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The unlikely combination of potatoes and pasta does appear in some Italian recipes.
You can really taste the difference between a shop-bought and a good homemade mayo.
Good asparagus needs minimal treatment and is best eaten with few other ingredients.
TV chefs are not responsible for people's consumption of fibre; this is not our job.
Mothers and grandmothers: these are the people that I admire most, not so much chefs.
Pomegranate molasses is ubiquitous in Arabic cooking: it's sweet, sour and adds depth.
Turkish cuisine is, to my mind, one of the most exciting and accomplished in the world.
The taste of any simple tomato-based salad is dependent on the quality of the tomatoes.
Long-, medium- and short-grain rices differ in the amount and type of starch they have.
These days, meals are more open to personal preferences. People like to serve themselves.
Seasonality in winter doesn't have to mean sleep-inducing, stew-like, starchy casseroles.
I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.
Even in the busiest kitchen, there's always a point at the end of the day when you go home.
Sorrel adds a unique grassy sharpness to salads and dressings, but it can be hard to come by.
The tang of tamarind is a great way both to flavour and lighten up slow-cooked savoury dishes.
Scamorza, an Italian curd cheese often labelled 'smoked mozzarella,' melts fantastically well.
Forget mung beans' reputation as healthy yet bland - used right, they soak up loads of flavour.
I've been accused of having very long ingredient lists, and I guess there's some truth in that.
Good-quality nuts, toasted in a little butter and salt, make a magical addition to many salads.
Beetroot is a great salad ingredient, especially when still warm; the colour ain't bad, either.
There's nothing more marvelously wintery than orange root veg mash; some butter is all it needs.
The Guardian's 'Word of Mouth' blog bridges the gap between blogging and serious food journalism.
Like parents, cooks shouldn't have favourites, but some recipes inevitably shine more than others.
Conflict is very much a state of mind. If you're not in that state of mind, it doesn't bother you.
Fish cakes are perceived as being quite British, and they're always a bit brown and a little dull.
Swiss chard is undervalued in Britain. It's a great substitute for spinach and keeps its shape well.
Some heat, some spice and plenty of citrus are the building blocks of many north African fish dishes.
A quick shallow fry is a great way to transform leftovers, and no more so than in the case of risotto.
My secret with kale is to add lots of sweet or sharp flavours to offset some of that grassy intensity.
It's hard to beat the rough texture of steel-cut oats, with their slight resistance against the teeth.
Sweet potatoes are ideal for lazy days: just bake, then mash and mix with yogurt, butter or olive oil.
New-season lamb shoulder, cooked pink, is the perfect platform for a mixture of fresh and cooked herbs.
Celery leaves are an underused ingredient, most likely because supermarkets sell mostly leafless stalks.
Tagliatelle comes from the word tagliare, meaning 'to cut.' Tagliolini are simply thinly cut tagliatelle.
The natural sweetness of leeks, with their soft, oniony aroma, makes them the perfect winter comfort food.
You dont need a machine to make pasta: a rolling pin and a fast hand can create a smooth, if thick, sheet.
Food was always important in my family, but I didn't think of it as a vocation until a later point in life.
I love dishes that feature the various shades of a single colour, making you stop to check what's in there.
Raw fish suppers admittedly require a little planning, not least in the acquisition of the main ingredient.
Every era has its own list of ingredients that are considered exotic and then, 15 years later, they're not.
The kitchen is tough. It's one of the last bastions in civilized culture that sets out to crush the spirit.
You don't need a machine to make pasta: a rolling pin and a fast hand can create a smooth, if thick, sheet.
Popping broad beans out of their skins can be therapeutic, but it isn't everybody's favourite waste of time.
One man's trash is another man's treasure, and the by-product from one food can be perfect for making another.
The main distinction for fresh chillies is whether they are red or green, the difference being one of ripeness.
Steaming maintains some of the aubergine flesh's texture, which doesn't happen if you cook it in any other way.
Preparing and cooking squid is easier than most fish. The only thing to remember is not to cook it for too long.
Eating ready-made meals is about being very passive, and actively cooking is something that nothing compares to.
Having grown up in the Middle East, eating beans for breakfast always seemed like a bizarre British eccentricity.
For my money, celery hasn't got a mean bit of fibre in its body, and we all need to start being much nicer to it.