The Chef Recipe Archive
The Curated Hall of Fame Menu
A collection of signature dishes from the legendary chefs in our archive. Explore the recipe here, then visit the chef's profile for their full story, legacy and featured book.
Meet all the Celebrity ChefsSpiced Jerk Chicken Wings
From Ainsley Harriott
Fiery, deeply aromatic, and sticky street-food style wings reflecting Ainsley's beloved culinary roots.
- 1. Blend allspice, thyme, sugar, chillies, garlic, spring onions, and lime juice into a thick, paste-like marinade.
- 2. Toss chicken wings thoroughly inside the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better).
- 3. Preheat your oven to 200°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- 4. Arrange the wings across the tray and roast for 35 minutes, turning halfway through, until completely cooked and charred on edges.
- 5. Serve piping hot with extra squeeze of fresh lime juice over top.
Slow Cooked Beef Ragù
From Angela Hartnett
A deep, glossy, patiently braised Italian sauce for tagliatelle.
- 1. Brown the beef in olive oil in a heavy casserole and set aside.
- 2. Fry the pancetta until crisp, then soften the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 10 minutes.
- 3. Stir in the tomato purée, add the wine and reduce by half.
- 4. Return the beef with the tomatoes and stock. Cover and cook at 160°C (140°C fan) for 2.5 hours.
- 5. Shred the meat into the sauce, toss through cooked tagliatelle and finish with grated Parmesan.
Classic Chargrilled Ribeye with Chimichurri
A perfectly seared, thick-cut steak topped with a punchy, herb-packed garlic vinaigrette.
- 1. Finely chop parsley and combine in a bowl with garlic, oregano, chili flakes, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Let stand for 1 hour.
- 2. Bring ribeye steaks to absolute room temperature. Pat surface completely dry and rub with olive oil and coarse salt.
- 3. Heat a heavy cast-iron griddle pan until smoking hot. Lay steaks down and sear undisturbed for 3 minutes.
- 4. Flip steak over and cook for another 3 minutes for perfect medium-rare texture.
- 5. Remove steak to a warm plate and rest for 5 full minutes. Slice thickly and spoon the fresh chimichurri dressing generously over top.
Perfect Yorkshire Puddings with Rich Gravy
From Brian Turner
The definitive, towering, crispy regional classic served alongside a deeply caramelized onion reduction.
- 1. Whisk eggs and milk together thoroughly in a bowl. Sift in flour and salt, whisking until batter layer is smooth and lump-free.
- 2. Pour batter into a jug and rest in the fridge for minimum 1 hour—this relaxes starch bonds to maximize rise.
- 3. Add 1 tsp of beef dripping or oil into each compartment of a 12-hole muffin tin. Place in oven at 220°C until fat is smoking hot.
- 4. Working lightning-fast, slide oven rack out and fill each tin compartment half-full with batter. Close door immediately.
- 5. Bake for 20-22 minutes without opening oven door until puddings are crisp, hollow, and towering. Serve with simmered onion gravy reduction.
The Perfect Traditional British Soufflé
From Delia Smith
A foolproof, meticulously detailed guide to achieving an incredibly light, sky-high rise every single time.
- 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Thoroughly butter a 15cm soufflé dish, using upward strokes, then coat with flour or grated cheese.
- 2. Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk to create a smooth, thick Béchamel sauce.
- 3. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then stir in the cheese and egg yolks until smoothly emulsified.
- 4. In a clean grease-free bowl, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold a quarter into the base sauce to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest.
- 5. Pour into the dish, run a thumb around the inner rim to create a top-hat effect, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes without opening the oven door.
Prawn Cocktail with Marie Rose Sauce
From Fanny Cradock
The great dinner party starter of its day, cool, creamy and served with a flourish.
- 300g cooked peeled Prawns
- 1 Little Gem lettuce, finely shredded
- 4 tbsp good quality Mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Juice of half a Lemon
- Paprika and lemon wedges, to serve
- 1. Mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice to make the Marie Rose sauce.
- 2. Taste and adjust with more lemon or a pinch of salt. The sauce should be tangy, not sweet.
- 3. Divide the shredded lettuce between four chilled glasses.
- 4. Fold the prawns through half the sauce, then spoon them over the lettuce.
- 5. Top with the remaining sauce, dust with paprika and serve with a lemon wedge and buttered brown bread.
Glazed Traditional Bread and Butter Pudding
From Gary Rhodes
The classic British dessert elevated to absolute luxury with a rich, silky vanilla bean custard glaze.
- 1. Butter the bread slices and cut diagonally into triangles. Layer overlapping inside a greased baking dish, scattering sultanas between layers.
- 2. Scald the milk, double cream, and split vanilla pod in a saucepan. Remove from heat.
- 3. Whisk egg yolks and caster sugar together in a bowl, then slowly pour the warm milk cream mixture over, whisking continuously.
- 4. Strain custard over the bread layers and let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs liquid like a sponge.
- 5. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes until set. Dust heavily with demerara sugar and flash under a hot grill to caramelize the top.
Signature Beef Wellington
From Gordon Ramsay
Tender beef fillet wrapped in rich mushroom duxelles, salty parma ham, and crisp, golden puff pastry.
- 1. Sear the beef fillet in an incredibly hot pan with oil for 30 seconds on all sides. Remove and brush immediately with English mustard.
- 2. Fry the chopped mushrooms with garlic and thyme in a dry pan until all moisture completely evaporates. Let it cool.
- 3. Lay plastic wrap on a counter, arrange parma ham slices overlapping, then spread the mushroom duxelles evenly across the top.
- 4. Place the beef at one edge and roll tightly inside the ham using the cling film. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to set the shape.
- 5. Unwrap beef, roll tightly inside the puff pastry sheets, brush with egg yolk, score pattern lines, and bake at 200°C for 30 minutes.
Steak Diane
From Graham Kerr
Thin steaks seared hard and finished with a brandy, mustard and cream sauce in minutes.
- 1. Season the steaks well. Heat a heavy frying pan until very hot and sear the steaks for about 1 minute each side. Lift out and keep warm.
- 2. Lower the heat, add the butter and soften the shallots for 2 minutes.
- 3. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and mustard, then add the brandy and let it bubble for 30 seconds.
- 4. Pour in the cream and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
- 5. Return the steaks and their resting juices to the pan, spoon over the sauce and scatter with parsley.
The Legendary Triple-Cooked Chips
From Heston Blumenthal
An intricate, multi-stage scientific method yielding an impossibly glassy, crunchy exterior and fluffy, cloud-like interior.
- 1kg Large Maris Piper or King Edward Potatoes
- 1 Liter Groundnut Oil (for deep frying)
- Sea Salt
- 1. Cut potatoes into thick rectangles. Place under running cold water for 5 minutes to wash away excess starch.
- 2. Simmer chips in salted water until they are almost falling apart completely—edges must be heavily fractured. Drain carefully.
- 3. Place chips on a wire cooling rack and freeze for at least 1 hour to pull out all remaining internal moisture.
- 4. Heat groundnut oil to 130°C. Deep fry chips until a slight film forms but no color develops (approx. 7 minutes). Drain and freeze again for 1 hour.
- 5. Heat oil to 180°C. Fry the cold chips a second time for 6-8 minutes until an intensely crunchy, glass-like golden crust forms.
Foraged Wild Mushroom & Herb Tart
An earthy, rustic tart celebrating seasonal wild mushrooms in a rich, buttery shortcrust pastry.
- 1. Roll pastry sheet thin and line a 20cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill for 20 minutes, then blind bake with weights at 190°C for 15 minutes.
- 2. Melt butter in a pan and cook shallots until soft. Turn up heat, drop in wild mushrooms, and fry quickly until moisture leaves.
- 3. Season mushrooms heavily with pepper and herbs, then distribute evenly across the base of your baked pastry shell.
- 4. Whisk eggs and crème fraîche together in a jug, season with salt, and pour slowly over the mushrooms.
- 5. Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes until the custard filling turns beautifully set and golden around edges.
Proper Shepherd's Pie
From James Martin
Rich lamb mince under a blanket of buttery mash with a crisp golden top.
- 1. Brown the mince in a hot pan, breaking it up. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 8 minutes.
- 2. Stir in the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes until thick.
- 3. Boil the potatoes until tender, drain well and mash with the butter and milk. Season generously.
- 4. Spoon the mince into a baking dish, top with the mash and rough it up with a fork.
- 5. Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Proper Pukka Roast Potatoes
From Jamie Oliver
Incredibly crispy, golden-edged spuds squashed lightly to maximize crunch and infused with fresh rosemary.
- 1. Peel and chop potatoes into large chunks. Parboil in salted water for 10 minutes until edges start crumbling.
- 2. Drain in a colander and shake vigorously to fluff up the surfaces—this is vital for achieving ultimate crunch.
- 3. Toss potatoes with goose fat, salt, and pepper in a large tray. Roast at 190°C for 30 minutes until lightly golden.
- 4. Lightly crush rosemary leaves with red wine vinegar, garlic cloves, and a splash of oil. Scatter over the semi-cooked spuds.
- 5. Use a potato masher to gently squash each potato down slightly to maximize oil contact. Roast for another 30 minutes until deep gold.
Classic French Bouillabaisse
From Keith Floyd
A rustic, robust Mediterranean fish stew cooked on a French quayside with plenty of local wine.
- 1. Sauté the fennel, onion, and garlic in a generous splash of olive oil inside a large heavy pot until soft.
- 2. Pour in the white wine to deglaze, letting it reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, orange peel, and saffron threads.
- 3. Pour in 1 liter of boiling water or fish stock, bring to a rolling boil, and let it simmer rapidly for 15 minutes to emulsion the oils.
- 4. Add the firmest fish chunks first, followed by the delicate fillets and shellfish 5 minutes later.
- 5. Cook until the mussels pop open. Serve immediately inside wide bowls over crusty bread rubbed with raw garlic.
Authentic Homestyle Chicken Tikka
From Madhur Jaffrey
Beautifully tender chicken pieces steeped in an aromatic yogurt marinade and broiled to smoky perfection.
- 800g Boneless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150ml Thick Greek Yogurt
- 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin & 1 tsp Paprika
- 0.5 tsp Chili Powder
- Juice of 1 Lemon
- Salt
- 1. Toss chicken chunks with lemon juice and salt in a bowl and let rest for 15 minutes.
- 2. Mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala, cumin, paprika, and chili together to form a smooth marinade.
- 3. Coat chicken thoroughly in yogurt mix, seal container, and marinate inside fridge for 6 to 24 hours.
- 4. Thread marinated chicken onto steel skewers. Preheat broiler grill to maximum temperature.
- 5. Grill close to heat source for 6-8 minutes per side until chicken surface exhibits char spots and meat is fully cooked.
Classic Roast Chicken with Lemon & Thyme
From Marco Pierre White
A masterclass in simplicity, featuring perfectly crisped skin and rich, dynamic pan-juice reduction.
- 1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Pat the chicken completely dry with kitchen paper.
- 2. Season the inner cavity generously with salt and pepper, then stuff with the lemon halves and half the thyme sprigs.
- 3. Rub the softened butter all over the breast and legs. Season the skin heavily with sea salt.
- 4. Place the garlic bulb slices and remaining thyme in the center of the roasting tin, and seat the chicken directly on top.
- 5. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting twice with the pan juices, until juices run clear. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Classic Victoria Sandwich
From Mary Berry
A light, golden sponge layered with raspberry jam and whipped cream.
- 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.
- 2. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and milk together until smooth and just dropping off the spoon.
- 3. Divide between the tins, level the tops and bake for 25 minutes until golden and springy.
- 4. Turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- 5. Spread one sponge with jam and cream, top with the other and dust with icing sugar.
Fragrant Chicken Biryani
From Nadiya Hussain
Layered spiced chicken and saffron rice, steamed slowly until everything melds.
- 1. Marinate the chicken in the yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, garam masala, turmeric and salt for at least 1 hour.
- 2. Fry the onions in ghee or oil until deep golden. Stir half through the chicken and keep half for garnish.
- 3. Par boil the rice for 6 minutes in salted water and drain.
- 4. Layer the chicken in a heavy pot, then the rice, herbs and saffron milk. Cover tightly.
- 5. Cook on the lowest heat for 30 minutes, rest for 10, then fluff and top with the reserved onions.
Cullen Skink
From Nick Nairn
A creamy Scottish smoked-haddock and potato soup, warming and deeply savoury.
- 1. Put the haddock, bay leaf and milk in a wide pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach for 5 minutes, then lift out the fish and keep the milk.
- 2. Soften the onion in the butter in a clean pan for 5 minutes without colouring.
- 3. Add the potatoes and the strained poaching milk. Simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
- 4. Crush some of the potato against the side of the pan to thicken the soup.
- 5. Flake in the haddock, stir in the cream, season with black pepper and serve scattered with chives.
Slow Roast Pork Belly with Apples
From Nigel Slater
Crackling on top, tender meat beneath and sharp apples to cut the richness.
- 1.2kg Pork Belly, skin scored
- 2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp sea salt flakes
- 3 eating apples, cut into wedges
- 2 onions, cut into thick wedges
- 200ml dry Cider
- 4 sage leaves
- 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Dry the pork skin thoroughly and rub in the salt and crushed fennel seeds.
- 2. Scatter the onions in a roasting tin and sit the pork on top. Roast for 30 minutes to start the crackling.
- 3. Reduce the heat to 160°C (140°C fan) and roast for a further 2 hours.
- 4. Add the apples, sage and cider to the tin and return it to the oven for 30 minutes.
- 5. Rest the pork for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with the apples and pan juices.
Ultimate Decadent Chocolate Guinness Cake
From Nigella Lawson
A deeply damp, rich chocolate cake topped with a thick layer of cream cheese icing resembling a perfect pint stout.
- 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin.
- 2. Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan, add the butter, and heat gently until melted. Whisk in the cocoa and caster sugar.
- 3. Beat sour cream with eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl, then pour into the warm Guinness mixture.
- 4. Whisk in flour and bicarbonate of soda until completely smooth. Pour into the tin and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.
- 5. Let cool entirely. Whip cream cheese with icing sugar until smooth, then spread across the top to mirror a stout head.
Cornish Seafood Ragout
From Rick Stein
An absolute celebration of local daily catches poached gently in an aromatic white wine and butter broth.
- 1. Melt half the butter in a wide pan and sweat the shallots gently until clear and transparent.
- 2. Pour in the white wine and boil rapidly until reduced to about two tablespoons of rich concentrate.
- 3. Pour in the double cream, bring to a simmer, and arrange the thick monkfish or cod chunks inside the liquid layer.
- 4. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, then turn the fish and drop in the raw prawns, scallops, and remaining butter.
- 5. Cook for 2 more minutes until shellfish turn opaque. Stir through fresh tarragon and season with sea salt to finish.
Proper Steak and Ale Pie
From The Hairy Bikers
Slow-braised beef in a rich ale gravy under a crisp puff pastry lid.
- 1. Toss the beef in seasoned flour and brown in batches in a large casserole. Set aside.
- 2. Soften the onions in the same pan, stir in the tomato purée, then add the ale and stock.
- 3. Return the beef, cover and cook at 150°C (130°C fan) for 2 hours until tender. Cool the filling.
- 4. Spoon the filling into a pie dish, cover with pastry, trim and press the edges firmly.
- 5. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 30 minutes until deep golden.
Traditional Lard-Crust Game Pie
From The Two Fat Ladies
An ultra-traditional, incredibly rich pie packed with seasonal game, rich stock, and a hand-raised hot water crust.
- 1. Sauté bacon and onions in a pot. Add game meat chunks and sear until brown. Pour in port and stock, then simmer for 45 minutes.
- 2. To make pastry, melt lard in 120ml boiling water. Pour immediately into flour and stir with a knife until hot dough forms.
- 3. Work the warm dough quickly, pressing it up the inside walls of a deep springform cake tin to form the pie shell.
- 4. Strain cooked game meat into the pastry base, adding just enough remaining rich reduction liquid to keep it moist.
- 5. Top with a pastry lid, crimp edges tight, brush with egg wash, cut a central steam hole, and bake at 200°C for 50 minutes.
Proper Fish and Chips
From Tom Kerridge
Crisp beer batter around flaking cod, with chunky twice-cooked chips.
- 1. Cut the potatoes into chunky chips, rinse and dry thoroughly. Fry in oil at 130°C for 10 minutes until soft but pale. Drain.
- 2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and lager into a smooth batter just before cooking.
- 3. Heat the oil to 190°C. Dust the fish with flour, dip in batter and fry for 6 to 8 minutes until deep golden.
- 4. Drain the fish on a rack. Fry the chips again at 190°C for 4 minutes until crisp.
- 5. Season with sea salt and serve at once with malt vinegar.