Cookery Book Club May - French Brasserie and Delia's Summer Collection

[Pantah630]

Do you know I think it's been a year since we began our Cook Book Club. Feel free to join in, the more the merrier.

This month we have the French Brasserie cookbook, currently only £4.12 on kindle and Delia's Summer Collection, I've had this for years yet rarely cooked from it.

[Pantah630]

I'm ok, have one coming from MN already, thank you for thinking of me excited to get MN pm's

[ScienceRocks]

May I join and get a copy of the MN cookbook for next month? I'm a regular, I promise, I just haven't joined this thread as I don't have the books. Hopefully pantah, glorious, huevos and others can vouch for me...

[HuevosRancheros]

Science? Science who?

[ScienceRocks]

Huevos! I'm still working through those chipotle chillies you sent me, you know. I chop them into all kinds of things - casseroles, jacket potato toppings - and it's much easier than making the chipotles en adobe. I can highly recommend it.

[glorious]

Oh that's ok then pantah (and didn't mean to ask twice)

science I'm still using up chipotles sent to me my maniacbug, haven't seen her for a bit (unless she name changed and I forgot...). One of the great things about this thread.

[Pantah630]

science you were on the list of prolific cook book club posters in secret MN pm's

[Pantah630]

glorious sciencerocks and madamecake CatherineHMumsnet that's the last three

[HuevosRancheros]

Science I've just moved house with a massive bag of chipotle chillies!!!! Just before we moved I finished up my last jar of chipotle en adobo, and I was so addicted to it I know I'm going to have to make some more soon :)
That and some chilli oil from EGOR, run out of that too, and really missing it....

[ScienceRocks]

Pantah, I'm touched and slightly freaked out

Huevos, chipotles probably were my culinary discovery of 2013

[Pantah630]

science no need to be freaked out at all mwahaha

Back to this month, have just popped next door to the butchers to order some rump steak for this evening. Decide to have the minute steaks with herb and lemon butter, asparagus with parsley vinaigrette (strangely lured by chopped hard boiled egg in vinaigrette) and either sautéed pots with parsley and garlic or fondant potatoes (never cooked these) as a side. I'm erring on the side of the fondant potatoes, if only to see what all the masterchef fuss is about. All from French Brasserie.

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Pantah that all sounds delicious.

I have just completed next week's meal plan and we will be having salmon steaks with avovado creme fraiche, chicken basque and the veg lagagne. Possibly the orange and rhubarb pie if I can be arsed too.

Will study the French Brasserie in detail this weekend.

Thinking in advance, shall we do Delia's winter collection later this year?

[Pantah630]

Ooh yes, I've got her winter collection on VHS :)

Let us know how the salmon is, I've still got some steaks left in the freezer and fall back on the ginger recipe from HB Dieters as it's so delicious, update, even better using the correct ginger. I'd used fresh originally and added honey and sugar to sweeten.

[HuevosRancheros]

I think I already know the answer to this, but is there much stand alone (i.e. not a side dish) veggie food in French Brasserie?
I am getting tempted......

[LeonardoAcropolis]

Yes, there is a veggie chapter with 12 dishes, plus a side dish chapter . The Starters chapter also has quite a few veggie dishes too.

[Pantah630]

Not really, there aren't many recipes at all if I'm honest. According to EatMyBooks there are 115 recipes, including stocks, sauces, soups, pastry, etc and proper meals/desserts.

Just had a quick look 11 vegetarian dishes plus extra side dishes.
Tomato tart with goats cheese
Roquefort, Broccoli and Onion Quiche
mushroom and Herb omelette
crepes with Mushrooms and tarragon
Wild mushroom risotto
Artichoke and Red Pepper gratin with goats cheese
Artichoke, onion and thyme tart
Provençal vegetable gratin (sounds lovely)
Ratatouille Provençal
Lime risotto
Veg and chickpea couscous

If you don't like cheese and mushrooms not a lot of choice for vegetarians. BUT I think these recipes are giving a guide and you can substitute veg with what you have but have an idea how to do the classic recipe as a starting point iykwim.

Can you tell it's raining, and none of our customers want to play on their bikes today? :)

[pregnantpause]

I don't think it's worth it for a veggie sorry huevos. It's very neat focused IMO

[HuevosRancheros]

Thank you both, esp Pantah for listing the recipes!
I'll be honest, not that grabbed by any of that, which is no real surprise.... think I will disobey DH tomorrow and start unpacking my cookbooks despite having nowhere to put them, and have a leaf through Delia.

I inherited the books from my parents, though we all cooked from them when they came out - will be good to look at them with fresh eyes :) And get nostalgic and sentimental over my mum's scribbled comments

[glorious]

Don't forget the puddings, lots of those But agree not worth buying for a veggie. Will list those if I get a chance later and happy to type something up for you.

[Pantah630]

Steak very nice, asparagus good but I prefer mine hot not dunked in chilled water, dressing very good I put it all on top of a green salad and the fondant potatoes? Let's say, I now know what all the fuss is about will be making them again. I do feel though, as with a lot of classic recipes, there's too much oil and butter used, I use it but nowhere near as much in my usual cooking. I followed these to the letter, apart from no tarragon and substituting coriander in the dressing, and using a duck egg (MiL's eggs and free!) and did find the sheer amount of butter distressing. Most of the lemon herb butter is in the freezer for future steaks.

[Pantah630]

Not enough cream in to do the chocolate pud, I'll have ago another day.

[spiderbabymum]

Has anyone heard from mumsnet yet......in other words ....do I really get a book ...and how ?

[Pantah630]

Check your MN inbox, should have had a request for your address I'd think. Though we aren't cooking from them officially till June so no rush.

[spiderbabymum]

Thanks for the reply


Nope nothing in my inbox

[ScienceRocks]

No mn message here either. Pantah, were the fondants really that good? also watches masterchef

[madamecake]

I love fondant potatoes too, though not as much as dh, he insists I make extra so he can eat them as snacks.

Despite it being grey and damp here I'm going to cook from Delia's Summer this weekend, thinking chicken basque with mini focaccia, followed by with the bitter chocolate mousse or the coffee creme caramel from French Brasserie.