Lateral Cooking: One Dish Leads to Another by Niki Segnit

Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Biscuits variation: fig, almond & fennel biscotti

    • springandfall on March 21, 2024

      This makes a crumbly dough that takes some effort to shape into a log, but it's a delicious cookie. Very crunchy. Recipe doesn't mention the figs; I added them in place of some of the nuts.

  • Puréed soup variation: pumpkin with Thai spice

    • SundayCooking on November 22, 2022

      Added 3 cloves of grated garlic, 1 T grated ginger to the onions, & some chile-garlic paste and white pepper with the pumpkin. Added about 2 T ponzu after turning it down to simmer, but lime or lemon juice would be great, too. With those additions, it was a 5/5 soup.

  • Burger buns

    • sarahj22 on August 17, 2020

      This was my first time baking bread enriched with butter, sugar, milk and egg and the texture was lovely. I overlooked the note that said you could increase the salt from 1/2 teaspoon to one teaspoon if you didn't want sweet results. I'll definitely do that in future as I thought they could use a little more seasoning.

  • Shortbread

    • Hannaha100 on January 19, 2020

      God bless you Niki Segnit for providing amounts for a small batch. I trialled standard recipe with dairy free margarine and the same again but with gf flour. Standard flour tasted better (could maybe be disguised with flavouring) and had a better consistency - I said gf was "chewy", DH said "tough". Clearly more experimenting needed.

  • Flapjacks

    • Hannaha100 on January 19, 2020

      This was great, best of 3 batches of flapjacks I made last week. Made with dairy free margarine. Good reviews from family too. I only left it in for 25 minutes because I was up against the clock but next time I would try 35 because it was just a tad crumbly.

  • Dal variation: misir wot

    • grindabod on November 24, 2019

      It really works, letting the lentils catch slightly brings out a deep and nutty flavour.

  • Yeast-risen bread

    • Ro_ on April 05, 2023

      I wanted to pick a bread recipe that I could start to make regularly and perfect, as opposed to flitting about between lots of different recipes, so this one seemed like the perfect starting point. It was very easy to make, especially as I did the kneading in my mixer with a bread hook. The texture was great, the only thing I'd say is that it was a bit bland - more salt next time, and/or try some of the 'extras' suggested by the recipe. Also the shape was quite rustic, would be good to try it in a tin.

  • Risotto: risotto bianco

    • mduncan on May 30, 2020

      Easy, creamy risotto recipe, not necessarily for risotto purists. I used loto rice, sauvignon blanc, and a freshly made veggie broth built on green onions and fennel. Stirred fennel fronds into portions after plating, and topped with a few shreds of parmesan. Will make again and experiment with additional flavors and ingredients.

  • Chocolate mousse

    • Beebopalulu on June 22, 2020

      I found it strange that the chocolate was measured by volume rather than weight - maybe it was for this reason my mouse was a little heavy?

  • Bean stew variation: burnt aubergine, soy & paprika borlotti

    • dc151 on September 26, 2021

      Good flavor. If your liquid is cooked down pretty far, just mix your veggies in, no need to dump all that flavor!! To my taste, needed more beans, which needed about 20 extra minutes of cooking over recommended time. Good flavor overall, and not difficult to make.

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Reviews about this book

  • Eat Your Books by Jenny Hartin

    800 plus recipes that teach you how to cook instinctively - a must-have for any level of cook

    Full review
  • Food52

    In the book's twelve chapters, which comprise vast continuums of recipes, Segnit explains how all of the recipes in each chapter are connected by basic methods and cooking principles.

    Full review
  • Ms Marmite Lover by Kerstin Rodgers

    An interview with the author and two recipes from the book.

    Full review
  • ISBN 10 1408856891
  • ISBN 13 9781408856895
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Sep 20 2018
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 612
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Bloomsbury

Publishers Text

Lateral Cooking is, in a sense, the 'method' companion to its bestselling predecessor, The Flavour Thesaurus - and is just as useful, ingeniously organised and enjoyable to read.

The book is divided into 12 chapters, each covering a basic culinary category, such as 'Bread', 'Sauces' or 'Custard'. The recipes in each chapter are then arranged on a continuum, the transition from one recipe to another generally amounting to a tweak or two in the method or ingredients. Which is to say, one dish leads to another: once you've got the hang of flatbreads, for instance, then its neighbouring dishes on the continuum (crackers, soda bread, scones) will involve the easiest and most intuitive adjustment. The result is greater creativity in the kitchen: Lateral Cooking encourages improvisation, resourcefulness, and, ultimately, the knowledge and confidence to cook by heart.

Lateral Cooking is essentially a practical book, but like The Flavour Thesaurus it's also a highly enjoyable read. The 'Flavours & Variations' sections, for example, draw widely on culinary science, history, ideas from professional kitchens, observations by renowned food writers and personal recollection. Entertaining, opinionated and inspirational, Lateral Cooking will have you torn between donning your apron and settling back in a comfortable chair.



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