Who can argue with British food writer Nigel Slater's philosophy of "Right food, right place, right time".
I hadn’t read any of Nigel Slater’s previous seven books, so when a review copy of The Kitchen Diaries arrived, I was unfamiliar with his writing. This one was meant, I think, as a teaser for Eating for England, his new book about the “delights and eccentricities of the British at table”, due for release soon.
Vaguely interested, I flicked through the opening chapters, then read the three introductory pages. I was hooked, and two days later I had finished the book.
The Kitchen Diaries is a journal across a year, with meals recorded according to the month, rather than just a season. Recognising that the ingredients available in early spring are different from those available at the end, the book demonstrates that by shopping seasonally, it is possible to live in tune with nature within an urban environment that does not necessarily require a degree of self-sufficiency. (New Zealand readers will need to allow for southern hemisphere seasons.)
Beginning with the opening statement, “Right food, right place, right time”, Slater goes on to say that there is “something deeply unshakeably right about eating food that is in season”. It’s nothing new to urge people to shop seasonally, when the quality is better and the prices cheaper, and to support local growers, but rarely is it done with such ethical grace.
He talks casually about his small kitchen – a trio of skylights, with french doors opening onto the garden, and no fancy equipment in sight – and lists his culinary failures as well as his successes. He even talks about takeaway meals he’s had, including the joys of a delivered pizza.
Written in a friendly, almost chatty tone, the recipes are designed for everyday use by cooks with normal kitchens, and most recipes are for one or two people. This earthy, textured book is beautifully illustrated with rustic photographs that were taken on the day the dishes were created – and then eaten. This is also a book about food connecting people and places, about the warmth that comes from cooking for friends and guests, and making them feel comfortable and cared for, even if what you’re feeding them is sardines on toast. Somehow, through carefully chosen adjectives, Slater makes the recipes seem irresistible.
ZUCCHINI CAKES WITH DILL AND FETA
3 large zucchini (about 500g)
salt and black pepper
4 salad onions (or a medium onion)
olive oil
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp plain flour
1 large egg
100g feta cheese, crumbled
a small bunch dill, chopped
a coarse, fine-quality chutney, to serve
Coarsely grate the zucchini into a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave in the sink for about 30 minutes. Chop the onions finely and warm them gently with a little oil in a shallow pan. They should soften but not colour. Pat the zucchini dry with kitchen paper or wring them out lightly in your hands. Chop the garlic and stir into the onion with the zucchini. When all is soft and starting to turn pale gold, stir in the flour and continue cooking for a couple of minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Beat the egg lightly and stir it into the onion mixture, then add the cheese and dill. Season with black pepper and a little salt.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan. Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture into the hot oil and cook until golden. Turn carefully and cook the other side. Lift the cakes out and drain briefly on kitchen paper. Serve with chutney.
Makes about 6.
THERE IS NO REASON THAT you couldn’t serve a robustly flavoured tomato soup thoroughly iced on a hot day. If you’re going to serve soup cold, make it early in the day and get it completely chilled. You can never chill a cold soup too much.
ROAST TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL AND OLIVE OIL TOASTS
800g deep-flavoured tomatoes
1 red capsicum
2 fat cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 litre vegetable stock
a small bunch of basil
french bread for toasting
some fruity olive oil
Set the oven at 220?C. Cut the tomatoes into 6 and put the pieces into a roasting dish. Halve the capsicum, then remove the seeds and core. Cut the capsicum into 6 pieces and add to the tomatoes. Roughly chop the garlic, add to the tomatoes and pour the oil over the top. Season generously with salt and pepper, then roast for about 45 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft, with lightly blackened skin.
Pour the stock into the roasting dish with the vegetables. Pull the basil leaves from the stems and add, then bring briefly to the boil on the top of the stove. Remove from the heat and liquidise most, but not quite all, of the mixture, leaving a good couple of handfuls of tomatoes and capsicum behind. Finely chop the remaining tomato and capsicum.
Correct the seasoning and chill thoroughly. Pile the chopped tomato and capsicum in the centre of 4 bowls and ladle the soup around it. Float the toast on top, then drizzle with olive oil.
Enough for 4.
NIGEL’S DELIGHTFUL TRIFLE
475g blackcurrants
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp caster sugar
TRIFLE
350g plain sponge cake
1 large egg, separated
2 tbsp caster sugar
250g mascarpone cheese
a couple of drops vanilla extract
250ml cream
a few sprigs of blackcurrants to decorate
Put the blackcurrants, water and sugar into a stainless-steel bowl. Put them over a low to moderate heat and leave to simmer for 7-10 minutes until they are starting to burst. Once there is plenty of purple juice, remove from the heat.
Break the sponge into small pieces and push it into the bottom of a large serving bowl. Spoon the hot blackcurrants and juice over the sponge and leave to cool. Put the egg yolk and sugar into a bowl and mix well, then stir in the mascarpone and vanilla. Whip the cream until it is thick enough to lie in soft folds, then lightly fold it into the mascarpone. In a separate bowl beat the egg white until it is almost stiff, then fold it into the mixture. Spoon the mascarpone cream over the cool blackcurrants and sponge. You can smooth it flat or leave it in deep folds. Refrigerate for a good hour before serving. Decorate with fresh blackcurrants.
Enough for 6.