This is a tried and tested recipe from way back in the dreamtime. I was reminded of it recently when I was perusing "The Cooks Companion" by Stephanie Alexander. As she says its an old fashioned soup (my recipe comes from Nanna Queenie, but they are almost identical). I haven't really felt the need for a lot of "winter warmer" recipes so far this autumn/winter. Mainly because although we've had a few cold days theres been nothing to drive you indoors looking for comfort food

MARINATED LAMB RACKS 3 racks of lamb 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons garam marsala 200ml olive oil 2 teaspoon tumeric chopped fresh coriander zest from 1 orange & 1 lemon 6 curry leaves METHOD Mix the marinade ingredients together, and after scoring the fat on the racks of lamb coat generously and marinate for 3 hours. Brown in a heavy based pan and then cook in a hot oven for 15 minutes for rare, 20 minutes for medium. Rest for 10 minutes be

The perfect winter pre-dinner snack with drinks for when you are having friends around. You can cut back on the harissa if you like and use a teaspoon of curry powder in its place if you're worried about the kick being too powerful. Its a great party food for kids as well, with the added bonus of a few sneaky vegetables to make you feel like you're a good mum. The best bit? Its one you prepared earlier. They only take about 25 minutes to cook and are best served straight from