A little bit of what you fancy

FOR most of my life, family mealtimes have been very special – not just because everyone always enjoyed my humble cooking, but because it was the only time I could get all of us sitting together around the same table. It was a time of love and passion, sometimes arguments, laughs, jokes and sharing stories on any subject; but, above all, it was about family interaction and I knew how fortunate we were to have those moments. I would like to say thank you to God and cooking!

When Jean-Christophe was a tiny nipper, every time I cooked, he would always be there, sticking his fingers into every bowl and pot. He was forever trying to get involved when I was busy in the kitchen. Because he was a very hyperactive and sometimes eccentric child from the day he was born, I assumed this behaviour was because he was hungry and impulsive, but I soon realised that wasn't the reason. In fact, as he became more expressive with me I made an unexpected discovery; despite him being a difficult child and being rejected from every school in the area, he felt the need to share his passion, expression, vision and, later, creativity. He became more and more attached to my daily cooking, and he was the only person who really understood that I used my cooking as a form of expression, so it would change according to my mood; and, through this, I was luckily able to inspire him. Our weekly visits to the market in Arras would electrify him with excitement and ideas – he loved the hustle and bustle, the colour, the aromas, the many varieties of food and local produce – and I loved to see my son so curious, passionate and illuminated by a subject, and to see him so eager to explore it at such an early age.

I am so proud of my son and his book, not because I am a part of it but simply because I believe it is full of honest, accessible and versatile recipes. They may ask for a little effort but you will get exciting results – all with my son's special twist. They are for everybody to enjoy good cooking and, most importantly, to have fun. Finding happiness is what life is all about. You must use them to express yourself and, above all, share them with the people you love.

Maman Novelli, from the introduction to Everyday Novelli

FLEMISH TART

Serves four

This is a great recipe, despite the fact that I hate onions. I remember well how I used to have to cut up what seemed like millions of onions when I worked at the bakery in Arras. Leave the fat on the bacon as it adds to the flavour of the finished tart. This is my mother's recipe with a twist.

25g butter; 1 very large onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1 large leek, cleaned and finely chopped; 100ml beer, cider or stout; 150g smoked back bacon, cut into chunks; 225ml crème fraîche (or fromage frais); salt and freshly ground black pepper; 4 pinches freshly grated nutmeg; 1 bay leaf; 150g packet ready-made shortcrust pastry

Preheat the oven to 220¼C/gas 7. Oil a 35 x 23cm baking sheet.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the onion and leek and beer (or cider or stout). Cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly, for about ten minutes, until soft, golden and melting. At the same time, in another frying pan, dry-fry the bacon until it is lightly browned.

In a bowl, combine the crème fraîche, seasoning, nutmeg and bay leaf.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the shortcrust pastry until it is slightly larger than the baking sheet and lay it on the sheet. Make a raised edge, by pinching your thumb and forefinger together all around the edge of the pastry. Put the baking sheet into the freezer for about ten minutes or until the pastry is firm.

Remove the baking sheet from the freezer and bake the pastry in the preheated oven for ten to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cover the pastry with the onions and leeks, scattering the bacon evenly over them. Pour over the crème fraîche, removing and discarding the bay leaf. Return the pastry to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is lightly glazed. Serve hot.

COD BRANDADE WITH RED PEPPERS

Serves two

Use a tender fillet or loin of cod for this recipe. If the skin is still on, ask the fishmonger to take it off for you. When making the mashed potato, I use floury potatoes – ideal for mashing.

200g fresh raw cod fillet, skinned and flaked; eight to 10 fresh basil leaves, torn; 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped; 10ml olive oil; lemon juice; 100g hot mashed potatoes; 20ml double cream; 15g unsalted butter; 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg; 1 red pepper, stalk removed, halved and deseeded; 1 bay leaf; 2 sprigs fresh thyme, stalks removed; salt and freshly ground black pepper; pinch caster sugar; 2 tbsp water; 2 slices Cheddar cheese; pinch paprika; 1 baguette

Preheat the oven to 200¼C/gas 6. In a pestle and mortar, pound together the cod, basil, garlic, a teaspoon of the olive oil and a dash of lemon juice until it forms a paste. Alternatively, blitz in a blender.

Turn into a bowl and add the hot mashed potatoes, cream, butter and nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in an ovenproof frying pan with a lid and, when very hot, add the red pepper, together with the bay leaf, thyme, seasoning and sugar.

Once the peppers have slightly browned, after three or four minutes, add the water to create steam. Cover immediately with a lid and put straight into the preheated oven for two minutes.

Remove from the oven and fill each pepper half with the fish paste. Cover with a thin slice of cheese and sprinkle with paprika.

Return to the hot oven and bake for a further 12 minutes. Preheat the grill until hot.

Cut the baguette in half lengthways and toast under the preheated grill until golden brown.

Serve the peppers with the toasted baguette.

CHOCOLATE MACAROON YO-YOS

Makes ten to 12

Rich and nutty, these are a must when you are entertaining children. The soft texture of the chocolate gives a sharp contrast to the homemade macaroons.

600g bitter chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces; 300ml glucose syrup; macaroons: 4 medium egg whites; 225g icing sugar; 25g caster sugar; 225g ground almonds
creme patissiere: 25g plain flour, sifted; 2 medium egg yolks; 15g custard powder; 250ml milk; 85g caster sugar; 1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways

To make the yo-yo 'string', melt the chocolate with the glucose syrup in a bain-marie, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. When melted, stir together well. Pour on to some clingfilm, wrap up closely and chill for 24 hours.

To make the macaroons, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Sift together the sugars and fold carefully into the egg whites with the ground almonds to make an almond paste. Leave to rest in the fridge for 25 minutes, covered loosely.

Preheat the oven to 180¼C/gas 4. Line a greased baking tray with baking parchment.

Turn the paste into a piping bag, fitted with a plain round 2.5cm nozzle. Pipe circles about 5cm to 7cm diameter on to the parchment, a couple of centimetres apart. Bake in the preheated oven for about ten to 12 minutes or until pale golden brown. Allow to cool on the tray.

To make the crème pâtissière, tip the flour, eggs and custard powder into a bowl and combine well together to form a thin batter.

Pour the milk into a heavy-based pan with the sugar and vanilla pod and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove immediately from the heat and pour in the batter, stirring all the time, until a paste is formed.

Pour back into the pan and bring back to the boil. Turn the heat down to low immediately and cook, stirring continuously until thickened. Remove the vanilla pod.

Pour into a container and allow to cool, covered with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming. Chill before use.

Remove the chocolate from the fridge and, making sure your hands are cold, roll it out between your palms to make a string about 30cm long.

To serve, dab some crème pâtissière in the centre of the underside of each macaroon (there may be some left over). Place another on top to make a sandwich. Wind the chocolate string around the gap between the two macaroons, to resemble a yo-yo. These will keep in an airtight container for a week.

• To order a copy of Everyday Novelli (£20, Headline) at the special price of £18 (including p&p), call 0870 755 2122 and quote offer code BSH614, or visit www.pressoffers.co.uk/bsh614. Or send a cheque made payable to Bookshop Partnership Ltd to: Everyday Novelli, Offer BSH614, PO Box 104, Ludlow, SY8 1YB. Please allow 28 days for delivery. Offer is subject to availability

IN THE LARDER

Eat me

IT'S hard enough tracking down a healthy snack these days, but if you have a food intolerance, you're in a bit of a pickle. So stock up on St Dalfour Healthy Cuisine salad pots. Low in fat, free from preservatives and with a range that is both gluten- and wheat-free, they're great to eat any time the munchies strike. (£1.69, Asda, Holland & Barrett and selected health-food stores)

Read me

IF A far-flung break is beyond your budget, put your culinary skills to use and create a taste of Asia in your own kitchen with Tom Kime's new book, Asian Bites (£12.99, Dorling Kindersley). Published at the start of March, it's bursting with authentic Thai and Indian flavours.

Use me

"HAVE nothing in your house that is not useful or beautiful," said William Morris, and these bone china salt and pepper shakers are both. The result of a collaboration between the V&A and Debenhams, they are part of a range inspired by the designer that will add a touch of arts-and-crafts style to mealtimes. (£16 for the pair, www.debenhams.com)