BBC Good Food - 04.2020

APRIL 2020 bbcgoodfood.com 119

skills

Photographs MICHELLE ARNOLD

EYEEM

GETTY IMAGES, MELISSA REYNOLDS

JAMES, ISTOCK, CORBIS

GETTY IMAGES PLUS

1

My favourite gadget is

a Thermomix.They’re

incredible, even in a professional

environment, and are perfect for

slow cooking, blending and even

breadmaking. But, if we’re talking

the opposite end of the price

spectrum, it’s a microplane – I love

to grate cheese using one, as it

looks very professional. It also

creates the finest lemon zest.

2

A pinch of sumac will take

your cooking to the next

level.It has a subtle, tangy lemon

flavour, so you’re adding acidity

but it isn’t as harsh as straight

lemon juice. It’s excellent on

so many things – sprinkle it

on cooked fish, or use in salads.

3

Cauliflower frittata is

my go-to four-ingredient

recipe.Finely chop half a

cauliflower (leaves and all),

then cook down with

some olive oil and

mild curry powder.

Tip into a bowl

and mix with four

beaten eggs. Heat a

non-stick pan with oil and pour in

the mixture. Cook until browned

and sealed, then transfer to a hot

grill and cook the top.

4

My guilty pleasure is

breaded chicken goujons

from M&S.I’m obsessed with

them – I’ll eat them with a Little

Gem salad, mayonnaise and some

homemade chips.

5

Lamb shoulder is my

favourite cut of meat.

A whole slow-cooked lamb

shoulder on the bone seasoned

with Moorish spices is really

easy and impressive. Cook it with

cumin, smoked paprika, coriander

seeds, garlic and vinegar, and serve

it whole at the table for guests to

help themselves.

6

Stued

vegetables

make a great veggie

main course.Ball-shaped

courgettes are brilliant vessels

• part-roast them, scoop out the
  insides and stuthem with some
  cooked wild rice, spices, cheese,
  lemon zest, lots of fresh herbs,
  salt and pepper, then sprinkle
  over breadcrumbs and drizzle
  with oil before popping back in
  the oven to cook and crisp up.

7

Shop-bought pastry is

a clever shortcut.If you get

a great quality brand made with

natural ingredients, such as

all-butter pupastry, then you’ve

got a great base for pies and tarts.

8

My tip for cutting food

waste in the home:Don’t

do a big shop – buy dinner as you

need it. I know it’s not the most

practical for some, but I’ve noticed

a massive dierence by doing this.

9

The best way to save a salty

soupis to add a few ladles of

plain stock and some of the soup

ingredients (like cauliflower

florets if it’s a cauliflower soup)

to dilute the salty liquid. Cook for

a few minutes more, then taste and

blend if necessary. A little squeeze

of lemon juice helps, too.

10

Zero waste will be

the next big food trend.

I think we’ll see more restaurants

operating with this ethos, and

menus to match. Supermarkets

will also tap into this. By-products

and less beautiful vegetables that

would normally be binned will

start to be sold more widely. We’ll

also see more use of alternative

fish in restaurants, like heads and

oal, as opposed to only the fillets.

&

Classically

trained, with

over 20 years’

experience

working with top

chefs like Jason

Atherton and

Marcus Wareing,

Ben Tish is now

culinary director

at The Staord

London, and has

recently opened

Sicilian restaurant

Norma with the

Staord Collection.

His latest book,

Moorish(£26,

Bloomsbury

Absolute), focuses

on the vibrant

recipes of the

Mediterranean.

normalondon.com

10 TIPS FROM PROS

What you can learn

from Ben Tish

The chef and BBCSaturday Kitchen Live regular shares his expert knowledge