Why we should all be cheating!

Delia’s back with How to Cheat at Cooking, her first book for five years. And it's well worth the wait: over 140 stunningly easy recipes, using clever shortcuts from the fridge, freezer and storecupboard, allowing you to enjoy all the flavour but none of the faff!

In 1971, Ebury Press published Delia’s first ever cookbook – How to Cheat at Cooking. Now, three decades later, she’s back with a completely new version. Delia’s How to Cheat at Cooking has never been more relevant to our hectic lives where tasty, healthy, uncomplicated food is high on the agenda. Delia says, “This is not how to cook. It’s how to cook when you’re busy.

How to discover and use ready-prepared ingredients, how to sometimes short-circuit the accepted rules of cooking, and how, at the same time, to eat really well.” Delia has written this book for people who love to cook but don’t always have the time; people who don’t like to cook but have to; and simply for people who are afraid to cook. It’s about fabulous food without the faff, and shortcuts and preparation tips that even the most accomplished cooks will find irresistible.

Everyone wants to eat well - something more than a dull ready meal - and we would like our friends and family to think that we’ve spent time preparing something. Here, Delia offers us a collection of over 140 recipes that can be made when you are busy with minimal fuss and without sacrificing taste. It’s all about using ingredients intelligently to cook and eat well.

Over the past few years Delia has discovered unique and diverse products sourced by her and her team from supermarkets, shops online, and delis, all of which she has been using herself. They are so exciting she wants to share them with us in this book. Delia suggests tricks and shortcuts for classic dishes like Good Old Shepherd’s Pie, Thick Onion Tart with Cheese & Sage and a very quick Malaysian Spicy Lemon Chicken, with weekday suppers including Seafood Linguine and Hot Smoked Salmon and Quail Egg Pie. Delia also gives storecupboard standbys that can be prepared without having to make a last-minute shopping trip, such as Cromer Crab Tart, and super-speedy desserts that can be thrown together with little notice and few ingredients, such as Chocolate Ricotta Mousse and Buttermilk Pancakes with Pecans and Maple Syrup. 

With colour photographs throughout, clear instructions and Delia’s invaluable help and advice, Delia’s How to Cheat at Cooking is a must-have for time-poor novice cooks and food lovers alike. Will you be doing a `Delia’ tonight?

Keep an eye on this page for details of Delia's book signings, cheat product list, a sneak preview of the recipes and lots of exciting Delia events!