It takes a good jam to wean me off my marmelade in the mornings, but this one has me hooked since I made it a few weeks ago! It’s delicate flavours are perfect for letting through the taste of sour dough or other tasty bread.
The lemons in this recipe are for the pectin, so don’t leave them out – don’t worry the lemon flavour isn’t overpowering at all.
This recipe came together somewhat haphazardly – adding ingredients as I went to get the right consistency and taking a chance on the combination of flavours. It works nicely, but you could substitute any of the fresh or dried herbs for a different taste, or even the veggies too (I was thinking of courgette, or squash) – you might just need to adjust the cornmeal and breadcrumbs accordingly to get the right consistency so that the patties stick together in the frying pan!
This recipe is adapted from one by Stuart Gillies that appeared in the Observer a while back. I was somewhat sceptical at first as there is no butter in this recipe (so it should really called just bread pudding, I guess) but go with it because the results are stunning – soft, custardy and oh-so-comforting. What better for a Sunday evening in winter?
What’s more, it’s super easy to make – I just freeze down the ends of bread that I’d normally chuck out until there are enough – or if you can’t wait that long, any bread that’s a day or two old will work! Continue reading
Banana Tree in Upper Street has a nice buzzy vibe to it, a mixture of out-of-office workers, solo diners and groups of friends. The thai-style menu has veggie options aplenty with noodles, curries and soup options.
Turning down the novel if not slightly curious option of ‘mock duck’ in various combinations, I went for a Laksa – a huge bowl of coconut chilli soup with lots of goodies to be fished out – noodles, japanese aubergines, tofu and beansprouts. Very satisfying indeed. Continue reading
These semolina-flour ravioli are bursting with a delicate mushroom and lemon flavour, and the good news is you don’t need a pasta machine to make them. You DO need a bit of arm strength and patience though if you are to get silky pasta, but it’s worth the effort. Put on some music while you’re kneading and rolling and think of it as therapy!
To be honest, from the outside there is not much that distinguishes Jashan from the many other curry houses in this part of North London. The food they serve, however, is far superior – so much so in fact that they are too busy to do deliveries at all, and you’ll have to wait for a table most nights.
In my view, the key to Yotam Ottolenghi’s success – from his restaurants to cook books – is his utter skill in putting together flavours that you would never have thought of, but come together like they were made for each other.
You’ll know if you follow his columns in the Observer that his ingredients lists can be a bit of a hassle to source, so having it all done for you is quite a treat.
This hearty and colourful mix of vegetables and bulghur wheat makes a healthy supper or packed lunch.
I’ve tried to get a table at Trullo at short notice a few times, to no avail, which is always a good sign in a place with so much competition as Islington. The restaurant has a nice cosy bistro feel, with attentive, knowledgable service and the food is both original and perfectly executed. No surprise it’s been such a hit then.
It’s January, so it must be marmelade time. I came across the first of the Seville oranges in the market in Angel on Sunday – just in time as I have run out and was making do with bought stuff (just not the same!).
In nearly all recipes I come accross for marmelade you need to pick out the pips and boil them for the pectin. But Pam Corbin of the River Cottage says no, that’s actually all rubbish and the pectin is in the skin of the fruit. And do you know what? She was right! Continue reading