Alex Kapranos: ‘It took me a few years to realise that I didn’t have to drink everything on the rider’

The Franz Ferdinand frontman, and former chef, on songwriting, souffles and celebrating his Greek rootsAlex Kapranos has been a regular at Le Pantruche since he made Paris his most regular home two or three years ago, following his marriage to French singer-songwriter Clara Luciani. The bistro is a 1930s fantasy of a neighbourhood restaurant in Pigalle, set among the guitar shops of the city’s equivalent of Tin Pan Alley or Denmark Street: a dozen tables and a well-stocked bar crowded into a tiny shopfront room; today’s wines by the glass chalked on a board (nothing over €10); a menu that changes according to what seasonal flavours chef Franck Baranger is excited about cooking; casually stylish regulars who all seem to know Martin, waiter and maitre d’, by name.Kapranos was introduced to the restaurant by the producer of Franz Ferdinand’s new album, who has a studio round the corner. He loves it here for many reasons, he says, but specifically for the everyday miracle of its Grand Marnier souffle. Before he was a rock star, Kapranos was a chef himself, most notably at Glasgow’s outpost of London’s Groucho Club, Saint Judes, so he knows what’s involved

Meliz Berg’s secret ingredient: dried mint

It’s my favourite dried herb. Dried mint, I think, is one of those ingredients, especially in Cypriot cuisine, that has such a distinctive flavour profile, just a teaspoon can immediately change a dish. We use it a lot in cakes and pastries such as pilavuna. This is a Cypriot pastry filled with cheese, but the dried mint offsets that saltiness.It pairs incredibly well with hellim [halloumi], another quintessential Cypriot ingredient

Dzo! Viet Kitchen, London: ‘Worth your money and your time’ – restaurant review

This charismatic Vietnamese place stands out, even among all the attention-seekers on Upper Street IslingtonDzo! Viet Kitchen, 163 Upper Street, London N1 1US. Small plates £7.90-£11.90, large and sharing plates £10.90-£25

How to make spring rolls – recipe | Felicity Cloake's Masterclass

Thanks to their happy similarity to gold bars, these tightly wrapped little parcels of joy – be they Vietnamese chả giò, Filipino lumpia or Thai po pia tod – will be enjoyed by many of those celebrating lunar new year this week. Spring rolls are best enjoyed hot and fresh, rather than reheated from the supermarket, and these Chinese versions are easy and fun to make at home.Prep 20 min Cook 15 min Makes 8125g minced pork, or chicken, turkey, shrimp, prawns, soya mince or tofu (see step 1)5g dried shiitake mushrooms, or other Chinese mushrooms (see step 2)1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed150g trimmed Chinese leaf, or other cabbage50g carrot 50g water chestnuts, or bamboo shoots or bean sprouts½ tbsp neutral oil, plus extra for deep-frying1 tsp Chinese five-spice 1 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tsp light soy sauce ¼ tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp chopped spring onions or Chinese chives8 spring roll wrappers, plus a few to spare (defrosted, if necessary)If you’d prefer to leave out the pork, you could substitute minced chicken or turkey instead, or brown shrimp or finely chopped small prawns (defrosted and patted dry, if need be), rehydrated soya mince or firm tofu, minced and lightly seasoned – the tofu will soak up all the other flavourings, so there’s no need to go overboard with the salt and pepper.Soak the dried shiitake in warm water for about 20 minutes, or while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Chewy wood ear would also work well here, as would a mixture of wood ear and shiitake

Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for roast cauliflower and paneer curry | Quick and easy

This one-tin curry – what you’d call a “dry” curry in Indian homes, to differentiate from one with an integral sauce – is such a hit in my kitchen that leftovers frequently appear as a hot breakfast, along with an egg and flatbreads.My top trick with shop-bought paneer comes from food writer Roopa Gulati: once cut, soak it in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry – it improves the texture no end.Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Serves 2, generously1 medium cauliflower, cut into small florets225g paneer, cut into 1cm-thick triangles1 red onion, cut into eighths1 tbsp oil 30g yoghurt, plus extra to serve1 garlic clove, peeled and finely grated1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cumin 1 scant tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp hot smoked paprika 1 tsp sea salt flakes Juice of 1 lemon15g coriander leaves, roughly chopped1 red chilli, finely slicedFlatbreads, to serveHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the cauliflower, paneer and red onion into a roasting tin, stir through the oil, yoghurt, garlic, spices and salt, then roast for 30 minutes.Once cooked, squeeze over most of the lemon juice, then taste – add more salt and the extra lemon juice, if you wish

Notes on chocolate: a large selection turns out to be a box of delights

Struggle to make up yours? You’ll be spoilt for choice with this offering from Hill Street chocolatesI feel a bit sad that I didn’t discover this box of chocolates in time for you for Christmas but also, there is so much around Christmas, doesn’t January, and February, deserve a little something special held back?Of course they do. It’s a bit like when people act as if they can only see you around Christmas and New Year, despite both your diaries being crammed, and you then think, ‘But hang on, other days do exist!’ Just before Christmas – too late for going to press – I got this box of chocolates, which turned out to be nothing short of amazing. ‘God, these are really high quality,’ said my testers, as they shovelled. hey were available exclusively on Jamie Oliver’s site as they are his pick/faves. But now they’ve switched on to the Hill Street chocolates site – the people who make them in Saffron Walden in Essex