Just 11 days in, and it seems we’ve all dropped our resolutions: there was barely a hint of detox in the recipes this weekend; and I’ve resorted to the abridged note form of this digest, because – time.
Still, some really nice, cosy, food this week. Not least from the Guardian and Observer crew (I picture the writers all sat together on a squadgy sofa in front of a fire, baggy jumpers on, massive vats of comfort food and multiple cake stands … and not a spin class among them):
- In the Guardian’s main magazine: Yotam suggested readers get stuck into a delectable beef stew with pale ale, juniper and prunes; lemon and juniper marmalade; and an intriguing rhubarb, gin and juniper cake; Whilst Thomasina provided a chorizo and radicchio barley risotto – fiery, salty, bitter, punchy ingredients, which mellow as they cook and mingle with the grain.
- The ‘Cook’ supplement provided the ultimate in food cuddles: chicken stock (and four things to use it in – meatball goulash for me, please). If that doesn’t banish the blues, then Claire Ptak’s roasted squash cobbler might well help. Or, f@*& it, how about drowning all post festive period lows with four puddings: STP; apple, date and orange crumble and custard; and boiled clementine cakes from the Dimbleby-Baxter duo; or a preserved quince tart Tatin with whipped orange mascarpone from Kylee Newton’s final Residency column. Love the addition of acid to one of my favourite puds.
- On Sunday, Sir Slater kept the theme going in the Observer with a couple of oxtail recipes: sherry braised oxtail with butter beans; and oxtail and onion soup. He describes them as calming. I’d go further, Nige, and say they cosset.
- Over at the FT, Honey & Co kept it Middle Eastern and delicious, with Israeli couscous in tomato and feta.
- Diana Henry told Telegraph readers how to cook the perfect stir fry – I have a feeling the greens with yellow beans and chilli are bang on; and I’m a huge fan of wok fried minced meat (in this case, beef), so was glad to see that in one of her recipes.
- Mark Hix feels we don’t value celery enough. I reckon the white fish with celery sauce could convert many naysayers.
- Independent on Sunday guest chef Ben Tish’s winter BBQ recipes looked really strong, not least the vegetables: Fennel with chilli and parmesan; winter squash with walnut, pomegrante and marjoram gremolata. Both were to go with a slow-ish cooked lamb shoulder. I pondered whether anyone would actually take up the idea of lighting up the grill in January … and ten minutes later ran past a neighbour doing exactly that.
- Jamie Oliver’s Sunday Times recipe is one of my favourite things: a turbot, baked whole – in this case over a bed of leeks, which sounds super. I’m not totally convinced that you’ll want to leave a 2kg fish in the oven for the 60 minutes that are prescribed, though. Seems lengthy, even at 150C.
- There were a bunch of J Sheekey recipes in Saturday’s Times: scallops, fish pie, baked vacherin, fishcakes and whole roast sea bass (haven’t we seen these before?). Also, four fruit turnovers (something I’ve a soft spot for): pear and Nutella; blueberry and custard; rhubarb and ginger; apple and cinnamon.
Weekend Menu, 9 and 10 January 2016
Oxtail and onion soup
Nigel Slater, The Observer
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Whole baked turbot with leeks and cider
Jamie Oliver, The Sunday Times
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Rhubarb, gin and juniper cake
Yotam Ottolenghi, The Guardian
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