Notes about Recipes in this book

• Maple syrup granola

  • e_ballad on October 23, 2020

    Firstly, there’s an error in the weight listed for the rolled oats, with the measurement given for 1 cup, not 3 cups. Even correcting this, the liquid component seems a bit off, with the muesli still being a bit ‘wet’, even with an additional 10 mins cooking.

• Mu shu chicken wrap

  • e_ballad on May 20, 2018

    I’m not exactly sure why I had to slow cook 4x chook thighs for 3-4 hours with only onion & garlic. Once that’s done, you add a ludicrous amount of sauce, then wrap in a tortilla with coleslaw. As written, the amount of sauce equals half the weight of the chook. Crazy. A daft recipe that tastes only of the store-bought hoisin.

• Naan tandoori chicken wrap with pickled red onions

  • e_ballad on January 17, 2017

    The tandoori spice didn't have any zing whatsoever. Blandness reigned supreme as far as this dish was concerned. The onions gave some interest, but prefer other pickling recipes.

• Stuffed field mushrooms with pancetta and Persian fetta

  • e_ballad on August 21, 2016

    For the stuffing ingredients used, I was expecting a more robust flavour profile, as I used this as a side dish for lamb chops & greens. Perhaps my expectations influenced my enjoyment of this dish, which may well be ok as a stand-alone starter. Wouldn't make again as the 'star' component of a meal.

• Hearty winter soup with beans, pork hock and chilli

  • wodtke on January 14, 2018

    A very nice bean soup, maybe not that different from many others out there, but a good one. A little heat, and the use of chilli powder makes for a slightly different spicing from Italian versions.

  • e_ballad on September 01, 2019

    Having made both this recipe & a chilli-free version for the heat-averse kiddo, I would not bother making this without the chillies as these make the dish. Without them, this is really quite meh.

• Fish cakes with pickled cucumbers

  • e_ballad on November 18, 2020

    A really good fish cake recipe. Not sure that I would bother with the pickles again as prefer other similar recipe.

• Green salmon Thai curry

  • debkellie on April 14, 2014

    A bit of pfaffing around for a weeknight meal, but light and tasty. Probably lends itself to making the sauce/poaching liquor a day prior and then finishing, which would make it a 15 minute effort. Would do again.

• Butter chicken with Kashmiri rice

  • e_ballad on April 13, 2020

    Requires marinating overnight, but otherwise makes a very quick midweek meal. I used another recipe’s method to grill/griddle the chicken, as the marinade has the tendency to ‘stew’ the chicken when cooked in a pan.

• Spaghetti Bolognaise

  • e_ballad on January 24, 2021

    A very good, albeit ‘standard fare’ Bolognaise recipe.

• Baked ratatouille with mozzarella

  • debkellie on February 07, 2017

    A time consuming method - but it was worth it. The integrity of each vegetable was preserved - delivered great taste and textures, unlike most "stewed" variants of the dish. Will now be my "go to" for ratatouille generally (ie without the mozzarella).

• Chai pannacotta

  • debkellie on October 18, 2015

    Recipe doesn't say what strength gelatine leaves.. I used "white" gelatine leaves, 12 to a litre and it was a little too firm. I'd also just use 1/2 cup dariole moulds rather than 1 cup moulds next time. Served with jarred preserved quinces, and quince syrup (Christine Manfield) and it was a great flavour match.

• Bread and butter pudding

  • e_ballad on January 02, 2017

    This was fantastic. I did use leftover panettone which I'm sure increased the amazingness stakes, but nonetheless, I'm certain that bog-standard white bread would still be pretty great in this dish.

• Tandoori spice

  • e_ballad on July 03, 2019

    Excellent spice blend.