We shall go to the ball

Finding deep and true friendships isn’t always easy, but when we are brave enough to show our unfiltered selves, we can find people who love us as we are, says Diana Yates

Ingredients (Serves 4-6) 350 g potatoes, peeled,diced225 g swede, peeled, diced2 eggs50 g butter50 g plain flour600 ml milk, plus extra formashing450 g smoked haddock,skinned and cubed110 g frozen pea

Crowd-pleasing dishes inspired by summer travels

Evoke holidays at the Cornish seaside where this recipe hails. It’s named for the filling of mackerel or sardines (whatever the day’s catch might be) as their heads look skyward through a golden crust

Serves 6Prep time 15 min • 150g hot-smoked trout, roughly chopped • 1 small garlic clove • Finely grated zest ½ lemon, plus juice of 1 lemon • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle • 19

Tap, tap, tap. Tap, tap. “Oh, there it goes – that wee one’s for the pot.” The mussel in my hand slowly and silently hinges shut, like a lid on a fancy electronic bin. “If it closes completely that’s