Serves 2

Houmous

• 1/2 can of chickpeas
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 and a half heaped tablespoons of tahini
• 2 tablespoons of cold water
• 1 large clove of garlic

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and smoosh. (Our food processor is called Brian.)

Roast tray

• tablespoon olive oil
• seeds of half a butternut squash
• the other half of the can of chickpeas
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 clove of garlic, skin-on but pricked all over
• half a red onion
• half a butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• half a small cauliflower in florets
• juice of the other half of the lemon
• handful of fresh coriander leaves
• salt & pepper

Mix the oil in a baking tray with the spices and seeds and chickpeas, and roast in an oven at 180C fan for 20 minutes.

Whilst that’s roasting, boil or steam the butternut squash and cauliflower until soft. Drain and add to the oven tray mix with red onion and garlic. Place back in oven for 20 minutes.

Serve with lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves and a side dish of slaw.

This is a great, easy, delicious stew – just fry some onions and sage in a casserole, bung in some diced stewing beef, root vegetables (I use parsnips, swede, carrots, potatoes), red wine and beef stock. Cook for an hour ar 160C, then leave in the oven for a few hours on a low heat, say just over 100C. Melty meat, warms the soul. I make a veggie version too – replace the meat with some beans, and the beef stock with veggie stock.

Anyway, I managed to just about filter out the infuriating camerawork and we made her Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato soup – it’s fab.

You just roast a load of chopped sweet potato and butternut squash with an onion and some wintery spices – cinnamon and nutmeg for example. Then when cooked whizz them in a blender with some veg or chicken stock, season and serve. We did make the buttermilk & blue cheese sauce (you whizz up buttermilk and blue cheese) but it’s very nice without.

Nigella recommends pouring the soup into things called ‘bowls’. I’ll have to investigate those, they sound quite useful.