List of All Articles with Tag 's'

People will be spending 30 per cent longer in the kitchen this winter compared to the summer months – as they crave comfort foods to keep them warm. A study of 2,000 adults who cook at home found they anticipate spending 72 hours rustling up meals from December to February, but just 55 hours from June to August. And 40 per cent spend more time cooking in the cooler months than they do during any other season. Among the reasons for this upward trend are a craving for more hearty, comforting dishes (65 per cent), wanting to feel warm and cosy (42 per cent), and the kitchen being the warmest room in the house (32 per cent). It also emerged 51 per cent are concerned about the impact more time spent in the kitchen will have on their household bills. As a result, 79 per cent are keen to learn more energy-efficient recipes. The research was commissioned by Smart Energy GB, which has teamed up with Michelin-trained chef, Poppy O’Toole, dubbed TikTok’s ‘Potato Queen’, who has crafted a selection of energy-efficient recipes and hacks She said: “Winter is one of my favourite seasons when it comes to the wealth of hearty, comforting recipes you can create - especially if they include potatoes. “And when the weather is colder and the days shorter, what better way to spend time than cooking your favourite winter warmers? “These dishes can take more time and energy to make, which is why I’m excited to show it doesn’t always have to be this way. “I’ve developed a recipe range of energy efficient takes on classic favourites - all with the help of a smart meter.” The study also found 25 per cent of those with a smart meter plan to monitor their in-home display more carefully during the winter. Of those, 42 per cent are doing so because it gives them a greater sense of control over their household bills, while 40 per cent want to reduce their energy use when cooking. One in five of all adults are searching for more cost-saving cooking methods, and 77 per cent said being mindful about energy use when cooking is important to them. It also emerged the typical home cook will use their oven for the equivalent of nearly three days (64 hours) from December to February, and their hob for nearly two days (46 hours). This amounts to at least £18 in energy usage in the kitchen alone between December and February, according to data from Smart Energy GB and Energy Saving Trust. A traditional roast, shepherd’s pie and sausage and mash are among the most popular meals made when then temperature plummets. The study, conducted via OnePoll, also found 39 per cent are using more kitchen appliances in their cooking endeavours than ever before. The oven was voted the top winter appliance of choice (43 per cent), with the economical air fryer (27 per cent) also featuring in the top 10. Victoria Bacon, director at Smart Energy GB, said: “As we head into the colder, winter months where many people spend more time in the kitchen, small changes to the way we cook can make a tangible difference to the amount of energy that’s used. “Smart meters are installed at no extra cost by your energy supplier and come with a handy in-home display which allows you to track your usage in near-real time. “These warming recipes created by Poppy are the perfect thing to help households rustle up hearty dish, while keeping an eye on energy use.” Read More Watch live as gun salutes mark King Charles III’s 75th birthday Woman defends her $7,000 cheese board How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Man shows the increase in grocery prices since 2019 Starbucks customer reveals comical result of her request for half sandwich Waitrose Christmas advert features Graham Norton cameo at kid-free festive party

Iceland sought to temper concerns that an imminent volcanic eruption would wreak widespread havoc on European aviation as

Genting Singapore Ltd. jumped the most in more than three years after the casino operator posted better-than-expected third-quarter

Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said there was no plan to invite Chinese police officers to patrol local

“I love cheese, especially blue cheese, and I love fritters,” says Matt Tebbutt. The Saturday Kitchen chef – who has teamed up with ProCook – combines crispy parmesan fritters with Roquefort spinach for a decadent dish. Parmesan fritters with Roquefort spinach Serves: 4 Ingredients: Vegetable oil, for deep-frying 100ml full-fat milk 50g unsalted butter 100ml water 125g plain flour 1 tsp English mustard powder 2 medium free-range eggs 1 tsp chopped thyme leaves 280g parmesan, grated 200g baby spinach 3½ tbsp crème fraîche 3½ tbsp double cream 100g Roquefort cheese Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg Method: 1. Preheat the oil in a deep-fat fryer to 180C, or half-fill a deep, heavy-based pan with oil set over medium-high heat. The oil is hot enough when a small cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden brown in 40-50 seconds (or you can test the temperature using a probe thermometer). 2. Put the milk, butter and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. As soon as it comes to the boil, add the flour and mustard and beat together with a wooden spoon or large whisk to make a thick paste. 3. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly (if you don’t cool it the mixture may split). Gradually beat in the eggs, thyme and 200 grams of the grated Parmesan. 4. Use a dessertspoon to gently drop each fritter into the hot oil and cook until crisped up and golden. They will take four to five minutes in the fryer, turning frequently. Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm. 5. Next, heat a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted down, then add the crème fraîche, cream and Roquefort cheese and cook until the cheese is melted. Finish with the freshly grated nutmeg. 6. To serve, layer the spinach and cheese mixture onto a serving plate, top with the yummy fritters and sprinkle over the remaining grated Parmesan. Recipe from ‘Weekend’ by Matt Tebbutt (Quadrille, £22). Traditional fish soup Tebbutt shares his take on a traditional fish soup – full of mussels, cod, scallops and whatever seafood you fancy. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1kg of mixed sea fish – on the bone if possible, but just fillets is fine. Any crab claws or shells or prawns in shell would be a great addition 1 white onion 1 head of garlic, broken into cloves 1 star anise 1 carrot ½ fennel bulb 3 sticks of celery 2 bay leaves 1 small bunch of thyme 125ml Noilly Prat 2 tbsp tomato purée 400g tin of plum tomatoes 1 pinch of saffron 1 bunch of tarragon For the toppings: 1kg of cleaned mussels in shell 50ml white wine or Noilly Prat 1 bay leaf and smashed garlic clove 1 small sea bass or grey mullet or other British sea fish 200g cod fillet 1 red mullet or gurnard (optional) 2 scallops Method: 1. Start by sweating the veg and aromatics (except the tarragon) in some oil for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft and starting to colour. 2. Add the fish and shells if using, bones and all to the pan and continue to cook for another 10 minutes or so before adding the tomato purée, saffron strands, vermouth or wine, and tomatoes. 3. Cook to a paste then barely cover with water and allow to simmer very gently for 30 minutes. 4. After this time, blitz briefly with a hand blender to get the most out of the fish, before draining in a colander and push as much liquid from the bones as possible. 5. Tip these bones away and now add the tarragon to the stock and boil to reduce. Skim off any fat as you go. Reduce to around half the volume. Taste and season accordingly. 6. Take a dry saucepan with a lid and put onto a high heat. Add the mussels, Noilly Prat, bay and garlic clove, immediately cover with a lid and shake the pan from time to time. 7. After two to three minutes, check all the mussels have opened. Remove from the heat. Tip into a sieve or colander. Allow to cool before picking the meat from the shells. Discard any that don’t open. 8. Now strain this liquor through a fine mesh sieve or chinois and tip into the reduced stock. 9. Fillet the rest of the fish and pan fry these and the scallops on one side, (depending on the thickness). Keep warm. 10. To serve, put some of the cooked fish into the bottom of a serving bowl, and ladle some of the fish soup over the top . 11. For the perfect finishing touch, add homemade croutons and rouille. Coconut bread and raspberry cream “This is more cake than bread, I’d say,” notes Tebbutt. Tebbutt adds: “It’s especially delicious toasted in a dry pan to crisp the edges a little. This works well as a stand-alone brunch treat or as a sweet snack at any time of the day.” Makes: 8-10 slices Ingredients: 370g plain flour 3 tbsp baking powder 1-2 tsp salt 160g caster sugar 80g desiccated coconut 300ml coconut milk 2 large free-range eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 75g butter, melted and kept warm For the raspberry cream: 100g crème fraîche 100g mascarpone 1-2 tsp good-quality raspberry jam 150g raspberries, to serve Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/gas mark 6. Line a 900g loaf tin approximately 24cm x 14cm with baking paper. 2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and desiccated coconut in a mixing bowl. Combine the coconut milk, eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter in a jug, mix well, then slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well between additions to form a smooth batter. 3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Allow to cool a little on a wire rack before turning out and slicing. 4. To make the raspberry cream, beat the crème fraîche and the mascarpone in a bowl. Gently mix through a spoonful of the raspberry jam to give a ripple effect. 5. When you’re ready to eat, toast the bread in a dry pan, spread over a little jam and top with the raspberry cream and fresh raspberries. Recipe from ‘Weekend’ by Matt Tebbutt (Quadrille, £22). Matt Tebbutt’s ProCook Kitchen Favourites can be found instore and online at procook.co.uk. Read More From a £22 bag of pasta to £28 sandwich – why do they cost so much? How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three authentic Thai recipes to try at home Move over Nando’s – how chicken restaurants became cool Long live British scran: Three classic dishes for autumn Four delicious ways to use up leftover pumpkin this Halloween

San Francisco’s push to use a major international conference to reverse its image as a city in decline

A 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti, the coveted Italian coachbuilder, sold for $51.7 million

For years, fraudsters have abused copyright takedown notices to dupe Google into removing websites from

Apple's AirPlay allows you to play content from an iPhone on your TV, but mirroring

Kids want tablets. But tablets are fragile, expensive gadgets with potentially unlimited access to the

When we think of desktop computers, two polar opposite uses for them immediately spring to

Walt Disney Co.’s The Marvels generated $46.1 million in US and Canadian theater ticket sales this weekend, the