![Roast chicken with couscous, raisin and almond stuffing.](https://media.guim.co.uk/87dcf6cd46175031259f03e5c220d4c358e8d811/0_1459_3797_2278/1000.jpg)
A celebration of perhaps our finest food writer. But how to pick just 20 recipes from a stellar career of more than 50 years. Some choose themselves: definitive chicken soup from The Book of Jewish Food; essential orange and almond cake from A New Book of Middle Eastern Food. But here, too, are apple latkes, tarte pissaladière, roast chicken with couscous, raisin and almonds. There’s white haricot beans with clams from Spain, fish soup with saffron from the south of France, kofte kebab from Turkey. Even a perfect lemon tart from her latest book, Med. Just a taster from the wondrous world of Claudia Roden.
Roast chicken with couscous, raisin and almond stuffing (pictured above)
The stuffing has equal star billing with the chicken here
Chicken soup
![Chicken soup](https://media.guim.co.uk/a98bc3d3f33246ffc42d35eb0ed611098cfc08ef/0_2975_6192_3715/1000.jpg)
This classic, comforting soup is at the heart of any traditional Jewish meal
Pan-cooked fish with chermoula
![Pan-cooked fish with chermoula](https://media.guim.co.uk/b7ec26229c770035acbbb4c6b211c6e8c3372870/0_2270_6192_3715/1000.jpg)
The hot, spicy marinade is perfect with every kind of fish – fried, baked, grilled
Vegetable couscous
![Vegetable couscous](https://media.guim.co.uk/3d10877c2db10451ee35caa17755e0deba00e307/0_79_6222_3733/1000.jpg)
A classic vegetable dish given extra zing by a spicy Moroccan “jam”
Chicken and onion ‘pies’ with Moroccan flavours
![Chicken and onion ‘pies’ with Moroccan flavours](https://media.guim.co.uk/31352aa4df3cd097e3396825065fb05486ea18fa/0_2207_4911_2943/1000.jpg)
A take on b’stilla, the Moroccan pigeon pie, using chicken and puff pastry
Potatoes with chorizo
![Potatoes with chorizo](https://media.guim.co.uk/0cb202580b2e5a78e91d9972031df7f43d1255af/0_2270_6192_3715/1000.jpg)
This comforting dish is the taste of Spain’s Rioja region in a pan
Kofte kebab with tomato sauce and yoghurt
![Kofte kebab with tomato sauce and yoghurt](https://media.guim.co.uk/1a3a22d4864280ba7f0c48f5028966d1ad2d29b3/0_1632_3772_2262/1000.jpg)
A Turkish classic – well worth the effort of assembling
Birds’ tongues – lissan al assfour
![Birds’ tongues – an Egyptian lamb stew with orzo pasta](https://media.guim.co.uk/e17de056c343a7181ca6c0748154fde923695c86/0_3227_4912_2944/1000.jpg)
An Egyptian lamb stew with Italian orzo pasta
Roast belly of pork with baked apples
![Roast belly of pork with baked apples](https://media.guim.co.uk/afe1ea92d5902b05299e118faa0a1b79e828de86/0_1966_5375_3225/1000.jpg)
Asturias, in the north of Spain, is the inspiration for this twist on a classic roast
Fish soup with saffron and cream
![Fish soup with saffron and cream](https://media.guim.co.uk/16d79dc84c2daf41e865a251d92bc14696b43d6e/0_1958_6111_3664/1000.jpg)
Saffron adds a touch of luxury to this southern French dish
Red pepper and tomato salad
![Red pepper and tomato salad](https://media.guim.co.uk/1c0e1da7f8af4bd1739daf2576976348ec456c29/0_2183_4857_2911/1000.jpg)
Adding boiled lemon gives this salad extra oomph
White haricot beans with clams
![White haricot beans with clams](https://media.guim.co.uk/c8e0db36d5ad82ee83e782154782c143c20dddf2/0_1516_4134_2480/1000.jpg)
A taste of the Atlantic in this Cantabrian seafood dish
Aubergine fritters with honey
![Aubergine fritters with honey](https://media.guim.co.uk/a5e4cdc3a872293615bf34f9bcee46ad208d8025/0_1812_6092_3654/1000.jpg)
A sweet and savoury treat from Córdoba
Pasta with black olive paste
![Pasta with black olive paste](https://media.guim.co.uk/c1a2e72614e93c56f4dce4183d1d1f0f96341b14/0_1191_3247_1949/1000.jpg)
As this dish is strong in flavour it works best as a starter
Tarte pissaladière
![Tarte pissaladière](https://media.guim.co.uk/5a223aca4273c8fba410b8dacb8988156ab9992a/0_2200_4894_2933/1000.jpg)
An irresistible tart, sweet with onions and salty with anchovies
Konafa
![Konafa – a Middle Eastern pastry-cake](https://media.guim.co.uk/25522d4cf2f85ef095c406b3f79759ad0c470e7e/0_2164_5675_3401/1000.jpg)
A versatile Middle Eastern pastry that can have a variety of fillings
Apple latkes
![Apple latkes](https://media.guim.co.uk/e6d77d3c357ce1c9bcb748bc5c2de62b14e75eba/0_2270_6192_3715/1000.jpg)
A French version, from Alsace, made with apples macerated in brandy
Lemon tart
![Lemon tart](https://media.guim.co.uk/67f076f9e78d7cd0aa901859eddbd3a4c066e69c/0_1859_4912_2944/1000.jpg)
An intensely lemony dessert cooked to a Parisian recipe
Honey cake – lekach
![Honey loaf cake](https://media.guim.co.uk/71ea5057a0c3bfb5034b6e7888137978cddeec5a/0_2270_6192_3715/1000.jpg)
A beautiful cake with a long history
Orange and almond cake
![Orange and almond cake](https://media.guim.co.uk/a33a64f1c98a827b15e7d5a9344966079f36aa0f/0_2208_4912_2944/1000.jpg)
A delicious treat with Mediterranean/Middle Eastern origins
Some recipes have been updated by the author