We’ve cooked from Emma Galloway’s books for years, so her fourth, Thyme to Cook, is a welcome return, this time by way of the garden.

What made you decide it was the right time to write another book? There’s been a growing desire for people to reconnect with their food, which inspired me to create my online membership site Tipu, and teach home gardening and seasonal cooking. That work became the foundation for Thyme to Cook, a book that feels especially important in uncertain times.

What’s been the most surprising thing about growing your own food? Maybe not surprising, but always awe-inspiring, is how a single tiny seed can unfurl into a whole living plant that goes on to feed my family. I’m continually struck by the quiet magic of it all.

Any particularly challenging things to cultivate that you’ve cracked? I wouldn’t say I’ve fully cracked it yet, but I’m definitely getting better at growing carrots. They seem as if they should be simple, but they’re surprisingly particular and a bit temperamental, so every season teaches me something new.

Meal planner or a spur-of-the-moment cook? When my kids were young, I stuck to a meal plan to keep life simple — they always knew Wednesday was burger night. Now that they’re grown, I tend to decide on the day, but I still rotate through the same 10 or so favourite meals.

What do you do when you hit a cooking block? I turn to my freezer. I batch-cook often, making enough for two or three meals at
a time, so there’s always something nourishing tucked away to pull out on the days when I’m busy or just not feeling inspired.

Fennel, orange + halloumi salad w/ chilli honey dressing

The classic pairing of finely shaved fennel bulb with orange is not one that will ever go out of fashion! Here I’ve boosted the flavour further with an Aleppo pepper-flecked dressing. You’ll find Aleppo pepper at selected specialty food stores. It has a lovely mellow heat and beautiful colour and flavour, but of course use regular chilli flakes is that’s what you have on hand.

Serves 4
Gluten-free

1 fennel bulb
juice of ½ lemon
extra virgin olive oil, to shallow-fry
200g halloumi, thickly sliced
2 oranges, peeled (remove
white pith too) and thinly sliced
70g (½ cup) kalamata olives, pitted + roughly chopped
½ red onion, finely sliced
large handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly torn
small handful of mint leaves, finely chopped

Chilli honey dressing
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
flakes or pinch of dried chilli flakes
juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
fine sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

Use a mandoline or super-sharp knife to finely shave the fennel bulb. Transfer to a bowl, drizzle with the lemon juice and mix well. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add a little olive oil and cook the halloumi slices for about 1 minute each side, until golden brown. Remove from the pan and cut into bite-sized pieces.

To make the chilli honey dressing, combine the mustard, honey, Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Continue whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large serving bowl, layer the shaved fennel with pieces of halloumi, orange slices, olives, onion and herbs. Drizzle the dressing over and serve immediately.

Polenta porridge w/ roasted strawberry + rhubarb compote

Early spring brings that sweet spot – the strawberries are just ripening, the rhubarb is looking lush and the air still has a crisp edge. It’s when I start craving something fresh but warm… so I make this porridge. The measurements here make enough for two, however it’s super easy to halve for one, or triple or quadruple for more. The compote can be made in bulk and stored in the fridge for up to a week, making this a quick and easy breakfast. To make this dairy-free, use a plant-based milk and coconut yoghurt in place of the creme fraîche. Use maple syrup and it’s also vegan.

Serves 2
Gluten-free | Vegan option

250ml (1 cup) milk of your choice
pinch of fine sea salt
100g (. cup) instant polenta (organic, if possible)
2 tablespoons crème fra.che or coconut yoghurt
2 teaspoons honey, pure maple syrup or golden caster sugar
finely chopped pistachios +
dried orange slices (optional),

to serve
Roasted strawberry + rhubarb compote
125g trimmed rhubarb, cut into 2cm lengths
125g strawberries, halved, or quartered if large
finely grated zest and juice of ½ orange
2 tablespoons honey, pure maple syrup or golden caster sugar

To make the roasted strawberry + rhubarb compote, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, orange zest, juice and sweetener of your choice in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a high-sided baking dish or a baking paperlined rimmed baking tray. Roast for 15–20 minutes or until the fruit is tender and a lovely sauce has formed. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Combine the milk, salt and 250ml (1 cup) water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Whisk in the polenta, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. You can add a touch more milk or water at this stage if you think it needs it. You’re aiming for a thick and creamy but pourable consistency. Remove from the heat and stir through the crème fra.che or yoghurt and the sweetener of your choice.
Divide between two bowls, top with dollops of compote and a sprinkle of pistachios. Add the dried orange slices, if using. Serve immediately.

Kale furikake

Makes 1 generous cup
Gluten-free | Vegan

60g (. cup) sesame seeds, lightly toasted
½  cup kale flakes (see Note)
10g (. cup) dulse or karengo flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or ½  teaspoon fine sea salt

We grow a lot of kale and there always comes a time towards the end of winter and early spring when we’ve been eating it for months on end. By then what is left is threatening to go to seed, so that’s when I dehydrate the remaining leaves to make kale flakes. I then use the flakes to sprinkle on eggs or to add to soups and stews. I also love to make this furikake, which I essentially use as a flavoured salt, sprinkling it over rice dishes, eggs and salads.

If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can also dry kale in the oven on the lowest setting (see Note). I like to use dulse or karengo flakes, but you could also use finely sliced nori sheets or nori flakes, if available.

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to an airtight jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Note: To make kale flakes, remove the stalks from the kale and roughly chop the leaves. Dry in a food dehydrator until crisp, then crumble into small pieces. Transfer to an airtight jar, store in a cool, dark place and use within 12 months. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can lay the kale leaf pieces onto oven trays and dry out in the oven at 50°C (122°F) for a couple of hours, until completely dry.

Snow pea & radish salad w/ fermented garlic & honey dressing

This super-simple salad is the perfect way to showcase the addictive crunch of snow peas and the deliciousness of a dressing made from fermented garlic + honey syrup. You will need to make the syrup well ahead of time, but if you’re like me, once you start making it, you’ll ensure it’s always on hand. If you don’t want to make it, but still want to make this recipe, simply use 1 clove fresh garlic and 1–2 teaspoons honey instead. The dressing won’t have quite the same funk to it, but it’ll still be lovely.

Serves 4

Gluten-free
200g (2 generous handfuls) snow peas
5 radishes
generous handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
50g feta cheese, crumbled

Fermented garlic + honey dressing

1 tablespoon fermented garlic + honey syrup (page 234)
2–3 garlic cloves from fermented garlic + honey syrup
juice of 1 large lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
generous pinch of fine sea salt + a little freshly ground black pepper

To make the fermented garlic + honey dressing, combine the ingredients in a small blender and blend on high until smooth.

Prepare the snow peas by snapping the top tip of each snow pea (the part that was once joined to the plant) and gently pulling down to remove the stringy bit. Finely shred the snow peas on a slight angle. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the radishes, then cut them into fine julienne.

Combine the snow peas, radishes and parsley in a bowl. Scatter the feta over and drizzle with enough dressing to stir through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

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