Child's play

These recipes from STEPHANIE ALEXANDER are designed for making with the kids

Stephanie Alexander is the author of 14 cookbooks and one of this country’s most loved chefs. As founder of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, she aims to help children form positive food habits for life, via child-friendly gardening tips and recipe instructions, then sharing great food. Here are some of her food rituals.

What would we find in your fridge?

Butter, washed and dried salad greens, stewed rhubarb or similar for breakfast, and an assortment of seasonal vegetables.

What are your pantry essentials?

Canned tomatoes for winter, anchovies in extra-virgin olive oil, Australian extra-virgin olive oil, canned cannellini beans or chickpeas for quick salads, rice, dried pasta.

What’s your favourite appliance?

My food processor – I love it and use it at least once a day.

How important is healthy eating to you?

Fresh seasonal food is how I describe my diet – I do not stress the word “healthy” as it has moral overtones. I eat fresh fruit and vegetables, a small amount of fish and meat, I drink a glass or two of wine every day, lots of water and occasionally homemade cake.

What do you love cooking at home?

A mix of roast potato, pumpkin, carrot, onion, garlic and parsnip with rosemary from the garden in a little extra-virgin olive oil, maybe with two trimmed lamb cutlets or a fillet of oven-baked fish, and a green salad.

What’s your go-to recipe if time is tight?

I might melt some butter and paint it onto 2 fillets of King George whiting. I put that on a piece of baking paper on a pizza tray and into a hot oven. In 5 mins they’re cooked. A shower of fresh parsley from the garden and a green salad, or a big helping of broccolini.