The Things We Make All the Time

You need

• About 3 medium tomatoes, heirloom if you can
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella
• A handful basil, plus a few leaves to tear over
• A handful mint
• About ⅓ cup good olive oil
• 1 to 2 lemons
• Flaky sea salt and black pepper

Then

1. SliceSlice the tomatoes and mozzarella thinly, and lay them round a pretty platter, alternating, in a circle.
2. BlendIn a blender, whizz the olive oil, the juice of a lemon, a big pinch of salt and a palmful each of basil and mint. Taste: if it tastes too much of oil, add more lemon.
3. DressJust before serving, spoon the dressing over, tear over a little more basil, and finish with salt and pepper. It can be made ahead and is lovely cold, but I dress it at the last minute.

You need

• 2 lb small boiling potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, with some of the green
• ½ cup celery, finely chopped, with some leaves
• A big handful dill, chopped
• 2 tbsp grainy mustard
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• ⅓ cup good olive oil
• Flaky salt and black pepper
• Capers, if you like

Then

1. BoilHalve any large potatoes and cover by a few inches with lightly salted water. Simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes, until a fork goes in easily but they are not falling apart. Drain.
2. Dress warmWhisk the mustard, vinegar and oil together and pour over the potatoes while they are still warm, so they drink it in.
3. FinishWhen they have cooled a little, fold in the scallions, celery, dill, salt, pepper and capers. Taste, and add more vinegar if it needs it.

You need

• 4 to 6 ears of corn, husks on
• 2 tbsp soft unsalted butter
• A big pinch smoked paprika
• A pinch cayenne, if you like heat
• ½ cup cotija, finely grated
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper

Then

1. HusksPeel the husks back, strip by strip, without pulling them off. Pull away all the silk, gather the husks at the base, and tie them together with a thin strip of husk.
2. GrillGrill over medium heat, turning, for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned in places.
3. FinishMash the butter with a fork. Mix the paprika and cayenne. As the corn comes off the grill, brush with butter, then sprinkle with the spices, salt, pepper and cotija, and squeeze over a little lime.

You need

• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• Plenty of butter, for the pan

Then

1. PanHeat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×5 loaf pan, heavily. It matters: the butter gives you the crisp edge.
2. MixMix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. Tip the dry into the wet and stir just to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.
3. BakeBake for about an hour, sometimes 1 hour 10, depending on your bananas, until a knife comes out clean from the middle.
4. CoolCool for 5 to 10 minutes, run a knife round the edge and turn out onto a rack. It keeps for days on the counter under a cloche.

You need

• 1 lb pizza dough (enough for two)
• A good glug olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 6 tbsp your favorite jarred tomato sauce
• 1 large ball fresh mozzarella
• A few handfuls grated pizza cheese blend
• Per pizza ½ pepper, ¼ white onion and a few mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Black pepper; ham, if you like

Then

1. ProofLet the dough sit out in a floured bowl, covered, until doubled, about an hour. If it is frozen, thaw it in the fridge first, out of its bag.
2. Pre-bakeHeat the oven to 425°F. Roll the dough out and bake it plain for 2 minutes, just until it sets. This is what stops it going soggy under the toppings.
3. Garlic oilWarm the oil and garlic in a small pan until sizzling, and brush it all over the part-baked bases, right to the edges, before the sauce.
4. TopThree heaped tablespoons of sauce each, half the mozzarella torn over as the base, pepper, the vegetables, then a heaping layer of the cheese blend.
5. Bake on the rackSlide the pizzas straight onto the oven rack with a wooden peel, with a tray on the rack below to catch drips. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, watching closely.
6. BlastTurn the oven up to 500°F for the last two minutes. Watch them. It is the difference between good and very crisp.

You need

• 1 angel food cake, bought
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
• A few sprigs mint

Then

1. CreamWhip the cream with the sugar to soft, floppy peaks.
2. BuildPut the cake on your prettiest stand, pile the cream on top, and heap the strawberries over. Tuck in the mint.

You need

• 8 to 10 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 tbsp butter
• A splash whole milk
• Salt and pepper; chives or garlic, if you like

Then

1. BoilQuarter any big potatoes. Boil in very well-salted water for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft when poked with a fork. Drain and return them to the pan.
2. MashAdd the butter, cream and milk, and mash until smooth.
3. WhipSeason, then beat hard with a wooden spoon until fluffy. Fluff like your family is counting on you.

You need

• 2 lb acorn squash, in wedges
• 2 lb rutabaga, peeled, in wedges
• 1 lb parsnips, peeled, in spears
• 1 lb carrots, peeled, in spears
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 thyme sprigs
• Coarse salt and black pepper

Then

1. TossHeat the oven to 450°F. Toss the vegetables evenly with the oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
2. SpaceSpread them over two shallow trays so that nothing overlaps.
3. RoastRoast 45 to 50 minutes, turning them and swapping the trays top to bottom and front to back halfway. Serve hot or at room temperature.

You need

• 1 package smoked salmon
• 1 jar capers
• 1 loaf fresh, crusty bread
• 1 lemon, quartered
• Salted butter and black pepper
• Fresh dill, if you have it
• 1 bottle something fizzy, very cold

Then

1. ToastSlice and toast the bread, and butter it while it’s hot.
2. ServePut everything out on a board: the salmon, capers, lemon, dill and pepper, and let everyone build their own. Open the bottle.

You need

• 2 slices good crusty bread
• 3 hefty slices sharp cheddar
• A few leaves butter lettuce
• Leftover turkey and stuffing, the best ones
• Mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce: be bold
• Salt and pepper

Then

1. BuildSpread both slices generously. Layer up the cheddar, turkey, stuffing and lettuce, season, and press down firmly. Eat standing at the counter.

You need

• 9 tbsp soft butter, for the shortbread, plus more for the pan
• ¾ cup sugar, for the shortbread
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
• ¾ cup sugar, for the cranberries
• 2 lemons, zested
• 4 + 4 whole eggs and egg yolks, for the curd
• ⅓ cup sugar, for the curd
• 1 cup lemon juice, plus 2 tbsp zest
• 10 tbsp cold butter, diced, for the curd
• Powdered sugar, to finish

Then

1. CurdWhisk the eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice, zest and a pinch of salt in a heavy pan. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the butter has melted and it has thickened. Push it through a sieve and chill. It makes more than you need; the rest is very good with tea.
2. PanHeat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour an 8×8 pan, line it with parchment with an overhang, and butter and flour that too.
3. ShortbreadBeat the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and salt and beat a minute more, until it looks like damp sand. Press it into the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until just golden.
4. CranberriesMeanwhile, simmer the cranberries, sugar, lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of water, stirring, until the berries burst and it turns jammy, 7 to 9 minutes.
5. BakePour the cranberry over the hot shortbread and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until bubbling. Cool at least 10 minutes.
6. FinishSpread the lemon curd over the top and chill at least an hour, or overnight. Lift out by the parchment, cut into squares, and sift over a little powdered sugar.

You need

• 1⅔ cups whole wheat flour (or all-purpose)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, in ½-inch pieces
• ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
• ½ cup maple syrup, plus 3 tbsp for the glaze
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup chopped fruit: a peeled apple and a ripe banana
• ½ cup powdered sugar, for the glaze

Then

1. DryIn a stand mixer with the paddle, mix the flours, baking powder, soda and salt. Add half the butter and mix 2 to 3 minutes, until sandy. Add the rest and mix just 10 seconds, so big flakes of butter remain.
2. WetWhisk the yogurt, maple syrup, buttermilk and yolk together, and stir in the fruit.
3. CombineAdd the wet to the dry and mix on low for 10 seconds, then finish gently by hand. Don’t overmix. Wrap and chill at least an hour.
4. BakeHeat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 8 loose mounds onto a lined sheet and bake 30 to 40 minutes, rotating halfway, until golden.
5. GlazeWhisk the powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and spoon over the warm scones. They never last the day.

You need

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups quinoa or buckwheat flakes
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup almonds and walnuts, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 4 tbsp barley malt syrup
• 1 cup dried fruit: raisins and chopped apricots

Then

1. MixHeat the oven to 350°F and line two trays. Combine the oats, flakes, cocoa, nuts and seeds in a big bowl.
2. SyrupWarm the coconut oil, maple syrup and malt syrup together, whisking, until melted. Pour over the oats and stir until everything is coated.
3. BakeSpread over the trays and bake 7 to 10 minutes. Stir well, and bake another 7 to 10.
4. CoolLet it cool completely, then stir in the dried fruit and pack into a jar.