This year, I bought three oval platters: a small, silver-plated one from a local charity shop on which I serve crisps to make them look fancy; a medium-sized splattered enamel one for everyday everything; and a very large, stainless-steel one for dinner parties. I’m not sure why this happened, but I can tell you that I love the energy that platters give to a table, and the gentle sense of pomp and ceremony they lend even the simplest of meals. My love for the platter has dictated today’s recipe, a final fling with the very last of the summer vegetables…

Being a dedicated sort, I tasted all 10 of these mustards straight from the jar. With watering eyes, pumping endorphins and overactive salivary glands, I licked each mustard off a spoon, then quickly cleansed my palate with plenty of milk and water to subdue the heat. But the sandwich I had at the end, with my new favourite mustard, was worth every fiery spoonful. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Mustard is intriguingly complex in flavour – powerful, umami, hot – yet easy to make. At its…

Punk Royale, from Stockholm, has landed in London promising, or rather threatening, that their rowdy, immersive, 20-course fine-dining experience will destroy all puny British perceptions of posh food. It’s a huge claim from these Swedish punks. Indeed, nearly 50 years after the UK invented punk, with the Sex Pistols effing and jeffing on live TV and provoking a national meltdown, here we have some folk with mullets and Roxette CDs slopping “bumps” of caviar on to my hand shortly after beckoning me into a shoddily decorated, fusty-smelling dining room in Mayfair. It’s all a bit student house and needs a…

There are few joys quite like a sticky bun. As soft and sweet as an edible pillow, they’re a lovely thing to sink into with a cup of coffee and, though they look impressive, they’re also unexpectedly easy to make at home. This Scandinavian version is cinnamon flavoured, but feel free to change the seasoning to suit your palate. Prep 30 minRest 1 hr+Cook 25 minMakes 7 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds (from about 25 pods; see step 1)300ml whole milk50g butter, roughly cubed425g plain flour60g caster sugar¼ tsp fine salt7g fast-action/instant yeast1 eggOil, for greasing For the filling75g butter,…

I am the scrooge who relishes the end of summer, and who welcomes the darker evenings with open arms. After patiently waiting for tomatoes and aubergines to be done with their performance, autumn brings its own bounty of vegetables back into play, with squash, cauliflower and dark, leafy greens being some of my favourites. They’re ideal for loading into comforting dishes to hunker down with, and lend even the most indulgent meals a bit of goodness. Sausages with squash and beans (pictured top) Prep 10 minCook 1 hr 10 minServes 4 7 tbsp olive oil1 onion, peeled and finely chopped2…

This might come as a surprise to some readers, but I am not a fan of dal. There were just two versions that I liked, and both were made by my mother: one with lime and coconut, the other a slow-cooked black dal with cream (even nicer than the Dishoom version). But now a third quick-cook dal has made it into my hall of fame. And the secret? Blitzing it until very smooth, then serving with a topping of roast squash and moreish chilli cashews. It’s a revelation that’s now on my weekly rotation. Lime dal with roast squash and…