ROSE COTTAGE

KOHLRABI

2012-02-14T04:21:00.005-08:00

What do you know, kohlrabi is a cabbage. So just like that, I love it.It is a sweet vegetable, fresh and cooling. It sides perfectly to spices and sour souses. It can be shaved, grated and eaten raw. It can be steamed or stir fried or souped. Sweet sweet kohlrabi, be mine.COOL KOHLRABI SALADfor soused mackerel and hot curriesSERVES 3-4 as a side1 kohlrabi, peeled and de-stemmed1 tbsp natural

EXHIBITIONS AND BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING

2012-01-30T05:02:00.000-08:00

The boys at the 10 cases are very generously letting me put up a few paintings next Monday (6th Feb).It'll be a casual affair so please pop your head in, buy a glass of their very good wine and take a glance at some of my scribbles downstairs.All work will be for sale - it'll be a silent auction, so if you like a particular painting, put your name, number and price in the box and the highest

PEAR AND GINGER MUFFINS

2012-01-16T10:29:00.000-08:00

I like to call these ragamuffins: mini mountains of sponge, scantily constructed with the remnants of near-empty packets (well - I used the last of the butter which just happened to weigh a perfect 50g), rough on the outside but wonderfully soft and moist in the centre.They are muffins in a ra - ga - mekin. PEAR AND GINGER RAGAMUFFINS serves 22 halves of tinned pear, sliced1 ball stem ginger,

CRAB OMELETTE

2012-01-10T04:16:00.000-08:00

The truth is, I've always been terrible at omelettes. Scrambled before they have a chance to set and flipped onto the plate into a sloppy mound, rather than elegantly slipped from the pan in a perfect fold. I don't admit my failure much.A good omelette, or so I learnt last night, takes a little patience and a bit of skill, good eggs and a non-stick pan. A silicon spatula works a dream to loosen

TURKEY PIE

2011-12-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

For when we run out of ideas but are still staring at the meat...TURKEY, HAM AND LEEK PIEfor Boxing Dayingredientsserves 2-325g butter (extra for greasing)1 large leek, finely sliced into rounds1 medium sized carrot, roughly choppedglug white wine150ml fresh stock (turkey, ham or chicken)50ml single cream1tbsp wholegrain mustard1tbsp Dijon mustard100g leftover turkey, shredded100g leftover ham,

ENOKI MUSHROOM, JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE AND SHALLOT TART

2011-12-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

There is very little I don't like about food. I eat most of it, grotty or not. But one thing that gets me goat is colourlessness; food which arrives monochrome on the plate. All that comes to cloud the mind is, well, beiiiige, and apart from last season's trench coat, it's not a colour which really lights me up.Think of the joy when purple beetroot is layered with sweet potato in a gratin - it

HOT AND SOUR NOODLE BROTH

2011-12-04T08:26:00.000-08:00

For cold nights, tired heads, lazy bones and loved ones.HOT AND SOUR NOODLE BROTHwith SEARED SALMON and GREENSserves 4ingredients2 tbsps sesame oil4 small salmon fillets, skinnedgenerous pinch salt4 handfuls flat rice noodles (roughly 75g each)1 ltr chicken stock3 tbsps fish sauce3 tbsps light soy sauce1 tbsp mirin rice wine(keep bottles of sauce on standby just in case)juice 1 lime1 small red

RABBIT WITH POLENTA

2011-11-22T00:51:00.000-08:00

I wanted to use hare; the chocolaty, rich hare ragu with papparadelle I'd eaten at Polpetto earlier this month was so good it slotted in right at the top of my Must Replicate list. This one was smooth, thick, and got the saliva hopping and jumping on the taste buds. Not one hair, bone or tooth in sight. Got to have it again...Not that simple. As it turns out you have to be quite an efficient

CABBAGE PICKLE

2011-11-14T12:06:00.000-08:00

This week, I joined the fight to bring cabbage - spiky, rubbery, bobbled, leafy, white, red, beautiful cabbage - back onto the table. Brassica backlash.My recipe for cabbage pickle deserves very little thought but it is full of wahummph. It takes all of 20 minutes to prepare and can sit pretty in jars for up to a month. Go nuts with your burger, side it to a hot pork pie or go full force with a

FRIDAY FISH PIE

2011-11-04T01:17:00.000-07:00

The Queen of Fish PiesScallop, prawn, haddock and tarragon pie w/ peas and braised baby fennelServes 4 very good friendsingredients1 white onion, finely chopped600ml double cream1 bunch tarragon, roughly chopped1 tsp wholegrain mustardgood squeeze of 1/2 lemon200g roeless scallops (though do not trim if the roes are still attached - they are delicious)200g raw king prawn tails2 haddock fillets,

PIG CHEEK STEW

2011-10-28T01:26:00.000-07:00

This is a stew for evenings in, wrapped up in front of a film - though it'll work just as well in bowls by the bonfire too. The pig cheeks are a real treat in this dish - they are tender, succulent and full of rich flavour, meaning you don't need much on your plate. It's dead cheap too - the four cheeks cost me well under £2, so you can afford to jazz it up with the wildest of autumn

SWEET AND SPICY TOMATO JAM

2011-10-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

SWEET AND SPICY TOMATO JAMfor bacon sandwiches and other midday munchies.ingredientsmakes 1 small jar to serve 61 tsp olive oil1 brown onion, finely chopped20 cherry tomatoes (on the vine if possible), chopped in half1 1/2 tsp ground coriander1 1/2 tsp cumin5g fresh ginger, finely chopped1 small red chilli, finely chopped1/2 tsp molasses2 tsp golden caster sugar2 tbsp sherry vinegarHeat the oil

BLACK FIG SALAD

2011-10-14T04:30:00.000-07:00

Over the past week my flat has been turned upside down. Once resembling a relatively tidy place of calm, it has now car-crashed into a cave of creative chaos.Sitting room has transformed into slap-dash studio - canvases half or unpainted on the floor, paintbrushes in jam jars and a faint sniff of white spirit. Kitchen surfaces are a-clutter with fruit and vegetables aside tubes of heavy autumnal

SPICED APPLE CAKE

2011-10-03T05:59:00.000-07:00

Mum left a bucket of home-fallen apples with me after her last London scamper. I abandoned them in bowl too long, where they met a near soft and sorry end. The only rescue was a long stew.Stewed for porridge, stewed for my parsnip soup, and stewed for this cake. Perked up and pretty.for the stewed applePeel, core and chop all the apples in your bucket (10 is a good number). Small crunchy apples

ROSIE & JIM'S

2011-10-03T01:22:00.000-07:00

My boyfriend James and I are starting a Sunday lunch club, and there seemed to be only one thing to call it. Rosie and Jim’s will serve classic Sunday lunches – nothing particularly fancy, but everything particularly delicious. It will basically be whenever we feel like it but most probably once every 6-8 weeks, starting on 13th November. On arrival you’ll be greeted with a complimentary glass

PEA FRITTATA

2011-09-23T12:57:00.000-07:00

This week, after an over-carnivorous jolly at Abergavenny Food Festival, I opted to go meat free. Why? To boost veg intake, to be friendly to the environment, to save a bit of money and to try new things...Yep, all those things. Halo.So far, the most notable change has been my weak, weak willpower.There was a minor blip just 24 hours into my new found vegetarianism when I tucked into a juicy leg

BEETROOT GNOCCHI

2011-09-12T06:18:00.000-07:00

This dish reminds me of sluggish pomeriggi in the trattoria of Bologna. Fresh pasta, floury and soft, with a painless, no-frills sauce. And probably a fierce glass of red to wash it down.Here, the fresh garlic, crisp sage and toasted hazelnuts bring strength and bite to the earthy, soft gnocchini. Gnocchi are simple enough to knock up (there's a bit to do a the beginning but this can all be done

NEW WORKSHOPS AT BOOKS FOR COOKS

2011-09-05T03:41:00.000-07:00

September. Ah what a happy month for cookbooks! Invitations to book launches fly through the letterbox, large packages and giant boxes are squeezed through the shop doorway and tables are stacked high with new titles, sitting fresh for hours of page turning. This season my wish list hits the ceiling.I wrote a piece for Waitrose Kitchen's September issue on the joy of owning, reading and, most

ELDERBERRY ICE CREAM

2011-08-23T02:00:00.000-07:00

This vivid magenta ice cream is wonderfully easy to make and, for the most part, is free. Go and pick the elderberries now - they look like deep purple versions of mistletoe; small berries in a bunch, hanging from an eight-stemmed stalk. You'll find them in trees amongst early sloes and damsons and they'll be around for the next month. Their taste is musky and sharp and much less versatile than

SALT THE AUBERGINE

2011-08-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

A late post, mid-August, back in London. Books for Cooks has shut up shop for the month so freedom has swiftly drifted in. Last week was spent in southern France where evenings were fed with hazy cooking, whirling up fresh finds from the heaving markets of Agde, Grau D'Agde, and Clermont L'Herault. Crisp bread, fresh mackerel, calamari, best tomato salads, and cheese, oh cheese. Pale, chilled

VEAL, FENNEL AND RICOTTA LASAGNE

2011-07-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Not too heavy nor too rich, this is a lasagne for the 'come rain or shine' evenings of late. The fennel comes through subtle and sweet, the aniseed and juicy cherry tomatoes seasoning the lean veal and lifting the light ricotta as it cooks the pasta. It's still filling for us hungered gluts but fragrant enough to suit the season (however unpredictable).VEAL, FENNEL AND RICOTTA LASAGNESERVES

TOP PRIZE FOR GARDENING GOES TO...

2011-07-18T04:53:00.001-07:00

...my sister and her loved-up carrots.That's one way to get the nippers eating their greens and oranges!How does your garden grow?

CREAMY PANCETTA AND RED CHICORY SPAGHETTI

2011-07-18T04:18:00.000-07:00

If you're ever looking for a recipe that takes no time to cook and fills you up in an instant, this is it.I have to say that this is one of the most rudely delicious pasta dishes there is; a bitter, sweet, creamy bowl of Yes Please. It follows some of the rules of carbonara, but switches the egg yolk for red chicory (quite some switch), though egg yolk wouldn't go amiss.One essential rule: Use

DEEP FRIED ARTICHOKE WITH ANCHOVY AIOLI

2011-07-12T12:16:00.000-07:00

Artichokes may be the most striking features of summer - a powerful dome of a vegetable, a spiky crown with layer after layer of thick green armour - but most of us are too readily turned away by the thought that they are a hassle to cook.The trimming, the scooping and de-choking; there's always one hairy fibre lurking in amongst those protective leaves. The boiling for a good half-an-hour. The

DHAL CURRY AND CARDAMOM SPINACH

2011-07-01T00:55:00.000-07:00

This is such a delicious dish to eat in the heat. Two simple core ingredients that don't necessarily scream sunshine and picnics but, unusually, I find them beautifully refreshing.Put earthy lentils with fresh ginger, curry leaves, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric and tomatoes, together with delicate spinach and cardamom, and you're diverted to instant summer comfort; as the spices give off warmth,

PIGS IN PINNIES AT THE SECRET LARDER

2011-06-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Can't give too much away to you oinkers, but seeing as last night's take over of the Ramsden Secret Larder was a blast, we'll bare this wee feasty nugget.Slipped in between a creamy crab bisque and a groaning plate of lamb and samphire, Pigs in Pinnies present:BROAD BEAN and SORREL SALADw/ RADISHES and CRISPED PANCETTAServes 4-61 large bunch of sorrel (about 6 leaves) washed, drained, chopped8

COURGETTE LINGUINE WITH CHILLI SQUID

2011-06-06T10:30:00.000-07:00

SERVES 2ingredients200g linguine75ml olive oil2 shallots1 clove garlic2 heaped tsp chilli flakes1 large courgette, julienned or cut into long thin strands100g squid, thinly sliced into rings6 leaves sagesalt and pepper2 lemon wedgesPut a large saucepan of salted water on a high heat and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the shallots and soften. Follow

OSSO BUCCO

2011-05-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

On a stormy day like today - drops the size of raisins and thunder grumbly enough to whisk an egg - the last few weeks of salad and sorbets get drowned right out. Puddling home this afternoon with my soggy shoes soaking up my new dungarees, thoughts turned instead to winter cooking.Shopping for supper beneath a summer tempest pours my pennies to one thing only: meaty meat. Thawing, fatty, hot,

DEATH OF THE CUPCAKE

2011-05-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

Remember the days of butterfly cakes? The small cases filled with a strawberry-sized scoop of soft batter? Top of the sponge carefully cut to make two wings, stuck back in with a spoonful of butter icing and sweet jam? Two wee bites of the cake and you've finished. So light, you might as well be the butterfly on the cake.Now all we see are giant cupcakes, layered high with a mountain of sickly

COPENHAGEN, PIGS IN PINNIES, AND THE HAVELOCK

2011-05-06T13:51:00.000-07:00

It's been the most glorious week for food and drink.Copenhagen first, spent floating on a heavenly cloud of light-headed middle-of-the-day schnapps. The weekend started with a 'mield and nische' local brew, and ended with a Norwegian fire-breathing dragon Aquavit, drawing out the inner Viking with every thimbleful.There was beer too. Cold and light, and not just Calsberg. We had home-brewed dark

ROSE COTTAGE IS TWO!

2011-04-29T02:24:00.000-07:00

The blog is two today, thunder stolen slightly by Kate and Wills, but being cooked a delicious breakfast in celebration. It's been a scrumptious year. Now off to Copenhagen to kick off year 3. (Royal wave, royal wave). Thanks to all who follow!

EASTER EGGS

2011-04-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

The fasting is almost over, so feast on this for the Bank Holiday breakfast. Happy Easter!SCRAMBLED EGGS with NEW BRIT ASPARAGUS and HOT SMOKED TROUTon SOURDOUGH BREADSelf-explanatory but crisp the bread and butter it hot, keep the eggs soft, the asparagus al dente and the trout gently warmed in the oven.Eggsquisite. (Had to be done).

9 hours til 6

2011-04-16T00:51:00.001-07:00

For most, the weekend has already started; for me it starts at 6.So, for everyone, whatever time you crack on, here's a crunchy cocktail to get your Saturday swinging. Hair o' dog or dare o' Hogg?GIN, ELDERFLOWER AND POMEGRANATE COOLERice1 shot Gin (I go Gordon's)dash of Prosecco50ml elderflower and pomegranate sparkling water30ml orange juice (no bits)10 pomegranate seeds and a splash of its

OLD TART

2011-04-11T00:47:00.000-07:00

A heatwave strikes - Burnt noses, bare (white) legs, and wide smiles. The first of this year's barbecues are lit, Mr Whippy vans are on sell-out, and salads are served instead of soup at Books For Cooks. I can't help but get excited about this unexpected burst of summer in the middle of spring.But the best thing about this time of year is the incoming gems on the market - and there is no

RASPBERRY AND ALMOND FLAPJACKS

2011-04-04T03:27:00.000-07:00

Quick to whip up, blooming gorgeous to look at, and irresistibly scrumptious to eat.RASPBERRY AND ALMOND FLAPJACKSmakes about 20ingredients150g salted butter5 large tbsps set honey80g golden caster sugar250g jumbo porridge oats100g raspberries50g toasted flaked almondsdried rose petals to decoratePreheat the oven to 200˚C/400˚F/Gas mark 6.Line a small, shallow baking tray with baking parchment

SCOTCH EGGS @ The Princess Vic

2011-03-22T13:29:00.000-07:00

There is something addictive about the Princess Victoria.Round, oblong, oval wooden tables lit by nightlights in glass jars; tall ceilings; a fireplace big enough to sit in. On sunny days you can sit on white iron tables and chairs in a small walled herb garden at the back.The staff are lovely. They don't hang over your table like newspaper-peekers on the tube, but appear just as you need them.

BASHFUL RADISH

2011-03-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

There's something about radishes that makes me laugh...Sweet, petite, with a peppery kick, they have an all-too similar nature to teenage girls. Moving in stubborn, intimidating bunches, never daring to be seen alone, it's almost as though if one split the pack the others would follow behind, teetering along on their little pointy roots. The thin outer shade of a little Cherry Belle - a solid

MARI LOU'S BUNS

2011-03-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

Mari Lou and I made a pact. If I turn up early an hour early for work, keen to cook, she'd teach me how to make steamed buns for our lunch. Without hesitation, I greedily agreed and hauled myself out of bed the next morning, elbows greased, ready for a knead.And Boy! was it worth it and Oh! what a lunch we had. Gorgeous little steamy parcels stuffed with sweetly spiced onions, soft roasted squash

WILD GARLIC BUTTER

2011-03-06T09:48:00.000-08:00

Thursday night's supper was Mattie's foraged risotto with fennel, wild Alexanders and the first of the wild garlic from the Heath, served with fennel seed sausages. Dribble and drool from a true hedgerow-er. So, you can imagine how excited I was stumbling upon a wood of young wild garlic leaves on my evening walk today. I took a few stems - no flowers yet - put one in my mouth BOOOOM and saved

WORLD BOOK DAY

2011-03-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

Choosing five of my favourite cookbooks, as I am about to do, has been a much chirpier task than I expected it would be. No ripping up endless lists, no pros and cons, no testing of recipes (most of them have already been cooked again). The books that I love have left me wishing I had written them myself.There are about thirteen books which I can easily say I consider brilliant - they look good,

POZ'S PEANUTS

2011-02-27T06:18:00.000-08:00

A recipe (mildly adapted) from my dear friend and super cook, Clare.PORK AND PEANUT CURRYserves 2ingredients1 1/2 tbsp groundnut oil1 large butcher-bought pork loin steak, thinly sliced into strips6 spring onions, thinly sliced (leave one onion, sliced length ways, for a garnish)1 tbsp red curry paste1/2 tin coconut milk1 tbsp organic, smooth peanut butter1 tsp molasses1 tsp fish saucejuice of 1/

EGGY FARLS WITH BUTTERY STILTON LEEKS

2011-02-22T10:35:00.000-08:00

Eggy bread has me dreaming of late nights and late mornings, energy gone. It's exactly what you want from a meal when your head's in a fuzz and your limbs won't move.Slip, slap, pan, flip, flop.I love using potato farls instead of bread. A good, spongy sourdough soaks up and holds in the moisture of the egg which is delicious, but with this recipe the farls are coated and crisped, melting away

PIEFECT

2011-02-20T14:45:00.000-08:00

THIS SEASON'S CRUST-HAVEGet your bloomin' lovely silicon pie birds from cook's haven Ceramica Blue to keep your pastry from sinking ship.P.S DAY 7. Sourdough starter (Bruce) has been lovingly cared for - half of it discarded each day and fed with new fuel - and is now bubbling happily away. Almost ready for bread making frenzy. Brain a-fizz with first recipes...

THE INVISIBLE GOLDFISH

2011-02-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Bubbles have started appearing after 48 hours. As I opened the lid, one came to the surface and popped. A great gulp of air from nothing in particular. It smells beery and warm - just like yeast should.Stage two.♥ Whisk in 100g flour (of the same flour) and as near to 100g water as possible. You want to keep the thick consistency of the previous mix.♥ Put the lid back on - put it back in the warm

SOURDOUGH. DAY ONE.

2011-02-14T03:51:00.000-08:00

Watching the light and bouncy sourdough be rolled out every morning at Books For Cooks wakes up the baker in me. In goes a spoonful of Eric's age-old starter, which has been nurtured everyday since the first mix was made almost thirty years ago. The starter is entirely unique, made only with the grape skins from the Savarine vineyard in the South West of France, organic flour and purified water,

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES

2011-02-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

Brown, knobbly skin, hard white flesh, and dug from the earth just like a potato, the Jerusalem artichoke looks more like a stem of ginger than an out-of-ground thistle - which, with a surname like artichoke, is what we generally expect. Bearing no relation to the globe arty - no leaves to dip in butter; no hearts to preserve in oil - they often get overlooked. While snapped up at markets by keen

I ♥ La Fromagerie.

2011-01-30T10:29:00.000-08:00

Walk through shelves piled high with jars of preserves, freshly baked cakes and large and bountiful vegetables. Tucked away around the corner, past the table of chocolate, the fridge of homemade yogurt, and through the sliding glass door, towers cheese from Totnes to Toulouse . Taste, smell and sale. The cold can be stood for a small while, but the men in white coats bear it well. Out of the

WONDERFUL WON TON

2011-01-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

I've always said that if there were one cuisine I'd rather not eat over here it would be Chinese. Doesn't sit well in the stomach. Too greasy, too heavy, too fried. The translucent slime that coats chicken and beef has always made me want to eat my chopsticks instead.Last week, I had a change of heart. Staring ignorantly at a seven-column menu outside a heaving restaurant on Gerrard St, I was

HOT CHOCOLATE SUNDAYS

2011-01-16T08:13:00.000-08:00

one glorious mug of creamy hot chocolate for a lazy afternooningredients10g good milk chocolate, grated10g dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids, grated1 1/2 tbsps cocoa powder1/2 tsp ground gingerpinch ground nutmegpinch ground cinnamon300ml milkWarm favourite mug with boiling water. Mix all ingredients together in a saucepan, stirring over a medium heat. Simmer but do not boil. Hot water out,

WALNUT POLENTA

2011-01-03T11:31:00.000-08:00

Eat with eggs, with cheese, with apples and pears, fried with bacon, paired with braised meat and, best of all, on its own. I present to you the most versatile and comforting of winter companions: walnut polenta.WALNUT POLENTAserves 2ingredients100g polenta (instant polenta is great for a quick fix)400ml water1tsp salt50g fresh walnuts, choppedIn a large saucepan, bring the water to the boil. Add

NESTING SEASON OVER

2010-12-30T07:55:00.001-08:00

I was sternly reminded at the Christmas table this year that overfeeding Blue Tits can make for a particularly lazy mating season. Too much pecking at the bird-feeder could result in a reduction in the number of spring-born chicks. I wonder what point they were trying to get across...Had this person been hinting at something other than the welfare of birds, they were clearly unaware of the large

PANIC COOKIES

2010-12-20T12:12:00.000-08:00

We all make a furious attempt to get present-buying over with quickly and have a few days of uncluttered peace before stuffed turkeys and drunk grannies get the better of us. But with Christmas parties and yuletide drinks ahoy, the precious 'thought that counts' gets scooped up in the constant hangover.So here's a last minute solution for curing the lingering aches, pleasing the old farts, and

O OYSTERS, COME AND WALK WITH US.

2010-12-06T03:00:00.000-08:00

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,"Is what we chiefly need:Pepper and vinegar besidesAre very good indeed--Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,We can begin to feed."[...]"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,"You've had a pleasant run!Shall we be trotting home again?'But answer came there none--And this was scarcely odd, becauseThey'd eaten every one.Drizzled with hot tabasco, a little chew and down the

PESTO PLEASE

2010-12-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

Eat it all year round. My basil and garlic pesto.BASIL AND GARLIC PESTOSERVES 450 basil leaves: de-stemmed; washed; dried1 large garlic clove, chopped60g parmesan/pecorino, chopped15g pine nutslarge pinch salt50ml extra virgin olive oilBlend all the dry ingredients in a food processor or a hand-held whizzer. When mixed, stir in the olive oil a little at a time. Serve with fresh tortelloni,

FORECAST TO SNOW. PREPARE TO INSULATE.

2010-11-25T09:23:00.000-08:00

It's icy cold, my nose is lobster and I'm wearing tights under my trousers.An extra layer, at this time of year, is what I like to call a necessaccessory. I'm not just talking about hats, scarves and gloves but a full winter coating of my very own whale blubber. This means following a strict routine of hearty stews, gristly stodge, plenty a mug of tongue-burning cocoa and no holding back. Last

APPLE SODA BREAD

2010-11-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

If the bread in the basket is warm and grainy when I go to a restaurant I know I should order a light meal. With a knob of salty butter melting into the holes and dips, there's no holding back and frankly, how could anything that follows be better? I love soggy bread too. Bread and butter pudding, pappa al pomodoro, and another hunk of fresh bread to soak up the soup. And nothing beats cutting

BOWLS AND BONFIRES

2010-11-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

HONEYED SQUASH, SPINACH AND GOATS CHEESE RISOTTOSERVES 2-3INGREDIENTSfor the squash1/2 medium squash, roughly chopped; skin on1 tbsp groundnut oil1 tbsp runny honeyfor the risotto1tbsp olive oil1 white onion, finely chopped150g Arborio risotto rice (roughly 75g/person)2 glasses white wine500ml chicken stock (or vegetable for veggies)3 sprigs fresh thyme, de-stalked3-4 large handfuls spinach

A BLOODY MARY OR A BLOODY SHAME?

2010-10-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

The construction of a real Bloody Mary cannot be sniffed at. I would take hours - if it took that long - stirring, dripping, toil and troubling if it meant that our terribly sweet and slightly dull tomato juice could be more than just sieved fruit. I like a Bloody Mary to fix me, whether it be a hangover, tiredness or gloom. It needs to sting and flare my nostrils at first whiff, pinning my

BANGLADESHI-STYLE HAKE CURRY

2010-10-14T05:20:00.000-07:00

Working in a cookery bookshop makes you hungry. All day.The nostril-tickling smells of the cafe; the good-enough-to-lick-if-I-could pictures in the books; the cooking hot line which seems to hit promptly on a Wednesday morning as if by clockwork, flipping open the recipe book in the back of my brain, wishing I could be eating what they're cooking. But there's no complaints here.It's one of those

GUEST BLOG:Alice Brady

2010-10-05T08:43:00.000-07:00

Dance to your Daddy with Alice's dive into the world of fish pie...In Pursuit of PerfectionIt has become apparent to me of late that I am officially an addict. I have seen it occur in so many friends; that first try and taste hooking them in instantly, an inability to break away from it and try new things. My drug of choice: the fish pie. It started with my auntie’s classic version; creamy, rich

EASY PLUMS

2010-10-01T04:12:00.001-07:00

Got some plums from Portobello market last week; 10 juicy, round, purple little devils for a mere £1. Shared them round, oohed and aahed and took the rest home.I would have finished them all that day had it not been for the last minute decision to escape London for the weekend. The lovely plums were left lonely and neglected in my empty and dark flat and, out of spite, turned tasteless and

A NEW LOVE FOR...

2010-09-24T05:18:00.000-07:00

Anchovies. Little bone ridden creatures, sea bound until on the plate, and all too similar to the feel and taste of a cat's fur ball.Until recently, the word 'anchovy' was one of those which, along with 'custard' and 't-t-t-trifle', would make me shudder at the mere mention. I'm not fussy, but who can trust eating a hairy fish, something you can walk on without sinking, or cake mixed with jelly

PEA FOR PERFECTION

2010-09-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

This blog is dedicated to my dish de la semaine. I've cooked it three times this week and it continues to excite me...who knew that wee green petit peas could be so wonderfully versatile?PERFECT PEASSERVES 2INGREDIENTSlarge knob of salted butter6 sleeves of prosciutto1 white onion, finely chopped1 clove garlic, finely chopped and pasted200g petit pois40ml chicken stock2 tbsp double cream (

GEORGIE'S SNOBROD

2010-09-08T04:44:00.000-07:00

Has Autumn officially struck do we think? Wake up and it's sunny; go home and you wish you'd brought your woolly jumper? Leaves get stuck to the bottom of your shoe, your leisurely stroll unexpectedly skids into an awkward run, that excruciating laugh 'It's fine! Ha ha ha...', an autumnal shade of burnt umber rising up to your roots? I'd say it has.Which is why I've chosen to cook Georgie's

REAL RAGU

2010-08-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the best ragu I've ever eaten out of Bologna. In fact, it may have even been better than Da Mario's - a lazy Sunday afternoon risto just outside the old Bologna walls where we'd talk and drink, and eat steaming bowls of spaghetti ragu.A couple of months ago, I ranted on how there is no Bolognese anymore...or at least, no one really knows the true recipe. This could-be Italian

RAIN FALL

2010-08-26T02:08:00.000-07:00

It's raining sideways in a typically late-August way. I have my best selection of over sized autumnal-coloured clothes on, giving up but not forgetting the summer that has just swept past us. This always happens after my birthday. Tuesday was all bright sunshine, windy but warm; presents were unwrapped in the garden and dinner was crammed into a open-windowed, open-doored wooden hut, with candles

FIG OF THE DUMP.

2010-08-18T03:21:00.000-07:00

The figs are just coming into bloom on the Island now; the flesh soft, sweet and earthy.Breaking into them raw seems risky, clenchingly persuading oneself that the pink giblets in the centre are not worms, just the fruit. 'Whatever's in there will have only been eating fig anyway': words that are thrown confidently across the table. Oh what a relief we are eating by candlelight.Few and far

CAMP CORNWALL

2010-08-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

CAR. TENT. PORTABLE GAS COOKER.Usually braving the waves in Easter, this year I am treading water in warmer seas. No, nothing as daring as 'out of the UK', but going West to the wondrous British holiday destination that is Cornwall.We're heading down to the beautiful home of Rodda's clotted cream, blow-your-socks-off Rattler cider, and the one and only Padstein. And yes, last year I did get good

PINK SKY AT NIGHT

2010-07-27T13:07:00.001-07:00

It's Turkish Delight, it's strawberry sherbet and it's diving into a pool of Daiquiri...That's what happens after you eat James Ramsden's Pork Madras Curry, turn beetroot into muffins, and crane your unswan-like neck through your window to hum at the sunset. All powerful, all highly recommended, all rather narcotic. Time for bed.BEETROOT MUFFINS:A bizarre combo, an experiment, I know, but

LOVELY DAY FOR A GUINNESS

2010-07-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

The West of Ireland. What a place.It feeds us, it waters us, it drenches us. And any ray of sunshine is welcomed with open, if not wary and suspicious, arms. Pouring with rain and it's 'a good day in Ireland!' Wellies just aren't done - you get stuck in with the wet and that's that.There's one thing that is as solid as a rock though; never changing, always reliable. In five minutes of sparing

JUST PEACHY

2010-07-09T07:11:00.000-07:00

Dessert is usually the piece de resistance when it comes to fine dining. When it's good, the whole meal becomes memorable. Time, effort, patience and skill are written all over a truly good pud. But perfection doesn’t always need to be so demanding. These white peaches are already beautiful – served just as they are they are fantastic – but when simply poached in syrup, and peeled, they naturally

EATING HABITS

2010-07-05T03:50:00.000-07:00

WOW. Thanks Tim. Anyone else?(Published in Times newspaper 05/07/2010. Back letter regarding troublesome times with Weetabix from 2009)

LAV IT LAV IT LAV IT

2010-07-05T01:56:00.000-07:00

Wonderful in a wild flower bouquet, superb in an bath oil, sleep-lulling in a pouch under your pillow, and