KEDGEREE WITH DARK LEAFY GREENS

For me, this is the ultimate comfort food – creamy, warming and filling, just what’s called for on a cold day. It’s a great option for entertaining because you can cook the rice, sauce and eggs in advance, meaning you won’t have to spend long away from your guests while you’re assembling it.

Serves 4 • 150g (5½oz) basmati rice, rinsed • 70g (2½oz) unsalted butter • 2 large brown onions, chopped • 1 medium red chilli, deseeded and

finely chopped • 2.5cm piece of ginger, peeled and

finely chopped • ¼tsp ground cumin • ¼tsp ground turmeric • ½tsp garam masala • 2tsp hot curry powder • 250g (9oz) fresh spinach, washed • 200ml (7fl oz) double cream • Salt and freshly ground black pepper • ½ a lemon • 4 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled

Cook the rice in a large pan of boiling water until tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a very large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the chopped onions, chilli and ginger and sauté until softened a little. Add the spices, cook for a further minute, then add the spinach. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for a few minutes, shaking the pan from time to time, until the spinach has wilted. Add the double cream, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, then squeeze the juice from the half lemon into the sauce. Stir the cooked rice into the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Spoon the kedgeree onto four plates, placing two halves of a boiled egg on top of each portion.