Sprinkle nigella seeds on anything you like, from eggs to filo. Shiitake, meanwhile, will add a chewy umami to stocks or use as a meat substitute

How can I use up nigella seeds or whole dried shiitake? I bought both recently to make specific recipes (the nigella for an Indian-inspired dish and the mushrooms for a Chinese one), but I don’t know what to pair them with in my simpler everyday cooking.
Audrey, Montreal, Canada
One thing I love to do with nigella seeds is to mix them with other seeds, spices and nuts that also need using up. Pair nigella with white sesame seeds, chilli flakes, onion and garlic granules, and flaky sea salt to make what I call “everything seasoning”. I sprinkle that on leafy salads or toss some with cubed bread that’s destined to be salad croutons.

Nigella and nuts, meanwhile, make a great snack – put some on a tray with whole cashews, brazils and/or pecans, toss with oil, honey and spices, then roast. It also works brilliantly when dry-roasted with flaked almonds (and maybe a few sesame seeds and chilli flakes as well): store that in a jar, ready to scatter over salads.