firework spark flecks of safflower in it too.

I like to think of a good meat marinade as elements. Really you can use any flavour you fancy, but the fundamental foundations are roughly as follows:

But one dish I do like, which is rarely on the menus, is Papas Arrugadas with Mojo sauces. This is regional to the Canary Islands and something I discovered with Mr Graphic Foodie back in the day when we were young, carefree and wrecking our cheap 1ltr white Nissan Micra by driving it off road to Playa de Papagayo. And when we weren't breaching our car hire lease conditions, we were propped up somewhere, ordering these wrinkly potatoes with a salted crust, dipping them in fiery mojo sauces. They really are one of best holiday food memories I have.

And as Alhambra were nice enough to send over a case of their Alhambra Reserva 1925 beer, I thought I'd remember what summer was like (is it EVER going to stop raining?) and recreate that holiday vibe. There are so many variations of mojo sauces but I've stuck to the two classics of spicy red and smoother parsley mojo sauce but you can try avocado or orange based ones too.

This is ideal is a quick, healthy midweek meal. It's a pretty standard fish stew recipe that is made more special with a few simple fresh toppings that elevate the flavour. Add a glass of chilled white wine and pretend you're on holiday whilst blissfully ignoring the grey British weather outside.

Serves 4

2 tbs olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
Half fresh red chilli, finely chopped
Teaspoon smoked paprika
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
New potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and sliced
400g tin of tomatoes
Fish stock, about half a tin can, fresh or made with stock cube
A handful of frozen peas
A generous handful of king prawns, defrosted if frozen or fresh
4 white fish fillets, skinned, deboned and cut into chunks

Topping;
A handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Zest of one lemon, finely grated
Garlic clove, finely chopped
Lemon juice
Olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the chilli, garlic, paprika and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the remaining chopped vegetables and saute for a few minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, stock and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the peas, fish and prawns and cook for a further 5-10 minutes until cooked through. Season to taste.

Serve in bowls and top with a little of all the toppings, a squeeze of lemon juice and drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy with plenty of crusty bread.

I love a good coffee in the mornings and when I get one, it's more often than not a latte. It's what most Italians will have in the morning with a biscuit or pastry. (Lattes and Cappucinos are never drunk past noon and never after a meal! Espresso or Macchiato for that.)

But you can create a pretty decent coffee at home too. I had to go on a dairy free trial this month (I'm feeding a particularly windy baby and dairy could have been the culprit) but still managed to keep my precious daily coffee in with dairy alternatives, especially as I'm averaging 4 hours of sleep these days. Alpro Almond milk was my favourite but I was very surprised at how much I liked the Alpro soya milk. Personally, I didn't like the unsweetened version so had to get the one with added sugar. Regardless, these methods work for milk or soya milk fine although with dairy, skimmed or semi skimmed milk rather than full fat works best for frothing.



1. Milk
A good latte is obviously all about the milk. I've always found the Nespresso milk foam jugs really effective but if you don't have one I suggest the following.

Frother tool
These are cheap and cheerful little tools that you can pick up for a few pounds. Warm your milk/soya then turn on the frother with whisk placed near the base of the mug and slowly raise and lower the unit as foam develops.

Jar method
Slightly more alternative, but it works! Fill a glass jar half way with milk/soya and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Put the lid on and shake for 30 seconds. Remove the lid and microwave the jar for another 30 seconds (this step helps retain the foam).

2. Coffee
I found out at my Small Batch barista class that coffee and temperature is vital to a good coffee. Here I'm using their Goldstone blend in my classic stove top moka pot.

3. Making the latte
Pour one shot (30ml) or a double shot of espresso in your cup. Add sugar if you take it. Take your milk/soya milk and pour about 240ml into the cup, withholding the foam back with a teaspoon. Then scoop the milk foam on the top to form an even layer. You are looking at about 10mm of foam.

Thanks to Alpro for providing the soya milk.

Who doesn't like a RIOT of colour on their plate? This salad, inspired by one on the menu at La Choza is uplifting, satisfying and healthy. Adding chilli garlic prawns gives it a little more substance for a complete meal but would also be good with shredded chilli marinated chicken too.

The only effort is shredding everything, not so much if you have a good food processor but I zip everything through my mandolin because I like a little danger in my life.

---

Mexican Street Food Salad with Chilli Garlic Prawns
Serves 2

Ingredients
Half a red cabbage, shredded finely
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin discs
100g radishes, sliced into thin discs
Half red onion, shredded finely
Large handful of coriander, roughly torn

Dressing
Olive oil
Juice from 1 lime
Green chilli, finely chopped
Sea salt

Chilli prawns
Olive oil
200g raw king prawns, defrosted if frozen
Clove of garlic, crushed
Red chilli, finely chopped
Sea Salt

To serve 
Optional - sliced ripe avocado and toasted tortillas

Method
Prepare all of the ingredients for the salad base using a mandolin, food processor or sharp knife and patience.

Heat the olive oil for the prawns in a large frying pan, add the chilli (to your heat preference) and garlic, fry for a few seconds then add the prawns. Fry for a few minutes, turning regularly until cooked through. Season.

Dress the salad with a good glug of olive oil, lime juice (you need a lot) and green chilli (to your heat preference). Season with salt if it needs it.

Arrange on a plate, top with the prawns with the avocado slices along with the toasted tortillas if using.

We're slap bang in the middle of a fashion for ever increasingly complex food where everything needs to be processed and bothered with sodium alginate, maltodextrin or methyl cellulose powder to impress us. But I find myself craving simplicity more and more.

Admittedly there is something admirable about the skill and techniques used by leading chefs to dehydrate, sphere and transform everyday foods into something unrecognisable, but for me, the real talent of cooking comes from turning a handful of simple ingredients into something delicious. Mammas of Italy have been doing this for centuries, and cucina povera is something that Italy still celebrates. It's the ultimate respect of food, be it the humble tomato or a piece of guanciale.

Risi and Bisi isn't actually from my region (Abruzzo), but a dish from Venice. But nine times out of ten, if I'm home alone, I'll be cooking this for myself. Essentially it's the Italian equivalent of rice and peas, a little like risotto but far soupier.  As with all simple recipes, they are made better by great quality so the recipe lists some pointers to make it really special.

Either way, I'd generally rather have a plate of this than a dish of dehydrated mackerel cheeks with popcorn powder.

Serves 4

2tbs Olive oil
Small white onion, chopped finely

Although fusion cooking isn't something I normally venture into, this is another of my haggis recipes given an Italian twist. And it works! The Macsween Wild Boar Haggis is lovely, flavoured with pear, bacon and spices, all things that are perfect in arancini. Alternatively, you could fill the arancini with regular haggis, or more classically, a reduced Bolognese sauce or even just a cube of mozzarella.

Fresh truffle is ideal (isn't it always) but truffle oil is also fine, just don't use too much is as it can be overbearing.

Makes about 8 arancini

Recipe

For the risotto
1 tbs olive oil
Half an onion, finely chopped
200g of mushrooms (chestnut, porcini) wiped clean and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
10g Dried Porcini mushrooms
260g Arborio or carnaroli risotto rice
One small glass of white wine
1.5L of stock (I make this up with a STAR Porcini stock cube, available from Italian delis and Carluccio's)
Truffle oil, or better, fresh truffle
40g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Seasoning

Make up the stock and keep on a low simmer in a separate pan.

Hydrate the dried mushrooms by covering them in boiling water and allow to stand.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, and add the onions, gently frying until soft but without colouring. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until soft and all the liquid released has evaporated. Add the crushed garlic clove and cook for a minute or two.

Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and finely chop. Add these to the pan.

Add the rice and stir for a few moments, then add the liquid reserved from the dried mushrooms.

Add the glass of white wine and stir until absorbed. Then add ladles of the stock to the rice, stirring the whole time. Add another ladle once the last has absorbed. Continue until the rice is tender but still has a little bite to it.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the Parmesan and just a few drops of truffle oil (don't over do it) or fine shavings of fresh truffle. Season to taste.

Spread the risotto on a large flat plate or tray and allow to cool completely.

For the arancini
One pack of Macsween Wild Boar haggis
2 eggs, beaten
Italian breadcrumbs (pangrattato)