Supplemental #121

“I spent the weekend [shepherding toddlers/sleeping/drinking/sunbathing/watching the olympics/with my head in the clouds/all of the above]; did I miss any good recipes?” you ask.

“Certainly two or three worth having a scan of”, says I.

  • Florence Knight’s farro, broad beans and parmesan risotto in The Sunday Times Magazine looked good; and her chocolate rye tart great.
  • Among Donna Hay’s ‘really speedy’ recipes in Saturday’s Times glossy, a spicy beef, courgette and cheese flatbread was kinda interesting.
  • A wild strawberry ice cream from Francesco Mazzei in the FT Weekend sounds tasty, but per Stephen Harris’s salmon and wild strawberry recipe last week, this particular ingredient is surely one of the harder to get hold of (particularly half a kilo of them)?
  • Fresh blackcurrants aren’t that prevalent on the high street either, but I think I might seek some out for Stephen Harris’ blackcurrant almond tart and a blackcurrant ripple ice cream (Saturday’s Telegraph). Niiiiice.
  • In fact, there was quite of lot of good stuff in the Telegraph this weekend, including this Malaysian hawker chicken chop with mango kerabu (fresh strips of mango, cucumber, chilli, onion, lime leaf etc).
  • Diana Henry’s Provencal goat’s curd and melon, splashed with lavender infused red wine was one of the more intriguing ideas; roast sea bass with fennel and anise aioli a dead cert for gold medal.
  • ’twas an OFM Sunday. Of the recipes:
    •  Nigel’s fennel and celery seed roast poussin and runner beans was particularly inviting. Plums and syllabub too.
    • I’d be really impressed if you can say “Michael Zee’s symmetrical Shengjian mantou Shanghainese breakfast dumplings” without stumbling, let alone if you emulate them. Loved the Dutch puff, Filipino chocolate rice, and magic grits ideas.
    • There were lip-smacking recipes from the Palomar cookbook too. The matbucha, the shakshuka that derives from it, and a zingy scallop carpaccio stand out.
  • In the normal Sunday magazine, Mr Slater’s recipes were on the theme of using up herbs. Who could say no to peaches and mozzarella doused in a soured yoghurt and basil dressing?
  • Fishy recipes from Yotam in Saturday’s Graun mag. Couple of fishcakes (smoked fish and parsnips particularly good) and a ceviche.
  • Two corkers from Tommi Miers: aubergine ‘boats’ stuffed with caponata; and grilled figs with honey and tahini frozen yoghurt, and honey and sesame drizzled over the top.
  • Plums are everywhere right now. If you’ve a glut, look to Claire Ptak’s recipes in the Guardian’s Cook – a plummy mess and a tonka bean and rye crumble.
  • More glorious Cretan food from Marianna Leivaditaki (must be something about the August Cook Residency slot…). Love the stuffed courgettes with lemon sauce. Stand by for Gill Mellor next week, though.
  • Rachel Roddy’s Roman Rchicken Rstew looks lush.
  • And I’m especially keen on Anna Jones’ corn on the cob with a spicy butter and herby chutney.

On the internet

Helen Graves’ jerk octopus is a reet neat idea.

This omurice isn’t quite as sexy as some of the videos you can find of it in top-end Japanese restaurants, but I think it might be pretty more-ish.

And I’ve never seen brown rice flour on the shelves. But when I do, I’m going to give these Gourmet Traveller pear, pecan and caramel puddings a go.

#Supplemental cooking

I’ve been cookin’, stylin’ and photographasisin’ a lot for my cookbook over recent weeks, so had no desire to stand by the stove this weekend. I might’ve had a go at the poussin or one of the tarts if I’d been entertaining.


Weekend Menu, 20 and 21 August 2016

Stuffed courgettes with lemon sauce

Marianna Leivaditaki, The Guardian ‘Cook’

Roast sea bass with fennel and anise aioli

Diana Henry, The Sunday Telegraph ‘Stella’

Blackcurrant and almond tart, blackcurrant ripple ice cream

Stephen Harris, The Telegraph (Saturday)

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