Look at that meat. Crispy at its edges, yet scratch the surface and you’re greeted by a life-reaffirming juiciness. Forget the over-cooked burgers and sausages so full of rusk you’d scarcely recognise the pig; these ribs can’t be over-done. The longer you cook ’em, the better they’ll taste. This is how you win barbecue season.
It’s difficult to know for sure, but the warmth of summer must surely be just around the corner. And, well, even if it isn’t, there’s a certain purity to be enjoyed when tucking into a light, yet surprisingly hearty, couscous dish such as this.
Last year, on this exact weekend, I remember cycling through 5 inches of Welsh snow in unseasonably cold weather. Flash forward a year and things could scarcely be more different. As I write, the sun is shining and Bristolians are going hither and thither in little more than a t-shirt and sandals (no socks).
Big flavours. I’m a big fan. And there isn’t a better definition of generous flavour than a beef rogan josh. A staple of Kashmiri cuisine, rogan josh is a melting pot of aromatic flavour, with cardamom, star anise, cloves and cinnamon always in the mix. If you like your taste buds blown away, then stick around.
Baked beans are horrible. The tinned variety, that is. They’re processed to the point of having a weird flavour and consistency. And yet, people go crazy for them. In Britain at least. It’s an unfathomable phenomenon, but one we can’t ignore. Thankfully, homemade baked beans are far nicer. It’s not the fault of the humble haricot, after all.
