A cookbook that rewards the reader even if she/he doesn’t like to cook, being a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds.
Cook, author, TV presenter and more, Rick Stein has produced another wonderful cookbook. Stein is well known for his passion for using fresh, local ingredients and has won a host of awards including a CBE in 2018. Rather than cooking in, and using recipes from an exotic location, this book gives us a peek into family recipes and classics which the author has cooked at home over many years.
As many of us did during COVID-19 lockdowns and isolation, Stein had the opportunity to spend more time with family and return to cooking those dishes which invoked memories of an earlier time—what my daughter calls “the before time”. Far more than a cookbook, this edition includes family memories of cooking and food, reminding us of how preparing and sharing of food is so often central to relationships with family and friends. The hardcover book is a very high-quality production with clearly set out recipes, methods and plenty of photographs. The anecdotes and digressions as to where the recipe originated or what it reminds the author of all add to the richness of the whole.
While the two recipes I chose were quite straightforward, there are plenty of others on offer from across the world when you want to be more adventurous. A recipe I must try for a special occasion is Salmon Wellington with a White Wine and Cream Sauce which looks and sound amazing. This is a cookbook that rewards the reader even if she/he doesn’t like to cook, being a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds.
MY MUM’S RISOTTO (PAGE 126)
The first recipe I made was My Mum’s Risotto, which as the author acknowledges is not a true risotto, as the stock is added all at once rather than gradually.
I made a couple of substitutions in the recipe: spring onions for shallots, dried cranberries for raisins, which I don’t like, and left out the ham as my daughter doesn’t eat pork. It is a simple recipe and easier than a classic risotto as one doesn’t need to stand over the pan for 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
The flavour of the dish relies on having a good quality chicken stock—for preference, I’d go for homemade as all stock cubes, powders etc. have far too much salt for my taste. The dish was delicious and could be either a main or side dish depending on the quantity of chicken used.
CRISP CABBAGE, APPLE, AND WALNUT SALAD (PAGE 301)
The second dish I made was Crisp Cabbage, Apple and Walnut Salad, which I served with barbecued chicken sausages and grilled corn cobs. Again, I substituted dried cranberries for raisins and omitted the rocket as no one likes it but added even more parsley to balance it out. After preparing the salad I discovered I had no red wine vinegar so I used some homemade raspberry vinegar, made last year using a Nigel Slater recipe.
The combination of flavours was delicious, with the sugar being a perfect balance for the salt and vinegar in the dressing. Although the salad will keep until the next day, it is best eaten freshly made, after sufficient time for the multiple flavours and textures to blend together. The crunch of the apple and the walnuts adds a further dimension to this delicious salad.
Reviewed by Jan Kershaw
This review is the opinion of the reviewer and not Glam Adelaide.
Distributed by: Penguin Books Australia
Released: October 2021
RRP: $55
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