Food editor Tony Jackman has compiled a subjective list of his favorite recipes from 2025, taking readers on a culinary journey from Italy to Brazil and beyond. The selections include a misleadingly named soup, a spiced mince dish, a creamy chicken preparation, a slow-cooked lamb tagine, and a flavorful roast chicken. These dishes highlight diverse global influences suited for the festive season.
Tony Jackman, food editor at Daily Maverick, shared his personal top five recipes of 2025 in a year-end reflection published on December 19, 2025. The list, entirely subjective, ranks dishes that stood out for their flavors and techniques, drawing from Italian, Brazilian, French, and South African inspirations.
Starting at number five is Italian wedding soup, which has no connection to actual weddings despite its name. Derived from the Italian term minestra maritata, meaning 'married soup,' it features a harmonious blend of sofrito—onions, celery, and carrots—combined with meatballs and small pasta in a broth. Jackman describes it as a 'saucy ménage à trois' of ingredients.
In fourth place, picadillo paired with Brazilian rice emerges as Jackman's favorite discovery of the year. This Latin American dish is essentially savory minced beef seasoned with spices, often including green olives and raisins. The accompanying Brazilian rice elevates the meal, offering a comforting home-style favorite.
Third is Florentine chicken, a hybrid of French and Italian cuisines. Chicken breast fillets are prepared with spinach in a cream sauce, topped with Parmesan cheese. The 'Florentine' designation refers specifically to the spinach, as seen in classic recipes like Auguste Escoffier's sole Florentine.
Ranking second, the seven-hour lamb shank and date tagine requires patient cooking in a traditional pot. Jackman notes the challenge of fitting four large shanks into the tagine but praises the luxurious result, acknowledging the higher cost of lamb as a premium cut.
Topping the list at number one is curry-butter roast chicken, inspired by Durban's culinary scene with South Indian influences. The recipe involves creating a masala blend from equal parts of various spices, mixing it into softened butter, and applying it generously to the chicken's skin and under the breast. This method infuses the bird with rich curry flavors while maintaining the perfection of a roast.
Jackman recommends the curry-butter chicken for treating family and friends during the holidays, wishing readers a merry festive season.
