Banana Bread need not apply…
For many, lockdown was a time of new discoveries. People whose work had previously seen them jetting across the world suddenly found themselves indefinitely grounded. With extra time on their hands, some focused on self-care. Regular exercise routines and healthier eating habits were top of the agenda. Many have been astonished by the positive physical and mental benefits afforded by these changes. Others began gardening, a therapeutic pastime that not only calms the soul, but also re-connects the gardener with nature. I have one friend who managed to get the residents in his apartment complex involved in a scheme to beautify their communal outdoor area. The results, as shown on social media, were impressive. In comparison, my lockdown discovery would seem somewhat mundane. Regardless, it served to revolutionise the monotony of our mealtimes whilst also filling a large social outing-shaped gap.
We are a family of foodies. We enjoy our regular meals out and both I and my partner are also pretty handy in the kitchen. Despite this, I’ve never been overly keen on recipe books. As a seasoned cook, I look forward to the creative challenge of throwing together the random contents of our weekly Riverford vegetable box. There’s something exciting about the unpredictability of the unchosen selection of our delivery. Cobbling together a tasty meal no matter the contents of our fridge is one of the achievements of my week. My partner is keener on following recipes, hence the now-traditional Christmas gifting of a carefully chosen cookbook. My choices have always been reasonably successful, resulting in some truly lovely meals courtesy of the Olivers and the Steins. However this year I seem to have struck gold.
I have become a dab hand at producing a delicious Sunday roast, a meal I only ever prepared once a year at Christmas time. My chicken sherry gravy has become the stuff of lockdown legend (if I say so myself!) And despite cooking this almost weekly during the first lengthy lockdown, none of us have become bored by this meal. However, the comfort of familiarity can sometimes be outdone by the new. And so it happened that I became instantly hooked after our first foray into the wonderful world of Ottolenghi. Who could have guessed that a casual Christmas purchase would become my lockdown lifeline? Harissa and confit garlic roast potatoes, herby Spring roast chicken with preserved lemon, and a side of Brussel’s sprouts tossed in burnt butter and black garlic exploded from the pages of Ottolenghi’s SIMPLE onto our dinner table. Simple? The flavour combinations are anything but. From the culinary monotony of lockdown my palate was suddenly plunged into a new world of aromas and textures, and I couldn’t get enough!
Never before had I tasted a meat dish with a rich, silky texture that just melted in your mouth. It’s the first time I’ve actually demanded that my partner cook a meat dish – again!
Ottolenghi might like to know that he is responsible for salvaging our Valentine’s Day. As you can imagine, it wasn’t the foremost event on our minds this year so it wasn’t surprising that we got caught short. Unable to dine out and with take-aways being one of the few things to look forward to, I found myself becoming increasingly upset by the repeated ‘sold out’ signs that emblazoned every Valentine’s Meal online offer. I remained sulkily sceptical as my desperate partner scoured the pages of SIMPLE in search of appropriately Valentine-y fare. All was not lost. Rich rose harissa chickpeas with flaked cod, polenta encrusted sweet potato chips and a side of buttery tenderstem broccoli and asparagus (my favourite veg) became the ‘night before’ meal. This was followed by ‘lunch the day after’: succulent Chicken Marbella – a well-marinated sweet and sticky dish bursting with both familiar and unfamiliar Mediterranean flavours. Valentine’s Day turned into Valentine’s weekend as I found myself waxing lyrical about the wonders of Mr Ottolenghi’s culinary brilliance!
However, perhaps the greatest triumph, as we continue to work our way through this book, is the discovery of a meat dish that I actually enjoy. As a former long-time vegan, my palate is still mostly attuned to vegetables. I am not a fan of red meat – I never buy it or choose it from a menu – and it’s certainly not something that I crave. However, this was before I was introduced to Ottolenghi’s sumptuous ricotta and oregano meatballs. These were a total game-changer. Never before had I tasted a meat dish with a rich, silky texture that just melted in your mouth. Granted we substituted the ricotta and parmesan for vegan cream cheese and vegan parmesan (my severe casein intolerance means dairy is a no-no or I suffer the consequences) but this only served to enhance the creaminess that characterises the dish’s ‘light and fluffy’ texture. It’s the first time I’ve actually demanded that my partner cook a meat dish – again!
SIMPLE has swayed my opinion not least for the vast number of healthy and creative vegetable-based dishes, but also for the inventive use of less-familiar seasonings and the power-burst of incredible flavours that runs through every dish.
And so it is that I’ve had to review my perspective on recipe books. It’s not that I don’t own any. As a nutritionist it would be odd not to. However I’ve always remained largely unimpressed by the majority of them. At best I’ve picked up some useful cooking tips, not to mention the occasional good recipe. However unlike many others I’ve yet to discover my ‘culinary bible’. SIMPLE has swayed my opinion not least for the vast number of healthy and creative vegetable-based dishes (a carrot-disliking client said she learned to love the vegetable using recipes from this very book!) but also for the inventive use of less-familiar seasonings and the power-burst of incredible flavours that runs through every dish. Our spice rack has certainly benefited by the addition of some new Middle Eastern flavours. So far each meal has been an outright winner. As we continue to sample the delights of SIMPLE I can say that I’m no longer mourning the lack of restaurant dining quite so profoundly. The icing on the cake will be if he can pull off a recipe that makes the fibrous and largely tasteless curly kale in any way palatable. If he can manage this, well I may well have finally found my bible!
“There is nothing that will improve your health, your well-being, your achievement, your sense of accomplishment, your sense of community, and the health and happiness of your family as much as cooking yourself and enjoying a meal with others.”
Robert Lustig, MD
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