What I'm Cooking This Week: A Glimpse into My Kitchen

This week in my kitchen I’ve been inspired by recent travels and the gradual change in the seasons. After a rejuvenating holiday in Kas, Turkey, I find myself drawn to the vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean, while the cooler, shortening days call for more comforting, hearty meals. It’s a week of balancing light, fresh dishes with rich, satisfying flavours — the best of both worlds as we move from the warmth of late summer into the cooler, damp English autumn. This seasonal shift has me preparing dishes like roasted Sussex lamb rump, pasture-raised lamb that’s perfect for autumn evenings.

Savoury Breakfast: Turkish Menemen

Having just returned from the beautiful coastal town of Kas, I couldn’t resist bringing a little piece of Turkey back into my kitchen. This week, I’ve been starting my mornings with Turkish Menemen, a dish that embodies everything I love about Turkish cooking—simple, fresh ingredients and bold flavours. Over the past year, I’ve shifted away from sugary breakfasts and started eating savoury, protein-rich options instead.

Menemen ticks my no-sugar box. It is a delicious savoury dish of softly scrambled eggs cooked with tomatoes, green peppers, red pepper paste, and a generous sprinkling of spices like cumin and pulbiber. The eggs are cooked gently until set, and then I scoop them up with fresh sourdough bread, perfect for soaking up the rich tomato sauce.

It’s become my go-to breakfast this week, bringing a little warmth and sunshine to rainy mornings. The best part is how easy it is to make, using just a few simple ingredients. I make enough of the tomato/pepper base to keep in the fridge, so this is quick to throw together.

Evening menus for my clients this month features minted lamb rump served on a bed of shallots, peas, and mint, with roasted potatoes. I’m using Sussex pasture-raised lamb, which I find to be the best choice at this time of year, for several reasons.

The lambs, at 4-5 months old, are still young enough to have a delicate, tender flavour, but they’ve also had time to graze on nutrient-rich pastures during the summer, which imparts a rich, grassy depth to the meat. Because they’re raised locally, the "low miles" aspect of sourcing means the lamb has travelled minimal distance, reducing the carbon footprint and ensuring freshness. My local butcher, Coughtrey’s, has a ‘field to fork’ policy, sourcing their meat from roughly a 20-mile radius of Pulborough, maintaining good relationships with local farmers, and ensuring their lamb has full traceability.

This approach also supports sustainable farming practices in the region, where the lambs are allowed to roam and feed naturally. By choosing local Sussex pasture-raised lamb, we’re not only celebrating a high-quality product but also embracing seasonality. Lamb is a great choice for this time of year, transitioning from the lighter dishes of summer into the heartier, comforting meals of autumn. The flavours of the lamb, combined with the freshness of peas and mint, along with slow-cooked shallots which turn wonderfully rich and tender, perfect for adding depth to a dish. When gently cooked over low heat, the shallots slowly caramelise, releasing their natural sweetness and developing a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture. The slow cooking process allows their flavour to mellow, creating a mild, almost buttery taste with subtle hints of garlic and onion, making this dish a perfect bridge between the seasons.

For Dessert: Raspberry Bakewell Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream

For some of my clients this week who are out partridge shooting, I’m making a Raspberry Bakewell Tart for lunch — a classic, old-school dessert with a bright, zingy twist. While Bakewell tart is usually filled with strawberry or cherry jam, I’ve opted for raspberry to add a tart, fruity edge that contrasts beautifully with the rich almond frangipane filling. The crisp, buttery pastry, sweet almond filling, and the raspberry jam layer come together to create a dessert that’s both nostalgic and refreshing.

And while custard is the traditional accompaniment to a Bakewell tart, I’m holding off for now — it’s not quite that time of year. Instead, I’m serving the tart with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which adds a creamy, cooling element to balance the warm, nutty flavours. It’s a little nod to late summer when ice cream still feels appropriate but with enough cosy vibes to suit the season.

RECIPE

Raspberry Bakewell Tart

Serves 8 (afternoon tea) or 12 (dessert)

I always use a Magimix, so I have written this recipe to include using a food processor.

I tend to use Silverwood baking tins. They are non-stick, easy to release pastry and cakes, and although they can't go in the dishwasher, they are easy to clean and are designed and manufactured in the UK.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry:

• 350g plain flour

• 150g chilled butter, cubed

• 6-7 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

• 6 tbsp raspberry jam - I use Duchy organic

• 125g butter, softened

• 125g caster sugar

• 125g ground almonds

• 1 large free-range egg

• ½ tsp almond extract

• 250g fresh raspberries

• 50g flaked almonds

For the icing:

• 80g icing sugar

• 2 tsp cold water

Method

1. Make the pastry:

   • In your Magimix, pulse the flour and chilled butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing between each addition until the dough comes together.

   • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to line a 23cm flan/cake tin. Trim any excess pastry and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

   • * You will have some pastry left over, but I always prefer to have too much to play with than to roll too thin!

2. Blind bake the pastry:

   • Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas 6.

   • Line the chilled pastry with baking paper and fill with ceramic baking beans.

   • Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper. Return the pastry to the oven for 5 minutes more to dry out the base. Set aside.

3. Prepare the filling:

   • Spread the base of the tart evenly with the raspberry jam.

   • In the magimix add the softened butter, sugar, ground almonds, egg and almond extract. Whizz until smooth.

   • Pour the almond mixture over the jam, push fresh raspberries into the mixture and sprinkle the top with the flaked almonds.

4. Bake the tart:

   • Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the filling is golden and set.

5. Make the icing:

   • Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in 2 teaspoons of cold water until smooth.

   • Use a teaspoon to drizzle it in a zigzag pattern over the cooled tart.

Serving suggestions:

• For afternoon tea: Cut into 8 slices for a proper big slice with a cup of tea.

• For dessert: Slice into 12 portions and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.