I am off to source some of her ingredients that are new to me – azeite de dendê or red palm fruit oil being top of my list. In her introduction to Mezcla, Belfrage explains that the book is not only about the fusion of ingredients but is also an ode to the multi-faceted influences from her childhood. Here to show you that you can still indulge in bakes, puddings and sweet treats, this collection of lighter recipes is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. Madeleine has lived half her life in South Africa and the other in London which has widened her experiences of multiple cultures, languages and cuisines. According to Ixta, these are best enjoyed when a little drunk; you’ll be less worried about the bisque dripping down your chin!

Ixta has spent her life exploring and enjoying food in Italy, Mexico and Brazil, so it’s no surprise that MEZCLA is a fusion of different cultures and food traditions. After five years of honing her abilities in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen and co-authoring the bestselling Ottolenghi FLAVOUR, Ixta’s first solo cookbook is an exciting and personal delve into her culinary history and food influences.

Includes quick, flavourful recipes, such as Giant Cheese on Toast with Honey and Urfa Butter and Chicken with Pineapple and 'Nduja , as well as dishes to spend more time over: Chiles Rellenos with Salsa Roja Risotto and Prawn Lasagne with Habanero Oil. She is a die-hard Francophile – speaking French helps tremendously – but put her anywhere and she is happy.

Windows users should also consider upgrading to Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Edge, or switching to Firefox or Chrome. These lovely flavours made us slow down to properly appreciate the bounty of gorgeous vegetable dishes gracing the table. Ixta’s aim is to help you put vibrant, colourful, and flavour-packed food on the table, on any day of the week. The dish itself was lovely – the nutty taste of chickpeas providing ballast, the gentle mushrooms having absorbed the spicy chilli oil and the herby salsa verde adding a sharp freshness.Light and fluffy on the inside, crispy and salty on the outside, Ixta’s cassava fries (or macaxeira frita) are topped with chilli butter for an added kick. First, a chilli oil was made into which the oyster mushrooms had a whirl before being threaded onto skewers.

With 100 dishes, helpfully divided into quick, high-impact recipes and slower recipes for when you have time to savour the cooking process, MEZCLA truly is a book for every day and for every occasion.

With forkfuls of crunch and creamy soft textures, plump, golden raisings and crispy toasted pine nuts, the dressing was both sweet and piquant. Ixta Belfrage burst onto the cookbook scene via Flavour which was co-written with Ottolenghi when she worked in his test kitchen. In MEZCLA, her first solo cookbook, she draws on her many influences to create a truly exciting and unique set of recipes. Having grown up in a time when travel was restricted to local holidays, she has spent her adult life fulfilling a desire to see the world. She focuses mainly on food and travel but with a lifelong love of the arts – especially visual arts, theatre and literature – she enjoys writing reviews for London Unattached.