Diana Henry on Brexit’s effect on food, a well-stocked larder and not following trends

Zoe Ettinger talks to the food writer about her love of simple cooking and how difficult it is to cook with less cheese and yoghurt

Diana believes in simple recipes made from choice ingredients (Chris Terry)

What were some of the favourite recipes you learned growing up in Northern Ireland?

Oh, the usual, and they still form the backbone of my home cooking. Chicken soup, Irish stew, poached and baked salmon, champ (this last one is a dish of mashed potato mixed with chopped spring onions that have been simmered in milk, and lots of butter. It is eaten as a main course, not a side dish).

I also started to make gravlax in my teens, even though it isn’t an Irish dish. We just had such good wild salmon back then. I associate that with home, even though it is Scandinavian.