York writer Sam Stern focuses on cooking for one in new book

WHEN I ask York food prodigy Sam Stern to meet me at his favourite cafe, I am surprised at his choice.

It's Cafe Concerto, the homely eatery tucked away on Petergate in the shadow of the Minster, which has been a staple on the York eating-out scene for years. Its distinctive decor - sheets of music papered over the walls and brass instruments hung as ornaments - looks untouched since my first visit almost 20 years ago.

Back then, it was one of a kind. Today, York is awash with independent coffee houses as well as the big guns of Starbucks, Costa and Nero.

But it is the comfort of the past that draws the 24 year old back. "I used to come here all the time with Mum, after school. I'd have a raspberry iced tea and a Croque Monsieur," he recalls.

It's a poignant moment. Sam's mum Susan died from a brain tumour 18 months ago. She was well-known in York having worked as a vocal coach with the theatre and business community. She was also a great home cook, who turned the young Sam on to food and encouraged him with his cookery writing. Sam wrote his first book, Cooking Up A Storm, aged 14. His latest work, Too Good to Share, is his seventh – and the first he has written since her death.

It is also the first he has completed since leaving university. He graduated from Edinburgh two summers ago with a 2:1 in politics. There's a great story he dines out on, telling people how when he turned up at uni some of his flatmates had his book, Sam Stern's Student Cookbook.

The new one has an opportune angle - at a time when there are more people living alone, it is a book on cooking for one.

"Lots of my friends are single or share flats," says Sam, who has just moved away from the family home in Heslington to a flat share in London. "Or they are students and don't have set meal times. So writing about cooking for one seems to make sense."

The 130 recipes have been cleverly designed so that two different dishes can be made out of one core ingredient. "By cooking the main recipe you are halfway to making a second dish which can be enjoyed the next day for dinner or taken to work in a lunch box," says Sam.

Examples include quick prawn curry followed by griddled prawns with lemon and bean salad the following day. Similarly, a rump steak is used for a hearty beef and ale pie, with leftovers transformed into bubble and squeak cakes the day after. Sam admits it was tricky to write. "It was like a jigsaw, but each recipe had to taste amazing and fit the concept."

Sam's dad Jeffrey has helped him test the many recipes. To keep in shape, Sam has been working out at the David Lloyd gym, lifting weights and keeping his waistline in check, admitting he piled on the pounds while working on his previous book, Virgin to Veteran. "We used lots of butter in those recipes!"

Eating is a pleasure as well as a job. And Sam has some firm favourites when it comes to dining out in the city.

Top of the list is Red Chilli, the Chinese on George Hudson Street. "We have been going there as a family for many years. When we go we feast." Firm favourites include Beijing roast duck and the Beijing dumplings. "They are so meaty and flavoursome yet somehow delicate."

Sam also likes The Star Inn The City for a special occasion and Il Paradiso on Walmgate for pasta and pizza. Gourmet Italian Le Langhe on Peasholme Green is also on the list as is The Hop on Fossgate for beer and pizza. Sam admits he is more of a tea than coffee drinker. Among his favourite cafes is the Brew & Brownie on Museum Street.

As an accomplished cook himself, does he have very high standards when eating out? "If I'm paying a lot of money - yeah! But I don't mind as long as it is simple and tasty. It doesn't have to be too fancy, just pure and simple, good food."

Too Good to Share, by Sam Stern is published by Quadrille, priced £20

Here's one of Sam's 2-for-1 recipes to try at home, using lamb ...

Sam says: buy 300g rack of lamb, cook it in the first recipe and use leftovers in the next recipe

RECIPE 1: Rack of lamb with couscous and griddled aubergine

Rack of lamb is tender, lean and tasty, and cooking it on the bone adds extra flavour. Customise your couscous by improvising with what you have, such as fresh or sun-dried tomatoes, olives, harissa, herbs, feta and so much more. In the salad recipe, the Wensleydale gives an appealing flavour counterbalance.

1 small aubergine

Olive oil, for frying

1 lemon

1 extra trimmed rack of lamb, about 300g

150ml boiling water

60g couscous

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional fillings (see introduction above)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F.

Cut the aubergine into 1cm thick slices.

Season with salt and pepper and brush both sides lightly with olive oil.

Heat a griddle pan until it starts to smoke.

Cook the aubergine for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden brown.

Remove to a plate and squeeze over some lemon juice.

Pour the boiling water over the couscous in a heatproof bowl; it should come ¼ cm above the couscous. Cover with a tea towel and set aside.

Drizzle a little oil and lemon juice over the lamb and season it with salt and pepper.

Put an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat, then sear the lamb for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden brown.

Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 9–10 minutes for medium.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, once the couscous has absorbed all the water and is nice and fluffy, run a fork through it.

Plate up the couscous (adding any optional fillings) and aubergine.

Cut half the lamb into slices and add to the plate. Allow the remaining lamb to cool, then refrigerate until ready to use in the second recipe.

RECIPE 2: Warm lamb salad

Big handful of frozen broad beans

Leftover cooked rack of lamb from recipe above, at room temperature

Olive oil, for frying

2 little gem lettuces, halved lengthways

25g Wensleydale, crumbled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:

1 tablespoon natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint

Method:

Boil the broad beans in a saucepan of water for six minutes.

Drain and run under cold water, then peel each one to remove the pale green skins.

Lightly season them with salt and pepper and set them aside.

If you wish, heat the lamb by wrapping it in foil, roasting it at 220˚C/ 425˚F for 10–12 minutes, then allowing to rest for a few minutes.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing.

Heat a griddle pan until almost smoking (make sure your extractor fan is on).

Rub olive oil over the halved Little Gems and season with salt and pepper. Griddle, cut side down, for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and charred.

Slice the lamb. Scatter the broad beans and Wensleydale over a plate. Top with the griddled little gems, lamb and dressing.