Cookbooks I’d Save in a House Fire
A great cookbook is worth saving in a house fire. They’ve been there for you through every dinner party, romantic date night, big family meal and late-night munchies. The pages are stained with soy sauce, tomato puree and that pomegranate molasses that’s now hiding at the back of the fridge. Cookbooks are a wonderland of untried recipes and cook-every-week favourites, and as someone who hates cooking without a recipe (sorry!) I don’t know where I’d be without them…
Tin Can Magic - Jessica Elliott Dennison
Every cookbook these days seems to have tin or tray in the title, but I’d let them all burn to keep this one. Tin Can Magic bases its recipes on different store-cupboard staples, from chickpeas and chopped tomatoes to the humble tin of sweetcorn. The recipes are fuss-free and full of comforting flavours you’ll want to come back to again and again. Helpful substitute lists under each recipe mean you can always cobble something together without a dash to Sainsbury’s.
Must make: Sausage Braised Lentils
Dishoom
Fuss-free definitely isn’t the name of the game when it comes to this cookbook. But if you’re prepared to put in some elbow grease (via a pestle and mortar) and do some overnight marinading, you will be rewarded with the best curry you’ll ever eat. Dishoom is the cookbook I go to when I want to make something really special and full of heart. The ingredients lists might be daunting at first, but once you’ve cracked a few dishes you’ll want to spend all weekend trying new ones.
For a more relaxed affair, a visit to one of their restaurants is advised.
Must make: Chole Bhature
One Pot,
Pan, Planet -
Anna
Jones
The most recent cookbook to join the ranks in my kitchen, One is a crash course in cooking more sustainably.
In between recipes is information on buying in season, food miles, reducing food waste and even foraging. Anna Jones strikes the perfect balance of accessible recipes and advice on how to do a little better for our planet. Nothing preachy or budget-shaming, just good food.
Must make: Piquant Smoked Paprika Pasta Bake
Fresh
India - Meera Sodha
Can you tell I like a curry?
I was introduced to Fresh India by my dal-loving, vegan boyfriend, and now it’s one of my go-to sources for plant-based recipes (if you ignore the delicious paneer curries). Unlike our friends at Dishoom, the recipes in Fresh India are don’t need a ton of prep time and ingredients, but still have a lovely depth of flavour. It’s making me hungry just thinking about it.
Must make: Cauliflower Korma
and one on the wishlist…
A Table for Friends - Skye McAlpine
God, this cookbook is beautiful.
Thankfully, I have a foolproof method for staying on track when browsing cookbooks. No matter how stunning the cover is (yes I know the gold embossing is hard to resist) if you flip it open and wouldn’t cook the first few recipes you see, PUT THAT BOOK DOWN. A Table for Friends passed this test with flying covers. Everything looked delicious and like something I would actually cook.
Definitely one for the Christmas list.