Category Archives: Cookbooks

500 BBQ Bites by Paul Kirk.

Posted by Abbie Jury in Cookbooks and tagged with

500 BitesIs there such a thing as a barbecuist? A combination of enthusiast and barbecue? We briefly toyed with the possibility of becoming regular users. When our old barbecue died, we set off to look at modern barbies “about the same size as a Mini but came home with one the size of an onboard trolley case”, the husband quipped. It is not often used. Our house design, lifestyle and eating habits just run on a different course, rarely accommodating the barbecue. But I know others who barbecue most days, certainly through the warmer months. If you are an enthusiast, this may be the book for you. Despite being American, there is a wealth of ideas and flavours going well beyond the boring staples of steak, sausages or meat patties.

Chapters cover the usual suspects – fish, shellfish, lamb, poultry, beef and pork with the mandatory chapter on vegetarian options. Honestly, vegetarians are not likely to be keen enough to buy a book of barbecue recipes but if you are catering for a group, some non meat options are helpful. The format is the main recipe (most with a photo) such as Hot and Sticky Summertime Chicken followed by four differently flavoured options. There are apparently 500 recipes and variants in all. Ingredients are store cupboard standards with nothing too out there or difficult to source though some fish will need to subbed because we have different options here.

Modern barbecues are multi purpose cooking appliances with a versatility that goes well beyond a mere hot plate, often with a price tag to match. This little hardback book may be just the ticket to extending the repertoire of food options to justify the expenditure. Family and friends will notice and enjoy the variety.

500 BBQ Bites by Paul Kirk (New Holland; ISBN: 9781741107203) reviewed by Abbie Jury.

First published in the Waikato Times and reprinted here with their permission.

Kitchen Coquette by Katrina Meynink

Posted by Abbie Jury in Cookbooks and tagged with

Kitchen CoquetteThis book did not speak to me. Wrong demographic, I thought, and gave it to a friend who had a fair swag of demographics covered (ex London resident, chef, under 40, gay, an eye for fashion and trends). He gave it back to me, underwhelmed. Next I tried my daughter (just under 30, has travelled extensively, lived in London and now in Sydney, works in PR and is wondrously stylish but also cooks). She handed it back saying she wasn’t sure about the need for the risqué commentary but clearly the author found herself hilariously witty.

So all I can do is describe this book’s contents and style for readers to decide for themselves. It is the first cookbook from a young, trendy, Australian woman who is clearly trying to carve out a niche for herself. It is quite a personal book with encouraging commentary which includes quite a bit of sexual innuendo. We are talking the ooh la la, Folies Bergere style of provocation laced with modern woman. If you don’t know what the walk of shame is, then my advice is to bypass this book. You may not find the vision of wandering home in daylight “mascara down your face, panties in your handbag, feeling every bit the gorgeous, feckless, drunken It girl” quite as empowering as the author does.

Recipes are organised as meal menus. Eight chapters start with Like a Virgin (first dinner dates, birthdays, first anniversary and meeting the mates), progress through Love and Other Bruises (chapter 4), A Time for a Fuss, concluding with What the F*$k Should we cook for Dinner. There are 32 menus in all and the book is predicated on the idea that you cook a menu option rather than mix and match. It is food to share and food to impress designed for young women who are prepared to make an effort and to derive enjoyment from cooking for others. I would characterise it as modern cafe food in style – plenty of international flavours, good flavour combinations and a surprisingly large amount of baking, though more contemporary than classic. There is nothing too “out there” in the quest for originality and most of the ingredients will be readily available at a good, urban supermarket. But it is not spur of the moment cooking for quick meals.

Upon reflection, I think my aforementioned daughter was just a little too experienced and down to earth to relate to this book. Target market is probably younger, wannabe urban sophisticates who derive pleasure from preparing delicious food to impress and who are willing to make the effort to learn. I am not sure that this is a common breed these days but anything that encourages food preparation from scratch and eating well at home has merit.

Kitchen Coquette. The go-to guide for those random life scenarios when food is the only answer by Katrina Meynink (Allen & Unwin; ISBN: 978 1 74237 681 3) reviewed by Abbie Jury.

First published in the Waikato Times and reprinted here with their permission.

Gorgeous Suppers and Gorgeous Greens, both by Annie Bell

Posted by Abbie Jury in Cookbooks and tagged with , ,

These handy little books are by an English chef and food writer, forming part of a “Gorgeous” series. Delicious ideas, in fact, and remarkably practical for home cooking. A word of explanation first: supper is dinner as we know it, leaning to a lighter meal at the end of the day. Presumably a heavy, multi course evening meal is a dinner. Greens have been reinterpreted to include all vegetables, not just those of the colour described. That said, some of the vegetable content is leaning to the American Senate end of the vegetable spectrum (they who recently declared pizza to be a vegetable, on account of its tomato spread).

Every recipe is illustrated and there are over 100 recipes per book. The suppers encompass global flavours and fresh ingredients ranging from a classic Caesar Salad, through Fondue-filled Butternut Squash (yum), Thai curry, to Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives. Many are relatively simple and quick ideas to use on a weekday evening after work while there are slower cooked options for weekend meals. Ingredients are generally store cupboard and fridge standards and many of the simpler recipes don’t go beyond half a dozen different ones, plus seasoning.

The greens book is closer to a vegetarian cookbook. While some add meat or bacon, these could usually be replaced or omitted. It goes well beyond side dishes and salads. Many of the recipes could be lunch or dinner – Roasted Squash and Lentils with Harissa Dressing or Courgette, Smoky Bacon and Rosemary Clafoutis. There are some delicious flavour combinations and often achieved quite simply.

British cooking tends to be heavier on butter, salt, cream and rich pastries than contemporary NZ food (just watch Jamie Oliver or Rick Stein) and that is true of some of Annie Bell’s recipes. The pizzettas (that is mini pizzas as a kitchenette is to a kitchen) and pies are mostly puff pastry based. But it is easy enough to go for lower fat alternatives. These are useful books full of ideas for busy people who still enjoy turning out original and delicious food.

Gorgeous Suppers by Annie Bell (Kyle Cathie Ltd; ISBN: 978 0 85783 040 1)
Gorgeous Greens by Annie Bell (Kyle Cathie Ltd; ISBN: 978 0 85783 041 8)
Reviewed by Abbie Jury.

Now is the Season by Laura Faire

Posted by Abbie Jury in Cookbooks and tagged with

Now is the SeasonAnother NZ cookbook with recipes following the seasons, advocating local, organic foods, including gardening hints and wrapped up with soft focus photography – so what is different about this book? The passion of the author, I think. Laura Faire is a trained chef who lives in Auckland and I am guessing she has put a great deal of her heart and soul into this book which is more than a glossy front for a stylish cafe.

It is not simple food, though some of the recipes are simple enough. Sorrel pesto is not difficult as long as you have the main ingredient in the garden (it did make me want to grow sorrel). Asparagus and Ricotta Tart with Caraway Pastry introduced a new flavour combination, to me at least, and I am planning to try the Green Garlic and Almond Port Terrine which looks delicious. Each recipe has the preparation time detailed, which is helpful when planning to cook a new recipe. Most of it is good food to share with friends, rather than everyday meals for the family. You need a well-stocked pantry and some semblance of a vegetable and flower garden would be helpful too.

The author is a keen home gardener but not particularly experienced. The Husband looked at the photo on the front cover and commented that I did not look like that when I garden. That could be because I don’t garden wearing a pristine, long-sleeved white shirt and the digging pose did not suggest she had done a lot of it in the past. I quite liked the garden hints because they did not pretend to be comprehensive so were wonderfully random and eclectic. That said, there is a bit of a question mark over some of them (strawberries fruiting best in their second year and peas cropping more if you pick them frequently, for example). But the food is what matters in this book and the author is passionate about good food and the pleasure that can be achieved by taking the time and effort to prepare fresh food to share. That passion is engaging.

Now is the Season by Laura Faire (New Holland; ISBN: 978 1 86966 316 2) reviewed by Abbie Jury.

River Cottage Veg Every Day by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Posted by Abbie Jury in Cookbooks and tagged with , ,

River CottageWe love Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall – the pin-up boy for sustainable living in the UK even if it must be admitted some of the boyish charm went with his long, dishevelled locks. It is a new-look, clean cut, short-haired Hugh on the cover of this large book on vegetable cooking. But it is the same engaging Hugh who does the writing and he manages to conduct a vegetable crusade without falling into either preaching or purple prose.

We all know we should eat more vegetables for our health. We should all eat a lot more vegetables and a lot less meat for the health of the planet too. This encyclopaedic book may be all you need if you are a little uncertain how to turn out complete meals which are vegetarian yet varied. I am pleased to report that lentils come more as dhal, not the dreaded lentil burger and there are no lentil sausages, or indeed marinated tofu. This is not trying to make vegetable substitutes for meat. It is taking a comprehensive approach to preparing and presenting food so omnivores may not even notice meat is missing. There are ten chapters and a couple of hundred recipes.

The author is an advocate for the tapas or meze style of shared eating with several smaller dishes of food available. However, he reassures us that preparing multiple dishes need not be a burden and gives us the wonderfully quotable comment: “In my house, food like this tends to be prepared and consumed in a sort of rolling relay, from meal to meal.” I was enchanted. We no longer have leftovers in this house. They are called tapas instead.

So to the recipes themselves. We tested several in two households. It is English so there are some variations in cultural habits. It would never occur to me to serve fresh radishes with a pot of semi soft butter and rather a lot of flaky sea salt. Could I ever look at the words Heart Foundation again with a clear conscience if I put that on the table? The cauliflower and chickpea curry and the macaroni peas were just a little bland for our tastes but it is easy enough to ramp up recipes once you have a feel for how they work. We also tried the River Cottage garlicky flatbreads, the cheaty Hollandaise and I had forgotten how delicious Upside-down onion tart (or onion tarte tatin) could be.

It is comprehensive. Ingredients are readily available. Instructions are clear. Results seem to be reliable. Presentation is in a large format hardback which opens flat, usually one recipe and photo per double page spread, but not glossy and glitzy. This is every day food for every day people. I will be keeping my copy on the kitchen shelf because I expect to use it often.

River Cottage Veg Every Day by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (Bloomsbury; ISBN: 978 1 4088 1212 9) reviewed by Abbie Jury.

First published in the Waikato Times and reprinted here with their permission.