Carrot and Lentil Soup

If you’re looking for a tasty and traditional way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, look no further. Dublin Coddle is a slow-cooked, melt in your mouth potato, bacon and sausage stew. The origin story of this delicious dish is that the significant other of someone enjoying a pint or three down at their local, would leave a pot simmering away on the stove (or “coddling”) so the social drinker had something hearty to eat when they eventually returned home from the pub. If you want to keep it traditional, use pork sausages, and you can get more of your ‘5-a-day’ in by adding carrots with your waxy potatoes or some chopped up cabbage an hour before cooking is complete. You’ll love mopping up the sauce with some Irish soda bread and maybe a glass of Guinness (or two).

Chinese New year is a time of celebration, togetherness, with plenty of feasting on delicious food. One of the dishes you will often see served is a whole Chicken. Chicken is a homophone for ji (吉, meaning ‘good luck’ and ‘prosperity’) and also signifies ‘a good beginning and end’ to the year. It’s usually offered first to your ancestors and the gods for blessings and protection. This whole roasted Sichuan Chicken from @omnivorescookbook is aromatic with the right amount of spice and heat and is juicy and delicious inside, with crispy skin on the outside.