Good Cookbook for novice cook?

[TaiTai]

Hi

My brother, who is about to turn 30, hardly ever cooks. When he was round mine last night he was interested in the meal I was making (inspired from a couple of recipes) and asked for a recommendation for a good cookbook. I thought I'd buy him a cookbook as a present. I'm a reasonably good cook and tend to use a lot different recipes and adapt stuff from lots of books, so I don't really have a favourite and can't think of one that would do someone who until last night didn't even know how to chop herbs, except perhaps Jamie Oliver. Delia is reliable, but I'm looking for something reasonably funky. I have one book by Jamie Oliver and although I find him very irritating as a person I think the book's really good, reliable and easy to follow and I like his passion for food. I would love to know of any books anyone recommends for the beginner chef, particularly one where there are either a lot of veggie recipes (my brother's live-in girlfriend is a vegetarian, but my brother is not) or the recipes can easily be adapted for one.

Many thanks!

Nigella, How to Eat I think. Or Jamie is very good for Blokes, they seem to like him.

Thanks, WWW. Any Jamie book in particular? I have Nigella's Summer book and I love the way she writes. I do find though in that book that she uses a lot of expensive and hard-to-find ingredients. I assume How to Eat will probably be more basic?

How to eat is a LOT more basic, lots of basic instructions. reveiws and stuff \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0701169117/qid=1143049796/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_2_1/203-1393001-1031936\here}. I have a couple of Jamie Oliver books, I think Return of the naked chef is good, I expect the naked chef is too but I haven't got that one.

Honestly, go and flick through it in a shop, you'll see what I mean. Summer book is v poncey (to use a Cod word) compared to How to Eat.

Any Nigel Slater book but particularly 'Real Fast Food'

Oh yes, real fast food is also v good.

Oh yes, real fast food is also v good.

Thanks, guys. I've had a look at reviews for "Real Fast Food" and it sounds perfect, particularly as one reviewer said that the recipies are for 1-2 people. I will check it out in a bookshop and probably get it. How to Eat also sounds really good, and I might get that for myself.

The Good Housekeeping step by step \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-3883943-7498046\books} are good for a novice as they show a photo of each step and explain every technique. They have a vegetarian one as well. The recipes are quite tasty but not hugely adventurous. It's one that I used a lot when I first left home.

I don't know why that link doesn't work, but \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0091851645/qid=1143055070/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/026-3883943-7498046\here} is the vegetarian book.

i swear by \link{http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=sr&page=title&r=BOOK&title=435371\this book} says students but i am a non cook and its got ordinary things in like lamb casserole and how to cook beef and churries and chilli and even spag bol!!! Its on ly a fiver too. I find other cookbooks full of things i have never even heard of or don't even like.

Thank you, all! They all sound good. I'm going to a bookshop tomorrow so I'll have a look and take my pick. As one or two of the ones suggested are cheap, I might get my brother a couple.