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Food/Recipes

Cookery Book Club February - Claudia Roden and Rachel Allen

59 replies

Pantah630 · 29/01/2014 10:54

Welcome to February, Spring is on it's way but it's still cold or wet enough for hearty stews and one pots. This month is a no Cookbook buying month for me anyway so we have any Claudia Roden and Rachel Allen books you can lay your hands on. CR should be readily available in libraries and I found some of her recipes with a quick google search. Likewise Rachel Allen, she is a regular in the Good Food channel so they have lots of her recipes on their website. I'll put some links up in a bit. Happy cooking folks.

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Pantah630 · 29/01/2014 10:58

CR recipes here

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Pantah630 · 29/01/2014 11:00

RA recipes here there are plenty more if you google. I have a few of her books so can try and scan in if anyone wants one in particular.

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HuevosRancheros · 29/01/2014 11:39

I'm in, and promise to try something this month!
Claudia look promising for a veggie, haven't looked at Rachel yet, thanks for the links :)

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IpanemaMeisje · 29/01/2014 11:59

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Pantah630 · 29/01/2014 12:15

Of course you can. Whereabouts in South America are you, hopefully most foods available nearby or online. I imagine you have better access to fresh fruit and veg than us, just different ones :)

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Pantah630 · 29/01/2014 12:16

Huevos I've not looked in my RA books yet, will have a gander tonight and see if anything good in there. Though one if them is a baking one :)

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glorious · 29/01/2014 12:44

Thanks pantah , and for the links to save me from myself!

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pregnantpause · 29/01/2014 12:54

Thanks for the new thread pantah.
I have Rachel Allens everyday, and have made the quick chicken casserole, it's very orange, but absolutely delicious. I'm a real fan of this book it so family based and I want to cook a lot from it. I've got a few more recipes from last months books to do, but come February I'm planning on making the chorizo dough balls, the risotto and arancini at least

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madamecake · 01/02/2014 18:29

Thanks for the new thread and the links pantah.

I'm making my first recipes from RA tonight, spicy lamb pittas and fattoush salad. I think they're both from Easy but the recipes are on the link pantah posted. Will post later on to let know how they go.

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Cantdothisagain · 01/02/2014 18:40

RA enchiladas tonight here. Have made them before - they are probably highly inauthentic but they are good and comforting in the current weather... Liking the look of her fish gratin too - book is v family friendly with v accessible ingredients which is good.

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madamecake · 02/02/2014 19:43

Well the spicy lamb pittas were lovely, not spicy enough for my taste but I just added some chilli powder. Really easy to do and didn't need any special ingredients, I think they will become a regular in our house.

The fattoush was also good, although I prefer my dressing slightly more acidic.

Have been on a roll and also made RA's orange sour cream cake this afternoon. Perfect cake to go with a cup of tea, very buttery tasting and not too sweet.

I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying Rachel Allen's recipes, but they seem very family friendly and straightforward. I've requested her Everyday book from the library so hope it comes in soon.

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ELR · 04/02/2014 16:19

Marking place, thanks for thread pantah xx

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pregnantpause · 05/02/2014 17:21

I'm making Rachel Allen everyday perfect mash potato tonight. I'm sceptical, but then, before we did river cafe I thought James Martins was the best mash, I've since switched to the river cafe olive oil mash (sounds odd- it's beautiful) so I'm clearly somewhat whorish in the ways of mash, so maybe this will be my new mash

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glorious · 05/02/2014 20:16

Right from RA I'm going to do cheesy chorizo dough balls and leek and fennel roast chicken. Cakes look fun but I'm egg free atm as DD is allergic.

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pregnantpause · 05/02/2014 20:49

Mash is very nice- not perfect though. Dough balls tomorrow

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ELR · 05/02/2014 22:39

So today from Rachel Allen I made the butternut and leek grata nit was delicious. I didn't bother to layer it and just did it in an oven dish. Gonna check out those dough balls they sound delish!

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pregnantpause · 07/02/2014 09:33

Didn't get round to the dough balls yesterday- too many sick children for dough. But I made Rachel Allen everyday lentil soup- it is absolutely delicious, gorgeously buttery (with no butter) warm and comforting. I felt silly following a lentil soup recipe, as it's so often a chuck it in and make in a rush dinner here that I thought I had lentil soup down- I didn't, this will now be my go to lentil soup for the family.

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HuevosRancheros · 07/02/2014 10:47

OK pregnant, you've convinced me :)
I'm exactly the same, didn't see the point in following a lentil soup recipe, but it was one of the few things that tempted me, I'm not really in a cake mood atm.
Will give it a go :)

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Pantah630 · 07/02/2014 11:49

Bookmarking the soup and leek gratin. Keep the recommendations coming please. Not sure how much cooking I'll get done this month. dS2 off skiing with school in half term and lots on in the evenings beforehand. I don't know if I can bring myself to bother cooking when he's not here, on the other hand DH may be in for a treat and I start cooking intimate dinners for two

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pregnantpause · 07/02/2014 19:03

My DC loved the soup.

I did RA everday chicken with wine, leeks and carrots this evening. it too was very very nice, easy, family based comfort food. The chicken was lovely and moist infused with the garlic and thyme, and the leeks took on a very sweet savoury taste baked in the wine. Another hit with the family (though dd1 asked for 'the warm taste soup' which I thought was a lovely description of the lentil soup.) This book is turning out to be a favourite- it's none too exciting but so so family based it's great IMO

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Cantdothisagain · 07/02/2014 22:47

I agree that this is a very family friendly book. The double choc chip cookies went down a treat with the kids today.

Steak fajitas were good too - maybe not Thomasina level, but good easy everyday food.

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HuevosRancheros · 09/02/2014 12:34

Claudia Roden on Radio 4 food programme right now :)

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glorious · 11/02/2014 12:41

Cool must listen to the podcast

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mimolette · 11/02/2014 21:52

ELR, can you please share the leek and butternut gratin recipe? Can't find it online and it sounds like a perfect match for the current contents of my vegetable drawer! (No need for full recipe, necessarily, just the gist and what she uses as sauce.)

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madamecake · 12/02/2014 10:51

Made the chorizo dough balls on Monday to serve with soup. They were great, and the recipe made lots so I've now got a bag in the freezer for another day. Dd wasn't keen but she's not a fan of chorizo.

However, the absolutely best thing I've made in ages is the banana blondie recipe from Easy. They were divine and only lasted a couple of days before we had eaten them all. The almond praline that goes in them really gave them a toffee flavour.

I'm planning on making the Thai pork noodle soup tonight, followed by the apple butterscotch pudding. I'm very tempted to buy RA everyday kitchen, will have to look out for a cheap copy.

Not made any Claudia Roden recipes yet, but I like the sound of her chicken tagine with lemons and green olives from arabesque.