WHAT MY RECIPES DONT TELL ME

1. No lump sauce: Make roux: proportions = 1 1/2 oz butter, 1oz flour, approx. 3/4 pint liquid (or equivalent in NewSpeak). While this is cooking heat liquid (in microwave?). Take roux off heat. Add nearly all liquid and stir while off heat. Then heat, stirring, until boiling. Add more liquid if required. Simmer for at least five minutes, stirring from time to time.

2. Down with dotting: Breadcrumb topping: Instead of the tiresome ‘dot with butter’, heat a small amount of butter in a saucepan – take off heat and stir in breadcrumbs (and grated cheese if liked) and spread over dish. If too much butter or too few breadcrumbs this will go lumpy. Just add more breadcrumbs.

3. Easy dicing: If asked to fry chopped or diced bacon, fry (or bake) rashers whole and use scissors to snip.

4. Marmalade pips: Much easier to boil separately in a small saucepan for about half an hour and then strain into the fruit. No need to hunt for string and muslin and no messy bags to cope with.

Celia Sherman