Vegetarian

Vegetarian cooking goes wrong when it is framed as subtraction — the same plate with the meat taken off and nothing put back. The dishes here are built the other way round, starting from what vegetables, pulses and dairy actually do well.

What meat contributes is mostly savoury depth, fat and texture, and each has a replacement. For depth: mushrooms, tomato paste cooked until it darkens, miso, soy, parmesan, anything fermented or aged. For fat: olive oil used more generously than you would with meat, plus butter, tahini, yoghurt and nuts. For texture: proper browning. Roast vegetables at a high heat on a hot tray with space between the pieces, and accept the dark edges, because that is where the flavour is. Steamed vegetables in a hot dish taste like a compromise because they are one.

Beans and lentils carry most of the protein in this category and repay the same care you would give meat. Cook them in seasoned liquid rather than plain water, keep them at a bare simmer, and save the cooking liquid, which is a stock in its own right.

Some of these recipes are vegan already and most of the rest are a swap or two away. Check the ingredients rather than the label.