This chapter is all about those little extras that add a bit of ‘wow’ to your cooking arsenal.
I happen to believe that home-made preserves are one such extra. Yes, you can buy preserved lemons, but it’s so much better to make them yourself as you can be clever about how you flavour them, and know exactly what you’re putting in. In this chapter I show you how easy it is to make your own, and once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll find yourself wanting to share the spoils with everyone (and you’ll have to stop yourself adding a little bit of preserved lemon to almost everything you cook). Sophie’s pickled ceps have a similar addictive quality, and make a real difference to any salad or simple supper you might be throwing together. They are also very nice eaten on their own, like sweets.
The cumin brioche, an Indian-French fusion bread, came to me when I was trying to create a bread to accompany the spicy lamb Keema pau dish, which begs for a light, fluffy bread to scoop it up. Cumin’s fragrant warmth works wonderfully with the buttery brioche, and makes the perfect foil for fatty meats like lamb and bacon, which it sandwiches in the hangover-busting breakfast bap in the breakfast and brunch chapter.
My flavoured mayo recipes take everyday, store-bought mayonnaise and pimp it up into something altogether more interesting. I’ve also nabbed my pal Charlie’s killer Dijon salad dressing recipe, which I’ve coveted for years. Green salads will never be the same again...