What should you be cooking this month?
We're really heading into winter warmer territory now - and comfort food comes high on the list of what we want to eat when it's cold or wet. So be tempted by Delia's casseroles, slow-cooked meat dishes and filling soups, all featuring November's ripest ingredients such as chestnuts, game, root veg and walnuts.
Serves 4Chestnut Soup with Bacon and Thyme Croutons
Ready-cooked chestnuts allow you to make this soup in no time at all and you'll be well rewarded: the chestnuts add richness and a sweet flavour which goes really well with the other ingredients: a perfect winter soup.
Serves 4-6Baked Apple and Almond Pudding
This is just the sort of thing that you hope will be served after a convivial Sunday roast, complete with home-made custard, or cream, of course!
Serves 6-8Apple and Almond Crumble
Crumble has to be one of the best desserts going, and it's so quick and easy to make, especially if you use a food processor to make the topping. This is a true classic…
Serves 6Individual Steak, Mushroom and Kidney Pies
Sometimes it looks more elegant to serve individual pies, especially when entertaining. These lovely little morsels of meat and mushrooms really fit the bill…
Serves 2Fried Herrings with Oatmeal and a Beetroot Relish
Why is it that fresh sardines are so highly thought of and yet herrings are largely ignored? Firstly, they're very closely related, so their taste is similar; secondly, herrings don't have to be imported and therefore are fresh, plump and bright, and
Serves 2-4Mexican Chicken Chilli with Yellow Tomato Salsa
I have to admit they probably won't have heard of this in Mexico, but I've so named it because it's a dish based on a couple of Mexican themes: firstly, there are the delightful pinto beans, and secondly, the cheese is melted into the sauce. Anyway,
Serves 2Dhal Curry
Dhal is simply the Indian word for lentils. The best kind to use for this are the red split lentils which most supermarkets stock.
Serves 6Luxury Smoked-fish Pie
I first introduced this in 1978, but I've changed it into less of a family supper dish and into something more suitable for entertaining. Serve it with some sprigs of watercress for garnish, and I always think fish pie is lovely with fresh shelled pe
Serves 2Braised Lamb Shanks with Cannellini Beans
This is delightfully simple as everything goes into one pot, no accompaniments are needed, and it provides a complete menu for two people. It is also very good with flageolet or borlotti beans.
Serves 4Braised Lamb with Flageolet Beans
Neck fillet of lamb provides very sweet meat that responds perfectly to long, slow cooking and if you add pre-soaked dried green flageolets to cook alongside it these, too, absorb the sweet flavours of the lamb.
