Octopus with garlic - the potatoes are optional. They pad the dish out and provide a different texture, but if you have plenty of octopus and are making small tapas, you con omit them. The amount of chilli can be varied according to taste.

Beef cheeks in red wine - beef cheeks need long and slow cooking, but are worth the effort. The red wine doesn’t need to be expensive, but should be robust. Whilst the cheeks are cooking, prepare the mashed potato, cauliflower purée, or accompaniment of your choice, to be ready for service.

Artichoke hearts and bacon in tomato sauce - you can, of course, use fresh artichokes, but canned or jarred ones are much quicker and easier and Spanish ones are of the highest quality. Simply omit the bacon to make the dish vegan.