For my wife and I it is not merely an opportunity to recharge our batteries, but a chance to visit other restaurants and hotels to gain inspiration. The week is planned with military precision. Over the years the freedom of being closed has allowed us to take in Paris, Barcelona and, in 2008, London. I often get to spend a couple of days in a friend’s restaurant to see what they are up to. It’s a busman’s holiday, I suppose: even when we’re shut, I can’t help thinking about business.

While the break is rarely restful, it’s always interesting. But this year my wife is in the late stages of pregnancy, so we’re staying put. Inspiration will come from visiting websites rather than restaurants and reading books rather than menus.

My father’s birthday falls during this week too. The normal routine of a family celebration in a smart restaurant will fall by the wayside, replaced with a meal which is easy to prepare during our holiday. To keep things straightforward – it is a holiday, after all – I plump for lovely ingredients which will need little done to them. Finger food makes for my favourite starter followed by the simplest roast there is, best end of lamb: simple to cook, effortless to serve and delicious to eat.

Roast rack of lamb with garlic and aubergines

Recipes serve four

2 aubergines, cut into quarters lengthways

Salt, pepper and olive oil

3 sprigs of rosemary

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 lemon, cut into wedges

2 racks of lamb, six to eight bones each, trimmed and chined by the butcher

150ml red wine

1tbsp redcurrant jelly

50ml chicken stock

A spoonful of butter, unsalted

1. Place the aubergines in a colander, salt them lightly then leave for one hour.

2. Heat the oven to 220˚C/gas mark 7. Spread out a piece of tinfoil large enough to hold all the aubergines when wrapped up like a parcel. Take the aubergines out of the colander and place them in the middle of the foil. Sprinkle on some pepper, olive oil and two sprigs of rosemary plus half the garlic. Squeeze the lemon juice over the aubergines then drop the lemon wedges into the foil. Wrap the tinfoil up to make a tightly sealed parcel enclosing the aubergines, and transfer it on to a baking sheet. Place in the bottom shelf of the oven. Note the time the aubergines went into the oven, as the lamb should follow them 15 minutes afterwards.

3. Rub a little oil over the fat of the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Place a heavy roasting tin on the stove and brown the lamb all over in a little more oil. Once browned, add the remaining garlic and rosemary (take care since the leaves of the herb might spit as they are added to the oil). Turn the lamb so the side with the layer of fat is face down in the tin. A quarter of an hour after putting the aubergines into the oven, place the tray of lamb on the top shelf and roast for 25 minutes, basting the meat with the oils in the tray two or three times.

4. Take the aubergines and lamb out the oven at the same time. Rest the lamb on a warm plate for 10 minutes and leave the aubergine parcel closed for now. Meanwhile, make the simple sauce for the lamb.

5. Tip out the fat from the roasting tray and remove the sprig of rosemary and garlic. Place the tray back on the hob and add the wine. Scrape at any sediment to release it and once the wine has boiled, add the redcurrant jelly and stock. Bring to the boil, reducing slightly if required, then pass it through a sieve into a clean pan. Whisk in a small knob of butter and transfer to a sauce boat.

6. To serve, open the aubergine parcel and arrange the aubergines in the centre of a platter. Slice the lamb into cutlets by carving between the bones. Each eye of meat should have a bone to it. Arrange these around the aubergines and serve at once with the sauce.

Spicy sticky chicken wings

24 (about 1.5kg) chicken wings

2tbsp grain mustard

1tbsp runny honey

1 large lemon

3 garlic cloves

1tsp chopped chilli (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 220˚C/gas mark 7. Put the chicken wings in a large roasting tray. Mix the mustard and honey together in a bowl then add the juice of the lemon. Peel the garlic cloves, crush them then add to the honey mix. Season well with salt and lots of fresh ground black pepper. If using the chilli, add it now.

2. Pour the mix over the chicken wings and toss well, making sure they are all covered. Place the tray in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, then toss them over and continue for another 20 minutes. Give them one final stir and put them back in the oven for 10 minutes. They should be a deep dark brown, almost black in places – this bitter-sweet edge is essential. Eat them with your fingers as a rustic canape or with a crunchy salad, perhaps with chopped cucumber, tomato and coriander.