I write this on a Sunday evening Virgin train speeding south. You’ll be pleased to know that James Martin has sorted their menu — and he’s curated a ham and mustard sandwich and an egg and tomato one too. What’s more, there’s free wifi, so I get to scan the papers too. Phew.
Look out for Ottolenghi’s fantasy food, as well as him chatting veg with Diana Henry. Plus Nigel’s fig tart, and a cute pear, honey and whisky cranachan by Flora Shedden.
The Telegraph
Lots and lots of Telegraph recipes this weekend, including:
- Stephen Harris wrote about the unpleasant nature of pheasant plucking. But also that the benefit of undertaking such a chore is you get to cook and eat (pot roast, apple, calvados).
- In Saturday’s paper, Diana Henry chatted about vegetables with Yotam Ottolenghi, highlighting a number of recent and forthcoming cookbooks that focused on them. IMHO veg is indeed the future. Diana’s cumin roast aubergines with chickpeas, walnuts and dates, and Yotams roast squash with ginger tomatoes and lime yoghurt backed up that belief.
- On Sunday, Diana focused on recipes requiring rosemary for her Stella column. Spuds, chicken and an excellent looking cider brandy and rosemary syllabub.
- I suspect more people will attempt that syllabub, than French chef Anne-Sophie Pic’s water bath 64C soft eggs with mushroom consommé and geranium butter. “Please could you provide a recipe for home cooks to go with your interview?” Megalolz.
- And in her second column for the paper, Flora Shedden provided a couple of ‘twists’ to the Burns night menu: poached pear, honey and whisky cranachan (nice looking recipe) and orange shortbreads.
The Guardian and Observer
The cooks of York Way decided the only way to deal with Trump’s inauguration was to comfort eat.
- Exhibit A: Nigel Slater’s snuggly dried fig and marsala upside-down tart, served with clementine and ginger butter. (Don’t forget to double-up on spin classes this week.)
- B: Thomasina’s Guardian Weekend recipes parsnip and blue cheese risotto with a parsley and hazelnut dressing, which strikes me as a cuddle in a bowl.
- C: the Guardian Cook’s correspondent in Rome, Rachel Roddy, cooked pasta with broccoli and sausage meat (plus pecorino, chilli flakes, garlic, olive oil and wine).
- Heck, if you’re not yet convinced, note Exhibit D: an Observer Food Monthly 20 recipe special on one pot recipes, which basically equals comfort food central. If, like me, you didn’t see a physical copy, there’s lots to look out for as the recipes are released over the next week: a Ukrainian chicken broth from Olia Hercules, prawn and pickle pepper tortilla by Nieves Barragan Mohacho, beef noodles from Uyen Luu, plus bits from Nigella, Nigel, Tom Kerridge and more. Here’s part one. Rest to follow through the week.
- Samin Nosrat’s Cook residency continued with a lamb and quince tagine, plus roast winter squash served with chermoula.
- Also in that supplement, I really liked the idea of Claire Ptak’s ‘popovers’ — basically Yorkshire puddings dusted with nutmeg and black pepper, served in a restaurant as diners sit down. Also, ‘Dutch babies’, which are puffy, skillet-cooked pancakes, simply garnished with icing sugar and lemon (as is best). And Anna Jones suggested a couple of energy bites — seed and cookie driven pick-me-ups.
- Last and very definitely not least, Yotam flicked two fingers and announced only fantasy food could help ease the misery. To him, that means sodding off to a tropical island by way of shallow fried (and so crisp) sea bream with tamarind dal and coconut sambal. Also a plantain salad and set coconut milk pudding with brazil nuts and lime syrup. #MakeDinnerGreatAgain.
The Times and Sunday Times
Various bits and bobs from News UK, though I couldn’t see the Four of the Best feature. Sad!
- Going mid-week vegan? (Like, ???) Saturday’s glossy housed a few ideas. Chickpea, kale and coconut curry would suit every eater. A few of the others looked to lack prawns, meat or cheese.
- I thought Nadiya’s popcorn peanut bar in the same mag looked a good, quick, sweet treat.
- The Sunday Times Magazine had more from Flora Shedden. This time, recipes from her about to be released debut book Gatherings. Roast lamb, steak with a green olive tapenade, and a Guinness ‘black velvet’ cake.
- There were a handful of Pakistani recipes in the Weekend section, including black lentil dal, chicken tikka biryani, cumin and ginger lamb skewers.
- And somewhere among all of that were some recipes from me — by way of a Marks & Spencer advertorial: cumin orange and thyme lamb with an orange, cos and minty yoghurt salad; almond, smoked haddock barley risotto; plus lime syrup macerated pineapple carpaccio and crumbled frozen raspberries.
The Financial Times
I’d probably eat the entirety of Honey & Co’s quince, lemon and vanilla crumble. Nice touch of ground ginger and baking powder in the topping mix.
Online
Staying on the comfort eating theme, the most interesting thing on Munchies in the last week was Harmony Congee — the Chinese rice porridge topped with squash, collard greens, herbs, coconut flakes, soft eggs and pickles.
Weekend Menu, 21 and 22 January 2017
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Prawn and piquillo tortilla
Nieves Barragan Mohaco, Observer Food Monthly
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Crisp sea bream, tamarind dal, coconut sambal
Yotam Ottolenghi, The Guardian Weekend
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Poached pear, honey and whisky cranachan
Flora Shedden, The Telegraph
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