Cuisine

REVIEWS

What we are reading and cooking from, with guest spot by Felicity O’driscoll from Cook the Books.

SALAD TWO RAW SISTERS, ALLEN & UNWIN, $45

Salad has come a long way. To prove this (if that were needed) the Two Raw Sisters – aka Margo and Rosa Flanagan from Christchurch – are back with a book crammed with vege goodness. In fact, to call it Salad doesn’t do the book justice, but ‘plant-based mains and sides’ doesn’t have quite the ring. There are 70 dishes here for every season, with platters of crispy, crunchy fresh veges, and veges that are roasted, charred and grilled, stir fried and baked. There’s even a sweet section – though no ‘fruit salad’ in sight – featuring a truly startling beetroot avo mud cake with peanut butter and raspberries. There are plates where veges are the prima donna, and lots where they share the billing with grains, legumes, noodles, nuts and seeds. And for those trying to eat less meat, what better way than to start your planning with the veges, then add meat as a side. So if your vege repertoire is looking a bit tired, refresh with sumac roasted cauliflower with pomegranate caper salsa and tahini, scatter a tamari ginger crumble over carrots roasted with miso and sesame seeds, roast radishes until melting into salty sweetness, or toss around some millet, sorghum, buckwheat or bulghur for nutty, chewy texture. Drizzle, toss or dollop on a dressing from the 28 different ones on offer and carry a platter to the table. This is eminently doable at-home food but you could gripe that it’s not wildly innovative – I see lots of Ottolenghiesque inspirations, but that gets no complaints from me. TRACY WHITMEY

For much of the world, 2021 has been spent in lockdown of various degrees, prompting even the big-name chefs and writers to stay at home, cooking favourite dishes for loved ones to soothe the soul, nourish the body and generally give comfort in such unsettling times. So there’s a theme emerging in the latest slew of titles from our best-loved writers – that of reflecting on gentler times, remembering beloved recipes and tweaking those classics that just keep coming back to the table. Here are variations on that theme from three of the finest.

A COOK’S BOOK NIGEL SLATER, HARPERCOLLINS, $59.99

Never did I think I would see the word ‘clarty’ – a word from deep in my childhood – in a cookbook, let alone about cheesecake. Look it up. It’s a measure of Nigel Slater’s exquisite skill with words that the way he writes gives me as much joy as what he writes about. In his world, broccoli resembles a goblin’s wedding bouquet; a dish of orzo is as comforting as a cashmere throw; and if heaven has a smell it is probably that of warm ironing and apple crumble. Don’t think for a moment though that the food comes second; Slater’s dishes are always delicious, sometimes surprising, often deeply greedy. This is food to be cooked at home, to bring comfort and deep contentment, but also reflects the glee of someone who loves to eat. It’s a book that not only imparts trustworthy recipes, but also tells of the quiet moments of sheer pleasure to be had along the way of cooking, eating and sharing. Neither faddy nor old-fashioned, it’s full of food I want to eat. Piping-hot salty potato chips are plunged into a mound of cool, snowy curds, a lemon trifle lollops with slovenly folds of whipped syllabub, blackcurrants are rippled through the soft, almond-rich crumb of a pretty tea-time cake. As it is a collection of Slater’s best-loved recipes, sharp-eyed fans will notice some old favourites reappearing, but after dishing the goods for more than 25 years that can be forgiven, especially as tweaks and new versions reinvigorate. TW

HOME STEPHANIE ALEXANDER, PAN MACMILLAN, $65

For several weeks now I have been sitting quietly with this book, absorbing its air of calm reflection. It’s very much the grande dame of Australian food in a contemplative mood; and with more than 60 years of cooking, writing, travelling and eating in hundreds of restaurants and food-loving homes, Stephanie Alexander presents a treasure trove of favourite ingredients, flavours, recipes and food to dip into. Her influences are mainly from France and Italy, and when it comes to Asian food she confesses to being “a tourist dipping in my fork or spoon

or chopstick, intrigued but not truly knowing.” These are dishes that she likes to cook at home, so the recipes are tried and true rather than modish, and the experience is not just about getting a meal ready, but taking enjoyment in the process. In longer essays Alexander delves into her thoughts on topics such as travel, food writers and her work with children in schools. I urge you not to skip all the recipe notes, essays and introductions, as herein lie the nuggets of experience, wisdom and appreciation – the seasonings that make the dish, if you will – introducing us to a host of cooks and writers, and the genesis of recipes that have evolved from her first rendering to the version she gives today. For me, the why, with whom, when and where are every bit as important as the how of the recipes. A book not to be astonished at but delighted by. TW

EVERYTHING I LOVE TO COOK NEIL PERRY, MURDOCH BOOKS, $69.99

Wow, Neil, that’s a title with a big promise. Almost restaurant royalty in Australia, thanks to a career spent at the helm of the likes of Rockpool and Spice Temple, Perry gives us a book that is refreshingly uncheffy. The introductory pages, with advice to always read the recipe and check you have all the ingredients, and which pots and pans and knives to choose, seem aimed at the novice, or nervous, cook, and here is a chef who is not afraid to give recipes for such simple staples as egg sandwiches, green salad and macaroni cheese – and who wouldn’t benefit from a reminder on the basics? I did get off to a shaky start with his introduction, “During the week, dinner will likely be simple and may consist of just one dish…”. It was the ‘may’ that wobbled me. In search of something with a little more pizzazz, I’m reminded that Perry is the master of capturing flavours. Misoglazed squid, a macadamia tarator alongside scallops, and a spice butter to smear onto prawns – seemingly straightforward dishes are ramped up a notch of delight. Clearly I am not Perry’s ideal cook as I failed to check the recipe and made twice as much of that heavenly spiced butter as I needed. I discovered that even on a dish of simple steamed carrots it made my single-dish midweek dinner a treat. TW

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