love the way that certain aromas and flavours can instantly conjure up vivid memories. They send us back to our childhood kitchens, tugging at our grandmothers’ apron strings, or to other times and places in our lives that hold special significance. For me it is the smell of roast stuffed chicken and potatoes that fills me with joyful recollections of my mother’s incredible Sunday dinners.
Food makes the best gift, whether it’s hot buttered toast for someone with the blues or an elaborate three-course romantic feast for the one you love. The time we take to lovingly prepare a meal can pay dividends in the way it makes others feel cared for.
Even the simplest foods are enough to inspire a happy social occasion. One of my greatest pleasures is catching up with girlfriends over tea and sympathy (and a big pile of biscuits!). We all know that, ‘Come round for a cuppa’ really means, ‘Come round and let’s chat for hours and laugh until it hurts.’
This book is filled with foods that have special meaning for me or for my family and friends. I hope that these recipes will make for fun and memorable cooking and eating for you, too!
p.s. The oven temperatures in this book are for a conventional oven, but if I am using a fan oven, then I usually reduce the temperature by 10 per cent.
There are times when we all need a bit of comfort in a bowl. These are the times when you want food that makes you feel as though you’re wrapped up in a blanket, food that gives you a warm and cosy feeling, food that restores both mentally and physically. Each of us has our own comfort foods. For some, this might be as simple as tea and toast, for others it might be more substantial, such as a big meaty stew eaten while curled up on the sofa. Whatever they are, they’re sure to make you feel safe and nurtured. This chapter includes some of my favourite foods to beat the blues!
Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Soup
This is such a soothing soup on a rainy day, and the flavours always remind me of sunnier summer days. It’s a substantial soup, but not too heavy – perfect for a meal in itself. This soup reheats well, in fact the flavours even improve. And of course you don’t need to use imported chorizo – there are many wonderful locally produced versions which are equally delicious.
SERVES 4–6
1 tbsp olive oil
125g (5oz) chorizo, diced
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or grated
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, undrained
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes (or 8 fresh ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped)
1 litre (1¾ pints) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g (9oz) spinach, destalked and finely chopped, or baby spinach leaves left whole
1 Place the olive oil in a large saucepan on the heat and add the diced chorizo. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the chorizo releases its oils, then add the chopped onion, celery and garlic. Cook on a gentle heat with the lid on until the onion is completely cooked, about 10 minutes, then remove the lid and turn up the heat and cook for a minute to slightly brown the onion.
2 Add the chickpeas and their liquid, chopped tomatoes and the stock. Season with salt and pepper and bring up to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the chickpeas have absorbed all the flavours. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.
3 While the mixture is still simmering, add the spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is soft. Serve in big, warm bowls.
Leek, Potato and Blue Cheese Soup
I love this soup – it’s rich, smooth and velvety. This makes a lovely meal on its own with some crusty bread on the side, or serve as a starter for a wintery dinner party.
SERVES 4–6
VEGETARIAN
25g (1oz) butter
2 leeks (about 300g/12oz), dark green tops removed, white bits thinly sliced
2 potatoes (about 175g/6oz), peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 litre (1¾ pints) light vegetable or chicken stock
75ml (2½fl oz) single cream
100–150g (4–5oz) blue cheese, such as Cashel Blue, Stilton, Gorgonzola or Roquefort, crumbled (see handy tip), plus 25g (1oz) for serving
1 Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan, add the leeks, potatoes and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper and cover. Turn the heat down to low and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then to ensure they don’t burn (see also the handy tip below).
2 After 10 minutes add the stock, increase the heat and simmer for a further 8–10 minutes until the potatoes and leeks are soft. Remove the bay leaves, add the cream and the crumbled blue cheese and transfer to a liquidiser. Whiz the soup until it is smooth and velvety. Return to the saucepan to re-heat, tasting and seasoning if necessary.
3 To serve, pour the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle with the extra crumbled blue cheese.
Rachel’s handy tips
Italian Baked Pancakes with Cheese and Tomato
This recipe was inspired by a conversation I had with the great Italian chef Aldo Zilli. He told me a wonderful story about his mother using light pancakes as an alternative to pasta in certain dishes, and I’ve discovered they work wonderfully with rich tomato sauces. This recipe uses the pancakes in place of lasagne sheets, which adds a fluffiness to the dish. I love the way it comes out of the oven, sizzling and bubbling to the table. It’s a perfect family dinner.