A new bit of kit gave me a chance for a kitchen declutter, and revealed my most used spices

Above my cooker, tucked in around the extractor housing, is my spice cupboard. It’s obviously not the optimum storage facility, but it’s perfectly located for access while cooking. It’s also complete chaos. Heavy-bottomed jars are stacked up one atop the other in misshapen walls, invariably hiding the one you’re looking for. There are bags of dried, friable leaves and tubs of sticky-rimmed pastes. Some I use a lot. Others were bought for just one recipe, possibly written by a lovely chap called Yotam, and haven’t been touched since. Here is asafoetida, and fennel pollen. There’s sumac and sansho peppercorns, and tamarind paste looking like a biodegradable stunt double for crude oil.

My relationship with this cupboard has long been sharply divided. On the one hand, I despair that I can’t be an organised cook; one of those fragrant, well-groomed types who has an alphabetised spice carousel, and can find exactly what they need with a fingertip’s casual spin. On the other hand, it has given me comfort. I must be a proper cook, for look at this cluttered spice cupboard of mine, which smells thickly of culinary ambition. No, I may not use sansho peppercorns and tamarind paste on a daily basis. But I could, you know. If I wanted to.

The classic Creole stew in nine simple steps

Gumbo, “New Orleans’ most famous Creole creation”, is a word of Angolan origin that describes a dish that brings together West African, Native American, Spanish and French influences in one gloriously savoury pot of stew. City Creole or country Cajun, everyone in Louisiana has an opinion on the best way to make it, be that with fish and meat, fish or meat, or indeed no meat at all, especially during Lent. This is my version.

Prep 15 min
Cook 3 hr
Serves 4

This quick and fuss-free fried pepper salad, inspired by the Vlach communities of Romania and Bulgaria, combines smoky peppers, tangy cheese, and a honey-garlic dressing bursting with personality.

Often seen as a meat-lover’s haven, the Eastern European regions along the Danube tell a different culinary story at home – one of abundant vegetables, storied traditions and a river that unites more than it divides. Irina Georgescu reveals the recipes that have long nourished these lands

Irina Georgescu’s chicken pilaf combines tender thighs, creamy rice and a hint of garlic courgette for a dish that’s as satisfying as it is simple – a true taste of home cooking from the Danube

Smooth, cheesy, and golden, this baked cornmeal dish from Irina Georgescu’s ‘Danube’ is the perfect morning comfort food

These buttery-free beauties are deceptively simple, utterly delicious and perfect for any time of day – proving that plant-based baking has plenty of flair

Forget bland salads and lifeless sides – these dishes from Battersea’s JOIA restaurant show how vibrant, creative and downright indulgent Veganuary can be

What chefs eat when they can’t be bothered to cook

Food writer and nutritionist Delicia Bale wants us to ditch the packet pasta sauces and plastic-wrapped bread – but without the guilt. Her new cookbook promises easy, affordable swaps to help you eat better, one meal at a time