Twice-cooked beef & ginger chow mein

The beef is braised, shredded and then added 

to the stir-fried noodles and vegetables.

Swineherd's Pie

Some surplus sausagemeat mixed with softened leeks and onions,

topped with King Edward & Sweet Potato Mash

Pancake Roll

Nothing like the spring rolls you'll find in your local Chinese - 

this is a filled real pancake, rather than a pastry wrapper.

Breakfast deconstructed

Pan-roasted black pudding and mushrooms, soft-boiled egg,

with salad leaves and apple dressing

Margherita Pizza

You can tell this is home-made because it's not a perfect circle!

Curried Omelette & Celeriac Salad

Shredded curried omelette with grated celeriac, apple and carrot.

The best of British

It's been a very long winter, so treats like this are more than welcome!

A very English affair

The ingredients of this lunchtime snack don't come any more British than these:
an English muffin slathered with butter and Marmite, filled with spinach leaves and cucumber.

Barbecue Weather

Sometimes only a juicy half-pounder hits the spot....

Chicken & Halloumi Kebabs

Summer simplicity!

Penne with Bacon & Beetroot Cream

An inspired supper - penne with bacon & beetroot cream

Ginger McCain's Chicken Calypso

A pre-Grand National special dinner

Chicken breast strips with ginger & pineapple

Good Friday Dinner Party

Assembling Moules St Jacques

On the breadline

I just love corned beef!

Pork Haggis

Pork haggis on a bed of crushed potato, with mustard oil dressing

Spanish Ploughman's (sort of)

The simple things.......

Pollock & Chorizo Stew

Spanish influenced meat & fish combo

served with mixed leaf and Tom's amazing rice

Kippered Mackerel, Tomato & Celery Salad

Spring is on its way......

Griddled Chicken & Roasted Grapes

Breast of chicken marinated in Mediterranean herbs

with a citrus twist, and griddled with seedless grapes

Pastrami & Salami Hash

Not the most elegant-looking dish perhaps.....

Salami & pastrami sautéed with potatoes and onions,

 leeks, peppers and red cabbage, finished with dolcelatte

Global Scouse Day

Probably the best bowl of Scouse anywhere, ever......

Oriental Beef & Ginger

Strips of rib-eye steak stir-fried with vegetables and ginger,

served with plain basmati rice

Celery & Blue Cheese Soup

Grown-up Comfort Food!

Bread & Butter Rarebit Pudding

A triumph of buttered English muffins

scattered with ham and chopped leeks

slathered with a tangy Rarabit sauce

Lamb & Tomato Hotpot

Minced lamb & tomato, topped with crispy potato slices

Pastrami, Mustard & Dolcelatte

For lunchtime snacks like this I buy par-baked baguettes 

and grill them on my toastie machine

Sausage Casserole with Bubble & Squeak

The finished dish, served simply with peas.

Frying the bubble 'n' squeak in small patties

Tuscan-style Beef & Tomato Ragout

Influenced by Tuscan cuisine

with cannelini beans, olives and Mediterranean vegetables

Souper Sunday

A hearty winter soup to kick-off a late sunday lunch.

Reduced-price diced swede boiled up with split red lentils, blended to a smooth, rib-sticking heaven

Prawn & Smoked Fish Pasta

Penne with prawns, smoked fish & peppers in a creamy sauce

Winter Sunshine

A little ray of brightness to end an early-dusk day.

Brie, continental bread and olives...

Binge-drinking

I think I've heard it all now: Demos, the think tank, has published a survey entitled "Feeling The Effects" into parental influence on future alcohol abuse.

Phil Mellows, writing in The Publican's Morning Advertiser, 1st January 2013, admirably demonstrates how lacking in empiricism this report really is.