The front page of Ken Livingstone’s campaign website is frozen in pre-election time with the simple message ‘Don’t vote for a joke. Vote for London’. Shamefully, it seems Londoners (or at least the 45% who could be bothered to get off their arses to vote) fancied a bit of a laugh. Anyway, this depressing result left us in need of …
Vegetarian
Traditional Fermented Bread
Now it seems it’s no longer middle class enough to simply bake your own bread. To be a fully paid-up member of the bourgeoisie takes more time. We have to allow our dough to slowly ferment overnight to encourage friendly bacteria which will protect our delicate constitutions from bloated, irritable bowels and leaky gut-type conditions. On a less intestinal note, …
Tandoori Cauliflower
Regrettably the dodgy photograph below does not do this recipe any justice. Even the desperate and clumsy application of random photoshop filters has failed to give an impression of the deliciousness of this dish.
Tandoori Paneer
For those of you not in the know and unwilling to look it up on Wikipedia, paneer is a cottage cheese used in South Asian cooking. It can either be crumbly or in block form, doesn’t contain rennet and so is completely vegetarian, and refuses to melt when heated. It has a good texture but its flavour is the mild …
Mushroom Wellington
This is an interesting recipe from ‘The Crank’s Bible’ which would make a great vegetarian option for Sunday roast or even Christmas dinner. Be warned though, it’s fairly involved and time-consuming and probably scores 8.75 on the International Scale of Faff … but it is worth the effort.
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
There were mixed feelings about this recipe at yumblog cottage. One of us had never had Jerusalem artichokes before and so was keen to give them a try, while the other was force-fed them as a child and is still suffering from flashbacks. However, as with most things in life, novelty won out over experience and this soup was the …
Couronne
According to Babel Fish couronne is French for crown, and according to the title this loaf is meant to be couronne-shaped. But it was snowing, I got over excited, couldn’t concentrate, and failed to read the recipe properly. As a result I missed out one small, but essential, step and by way of punishment the gods ‘sealed up my hole’. …
Asparagus with Spaghetti (and Chilli, Basil and Parsley)
This morning my co-blogger expressed a desire for asparagus with a supplementary fancy of chilli. Combine this with a lunchtime purchase of parsley, a basil plant wilting on the windowsill, and the recent gift of a superb slab of Parmesan from Parma, and you get the recipe below: And here be a short film about asparagus.
Jamie Oliver’s Amazing Pukka Baked Beans
It seems every house I visit these days has a copy of ‘Jamie at Home‘ lurking in or around the kitchen. Personally I am not a great fan of the ‘celebrity chef’ cookbook, although truth be told this is a very well produced and photographed book and one of the best currently doing the rounds. I just can’t make my …
Oatmeal Soda Bread
I’ll tell you what bugs me, people who travel to work in the morning drinking their tea/coffee from those aluminium thermos mugs. They’re designed for camping in the woods, not commuting from Forest Hill. Are we supposed to look on enviously and wonder at the cool, impulsive, incandescent lives led by these urbane creatures? Probably. I know I certainly do. …
Asparagus Soup
The British asparagus season starts on 30th April and ends just eight short weeks later on 25th June, midnight – roughly. Fortunately it must be in season somewhere else in the world at the moment as the shops are awash with the stuff at £1.50 a bunch. Generally I prefer it as nature intended, au natural with a sprinkling of …
Sweet Potato & Goat’s Cheese Rosti
In the U.S. the sweet potato is incorrectly referred to as a yam. But there again it’s the land where they call aubergines – eggplants, courgettes – zucchini, biscuits – cookies, jam – jelly, jelly – jello, and torture – water boarding. That said, it’s not technically a potato either. It’s sweet though.
Cider Vinegar Muffins
If you came here in search of an American-style muffin to accompany your tall caramel macchiato, then you’ll be disappointed. They’re not muffins, they’re cakes. If however you are in search of an English muffin which is light and yeasty and perfect for toasting and smothering in butter, then you’re in luck. A word of warning though, this recipe is …
Courgette & Feta Cakes with a Dill Yoghurt Sauce
WARNING: In order to prepare this dish you’ll have to master the subtle art of crumbling feta cheese. But don’t worry, if you find this daunting and would like guidance, there is a website to help you. If you need help with grating the courgette or holding a spoon then I’m afraid you’re on your own.
Cauliflower Soup with Red Pepper Ginger Sauce
Cauliflowers are very much in at the moment. Plus, like snow flakes, crystals, mountain ranges, lightning, river networks, pulmonary vessels and broccoli, they are a fine example of fractal geometry in nature. So when you’re cooking this remember to keep in mind D = Log N(L) divided by the log of 1 over L. Enjoy.
Parsley Soup
My fellow blogger recently bought me ‘Roast Chicken and Other Stories’ by Simon Hopkinson. Voted the ‘most useful cookbook of all time’ by somebody or other, it’s a superb book which is not only packed with inspirational recipes, but also makes excellent bedtime reading. It doesn’t have any photographs (usually a prerequisite for any cookbook), but it doesn’t seem to …
Spicy Onion (Kande Ki Subzi)
Be Proud. ‘Onions are an essential, healthy food for the modern consumer. And because of our ideal climate and the expertise of British Onion growers, packers and processors, British Onions are the world’s finest!’. So says the British Onions website. Be triply proud. This recipe uses THREE different types of onions.
Stir-Fried Spinach (Keerai Poriyal)
And talking of the end of the world, ‘Enjoy life while you can’ is an interesting and alarming article about James ‘Gaia’ Lovelock and his thoughts on climate change. Subsequent meandering research on Mr Lovelock somehow lead to this great ranting podcast by Bill Oddie. ‘Spring Watch’ will never be the same.
Tadka Daal
Inspired by The Observer Food Monthly we cooked up an Indian spectacular at the weekend. This is the third and final side-dish of a meal still waiting to be written up.
Pimientos de Padron
I love these little beasties. Fried and salted and accompanied by a cold tube of Cruzcampo. Tradition and statistics dictate that 29 out of 30 are mild and sweet with the remaining rogue being hot and fiery. I’ve never seen them sold in this country before but have recently discovered them tucked away on a stall in Borough Market.
Bubble & Squeak Cakes with Poached Eggs
Among other things in the fridge there was half a cabbage and six eggs. Not ordinary eggs you understand, but eggs generously laid by Dolores, Fifi, Jolene and Daphne. Perfect fresh eggs with deep yellow yolks and firm whites – the likes of which you’ll not find in any supermarket. The cabbage in contrast was ordinary.
Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli
On 14th February I became the privileged owner of this ‘Imperia Raviolamp 12’ ravioli mould. It’s made from lightweight anodised aluminium with an enameled steel base and stands on four non-slip rubber feet. It comes complete with a miniaturised rolling pin turned from the finest Italian beechwood. This weekend I took her out for a test drive.
Soda Bread
As well as being very tasty, Soda Bread is also great when you need a loaf in a hurry or can’t be arsed with all that kneading and proving. Unfortunately on such occasions you’re unlikely to have soured cream (a major ingredient) and a desperate trip to your local urban Costcutter is guaranteed to prove fruitless. Luckily for you this …
Sunburst Rolls
Another recipe from the much used ‘The Bread Book’ by Sara Lewis. This time I turned towards the back where the more fancy bread-based products can be found. Essentially this is a loaf which can magically be torn into individual rolls. We live in exciting times.
Spicy Lentil & Coconut Soup
A naked Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on the cover and a long and unnecessary interview with David ‘Call me Dave’ Cameron on the inside. This month’s Observer Food Monthly had one cock too many.
Japanese Brussels Sprouts with Tofu
Every Saturday the Guardian magazine publishes a column by Yotam Ottolenghi called ‘The New Vegetarian’. His recipes are invariably interesting, often unusual, and judging by the ones we have tried, always delicious. This one caught my eye as it is a new way of cooking sprouts, which like dogs, are for life not just Christmas.
Piccalilli
Just to recap, yumblog has been going for almost five months now and in that time we have picked up a readership of three – a friend, a sister and a nice man from Terroni & Sons. Quality rather than quantity I feel. So Mr Prudence, Toria and Nunzio, this recipe for piccalilli is for you. Happy New Year. x …
Roasted Vegetable Agrodolce
According to my fellow blogger, agrodolce is Italian for sweet and sour. Seeing as she is a multi-linguist and I am barely a mono-, who am I to question?
Blue Cheese Oat Biscuits
I realise the photo below looks like an unappetising plateful of deep-fried Spam fritters, however they are actually a tasty full-fat medley of oat biscuits heavily laden with blue cheese.
Minted Pea & Lettuce Soup
Happy New Year. It’s 2008 and it looks like the year ahead is going to be shit.
Preserved Lemons
As promised when I blogged the Chickpea & Aubergine Casserole, here’s how to preserve a lemon. Possibly a skill you could add to your CV.
Stollen
Every December Dresden holds its annual Stollen Festival. It is a celebration of all things Stollen and involves among other things, electing the Dresden Stollen Maiden (Dresdner Stollenmädchen) and baking the world’s largest Stollen in accordance with the standards laid down by the Stollenschutzverband. This is a recipe for a stollen of more modest proportions although you can multiply the …
Triple Chocolate Biscotti
Count them. Not one, not two, but three varieties of chocolate are involved in the creation of these aptly named triple chocolate biscotti. Not only that, but they are ‘Double baked for added crispness’ â„¢
Cheddar & Parmesan Biscuits
It must be Christmas soon. Walk past any eatery at lunchtime and you’ll witness the depressing sight of work colleagues sitting around tables self-consciously wearing party hats…having fun. Not having to suffer this annual humiliation is one of the benefits of being freelance. Speaking of Christmas, this year I’ve decided to make, or rather bake, many of my presents. These …
Double Chocolate Truffles
If the true meaning of Christmas is giving gifts which credit you with the greatest amount gratitude for the least amount of effort, then these truffles are a winner.
Butternut Squash, Spinach & Mushroom Lasagne
My sister gave us a pair of homegrown, slightly hen-pecked squashes this weekend. Whether the culprit was Dolores, Fifi, Jolene or Daphne, we’ll never know. Roj Blake models the ‘Item du jour’ in rebel chic. A bat-winged action-jerkin with ruched cuffs, peek-a-boo neckline and casual below-paunch cummerbund. Generously tailored in easy-care non-shrink chantilly, this garment offers multi-season comfort both in …
January King Cabbage with Ricotta Toasts
‘Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. But we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us. In the simplest terms. In the most convenient definitions. …
Celeriac & Chestnut Soup
This one goes out to VJ ‘Mr Prudence‘ – anarchist, transphormetic blogger, psychic geographer, algorithmic obsessive and occasional ActionScript guru. The other day he confessed he was in possession of a celeriac and asked what he could possibly do with it. I’m afraid my advice was a dismissive “either mash it or chuck it in the bin” A melancholic celeriac …
Chickpea & Aubergine Casserole with Preserved Lemons
I preserved some lemons in brine a few months ago, but to be honest they started to scare me as they lay suspended in their jar like some jaundiced medical exhibit. So what to do with them? Well you could do a lot worse than making this simple but admittedly time-consuming casserole.
Spicy Lentil Soup
Now there’s a thing. If you go to lentil.com you just get a crappy illustration of ‘Lenny the Lentil’ and an email link, lentil.co.uk doesn’t seem to have been registered, and lentil.org is the blog site of a senior network engineer called Robert Lister. I mention this only because I can’t think of an introduction to this recipe.