Mary's all-in-one approach to cooking brings all the ingredients together in a single pot. Each recipe is designed to make preparing delicious, family-friendly meals wonderfully straightforward, with less washing-up and more time to enjoy around the table. Sharing a meal with family and friends is one of life's simplest pleasures, made all the more special by the thoughtful details that bring the table together. From a foundation of Italian linen and hand-painted crockery to beautifully crafted cutlery and glassware. Each element helps turn everyday moments around the table into a joyful and memorable occasion.
Read on for three recipes from Mary, perfect for everyday dining or hosting friends and family. From a warm and comforting smoked haddock chowder to sweet and smoky lamb with borlotti beans, followed by a standout brioche frangipane apple pudding.
Smoked Haddock Chowder
Serves 6
- 55g (2oz) butter
- 4 large shallots, chopped
- 6 celery sticks, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, chopped into 1cm (0.5in) dice
- 200g (7oz) button mushrooms, sliced
- 450g (1lb) old potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm (0.75in) chunks
- 40g (1.5oz) plain flour
- 600ml (1 pint) fish or vegetable stock
- 600ml (1 pint) full-fat milk
- 30g (1oz) petits pois
- 700g (1lb 9oz) smoked haddock fillets, skinned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 100g (3.5oz) baby spinach
- Freshly chopped dill, to garnish
Method:
1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, celery and carrots, and stir to coat in the butter. Cover with a lid and cook gently over a low heat for about 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the mushrooms and potatoes, and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, then add the stock and milk, pouring it in gradually and stirring until smooth. Season with pepper to taste, adding no salt at this stage as the fish can be very salty. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer for 10–15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the peas and the smoked haddock to the vegetable mixture and simmer gently for a couple of minutes until the fish is cooked.
4. Adjust the seasoning to taste, stir in the spinach and garnish with dill to serve.
Sweet Smoked Paprika Lamb with Borlotti Beans
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1kg (2lb 4oz) diced lamb (from a leg of lamb)
- 175g (6oz) sliced chorizo, cut into small pieces
- 2 red onions, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 aubergine, cut into 4cm (1.5in) cubes
- 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 150ml (0.25 pint) white wine
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
- 1 x 400g tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
- Handful of freshly chopped parsley (optional)
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas 3.
2. Heat the oil in a large, deep ovenproof frying pan that has a lid or a flameproof casserole over a high heat. Add the lamb and fry until browned – you will need to do this in batches. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon, place on a plate and set aside.
3. Add the chorizo to the pan and cook until browned and crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon and add to the lamb.
4. Tip in the onions and garlic and fry for about 3–4 minutes. Add the aubergine and fry for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika and fry for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and tomatoes, and add the sugar. Return the browned lamb and chorizo to the pan, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil, stirring. Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.
5. Remove the dish from the oven and stir in the drained beans. Bring back up to the boil on the hob, cover again and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.
6. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using, and serve immediately.
Brioche Frangipane Apple Pudding
Serves 8
Ingredients:
- 8 x 1cm (0.5in) slices all-butter brioche loaf (about half a loaf)
- 175g (6oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 175g (6oz) caster sugar
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 175g (6oz) ground almonds
- 25g (1oz) plain flour
- 2 large dessert apples, skin on, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp apricot jam
- 1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 and grease a large, shallow ovenproof dish, about 28cm (11in) diameter, with butter.
2. Arrange the brioche slices over the base of the dish. Make sure you cover the base and fill in all the gaps, but don't overlap the slices.
3. Measure the butter and sugar into a bowl and whiz until pale and fluffy with an electric hand whisk. Add the eggs and whiz again. Finally, add the almond extract, ground almonds and flour, then whiz until the mixture is soft and creamy and there are no lumps. Be careful not to over-process.
4. Spoon the mixture over the brioche base and spread it to the sides. Arrange the sliced apples in a neat overlapping circular pattern over the top. Bake the pudding in the preheated oven for about 40–50 minutes until lightly golden all over and firm in the centre when lightly pressed.
5. Meanwhile, melt the jam with 2 tablespoons of water in a small pan over a medium heat. Brush over the surface of the cooked pudding, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Dust the pudding with icing sugar and serve warm.
All three recipes are extracted from Mary All In One by Mary Berry (BBC Books, £28.00), published 8th October 2026. Photography by Tara Fisher.
