I am trying hard not to add to my extensive cookery book collection until I have passed on a few. But when a new Nigel Slater book comes out I just cannot resist . Here is the first recipe I tried from his latest book ” A Cook’s Book”. And very good it is too, especially on the days when you want a quick, comforting cheesy supper. I couldn’t get any dill on this occasion, but use it if you can.
Another way with pasta from Waitrose.
A recipe from Stevie Parle.
A delicious pairing from Sager and Wilde. You could make it the main event, or serve alongside a roast.
This recipe from ” Kaukasis” by Olia Hercules will serve four as a side dish.
A favourite recipe from Nigella Lawson’s ” Simply Nigella”.
A recipe from Israel to serve as a main with salad or to accompany roasts or kebabs. In 1980 I spent four months volunteering on Kibbutz Eynat in Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv. I mostly worked in the restaurant ( three shifts…) or bakery( nights) but they also grew cotton besides the runway at Tel Aviv airport. Volunteers were not meant to work there but we did, and it was my favourite job as we completed work by late morning leaving the rest of the day free. It involved a 5 am start and drive to the airport , then after a couple of hours we would take a breakfast break. We would finish by 11am because after that it was to too hot. Back to the kibbutz for lunch and an afternoon spent lounging by the pool.
The recipe is from ” Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East” by Arto Der Haroutunian.
Another version of a soup made with Cauliflower and cheese, this time from Diana Henry.
A brilliant combination from ” Mowgli Street Food” by Nisha Katona. I serve this with some coconut rice, and think it would also work well alongside Dishoom Gunpowder Potatoes.
Another lovely salad for hot summer days from Claire Thomson’s ” New Kitchen Basics”. Ideally it would be greener than pictured- i should have brought a bigger bunch of parsley! You should be searching through a sea of green for the bulghar and cauliflower.
| 1 organic cauliflower | 2 tsp garam masala |
| 3 medium onions, chopped coursely | Good pinch chilli flakes |
| 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped | 1 tin chopped tomatoes |
| 1” ginger, peeled & finely chopped | 1 tin organic chickpeas, drained |
| 2 tsps ground coriander | 2 tbsps fresh coriander, chopped |
| 2 star aniseed | Butter |
| Small handful fresh curry leaves |
| Break the cauliflower into large florets, removing tough stalks. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and return to pan. Cover to keep warm. Heat about 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute gently until golden brown. Add the dried spices and cook for 5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Add the cauliflower plus 100ml cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked. Sprinkle in the chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice. |
I love Rukmini Iyer’s series of recipes that can be cooked in a roasting tin and know that these are books i will keep returning too.
Yesterday’s dinner was this most delicious cauliflower pasta recipe ( adapted for 2) from ” New Kitchen Basics” by Claire Thomson. Although by no means a vegetarian cookbook there are so many recipes for vegetarians in this book that i am cooking from it several times a week at the moment. You can use any short pasta such as conchiglie, rigatoni or fusilli but the orecchiette holds the sauce well. You can also use the cauliflower mix as a topping for bruschetta.
This version of Cauliflower cheese soup is from Nigel Slater’s ” Real Food”.
I am always looking for new ways to cook cauliflower so was very pleased to discover this new recipe from Caravan,