7-layer dip

This is one of my favourite things to make ever, but I don't make it too often, maybe once a year for special occasions. But it's amazing. I made it yesterday to accompany a Grey's Anatomy-a-thon.

The seven layers are refried beans, guacamole, taco-seasoned cream cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and grated cheese. The trick is just to get the layers lovely and even, and to refrigerate for as long as possible before serving so that they don't get mixed together when eating.

7-layer dip

(fills a 20cm/8in casserole dish)

1 can of refried beans

2 large ripe and ready avocadoes

juice of a lime

200 g/8 oz light cream cheese

50 g/2 oz sour cream

1/2 packet of taco seasoning

1 jar of salsa (or make your own with tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, lime juice, cumin and coriander)

1/2 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped finely

2 large tomatoes, chopped and deseeded

1 block of cheese, grated (cheddar or double gloucester works the best)

salt and pepper

2 bags of tortilla chips

I find it's easiest to make this if you as much preparation as you can at the beginning: so chop the tomatoes and the lettuce and grate the cheese and set them to one side. Mash the avocado with a fork and season with salt, pepper and add a bit of lime juice and set it to the side too. Finally, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream and taco seasoning until the mixture is a lovely light orange colour and set aside too.

Layer 1: Heat the refried beans. When they're warm enough, spread an even layer along the bottom of casserole dish. Allow to cool slightly before adding the next layer - it will make it easier.

Layer 2: Add the avocado layer. The easiest way to make sure this is distributed well is to spoon small dollops evenly over the refried beans. When you're done, then use the back of a spoon or spatula to make the layer.

Layer 3: The cream cheese layer. Do this in the same way, adding little dollops and then 'connecting the dots'. If your hands are really clean you can use your fingers.

Layer 4: Pour the salsa evenly over the cream cheese layer.

Layer 5: Spread the lettuce over the salsa layer. Make sure the lettuce is as dry as possible before adding it so that it doesn't get soggy.

Layer 6: Sprinkle the tomatoes over the lettuce.

Layer 7: Finally, spread the grated cheese over - you want it to be a lovely blanket covering the top.

Then, cover in cling film and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving (overnight's fine too). Serve with tortilla chips - I love the Hint of Lime ones you can get here in the UK, but in the States I usually get those Scoops one - makes it easier to scoop into the dip.

If you don't like any of those layers you can remove them - I've done it before without avocado, or you could take out the extra layer of tomatoes, though I find they're helpful to the consistency. If you like black olives, they'd be really nice on there too.

The most important part is in the eating: make sure when you eat it that you get a bit of all the layers! And don't leave it unattended - you'll come back and it will be all gone. Survival of the fittest and all that...

venison, the new third anniversary gift

Forget leather, let's make venison the third anniversary present of choice.

I’ve only had venison twice in my life, and at the same place – Wild Honey. Encrusted with juniper berries and walnuts, the saddle of venison was so succulent, I’ve never dared to try it on my own.

Until now.

It’s our third wedding anniversary, so I’m doing something special. Having pored over my favourite cookery books for ideas, I’ve settled on something rather unconventional for my tastes. I generally snap up any form of seafood on special occasions, but Jamie’s recipe for wild mushroom and venison stroganoff made my mouth water. Brandy, crème fraiche and gherkins add depth to the meat and mushroom’s earthy flavours.

All in all, it seems like a rather healthy meal. Venison's a lean meat, and if you control the olive oil and butter usage, you'll be fine.

Here's how I'm going to change it:
-substitute white rice with brown rice
-stick with olive oil only

If you keep to 2 tbsp olive oil and 50g rice per person, this delectable meal is a respectable 750 cals per serving. Not bad for a third anniversary.

a belated Valentine's Day: nothing says love like seven-layer dip

I've been sick. The kinda sick that actually puts you off your food. It's frustrating. My poor husband cooked a lovely Valentine's Day meal for me - parma ham and melon to start, spaghetti carbonara for a main course, and dark chocolate for dessert. And I couldn't even get it down! It was very sad, although his heroic efforts were much appreciated.

Have you ever looked at something so delicious but just not been able to eat it? (And after you've stuffed yourself doesn't count!)

Well, we made up for it this weekend by cooking one of my favourite party dishes - seven layer dip. Once my university friend Rob's mom introduced me to this dish eight years ago, I appropriated it. It's a Mexican-inspired dip, starting with the bottom layer of guacamole, then refried beans, taco-flavoured cream cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes and grated cheese. Suffice it to say, it's not exactly healthful.

Despite that, everyone loves it. I used to get requests for it all the time. At times, I wondered if people wanted my seven-layer dip at the party more than me...

As the years have passed, I've stopped making it as often - it's now a special treat. And what better occasion than three days after Valentine's Day, once I can stomach a meal?

A few years older and wiser, I've made a couple of healthier substitutions (but not too many, as that would spoil the fun). And guess what? It still tastes amazing.

Seven-layer dip, 2008

layer 1:
2 avocadoes, peeled, pitted and mashed
2 cloves garlic, mashed
a couple springs of coriander, finely chopped
juice of one lime


layer 2:
1 tin of reduced-fat refried beans

layer 3:
1 300g tub of reduced fat cream cheese
3 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
1/2 packet of taco seasoning

layer 4:
1 small bottle of salsa
or
(ideally) freshly made salsa

layer 5:
1 head of romaine, rinsed, chopped and drained

layer 6:
4-5 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

layer 7:
200g reduced-fat cheddar, grated.

Prepare the individual layers first, and then layer into a square casserole dish, about 2-3 inches deep. Combine the ingredients for layer 1 (guacamole) and smooth along the bottom. Smooth the refried beans over the guacamole by evenly distributing dollops of beans across the dish, and using the back of a spoon (or clean fingers) to spread. Use the same technique for layer three, after combining the cream cheese, sour cream and seasoning together. Next, pour the salsa and evenly spread across. Then sprinkle the lettuce, followed by the tomatoes, and then the grated cheese. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight (this is crucial, especially with low-fat ingredients).

Serve with hint of lime tortilla chips.

I'm sure you can imagine the 2000 version: full fat everything - store bought guacamole (the horrid type that has cream in it); cheddar, cream cheese, sour cream, the works. My body typically had to go into hibernation after a seven-layer session.

I have to say, I quite enjoyed being able to function after noshing on this. It's just beautiful. Upon the last scoop of those lovely layers, my husband just looked at me and said forlornly, "I'm so sad it's over."

I have to say, I was too.

retro meal for an anniversary celebration

Yesterday was our two-year wedding anniversary. We often stay in on those nights (including anniversaries before we were married) and make something decadent. For example, one year I made Delia’s sole Veronique, a fish dish with cream, tarragon and grapes that is absolutely unforgettable.

But we decided to go retro and have a 70s-inspired meal – scampi and chips, with pureed broad beans. And a bottle of cold champagne, of course.

Scampi is so much fun, though probably processed to within an inch of its life. I’ve never made it from scratch before, but I think it would be great to come up with a more wholesome natural version.

The chips are easily made by slicing up a potato, spraying with olive oil and sprinkling with salt, and baking for about 45 minutes.

The broad beans I used were frozen – again, ever so retro – so I steamed and then blitzed them with a hand blender. Yum!

But here’s the real twist – curry sauce. My husband poured it over his chips, while I mixed a tablespoon of curry sauce with a tablespoon of mayo. It sounds slightly odd, I’ll grant you, but it was the perfect final touch to the meal.