If you could keep only 1 cook book...

[2000lightyearsaway123]

What would it be?

I would like some new recipe ideas for day to day dinners. On the healthier side. And I love a cook book so want to treat myself with a new one .

Hit me with your favorites!

I've got about 80, plus 100's of print-outs from WWW , so really difficult to pick out one book
I always cook lots from my latest purchase, then move on when I buy another.
I love Ottolenghi "Simple", but I think my real faves must be The Hairy Bikers/Dieters.
They're down-to-earth, & cover a large range of cuisines. Recipes are easy to follow, & I've never had a failure from those that I have tried.

The "Dieters" books are certainly healthy.

Two of Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstal’s (sp?): ‘Veg Everyday’ and ‘Three Good Things on a Plate’.

@handbagsatdawn33 I'm very jealous of your cookbook collection! I do get recipes online but I find I'm more likely to open a book and make something from there. I actually have both the hairy dieters books and love them. I have pulled them out again to have a wee look!

@MazDazzle I really enjoy Hugh's programmes! But I don't have any of his books. I may have to have a look!

Oh gosh, that's some question! I have dozens of cookbooks, choosing one is hard, but I think it would have to be one of Delia's. Either the Complete Cookery Course or the Complete How to Cook. Actually, probably How to Cook as I've had the other one for 35 years, learned to cook from it, and I reckon I've memorised most of my favourite recipes from it at this stage.

I have loads but I love Nigella's first one How To Eat as you can read it like a novel too.
Also my new one Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger is fab

Good Housekeeping

I used to collect cookbooks and still have several hundred even after getting rid of a lot. I'm an instinctive cook though and rarely follow recipes. If I had to choose one it'd probably be Be-Ro.

Love Jamie and Bero and my two fat ladies.

But if I had to pick? La Cucina. With my scribbled notes in it and tips from people I met when I stayed in Italy.

I’d cry if I lost it.

Ou est le garlic? by Len Deighton

I have around 300 so that's a big ask.
For you though, on the healthier side I'd choose Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's Veg everyday.
Loads of great veggie recipes, very varied and you could easily add meat/fish to many.

Everyday Superfood by Jamie Oliver - or his Superfood Family Classics

Farmhouse kitchen vol 2 - clear proportions for everything from stews and casseroles to scones and meringues.

I also have far too many cookery books! I love them all and enjoy cooking from most of them.

Only one and I would have to choose my Complete cookery course by Delia. This book has certainly stood the test of time, I still use it often after nearly 40 years.

Martha Stewart Living Cookbook.
It has all of the best recipes from her Martha Stewart living magazine over the years. It's great. I love all her recipes because it's good solid recipes without random obscure ingredients that you can't find.

My most used are HFW Much More Veg, Leon Naturally Fast Food, The Quick Roasting Tin, Madhur Jaffrey Quick and Easy Indian Cooking, Nigella Domestic Goddess and Delia Complete Cookery Course. If I really really have to choose just one I think it would be the Leon book because it has a good variety of different types of food.

This one www.amazon.co.uk/Full-Plenty-Maura-Laverty/dp/1856356345/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&s=books&keywords=full+and+plenty&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1589010064&sr=1-1

It's from the post war period and Irish Country House style but oh, the stories of love, shown in cooking and food, that introduce each chapter are hugely heartwarming.

I inherited my copy and consider it one of my treasures.

@2000lightyearsaway123
The HD have published 5 or 6 in the series, might be worth having a look at some of the others.

I know we can't do it at the moment, but I like to borrow a book from the library or skip through it in a bookshop before I decide to buy it.

Cookery books are like crack for me. I have far too many to count but I have a few which I could not be without and regularly use:

All of Rick Stein's books
Nigel Slater's Eat
Sabrina Ghayour's Persiana and Feasts

Larousse Gastronomique is wonderful too for learning techniques and great for more classic stuff.

I also have a subscription for Olive magazine which comes each month and is packed with seasonal recipes, healthier mid week recipes and is generally drool-inducing!

Leith’s Simple Cookery. A big bible of a book, it has a huge number of recipes - covers all the basics and many ideas for everyday meals, but also lots of interesting and special recipes too.

1? it would have to be Leiths Cookery Bible BUT my Australian Womans Weekly Biscuits and Slices book is probably more heavily used.

Loads of great suggestions guys. So many to choose from lol.

@handbagsatdawn33 I had no idea there were that many HD ones. I think I have the first 2. Also great idea about the library when we are able to do that again.

I would chose Meera Sodha's Fresh India. Every recipe of hers I have tried has worked beautifully and there is such a huge variety of food in there.

Pol Martin, Easy Cooking For Today.
A photo with each recipe, including nutritional info!
His books are cheap as out of print, but easily found online.

Made in India Cooked in Britain for the actual recipes.
Nigella's How to Eat just to read.

Made in India is by Meera Sodha too.