WTF Do I Eat Tonight?

Defeated by this weather, I am yet again struggling to move into ‘spring’ food mode. I had a baked potato this week ffs! I haven’t had one of those all winter but this endless rain just sent me into a hibernate-and-turn-the-heating-on frenzy and all I could think of eating was stodge with added fat on top (sour cream and blue cheese if you’re interested). But there is only so much winter heaviness I can stand, even in this deluge, so I am once again looking for ideas that taste ‘warm’ whilst, at the same time, knowing that the sun is a long way off…

In such weather the salade composée, which has no real translation, is your friend. All you need is a layer of something soft and green (for a mild flavour to which you’ll add stronger flavours, go for lamb’s lettuce, Little Gem or Romaine; if you want more of a kick with a soft cheese, then watercress, land cress and rocket are better choices) to which you add the contrasts of hot (e.g. bacon, pancetta, poached eggs, boiled or steamed new potatoes), salty (e.g. feta, anchovies, olives), crunchy (e.g.croutons, toasted nuts, blanched green beans) or soft (e.g. goat’s cheese, soft-boiled or hard-boiled eggs, sautéed mushrooms, roasted squash). I think four different flavours and/or textures is plenty if you don’t want to lose their respective characters. Continue reading →