I love cookbooks, love reading recipes and get most of my cooking ideas from other people. Yet that’s what they are: ideas – not prescriptions. I strongly believe that many people would have a lot more fun cooking if they relaxed a bit, read cookbooks as sources of ideas and just tried things without worrying about measuring everything out exactly.

Don’t try this for your first dinner party (or indeed for the first time at any dinner party).

Actually, you know what? Do. What the hell. It’s not safe and 100% guaranteed, but it’s a heck of a lot more fun.