Dinner ideas
5 cabbage dinners that are not boiled cabbage
A cabbage head can become a roast wedge, a noodle-like skillet, a bean dinner, a chicken tray and a crisp topping without a pot of boiling water.
Seasonal
41 pages tagged seasonal.
Buying guides
How to choose a dense cauliflower with fresh leaves
A good cauliflower feels heavy for its size, has a tight white curd and fresh leaves around a dry base. The leaves are the quickest freshness clue.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with yogurt
Lemony Greek yogurt turns the juices from corn, tomatoes and peaches into a cool sauce. Spoon the salad over it so the yogurt stays distinct.
Storage and keeping
How to keep cut aubergine from browning
Aubergine browns quickly after cutting because its exposed enzymes meet oxygen. The best fix is cooking soon; lemon water buys you a little time.
Cooking technique
Why aubergines drink oil and how to stop it
Aubergine absorbs oil because its open cell structure takes it up while the flesh is cool. Heat, salt timing and measured brushing keep the result silky instead of greasy.
Storage and keeping
How to keep courgettes from going limp
Courgettes go limp when moisture and cold air damage the skin. Store them whole, dry and loosely wrapped, then cut only what you need.
Buying guides
Tenderstem vs regular broccoli: which is better value?
Tenderstem broccoli is not automatically better value. The useful comparison is edible weight, trimming and the kind of dinner you want to put on the table.
Buying guides
Why cabbage gets sweeter when its edges char
Charred cabbage is not burnt cabbage. A dry cut face and enough heat turn the edges savoury and sweet while the thick rib stays juicy.
Dinner ideas
5 ways to turn cauliflower into dinner
Cauliflower becomes dinner when you give it a browned surface, a filling partner and a finish with contrast. Here are five routes from one head.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella for the freezer
A practical freezer base of roasted tomatoes and crisp bread, finished later with fresh peaches, herbs and lemon.
Buying guides
How to choose an aubergine that is young enough to cook well
A young aubergine feels dense, has taut skin and a green cap that has not dried out. These checks matter more than choosing the darkest colour.
Storage and keeping
How to keep a cut cabbage fresh for a week
A cut cabbage can stay useful for a week when the exposed face is dry, covered and kept cold. Slice from the outside and leave the core intact.
Buying guides
How to choose small courgettes with better texture
Small courgettes usually have finer seeds and firmer flesh, but size alone is not a guarantee. Weight, stem freshness and skin tension are better checks.
Buying guides
Globe vs long aubergines: which is better for roasting?
Long aubergines roast with more browned surface and fewer large seeds, while globe aubergines give thick soft flesh for halves and stuffing.
Cooking technique
Why cauliflower can smell strong when it is overcooked
Cauliflower contains sulfur compounds that become more noticeable with prolonged wet cooking. Shorter, hotter cooking keeps the smell quieter and the texture firmer.
Cooking technique
Why courgettes turn watery in a pan
A watery courgette pan is usually a heat and spacing problem, not a bad vegetable. Dry the cut surface, use a wide pan and wait before turning.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella for a packed lunch
Pack the tomatoes and peaches with a lemon dressing underneath, then keep bread, herbs and seeds separate until lunch.
Dinner ideas
5 dinners that make aubergine the main event
Aubergine can carry dinner when it gets enough heat, a sharp finish and something with substance beside it. These five meals give it the main role.
Buying guides
How to choose a cabbage that will stay crisp
A crisp cabbage feels dense, has tightly packed leaves and a dry cut base. The shop test takes less time than rescuing a wilted half later.
Storage and keeping
How to keep cauliflower from going grey
Cauliflower turns grey when exposed tissue dries or oxidises. Keep the head cold and dry, cover cut surfaces and cook before the spots spread.
Buying guides
Green cabbage vs pointed cabbage: which one should you buy?
Green cabbage is the sturdier all-rounder. Pointed cabbage is sweeter, quicker to soften and better when dinner needs tender leaves without a long braise.
Buying guides
Cauliflower vs broccoli: which roasts better?
Cauliflower gives a more even roast and creamy centre. Broccoli browns faster and has better crisp tips, so the winner depends on the texture you want.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with lemon and herbs
Corn, tomatoes and peaches brought together by lemon, olive oil and a handful of herbs. The corn gets charred; everything else stays fresh.
Dinner ideas
5 dinners for too many courgettes
A pile of courgettes needs different textures, not five versions of the same saute. These dinners use roasting, grating, blending, ribbons and stewing.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with crispy chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas bring salt and crunch to a juicy peach-and-tomato panzanella that is substantial enough for dinner.
Buying guides
Courgettes vs zucchini: does the variety change how you cook it?
Courgette is the British name for zucchini. The useful difference is not the label but the variety, size and moisture inside the skin.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with pickled onions
Quick-pickled red onions cut through ripe fruit and tomato juice in a panzanella with crisp bread and basil.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad for a packed lunch
The salad travels well because the dressing, herbs and toasted seeds stay in their own corners until lunch. No soggy leaves, no leaking fruit.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with yogurt
Thick yogurt turns the tomato juices into a cool, creamy dressing for crisp bread, ripe peaches and fresh herbs.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with warm flatbread
Warm flatbread turns the lemony tomato and peach juices into part of the meal. Char the corn, tear the bread and let everyone build a bite.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad for the freezer
Tomatoes and corn can be frozen after roasting; peaches and herbs cannot. Freeze the cooked base, then finish it with fresh fruit when you need dinner.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with chilli oil
Chilli oil gives the sweet fruit a savoury edge, while toasted bread catches every drop of tomato and lemon juice.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with lemon and herbs
Juicy peaches and tomatoes soak into crisp bread while lemon, basil and red onion keep the bowl sharp.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with tahini dressing
Lemony tahini gives the juicy fruit a creamy savoury backdrop and turns this bread salad into a more filling side.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with crispy chickpeas
Sweet late-summer produce with chickpeas roasted until their edges crackle. The salad stays fresh while the chickpeas bring the substance.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with toasted seeds
A handful of toasted seeds gives juicy peaches and tomatoes the contrast they need, alongside crisp country bread.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with pickled onions
A quick pickle turns a red onion into the sharp, crunchy thing that ripe corn, tomatoes and peaches need. The onions do double duty as dressing.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with tahini dressing
The smoky sweetness of corn and peach against a lemon tahini dressing. Creamy without dairy and substantial enough beside flatbread.
Salads & sides
Peach and tomato panzanella with warm flatbread
A juicy peach and tomato panzanella with toasted bread, plus warm flatbread for scooping up every last drop.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with chilli oil
Chilli oil gives ripe peaches and tomatoes a sharp edge, while charred corn adds the savoury part. Keep the oil warm, not smoking.
Salads & sides
Charred corn, tomato and peach salad with toasted seeds
A simple corn, tomato and peach salad with two kinds of toasted seeds for crunch. The seeds are seasoned while warm so they taste of more than oil.