Category Archives: The Cook Shelf

Cold remedy 1: potato soup with crispy bacon and sage

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Louise

When I have a cold I go through a few ‘food’ stages. In the first few days I need comfort: soothing soups and lots of toast. Then, when I start to feel the tug of recovery and want to kick-start … Continue reading →

Posted in Appetite, Gluten-free, One pot, Potato recipes, Soup recipes, Winter vegetables | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Bertinet bread

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Louise

If we are starting on the basics, then there is no more basic foodstuff to make, or learn to make than bread. I have always been a bit rubbish at it and envy my friends who can churn out soda … Continue reading →

Posted in Bread recipes, Dough, Richard Bertinet | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Fast Festive Treats, including Deserve-To-Be-Famous Rarebit Puffs

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Louise

It’s that time of year, the time when you can’t move for cocktail sausages, smoked stuff on blinis and small, overpriced battered things in boxes of 12. But there is another way, a homemade way and although you may scream … Continue reading →

Posted in barefoot Contessa, Cheese recipes, Food for friends, Nigel Slater, Party recipes, Real Food, The Cook Shelf | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Peter Gordon’s Double Chocolate Nut Cookies

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Louise

The difference between cookies and biscuits is often missed in the UK. Cookies here tend to be a tad too biscuity (in the UK sense of that word) for my liking: too crunchy, too heavy and too thick. A proper … Continue reading →

Posted in Biscuits and small cakes, Cook at home with Peter Gordon, Peter Gordon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

From Lot-et-Garonne to N7: gratin Dauphinois gets an upgrade

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Louise

For a long, long time I was a purist about gratin Dauphinois both in terms of how I cooked it and when I ate it. As far as I was concerned, it only had six ingredients — potatoes, garlic, milk, cream, … Continue reading →

Posted in Delia Smith, Jane Grigson, Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book, One pot, Potato recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fennel…the ultimate British summer vegetable

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Louise

London 2012 may be remembered for certain sporting events, from Murray’s breakthrough to that rather big event happening down the road in a few weeks. But, right now, the thing that is most extraordinary, and depressing, about it is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Jane Grigson's Vegetable Book, Ottolenghi The Cookbook, Salad recipes, Vegetarian recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A sticky-sweet roasted chicken that will change your life

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Louise

God this is good; so good that it has jumped my list of things I want to blog about and moved into pole position and I have to share it NOW. This is one of those recipes that belongs in … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill's Everyday Asian, Chicken recipes | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

WTF do I do with…rhubarb?

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Louise

My default for rhubarb has always been crumble but, after returning from a trip to Sussex a couple of weeks ago with about a kilo of freshly-tugged stalks from my best friend’s new garden, I realised that I was going to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fruit recipes, Tender | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Nigel’s onion and cheese tart

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Louise

What is the thing you always have too much of in the fridge/house? Mine is dairy: for example I currently have Parmesan, Cheddar, Brie, and St Agur, cream cheese and Italian mascarpone and butter. Usually I have a pot of … Continue reading →

Posted in Appetite, Cheese recipes, One pot, Savoury tart recipes, Vegetarian recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Middle-of-the-week walnut and bulgur pilaf

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Louise

In the middle of the week, when I am not in the mood for faffing, I often turn to something involving couscous or rice, particularly couscous because it’s so damned fast and, with a bit of soft cheese (usually feta … Continue reading →

Posted in Arabesque, Claudia Roden, One pot, Vegetarian recipes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment