Random Cooking

Christmas cakes I have made over the years

Just a bit of fun!

 

Random Cookbooks - old and new

I have a larage collection of cook books and keep on buying them. I had a huge clear out a few years ago and then regretted it and have been scouring second hand shops and websites to repurchase them.

Yes I know.

As you probably all realise by now I am a fan of Delia Smith. Back in the seventies when I was married with young children and my cooking skills were pretty basic, she appeared on tv in her landmark series.  The books accompanying the series were in three small volumes and I got the lot as they came out and, quite frankly, they taught me to cook.   Up till then we had Robert Carrier, remember those? All those little cookery cards? And other books that were way over the average persons head.  So I pinned my colours to Delia’s mast and they have stayed there ever since.

Later she brought out a one volume Delia Smith’s Cookery Course which I was glad to have as my paperbacks were getting tatty and torn.  I have used this book constantly over the last thirty years and the pages have gradually been spotted with gravy, tomato sauce, jam, etc etc. The cover was lost and it was coming away from its binding.  About a year ago I was in a charity shop and came across a totally pristine copy and pounced.   It was clear it had never been used and I wondered where it had been all this time. Reader, I bought it.   And, no, I have not chucked out my battered copy. I simply cannot bear to part with it.

Joscelyn Dimbleby – Marvellous Meals with Mince.  Along with Delia this was my go to book as we had so little money that mince was on our meal tables more often than not and these recipes were cheap and cheerful and delish.   And once again, in a mad fit a few years ago, I got rid of it. WHYWHYWHY. Answer comes there none.   And yes I came across a copy at a second hand book sale a year or so ago and practically came to blows with a woman who had spotted it as well. I beat her to it…just.

Cranks Cookbook and Entertaining with Cranks.  I freely admit I have these because I simply love the illustrations. Very Edward Ardizzone and simply delightful and nostalgic.  Cranks was, still is I think, a vegetarian restaurant in Carnaby Street (supposedly the centre of Swinging London in the sixties but really rather tatty) and was a first.  I have cooked several of the recipes in these books and really enjoyed them. Looking at them now they appear a little earnest with everything brown and whole wheaty but hey we know it is good for us and they have stood the test of time. And they are simple and short.

Sainsburys used to do a series of cook books costing 75p. Little narrow hardbacks and I had a whole slew of them and yes, no need for me to tell you, I chucked the lot and now keep an eye out for them. They were wonderful.

Sainsburys again – a cake book with basic cakes and little cakes etc and a really good book which I have had for years. There is an everyday fruit cake recipe in there that I must have made dozens of times and never fails.   I have never thrown this one out and recently found a brand new copy in one of my trawls through charity shops and was pleased to have it.  And, yes, I still have the old battered one so stop shaking your head in despair.

Of course with Great British Bake Off came the books by Paul Hollywood and I fell for the hype and bought them all. I have got rid of most of them but have kept a couple one of which is Baking as there are some great recipes in there.  I did meet him once at a Meet and Greet and we had a chat and he was really rather nice and discussed cooking with my children etc and was altogether charming.   Gone off him a bit especially as he was not nice to a recent contestant on this year’s show, Jurgen, and the twitterati got rather heated about it.

Nigella Lawson – I have tried, oh how I have tried but I just find her acutely irritating.  I bought How to be a Domestic Goddess and read it and then thought Oh sod this I have no desire to be one so it went to the charity shop.

Diane Henry – I have a few of her books and enjoy her no nonsense approach to cooking and particularly love her chicken cook book A Bird in the Hand. I eat so much chicken I am surprised I have not sprouted feathers by now and so am always looking out for different ways to cook it.

The Hairy Bikers – as I have been trying to lose weight I have been searching out calorie counted cookery books and the Hairy Ones have brought out two. One I found in a charity shop, amazing the purchases I have made in these shops, How to Love Food and Lose Weight and the second I bought having read the first and loved it. I use this one quite a lot and their cassoulet recipe is simply wonderful.

I have purchased a few more in the last couple of weeks as I just love reading and looking at all the recipes. I find that there are a few I will try in each one and some, I admit, remain pristine. 

I have a shedload more to recommend and write about but I think this is enough for one day.

Minestrone Soup

I have never made minestrone soup before. Never in all my years of cooking. It struck me as being too much of a faff but I was going through all my cook books the other day and hauled out, yes you have guessed it, Delia Smith on Soup and decided to give it a go. And yes it WAS a faff but oh the result was worth it.

And it was a cold dank day so defo a day for soup. Here goes:

2o z (50 gram) smoked streaky bacon or pancetta finely chopped. (My little local supermarket sells offcuts and they are very good and cheap. Let's face it with pancetta you are paying for the fact that they have been cut for you)

I medium onion, 2 celery stalks, 6 oz (175g) carrots, clove of garlic crushed,  8 oz (225g) leeks, 6 oz (175g) green cabbage

3 oz (75g) short cut macaroni.  Or spaghetti broken into pieces if you do not have any macaroni handy

1oz (25g) butter and 1 tablespoonful of olive oil

2.5 pints (1.5 litres) vegetable stock

1 dessertspoon tomato puree

fresh parsley and basil, chopped

First up put the oil and butter in a large casserole dish on top of the oven and when it has melted tip in the bacon/pancetta and cook for a minute or two before adding the onion, celery and carrots.  Stir in the crushed garlic and some salt and pepper then put cover on and cook very gently for about 20 mins to allow the vegetables to sweat a bit. Keep an eye to make sure it does not stick.

Then pour in the stock and bring to the boil and simmer gently, covered, for an hour. When the hour is up stir in the leeks, cabage, macaroni and tomato puree and cook uncovered for about another 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked.

The add the basil and parsley. I did not have either of these at hand so used dried basil instead.

Then dish up in a bowl with loads of grated Parmesan on top.

I had it for lunch and it is so filling and absolutely delicious. 

Notes:

If you are a vegetarian then obviously leave out the bacon/pancetta

For stock I use Swiss Bouillon which is available in all supermarkets. It is very tasty and has a good flavour BUT if you use this then go easy on the salt. In fact I would leave it out altogether and then taste it before the final cook.   If using plain vegetable or chicken stock then you may need salt

Delia puts a couple of fresh tomatoes in as well but my supermarket was right out of them this weekend so no go, I don't think it makes a great deal of difference to be honest.

All the vegetables need to be finely chopped. If you have a food processor then you can bung them in there and do it that way, but I rather like taking my time and chopping them all. I find it theraputic.

I was pleased I made this soup though it does require a bit of preparation. I weighed all the ingredients out before I started and had them all on a tray to hand. I have a soup maker and tend to make quick easy soups using it and it saves time and trouble, but I really enjoyed having a steaming dish simmering away and sending lovely smells through the flat. I used my 45 year old battered Le Creuset casserole which I simply adore.

Do try and let me know what you think.