This is a great way to cook sea bream because the fat from the fish melts into the potatoes and makes them taste delicious, as well as giving them a lovely colour and crisp texture. Sea bream is of course best when it is wild but farmed gilt head bream is very good, affordable and easy to get hold of.

This may sound an unusual combination but it really works. The peppers have to be black when you cook them so they have a smoky flavour. Make sure you peel them of all the charred bits and chop them finely. The addition of basil and plenty of Parmesan makes this risotto really creamy and delicious in fact its one of my favourites!

This has got to be most people’s favourite risotto. It has lots of flavour and is probably the tastiest vegetarian risotto. Make sure you have a good vegetable stock as this will ensure you get a good flavoursome result.
Always cook the mushrooms off before you start the risotto so you can concentrate on getting the rice perfect.

This time of year there are lots of squashes available and onion squash is one of the best to use and easy to get hold of. This recipe is a great way to incorporate squash with pasta and it doesn’t require baking the squash in the oven. The addition of the pancetta and sage makes it richer and by adding the cannellini beans give it a much heartier texture and flavour.

This hearty, flavoursome dish is a great treat for the weekend and because everything is cooked in one pan, all the flavours are absorbed into the potatoes – and washing up is kept to a minimum!
The meaty monkfish paired with the prosciutto and capers help to give the dish some surprising and delicious flavours. Best enjoyed with a chilled bottle of Greco di Tufo.

Red mullet is the most delicious fish and using it this way is a great way to show how sweet and juicy it can be. The bay leaf goes really well with the tomato and the texture of the fine tagliarini with the chunks of red mullet is wonderful!
Try this with a glass of Barbera D’Asti – it should be a perfect match because the acidity in the wine will complement the tomato, bay leaf and sweetness of the red mullet.

I have done quite a few fish and vegetable based dishes in this blog series so I thought it might be time to add another meat dish.
This time, I am demonstrating the incredibly simple beef fillet with datterini tomatoes, rocket, and parmesan shavings.
Rustic, and I think a bit romantic, this dish would pair really well with a nice Barbera D’Alba.

This is a very tasty pasta dish because of the sweet tasting red mullet and cherry tomatoes. The addition of the black olives add a saltiness that works really well. The pangratto adds a crunch that makes the whole dish very appetising.

This is a really simple recipe and a great way to cook fresh shellfish without over cooking it and enjoying its natural sweetness… Using Cannellini beans from a jar will give you a better result but if you use the tinned ones just make sure you rinse off the liquid in the tin before you add them to the reduced tomato sauce. Try this with a glass of Fiano di Avalino.

This is the best soup to warm you up. Its healthy, filling, vegetarian and very easy to prepare. The swiss chard adds an earthy sweetness to the soup and you can use the cooking water as stock. If you puree half of the soup you get a lovely creamy minestrone that has great texture and flavour. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil on top. A glass of Chianti Classico would be a perfect match. Have a good week!