Cookery Book Club June - MN Top Bananas! And Nigella's Summer

[Pantah630]

An early thread thanks to MNHQ generosity, the first lucky few in May managed to procure a gratis copy of the new MN cookbook, Top Banana's. At first glance it's looking good. We're also cooking from the modern classic that is Nigella's Summer.

Let the sun shine and the outdoor eating begin

[glorious]

Ooh that sounds good pantah , I'll take a look. I've had fun this month, lots of easy recipes.

[Pantah630]

We've had Nigellas greekish pasta for tea, yesterday and today. It's a rather nice take on spag bol, in fact I think I prefer it. DH and DS2 made many appreciative noises.

[ScienceRocks]

Thanks Pantah. Might have accidentally bought it though

[Pantah630]

Lots of plenty recipes online science there's a link to them in the new thread. I did find some Bill Granger ones too.

[ScienceRocks]

Slightly late here, but made the MN banana bread today. Dd1 declared it better than my usual recipe, but then confessed that she always thinks that, especially if she gets to eat it straight out if the oven, as was the case today. It was easy, I'll grant you that, but not easier than the banana breakfast ring recipe I often make from Nigella's feast in a normal tin.

Not sure how I will fare with the July books as I don't have either and neither does my library

[Pantah630]

Last ditch 3 minute sponge this evening, with a tbsp cocoa substituting some flour and dark chocolate and golden syrup on top. It was a tad dense, needed a but less cocoa but tasted lovely with the obligatory custard

[madamecake]

Glad you're feeling a bit better ELR.

Made a few things from MNBT at the weekend. Firstly the banana bread, which I although I thought was a bland and dry the DC absolutely loved and wolfed it down.

We also had the inauthentic Mexican chicken which was excellent. I made double and have frozen half to be made into a Nigella style Mexican lasagne.

Lastly we had the 12 hour pulled pork. I added some liquid smoke and it was really easy and very tasty. I'd definitely use this recipe again even if using a slow cooker meant there was no crispy crackling.

Didn't cook a single thing from Forever Summer though, so might still do some recipes from that in the next couple of weeks.

[HuevosRancheros]

Started a new thread for July here

[HuevosRancheros]

Pantah, I do think the addition of basil to the watermelon and feta makes it even better.... And what do you know, the recipe is in Plenty, so you can find out next month!

Next month is tomorrow!! Will get Bill Granger from the library tomorrow and make some plans. Have already filled up most of the next fortnight's meal plan with Plenty meals, as DH will be away for most of it, so I can eat what I like

[ELR]

Great I'm loving watching bill granger on uk food network at the minute, and I loved Jerusalem. Feel another purchase coming on!!

[Pantah630]

Everyday Asian by Bill Grainger and Ottelenghi's Plenty I think we decided on. Glad to hear you're on the mend. DS2 and I just had watermelon and feta on its own for tea, just as good without any other accompaniments.

[ELR]

Thanks guys, feeling a little better but it's a slow process!
Anyway back to cooking, made the feta and watermelon salad it was good but agree the ottolenghi one is much better!
Have decided on next months books?

[Cantdothisagain]

Thanks for the tip Pantah- loving the sound of cachaca!

The cheesey leeks are nice and easy...

[Pantah630]

Hope you're feeling better elr

I sort of made the pork and apple casserole the other night but I changed so much it could hardly be called the same. Was rather tasty mind.

I not only treated myself to Persiana, want to cook nearly everything in there, but also Cabana a Brazilian cookbook. After the success of the cacacha chicken last weekend, very moist, I've been looking for more uses for the spirit. Btw Tesco have cachaca half price at a tenner this week, I bought one for DS1 as he loves caipirinhas and another for me.

[glorious]

Yes, so do I ELR

[HuevosRancheros]

Sorry to hear you've not been well, ELR, hope you're on the mend now

[ELR]

Hi all, just marking place then will read and post what I've cooked not been that this month as been unwell.

[pregnantpause]

The chicken thighs with zaatar are lovely pantah- very aromatic, dh and I ate them on the weekend with a salad- simple and delicious.

I also made nigellas gooseberry and elderflower ice cream- which she advises to eat and weep- well, it was nice , but far far too sweet for me. Perhaps my gooseberries were less tart than nigellas.

[HuevosRancheros]

I'm doing Nigella's courgette fritters today Anja and they have feta in them :)

[Pantah630]

anja we had roasted veg and chicken thighs with za'tar in oven and I added feta and olives to the pan in the final ten minutes. Delicious, I have leftovers cold for lunch today with couscous.

[Anja1Cam]

Ok,

more results from the Cam jury:

MNTB:
Toffee Popcorn: yum yum and I had no idea it was so easy (the toffee bit, we've been making plain popcorn for ever..)

Nigella:
Hasselback Potatoes (from the book after all) were great and frying them first really helped their overall appearance, much better than my previous attempts from other recipes. Put them in the top half of the oven at 200C Fan, and a fish bake in the bottom half and they came out perfect after 45 minutes.

Beetroot and Dill salad: this was great - just the grated beetroot, dill and toasted seeds, with the lemon juice (not from a bottle). Fruity and nutty, no need for other seasoning (but you might disagree). BUT do eat it soon after making, or save the mustard seeds for adding later. I had a few mouthfuls of the finished salad (quality control) and it was really really yum, dinner time a few hours later the seeds had been soaked by the lemon and were less nutty.

Hmm, what to try next - I do have some Feta in the Fridge, can anyone recommend a recipe that's not the Watermelon Salad one (I suspects I'd end up being the only one to eat it...)

I've got Plenty on order and I'll pass on the Everyday Asian, that would just be too much of a challenge in this house...

[Cantdothisagain]

Brownies again here were a hit. You have to take them out before they look ready, then they are perfect. Recipe is pretty standard and works.

Ginger turtles are also fun to make though the dough is less forgiving for teeny ones to roll than other recipes IMO.

[Cherrypi]

Ooh no it's out of stock now. The pork and apple was nice but husband missed the crackling. Toddler only ate the carrots. Nothing has beaten the emergency noodles yet.

[Pantah630]

Though it is on the book people for a fiver at the moment

[Pantah630]

The cachaca chicken was lovely and moist, went down well accompanied by feta and watermelon salad, courtesy of Plenty with Nigellas added olives and a Bulgar Wheat salad from Persiana looking through it, I want to try it all
We have strawberries with basil sugar for dessert with a dollop of Jersey cream it split the family, DS2 and I loved it, DH and DS1 thought the sugar a culinary step too far!!
cherry it's worth looking on google books to see if it's on there for free or have a look on EatMyBooks at the recipe titles, if anything takes your fancy, let us know, I'm not adverse to typing a couple of recipes out.