Florence Pugh is currently enjoying one of the most exciting years of her career so far. After winning us over once again last year as Yelena Belova in Thunderbolts*, she returned to the Marvel universe this summer in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while early October also brought her long-awaited Netflix series East of Eden, an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel. Before the year is over, we’ll see her in two more major films, Dune: Part Three, in which she reprises her role as Princess Irulan, and Avengers: Doomsday. It was also recently announced that she will lead the film adaptation of Matt Haig’s novel The Midnight Library. And while we’re all eagerly anticipating her upcoming roles, I have to admit there’s another side of Florence Pugh I find myself returning to just as often.
Fans of the actress will surely remember her famous Cooking with Flo series, which she launched during the pandemic in 2020, turning her kitchen into a place where she shared recipes, culinary experiments, and little moments from everyday life with her followers. The idea came about after a conversation with her father, who, noticing she was feeling down, advised her to start doing two things that made her happy again: dancing and cooking. The format quickly won fans over, with Florence cooking to music, chatting with her audience, and improvising with ingredients without worrying too much about precise measurements. Watching her genuine enjoyment of cooking again made me want to head into the kitchen myself, so I’ve selected six recipes I’d love to try, with quantities and instructions adapted for home cooking.
Related: Florence Pugh’s literary adaptation is set to be Netflix’s next big fall hit
Garlic, tomato, and feta crostini
In 2023, Florence prepared one of her favorite recipes for Vogue: garlic, tomato, and feta crostini, demonstrating just how delicious a simple appetizer can be. Her love of garlic was particularly evident, and crispy bread topped with juicy tomatoes and cheese sounds like the perfect idea for dinner with friends.
Ingredients:
1 baguette or small loaf of bread
3 ripe tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
80 g feta cheese
1 small chili pepper
A few fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Anchovies, optional
Method
Slice the bread thinly, brush with olive oil, and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F) for approximately 10 to 12 minutes, until crispy. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes, chili pepper, and two garlic cloves, then mix them with olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Rub the toasted bread slices with the remaining garlic clove, spoon over the tomato mixture, and sprinkle with crumbled feta and fresh cilantro. Add a few anchovies if desired, just like Florence.
Vegetable ratatouille with spicy salami
Photo: Merve Gülhan
During the first episodes of Cooking with Flo, the actress demonstrated how vegetables already sitting in our fridge can become a delicious lunch. Her version of the French dish ratatouille also includes cured salami, which gives the vegetables a richer, spicier flavor.
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
2 tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots
200 g mushrooms
80 g spicy cured salami
1 onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, carrots, tomatoes, and mushrooms into small pieces, and finely chop the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and briefly sauté the onion and thinly sliced salami. Add the carrots, eggplant, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and cook for several minutes before stirring in the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer over low heat for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Serve with crusty bread.
Related: Dumpling lasagna is the viral comfort food that’s surprisingly easy to make
Pumpkin soup with chorizo
Photo: Wal
As the colder days arrive, I find myself increasingly craving warm soups hearty enough to replace an entire meal, and Florence has the perfect recipe to try this fall. Her combination of squash, potatoes, spicy chorizo, and chili sounds like an ideal choice for a rainy October afternoon.
Ingredients:
600 g peeled and deseeded butternut squash
2 medium red potatoes
120 g chorizo
1 onion
1 small chili pepper
750 ml vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Peel the squash and potatoes and cut them into cubes, then slice the chorizo into thin rounds. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and briefly fry the chorizo, then remove it and set aside. Sauté the chopped onion in the remaining oil, add the squash, potatoes, and chili, pour in the vegetable stock, and cook for approximately 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. You can blend part of the soup with an immersion blender for a creamier texture, then return the chorizo to the pot and cook for a few more minutes.
Related: Tortellini soup is the new comfort food we want to make as soon as temperatures drop
Courgetti with prawns, chili, and lemon
Photo: Mali Maeder
One of the more interesting recipes from Florence’s kitchen is courgetti, thin strips of zucchini that resemble spaghetti and serve as the base of the dish. The actress combines them with prawns, spicy salami, cherry tomatoes, lemon, and chili, creating a fresh and aromatic dinner.
Ingredients:
2 large zucchini
300 g peeled and deveined prawns
60 g spicy salami
200 g cherry tomatoes
150 g mushrooms
1 small onion
2 garlic cloves
1 lemon
1 small chili pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Using a spiralizer or vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini into thin, spaghetti-like strips. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, sauté the onion and spicy salami, then add the mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and chili. In a separate pan, briefly sauté the prawns with garlic until fully cooked, then add them to the prepared sauce. Stir in the zucchini and heat for another minute or two so they remain slightly crisp. Just before serving, add the lemon juice and a little grated lemon zest.
Beef stew with sweet potato mash
Photo: Farhad Ibrahimzade
One of my favorites from Cooking with Flo is the rich beef stew Florence prepared in October 2023 as part of a collaboration with the organization Race Against Dementia. The actress described it as winter in a bowl, and the combination of tender beef, aromatic sauce, and buttery sweet potato mash certainly lives up to that description.
Ingredients:
600 g stewing beef
100 g pancetta
200 g button mushrooms
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
250 ml Guinness
350 ml beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 small chili pepper
2 large sweet potatoes
30 g butter
Olive oil, salt, and pepper
Method
Heat a little olive oil in a deep pot and brown the beef cubes on all sides until nicely colored. Add the chopped pancetta, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, sauté briefly, then stir in the tomato paste. Pour in the Guinness and beef stock, add the bay leaves, and leave to simmer over low heat for approximately two hours, or until the meat is tender. Toward the end, add the mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, and chili, and cook for another 15 minutes. Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water, drain, and mash with butter, then serve alongside the hot stew.
Homemade ice cream with maple syrup, rum, ginger, and pecans
Save room for something sweet at the end, specifically a combination Florence was making back in 2020 when she was experimenting with homemade ice cream. Maple syrup, rum, and ginger might not be the first ingredients we’d think to combine in a dessert, but their caramel-like, spicy, and aromatic notes sound irresistible.
Ingredients:
400 ml cold heavy whipping cream
220 g sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
60 g roughly chopped pecans
A pinch of salt
Method
Roughly chop the pecans and lightly toast them in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then leave them to cool. In a large bowl, whip the cold cream until it forms firm but airy peaks. In another bowl, combine the condensed milk, maple syrup, rum, grated ginger, and a pinch of salt, then gently fold the mixture into the whipped cream. Add the cooled pecans and stir gently to distribute them evenly. Transfer the mixture to a lidded container and freeze for at least six hours, until the ice cream is set. Before serving, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes and, if desired, sprinkle with additional chopped pecans.
