We’ve teamed up with cook and author Indy Power, to create a range of enticing one-pot dishes using our Cast Iron and Oven to Tableware collections. Read on to discover more about Indy’s food and where she gets the inspiration for her recipes.
1.One-pot dishes are having a bit of a resurgence at the moment, why do you think they are so popular?
I think the main reason is that everybody is so busy and time poor at the moment. One-pot dishes are so great if you’re in a rush or you can’t face the washing up and it’s so easy to make nutritious and delicious meals with loads of flavour and just one pot. I love my Denby Cast Iron Casserole Dish as it’s so versatile, it keeps food hotter for longer and it’s gorgeous so you can serve straight from the pot.
2. What is your signature one-pot dish and what are your ‘go to’ one-pot ingredients?
Stews and curries are definitely my favourite dinners during the colder months. I love dishes that are really warming and don’t require too much fuss. My go to one-pot ingredients would be fresh herbs, spices, stock and garlic – you can always make something delicious in one pot once you’ve got them.
3. Any tips on creating recipes that cater to different diets i.e gluten free/vegetarian etc?
All of my recipes are naturally gluten free and I try to keep them really flexible so that anyone can enjoy them no matter what their dietary requirements. The easiest thing is to start with natural wholefoods. They have no added ingredients or preservatives so you know exactly what’s in them. Then it’s just about using loads of spices and herbs and adapting with the seasons. You should never be afraid to put your own spin on a recipe or swap things out for ingredients you prefer or that are in season. Create a really good flavour base and then think of ingredients like meat or fish as add-ons – that way if somebody is vegetarian they can add in seasonal vegetables instead.
4. Where/who do you get your recipe inspiration from?
I take a lot of inspiration from my travels. I love all kinds of food and I love trying new things from different places to inspire me. My mom is a great cook so I take a lot of inspiration from the food she’s always made us. She is half Japanese so I’ve always loved Japanese ingredients and they inspire a lot of my recipes too. Some of her family lives in Mexico so that’s an influence, too. I’m also constantly inspired by what’s in season, often I base a recipe around a single ingredient I pick up and just see where it takes me. My ideas usually come to me in bed at night so I write them down as soon as I think of them. I have a list of hundreds of ideas I want to experiment with.
5. Who would be your top three dream dinner party guests and what would you cook them?
Hmm I think I would pick JK Rowling, Michael McIntyre and Jamie Oliver. I think I would make them the pistachio crusted lamb cutlets from my cookbook. It’s such an easy dish to prepare but it looks really impressive and it’s just so delicious. The best thing is that it’s so simple that you can’t really go wrong, that way I wouldn’t have to worry and I could enjoy the party!
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