Supplemental #79

I never believe people when they say they don’t care for pudding. What tosh. I’d have two every evening if I could – and often plan meals in reverse, making sure the savoury bits are just the dress rehearsal for dessert. That many of this weekend’s recipes were sweet, then, was a good thing.

The sweet stuff

The Sunday Telegraph ‘Stella’ magazine has had a vamping. So, thankfully, has the website – which at first glance seems much more intuitive and better for browsing food content than the previous version. To herald this brave new dawn, Diana Henry provided three celebratory trifles: a rather excellent and appealing apricot and amaretti number; blueberry, gin and lemon (oui); and a bordering on grown-up ‘deconstructed’ pistachio and rose effort. All good combos, but none with jelly, which I personally think is needed and worth the faff.

Look on the same website for the same food writer’s guide to jams and preservation, which was published  alongside an enjoyable edition of Radio 4’s Food Programme yesterday. All the basics are covered, plus a few eye catching ideas for flavour combos (purple fig and pomegranate jelly; raspberry and violet jam).

More often than not, Ruby Tandoh’s baking column in the guardian’s ‘Cook’ supplement suits the sweet toothed. This week delivered the goods as we saw a great cheats bakewell tart (amaretti and butter biscuit base) and a self-saucing chocolate pud.

Also on the delivery of good things theme, I thought Tommi Miers’ Saturday Graun recipes were mighty tempting. Duck breast with an Armenian pilaf for the pre-desert, followed by a super almond based plum upside down cake.

The best bit of Bill Granger’s ‘last summer meal’ were his chocolate coated cornetto style ice cream cones. I love those kinds of ice creams and have to admit I’d never considered a home version.

Nigel Slater focused on figs for the Observer. There seem to be loads of plump ones around at the moment, so this is timely. A non-churn fig ice cream will do very nicely, thanks (it’s close to a semi freddo, given use of egg white and alcohol (marsala)). He also set down a really lovely looking recipe for roast pigeon broth with fig croutes. I’ve a few game birds in my near future and think I’ll adapt this to suit. Welcome Autumn. Welcome to our party. Welcome home.

Technically savoury, but still quite sweet

Also in ‘Cook’ were four things to do with roast butternut squash. The squash pasties stood out, though I note none of the ideas included rocket. For shame.

Mark Hix’s recipe in Saturday’s Independent was fixated with tomatoes. To me, a slighty hot (as in chilli) tomato chutney is the best chutney. So I was pleased to see one included here and was also keen on the lamb and tomato cuzzla. His third recipe was a tomato jelly and crayfish dish, which is the same as in Hix, Oyster Bar and Chophouse book, minus the odd fennel seed or two.

Saturday’s guardian provided the second showcase of Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully’s ‘Nopi’ book. I’d think of something clever and witty to say if I could, but basically it all looks bloody delicious.

The other bits

Perhaps it shouldn’t have been a surprise – after a monumental effort last week when they pushed out a completely food dominated magazine – to see that the main recipes feature for The Sunday Times were things to put on toast. In the same magazine, Jamie O suggested we rolled and skewered sole and sweet pepper skewers.

A day earlier, Times readers were treated to / got some chicken recipes from Donna Hay, and also four recipes that each include a spoon of mustard. And to think I sometimes wonder what my £26 a month subscription buys me!

Stephen Harris’s slip sole and seaweed butter recipe appeared in Saturday’s Telegraph – this is consistently mentioned as the standout dish among many outstanding dishes at his Whitstable restaurant, The Sportsman. So tuck in.

And, finally, those high achieving alpha FT reading types would have spent their Saturday morning (post run, shop, admin, and a couple of billable hours of work), watching the Corbyn announcement whilst making Jacob Kenedy’s pizza cruda. Ice pizza ‘cacio pepe’ is intriguing.

From the internet

Nigella’s recipe of the [Sun]day was a pomegranate jewel cake. Lemon and orange zest, ground almonds, loads of pomegranate seeds. Dollop of crème fraiche and a bitter coffee on the side. Nice.

#Supplemental cooking

Ye Gods, it felt like I was never away from the stove this weekend – working on a thing. Unfortunately that meant I didn’t try out any of the recipes. But I was inspired by Tommi Miers’ cake to make a plum crumble puff tart. Maybe I’ll share it in the future.

Weekend Menu, 12 and 13 September 2015

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Pigeon broth and fig croute

Nigel Slater, the observer

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Roast beef sirloin with cucumber kimchi and fresh plum

Yotam Ottolenghi and Ramael Scully, the guardian

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Pistachio and rose sorta trifle

Diana Henry, the Sunday Telegraph, ‘Stella’

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