Piccalilli started life in India – the English brought the idea back to England and adapted it to what we know today. When you look at the ingredients, you can see the Indian influence in spices such as turmeric. A lot of recipes ask you to sprinkle the vegetables...

A trendy version of good old potato salad. Heritage potatoes are actually varieties which were commonplace before the Second World War. To feed the country, new types of potato were introduced which were easier to grow and gave a higher yield. When the war was over,...

We use dried rather than fresh fruit in this coleslaw because, if you add apple or orange, they tend to become soft and mushy as they sit in the mayonnaise. The dried fruit also gives individual hits of sweetness as you eat it … and you probably have some dried fruit...

This combination of soft courgette and crunchy almonds makes a great side salad. Try adding a little English feta (see here) and some granary bread croutons to turn it into a meal. If you cannot get hold of marjoram – and it can be tricky – try oregano instead. If you...

We love taking classics and twisting them. This is a simple and traditional filling, but the chives infused into the oil help to cut the richness of the mayonnaise, giving balance and getting the maximum amount of flavour to lift the simple sandwich to a new level; it...

The combination of mature Cheddar and sage works beautifully here, and is best complemented by home-made Apple chutney . Here we use a mixture of butter and sunflower oil, which helps keep the scones moist. For light and fluffy scones, handle the dough gently, and...