Latest news with #NigelSlater
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- General
- The Guardian
How to make coffee and walnut cake – recipe
Today is my birthday, so I'm celebrating with a classic that, for all the sticky tres leches and sophisticated sachertortes I've enjoyed in recent years, remains my absolute favourite, my desert island cake: that darling of the WI tea tent, the coffee and walnut sandwich. The great Nigel Slater once named it his last meal on Earth, and I'm hoping to have it for tea. Prep 30 min Cook 25 min Serves 8 225g room-temperature butter 4 tbsp instant coffee (see step 1)100g walnut halves 4 eggs 225g soft light brown sugar 225g plain flour 3 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp fine salt Milk (optional) For the icing165g room-temperature butter425g icing sugar ¼ tsp salt 4 tbsp double cream (optional) If you've forgotten to get your butter out of the fridge, begin by dicing and spacing it out on the paper to soften (remember, you'll need some for the icing, too). Mix the coffee with two tablespoons of boiling water and leave to cool – I like the nostalgic flavour of instant coffee here, but you can substitute three tablespoons of espresso or other strong coffee, if you prefer. Toast the walnut halves in a dry pan until they smell nutty, then set aside a quarter of the most handsome-looking ones to use as decoration later. Roughly chop the rest. Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and grease and base line two 20cm sandwich tins. Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat. Put the butter in a food mixer or a large bowl anchored with a damp cloth to steady it, then beat it briefly to soften. Crumble in the sugar to break up any lumps, then carry on beating for several minutes, until the butter is really light and fluffy; scrape down the bowl as required. With the mixer (or your wooden spoon) still going, gradually pour in the eggs and beat to incorporate, again scraping the sides as necessary. Tip the flour and baking powder into a bowl, whisk to knock out any lumps, then add to the batter. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold the bottom of the mixture over the top, but do so only once. Add the salt, half the coffee (keep the rest for the icing) and the chopped walnuts, then slowly fold in, just until the flour and coffee are completely incorporated – bear in mind that the more more vigorously you fold, the more air you will knock out of the batter, so it's important not to overdo it. The batter should by now fall from the spoon, slightly reluctantly but without the need for violent agitation; if it doesn't, loosen with a little milk. Divide evenly between the two tins (weigh them for perfection). Put in the oven, on the middle shelf if using a conventional setting, and bake for about 25 minutes (check after 20, though!), until well risen but not too dark. Remove the tins from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then take out of the tins and put on a rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter until soft; my mixer is not good with smaller amounts so I tend to use a mixing bowl, again anchored to the work surface with a damp cloth, and electric beaters or a wooden spoon. Sift in the icing sugar to get rid of any lumps, then add the salt. Beat to combine, then add the reserved cooled coffee and the cream – though optional, the latter does make the icing easier to spread; for a less rich result; use a splash of milk instead. Put the less perfect looking of the two cakes (there's always one) on a platter. Top the cake on the platter with a little less than half the icing, leaving it thicker around the edges where it will be seen, then pop the second cake on top. Spoon the remaining icing over the second cake, spreading it out neatly and adding a few swirls for interest, then arrange the reserved toasted walnuts pleasingly all over the top. Avoid chilling before slicing and serving, unless it's really necessary. Felicity Cloake's new book, Peach Street to Lobster Lane: Coast to Coast in Search of Real American Cuisine, is published by Mudlark at £16.99. To order a copy for £15.29 go to
The Guardian
06-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Guardian
Zest is best: mandarins and navel oranges among Australia's best-value fruit and veg for May
'We're getting into a lot of citrus lines,' says Tony Polistina, co-owner of Forestway Fresh in Sydney's Terrey Hills. 'Australian navels started this week.' Navel oranges are about $5.50 a kilo for now, but Imperial mandarins from Queensland are about to hit their peak, already as low as $3 a kilo. That means it's the perfect time to make Anna Jones's mandarin compote – spread it on toast or use it in her delectable queen of puddings, which she makes every Mother's Day. Berries have been up and down after a summer flush, but some are still a good pick as the Queensland season begins. Nigel Slater's recipe for raspberry and apple crisp At Arnold's Fruit Market in Wodonga, Victoria, buyer Steve Richardson says raspberries (about $3.50 a punnet) are the best value but blueberries are up to $7.90 a punnet in supermarkets, with some imported from New Zealand. Strawberries (about $4.50 a punnet) are about to begin their Queensland season, with prices expected to fall this month. Apples and pears are also in full swing. The Royal Gala apple variety is cheapest, on special in supermarkets at $3.50 a kilo. 'It's the time of year for missile apples – kids love them,' says Polistina. 'They'll stick around for three to four months as they come in from different regions.' New season Packham pears have now replaced Williams pears, and can be found for $3 to $5 a kilo. Seize the opportunity to make Nigel Slater's marmalade pears, doused in a bubbling marsala and honey syrup. Or, make use of more that is plentiful with his raspberry and apple crumble with a bready crisp. Rockmelon and honeydew are not at their sweetest, says Polistina. Watermelon from the Northern Territory is available and good quality but it is expensive at about $5 a kilo, almost double the usual price. Ready to roast Yotam Ottolenghi's roast cabbage with chana dal and sauerkraut. Photograph: Louise Hagger/The Guardian. Food styling: Emily Kydd. Prop styling: Jennifer Kay. Food styling assistant: Susanna Unsworth. Photo assistant: Sophie Bronze. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips and carrots are all ready for roast dinner season. If that's not your forte, you can also make Benjamina Ebuehi's carrot cake or Yotam Ottolenghi's lentils with roast butternut squash and feta yoghurt. There is plenty of pumpkin around, says Richardson, with local kent pumpkin selling for as little as $1.5o a kilo in store. In supermarkets, it is about $3 a kilo and likely to drop further. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Be patient with cauliflower as growing seasons switch over. Currently, cauliflower is $5.50 a head, but it won't be long before it comes down in price. Brussels sprouts have arrived – about $10 to $12 per kilo – but the price will be less than half that in a few weeks. Zucchinis are close behind (about $5 a kilo for now), perfect for roasting alongside a whole slab of feta, in a Mediterranean-inspired main or side. Tomatoes are up to $8 a kilo in supermarkets, but are expected to drop to under $5 a kilo in the coming month. When that happens, they can top Alice Zaslavsky's corn and zucchini slice or stand on their own in her garlicky tomato bread. Hass avocados are (almost) back Hass avocados return in late May. Photograph: RobertoCooler days and even cooler nights make salads less appealing but the price of leafy greens are stable. Cabbage and lettuce remain at about $3.50 to $4.50 a head respectively and there is plenty of baby broccoli on special (about $3 a bunch). Richardson says local silverbeet has also flooded the market. And in very welcome news, avocados are also transitioning from Shepherd to new-season Hass. Right now they are 'a bit blotchy, but will come good by the end of May and into June,' says Richardson. 'You'll be getting a good-quality, good-priced avocado for about $2.50 or $3.' In the next month or so, it's hoped eggplant (about $8 a kilo) and red capsicum (about $12 a kilo) will drop in price, with the start of the Queensland season. Buy: Apples Avocado Beetroot Brussels sprouts Chestnuts Oranges Parsnips Pears Potato Pumpkin Mandarins Raspberries Silverbeet Spinach Strawberries Sweet potato Spinach Silverbeet Zucchini Watch: Tomatoes Avoid: Blueberries Eggplant Green beans Red capsicum
The Guardian
22-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Nigel Slater's recipe for almond and marzipan biscuits
A last-minute sweet treat for Easter. The lemon zest and toasted almonds lend an Italian note. These will keep for a fortnight in a biscuit tin (that is, if they're not all eaten today). Set the oven at 175C/gas mark 3-4. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Lightly toast 100g of flaked almonds in a shallow pan until pale gold in colour, then set aside. Break 250g of marzipan into large pieces and put them in the bowl of a food processor with the almonds, then process briefly to large crumbs. Add 200g of caster sugar, then finely grate the zest of a lemon and add to the bowl. Process for a few seconds to combine. Stir in 35g of plain flour. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, beat 75ml of egg whites (approximately 2 eggs) until almost stiff, then fold in the crumb mixture, until just combined. Take 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture, roll it into a ball, then place it on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies have spread. They should look slightly under-done. Remove from the oven and leave them for 10 minutes to settle before transferring them carefully to a cooling rack with a palette knife. Makes about 20. Ready in 45 minutes The biscuits are fragile directly after baking. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before sliding a palette knife under them and lifting them on to a cooling rack. Eaten an hour or so after baking, these are soft, crumbly and cookie-like; a few hours later and they become crisp and biscuity – just the sort of thing to serve with coffee or a glass of sweet golden wine. (Dunking is a thoroughly good thing here.) Follow Nigel on Instagram @NigelSlater
Telegraph
16-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Find cooking a chore? This is how to break out of your food rut
'Just do a list and I'll go shopping,' my husband says, breezily, as I open the fridge door and sigh. Writing the Saturday morning list has become like Groundhog Day. The mental effort involved in trying to meal plan for the week ahead and cater for my three children, including two fussy eaters, has become a chore and a bore. It wasn't always like this. There was a time when I used to love splurging in the local farm shop or, if I was feeling really flush, Daylesford Organic. When we lived in London, I would join the queue at the local butchers or fishmongers and plan a meal around whatever was fresh or in season. I would love nothing more than inviting a few friends round for dinner and getting out my Nigel Slater, Nigella Lawson or Rose Prince cookbook. I'd whizz up Nigella's Coq au Riesling or Rose's Smoky Aubergines, followed by Nigel's Lemon Posset. What went wrong, I wonder. I think it's partly midlife malaise when any enthusiasm I once had has been eclipsed by routine resentment and the daily drudge. And also the fact that life seems to be busier than ever. There are work deadlines, dogs to walk, my eldest's GSCEs, ageing parents, bills – the list seems to grow each year. We got into the habit of my husband, Dom, doing the weekly shop over lockdown and we have more or less stuck with it, but it falls on me to write the list and think about what we are going to eat each week. My husband inevitably forgets a couple of things so I always do a top-up shop (and end up spending twice as much because while he favours Aldi, I'm a sucker for Waitrose). So I decided to take some action and rope in a couple of foodie experts to see where I'm going wrong. Philippa Davis, a private chef who used to work at my favourite restaurant, The River Cafe in London, and now also writes recipes for BBC Food, tells me that I need to think first about preparation and planning and how my kitchen is set up. 'Is your kitchen a nice place to be, and is it well organised?' she asks. I think about the spices cupboard with a jar of coriander leaf from circa 2008 falling out every time I open it and the fact the kitchen is a thoroughfare to the garden and our office. 'It's worth spending a morning or an hour or so sorting out your cupboards and making sure it's easy to find everything, even if that's just putting a rubber band around the pack of lentils so they don't spill out,' Davis tells me. She says I need to think about the emotional experience behind cooking and meal planning. 'Think about how you are approaching and organising the menu plans, shop and the prepping time,' she advises. 'Are you just trying to rush through that moment or is there room to enjoy it?' Step one: Keep a food diary I start by keeping a diary for a week which shows just how bleak and boring things have become. Spag bol on Monday and Tuesday, veg curry on Wednesday and Thursday, fish and chips on Friday. Toasties for lunch on Saturday, chicken fajitas on Saturday evening and roast pork with cauliflower cheese and all the trimmings for Sunday lunch. It's pretty much the same every week with slight variations – chicken curry, chilli con carne or perhaps steak and chips. Step two: Break out of your boring food shop rut and introduce some new dishes Davis, who presented the Amazon Prime series A Taste of Dorset about the county's best food producers, tells me that I can make a number of simple swaps to make our midweek suppers more fun and interesting. She recommends introducing more one-pot dishes as they can be simple and help save time on washing up afterwards. 'I love tray bakes as they can be assembled at any point in the day then popped in the oven when needed. You can also make lots of variations, depending on what vegetables, herbs or protein you add.' Davis recommends chicken thighs with onions, peppers, oregano and a splash of chicken stock/cider or white wine. Or swapping to seasonal vegetables such as asparagus, courgettes, aubergines, cherry tomatoes and adding some herbs in. 'Butter beans, chickpeas and potatoes are also great together,' she says. Kelly Peak used to teach at the Cookery School at Little Portland Street and now runs Peak & The Pantry, which provides recipe kits and ideas. She says I need to stock up on some new key store cupboard ingredients, such as chipotle, curry powder and good quality stock cubes, to have on hand to add some flavour and fun. If you have fussy eaters or have become reliant on shop-bought dishes, then consider making your own version. 'Make fish fingers and get the kids to 'paint' mayonnaise onto the fish so it acts as a sort of glue for the breadcrumbs,' says Peak. I know my 10-year-old daughter would love that. Davis also recommends I aim to shop seasonally and buy some visually appealing fruit and vegetables. 'Seeing a bowl of aubergines and courgettes or even asparagus or purple sprouting broccoli, which are all currently coming into season, with their beautiful rich colours and textures can really help spark some joy,' she says. Step three: Add some zing to your existing hero dishes Peak tells me that introducing some new ingredients or swapping others can help add variety. 'If you're making a chilli con carne, swap out mince for some slow roast beef shins or black beans and sweet potato with chipotle. You can also slow cook it for five to six hours with Mexican chillies and pink onions to really add some depth of flavour,' she says. Davis suggests introducing different sides to go with it. 'Bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, tortilla chips and some pea guacamole (made from cooked frozen peas, lime juice, green chilli, spring onion, olive oil and fresh coriander) can really add some zing,' she says. Adding some nduja sausage to your spag bol can also help add some unctuous, rich flavour. Davis also recommends changing the pasta. 'Swap spaghetti for gnocchi (shop-bought is fine) or a new fun-shaped pasta. I am a big fan of Conchiglione, which are shaped like large shells.' Alongside swapping out the usual chicken or veg curry for something different such as pork or fish and the boring old rice for naan or chapatis, Davis also recommends introducing different sauces and sides to go with it. 'If you already have the spices out, it's a great time to try something new. This could be dal-spiced pulses like lentils or chickpeas – or a vegetable side dish. Or if that sounds like too much, why not make a quick additional sauce, dip or chutney for variation.' She recommends yogurt sauces with freshly grated ginger, chopped mint and a squeeze of lemon stirred in or a spicy green chutney. 'You can also blend coriander, chilli, garlic, ginger and lemon juice and stir through some finely sliced apple, pears or mango. It might not be that authentic but the flavours work brilliantly together,' she says. My new weekly food menu Swap veg curry for kedgeree Kedgeree has made a comeback, and swapping out boring old veg for some smoked haddock and frozen peas gives a nutritious, easy alternative. Serve with a carrot and coriander salad. Swap chicken fajitas for chicken shawarma Swap out chicken fajitas (which used to be a crowd pleaser in this house, but everyone is now bored of) for an easy shawarma. I love Nadiya Hussain's healthy recipe where you mix all the spices together and marinade over chicken thighs. So quick and easy served with flat breads, yogurt and rainbow slaw. Swap your Sunday roast with all the trimmings for one with Mediterranean salad and salsa verde 'As we creep into warmer weather, putting together a whole roast dinner with all the trimmings can seem an overwhelming task. Once you have your star dish, such as roast chicken or roast pork, why not swap some of the sides for lighter options?' Davis says. Swap your roast potatoes for a Mediterranean-inspired salad to make it a healthier option. 'My favourite includes tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, olive and feta with lemon and extra virgin olive oil. Serve it alongside a potato salad to make the most of the summer produce.' Top tip: introducing a new sauce, such as salsa verde, can also take things up a notch. 'I make mine by mixing finely chopped parsley, capers, garlic and anchovies together with lemon juice, sherry vinegar and extra virgin olive oil,' says Davis. Swap lunch toasties for frittatas 'For a quick lunch, why not make a frittata – a baked omelette – and top it with your favourite cheese and ham along with a few cherry tomatoes, spring onions, herbs and rocket,' Davis says. Top tip: add some gut-friendly kimchi. 'Kimchi is so tangy, crunchy and colourful, it's a must for me,' says Davis. With the help of Davis and Peak, I've created a new family food menu in addition to my zhuzhed up chilli. With their advice and suggestions, I'm feeling much more enthusiastic about cooking again. I might even visit the local fishmonger and get some fresh smoked haddock. When my husband asks me the following week if I've done the shopping list, I already have it to hand. 'Here you go, darling,' I say, with a smile. I've already lined up all the spices for tonight's chicken shawarma. Just call me Nigella. Swap steak and chips for steak with parmesan roast or Greek-style potatoes Sticking with the seasonal veg theme, Davis suggests getting some lovely Jersey Royals rather than boring old chips. 'From April to June, Jersey Royals are in season and glorious when served with nothing more than salted butter and mint, or you could try making parmesan roast potatoes (very trendy on social media right now) or Greek style potatoes, which are roasted with garlic and lemon,' she says.
The Guardian
15-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Nigel Slater's recipe for salmon, kale and potatoes
Put a deep pan of salted water on to boil. Peel 750g of potatoes, then cut them into large pieces. Cook them in the boiling water until tender to the point of a knife. About 12-15 minutes depending on their variety and the size you've cut them. Place a salmon fillet, about 400g in weight, on a piece of foil, brush lightly with a little oil or butter, season with salt and cook under an overhead grill until the flakes of fish are just cooked. If they are slightly underdone in the centre, then all to the good. Break the fish into large, juicy flakes, removing the skin as you go, then set aside. Wash and finely shred 50g of kale. Warm 2 tbsp of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan, add the kale and cook for a minute or two until bright green. Drain the potatoes, then mash them with 40g of butter using a vegetable masher or a food mixer fitted with a flat paddle beater, then fold in the flakes of fish and the cooked kale. Chop a handful of parsley and stir in. Heat and overhead (oven) grill. Pile the potato, salmon and kale into an ovenproof dish and dot with a little more butter. Place under the grill until patchily golden. Serve immediately. Enough for 2. Ready in 1 hour You can also make this using smoked mackerel in place of the salmon. I am not sure you need an accompaniment for this, but my own choice would be a simple bowl of peas. Follow Nigel on Instagram @NigelSlater
