Full Moon Morning - Cookery Book List
The post with a cookery book round-up. My Sunday thoughts, and an evening dinner, Hot Pot.
Welcome to the one with a bit of cookery book round-up, my Sunday Morning meandering and the list:
Meandering
Early morning and the light is just creeping across the roof tops. The earth at an angle that gives the pleasure of catching the moon. Part of my ritual to stair out the kitchen window whilst the coffee pot reaches velocity. Seven or so geese fly over in formation. I don't have my camera to hand and no doubt I'd have just caught a group of black dots mid formation. I marvel at both the moon and the geese. There is a real nip in the air this morning, I wonder about checking the radiators.
The geese take me back to a summer camping trip near Annecy where the microlight would fly over with a set of geese in formation. Imagine that being your day job? Everyday to fly over the lake with your buddies. Although I'm sure at this time of year it is even colder than the snap we have here.
The coffee felt slow this morning as it reached boiling point transporting itself to the top chamber with a smell that is uplifting. I can't quite see my breath, however the steam seams more pronounced as I wrap my fingers around the mug and start to ponder the free time in the kitchen that I have.
Both boys in for dinner this evening, a rarity in itself. I soaked the beans last night and the boss got some mince out the freezer thinking it was a pack of sausages, I'll just need to be a creative.
I bought a bunch of root veggies from the farmers market yesterday with nothing particular in mind except making sure I had stuff I could throw together over the next few days.
Sunday dinner.....a hotpot of sorts with cabbage, kale and sautéed parsnips. Followed by a plum crumble.
Hot Pot
A recipe of sorts, more a process, a list of ingredients for completeness and the steps that I followed. The cooked mince, a bolognese will give you plenty for another meal for the week ahead. In this instance 3 extra portions for the boy at college.
An Onion
Kale, stalks removed and diced, leaves saved for later
500g mince
Mushrooms a handful, chopped
A carrrot or two, peeled and diced
Glass of red wine (optional)
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Beans - tinned are fine, or 200g dried weight soaked overnight and then cooked
A tablespoon of mixed herbs
Potatoes, 4 or so
200ml milk
100ml full fat cream
Method
If not using tinned beans, now’s the time to cook them to your chosen method. I’ve just bought an Instapot, so giving that a try where I can.
Place the beans in the Instapot and cover with 300ml or so of cold water. Full pressure for 2 mins and then natural release.
Whilst the beans are cooking, Using a large stock pan soften the onions and kale stalks in a little olive oil.
Add the mince and using a wooden spoon break the mince down until it’s browned through.
Add the carrots and mushrooms, stir through for a minute or so then add the wine if using.
Add the beans, my timing at this point is approx 30 mins, so the instapot should be easy to open at this point if using.
Add the tomatoes, and mixed herbs and stir through. Simmer for an hour or so
Potatoes needed cleaning in this instance, and I chose not to peel, then sliced as thin as possible Duaphinoise style.
Layer the potatoes on top of an inch layer of the cooked mince and then carefully pour the milk and cream over the top, and sprinkle over a few mixed herbs.
Cover with tin foil and place in the oven at 180C/350F for an hour, taking the foil off at about 40 minutes. With 20 minutes for browning. Use a fork to check if the potatoes are soft.
Ten minutes towards the end steam/saute the kale leaves to serve alongside
November 2024 Cookbook list
In my last post I gave a list of books I’m working through, some fiction and some non-fiction and I promised to share my whats on my Christmas book list, which really caters for the foodie in me!
The Complete Book of French Cooking: Classic Recipes and Techniques - Vincent Boué, Hubert Delorme
Inspired by my September road trip I was keen to take a memento. Taken me until now to find a translated version that looks like my kind of self-paced course and a new year project.
A comprehensive guide to mastering classic French culinary techniques and recipes
Bedside Companion for Food Lovers - Jane McMorland
Who doesn't like a bedside companion?
Described as a literary feast for food lovers
Between Two Waters by Pam Brunton
An exploration of Scottish culinary heritage and the modern food system.
The book is part memoir, part manifesto and critique of the food industry.
The importance of sustainability.
Nights Out at Home by Jay Rayner
His writing in the Guardian is the one I jump to most. So really looking forward to this.
A few recipes inspired by his culinary experiences with associated stories with warmth and wit.
So the above made the Christmas list, but what about the rest?…..My favourite department in the bookstore, I could get lost there……
If my bookshelf wasn’t already creaking under the weight of my current collection, I’d find myself adding even more to my dream library. There’s something magical about standing in front of a well-stocked bookstore shelf, the kind that’s brimming with potential, each book quietly whispering, Take me home. The hardest part is making the decision: which ones will make the cut?
If I could indulge completely, my library would grow in three new directions:
Eating healthier, with the body in mind... Because eating well isn’t about deprivation but discovery—learning to savour food that loves you back.
Baking, the yin to the above yang... Because what’s life without balance and what would we do without a good birthday cake? There’s comfort in the alchemy of baking.
Aspiring chef... For the dreamer in me, the one who wants to elevate home cooking into something with a touch more artistry, drawing inspiration from those who have mastered the craft.
Section 1: Healthier eating....without the deprivation:
Vegetables - Marc Diacono
Just fantastic recipes in sections that include soups, rice & grains, pies & tarts, Curries & Stews
The perfect adjunct to Michael Pollans seven word food manifesto "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants."
His substack is just as wonderful
The Food for Life Cookbook - Tim Spector
It's the practical guide to the best-selling book Food for Life
Recipes to support gut health by including plant diversity in a practical way
30 Plants Cookbook - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Get your checkboxes ready and count up how many plants you can eat in a week!
The premise is that embracing plant diversity is not only beneficial but also delicious and accessible
With the goal of improving health and energy and boosting the gut microbiome
Section 2: Baking books:
Sift - Nicola Lamb (Substack Link)
From the awesome Substack, Kitchen projects, written in two parts.
The science, this is the section to geek out on baking techniques
The practical, recipes to put all that knowledge into place
New Scottish Baking - Sue Lawrence
A beautiful baking book that conjures up baking for the family
Traditional recipes with a makeover and the obvious Scottish Twist
Section 3: The Chef book
The Changing Tides - Roberta Hall McCarron
From a well-known chef in Edinburgh, bringing seasonal home cooking to life through a chef's eyes
Skills and Seasonal dinner party menus included
Section 4: The Bonus Section
These are (some of) the books I'm still reading, a year on:
The Secret of Cooking by Bee Wilson
A culinary guide aimed at simplifying cooking and making it more enjoyable, a look behind the curtain so to speak.
Practical tips and strategies to help cook more efficiently
More than a recipe book, a guide to making cooking easier and more pleasurable
The secret to good cooking is essentially the person doing the cooking and they need to be looked after.
A Cook's Book by Nigel Slater
This feels like the friend one should always have, one that you can go to and always come back with a feeling of being comforted and capable as a cook.
Feels like a greatest-hits version of his diaries without the seasonality.
Over 200 recipes with the memories to go with it.
The Modern Cook's Year by Anna Jones
Vegetarian recipes that are designed to guide one through the year.
The book is divided into six seasons (Start of the Year, First Warm Days of Spring, Herald of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) which really appeals to the way my head works in breaking the year down.
The ethos I hope to share here is simple: the foundation of good health lies in eating proper, home-cooked food. Pulling this list together has not only inspired me but also nudged me toward a bit of accountability—there’s magic in these pages, and working through them feels like a commitment to learning, experimenting, and embracing alchemy in the kitchen. As I look ahead, I’m excited to delve deeper into cooking challenges, expanding my skills, and exploring the intersection of eating well for the mind, body, and planet. The more I read, the clearer it becomes that sustainability, plant diversity, and seasonal eating aren’t just trends; they’re essential for building a healthier, more connected relationship with food. These books represent my journey in this space—and maybe they’ll inspire yours too. You can get to a clickable list of the books at the Bookshop.org
Pam Brunton sounds interesting. I love a good memoire/manifesto/critique of the industry - in this case food! I found Sue Lawrence Scottish Baking at the library. I'll start with her original and make my way to 'the New' later! :-)
I was just enjoying a read and your excellent choices of book and then saw mine! Thank you, what a fine way to end to a long early train journey