Country Life's top 10 recipes of 2019, from salted caramel millionaire's shortbread and tarte au citron to a classic kedgeree
We've gone through the archives from the year to find the most popular of our regular recipes from 2019. Suffice to say that putting this piece together left us VERY hungry...


Perfect Tarte au Citron
Back at the start of the year we ran a few recipes from Jane Hornby’s latest book, Simple & Classic, which we described as a tome that was 'joyously easy to use'. And joyously rewarding too.
Roast chicken with blood oranges, sweet potato and avocado salsa
Melanie Johnson's delightful recipe using these seasonal oranges was a huge hit — and rightly so.
Salted Caramel Millionaire’s Shortbread
Another of Jane Hornby's recipes — and we'd forgotten just how good this looks.
Normandy chicken 'that’s a perfect dinner as autumn nights draw in'
'Apples aren’t just good for sweet dishes — they can work equally well giving an extra zip to savoury main courses,' wrote Melanie Johnson in September. We agreed.
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How to make kedgeree
This gorgeous recipe, which we described as 'a classic rice dish that makes a perfect weekend brunch', came from Christian Turner at the Colony Grill.
Four recipes to make the humble cucumber rather more interesting
Back in April, Melanie Johnson attempted the (almost) impossible.
Jane Hornby’s chicken and bacon pie
'Chicken pie is as good as it gets for comfort food,' we wrote of this deceptively simple recipe.
Chicken poached with slices of black truffle in a broth flavoured with tarragon and Madeira
Top chef Simon Hopkinson penned this ode to one of his all-time favourite dishes — as served at one of his all-time favourite restaurants.
How to make The Savoy’s sensational pistachio madeleines
The wizards responsible for afternoon tea at The Savoy shared this recipe for one of their showstoppers.
Banana, walnut and salted maple-syrup loaf, served with maple mascarpone
‘I always have bowls of walnuts at home over Christmas,’ wrote Melanie Johnson, ‘I like to make good use of them in the kitchen.’ We'd definitely say this counts as 'good use'.
Credit: Melanie Johnson
Celeriac soup with rosemary, walnuts and bacon plus Parmesan scones
Melanie Johnson’s warming celeriac soup is delicious.
Credit: Melanie Johnson
Chicken, spring-onion and mozzarella meatballs with pesto courgetti salad
Melanie Johnson adds some zing with this season’s new spring onions.
Credit: Country Life Picture Library
Sticky sloe gin venison steaks with parsnip and spinach rösti
Thank Melanie Johnson for this deliciously seasonal addition to your recipe roster.
How to make rocket-and-pea panna cottas with sesame salmon
Our kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson makes panna cottas with rocket.
Credit: Melanie Johnson/Country Life
Two cakes for the price of one: A salted caramel cheesecake with a carrot cake base
Best friends, carrot cake and cream cheese are fully celebrated in this innovatice recipe, with a salty twist. Thank Melanie
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
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‘There is probably no sport in the world which is so misunderstood’: 75 years of Formula 1 according to the Country Life archive
On the 75th anniversary of the first ever Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix, held at Silverstone Circuit, Rosie Paterson delves into the Country Life archives to look at how the magazine once spoke about motorsport.
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West London's spent the last two decades as the laughing stock of the style set — here's how it got its groove back
The style set is returning to the very West London neighbourhoods it once made a habit of spurning, finds Will Hosie.
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How to make The Connaught Bar's legendary martini — and a few others
It's the weekend which means it's time to kick back and make yourself an ice cold martini — courtesy of The Connaught Bar.
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Gill Meller's tomato, egg, bread and herb big-hearted summer salad
This summer salad is for people who enjoy proper seasonal produce.
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Sophia Money-Coutts: Why clinking glasses and saying ‘Cheers!’ is a tiny bit embarrassing
Sophia Money-Coutts is the new Debrett's and she's here every Wednesday to set some modern etiquette wrongs, right.
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What do an order of Catholic priests and actor Hugh Bonneville have in common? They helped this West Sussex sparkling wine triumph over multiple French Champagne houses
After being approached by a group of Catholic priests in 2006 to plant a vineyard, the power of the divine, and climate change, was on the winemaker Dermot Sugrue’s side.
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11 golden rules for making a perfect cup of tea
We drink tea every day, but are we doing it correctly? Who decided on the rules and do they really matter? Jonathon Jones reveals all.
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How to make Eton mess strawberry blondies
Our kitchen garden cook Melanie Johnson shares a mouthwatering recipe bringing together two of the greatest foodstuffs on the planet: strawberries and meringue.
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The era of the £50 burger and chips is here — and it's a revelation
The second coming of the high-low restaurant — where chefs pair martinis with burgers — is here. Will Hosie tells more.
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The imperfect science of the perfect martini and where you can get one in London
Dirty, dry, with fries, gin or vodka. There's a lot to think about for such a simple cocktail.