Nigella Express - any good?

[BadBuddha]

Just caught a couple of old episodes of Nigella Express whilst ironing and really liked the look of some of her recipes.

I've been looking for some fresh ideas so thought I'd get the book - reviews on Amazon are pretty good - would anyone recommend it?

Thanks in advance

Yes, it's great. It's the nigella book I use the most, and I have them all.

It's okay but not brilliant. I cook the blackberry crisp a lot but nothing much else. Depends how much it is - fine for a fiver but not worth 15 squid for example.

I'm extra fussy because I'm veggie though, so a lot of it is just no use to me.

No, the only recipe I ever use from there is the marshmallow crispy squares.
All the other things I've tried from there are merely ok.

River Cottage Everyday/Veg Everyday all the way OP, if you're looking for something with tasty and easy recipes.

Thanks for the replies - can see it might not be ideal for vegetarians Very pleased to see one resounding 'yes' though - my finger is poised above 'one click buy' on Amazon but not yet.....not yet

I would recommend it. It's very good. The cheesecake is good, the chicken cacciatore is good ans there's lots of shortcuts that won't taste like shortcuts. I have it and I recommend it.

Yey - another 'for'... Thanks YOS - can't bring myself to call you by your full name - is that rude of me?

I've got Veg Everyday too and really don't like it much. It's been a huge disappointment.

I don't like it at all and I am usually a huge nigella fan.

Kitchen is brilliant though for reliable tasty dishes. How to Eat and Domestic are excellent but you need more time to cook most of the dishes.

tee hee, not at all, feel free to call me an old slag. I'm not an old slag in real life, so you can call me what you like on here!

What's not to like about it ScienceRocks? All comments much appreciated...

I've got 'How to Eat' and like it a lot, but not really looked at 'Kitchen'. Off to have a look at that on Amazon now

I cook the chicken cacciatore is one of my everyday recipes, the instant chocolate mousse works really well, blackberry crisp is good, also like buttermilk roast chicken, coq au riesling, maple chicken and ribs, chocolate pear pudding (and the accompanying instant chocolate sauce), and the goats cheese salad made with 'moonblush' tomatoes. Also, I have done the cocktail sausages and potato cakes for canapes at parties and the chocolate pistachio fudge is a regular to give at Christmas.

Having said all that, that is pretty much all I make from it. I now tend to borrow cookbooks from the library, cook from them for a couple of weeks and decide if I love them enough to buy them. I don't have room for cookbooks I don't use a lot.

Also, I think I like Kitchen and Feast just that bit more.

Thanks Lady - I'm now edging towards buying Express and putting Kitchen and Feast on my Christmas list. Mind you, I wonder if my library has Express? Hmmmm, now you've got me thinking...

Woo hoo - it does - and just reserved it online . Thanks everyone, I'm one happy bunny.

Yes, I like it and have a few stadnbys that I cook again and again - salmon with mirin thing, noodle soup, pineapple upside down cake (super quick pud that everyone loves) rocky road, breakfast bars. A lot of the recipes don't appeal to me at all but the ones that do are quick and work well.

Love Feast - it's worth it for the chocolate Guinness cake alone! The veggie chilli is pretty good (but I've now perfected a much better one) and I keep meaning to make the Georgian pepper stuff with melon - has anybody made that?

Thanks Birdy - I'm looking forward to giving some new recipes a try!

I made a few things from Express and found them really bland. The mango and chicken curry springs to mind, and the steak and white bean mash. The only things I make regularly from it are the sandwich slaw and the baked eggs. Whereas from Kitchen, I make the brownies, teriyaki chicken, Greek chicken, salmon with hot and sour sauce, banana and chocolate muffins, flourless chocolate cake with margarita cream, Mexican lasagne and many many more (this is all off the top of my head).

I agree that Feast is very good too. And as I've already said, Domestic Goddess and How To Eat are also favourites. But I find her a bit hit and miss, so Summer and Bites didn't find favour with me and I gave them away.

I also agree that the library is a great way if trying new books. I do this a lot now. Amazing what sounds good then turns out to be disappointing, or looks so so but turns out to be indispensable.

I'm a cooking geek, could prattle on for hours about cookery books

Didn't like Summer apart from the watermelon and feta salad, which is gorgeous.