Those who grew up watching Nigella Lawson work her way through the kitchen and on the busy streets of London would say that the gourmand's love for the silkiness of chocolate or the crackle of spices was indeed comforting.

The British food writer, television host and the new addition to the judges on the renowned culinary competition show, "MasterChef Australia", turns 55 on 6 January, 2016. Her long tryst with food has made her a household name and a favourite among bakers. On her special day, we honour her numerous gifts to the culinary world and list the best recipes that tell you how to bake, make pasta and serve up a delicious dish for a big family lunch/dinner.

Slow Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken

This ranks first among the top 5 recipes posted on Nigella Lawson's blog. In order to find yourself tucking into tender, moist and glistening chicken, you have to add garlic cloves, lemon, thyme and white wine in a casserole and let it slow cook in the oven for a long time. Find the recipe here.

Pasta Alla Puttanesca

In other words, this is known as the "Slut's Speghetti". The name is attached to the dish because it mainly consists of ingredients that are available in a can and can be easily obtained by slatterns who don't go to the food market to buy fresh food. You will find the recipe here.

Supper Onion Pie

This is a classic and one that's quite comforting to eat. This winter dish requires you to plant a bed of caramelised onions on top of a scone dough. Click here to see the recipe.

Devil's Food Cake

The recipe for this cake indicates a generous inclusion of sugar, butter and dark chocolate. It's decadent and rich. Perhaps this is why it's one of the most searched recipes on her blog. You can find the complete recipe here.

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