This was a find, a really good French cafe in north London. The coffee was excellent, as were the wonderful French pastries on display. My baguette (freshly baked on the premises) was filled with pate de compagne and cornichons and transported me back to my adolescence, and family holidays picnicking by the roadside in France. The rhubarb tart reminded me of trips to patisseries in Normandy with my father, who would lose his head at the sight of all those wonderful cakes and pastries and buy several of everything. At Chez Chantal there are delicious savoury pastries to choose from, too. And you can listen to cheesy French radio, courtesy of the internet, while you sip your coffee, infusion, freshly squeezed juice, take your pick. All it needed was a sniff of a Gauloise and the whole retro French experience would have been complete.

In a previous lifetime, Route 303 used to be a pretty good roadside caff, a welcome breakfast stop on the way to Cornwall. Now it’s an American diner. Great decor; an old Harley takes pride of place in the centre of the restaurant, rock posters for the Doors adorn the walls. The menu’s good too, breakfasts graded according to your hunger, pancakes, burgers, bagels, ribs, the whole schmeer. But with all that Americana came an expectation of snappy, American-style service. And sadly, Route 303 didn’t live up to it. Staff were slow, tables not cleared of previous diners’ debris. A half hour after ordering we were still waiting for our food. How long does it take to prepare a cheese bagel (OK a double cheese bagel) and a cheeseburger? Disappointing.

Serves 2

100g (3½oz) bulgar wheat

50g (1¾oz) almonds, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

Small bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 lemon

Olive oil

4 – 6 lamb cutlets

Place the bulgar wheat in a pan with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, leave to soak for 8 minutes.

Drain the bulgar wheat well, then stir in the almonds, garlic, mint and tomatoes. Give it a good go with the seasoning, then squeeze over the juice from the lemon.

Brush the lamb cutlets with oil and season them. Grill or fry them for 3 minutes on each side, more if you prefer them well done.

Put the salad on plates, arrange the cutlets on top. Admire for a moment before digging in.

Serves 4

450g (1lb) pork sausages

225g (8oz) streak bacon, diced

225g (8oz) small shallots

Olive oil

1 heaped tsp plain flour

275ml (10 fl oz) red wine

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 tsp chopped fresh or ½tsp dried thyme

175g (6oz) mushrooms, slice them if they’re large

Seasoning

In a large flameproof casserole heat a little oil.

Brown the sausages all over then using a slotted spoon remove them to a plate.

Lightly brown the onions and bacon.

When they’re done sprinkle in the flour to soak up the juices.

Gradually stir in the wine.

Put the sausages back in the casserole, along with the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and some salt and pepper.

When the simmering point is reached, add the lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Stir in the mushrooms and leave for a further 20 minutes, without the lid.

Add a good portion of creamy mashed potatoes and tuck in.

Serves 2

300g raw king prawns

2 cloves garlic

Large pinch of chilli flakes

2tbsp dry sherry

Olive oil

Small handful of parsley, chopped

Peel the prawns and butterfly them – slit them down the back lengthways, careful not to go all the way through, remove the vein.

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/ gas 7.

Mix up the prawns, garlic, sherry and 2tbsp of olive oil, and divide between 2 ovenproof dishes.

Cook in the oven for 6-8 minutes until pink and sizzling.

Caramba! Sprinkle with chopped parsIey and dive in. I like to eat this dish with my fingers and mop up the juices with my bread. How about you?

Serves 2

1 large sweet potato (about 300g), peeled and cut into small chunks

180g tin of skinless, boneless red salmon

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

1-2 tsp curry paste (mild or Madras, you choose how hot you want it)

Small bunch coriander, chopped

Large handful of fresh breadcrumbs, a couple of slices of bread whizzed in food processor

Olive oil

100g young spinach leaves, wilted to serve

Boil the sweet potato for 5 minutes, then rinse in cold water. Drain well and mash with the curry paste.

Flake the salmon. Add the potatoes, the breadcrumbs and half the coriander. Mix well and then divide into four, shape into cakes. Chill for 10 minutes.

Mix the yoghurt and remaining coriander, season well.

Heat 1tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick pan, fry the cakes for 3 minutes each side until golden. Divide the wilted spinach leaves between 2 plates. Arrange the cakes on top, serve with the yoghurt. Yum.

Serves 2

2 peppers, orange, red or yellow, halved

1 onion, finely chopped

125g basmati rice, cooked

75 – 100g feta cheese, cubed

4 tbsp pine nuts

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp dill, chopped

Olive oil

Salt

Black pepper

Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C / gas 4.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan. Cook the onion over a low heat until golden.

Add the pine nuts and brown lightly.

Stir in the paprika and cinnamon and cook for a minute.

Add the rice and dill and stir together.

Add a pinch of salt and a good grind of pepper.

Fold in the feta cheese.

That’s the filling made.

Remove the seeds from the peppers, then place the peppers cut side up in a shallow baking dish or roasting tin. Divide the filling between them, then drizzle generously with olive oil.

Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, by which time the peppers should be tender.

Remove the foil and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6

3 red onions, peeled

ves 6

Olive oil

Sea salt

Ground pepper

2 handfuls of raisins

3 heaped tbsp thick-cut marmalade

1 heaped tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, plus extra for serving

200ml (7fl oz) dark ale (use your favourite)

6 x 350g (12oz) lamb shanks

8 sprigs rosemary

1 litre (1¾pts) chicken stock

To serve

Small bunch fresh mint leaves

Few tbsp olive oil

2 spring onions, trimmed

Cider vinegar

Mash, potato or potato and celeriac

Finely chop the onions. Put them into a large casserole pan, one about 26cm/10½in diameter, 12cm/4½in deep, with a good splash of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium to high heat, stirring, until the onions start to caramelise. Add the raisins and marmalade, then the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and ale. Stir well and leave to gently simmer.

Put the lamb shanks into a large frying pan, one roughly 30cm/12in diameter, on a medium to high heat with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook them in batches if it’s easier. Turn them every few minutes. Once they’ve gone a nice colour put in the rosemary leaves and move them around the pan to get crispy – but don’t let them burn.

Use tongs to move the shanks into the pan of onions, then pour in their juices and the crispy rosemary. Add the stock, put the lid on the casserole, turn down the heat and leave to gently do its thing for about 3 hours, or until the meat is ready to just fall off the bone. Yum.

Turn the shanks halfway through so they cook evenly. About 30 minutes before the lamb is cooked, make some mashed potato. Mashed potato and celeriac, even better.

When the lamb shanks are done, carefully move them to a plate. You need to be careful to ensure the meat stays intact and doesn’t fall apart. Whizz or liquidise the gravy with a stick blender until it’s smooth, allow it to reduce down and thicken.

Take most of the mint leaves and give them a good bashing in a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of salt and the olive oil, put it on the table ready for serving. Finely slice the spring onions and toss onto a plate with the remaining mint leaves, a drizzle of cider vinegar and a pinch of salt.

Put the mash on a plate; arrange the lamb shanks on top. (Do it carefully, you don’t want them falling apart.) Add a splash of cider vinegar and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, then ladle it all over the platter. Put the rest into jug for people to help themselves. Top with a scattering of the vinegary spring onions and a few fresh mint leaves. Drizzle the mint oil all around the shanks. Serve, and watch it all disappear!