Book Review: Veggie Desserts + Cake By Kate Hackworthy & Recipe: Cauliflower, Lime & Cardamon Cookies

A new book from a fellow-food-blogger is wonderful enough to quickly become an event. Veggies Desserts + Cakes by Kate Hackworthy is no exception. I have been following Kate's blog since she started and interacted a little with her on Twitter. 

Last year, in my January food column for the local newspaper, I mentioned the rise of all things "vegetable and sweet". That was after noticing the number of hits on my Choufleur Cake and then Kate comes along with a whole book which goes far beyond carrot cakes.

There is a method to her madness too. She explains that, "Veggies bring moisture, natural sweetness and, in some desserts, vegetable purée can replace eggs"

So what can you expect from Veggie Desserts + Cakes? 60 recipes never seen anywhere before: cakes, cupcakes, cookies, tray bakes, pies, frozen desserts and a whole section of "More Sweet Things" the Chocolate Beetroot Baked Doughnuts with Blueberry Glaze seen on the cover belong to the later.

It also seems to be a very personal cookbook. Kate tells of her growing up in Canada which has inspired her pumpkin desserts, of her kids who have had the most unusual birthday cakes that a crazy-about-veggies-mummy can make.

By now you'll have noticed that I like this book. I like it for one, no two, reasons; the unusual flavour combinations such as Kale and Chocolate, who would have thought? The cauliflower, Lime and Cardamon Cookies I tried are simply divine. It should have been Romanesco but never the less, the lime and the cardamon compliment ever so well the mild, nutty taste of any Brassicaceae. 

The other reason may look simple but....

The recipes work, there are no hanging ingredients, measurements are precise. The work of a pro.

And now for my effort at replicating what should have been romanesco but was...

Cauliflower, Lime 'n Cardamon Cookies

Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened
150g cauliflower
1 Lime, zest and juice

Pasta 'n grains

• 100 g Porridge oats

  Baking 'n spices

  • 8 Cardamom pods crushed
  • 125 g Self-raising flour
  • 100 g Granulated Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt

  
  

  Instructions

  
  

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a baking tray with parchment.
  2. Finely grate the cauliflower or whiz it in a food processor until it resembles fine crumbs. Heat it in the microwave, or in a dry pan on the stove, for 2 minutes to dry it out slightly. Allow to cool.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix well.
  4. Stir in the cauliflower, oats, flour and ground cardamom and combine.
  5. Roll the batter into balls, place on the prepared baking tray and press down lightly with a fork.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly on the tray and then cool completely on a wire rack.

Recipe reproduced from Veggie Desserts 

If you'd like to read more reviews click here another clever idea from Kate, A virtual launch

John Whaite's Perfect Plates in 5 ingredients: Book Review

When fresh face John Whaite won the #GGBO in 2012, he was seating for a law degree, a lot has happened since then. He is now running his own cookery school and he makes regular appearances on TV as a presenter. Perfect Plates in 5 Ingredients, released in April 16, is his third book.

Make it Easy - Cook Book Review - with Roast Butternut Squash, Blue Cheese, Parma Ham, Walnuts Recipe

It's said that we cook on average no more than 5 recipes out of any cookbook. Therefore when I received Make it Easy by Jane Lovett for review my jaw dropped: This book contains over 3/4 of the recipes, I cook regularly.

 

This is a cookbook from a home cook for home cooks. The photography is beautiful, the recipes have a "solid feel" to them. Fool-proof, simple, not frightening are the words, on the cover used to describe this collection of 100 recipes.

 

Jane works with fresh products from her kitchen garden and with local producers, a common thread with Pebble Soup HQ, though my kitchen garden is slightly grander as I rely on The Queen Orchard's in Greenwich Park where I volunteer.

In the fullness of each season, she confronts the gluts conundrum: what to do with.... all this basil, for example : pesto. Her influences are cosmopolite leaning on Asian and Italian/French recipes. She talks about Tartiflette, readers may remember the Tommiflette.

 

Made it Easy emphasizes getting much of the work done ahead of time which is a plus in the festive season. I am considering making her savoury Palmiers for Christmas evening do but to start with I tried my hand at Roast Butternut Squash with Blue Cheese, Parma Ham and Walnuts.

 

 

 Click here to watch the recipe explained step-by-step by the author herself.

 

Disclaimer: words are my own, I was sent a complimentary copy of Make it Easy for review. RRP £12.99

 

Higgidy, The Cookbook

Camilla Stephens by her own admission didn't have a head for school. When she tells the story of her beginnings she is quick to add "if you have a child in this position, do not despair" indeed from slow-pupil she went on to built one of the fastest growing small companies in the UK.

 

Camilla is chief pie-maker and creator of Higgidy. A company which employs about 200 people who hand-make pies. A passionate cook, she could talk about pies for days and she does.......The Higgidy Cookbook includes 100 recipes, that is a lot of pies.

 

Well they are not all pies, some are tarts, other parcels and then there is the pies with mash toppings such as Venison Sausages Pies with Parmesan Mash or these other little creations in a bowl with a pastry hats and then there are the sweet pies, the Christmas Turkey Pie, even the Wedding three tiers pie.

 

She doesn't stop here, the book tells the reader all about how to craft a good home-made pastry and which veg to serve with your pies. You see what I mean it's coming from all directions, it's full of passion, accessible and the recipes are easy to follow.

 

A real cookbook by a genuine cook. I loved it and a lot of others did to, so it seems as it is topping the chart. Up there with the celebrity chefs Christmas books 

 

I leave you with a taster Lemony Asparagus and Ricotta tart.

The Higgidy Cookbook is published by Quercus  RRP £16.99

And now I am off on holidays, will see you in 3 weeks.

Recipe from Bake me I'm Yours....Chocolate: Stars of Wonder



Bake me I'm yours....is a series of books which stand out for two reasons: the expertise of its authors and its cute covers. The books are smallish and very attractive with their polka dots spine, their little imitation rubbons, they scream "buy me". I first came across the collection with Sarah's Sweet Bite Size Bake.

The formula is the same for each book. About a third is dedicated to "How to" chapters and nitty-gritty sections, a lot of expert information to help  the readers to progress.

For example, in Chocolate by Tracey Mann, a page is dedicated to chocolate moulds, should we use plastic or silicone shapes?

Each piece of advice is then summed up on a banner at the bottom of the recipe pages.

Take Tempting Truffles, which I am off to make next, the bottom banner states the pages for basic tool kits, tempering and ganache.

Tracey Mann is a highly successful Cake Designer, her chocolate creations are stunning, I would not say they are simple but simple enough for average bakers to give it a go. Reading through her book, I was transported in a kind of Bake Off situation. For the recipe which is reproduce below you will need to know how to temper chocolate and how to make simple chocolate bites.

As the world and its wife know, I am not the best of bakers, following a recipe seems to be beyond my natural abilities however I feel confident that with this book, I could create that sexy birthday cake. Because of its layout it forces you to focus on each element and isn't that the secret of making beautiful creations. The devil is the details.

Stars of Wonder

These sparkly chocolate bites will make perfect treats for the stars in your life this Christmas. Serve on a platter at a party or tie together with ribbon as a classy gift.

you will need
(for nine bites) …
one batch of chocolate bites, 6cm (23⁄8in) in diameter
250g (9oz) white chocolate paste
25g (1oz) dark couverture chocolate
large star cutter
disco white hologram edible cake glitter
red dusting spray

1 Prepare a batch of chocolate covered bites. Evenly roll out 250g (9oz) of white chocolate paste onto icing sugar and use the large star cutter to cut out nine star shapes.

2 Spray some of the white chocolate paste stars with the red dusting spray and dust the remainder with the disco white hologram edible cake glitter.

3 Temper 25g (1oz) of dark couverture chocolate and place in a disposable piping bag. Pipe a small dot of tempered chocolate onto the top of the chocolate bites and position a star on top. Pipe another dot of tempered chocolate onto this star and arrange the second star in a contrasting pattern, lternating between red and gold stars for interest.

For tasty stocking fillers, tie a stack of three biscuits together with an organza ribbon Chocolate Bites

These mouth-watering chocolate bites are so simple to make and don’t even require any baking.

They can either be made as indulgent cookies for yourself or to give as gifts –
simply use a variety of cookie cutters to vary the size of your bite.

ingredients (for nine small bites or four larger bites) …
12 digestive biscuits (Graham crackers)
250g (9oz) white, milk or dark chocolate
55g (2oz) butter
60ml (4 tbsp) drinking chocolate
30ml (2 tbsp) golden syrup
18cm (7in) tin
Round, metal cookie cutters

Do not let the chocolate set completely, or it will be diffi cult to cut out the
individual bites

1 Melt the butter and golden syrup together in a pan over a low heat.
Add the drinking chocolate.

2 Crush 12 digestive biscuits in a bag with a rolling pin. Add the melted mixture to the crushed biscuits. Push the mixture into the tin until it is flat and chill for approximately 20 minutes.

3 Temper 250g (9oz) of the chocolate of your choice, pour onto the mixture and spread into an even layer using a palette knife. Tap the tin to remove any air bubbles and leave for approximately 10 minutes at room temperature until the mixture is partially set.

4 Before the chocolate has gone completely hard use the round metal cutters to cut out the bites. Leave to harden before decorating as desired.

Thank you to FWMedia for authorising the publication of the recipe, photo and for sending 3 copies to readers and myself

Book Review : Beer, a Cookbook

Shaped like a can of beer. With beer in the title it must be a book about ....beer...Good Food Made Better with Beer: Beer A Cookbook.

40 dishes made with beer collated by Kimerley Willis. With three type of ratings: Easy most are in this category, Medium where muffins and barbecue beef can be found, and Hard, only a  couple in this category, among which a recipe for  Beer-Battered Fried Fish.

Each recipe is a step by step, as a rule of thumb no more than 4 steps. Recipes are from all around the world from the Orient with Spicy Beer-Soaked Schrimps to  Sicily with

Sauced Meat Balls.

 

Beside the compulsory recipe and a photo, each page contains either a beer fact, a bartender's advice or a beer quote by celebrities from Zappa to Churchill.

 



 

To hear my podcast review click below: 

 

 

 

To order this book click here :Beer: Good Food Made Better with Beer
 

Disclaimer :this is part of a series of book reviews which I am doing for FWMedia international. Opinions are my own.

 







 

 

Give-Away #16 : Signed Copy of a Foodie's Guide to London

This give-away has ended and the winner is:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Foodie's Guide to London  is the ultimate individual taste trip lead by Cara Frost-Sharratt; slide  this stunningly attractive book in your satchel and off you go. It will take you to all the essential stops on a gastronomic tour around the capital.

A Foodie's Guide to London celebrates the independent shops and markets which make London such a fantastic place for food. Divided in 11 sections with a map heading each chapter, it explores the capital in alphabetical order from Bakeries to Wine Merchants and World Food. Each page is dedicated to a shop with a box at the end containing suggestions for the area.

Cara Frost-Sharratt has kindly agreed to sign the winner's copy. So even if you were not to use it for yourself, it will make a great present so

Enter! Tweet! Follow! I think you'll love Cara's book too.

• Entry to this giveaway is via the Rafflecopter form below. There is no alternative prize.
• This book will be posted to a UK address only.
• To begin, please enter your name and e-mail address on the Rafflecopter form so that I can contact you if you win, you'll need to tell me what the dedication is.
• A mandatory question will appear, which you need to answer by leaving a comment at the bottom of the post, before going back to the Rafflecopter form and hitting “Enter”.
• After this, you can complete the bonus entries as explained on the form to increase your odds of winning!
• If you can’t see the Rafflecopter widget, please refresh the page!

Book Review: Skinny Meals in Heels by Jennifer Joyce

Second week in January and New Year's resolutions are showing signs of flagging. As every little helps, this is Pebble Soup's contribution to make healthy eating less of an effort or rather it's Jennifer Joyce's with her Skinny Meals in Heels.

Jennifer Joyce is a London-based food writer originally from the US and from Italian descent. Her first book Diva Cooking was a big success, now re-printed it was unobtainable for a long time. Jennifer's recipes can be trusted....as long as you follow them. This book is the second in a series.

The glamorous line illustrations are the series trademark, either you like them or hate them, personally I am not a great fan. Call me old fashion but I like to see pictures of finished dishes in a cookbook. Each recipe contains a "skinny" box which explains why and how the fat content is down and a "prep ahead" section which is useful.

The book is divided in 8 chapters, starting with the philosophy behind it: "NOT a diet book....instead a collection of quick mouth watering recipes that 'happen' to be low in fat." Then comes the turn of  "skinny tips", such as "Coffee and wine both suppress your appetite", yes you guess what Jennifer's advises while you are trying out one of her tasty recipes.

This book has sections for most of our simple culinary requirements with chapters ranging from "Weekday dinners in under one hour" to  "Week-end cooking." I picked a recipe title at random, which is slighly unfair, to give you of the flavour of the book "Turkish Chicken Escalopes with Yogurt Marinade." Most recipes are stress-free, pantry friendly but a few raise the game up a little not sure that Pomegranate Glaze will be on every table soon. It also contains a section on soups, another on pizza-dough.

In a nutshell:

Chiefly, Skinny Meals in Heels made me think about how to prepare food, in order to make sure that dishes are both low-fat and tasty. If you are looking for inspiration to honour your new healthy eating habits, this book will help no-end.

Skinny Meals in Heels was published on th 5th January 2012 by Murdoch Books. RRP £8.79
With thanks to the publisher for the review copy.

Ice Cream! by Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson

The idea behind getting Lakeland Kitchen ice-cream maker was to make lots of  sorbets and the occasional ice-cream and in doing so being able to control the calories provided by one of the most luscious desserts. But I needed a guide for my icy-desserts.  Ice Cream! by Pippa Cuthbert and Lindsay Cameron Wilson provided just that and much much more.

From semifreddo to gelato, granita to sorbet, this book delves into the cool world of ice cream, exploring classic flavours like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry along with more unusual ones such as Apple and Rosemary frozen yogurt or Geranium Leaf sorbert and some even more than more unusual which will fire up the imagination such as Goat's cheese and honey ice cream.

Ice Cream! is beautifully presented, not every recipe has a photo but not every recipe needs one either. Having said that, there are plenty of pictures which give presentation ideas. After the introduction, the next 20 pages are devoted to the chemistry of ice-cream, ingredients, tips and types. Followed by over 80 ice cream recipes for all occasions.

Let's remember that an ice-cream is not only for summer, it is also great for celebrations whatever the weather, therefore, having a tub of homemade ice-cream ready is rather useful so is this book.

Ice Cream! is published by New Holland and written by Pippa Cuthbert & Lindsay Cameron Wilson retail price £9.99.

Olive Magazine

Olive magazine is what you need, if you are looking for a token to give a friend or would like to treat yourself. 6 years ago when it first came out, Olive's appeal was that it was innovative. Not only it contains masses of recipes, what the editorial calls "eat in" but it opens on the outside with their "eat out" and "eat away". I remember at the time being impress by the fact that it was not about chefs or the housewifes, it was about people, people who likes food. Bloggers were included which at the time was a feast.

And today, the magazine stayed true to its founding lines but it became a class act, a little gem, everything is the same but everything has been thought through, experience has simmered and has given it a rich and fantastic taste.

In the February 2010 issue, there is a little for everybody, I'll just pick bits to give you a taste:

• 10 lunch-boxes (lighter of course), afterall we are hardly 4 weeks away from our good resolutions
• I like their Menu Spy, they spy on famous restaurants such as Tom Aikens London SW3 where I promised myself to go, one day, or The Three Acres in Shelley take one of their ingredient, this week chicken, and recreate the chefs' recipes.
• A handy check list when Olive plans 7 meals for £30.
• one of my favorite of favorite is "ready in 30 minutes", I promise, I'll cook you the caramelised onion soup with gruyere croutons

And there is their star chef, the ever-present, ever in your face, Gordon doing is for ever the same bit, this time a challenge with a nobody cook to see whose of the same recipe is best, I am glad to say after a dozen challenges, it is a dead heat.

John Torode, one of the two from Master Chef, not egg-head, the other at last revealing the secret of his chocolate fondant, he talked about all the time, on the programme.

This month there is something really "magaziny" 4 people talk about their change of career, what push them to leaving their previous career or way of life and start something in food.

There is so much more, let alone: all you need to know about noddles and a little booklet full of yes more recipes.

Let me leave you with one of the in-season recipe

Rhubarb crumble tart by Simon Rimmer

Ingredients
FOR THE PASTRY
225g plain flour
100g butter
25g golden caster sugar
1 egg (plus 1 extra, beaten for glazing)
1-2 tbsp milk

FOR THE FILLING
400g rhubarb
a pinch of ground star anise
a pinch of ground ginger
150g golden caster sugar
1 orange , zested

FOR THE CRUMBLE
150g plain flour
150g butter
100g porridge oats
150g demerara sugar
a pinch of ground cinnamon

Method

1.Pulse all the pastry ingredients in a food processor then wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Roll the pastry out and use to line a 23cm tart tin. Chill for 30 minutes.
2.Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the tart with baking paper, fill with baking beans and blind bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and brush with beaten egg. Cook for 5 minutes.
3.Put the rhubarb, spices, sugar and orange in a pan and cook gently until just soft. Cool a little, then spoon into the pastry case. Rub flour and butter together to make breadcrumbs, stir in the oats, sugar and cinnamon, then spoon on top of the fruit. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is crisp and golden. Serve with custard.

PER SERVING628 kcalories, protein 9.3g, carbohydrate 88.2g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 17g, fibre 3.5g, salt 0.55 g

for more info about Olive Magazine click here

Book review : Tapas Bar By The Australian Women's Weekly

Before my holidays I briefly mentioned "Tapas Bar : easy snacks form the Mediterranean". I received this book, courtesy of the Australian Women's Weekly, to review on behalf of Blogger Aid Changing the Face of Famine.

I now have had time to leaf through "Tapas Bar" thoroughly. Traditionally Tapas come from Spain but the Aussies have put a new spin on the concept. In Australia Tapas is a generic word of snacks and finger food, this book gathers over 100 recipes of tasty little morsels from all around the Mediterranee.
On the plus side:

• £6.99 is real good value for book which is packed with so many ideas.
• Each recipe is triple tested so there can't be any mishap though....
• Recipes are for all abilities some are dead-easy, others require a little more skill.
• It suits vegetarian, fish lovers, meat eaters there is something for every body.

I have now used Tapas Bar twice, once during the week when I packed up for the day rather late and had no idea what to cook for diner, and last Saturday at the annual friends and neighbours picnic.

I like the choice of countries

• Tapas from Spain antipasto from Italy and mezze from the Middle East.
• There is a useful glossary and a conversion chart at the end of the book
• Each recipe has got a photo so that you can see what the outcome should look like.

For each country there is at least one double page with several versions of the same recipe for example From Italy there are 5 recipes for Carpaccio.

My only problem with it was my attempts did not quite work, the skewers were over cooked and the dip too runny. This is possibly my doing so don't let this stop you buying the book.

Lemon and chilli chicken skewers

• 400g chicken breast fillets, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 340g chorizo, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 1 medium yellow capsicum (200g), cut into 2 cm pieces
• 12 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tapblespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Combine ingredients in large bowl, cover, refrigerate 30 minutes
2. Thread chicken chorizo, capsicum and bay leaves, alternately, onto skewers
3. Cook skewers on heated oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until chicken is cooked through and chorizo browned lightly

prep + cook time 30 minutes / makes 12

tip soak 12 bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour before using to prevent them from scorching during cooking

recipe copied straight from Tapas Bar.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible

After three great weeks in Kerala, it is back to the daily non-routine, because it is a little difficult to slide back in the box, I have plugged out a book review for you. It appeared on the now defunct Paper Palate.

Madhur Jaffrey’s Ultimate Curry Bible is a book of best. Best curry recipes from India but also best selection for best curries from around the world. And because of that (+ an untimely computer crash) my review almost did not see the light of the day. Let me explain: my partner got hold of this book and it has been a battle to get it back. Yes, yes I hear you think: “Lucky her, he must have cooked lovely curries nonstop.” Well, wrong. He was reading it from cover to cover. Now you are as puzzled as I was, so let me enlighten you over the reason for this infatuation.

Madhur Jaffrey is a legend, an authority in the world of Indian food. Her books spell quality, her research is meticulous, her recipes are tried and tested many, many times. In this book she traces the origins and history of curry. There are as many curries as there have been destinations for generations of Indian immigrants. “This curry trail” leads us from Fiji to Trinidad via England, Kenya, the whole of South East Asia, and Japan.

But curries are not alone here, mouthwatering rice, breads, chutneys, relishes, and sweets recipes interwoven with pages of history, old illustrations and modern photographs and much more make for the 6 pages of the index. That explains why I could not put my hands on it when I wanted it most and also why this comprehensive book made the top 50 best.

Let me leave you with a taste of a Pakistani recipe and its introductory paragraph: Red Lentils from the Khyber Pass:

“In the brown hills of the Khyber Pass, Saika, the woman of the house, cooked red lentils, round squash and wholemeal breads for lunch. It was the once-a-week “no meat” day, declared so by the Pakistani government worried buy the nation’s excessive meat-eating habits. While butchers are not allowed to sell meat that day, most families get around the restriction by buying their meat a day in advance and freezing it. Not so Saika. She was an observer.”

180g/ 6 oz red lentils
half to one teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ghee or corn oil
1-2 whole dried hot red chillies
2 gloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
Put the lentils in a lidded pan with 1 litre water and bring to the boil. Do not let the pot boil over. Skim off the scum that comes to the surface with a slotted spoon. Partially cover with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 40-50 minutes or until tender. Sir in the cayenne pepper and about 1 teaspoon salt. Taste, adding more salt as needed.

In a small pan, heat the ghee or oil until very hot. Put in the red chillies. As soon as they darken, put in the garlic. When the garlic pieces turn golden-brown on both sides, pour the oil and seasonings int the pan of lentils. Cover the pan quickly to trap the aromas.

Tapas Bar & Arancini

I came back from France, full of cooking ideas , but for these recipes, you will have to wait a little as I am off on holidays for 3 weeks.

However it is not all play and no work. On my return from Lyon , a parcel was awaiting: a book to review for Bloggeraids: "Tapas Bar" by the Australian Women's Weekly.

First impression: this book is crammed with recipes and if you entertain a lot this is a book for you. Tapas, aperitifs, mezze, does not matter how you call them when it comes to prepare nibbles to serve with drinks, let's face it, it is more impressif to have a homemade snack rather than a packet of crisps.

The book is divided in 3:

Tapas straight from Spain with empanadas, little bites and others. Grilled mussels with prosciutto is one that I will definitly try.

Antipasto recipes from Italy. If you have ever wondered how to prepare capaccios, there are several recipes there.

Last but not least Mezze with all the wonders from around the meditteranne, brillant.

These easy snacks can also provide novel ideas for the lunch box. All the recipes are tested 3 times so there are no surprises.

Copied straight from the Australian Women's weekly Tapas Bar is one I chose for you, to give you an idea of how well devised are the recipes.

Arancini

Cuisine type: Italian
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Course: Entree

Ingredients :
2½ cups (625ml) salt-reduced chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small (80g) onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ cup (200g) arborio rice
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
½ cup (60g) frozen peas
40g ham, chopped finely
½ cup (40g) finely grated parmesan cheese
100g mozzarella cheese
1 egg, beaten lightly
plain flour
1 egg, beaten lightly, extra
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup (100g) packaged dry breadcrumbs
vegetable oil, for deep-frying

NOTE: This recipe makes 18 arancini. Arancini, which means "little oranges" in Italian, make an excellent finger food or light lunch with salad. The risotto mixture can be made a day ahead. Arancini can be fried several hours ahead of serving and reheated in a slow oven.

Method:

Bring the stock to the boil in a medium pan. Reduce the heat to low and keep hot.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until the onion is soft but not coloured. Add the rice; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, then cook, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated.

Add about 1/3 cup (80ml) of the hot stock; cook, stirring, over a low-medium heat until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat until all the stock is used. Total cooking time will be about 25 minutes.

Stir in the peas, ham and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan cheese. Transfer the risotto to a bowl; cool.

Chop the mozzarella into 18 pieces.

Stir the egg into the risotto. Roll 2 level tablespoons of risotto into a ball; press a piece of mozzarella into the centre of each ball; roll to enclose. Toss balls in flour, shake away excess. Dip into the combined extra egg and milk, then coat in breadcrumbs.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep saucepan; deep-fry the arancini in batches until they are browned and heated through.

Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot with lemon wedges, if desired.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.

Cook's note
Don't have the oil too hot as the arancini will burn before the cheese is melted inside. After deep-frying, they can be kept warm in a slow oven

The Basic Basics Jams, Preserves and Chutneys Handbook, by Marguerite Patten

A month ago, I heard that Paper Palate. net where I write a lot of cookbooks reviews had gone down, some kind of virus.

I had not back up the reviews thinking that such a solid site was forever. A month later, it is back on line so I decided that the best thing to do, was to share the reviews with Pebble Soup readers.

On Paper Palate, I had a weekly series called Top 50 Fridays, Featuring....... and here is how it all started..........

With an innocent review of the Independent “50 Best Cookbooks.” After writing it, I put the subject aside. As far as I was concerned, that was it, period, end of story. But I kept thinking about the list, wondering, ”How did these books make it to the top 50?” “Do they have something in common?”

Oh, yes, we were entering dangerous but familiar territory - that of compulsive curiosity. I tried very hard to forget about it, but nothing worked. There was only one way to find out: yep, I was going to have to investigate.

First thoughts: the list is randomly arranged, so I was going to randomly explore it, starting with The Basic Basics Jams, Preserves and Chutneys Handbook, by Marguerite Patten, published by Grub Street.

So who do you have to be to make it to the top 50? I assumed that it was not about the writer but about the content, but that was a silly assumption as the two can’t really be separated. Marguerite Patten is an authority in cookery writing. In 2007 at 93 she received “the woman of the year award.” If that was not impressive enough, she is said to have paved the way for today’s celebrity chefs. Earlier in her career, during WWII, she worked for the Ministry of Food, whose advice is being resurrected by Jamie Oliver, who is currently trying to get the nation cooking healthy, nourishing, tasty food - but that is another story.

What did I expect from such an influential food writer? A lot, and a lot I got. Jams for most of the letters of the alphabet; I mean fruits in all seasons. Did you know you could make banana jam? Marmalade with marrow, dill jelly, and curd with fruits other than lemon? But all is not exotica; most indeed is basic basics. Chutneys and pickles, ketchup and vinegars do feature here too. There are also answers to most technical questions, starting with essential information on tools.

Personally I love making jams, but I tend to stay clear of the pot because of its sugar content. Well, little did I know, I can now reduce the sugar content by half and use a freezing or sterilizing method as the issue with low-sugar jam is the preservation rather than anything else. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

Are all the top 50 complete guides of tried-and-tested recipes written by distinguished professionals? Have no fear; I shall continue my quest and let you know.

Lighten Up by Jill Dupleix

Lately, I have had to dive in this book a lot, summer holidays are approaching, and I will no doubt spend time among beautifully shaped, slim human beings parading in their swimming costumes so if I don't want to pack a burqa and a nun outfit, for good measure, I needed to do a bit of research, et voila........

“Lighten Up” by Jill Dupleix is part of a genre: “Healthy Approach To Cooking.” You will not need me to tell you that the “HATCH” books emerge in the spring from the depth of winter’s extra layers. They spring up on shelves and in booksellers’ windows with an ostentation attitude which can be dispiriting. What an awful thought that of another load of diet food cookbooks, but this is not the case of Jill Dupleix’s latest book.

Jill Dupleix was named cookery writer in 2005, and she was the Times Cook for six years; in 2008 she won the Guild of Food Writers Award for work on healthy eating, so she knows what she writes about and when she shows us how to LIGHTEN UP our cooking, she makes sure that our taste-buds will be satisfied.

This books offers a gently lifestyle change without the rigours and the bullying tactics of some other “healthy diets.” Recipes do not include deep frying nor cream, of course, but the taste is never compromised.

Attracted by the mouthwatering photography, I tried and tasted “Zucchin crostini.” Jill Dupleix is also a food stylist and chef at Soho’s Quo Vadis and it shows.

Believe it or not, I had never poached an egg before this recipe. Why? I thought it was too complicated. Not with this book. Each recipe has an easy to follow step-by-step layout. The end product was a lovely meal: layers of prosciutto, shavings of buttery courgettes, topped by a perfect poached egg, the “lot” piled on a sliced of grilled sourdough, a delight.

In this book, you will find lots of recipes to try from breakfast to dessert. Have a go at Lemon Yogurt Cupcakes.

Published by Quadrille

LEMON YOGURT CUPCAKES

Makes 10

125g/4oz butter, softened
125g/4oz caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
1tbsp finely grated lemon zest
2tbsp lemon juice
180g/6oz plain flour
1tsp baking powder
200ml/7fl oz natural yogurt
4tbsp icing sugar
A dash of lemon juice
100g/31/2oz mixed berries
1tbsp lemon zest

HEAT the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
SET 10 paper muffin cases in a large muffin tray.
BEAT the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
ADD the egg yolks one at a time, beating well.
BEAT in the lemon zest and juice.
SIFT the flour and baking powder together.
FOLD into the cake mixture, alternating with the yogurt.
WHISK the egg whites in a clean bowl to firm peaks.
FOLD into the mixture.
FILL the paper cases. BAKE for 30 minutes.
COOL on a wire rack.
MIX the icing sugar with lemon juice thicken.
SPREAD on top of the cakes, add a berry or two or some lemon zest, and leave to set.

Yum

Turning to Cocktails: Mine Is a "Montreal" Please

Way back he decided to turn to....cocktails, Father Xmas brought a cocktail shaker and patiently waited for the summer. The summer came and went, and still not many cocktail had been created.

So when I got the opportunity to review a cocktails recipe book, I jumped at it.

Sips & Apps by Kathy Casey is an inspiring Cocktails and Nibbles book. Kathy is a “bar chef.” Like any chef, she creates new recipes; in her case, drinks recipes, and she explores and tweaks the old favorites. She has her signature cocktails, she knows her craft and she shares the results with us in this fantastic book.

But will it provide me with glass after glass of freshly created cocktails? I was told that I would have to wait for the summer, so in the meantime, I put Father Xmas' shaker to good use and created my very first cocktail: a Montreal.... or two. Cheers.

MONTREAL
1 1/2 ounces rye whisky
3/4 ounce sweet red vermouth
1/8 ounce Pernod
3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
For garnishing
Long orange-zest twist
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure in the rye, vermout, and Pernod. Add the bitters. Stir. Serve on the rocks in an old-sahsioned glass, or strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

For more cocktail recipes, Dish D’Lish products and the latest buzz, visit www.kathycasey.com.”

Diary of a Paper Palate Reviewer:

Day 1: A new book to review: “Oh great, Abel & Cole Cookbook:” the people who home-deliver organic produce up and down the land, with their little vans have written a book.
Next step: Open the book. When I say open, I forgot a step: Flip and open the book. I always start reading the last chapter first. Novels too. It never makes sense, not having read the start, but I can’t stand suspense. In this instance, there should not be any suspense since it is a cookbook… but you never know.
My quirkiness pays off since the recipes are ordered seasonally, last chapter: Winter. A few pages in and I am diving into the kitchen. Getting the beetroots out of the cupboard for Roasted Beetroot Penne: simple recipe, easy to make, delicious. Tomorrow I will be reviewing the book.
Day 2: Open the book, determined to start to review. “Oh picture of a pheasant” or rather I think it is a pheasant, it might be a partridge, the recipe overleaf is for pheasant or partridge. Conclusion: this book is not for vegetarian only, I’d better start reading from the beginning. Keith Abel’s style is really fun to read, his approach to cooking is rather cosmic (comic too!), measurements are in glugs, handfuls, splash, little bit of this and that. You can skip ingredients or use substitutions: No onions? Use leeks or shallots. Talking about shallots, there is a unfussy ”Caramelized Shallot Croutons” recipe which is inspiring. I am going to start cooking. Tomorrow I will be reviewing the book for sure.
Day 3: Driven by the book, I visit a farm-shop. It is a turn of phrase, the book was not really heading towards the motorway at the wheel of my car, I was. I am looking at the farm-shop with new eyes, having read the introduction and the ethical guide. I get a few things and I am very surprised that I am not spending much more than at my local supermarket. Now that I have got this huge round butter-squash…. yep! mouth-watering “Pumpkin and Parmesan bread,” really I should invite a few friends. Promise, tomorrow, I review…..
Day 4: You know this book also tells you what you can do with the leftovers! fantastic. Tomorrow…..
Day 5: Deadline, you know the easiest would be if you get “The Abel & Cole Cookbook” for yourself, published by Collins (£12.99). It is rather cute too; the cover looks like a cardboard delivery box. Previously published in hard-back as ”Outside the Box” hard back.

Smoked Salmon & Crab Terrine

You may recall that I have "a" thing about terrines. So when Karl & Janice came for dinner on Thursday, I wanted to prepare something they would remember. Got Xmas smoked salmon out of the freezer, put that gewurztraminer in the fridge and started on one of Stephane Reynaud's recipe.

Now I have had my doubts about his recipes as the first one, I made from his book "Terrine" which I reviewed for "PP" was a real flop.

This was his second chance and he might not have got another if the recipe had not work. Instead, the end product was a real success though the proportion in the book had to be wildly amended because they were far of the mark nevertheless I am now thinking of getting one of them lovely terrine dish to make some more.

Crab and smoked salmon terrine

Ingredients:

For the cocktail sauce

1 egg

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

olive oil ( you will see how much you need as you go, start with 50ml)

1 tsp mustard

1 tsp tomato ketchup

dash of brandy

salt and pepper

To make the cocktail sauce, whisk the egg with the vinegar and a pinch of salt then gradually add the olive oil 1 teaspoon at the time, whisking constantly. add all the other ingredients and last but not least 300g of crab meat, patted dry.

300g smoked salmon, diced

fresh dill (I used dried and it worked fine)

1 shallot (I forgot that and it worked fine too)

200g spinach

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

Mix the salmon with the dill & shallot. Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the spinach and cook over a low heat for a few minutes

In ramekins, make layers of smoked salmon mixture, spinach and crab, press down well and chill in the fridge for 1 hour

Turn out the terrines before serving

PS: I think that if you want to avoid making the cocktail sauce, use a tartare ready made sauce or a light mayonnaise to which you add ketchup, that is possibly what I will do next time.

Soup of the week : Lamb and Fusilli soup

Soups and Breads by Jane Price contains a classic collection of recipes from around the globe. When I first saw this book, I turned green with envy; this is the book I'd promised myself to write . . . one day. This is a stylish, beautiful book, a perfect present.

As soon as you open it, you want to flick through to take in all the photographs. The photography is faultless, inspiring, the kind of pictures that make you think: “Hmmm, I am going to make this.” Soups are often thought as a compulsory winter starter, here to fill you up and that’s it.

Jane Price throw a very different light on the subject, her collection of soups covers an array of occasions from meals in a bowl to snazzy dinner-party dishes. The variety goes further, with recipes from around the world, all the classics under one roof - from Won Ton Soup to Harira via New England Clam Chowder, 250 pages of delicious ideas that can’t fail. There is little or no blurb, the focus is recipes and what they look like when made. A bread section adds to the pleasure. If the other titles in the series are as good a this, we indeed have “Kitchen Classics.”

Lamb and Fusilli Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbs oil

500g lean lamb meat, cubed

2 onions, finely chopped

2 carrots dice

4 celery stalks, diced

425g tinned crushed tomatoes

2 litres beef stock

500g fusilli

chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

serves6-8

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the cubed lamb, in batches until golden brown. Remove each batch as it is done and drain on paper towel. Set aside.

Add the onion to the pan an cook for 2 minutes or until softened.

Return the meat to the pan, add the carrot, celery, tomato and beef stock. Stir to combine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the fusilli and stir to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan. Simmer, uncovered, for a further 10 minutes, or until the lamb and pasta are tender. Sprinkle with parsley before serving

serves 6-8 cooking time 40 minutes

Slowing Down for the Summer

I am slowing down with the hot weather and the summer being here, or at least here for the next 5 minutes. I got very excited with the possibility to write on the BBCgoodfood blog but though I was shortlisted among thousand of entries, I did not make it. So I need to recharge, I will be away for a month. When I come back you can look forward to new categories: I have signed in to be a member of the "Daring bakers" and since the office has been redecorated and the computer back where it should be, I have access to the sound system so postswith music will be back on the menu. I also decided to post the book reviews I write for Paper Palate and as it is I will leave you with one to savour.

Already, I hear you say. It will be no time before they leave home again to their respective universities and colleges, resuming their busy students' lives; the question is "WHAT WILL THEY EAT THEN?" here is a book which title is a bit of a mouthful but will ease parents' worries. "The Really Useful Ultimate Student Vegetarian Cook Book" by Helen Aitken.

2 categories of recipes easy and very easy, the blurbs around the recipes are comprehensive and informative, the recipes themselves are easy to follow though some of them are not particularly on the cheap side on a student's budget as we are talking cooking and not throwing lentils in a pot. They are all accurate and will provide a myriad of variations a meal time, the recipes are suitable for beginners, tried and tested so success is assured.
I put the book to the test, asked around me, quickly realising that very little cooking was going on among young adults or if cooking was taking place it was mostly the old favorite such as pasta, so with 40 pages of pasta recipes it will hit the target. On the other end, the most enthusiastic cooks often googled the ingredients available in the fridge or cupboard so will they use a cook book? the answer remains a mystery but if they did "The Really Useful Ultimate Student Vegetarian Cook Book" would be a good choice?
I put it to the taste, there are 6 chapiters: soups, pastas and noodles, rice, grains and pulses, casseroles, curries and bakes, stir fires, salads and vegetables, breakfast, snacks and standbys. I cooked Chickpeas Patties with Caramelised Onions, it will not reach my top 10 but I realised that I hardly ever cook my onions that way and that I should they were delicious.
Ingredients
½ tablespoon olive oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
15g of fresh coriander , roughly chopped
310g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
35g besan flour
1 small red onion , finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp plain flour
oil, for shallow-frying
15g sunflower seeds
caramelised onion
20g butter
1red onion, thinly sliced
1½ teaspoons soft brown sugar
plain yogurt, to serve
Besan flour is also known as chickpea flour
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly.
Blend the drained chickpeas, sunflower seeds, coriander, eff and onion mixture in a food processor until smooth. Fold in the besan lour and season. Divide the mixture into four portions and, using floured hands, form into patties. Heat 1 cm oil in a frying pan and cook the patties in two batches over medium heat for 2-3 minutes each side, or until firm. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm.
to make the caramelised onion, melt the butter in a small frying pan and cook the onion over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and cook for 1 minute, or until caramelised. Spoon over the patties with a dollop of yogurt.
Easy
50 minutes
serves 2 .