Cookbookmaniac
  • Roast Chicken with Sumac, Za’atar and Lemon by Ottolenghi
    Roast Chicken with Sumac, Za’atar and Lemon by Ottolenghi
    European Recipes

    I recently went on a tour of Newtown with some lovely bloggers and was asked how many cookbooks I actually owned. Well, I never really counted them, but I think its safe to say that I have around 200. I regret purchasing quite a few of them, they are usually the ones that are generically strung together by book publishers to raise revenue. Most of the time I only end up buying the junk because I've had a bad day and needed something new to cheer me up or there was one lone recipe that looked very enticing. Needless to say I don't really cook from them. I am often pulled towards cookbooks written by one or two people that are driven by their love for food. It isn't just about the recipe (yes, a good set of recipes is important) but it is also about the produce, technique, history…

  • Roasted Eggplant with Saffron Yoghurt by Ottolenghi
    Roasted Eggplant with Saffron Yoghurt by Ottolenghi
    European Recipes

    "Oh my goodness. You have so many cookbooks. Do you cook from them all?" This is the question asked by most people who are perplexed by the size of my collection. In fact the IKEA shelf that I purchased specifically to house them is now full and there are books overflowing onto the floor. Most of the books that end up on the floor are far too obese for the lean wooden shelves Ripailles - yes, I am talking about you. Quite often I purchase a cookbook for its potential. This is the possibility of creating something that will satisfy my greedy appetite. If I only get one 'great recipe' out of a cookbook, then I consider it worth its value, at the very least. I recently purchased Ottolenghi - The Cookbook and was flabbergasted by the quality and diversity of the recipes. I could not flick pass one page…

  • Wild Barramundi with Black Olive Salsa by Sophie Dahl
    Wild Barramundi with Black Olive Salsa by Sophie Dahl
    European Recipes

    There are days when I really want to indulge. These are times when only chocolate and red frogs will do. Then there are days when I want something light and good for me. One Sunday afternoon I was feeling like eating for my health and so I flipped through some of my more healthier cookbooks. Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights has an exciting range of meals based around the seasons and breakfast, lunch and dinner. Whenever I want to make something quick and healthy I often reach for this book. I will often find something or feel inspired by it. She doesn't eat red meat or chicken, however there a couple of lamb and chicken recipes (strange...). Vegetables and grains are predominate throughout the book. I also find that I am adding ingredients to her list. Whether it be a squidge of butter, an extra clove of garlic or some dried…