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Original poster

February Cookbook Club - From Delia to a Modern Way To Eat, with a little Bento on the way

159 replies

HuevosRancheros · 29/01/2015 09:57

Welcome to February's cookery book club :)

Each month we choose a couple of books and each try to cook at least two new things from either book. We then report back and share our verdict Grin

This month we have three books to choose from :) :

  • Delia Smith's Winter Collection - I'm sure lots of the recipes will be on her website here
  • A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones - some recipes here
  • Just Bento by Makiko Itoh - millions of recipes (more than in the book!) on her website here also on her sister site Just Hungry which seems to be updated more recently

Happy Cooking!

OP posts:
Silverjohnleggedit · 05/02/2015 15:52

Uptoapoint try this Jerusalem artichoke risotto If you're veggie substitute the scallops with king oyster mushrooms.
Otherwise Jerusalem artichokes make a great soup.

TwoLittleTerrors · 05/02/2015 18:59

We had the chickpea and preserved lemon stew for dinner tonight. It is really really nice. Basically a chunky tomato soup with a lemony twist due to the preserved lemon. I had 3 carrots, 110g dried chickpeas and 100g couscous for 2 adults and a 3yo. I didnt make the saffron yoghurt, but used chilli oil for DH and plain yoghurt for me. We served it with garlic bread because I'm worried DD1 won't eat it. but it's a meal on its own so you really don't need anything else.

I have leftovers for tomorrow lunch and I'm so looking forward to it. So nice to have a warm soup in this weather.

TwoLittleTerrors · 05/02/2015 18:59

It's in Anna Jones btw. I forgot to mention it.

UptoapointLordCopper · 05/02/2015 19:30

I'm ideologically opposed to risotto. Grin

(Sorry not usually fussy, but having been brought up on rice the Chinese way I cannot cope with rice puddings, rice salads, or risotto. Have no problem eating sushi though. Hmm Hmm. Perhaps should reprogramme myself.)

TwoLittleTerrors · 05/02/2015 19:36

Haha uptoapoint. I love risottos and paella. The only thing I don't like is basmati rice. It always tastes under cooked to me.

UptoapointLordCopper · 05/02/2015 19:39

DC and I also don't like basmati rice ... Grin

I like paella.

pregnantpause · 05/02/2015 20:59

Terror- I'm glad the chickpea stew is good, I'm making it this week.

I made Anna jones dhal with sweet potatoes this evening. I didn't make the coconut topping. It was delicious. I'll definitely make it again. The crispy sweet potato topping added a lovely additional texture. YumGrin

karmakameleon · 05/02/2015 22:31

I won't be doing any more cooking this month as our kitchen is being ripped out tomorrow. Not looking forward to a month of building work but hoping it will be worth it in the end!

However thought I'd let you know that MWTE was one of the featured cookbooks on eatyourbooks this week and they have links to lots of the recipes online. May be useful for those who don't have copies of the book.

Link here for anyone interested.

glorious · 07/02/2015 19:44

Huevos you can't give up eggs! What would we call you?! I had the Turkish eggs for breakfast and really liked them. Just simple stuff but I wouldn't have thought of combining eggs and yoghurt.

We also did the charred chilli salsa last night and enjoyed the smokiness.

I have planned a lot this week. From the Jones we have:

  • lemon maple granola;
  • blueberry pie porridge;
  • farro with leeks and romesco;
  • pan dressed noodles with crispy tofu.

From Delia just the spicy parsnip and apple soup for now.

pregnantpause · 07/02/2015 19:56

Mmmm- blood orange margaritas , well worth a trip to Cardiff Wink

That's a good looking week glorious.

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 07/02/2015 20:40

Grin glorious at not being Huevos any more ... QuinoaFlakesWithOatMilk just doesn't sound as appetising, does it? :(
I plan on cutting out all dairy and then hopefully getting a couple of chickens so I can have "guilt-free" eggs :)

I did the Turkish eggs for lunch the other day, I added kale to pad it out a bit. I'm sure it was authentic, it sounded it, but I didn't like the mint in there with the eggs. But otherwise, very good, I would do it again :)

Yesterday morning I had the sesame and date smoothie. It was very nice, I could certainly make it a regular breakfast option, but despite the name I couldn't taste either sesame or date!! The overriding flavour was persimmon.

OP posts:
TwoLittleTerrors · 08/02/2015 15:21

DH made the banana pecan and blueberry pancakes for breakfast today and I'm afraid it's a flop. DH couldn't flip the pancakes as they don't set like floured ones. So the whole batch went into the oven in mini muffin tray. (Like BLW porridge fingers). They set ok in the muffin tray but taste quite bland. I assume it's because we now have a much larger volume to surface ratio. So not enough syrup to coat the 'muffin'. I don't think we will make this again.

WellHurrahAndHuzzah · 08/02/2015 22:15

Ooooh I've just found this thread and am currently loving A Modern Way to Eat.

The Mushroom and Parsnip Rosti Pie and the Fennel anytime 'Pizza' with a cauliflower base have both worked well.

Am hoping to have the Avocado and Lemon Spaghetti for dinner tomorrow to inject a bit of the taste of summer back into our lives. I'll let you know how I get on!

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/02/2015 13:07

Well, this is getting interesting, isn't it?
One thumbs up for the blueberry banana pancakes, one thumbs down.
And the same for the cauliflower pizza.
Not very consistent... Except for the dhal, everyone seems to love that :)

I did the kale chips to accompany my left over fried rice and I'm afraid it was a thumbs down from me. I chose the sesame miso dressing. All I could taste was lime :(. It was so unpleasant I didn't finish them! I had never thought to add flavourings, I usually just do olive oil and salt, and was quite excited about the miso sesame combo. I think I would try it again, but leave out the lime and maple, and also would toast the sesame seeds first.

OP posts:
Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/02/2015 13:49

Sorry, that was very rude of me Blush - welcome Huzzah :)

OP posts:
glorious · 09/02/2015 19:17

Welcome hurrah.

Interesting about the mixed results. I fancied those pancakes but unsure now.

I made the lemon maple granola last night I over cooked it which was probably my fault rather than the recipe but because there's not much sugar and no fat it didn't clump up like I was expecting. The lemon maple flavour is lovely, which surprised me as I couldn't imagine the combination. It's quite virtuous really and I'd do it again not least to use up the flaked quinoa which is pricey

I also did the blueberry pie porridge. I can't quite decide whether I like the amaranth. It's very worthy tasting but the crunch is nice. The blueberry topping is good. I'd make that with normal porridge.

Also did Delia parsnip and apple soup but it's as yet untasted.

Fuchsia Dunlop feast tonight Smile

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 09/02/2015 19:39

Ooh, jealous of your Fuschia feast, we are having one on Saturday Grin

I am the same with the pancakes, I was all excited after the good review and have bought blueberries especially. Dithering now....

Thinking of doing the lemony dhal soup with kale tomorrow.

OP posts:
TwoLittleTerrors · 09/02/2015 20:36

Interesting I also have the granola and the lemony dhal soup planned.

pregnantpause · 09/02/2015 21:39

Not pushing the boat out , but we had Anna jones potato, onion and tomato bake. It included everything I had in the house and got rid of a particularly pathetic bunch of basil. It was very nice though the beans dried up in the oven which- to me, wasn't particularly nice- dh loved it though. The basil was lovely with the bursting toms and crispy potatoes and onions, I will make it again ( I won't follow the recipe though, just chuck the ingredients together and cook) but without the beans as I don't think it needs it.

Cantdothisagain · 09/02/2015 22:13

I made the paprika swede wedges from Anna Jones tonight - they were nice and I would make them again. They took longer to crisp up than the recipe suggested but that may have been because I was opening the oven door on and off as was roasting meat at the same time (if that doesn't sound too terrible when trying out a veggie book recipe!).

pregnantpause · 10/02/2015 07:20

Cant don't feel bad- we had ham with our potatoes and beans. Shock I think it's fine , particularly with the more 'side' like dishes

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 10/02/2015 09:43

I know it's sacrilegious to say this, but Anna Jones is starting to annoy me a bit Grin Wink
I've just looked at the tomato, potato and onion bake that pregnant made. Why do you have to "tumble" the onions onto a roasting tray? Why not just "put" them there? There is a lot of tumbling in the book and I don't like it Grin

Also, as one who claims to like to eat veg in season, she is a bit mixed up. In the bake mentioned above, she says it is great to use up end of season tomatoes. Well, I'm sure that's true, but new potatoes wouldn't be in season then. And it took me ages to work out what didn't sit right with the warm salad of roasted kale, coconut and tomatoes - it intrigued me as I've had kale with coconut but never would have thought of adding tomatoes. And then I realised - my kale is just coming to an end now, definitely a winter veg, the complete opposite of tomatoes.

Rant over Blush

(I do still like the book and am looking forward to trying more recipes :))

OP posts:
pregnantpause · 10/02/2015 09:49

Huevos- you're so right about the over the top tumbling and drizzling and I'm sure I came across a cascadingShock!

But I am enjoying it Wink

Original poster
HuevosRancheros · 10/02/2015 12:27

Not quite convinced about the lemony dhal. It was nice enough, but didn't quite work imo.

  1. There was no garlic! How can you have a dhal with no garlic?! I would add ground coriander too, that was missing.
  2. Whilst the lemony-ness worked with the kale, I didn't feel that crispy kale, which always reminds me of "Chinese crispy seaweed", worked with the curry flavours. But maybe that's just my preconceptions.

I have one portion left, and I will eat it, maybe adding some garlic.
In future I would make a similar soupy dhal with added garlic and coriander, and omit the kale.

OP posts:
Pantah630 · 10/02/2015 13:17

Not made any AJ yet but I did make the potatoes, mushroom and eggs from Feb Good Food last night. Like a pan haggerty without the ham, I did add red onion to the mix and lots of seasoning but it was very filling and tasty.

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