The rum and pineapple combination in this retro-inspired cake is a classic one. It is extremely easy to make but looks impressive. If a pineapple ring should stay in the tin when you turn out the cake, simply pick it out and stick it back on. If you are making a parev version, then I find a diet margarine tastes better than Tomor.

Serves 10
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

● 175g softened butter
● 175g caster sugar
● 100g ground rice
● 1 tsp baking powder
● 175g ground almonds, sifted
● Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● 3 medium eggs

For the drizzle
● 2 unwaxed lemons, grated and freshly squeezed

This is absolutely divine, absolutely simple and absolutely geshmak.

Ingredients

● 125g butter or non-dairy margarine
● 250g sugar
● 3 eggs extra large
● 625g flour
● 45g cocoa powder
● 2 tsp instant coffee powder
● 250 ml milk or soya milk
● 2 tsp vanilla essence
● 3 tsp baking powder

For the chocolate sauce

Madame Maria Floris opened her legendary Soho bakery and patisserie in January 1939. The Hungarian sponge cakes, almond pastries and coffee cream gateaux are still recalled with awe, and she also famously supplied birthday cakes for Winston Churchill, one of which was a cake formed in a spiral decorated with 32 models of his famous hats.

This traditional Italian soup was once considered peasant food but has become fashionable over the years. It usually contains stale bread but in this recipe the bread has been removed, making the dish very handy for dieters. Ribollita literally means "reboiled", and it freezes and reheats perfectly.

Ingredients

● 1 tbsp olive oil
● 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped

I love the contrast of the textures and flavours in this dish, If you wish, replace the feta with chicken or lamb.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

● 250g wholewheat couscous
● 2 tsp vegetable bouillon
● 140g pomegranate seeds (1 large pomegranate)
● 1 x 400g can chick-peas in water, drained and rinsed
● 100g dry roasted cashew nuts
● 100g feta

I first cooked this during one of my courses. I was with a lovely group in a farmhouse in Tuscany and we improvised for a session. We used chicken pieces on the bone, which worked beautifully. Chicken thighs are tasty and juicy and a great alternative to chicken breast, which can be dry. For chicken on the bone, follow the same recipe as below, but add 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.

These are perfect to serve with cheese or a bowl of warming winter vegetable soup.

Ingredients

● 350g strong bread flour
● 250g rye flour
● 1-2 tbsp caraway seeds plus more for decoration
● 1x7g sachet fast-action dried yeast - use Dove's Farm additive free
● 1½ tsp salt
● 4 tbsp olive oil
● 300ml warm water
● 1 tbsp black molasses

My childhood memories of stuffed cabbage are not happy. Heavy, dull and indigestible, their name, holishkes, made me think I was being forced to eat rubbery galoshes. This vegetarian version has made me reconsider, though I am still tempted to keep the sour cream and hold the rest. Any cabbage will do - savoy looks prettiest, but green or sweetheart arguably tastes better.

Serves 4

It's great fun to make bread - it's a bit like playing with Play-Doh. You can form these into round buns or into delicious cheesy animal shapes.

Makes 6 bread rolls or animals.

Ingredients

● 250g strong plain flour (plus flour to dust)
● Generous pinch of salt
● 1 sachet (½ tbsp) fast-action dried yeast
● ½ tsp honey
● 1 tsp dried mustard powder

Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a starter.

Ingredients

● 1 large barramundi (or sea bass) approx 450-600g
● 350ml olive oil
● Atlantic sea salt
● 8 vine leaves, stalks removed
● 3 tomatoes, diced small
● 90g cup pitted black olives (Kalamata), finely chopped
● 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
● 2 basil stems, chopped
● 1 thyme stalk, leaves picked

Welcome the new year with this unusual festive dish.The ideal wine for it is a Barolo, or an Amarone, but both can be costly, so do use any dry red wine you prefer instead. The interesting tip and unique cooking method is to finish cooking the spaghetti in the wine, so it absorbs the sauce, giving a deeper flavour.

This is a glorified sponge cake enhanced by the addition of olive oil and Sauternes. It is based on recipes by Alice Waters and Alistair Little, but this version is less temperatmental.

Made with store cupboard ingredients and using oil, this is an ideal recipe for a Chanucah family tea.

When I was small my parents would return from the deli with Chanukah lebkuchen biscuits. I adored them - their spiced dough made into hearts telling of love and good wishes.

This is a classic Chinese appetiser but I have changed the authentic version from prawns to salmon. The beauty of this recipe is that not only is it quick to prepare, but it can be made in advance and reheated just before serving.

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

● 225g fresh salmon, skinned

These delicious latkes won't last long so make plenty.

Ingredients

● 2 large eggs
● 350ml of orange juice
● 300g of self-raising flour
● 150g of caster sugar
● 1 tsp of vanilla sugar
● 1 tsp of cinnamon
● 4 medium-size apples (McIntosh or Empire), peeled and grated
● 50g of raisins, optional
● Sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

Method

Sweet potato makes these latkes a little different, but the sugar in them means they can burn, so cook them over a medium to medium/high heat and don't keep them too long in the pan.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes 10

Ingredients

● 3 (675g) Maris Piper potatoes
● 1 (256g) sweet potato
● 1 onion
● 60g flour

This mild spicy stew, with a touch of sweetness, is a traditional South African dish usually made with mutton. Bredie is the Afrikaans word for "stew", but the dish is in fact of Cape Malay origin. I was intrigued to discover on a recent trip to Cape Town, a newly published book by Xoliswa Ndoyiya, who has cooked for Nelson Mandela for two decades.

Coffee gives this delicious chocolate cake a bit of a kick, and pine nuts add an interesting taste and texture. Using ground almonds instead of flour gives it a lighter consistency but keeps the middle nice and moist.