Vanuatu

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Women cooking in the traditional way on the island of Malicolo — using open fires, earthen ovens and ingredients foraged directly from the surrounding jungle. Vanuatu is one of the Pacific’s most remote and culturally diverse archipelagos, comprising over 80 islands and speaking more than 100 languages. Its cuisine is simple, rooted in the land, and deeply connected to nature.

Crispy Skin Caribbean Roast Pork

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A whole roast pork with shatteringly crisp skin is a celebration centrepiece across the Caribbean, marinated overnight with garlic, citrus and warm spices before a long, slow roast.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 kg pork shoulder or leg, skin on
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Coarse salt

Instructions

  1. Score the pork skin in a criss-cross pattern and pat completely dry.
  2. Rub the meat (avoiding the skin) with garlic, lime juice, thyme, allspice and oil, and marinate overnight in the fridge.
  3. Bring to room temperature, then rub the skin generously with coarse salt.
  4. Roast at 160°C (320°F) for 2.5-3 hours, then increase to 220°C (425°F) for a final 20-30 minutes to crisp the skin.
  5. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

The high final blast of heat is the secret to perfectly crackling skin — watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.

About This Recipe

Crispy Skin Caribbean Roast Pork is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: Around 1 hour
  • Serves: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Season in layers as you cook the Crispy Skin Caribbean Roast Pork rather than only at the end.
  • Let roasted or braised meat rest before serving so the juices redistribute.
  • Bring the dish together over gentle heat; a slow finish deepens the flavour.
  • Taste before serving and adjust salt, acid and freshness to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Crispy Skin Caribbean Roast Pork with seasonal vegetables, a simple grain, or good bread to catch the juices. A crisp green salad rounds out the plate nicely.

Storage

Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently so the texture stays as good as freshly made, and freeze portions for longer storage.

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Candied Fruit Brioche (Panettone-Style)

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Somewhere between a French brioche and an Italian panettone, this candied fruit loaf is soft, lightly sweet, and studded with colourful pieces of candied fruit and raisins — a lovely centrepiece for a festive breakfast table.

Ingredients

  • 500 g flour
  • 80 g sugar
  • 10 g instant yeast
  • 3 eggs
  • 120 g butter, softened
  • 100 ml warm milk
  • 150 g mixed candied fruit and raisins
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla, and knead into a smooth dough.
  2. Work in the softened butter gradually until fully incorporated.
  3. Fold in the candied fruit and raisins.
  4. Cover and let rise for about 2 hours, until doubled.
  5. Shape into a round loaf or place in a panettone mould, and let rise again for 45 minutes.
  6. Bake at 170°C (340°F) for 35-40 minutes, covering with foil if it browns too quickly.

Let it cool completely before slicing — the crumb sets as it cools, making for a better texture.

About This Recipe

Candied Fruit Brioche (Panettone-Style) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 25 minutes (plus rising)
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: Around 2 hours with proving
  • Serves: 8-10 slices
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

Tips for the Best Results

  • Let the dough prove somewhere warm and draught-free until it has clearly doubled in size.
  • Weigh the flour rather than using cups for a reliable, repeatable Candied Fruit Brioche (Panettone-Style).
  • Don’t rush the second rise; patience here is what gives an open, tender crumb.
  • Cool the loaf fully on a rack before slicing so the interior sets properly.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the Candied Fruit Brioche (Panettone-Style) slightly warm or at room temperature. It is lovely on its own, with butter and jam, or as the base of a simple breakfast or afternoon treat.

Storage

Store in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for two to three days. For longer keeping, slice and freeze, then toast straight from frozen.

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Savoyard Blueberry Brioche Tart

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This soft brioche tart from the Savoie region is topped generously with blueberries and a dusting of sugar — simple, comforting, and perfect with an afternoon coffee.

Ingredients

  • 300 g brioche dough (homemade or store-bought)
  • 300 g blueberries
  • 50 g sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 30 g butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Press the brioche dough into a greased tart tin or onto a baking tray, shaping a small rim around the edge.
  2. Let it rise for 30 minutes in a warm place.
  3. Scatter the blueberries over the dough and sprinkle with sugar.
  4. Drizzle with the melted butter.
  5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes until the brioche is golden and the blueberries have softened.

Best enjoyed slightly warm, on the day it’s baked.

About This Recipe

Savoyard Blueberry Brioche Tart is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 25 minutes (plus rising)
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: Around 2 hours with proving
  • Serves: 8-10 slices
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

Tips for the Best Results

  • Let the dough prove somewhere warm and draught-free until it has clearly doubled in size.
  • Weigh the flour rather than using cups for a reliable, repeatable Savoyard Blueberry Brioche Tart.
  • Don’t rush the second rise; patience here is what gives an open, tender crumb.
  • Cool the loaf fully on a rack before slicing so the interior sets properly.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the Savoyard Blueberry Brioche Tart slightly warm or at room temperature. It is lovely on its own, with butter and jam, or as the base of a simple breakfast or afternoon treat.

Storage

Store in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for two to three days. For longer keeping, slice and freeze, then toast straight from frozen.

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French Pain d’Épice (Honey Spice Loaf)

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Pain d’Épice is one of France’s oldest baked treats — a dense, moist loaf sweetened with honey and warmed with spices. While it often appears around the holidays, this fragrant loaf deserves a place on the table all year round.

Ingredients

  • 250 g honey
  • 250 g rye or wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 eggs
  • 100 ml milk
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground anise or star anise
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  1. Gently warm the honey until runny, then let it cool slightly.
  2. Mix the flour, baking soda and spices in a bowl.
  3. Whisk in the honey, eggs, milk and orange zest until smooth.
  4. Pour into a greased loaf tin.
  5. Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

Pain d’épice improves with a day’s rest, wrapped in foil — the flavours deepen and the texture becomes even moister.

About This Recipe

French Pain d’Épice (Honey Spice Loaf) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 25 minutes (plus rising)
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: Around 2 hours with proving
  • Serves: 8-10 slices
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

Tips for the Best Results

  • Let the dough prove somewhere warm and draught-free until it has clearly doubled in size.
  • Weigh the flour rather than using cups for a reliable, repeatable French Pain d’Épice (Honey Spice Loaf).
  • Don’t rush the second rise; patience here is what gives an open, tender crumb.
  • Cool the loaf fully on a rack before slicing so the interior sets properly.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the French Pain d’Épice (Honey Spice Loaf) slightly warm or at room temperature. It is lovely on its own, with butter and jam, or as the base of a simple breakfast or afternoon treat.

Storage

Store in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for two to three days. For longer keeping, slice and freeze, then toast straight from frozen.

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Sausage Rolls

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Few things disappear faster from a party table than a tray of warm sausage rolls — crisp, buttery pastry wrapped around well-seasoned sausage meat. Simple to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

  • 500 g sausage meat (or sausages, skins removed)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Mix the sausage meat with the onion, thyme, salt and pepper.
  2. Roll out the puff pastry and shape the sausage mixture into a log along one edge.
  3. Roll the pastry around the filling to enclose it, sealing the edge with a little beaten egg.
  4. Cut into individual rolls and brush the tops with beaten egg.
  5. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden and crisp.

Best served warm, though they’re just as delicious at room temperature the next day.

About This Recipe

Sausage Rolls is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 25 minutes (plus rising)
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: Around 2 hours with proving
  • Serves: 8-10 slices
  • Difficulty: Intermediate

Tips for the Best Results

  • Let the dough prove somewhere warm and draught-free until it has clearly doubled in size.
  • Weigh the flour rather than using cups for a reliable, repeatable Sausage Rolls.
  • Don’t rush the second rise; patience here is what gives an open, tender crumb.
  • Cool the loaf fully on a rack before slicing so the interior sets properly.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the Sausage Rolls slightly warm or at room temperature. It is lovely on its own, with butter and jam, or as the base of a simple breakfast or afternoon treat.

Storage

Store in a paper bag or bread box at room temperature for two to three days. For longer keeping, slice and freeze, then toast straight from frozen.

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Tourte à la Viande (French Meat Pie)

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Tourte à la Viande is a rustic double-crust pie found across French home cooking, filled with a savoury mix of seasoned ground meat encased in golden, flaky pastry. It’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with warmth and is just as good reheated the next day.

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets shortcrust or puff pastry
  • 400 g mixed ground pork and beef
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp mixed spice (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg)
  • 1 egg, beaten (for glazing)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the onion and garlic in a little oil until soft.
  2. Add the ground meat and spices, and cook through, breaking up any lumps. Season well and let cool slightly.
  3. Line a pie dish with one sheet of pastry, add the meat filling, and cover with the second sheet, sealing the edges.
  4. Brush with beaten egg and cut a small vent in the top.
  5. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 35-40 minutes until deeply golden.

Serve warm with a simple green salad or pickles on the side.

About This Recipe

Tourte à la Viande (French Meat Pie) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: Around 1 hour
  • Serves: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Season in layers as you cook the Tourte à la Viande (French Meat Pie) rather than only at the end.
  • Let roasted or braised meat rest before serving so the juices redistribute.
  • Bring the dish together over gentle heat; a slow finish deepens the flavour.
  • Taste before serving and adjust salt, acid and freshness to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Tourte à la Viande (French Meat Pie) with seasonal vegetables, a simple grain, or good bread to catch the juices. A crisp green salad rounds out the plate nicely.

Storage

Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently so the texture stays as good as freshly made, and freeze portions for longer storage.

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Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable and Basil Soup)

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Soupe au Pistou is the great vegetable soup of summer in Provence — a hearty mix of green beans, courgettes, potatoes and white beans, brightened at the very last moment with a spoonful of pistou, the region’s fragrant basil, garlic and olive oil paste (a close cousin of Italian pesto, but made without pine nuts).

Ingredients

  • 200 g green beans, trimmed and cut
  • 2 courgettes, diced
  • 2 potatoes, diced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 200 g cooked white beans
  • 50 g small pasta (vermicelli)
  • For the pistou: 2 cloves garlic, a large bunch of basil, 50 g parmesan, olive oil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Place all the vegetables and white beans in a large pot, cover with water, season with salt, and bring to the boil.
  2. Simmer for 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  3. Add the pasta and cook for a further 8-10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, make the pistou: crush the garlic and basil together, mix in the parmesan, and gradually work in enough olive oil to form a thick paste.
  5. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the pistou just before serving.

Always add the pistou off the heat — cooking it would dull the fresh, vibrant flavour of the basil.

About This Recipe

Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable and Basil Soup) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 40 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Serves: 4-6
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Sweat the aromatics gently before adding liquid so the Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable and Basil Soup) builds a deep, rounded base flavour.
  • Blend only part of the soup for a texture that is both silky and rustic.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning right at the end, when the flavours have fully come together.
  • A drizzle of good olive oil or a spoon of cream just before serving lifts the whole bowl.

Serving Suggestions

Ladle the Soupe au Pistou (Provençal Vegetable and Basil Soup) into warm bowls and serve with crusty bread or a swirl of olive oil. It makes a comforting starter or, with a green salad alongside, a light main course.

Storage

Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently so the texture stays as good as freshly made, and freeze portions for longer storage.

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Gratin Dauphinois (French Scalloped Potatoes)

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Gratin Dauphinois hails from the Dauphiné region in the French Alps — thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in cream and garlic until meltingly tender. Unlike many modern versions, the traditional recipe contains no cheese at all, letting the potatoes and cream speak for themselves.

Ingredients

  • 1.2 kg potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 500 ml double cream
  • 200 ml milk
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Butter, for the dish
  • Freshly grated nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Rub a baking dish with a cut garlic clove, then butter it generously.
  2. Layer the sliced potatoes in the dish, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg.
  3. Warm the cream and milk with the remaining garlic clove, minced, and pour over the potatoes.
  4. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for about 90 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden.

Let the gratin rest for 10 minutes before serving — it pairs beautifully with roasted meats.

About This Recipe

Gratin Dauphinois (French Scalloped Potatoes) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 45 minutes
  • Total time: Around 1 hour
  • Serves: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Season in layers as you cook the Gratin Dauphinois (French Scalloped Potatoes) rather than only at the end.
  • Let roasted or braised meat rest before serving so the juices redistribute.
  • Bring the dish together over gentle heat; a slow finish deepens the flavour.
  • Taste before serving and adjust salt, acid and freshness to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Gratin Dauphinois (French Scalloped Potatoes) with seasonal vegetables, a simple grain, or good bread to catch the juices. A crisp green salad rounds out the plate nicely.

Storage

Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Reheat gently so the texture stays as good as freshly made, and freeze portions for longer storage.

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Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Apple Tart)

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Tarte Tatin is the celebrated upside-down apple tart said to have been invented by accident at the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron, when a flustered cook baked her tart the wrong way round and served it anyway. Caramelized apples sit beneath a golden pastry lid, and the whole thing is flipped just before serving to reveal a glossy, amber top.

Ingredients

  • 6-8 apples, peeled, halved and cored
  • 100 g butter
  • 150 g sugar
  • 1 sheet puff pastry

Instructions

  1. In an ovenproof frying pan, melt the butter and sugar together over medium heat until it turns a rich golden caramel.
  2. Arrange the apple halves tightly in the caramel, rounded side down.
  3. Cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the apples begin to soften.
  4. Cover the apples with the puff pastry, tucking the edges down around the fruit.
  5. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.
  6. Let the tart rest for 5 minutes, then carefully invert onto a serving plate.

Serve warm, with a spoonful of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

About This Recipe

Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Apple Tart) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Serves: 6-8
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Use ingredients at room temperature so the batter for your Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Apple Tart) comes together smoothly.
  • Measure carefully; baking rewards precision more than improvisation.
  • Check a few minutes early, as ovens vary, and use a skewer to judge doneness.
  • Let it cool before slicing so it holds its shape cleanly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Tarte Tatin (French Upside-Down Apple Tart) with a dusting of icing sugar, a spoon of crème fraîche, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It pairs beautifully with coffee or a cup of tea.

Storage

Keep covered at room temperature for two to three days, or in the fridge if it contains cream or custard. Bring back to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.

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Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

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Gougères are the beloved cheese puffs of Burgundy, made from a simple choux pastry studded with Gruyère or Comté. Light, airy and deeply savoury, they are the perfect bite to serve with a glass of wine before dinner.

Ingredients

  • 125 ml water
  • 125 ml milk
  • 100 g butter
  • 150 g flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 150 g Gruyère or Comté, grated
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Bring the water, milk, butter and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan.
  2. Remove from the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously until the dough forms a smooth ball.
  3. Return to low heat for a minute to dry out the dough slightly, then transfer to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.
  5. Fold in most of the grated cheese, reserving a little for topping.
  6. Pipe or spoon small mounds onto a lined baking tray, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden.

Gougères are best enjoyed warm, straight from the oven.

About This Recipe

Gougères (French Cheese Puffs) is one of those dishes that rewards a little care and shares beautifully at the table. Below you’ll find timings, practical tips and serving ideas so you can make it with confidence, whether it is your first attempt or a familiar favourite you want to get just right.

At a Glance

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 35 minutes
  • Total time: 55 minutes
  • Serves: 6-8
  • Difficulty: Easy

Tips for the Best Results

  • Use ingredients at room temperature so the batter for your Gougères (French Cheese Puffs) comes together smoothly.
  • Measure carefully; baking rewards precision more than improvisation.
  • Check a few minutes early, as ovens vary, and use a skewer to judge doneness.
  • Let it cool before slicing so it holds its shape cleanly.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Gougères (French Cheese Puffs) with a dusting of icing sugar, a spoon of crème fraîche, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It pairs beautifully with coffee or a cup of tea.

Storage

Keep covered at room temperature for two to three days, or in the fridge if it contains cream or custard. Bring back to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.

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