Not keen on feeble nolo wine? Try these instead

Are you a lover of oaky rioja, or maybe zingy Kiwi sauvignon blanc, and looking to find a non-alcoholic lookalike? To put it bluntly, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. Alcohol does much more than make you tipsy; it is the magic ingredient that gives so much of wine’s wondrous complexity, character and charm. Not only does it carry volatile compounds that make up wine’s endlessly fascinating combinations of scents and tastes, along with a sensation of warmth, it also creates that viscous body and texture – what’s rather grossly known in the trade as “mouthfeel” – of the liquid in your mouth, and the overall balance of all these factors in the wine.The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link

Doing dry January? Use languishing bottles of wine to make the ultimate comfort food

Whether you’re abstaining or just cutting back, a glass of red, white or rosé can elevate everything from risottos and stews to pasta and puddings Sign up here for our weekly food newsletter, FeastHands up, who is dry Januarying? While it’s not something I do explicitly, I do like to cut back a bit at the beginning of the year. The marathon that is Christmas socialising can be fun but relentless, and I imagine there are many others in the same boat. When it comes to wine, at least, the problem with cutting back is what to do with the rest of the bottle. Sure, I’ll have a glass or two if I fancy it one evening, but it’s pretty much a wasted bottle if you don’t finish the rest within a few days. Fear not – I have a plethora of recipes that will ensure you never need to waste a drop – enjoy a glass or two, then use the rest in the dish of your choice

Mark Hix’s recipe for baked scallops with a herb crust

Sustainable fresh scallops are best treated simply, and this herby, garlicky breadcrumb topping ticks all the right boxesAs a kid growing up in West Bay, Dorset, I used to sit on the harbour wall and watch the small trawlers coming in with their catch. My friend Mark’s dad’s boat, along with all the others, would be stacked high with sacks of queenies that they’d dredged up only hours before, and Mark’s mum would pack us off to school with a tub each of queen scallop meat doused in Sarson’s vinegar and white pepper, to eat later as a playground snack. At the time, I thought nothing of it, but, looking back now, I realise quite what a luxurious schoolday treat this was.These days, however, our local scallop fishermen don’t fish for queenies much any more, because the time it takes to shuck and clean them is more or less the same as that for larger king scallops, so they’re no longer financially viable; also, instead of all those trawlers that Lyme Bay had in the past, it’s now mostly divers who fish more sustainably for king scallops, without demolishing the sea bed in the process. There are two main dive boats that fish out of Lyme Regis nowadays, operated by Jon Shuker and Ali Day, and they’ve pretty much cornered the local market

How to turn any root vegetables into latkes – recipe | Waste not

It’s not just potatoes that you can turn into these moreish fried cakes – just about any root veg will do the trickCrisp, savoury and satiating latkes are my idea of the perfect brunch and, rather than sticking to potatoes, I often make them with a mixture of root vegetables, using up whatever I have to hand – just 25-50g of any vegetable will make a latke – and adding some ground linseeds or flax, which gives breakfast some nutrition-boosting omega-3s. I usually have them with a poached egg for protein or apple compote and soya yoghurt.This is a great way to use up any tired root vegetables lurking in the crisper drawer, and a recipe I come back to again and again. Latkes are a traditional Jewish potato cake that work really well made with other root vegetables as well. If I have a few different coloured vegetables, I will grate and mix the vegetables separately to make multicoloured latkes, but it’s much simpler to mix them all together

Eleven quick and easy summer weekday dinners, from pasta to Maggi goreng – recipes

(Pictured above)Rukmini Iyer’s recipe contains a microwave method for cooking rice, but I’ve successfully made basmati in a rice cooker countless times – just pop the whole garlic clove in with the rice grains. After that, it’s only a matter of stir-frying the cashews, broccoli and tofu. If you need more convincing, Iyer says this recipe was “an absolute hit with my children”. My own children happily mainline tofu and rice, and can be persuaded to have broccoli if I tell them they’re actually eating mini Christmas trees, so I believe her.There are many ways to level up your instant noodles, and this recipe follows a familiar formula: add greens for health and a fried egg for protein

January tips if you’re cooking for one | Kitchen aide

I really struggle with cooking for one, so what can I make in January that’s interesting but easy and, most importantly, warming?Jane, via email “There’s an art to the perfect solo meal,” says Bonnie Chung, author of Miso: From Japanese Classics to Everyday Umami, “and that’s balancing decadence with ease.” For Chung, that means good-quality ingredients (“tinned anchovies, jarred beans”), a dish that can be cooked in one pan (“a night alone must be maximised with minimal washing-up”) and eaten with a single piece of cutlery, “preferably in front of the telly and out of a bowl nestling in your lap”. Happily, she says, all of those requirements are met by miso udon carbonara: “It has all the rich and creamy nirvana of a cheesy pasta, but with a delicious, mochi-like chew that is incredibly satisfying.” Not only that, but you can knock it up in less than 10 minutes. “Melt cheese, milk and miso in a pan to make the sauce base, then add frozen udon that have been soaked in hot water