When you have ingredients such as fresh, crunchy chicory, sweet sun-ripened cherry tomatoes and juicy ripe peaches, a simple approach to cooking is all you need. Spending hours over lengthy preparations only disguises the natural, fresh flavour of the food. In The Contented Cook, Xanthe Clay pares back all the effort and the fuss to show you how simplicity is key; both saving you time and allowing the quality of your ingredients to shine through. The simple philosophy embraces every seasonal glut and windfall of the year and rises to every occasion. A one-pot dish of Pork, Flageolets and Star Anise is perfect family food for a weekday evening, and Duck Breasts with Sweet Potato and Parsnip Crisps takes all the stress out of entertaining for a relaxed kitchen supper with friends. With recipes arranged according to seasonal ingredients, and with sections on Spring Baking, A Summer Buffet Party, An Autumn Mezze and Winter Canapes this book capitalises on nature's bounty to provide simple and delicious solutions at every turn.