Chestnut
Chestnut Pronounce it: chest-nut ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’ that kitsch old Nat King Cole song perfectly sums up the comforting, Christmassy appeal of this sweet, crumbly nut. In contrast to other nuts, chestnuts…
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Green tea
Green tea Pronounce it: green tee Green tea is precisely what it says. It is the green leaf tips of the tea plant, camellia sinensis, that have been dried without any cutting or tearing (which…
Seitan
Seitan Pronounce it: say-tan Seitan (or wheat gluten) is pure gluten, vegetarian protein, extracted from several types of wheat flour by a kneading and rinsing process, after which it is boiled for some time before…
Garlic
Garlic Pronounce it: gar-lik Part of the lily, or alium, family, of which onions are also a member, garlic is one of the most indispensible ingredients around, and plays a central role in Mediterranean and…
Saffron
Saffron Pronounce it: sah-fron The stigma of a type of crocus, saffron threads have a pungent and distinctive aroma and flavour – slightly bitter, a little musty, and with a suggestion of something floral. It’s…
Celeriac
Celeriac Pronounce it: sell-air-e-ak The unsung hero of the vegetable world, knobbly, odd-shaped celeriac has a subtle, celery-like flavour, with nutty overtones. Try it as mash, in big-flavoured, slow-cook dishes, or in its classic form,…
Hummus
Hummus Pronounce it: hoom-iss, hum-iss Hummus or houmous is a staple of Middle Eastern diets. It’s a purée of cooked chickpeas, flavoured with tahini (a paste of roasted sesame seeds) plus olive oil, lemon juice…
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut Pronounce it: sow-er-krowt A diet staple of Germany and much of Central Europe, this is finely sliced cabbage subjected to lactic-acid fermentation. The process begins by adding salt to prepared cabbage; this draws liquid…
Okra
Okra Pronounce it: oh-kra Originally from Africa, okra is now widely used in cuisines such as Caribbean, Creole, Cajun and Indian. It’s also known as bhindi or lady’s fingers, in reference to the long, elegantly…
Spring greens
Spring greens Pronounce it: sp-ring gr-eens Spring greens are the first cabbages of the year. They have fresh, loose heads without the hard heart of other cabbages. Availability Spring greens are at their peak from…