Nigel Slater's new cook's survival guide

• Buy one decent lump of cheese instead of three or four different ones. Otherwise you'll only end up with lots of little dried-up bits in the fridge. Most food keeps in better condition, for longer, in large pieces. Parmesan, for instance. Buy small whole salamis rather than ready sliced. You can then slice off as much as you need.
• Putting little bits of leftover food on plates is not a good idea. They will only dry up and haunt you every time you open the fridge door. You might as well throw them away in the first place.
• Smoked salmon and champagne is not an indulgence.
• If you halve or quarter a recipe, remember that this may also alter the cooking time. Avoid scaling down recipes that involve gelatine or baking powder; it sometimes takes as much to set/rise one portion as four.
• Cultivate recipes that use stale bread or breadcrumbs. Few of us can get through a whole loaf before it goes stale. Dead bread makes very good garlic croutons when fried in oil till golden and crisp, for scattering willy-nilly over salads and pasta.
• Don't be afraid to make large quantities of your own salad dressings, pesto, tomato sauce. They will keep well enough in a jar in the fridge.
• When you are shopping for supper, remember that as well as steak, chops and liver, poultry and game can also be perfect for one. Think partridge, pigeon and poussin.
• Nothing gives you quite so much confidence as making your own bread. It is one of the easiest things to make and everyone will think you are a genius.
• A bottle of wine is not a challenge. You can put a cork in it and keep some for tomorrow.

From Nigel Slater's Appetite

To try some of Nigel's recipes, click here