Roasted cauliflower salad with capers and parsley

A few weeks ago one of my ultimate food heroes, Yotam Ottolenghi, appeared on a tv show called the Great British Food Revival to champion the cause of the cauliflower. Sadly I can see why he felt the need! Lots of people seem to have bad memories of over-boiled cauliflower or claggy cheese sauces but this vegetable doesn’t deserve its bland reputation. There are lots of ways to celebrate its sweetness in soup or bring out its nuttiness by roasting it. Here are some of my favourite ways to challenge the cauli haters…

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Braised fennel and leeks in cream (and a bonus soup)

Everyone knows that the flavour of licorice is a love-hate thing. Personally I’m not a hater but I still struggle with how to use fennel sometimes. That aniseed flavour might go well with all sorts of meat and fish but it can overpower other vegetables quite easily. So I end up using it with onions as a base to stocks and soups and curries but I know I’m not doing it justice.

And that’s where braising comes in! The slow, moist cooking technique brings out the sweetness of fennel and mellows the punch of its licorice flavours. Add a dash of cream and cheese at the end and you even get a bubbling crisp topping too – all of a sudden fennel goes with anything because it’s so subtle and delicious, mmm…

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Classic recipes: Vegetable tagine

We are back online – apologies for the light posting recently but normal services can now resume! We have moved into a new flat and the kitchen is kick ass so I have no excuse not to cook up lots of lovely food. It’s got quite a nice electric stove, loads and loads of drawers and cabinets for all my gadgets and even a big island / breakfast bar – perfect for rolling out pastry yay. I should not be this excited about a kitchen but I totally am.

And to celebrate here’s one of the first meals I made in said fabulous new kitchen…

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Classic recipes: Winter slaw

I heart slaw! Not that limp, sour stuff that sometimes comes on the side of your sandwich at a diner – but the fresh stuff you can make at home. I couldn’t believe how easy it is to make a basic coleslaw the first time I tried it – grated carrot, cabbage and onion with mayo, lemon juice and bit of mustard and done! Why even eat that slimey store-bought version when you can make it yourself so quickly?

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