Tried and Tasted:
A week of cooking from Good Food
Every Day
Bold flavours, everyday ease: what happened when Gary Mehigan’s recipes hit my kitchen.
The four recipes tested from Good Food Every Day.
Cooking from a cookbook is one thing, cooking through it is another.
Each week in Tried and Tasted, I cook from a single cookbook, not just one recipe, but a handful, tested over a week in real-life conditions. No pressure, no ratings, just honest reflections on what I cooked, how it went, and whether I’d make it again.
This week, I picked up Good Food Every Day by Gary Mehigan, a cookbook that’s part masterclass, part everyday guide. It’s a collection of his favourite recipes, built from years of knowledge working in professional kitchens but designed for the home cook. The focus is on simple techniques, bold flavours, and recipes designed to make cooking feel more intuitive and enjoyable.
Here’s what happened.
Want to Follow Along?
I may earn a small commission if you buy via this link, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting City Slicker.
Beer Battered Fish with Fat Chips & Tartare Sauce - Good Food Every Day pg. 194
Beer Battered Fish with Fat Chips & Tartare Sauce
In the Kitchen
As a Kiwi, one of the things I miss most about living in Sydney is proper fish and chips. In New Zealand, fish and chip shops rival dairies in number, and they’re one of the most affordable and nostalgic takeaway options. Like Gary, I have fond childhood memories of beachside fish and chips with family, so when I saw this recipe, I couldn’t resist.
I started with Gary’s tartare sauce, a separate recipe in the book. I made my own mayonnaise base, then added gherkins, capers, herbs and seasoning. Gary’s twist is grating a hard-boiled egg into the mix, which adds a surprising texture.
The beer batter comes together easily: dry ingredients whisked with a can of beer until smooth and thick. I used a pale ale for its light, balanced flavour. For the chips, I cut thick, even rectangles of potato, blanched them briefly in boiling water, then drained and dried them well.
The chips go first, fried in batches until golden and crisp before being transferred to the oven to keep warm. Then comes the fish. I was surprised by the instruction to cut the fillets into 10cm by 2cm strips, much smaller than the usual fish shop size, but followed along. Each piece is dipped in batter, excess shaken off, and gently lowered into the hot oil until golden and crunchy.
Once everything was ready, I plated up: three pieces of fish, a generous handful of chips, tartare sauce, and a lemon wedge.
The Verdict
It was so nice to have proper fish and chips again. The chips tasted exactly like the ones from a real fish and chip shop, and the fish was light, crisp and full of flavour. It was miles better than the frozen supermarket kind. The tartare sauce was tasty but a little too chunky for my liking, so I’ll stick with my own next time.
Would I Make It Again?
Absolutely. The next time I’m craving fish and chips, I know exactly which book I’ll reach for.
Worth Knowing
Fresh fish makes all the difference, so try to buy it the day you cook.
If, like me, you live with a vegetarian, this recipe makes far too much for one sitting. To freeze for later, blanch and dry your chips, freeze them on a tray, then bag them once solid. Cook straight from frozen when needed.
For the fish, under-fry by one minute, let cool on a rack, then freeze on a tray before transferring to a bag. Reheat from frozen in a 200°C fan-forced oven for around 15 minutes.
Coq au Vin - Good Food Every Day pg. 198
Coq au Vin
In the Kitchen
This was the first Coq au Vin I’ve made that doesn’t go in the oven, so I was curious to see how it would turn out.
It started with a marinade the day before. I broke down a whole chicken, keeping the legs, breasts, and thighs for the dish, and freezing the rest for a future stock. The reserved pieces were added to a dish with red wine, port, garlic, shallots, and herbs, then covered and left in the fridge for 24 hours.
The next day, I drained the marinade into a pot and separated everything else into bowls. I patted the chicken dry and seasoned it, ready for frying.
Olive oil went into a casserole dish over high heat. First the bacon, then shallots, then mushrooms were browned one by one before being set aside. The heat felt a touch too high here, and I ended up with a bit more char on the bottom of the pot than I would have liked.
The chicken went in next, two batches so each had space. I turned them until they were golden on the outside. While they fried, I boiled the marinade, skimmed off the fat, and strained it. Gary suggests a fine mesh sieve, but I went one step further and added cheesecloth for extra smoothness.
Once the chicken was all back in the pot with the bacon, shallots, and mushrooms, I poured the strained marinade over, gave it a stir, and brought it to a simmer. Next came the stocks, plus the reserved garlic and herbs. Then it was hands-off for 45 minutes of gentle simmering. I used the time to wash up and make mashed potato for serving.
When the timer was up, everything came out of the braising liquid to be strained once again. Repeated straining was definitely my least favourite job of the cook.
The liquid went back in the pot to boil, and here’s where I hit a snag. The recipe calls for 1.5 Tbsp cornflour to 1 tsp water to make a paste. I couldn’t see how that ratio would work, but I tried it anyway. It didn’t. I adjusted to 1 Tbsp of water instead, which worked perfectly, and whisked it into the sauce until thickened.
The last step was to return the chicken and vegetables to the pot to warm through before serving with plenty of buttery mash.
The Verdict
Delicious. For me, the joy of Coq au Vin is the braising liquid, and this one was wonderfully rich. The meat slid off the bone, the sauce felt luxurious, and the mash was the perfect companion.
Would I Make It Again?
Absolutely. Even with the overnight marinade, this is quicker than my usual oven-baked Coq au Vin. A great option when I want something hearty and flavoursome without an all-day cook.
Worth Knowing
I followed Gary’s suggestion and broke down a whole chicken, but if that’s not your thing you can use pre-cut pieces instead.
Back in New Zealand, I used to make Coq au Vin with Tegel frozen drumsticks. A 5 kg bag cost around $19 at the time. I’d thaw six for a batch and it worked beautifully. Similar bulk-buy options exist elsewhere, and they make this dish even more economical.
-Butter Chicken/Murgh Makhani - Good Food Every Day pg. 242
Butter Chicken - Murgh Makhani
In the Kitchen
I have been craving butter chicken for weeks, but none of the recent cookbooks I’ve tested had a recipe. So when I spotted Gary’s version, I jumped straight in.
It begins with a marinade: chicken thigh fillets mixed with yoghurt, spices, a touch of tomato paste, and seasoning. Once everything was well coated, I covered the bowl and tucked it into the fridge for at least an hour.
The chicken is then spread over a foil-lined tray and grilled under high heat until cooked through and slightly charred, turning halfway for even colour. By this point the kitchen smelled incredible. I was hungry before I even made it to the sauce.
The base starts with butter, onion, spices, and seasoning cooked gently until softened and golden. More spices follow, along with tomato paste, chilli powder, chopped tomatoes, and cashews. Everything simmers under a lid until the tomatoes collapse, then it is blitzed smooth with a stick blender. At this stage it resembled a thick paste, but that made sense given the next step.
Back on the heat, I stirred in more butter, cream, honey, and final spices until the sauce came together. The grilled chicken was folded in and left to simmer for a few minutes, letting the flavours infuse.
I served it with rice, a sprinkle of fresh coriander, and cheesy garlic naan, the perfect comfort plate.
The Verdict
This was delicious. To my surprise, it turned out more like a dry curry than the saucy, creamy butter chicken I usually expect, but the flavour was all there and beautifully balanced.
Would I Make It Again?
Absolutely. Next time I’ll experiment with adding more cream at the end to get that rich, glossy sauce I usually associate with butter chicken. The flavours are strong enough that a little extra cream would not drown them out.
Worth Knowing
This curry is fragrant, so turn on the extractor fan and crack a window if you can. It also keeps beautifully. Leftovers store well in the fridge or freezer, though since the sauce leans dry, add a splash of cream or water before reheating to keep it from drying out further.
Dal Makhani - Good Food Every Day pg. 252
Dal Makhani
In the Kitchen
Two buttery curries from a book that is not strictly Indian might sound like a lot, but my first-ever Dal Makhani came from Matt Preston, one of Gary Mehigan’s fellow MasterChef Australia judges. It felt only fair to see how Gary’s take would measure up. And honestly, I just love Dal Makhani.
The recipe begins the day before with a simple step: soaking the lentils and kidney beans overnight.
The next day, they are drained, added to a pot with plenty of water, brought to a boil, and simmered for about forty minutes. For the last ten minutes the lid goes on to create light pressure. Once cooked, the lentils are drained, but the thick cooking liquid is set aside for later.
The sauce base starts with oil over low heat, toasting a mix of spices until fragrant. Garlic and ginger paste, turmeric, and tomato are stirred in, then simmered until thick. Gary warns this stage can splutter, and he is right. A lid or splatter guard is your friend here.
More spices and salt go in before the pot is left to simmer gently under a lid for ten minutes, with the occasional stir to stop sticking. Then comes butter and some of that reserved lentil liquid, boiled and simmered again before the lentils and beans are finally stirred in. Things thicken quickly, so I ended up adding all of the leftover cooking liquid. The dal is then left to simmer on low heat for thirty minutes until rich and flavoursome.
The final touch is cream, stirred through just before serving.
I dished mine up with rice, fresh coriander, and cheesy garlic naan.
The Verdict
Yum. This Dal Makhani is as good as any I have eaten. If you have never tried it, this is proof that lentils and beans can deliver a dish full of comfort and depth.
That said, one small step from Matt Preston’s version is missing here: a swirl of cream and a knob of butter added just before serving. I tried it with leftovers the next night and it gave the dal an extra layer of creaminess and luxury.
Would I Make It Again?
Yes. This is a recipe I will come back to often. It freezes beautifully, makes generous leftovers, and is a crowd-pleaser for both vegetarians and meat-eaters.
Worth Knowing
Keep stirring throughout the cook. You do not need to hover over the pot constantly, but check in regularly so nothing catches on the bottom.
The recipe says it serves eight. The final pot may look too small for that, but portioned out it works, especially once you add rice and naan.
Making this vegan is simple. Swap the thickened cream for coconut cream or another plant-based alternative and you have a rich, dairy-free version.
This dish freezes well, so follow Gary’s advice and make a big batch. It is perfect for meal prep.
After a week cooking through Good Food Every Day, a few things are clear. Gary Mehigan knows his food, and it shows in the balance of flavours, approachable techniques, and the confidence he builds into each recipe. The dishes I tried ranged from nostalgic comfort food to rich, chef-level classics, yet all felt achievable at home.
What I loved most is that the book doesn’t overcomplicate things. The recipes guide you without holding your hand, and the results are consistently flavoursome and satisfying. Whether it was crispy beer-battered fish, rich Coq au Vin, or buttery curries, every dish had its own charm and hit that sweet spot between everyday cooking and professional know-how.
If you want a cookbook that combines the expertise of a seasoned chef with the practicality of home cooking, Good Food Every Day is worth a spot on your shelf. It’s the kind of book you’ll reach for again and again, whether you’re craving comfort, celebration, or just a reliably delicious weeknight dinner.
→ Curious about the cookbook itself? Here’s my full review.
Want to Try It Yourself?
If Good Food Every Day sounds like your kind of book, with chef-tested recipes that are simple, flavoursome, and perfect for home cooking, you can pick up a copy below.
I may earn a small commission if you buy via this link, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting City Slicker.
Keep the Taste Test Going
More recipes. More flavours. More delicious discoveries.
Hungry for more?
Join our mailing list and get fresh cookbook reviews, tips, and more delivered straight to your inbox.
