Christmas present Cookery books.

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acerbicacid

Senior Cook
Joined
Mar 25, 2011
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211
Location
Kent in the U.K (the garden of England)
Did any of you get any for Christmas?

I treated myself to "Jerusalem" by Yotam Ottolenghi as I love his way of cooking. Some really fantastic recipes in it I can't wait to try.

As actual presents I was given "Memories of Gascony" by Pierre Koffman. I don't know if he is known in the U.S.A., but he is famous in the U.K. and has a Michelin starred restaurant in London. Pierre Koffmann - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Plus another U.K. based book "The Good Food Guide recipes" mostly modern chefs' recipe techniques and presentation (including one by Gordon Ramsay and others of his ilk).

I love just browsing good cook books and trying out some of the recipes.

Talking of Yotam, how did you get on with "Plenty" Siegal?
 
When my visiting nurse informed me that she was unable to accept any gifts, there were no rules that her child could not. We have kept in touch over the years. I gave her daughter about four cookbooks for children. They had quick and easy meals for children to cook on their own. She informed me that years later (10+) they both are still using them for ideas for a quick supper when she is just too tired after working all day. She was also engaged to be married. No rules about wedding presents. I gave her a set of four microplanes with different gratings. Each handle was a different color. I also took four empty paper towel rolls, covered them with kitchen contact paper, sealed off one end so the 'plane wouldn't slide through and gave them also to her. She still has the 'planes and rolls. Those dang 'planes are very sharp and dangerous. :angel:
 
I gifted myself with a selection of cookbooks from the American Heart and American Diabetes Associations.
 
PrincessFiona60 said:
I gifted myself with a selection of cookbooks from the American Heart and American Diabetes Associations.
Click to expand...
+1 I gave my mom a number of the American Heart Association books years ago. I have my name on them...they are coming home with me someday. The only cookbooks I gave myself this year are those darned e-cookbooks I keep downloading!:LOL:
 
AcerbicAcid, Sorry for the late reply took a bit of a hiatus from the internet.

I liked plenty - but haven't used it that much. Lots of ingredients that I always seem to be missing a few. I have made (maybe with a substitution or two):
The watermelon and feta salad: Yummy
fig, basil, goat cheese salad: AMAZING - made it with balsamic glaze though
Royal Potato Salad: yummy!
Leek fritter: Came out bad BUT probably my fault as I used coconut flour instead of regular so must try it again as it seemed so promising as the filling was good before I ruined it with coconut flour.
Crusted Pumpkin: didn't like so much but I did make a substitute so will try again
Very Full Tart: Not bad. Just alot of work. Not sure if taste was worth it.
Green Couscous: not yummy. I did use less olive oil but I think I overwatered the couscous. May have been cooker error.

I have to make more things but its just hard as my husband hates veggies and dairy so I need to have time to make something so complicated just for me.

I also bought Jerusalem and made:
Hummus: Israeli husband said it was not bad (better than sabra or store bought) but not as good as local Israeli Restaurants. So I will take that as a compliment seeing as I am not Israeli and they are nuts about their hummus. So pretty good
Cannellini Bean and Lamb Soup: AMAZING even though I used beef
Open Kibbeh: Very good. Can't wait to make again
Ka'ach Bilmalch: I liked them a lot, maybe needs a pinch of sugar and a drop less fennel, but I am definitely going to make them again
Tahini cookies: Very very good. They are a less sweet cookie which is exactly what I like. But husband did not love so much as he likes very sweet desserts. But this was my fav cookie I had in a really long time.

What have you made?
 
Gave out a couple of cookbooks to DD's, and DIL, sold a few of my cookbooks to friends and people they wanted to give cookbooks to.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
:chef:From Jerusalem I've made

Roasted butternut squash and red onion with tahini and za'atar. My family and friends really loved it (and my son normally hates veggie dishes!)

I tracked down some freekeh and didn't make his dish but made this one http://foodiejac.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Freekah-Salad-with-Persian-Feta.jpg (really gorgeous- I think I've fallen in love with freekeh)

Salmon steaks in chraimah sauce, I enjoyed it but think I will do it with white fish next time.

I really liked the Roasted chicken with clementines and arak, (I used pastis though as didn't want to buy arak when I had some good pastis on the shelf)

I haven't cooked from it as much as I want as I'm also cooking from the Pierre Koffman book and I got the bug that seems to be going around the world so didn't feel like cooking then (a first for me!).

As I live on my own I usually wait for friends/family to come before I do something outside my normal Spanish/Mediterranean/British type food. I'll post on here next time I cook from either, it is really nice to be able to discuss his recipes .
 
Sounds good.
I made chreime yesterday. Not from Jerusalem cookbook but from the New Book of Israeli Food by Jana Gur (A great book by the way). It calls for white fish - which I think is traditional. I used Tilapia last time. Chreime is great!!!
 
Tahini cookies! Thanks for the inspiration. I have been wondering what to do with the balance of a jar that I opened to use some in my hummus at Christmas. I'll give them a try
 
menumaker said:
Tahini cookies! Thanks for the inspiration. I have been wondering what to do with the balance of a jar that I opened to use some in my hummus at Christmas. I'll give them a try
Click to expand...

Off the top of my head that, the open kibbeh used tehina
My jar is empty must buy another (you would think that would be easier to find in Miami)
 
Forgot to say re the Roast chicken with clementines and fennel, I thought it needed a little longer in the oven, although the chicken was cooked through it could have done with a little more time and the fennel definitely could. Next time I will cook it for longer at a slightly lower heat. It really was delicious though.

Thanks for the tip re the Jana Gur cookbook.:)
 
acerbicacid said:
Forgot to say re the Roast chicken with clementines and fennel, I thought it needed a little longer in the oven, although the chicken was cooked through it could have done with a little more time and the fennel definitely could. Next time I will cook it for longer at a slightly lower heat. It really was delicious though.

Thanks for the tip re the Jana Gur cookbook.:)
Click to expand...

Thanks. My husband picked that recipe out and the supermarket was out of fennel so I never ended up making it but its on my short list. Will keep your tip in mind
 
Little update:
Made the pickled turnips and beets in Jerusalem: they are pickling as we speak
Also made the nutty endive with Roquefort from Plenty: made two substitutions. Used Labne instead of creme fraiche (could not find it) and had no walnuts so used all pine nuts. Even with subs I think this is the most delicious salad in the world.
 
Hi Siegal - Wow, with that recommendation I just had to put Roquefort on my next shopping list to make that salad.

Aren't those pickled turnips the most amazing colour?

I made the chicken, clementine, arak and fennel dish on Tuesday night for my son and his OH as they had heard me talk about it but hadn't had it. Their verdict - "delicious".

I have bought quite a lot of clementines now to put in the freezer for when they are not available.
 
I keep trying to make that dish (3rd try) but end up eating all the clementines before I get a chance!
 
acerbicacid said:
Hi Siegal, I cooked his Shawarna lamb recipe last night
Lamb Shawarma and had it with his roast butternut squash
Ottolenghi’s roast butternut squash and red onion with tahini and za'atar - Telegraph

My guests declared it delicious :)

Have you cooked anything more from his book lately?
Click to expand...

Hey! Sorry for late reply but I'm a tax preparer so I've been MIA for a while working 80 hours a week!!! Have barely cooked a thing since early February. Have you made anything new from the world of Ottolengi?? Do you have his self titled cookbook (I guess I would call it that) im thinking of getting it later.

I made the malabi (not sure how he spells it in his book) but tried to make a diet version and not so good. My fault though. Malabi is delicious btw - it's not a normal western food so it may not have caught your eye but its a light rose water scented milk pudding with a syrup and chopped pistachios.
 
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