This dish makes a great vegetarian alternative to lasagne. It has umpteen variations, particularly in the pre-cooking of the aubergines, and there isn’t necessarily a ‘correct’ way of making it. My version has evolved from a recipe in Sophie Grigson’s book ‘Food for Friends’, which inspired many meals I cooked at university. Grigson recommends steamingContinue reading “Aubergine Parmigiana”
Author Archives: motherrach
Treacle Tart
Allegra McEvedy is both a brilliant cook and a dear friend. Her wine bar Albertine supplied our lockdown wedding anniversary dinner back in May – it was amazing – and several of her recipes are firm family favourites. This one crossed our radar after we watched Allegra on Economy Gastronomy (BBC2, 2009) and, with aContinue reading “Treacle Tart”
Lasagne
Like bolognese sauce, Lasagne is ‘a dish which, if not exactly lost in translation, has, in the grand British tradition, been considerably mangled’ (Felicity Cloake), so again I am making no claims about authenticity here. Some traditional meat lasagne recipes, for example, contain a ricotta and egg mixture rather than béchamel sauce. The version weContinue reading “Lasagne”
Bolognese sauce
As Felicity Cloake has written (in her excellent series ‘How to make a perfect…’): “To write on spag bol is to wade into a mire of controversy thicker and darker than any ragu that ever came out of nonna’s kitchen.” There is no definitive recipe for bolognese sauce and many of the ‘authentic’ elements (pork,Continue reading “Bolognese sauce”
Chicken katsu curry
This recipe entered the family’s repertoire at Zita’s request: on holiday with a friend and her family in 2016, eating super-healthy food, she sent word home that she was craving a home-made chicken katsu curry. An online Tesco recipe was my starting point and, with some adjustments, produced a dish that closely resembled what theyContinue reading “Chicken katsu curry”
Caesar Salad
Delia Smith’s Summer Collection, published in 1993 and followed by a TV series in 2002, prompted a nationwide run on limes and crème fraîche. Her recipes aren’t the most adventurous, and they can be rather wordy, but they always work. I’ve adapted this one a little, and you can always increase the protein content byContinue reading “Caesar Salad”
Apple crumble & custard
Here’s another one adapted over the years from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s Cuisine Bon Marché (see Red Cabbage ). There are countless possible variations with the fruit and/or topping: you should feel free to experiment, and don’t worry about being precise with your quantities. Home-made custard is lush but shop-bought has its own particular ‘charm’ – orContinue reading “Apple crumble & custard”
Bográcsgulyás
As we limp into our second month of Lockdown, communal outdoor cooking has become the stuff of nostalgia, but you can re-create this (albeit without the smoky flavour) over your kitchen stove and in the oven. Goulash is really a soup: what non-Hungarians call a goulash is actually a braise, comprising just beef and potatoes.Continue reading “Bográcsgulyás”
Chocolate brownie pie
This recipe, by MasterChef finalist Hannah Miles, was published in the Times in 2015. Rich and moreish, it has a crust made from crushed Oreos and the filling gets a more ‘grown-up’ flavour from the shot of espresso coffee. Quite simply delicious – and perfect for Easter. Serves 8 Ingredients For the pie crust250g Oreos100gContinue reading “Chocolate brownie pie”
Carluccio’s Carrots
In 2001, just before I went on maternity leave, one of my Year 9 tutees gave me a signed copy of Antonio Carluccio’s newly-published book ‘Vegetables’. His simple recipe for carrots with garlic has accompanied almost every roast dinner we have eaten since, and is the reason I break out into a cold sweat whenContinue reading “Carluccio’s Carrots”
Years of Practice 