Marcus Wareing - Marcus Everyday - Easy Family Food for Every Kind of Day

Best for pickling

Cucumber, Beetroot, Cauliflower, Beans, Cabbage, Rhubarb, Carrots

Pickled Cucumbers

MAKES: AROUND 700G | PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS CURING AND PICKLING | COOKING TIME: UNDER 5 MINUTES

2 small cucumbers (about 200g each), washed

4 tbsp rock salt

FOR THE PICKLING LIQUOR

250ml white wine vinegar

55g demerara sugar

½ tsp caraway seeds

6 black peppercorns

6 dill sprigs

1 Cut the cucumbers in half widthways, then each half lengthways into four. Put them in a dish, sprinkle them with the rock salt and leave for 2 hours. Wash off the salt and pack into a sterilised jar.

2 Put all ingredients for pickling liquor, apart from the dill, in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat and add the dill.

3 Pour the hot pickling liquor over the cucumbers and seal with a lid. Leave for at least 2 weeks before eating. They will keep for a good few weeks in the fridge once opened.

JAM-MAKING

I have sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, friends and uncles who all make jam, and everyone makes it completely differently. I wanted to put jams in this book as there is a right way and a wrong way to go about jam-making, and it’s all about balance. A big pot of steaming fruit sends delicious aromas throughout the house and is the perfect way to use up overripe fruit. One of the issues we find we have to tackle as parents is the amount of added sugar in shop-bought products. Making your own preserves allows you to control the levels of sugar you add, and thus the end result on your larder shelf. Obviously, fruit that is sourer will need more sugar, but if you combine a few different ones you can get the best of both worlds.

Best for jam

Stone fruit, Berries, Rhubarb, Figs, Quince

Fig Jam

MAKES: 1.3KG | PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES

1kg figs, tops of stalks removed, roughly chopped

2 fig leaves, cleaned

500g jam sugar (containing pectin)

1 Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and stir well to combine. Place over low heat and allow the sugar to dissolve, then increase the heat slightly and bring to a gentle simmer.

2 Once the liquid begins to come out of the figs, turn the heat up a little and stir regularly to prevent the jam catching on the bottom of the pan. Simmer rapidly until the jam reaches 105º. If you don’t have a thermometer, use the saucer test: put a saucer in the freezer, then once it’s cold put half a teaspoon of the jam on the saucer. If it does not run, it’s ready.

3 Remove the fig leaves, scraping the jam off them and back into the pan, and pour the jam into sterilised jars. Cover with the lids immediately. The unopened jars will keep for up to 12 months, and up to 1 month in the fridge once opened.

CHUTNEY MAKING

We always have chutney in my house, whether it’s homemade or shop-bought. It is a staple on cheese sandwiches and a go-to condiment when a little extra flavour is needed.

Best for chutney

Tomatoes, Onions, Stone fruit, Apples, Pears, Rhubarb, Figs

Apple, Rhubarb and Rosemary Chutney

MAKES: 475G | PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 40 MINUTES

1 onion, cut into 1cm dice

2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2cm dice (about 400g)

4 rhubarb stalks, cut into 2cm pieces (about 250g)

4 sprigs of rosemary, tied together with string

150ml white wine vinegar

100g dried, pitted dates, finely chopped

1 Put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 30–40 minutes until sticky and shiny.

2 Remove the rosemary sprigs, pour into sterilised jars and seal. The unopened jars will keep for up to 12 months, and up to 1 month in the fridge once opened.

Weekday meals are some of the toughest to get inspired for. They’re the ones we don’t think about until we get home or call for a takeout. Or we eat something quick and rubbish because we just don’t have time to prep a meal. We’re all working incredibly hard, and we also have to fit in travel, family and down time, so making food can quickly become a chore. These simplified dishes are really easy to make, and they offer great nutritional value, too. Don’t overthink it and don’t worry about it.

Beetroot, Wasabi, Feta and Pine Nut Salad

This dish makes a great summer, or early autumn, meal. It is delicious and also surprisingly filling, with the chickpeas, feta and pine nuts all playing a part. The wasabi is there to season the dish, not to overpower it. So even if you are not a fan, do try it!

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR

100g pine nuts

500g cooked beetroot

100g tinned chickpeas, drained, rinsed and roughly chopped

100g lamb’s lettuce

200g feta

2 slices of sourdough (about 100g), gently toasted then torn

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE DRESSING

½ tsp wasabi paste

50ml olive oil

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan/gas 7.

2 Place the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8–10 minutes, shaking halfway through, until a deep golden colour.

3 Slice the beetroot into large chunks and lay them on a platter. Scatter the chopped chickpeas on top, followed by the lamb’s lettuce. Crumble the feta on top, then add the pine nuts and a generous grind of black pepper. Finish with the torn sourdough pieces.

4 For the dressing, whisk everything together in a bowl, season with salt, then drizzle over the top of the salad. Serve immediately.

Field Mushroom, Walnut and Thyme Filo Pie

I’m from the North and two things I really love are pies and mushrooms. This is rich, satisfying and a total winner, providing a delicious weekday supper or weekend lunch. It’s technically a little challenging, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s simple to put together. In summer, a side of chargrilled broccoli makes a great accompaniment, and in winter I like it with kale sautéed in a little butter and soy sauce.

SERVES: 4–6 | PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 55 MINUTES

100g puy lentils

70g butter

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely grated

½ bunch of thyme, ⅔ of it tied together with string, the remaining third’s leaves picked

8 large field (or flat) mushrooms, thinly sliced

100g walnuts

1 tbsp vegetable oil

100g cream cheese

2 tbsp milk

50g Cheddar cheese, grated

7 large sheets of filo pastry

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 Cook the lentils according to the packet instructions.

2 Melt 15g of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat, add the onions, garlic, tied thyme and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 minutes until lightly browned, then transfer to a large bowl. Heat another 15g of the butter in the same frying pan, with the bunch of tied thyme, and when the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and season well with salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, until all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the bowl containing the onions. Squeeze any liquid out of the bunch of thyme into the bowl then discard.