Cook Magazine by Megan Norris

Cook

Issue 1 ÂŁ4

June

magazine

For those who enjoy seasonally delicious food

Blogger

Burgers

With A Difference

Foodie Followings

The New Cooking

Bibles

Your Guide To

Clean Eating

Image by: wunee.m@gmail.com

12230912409139

Editor’s Letter

Welcome... Welcome to the first issue of Cook. Focusing on seasonal and sustainable food, Cook aims to inspire with simple recipes and tantalising features. From news on the latest kitchen gadgets to interviews with local farmers and allotment keepers, Cook is all about seasonal, sustainable, and most importantly simple food. Whether you’re a busy mum pressed for time or a career-driven 20-something, we know you want food that’s simple, quick, and easy to prepare, yet you don’t want to scrimp on quality or taste, that’s why we focus on seasonal ingredients, as each dish featured will be sure to leave your taste-buds tingling with flavour. In this issue we wanted to give you a taste of summer and have we done that! To kick off our first issue we present What To Eat, our guide on what to eat this June. From a refreshing crab and chorizo salad to some of the most delicious, droolinducing desserts, take a look at pages 12-15 and 50-51 to get inspired. Fed up of buying out-of-season, imported ingredients that cost a small fortune and are if anything tasteless? Read our interview with Kate, an allotment owner who speaks about her love for her patch and the pride she gets in cooking a meal she knows she has created from scratch. It’ll be sure to leave you wanting to grow your own, even if it’s a windowbox full of herbs outside your kitchen, Kate will persuade you to stop buying and start growing! Finally, us here at Cook can’t function without our morning cup of coffee, so we’ve tried and tested some of the newest machines on the market. Turn to page 65 to read our pick of the best; we’ve even treated you to a few ideas for nibbles to go alongside your coffee, whether it’s first thing in the morning or an after dinner treat there’ll be something to compliment your cup. Happy cooking!

The Cook Team

Meet the team: Daisy Churchward Daisy is a freelance journalist whose interests include graphic design and wine. Read her feature Foodie Followings on page 22 to find out what food-based blogs you should be reading!

Megan Norris

Laurel Spooner

Megan is a freelance journalist whose interests include do-it-yourself crafts and blogging. Read her feature Gadgets Galore on page 60 to find out what kitchen appliances you need in your life.

Laurel is a freelance journalist who likes eating out and reality TV. Despite her bad taste in television, her taste in restaurants is spot on; read her feature The White Star Tavern on page 37 to check out one of her favourites. 3

In this Issue

OTC = This story is on the cover

OTC

The New Cooking Bibles

Lamb

What To Eat This Month

Perfect Pods

Seasonal Favourites Strawberries and Raspberries

Specials 16 Clean Eating

OTC

30 Allotments The Great British Past Time 41 Dine Like An American 56

Summer Tipples

37 The White Star Tavern 22 Foodie Followings

OTC

29 From Field To Fork 60 4

Gadgets Galore

OTC

Jamaican Falafel Burger

OTC

Mackerel Fishcake

Chorizo and Crab Salad

Recipes 51

Chilli and Mint Lamb Cutlets

Our Featured Bloggerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Recipes

Spaghetti with Courgettes and Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Mushroom, Garlic and Samphire Quiche

Rose Lemonade Scones

Raspberry and Lemonchello Semi Freddo

Strawberry and Raspberry Eton Mess

Amazing Desserts

Raspberry and Lemon Baked Cheesecake

Cooks Picks Want to know what you need to buy this month? Here’s Cook’s picks on what’s not to be missed this June. Words by Laurel Spooner

Mary Berry for Sainsbury’s: Mary Berry Collection Mug Set £8 for two Everyone’s favourite baker has created a range of kitchenware exclusively for Sainsbury’s. With a vintage inspired twist, the Mary Berry for Sainsbury’s collection is perfect for adding a retro edge to your kitchen. From cake-stands to biscuit tins, the range is full of kitsch, retro pieces, perfect for adding a touch of vintage-chic. With muted blue, off-white and wood pieces, the range is stylish and modern yet captures Mary’s love of old-school style. Our favourite item from the collection? These no soggy bottom mugs. Available in packs of two, these humorous mugs will be sure to add a giggle or two to your early morning cup.

Don’t Forget! Father’s Day:

Images by: Sainsbury’s, John Lewis and Marks and Spencer

Joseph Joseph Scoot Pizza Wheel, available from John Lewis £12 Fed up of buying the same thing for Father’s Day every year? Although the classic pants and socks combination never fails, why not treat the dad in your life to this pizza wheel from Joseph Joseph, so he can impress at his next beer and pizza night. With an integrated guard to protect the stainless steel blade and a comfortable rubber grip to ensure optimum comfort, this wheel can cut not just pizzas but sandwiches, pastries and a whole host of other snacks. If this doesn’t take your fancy, John Lewis have a fantastic selection of Father’s Day gifts, our other pick their set of BBQ tools. At £40.00 these don’t come cheap but these wooden-handled tools come in their own canvas case, lasting your dad for many summer’s to come.

Colourful Cocktails: Cocktail Glasses, Marks and Spencer £12 for four These colourful glasses are just the thing to add a splash of colour to your summer. Cheap and cheerful, these glasses are perfect for our Summer Tipples; turn to page 56 for our pick of the best summer cocktail recipes. Get drinking! 7

What To Eat. Here’s Cook’s guide on what to eat this month.

What To Eat

What To Eat June is the month of strawberries and cream at Wimbledon, festive bonfires on a midsummers day and summer picnics at Royal Ascot. With scorching hot days (we hope) and trips abroad, we at Cook think you need to know exactly what you can buy now, so you have the best month of food you can possibly have. Words by Megan Norris

Lamb

Mackerel

Crab

Lamb has a delicate flavour and is usually a sheep, under the age of one. If you want a quick lamb dish choose fillet, loin chops or leg steaks, but for slower cooking you’re best off buying shoulder, shank or leg.

Mackerel is an oily fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Best eaten fresh!

The easiest way to buy this shellfish is ready-cooked and already out of the shell.

A versatile meat, you can go for a classic roast, but you can also barbeque it using spices. Grill it for a healthier option and add in a Thai salad to give it some extra flavour! Obviously, regardless of how you cook it, lamb should always be served with new potatoes and minted peas.

Add some spice to your mackerel with curry powder and turmeric, for a different yet equally delicious flavour. If you’re trying to be healthy why not steam the fish and serve alongside some leeks poached in red wine. Or for something completely different, try frying the fish and eating with some roasted rhubarb! For our Mackerel fishcake recipe go to page 45.

Great made into fishcakes and served with a tomato and basil dressing, or with linguine, a spring onion, chilli and white wine sauce. Amazing in spring rolls, why not make your own with cucumber and crème fraîche. Just make sure you buy it fresh, as it will have the best flavour. Turn to page 50 for our Chorizo and Crab salad recipe.

Other seasonal food for June... Sardines, Raspberry, Strawberry, Gooseberry, New Potatoes, Rocket, Asparagus, Watercress, Radish, French Beans, Broad Beans, Peas, Tomato,

Mange Tout, Chicory, Spring Onion 11

Recipe

Seasonal Favourites Your guide to everything strawberries and raspberries - the ultimate summer staples. From summer starters to delicious desserts, you can use these gorgeous fruits in everything, so here at Cook, have decided to bring you our favourite recipes that include these beautiful berries. Words and Images by Megan Norris

What to look for How to prepare How to store Strawberries:

Strawberries:

They should be firm to touch and bright red in colour. Avoid those with any bruising. They should have a nice sheen to them, this shows they are fresh as can be. The smell of the strawberry is also an important factor; they should smell sweet and fragrant. Medium-sized strawberries have the best flavour.

Wash briefly as they can start to deteriorate once theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made contact with water. Hull them, by removing the stalk - this can be pulled out or alternatively use a sharp knife. Cut to the desired size.

Store in the fridge on a layer of kitchen towel. Always best to eat them at room temperature, take them out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes before eating. Eat within a couple of days of picking/buying.

Raspberries:

They must not be soft, instead look for those that are plump, dry and firm.

Try not to wash them unless absolutely necessary, as they are very delicate. If you do feel you need to rinse your berries to rid of any bugs and other nasties pat dry with some kitchen towel. Follow by picking the leaves off as well as any remaining bits of stalk.

Store them the same way as strawberries and eat as soon as possible.

The best way to know if you have perfect fruit is to grow them yourself! If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in growing your own head to page 30 for our interview with budding allotment owner Kate.

Baked Raspberry and Lemon Cheesecake Serves 8-10 Ingredients:

Recipe:

400g digestive biscuits 75g butter, melted 600g full-fat soft cheese 250g golden caster sugar 150g tub natural yoghurt 3 medium eggs Finely grated zest of 2 lemons, juice of 1 50g plain flour 200g raspberries Icing sugar, to decorate

1. Using greaseproof paper, line the base of a 20cm round spring-form tin and heat your oven to gas mark 2/150 degrees C. 2. Place the digestive biscuits into a plastic food bag and crush using a rolling pin. Alternatively you can use a food processor. 3. Add the crushed biscuits to the melted butter and blend well. 4. Push the biscuits into the base of the cake tin ensuring the layer is even. Refrigerate until needed.

6. Add in the yoghurt and the eggs one egg at a time. 7. Beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice and flour. 8. Crush two thirds of the raspberries then fold into the mixture. 9. Transfer into the cake tin, levelling the top. 10. Bake for an hour and a half, then turn the oven off and leave the cake inside for another hour. 11. Leave to cool at room temperature.

5. In a separate bowl use an electric whisk to beat the soft cheese with the sugar.

12. To serve, remove from tin and scatter with the remaining raspberries before dusting heavily with icing sugar. 13

Tip:

Try with raspberry, lemon or strawberry coulis!

Limoncello and Raspberry Semi Freddo with Mango Coulis

Limoncello and Raspberry Semi Freddo with Mango Coulis Serves 8-10 Ingredients:

Recipe:

100g fresh raspberries 85g golden caster sugar 284ml double cream 4 tbsp Limoncello 4ooml crème fraîche

1. Line a 1kg loaf tin with cling film.

For the coulis: 1 mango 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

To serve: Extra raspberries

2. Mash the raspberries and half the sugar together in a bowl. 3. Using an electric whisk beat the cream, half the Limoncello and half of the sugar together until it forms soft peaks. 4. Beat the crème fraîche, until it also forms soft peaks. 5. Fold the mixture with the crème fraîche. 6. Add the crushed raspberries into the cream, stirring only a few times.

7. Pour the mixture into the tin, making sure the top is smooth. 8. Place in the freezer without a lid and leave for 24 hours to freeze. 9. For the coulis, mash the raspberries, the rest of the Limoncello and sugar together with a fork. 10. Push mixture through a sieve. 11. To serve, remove the semi-freddo from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge for 1 hour. Remove from the tin and cut into slices. Drizzle over the coulis and scatter raspberries around the plate.

Strawberry and Raspberry Eton Mess Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 6-8 small meringues 656ml double cream 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence 255g strawberries, sliced in half 255g raspberries 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Recipe: 1. Add double cream, 1 tbsp of caster sugar and vanilla essence into a bowl. 2. Whip until it forms soft peaks, this is best done with an electric hand whisk. 3. In another bowl, add half the strawberries, half the raspberries, 1 tbsp of caster sugar and the balsamic vinegar. mashing together with a fork. 4. Add the crushed fruits to the whipped cream mixture and mix well. 5. Roughly break up the meringues in a separate bowl. 6. Pour cream mixture into the bowl of meringues and mix together well. 7. To serve, place mixture into dessert glasses or bowls, and finish off with your remaining fruit pieces.

Tip:

If you are making the day before, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mix the meringues into the cream mix as they will disintegrate. Add just before serving on the day. Strawberry and Raspberry Eton Mess

What To Eat

Clean Eating Why the latest dieting craze isn’t a fad invented to fool those who want to lose weight quickly. Welcome clean eating, a lifestyle that has a whole host of benefits. Words by Laurel Spooner

here’s nothing new about the hype surrounding the latest dieting trend, plastered over social media and with a host of celebrities singing its praises. Clean eating is the newest craze to have its moment in the spotlight. Yet, unlike other fads, the clean eating phenomenon is one that Cook can get on board with. More of a lifestyle rather than a diet, clean eating involves eating only whole foods, avoiding those with nasty chemicals and additives. Put simply, clean eating is the practice of avoiding processed and refined foods. Instead, structuring your diet on a mixture of complex carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. It’s about filling your body with the nutrients it needs, not the addictive additives fast-food chains and convenience food companies want you to think you need.

Unlike The Cabbage Soup, The Atkins and The 5:2 diets, clean eating isn’t a quick fix to lose weight. Instead, it’s a lifestyle change, enabling you to become the best version of yourself that you can possibly be - a fitter, healthier and more energised you.

However, a chocoholic who can’t stay away for more than a day or two, may benefit from making their own with healthier ingredients,” says Lucy Jones, a leading dietician and presenter of Channel 4’s The Food Hospital.

You see, as already mentioned, clean eating isn’t a diet. It isn’t restrictive or limiting and doesn’t need you to count calories or measure out toddlersized portions. In fact, clean versions of traditionally unhealthy foods have sprung up on a whole host of foodbased blogs, from Snickers bars to pizza, there’s a clean recipe for every kind of oh-so-good-but-oh-so-bad for you treat.

“I actually really dislike the term ‘clean eating’ – it reminds me of disinfectant. However, it seems to be resonating with people and the principles behind the phenomenon are sound. Aiming to limit/avoid processed and packaged foods can only be a good thing. The more we do this, the more we can improve our health and even the environment.”

“I think it’s all about balance and what is right for the individual. Having a Snickers bar once a month as a treat won’t affect your health, if you are eating healthily the rest of the time.

It is this idea that a person’s health can be greatly improved just by following a clean diet, this seems to be one of the main reasons why so many people are adopting one. Helping your body to manage diseases and

remove toxins, following a clean diet acts as a detox, improving your overall health and even helping an individual to lose weight if needs be. However, it’s not just weight loss and health improvements that are behind the sudden surge of interest in the diet. Lucy, resident dietician on ITV’s The Titchmarsh Show, gave us her views on some of the benefits that come with following a clean diet: “The pros are that you are likely to eat more fruit, veg, pulses and lean proteins, whilst reducing your intake of sugar, saturated fats and artificials. The cons are that food takes more time to prepare and you could eliminate foods which were not bad for you in the first place, therefore it can end up restricting peoples diets.” “I recommend people employ the principles of clean eating but keep some flexibility such as eating out or a night off – this makes it more achievable in the long term.” C

Lucy’s top tips for a clean diet Feeling inspired after reading our feature? We asked dietician Lucy Jones for her top tips on how to start eating clean.

Take stock of your current diet before you start – where are you going right and where are you going wrong? Radishes are a good source of folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium and calcium. Available from May-October, they are perfect in salads and go well with salmon.

Image by: Max Straeten

Make sure you eat foods from each food group to keep your diet balanced.

Try to make your life easier by cooking in bulk and freezing portions for lazy/too busy nights. Taking leftovers for lunch also helps if you’re short of time.

Tackle your worst area initially, don’t try to change everything at once.

What To Read. Our guide to the cookery books you need in your kitchen. Every month we bring you a new set of books hot off the press, as well as the best blogs to follow.

What To Read

The New Cooking Bibles Everything you need to know about the three best cookery books out right now! This month we are looking at the three meals of the day - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Words and Images by Megan Norris

The Breakfast Bible Religious or not, you need this bookas it will tell you everything you need to know about the most important meal of the day. From how to perfectly boil an egg, to the real reason behind the phrase ‘bringing home the bacon’.

The Breakfast Bible, although not full of images is instead filled with ways to cook the best full English you’ve ever had. Written by a range of cooking enthusiasts, including Malcolm Eggs and Seb Emina (obviously not their real names!) this book is a mix of humour and simple but effective food. It may not be your conventional recipe book, but it will serve you well. Throughout there are illustrations as well as unknown facts about breakfast. It also contains short essays about a whole host of things, from where the idea of breakfast in bed comes from, to forgotten breakfasts of the past. Full of pick and mix offerings, enabling you to create your own breakfast. Whether English, American or European, either way you can find how to make it, and learn something new along the way. 20

The Breakfast Bible - By Seb Emina and Malcolm Eggs

The Little Book Of Lunch “Follow these recipes and tips and it won’t be long before you are savouring the comforting goodness of a home-made lunch”. Wise words from this book, made appetising with its fabulous photos and easy to follow recipes. Claiming that the ideas featured are perfect for the office, however we at Cook think you can make these meals even on your days off. Definitely one for food lovers with 7 different sections: from Wholesome and Healthy to Indulgent and Decadent, The Little Book of Lunch gives you everything you need to have the best lunch you’ve ever made.

The Little Book of Lunch - By Caroline Craig and Sophie Missing

Friends Around The Table “Relaxed entertaining for every occasion” is this book down to a ‘T’. With recipes for all occasions, from relaxed family lunches to al fresco dining for two, this book is all about giving you ideas, “you don’t have to ask permission to swap an ingredient or furtively add a pinch of chilli when the book isn’t looking.”

With a section on planning ahead, this book is handy, saving you time and money with weekly menus and shopping lists for a range of different needs, whether it be vegetarian, healthy or thrifty. Just what you need for weekday lunches, whether you’re chained to your desk or relaxing on the sofa.

Friends Around the Table - By Acland Geddes and Pedro De Silva

Geddes Acland, owner of Chelsea restaurant Megan’s, guides you through some of his favourite recipes. Full of fun and family, this book is for the food lover, someone who enjoys creating new things and adding their own twists to existing classics. With five sections the book caters to everyone, whether you want to entertain a large group or have a romantic meal with your partner. Friends Around The Table offers something for each need, with sections including Lunch Al Fresco, The More The Merrier, and Two’s Company. Full of brightly coloured images, the photography makes you salivate at the mouth, tricking you into believing you can almost taste the Mediterranean feast presented to you. C 21

Feature

Foodie Followings This month, Cook has compiled a list of four foodie blogs to follow. We feel no matter how good a blog is, it has to exude personality, and these four blogs certainly donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lack in that department. For a selection of uniquely inspiring yet relaxing reads, check out our picks. Words by Daisy Churchward

To see some delicious recipes by the bloggers, turn to page 46.

Lavendar and Lovage: Summer Salad

The Yes Chef: Roasted Pork

Belleau Kitchen: Samphire Quiche

Images by: Karen Burns Booth, Tess Ward, Dominic Belleau, Rachel Brady

Recipe: p.44

Well Worn Whisk: Courgette Spaghetti

Recipe: p.45 23

The Belleau Kitchen

The Belleau Kitchen started four years ago in the heart of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Inspired by Julie and Julia (a film based on the lives of professional chef Julia Childs and food blogger Julie Powell), The Belleau Kitchen features rustic chic recipes, inspired by the wonderful local and seasonal produce blogger Dominic can get his hands on. Creating dinners that can easily be recreated at home, Dominic says: “I try to be as simple as possible, it’s all about great tasting food that doesn’t suck the life out of you when making it,” which means just about anyone and everyone can read his blog and recreate his dishes.

www.theyeschef.com

The Yes Chef Tess Ward is the beauty and talent behind the blog The Yes Chef, which prides itself on its positive ‘I can do it’ attitude. Believing that many people tell themselves they can’t cook or don’t have the time to, Tess created The Yes Chef to help people feel more confident in their cooking; all recipes featured are simple, healthy, and perfect for everyday dining. Describing herself as someone who ‘reads, eats and dreams food’; Tess’ inspiration came from her Mother’s forgetful style of cooking. After too many burnt lamb chops, Tess took to the stove herself and decided to turn it around. But it wasn’t until travelling through India at the age of 19 that Tess begun to show a real flair for cooking. Suffering from an irritated stomach, due to the high wheat and fructose levels common in Indian cuisine, Tess begun experimenting with

“I have come to the conclusion that almost all the best foods are raw. Carpaccio, tartare, smoked salmon, sashimi, salami. Even a steak is best served rare.”

Although a lot of hard work goes into The Belleau Kitchen, including the odd late night, Dominic revels in it: “When I first moved up to the cottage ten years ago, I didn’t know anyone who produced local food, but over the years I’ve discovered

“I try to be as simple as possible, it’s all about great tasting food that doesn’t suck the life out of you when making it.” more and more.” With his love for seasonal and local food relished, he now scours the markets and local shops for the best ingredients. Highlights from his area include honey producers, a trout smokery and apparently a farmer who delivers “the most amazing pork belly you’ve ever tasted.” Recommending the food at The Railway Tavern pub, which happens to be his local, Dominic says: “It’s all about good quality basic pub grub, cooked fresh to order. They serve all the classics and they do them amazingly well. I really don’t think you can beat traditional food like this!”

new ingredients, learning to cook a whole bunch of new foods. Yet, despite her love of cooking, Tess says: “I have come to the conclusion that almost all the best foods are raw. Carpaccio, tartare, smoked salmon, sashimi, salami. Even a steak is best served rare. I take great satisfaction in knowing almost every country in the world does at least one of these dishes well.”

A traveller through and through, one of the things Tess loves most about her blog is that it can be shared around the world. With all her food fantasies in one place, Tess hopes that everyone who reads her blog will be inspired by and adopt The Yes Chef attitude, something we here at Cook hope so too!

www.belleaukitchen.com

Lavender and Lovage Lavender and Lovage begun because writer Karen wanted to keep her presence live. After losing a regular by-line in a major UK magazine, Karen was able to share her foodie inspiration online, carrying on her love of writing. A graphic design graduate, Karen now has quite a different career, although her background in design helped her in creating the simple yet sophisticated look of her blog. Working hard to create recipes and take her own photographs, Karen aims to publish at least three posts a week, keeping her blog regular and up-to-date.

“A graphic design graduate, Karen now has quite a different career.” full of home-grown herbs and chickens, Karen is a pin-up girl for the sustainable lifestyle. Attempting to reach out to people of all ages, Karen says her audience is mainly “people who are keen to try new and innovative recipes.” With a section of recipes dedicated to the popular 5:2 diet, Karen mainly creates these for herself and her husband, but she has been asked on occasion to cook for others too.

www.wellwornwhisk.co.uk

Well Worn Whisk “I find it hard work putting a tasty wholesome meal on the table for my family, day in, day out. I’m always trying to think of ways to make food that is easy, but still wholesome and delicious,” says full-time mother Rachel Brady, creator of Well Worn Whisk. “I am a normal home cook, so if I can do it, you can too.” Real cooking is what Well Worn Whisk is all about, with the name of the blog reflecting this. Not just a catchy slogan, Rachel’s blog was named after a real whisk that her mum used to own before passing on to her. It’s rusty, the spines have come free and it is perhaps a bit dangerous to use, but her mother didn’t throw it away and Rachel sees this as real cooking.

“It’s rusty, the spines have come free and it is perhaps a bit dangerous to use...” With two children under the age of three, mum Rachel is keen to add her input to the discussion of helping children to eat healthier, an on-going issue for years now, with one theory behind it being to let children cook. She does try to encourage them to help out in the kitchen when they can: “They are both greedy pigs just like me. The most important thing is that you set a good example with what you eat.” Yet despite her love for her children, Rachel has had to postpone her recent desire to travel to Asia, after falling in love with the cuisine. Though Rachel is experienced in other exotic cuisines, specifically Spanish. Her husband’s parents have a house in Andalucía, and so Rachel and her family have spent time in Spain, trialling the cuisine and enjoying the cultural dishes.

www.lavenderandlovage.com

Images by: Tess - Jack Hardy, Dominic Franks, Karen Burns Booth, Rachel Brady

Providing a window for Karen, Lavender and Lovage has helped Karen in her career. Progressing her in her writing and photography, she has been commissioned for several jobs from a range of large brands and publications. Proof that a blog can be a job and not just a hobby.

Focusing on family food inspired by traditional and seasonal British cuisine, Karen touches on aspects of the French lifestyle, integrating travel throughout her blog too. A garden

Speaking of sunnier climates summer time cooking is a family affair with Rachel: “We BBQ a lot in the summer, keeping it quite simple. Some marinated chicken, perhaps with some barbequed red peppers made into a salad with anchovies, capers, parsley, and lots of olive oil. And a very cold glass of Chardonnay.” C

Features.

Images by : Emma Higgens

In this issue, we will be talking about the quintessential British pub - The White Star, as well as telling you how to Dine Like An American! You can also delve into the world of an allotmenteer.

From Field to Fork

Feature

A gorgeous farm run by the fourth generation of the Janaways family, Newlyns is a family business. Not just a farm, the Janaways also own two farm shops. Priding themselves on having a field to fork ethos, with the finest produce along with providing amazing value for all their customers, Cook was lucky enough to speak with Emma Higgens who works at the original shop. Words by Megan Norris

Images by: Emma Higgens, Newlyns Farm Shop

tretching over 500 acres of beautiful North East Hampshire and West Surrey countryside is Newlyns farm. Here, the Janaway family rear cattle and pigs alongside running their two farm shops. Having owned the farm since? In 2004 the family decided to open their first shop, in order to sell their produce to the local community. From there it rocketed and now two shops sell Newlyns produce situated on opposite sides of their huge farm. Giving them the opportunity to trade their own home-reared meats, and also offering a place for local producers to sell their own fruit and veg, Emma tells us: “We opened Newlyns Hook in 2004 and then Newlyns Weyhill six years later – when we found a good site. We liked the site and we already had a member of staff who lived locally. It was a way of spreading our overheads. The meat sold in both shops comes from the main farm based in Upton Grey.” After last year’s horsemeat scandal it is more important than ever to know where your food is coming from. When buying your food from Newlyns farm shop you can be absolutely sure that the food is coming from where it states, usually because you can see the field and the animals frolicking in it! Newlyns Farm Shop has this advantage, Emma explains: “Our unique selling point is that we have full traceability of the meat sold in our butchery counter, we have added

value to this by producing our own hams and sausages, pies and ready meals. People are interested in where their food comes from, they want to know the traceability of their meat and they are able to talk to the people who actually look after the animals.” Jack with some lambs on the farm. Cookery School at Newlyns Hook.

Some meat being sold at Newlyns Farm Shop. One of the Beef Cattle at Newlyns Farm.

Newlyns Farm Shop have even won awards for the quality of their food, including Best Food Shop in 2005. Emma tells us which one they pride themselves on the most: “The Best on Farm Butchery (FARMA) award – this is a national event against some brilliant farm shops. The butchery counter was originally why we opened the shop, so being recognised for this award was a great honour.” Newlyns have really tried to make their farm shops one of a kind, even running a cookery school, where people can sign up to learn how to cook a range of meals with the things they sell in the shop. Classes include: Fantastic Fish and Taste of Italy, as well as Butcher it, Cook it, Carve it, which tells you exactly how to do everything for that perfect Sunday roast! Prices start at £42 for a child up to £142 for some of their most technical classes. Emily spoke about this aspect of their business: “The thought behind opening the cookery school was that if we produced the perfect piece of meat on the farm, we wanted people to take it home and be able to cook it with confidence.” C 29

Feature

Raspberry Green Houses, Foxhills Allotments 30

Allotments The Great British Past Time The grow your own mentality is seeing a huge surge in popularity at the moment, with more and more people taking to their gardens and planting their own fruit and veg. Along with this the waiting lists for allotments are huge, so youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be lucky if you get allotted one in the same year you apply! But is it all worth it? Megan talks to one budding allotment owner to see her perspective on it all. Words and Images by Megan Norris

he humble allotment has been around for centuries - a map of Birmingham from 1732 shows how they surrounded the whole city. During both World Wars, allotments were essential to survival, as rationing gripped the country. It was a perfect way to feed your family. Throughout the years having an allotment has become extremely popular, where once many people would simply use their gardens to grow fresh produce, there is now a growing number of people who want allotment spaces. In January 2013, a survey was taken of the 323 English authorities, which hold allotments, 321 responded. They found that 67% held waiting list data, and out of that, 78,827 people were waiting on allotments, which means a staggering amount of the public want to grow their own. Thankfully many town councils are making it far easier to acquire an allotment, by opening new sites around the country. There are many benefits to having an

Potato plants in the allotment plot. 32

allotment, they can provide you and your family with sustainable food and you know exactly where it has come from and how it has been made. Allotments are also a great way of showing children where our food comes from; they can tend to their own patch of your allotment and grow some easy to care for veg, like cress or carrots. Growing your own means you are not using any unnatural man-made materials, such as plastic shrinkwrap to keep your cucumbers fresh or unneeded foam casing for your tomatoes.

plot for three years tends to it often, however it wasn’t so easy when she first wanted to start an allotment. “I have wanted an allotment for a long time but it has been hard to get one due to high demand and I had to go on a waiting list. Unfortunately there was a dispute in my case as to which council I fell in to, so I was passed between two and as a result have had to wait for 6-7 years. Even without the trouble though I believe most people have to wait a least a couple of years or so. I got mine as new allotments were built.”

“The advantages are in knowing that the food you are eating is natural and has not been changed or messed around with”

Allotments can also improve wildlife and nature, as it gives the wildlife somewhere new to thrive, as well as reducing the amount of emissions we create by transporting food long distances to supermarkets. I talked to Kate Wright, an avid allotment owner. Kate who’s had her

She continues to explain why she was so happy when she was finally given a plot “I have always been interested in and enjoyed gardening, so for me an allotment was a way to gain more space than my garden provides.” Allotments are a great way of getting to know your local community as well as actively encouraging your community

to expand. The allotments Kate is part of have only recently opened: “There is a little bit of community spirit, but not a lot as people mainly just tend to their patches. This could be due to the fact that the allotments are new, only 3 years old, and so maybe people haven’t really had a chance to settle in and become friendly with each other.”

“For me an allotment was a way to gain more space than my garden provides.”

You can grow a number of different things at an allotment, from herbs like parsley and tarragon to fruits such as gooseberries and blackberries ,and of course a huge variety of vegetables, including celeriac and beetroot. Kate explains what she grows on her plot: “I grow fruit and vegetables that I can use for myself. So far I am preparing to grow a mixture of green beans, peas, carrots, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, sweetcorn, lettuce and tomatoes. I grow basic crops I know I will use and some years I like to experiment with crops that are a bit more exotic or new to me.” Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great feeling, when you are able to cook a meal using all the produce you have grown yourself. Unfortunately you are not always able to grow everything you cook, as Kate explains: “I do still buy fruit and vegetables from the supermarket, as I can not grow the amount of food required to feed everyone in the house. Also when growing crops there are certain food types that aren’t available at certain times of the year or that are exotic and will not grow within the area. The advantage of the supermarket is that it stocks everything you could want all year round.” Of course it would be great if we didn’t have to rely on supermarkets for our meals, but it’s brilliant that Kate doesn’t buy everything from them. She elaborates: “I like to prepare meals with my own home-grown ingredients; it is a good sense of achievement. I cook a mixture of meals incorporating different amounts of home-grown products. My favourite meal to cook is eggs, potatoes and salad, as I know all these ingredients are home grown and prepared by me. I also keep chickens and eat the eggs produced.”

Kate watering the raspberry plants

So is there much point in having to wait a number of years until you finally get a plot of land? Kate thinks so: “I think having an allotment is worthwhile.> 33

Kate digging up potatoes

s In terms of money I think buying the seeds, renting the plot, putting in the time and effort, evens out to buying fruit and vegetables from the supermarket. But for me the advantages are in knowing that the food you are eating is natural and has not been changed or messed around with by food companies and people who handle the food from the farm to the shop shelf. Also I look at the allotment as an active hobby that keeps me healthy and keeps me from getting bored.” Many people turn their allotment space into a business, selling their produce onto family and friends, however Kate likes to keep it as a hobby. “I use the allotment as a hobby more than a business. We eat everything I produce and so don’t have anything left over to sell. If I was in the position to expand my output I would definitely consider trading some of my products for other people’s products, but the 34

idea of transforming the hobby into a business does not appeal to me.” There are many websites dedicated to the art of the allotment plot, from how to plant your seeds, to where and at what time of year. They also explain how to get rid of pests and other unwanted guests. However these guidelines can also be used in your own garden – if you’re already on a waiting list for an allotment plot, then why not start in your own garden. This way you can learn all the basics as well as growing your own produce, then when an allotment plot opens up you know exactly what you are doing before you even get there! If you want to learn more about the process of applying for an allotment plot, just log onto the .Gov website and search allotments, where it will give you a list of allotments in your local area. It will also contain a phone number or

email address where you can join the waiting list or get information. Then once you have your allotment visit The National Allotment Society website (www.nsalg.org.uk). Full of tips and tricks for allotment owners, it gives you everything you need to know. In the mean time get gardening, and transform your meals into homegrown masterpieces, I know I will be. C

Go to our website for more information cook.com

The White Star Tavern For pub-grub with a twist head to The White Star, Southamptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secret hotspot, offering the best of British food. Words by Laurel Spooner Images by Daisy Churchward, Megan Norris and Laurel Spooner

Feature

Hampshire Steak Burger with brioche bap, cheese, bacon, lettuce and tomato

estled on a corner of Oxford Street, a thriving lane full of some of the quaintest, finest and tastiest restaurants the Hampshire city has to offer is The White Star Tavern.

A stone’s throw away from the town centre, ‘The White Star’ offers a far more relaxing environment than the hustle and bustle of the city centre. With locally sourced meat, cheese and fish, this chic gastro-pub is right up Cook’s street! Whether it’s a quick Sunday afternoon drink you’re after, a full-on roast with all the trimmings or even a quick weeknight dinner, The White Star has it all, with a wide range of food and drink on offer.

Atmosphere:

Food:

Lively and buzzing or relaxed and tranquil, dependent on what day or even what time you visit, The White Star Tavern can fulfil whatever kind of atmosphere you’re looking for. Our favourite time to head down is on a Friday night when local musicians take to the stage, Sunday afternoon’s are also musically filled but are a tad mellower. On our visit, we had the pleasure of listening to Lawrence Mackrell, a musician and guitarist from Bournemouth who covered classic tracks as well as slightly newer songs.

Although there was a lot to love about The White Star, a restaurant is nothing without its food. Luckily for us The White Star delivered on this front. Locally sourced seasonal food is served year round with the menu changing regularly. We opted for spicy chorizo sausage and crispy spring rolls to start, followed by two pub classics: fish and chips and a cheeseburger. Dessert was in the form of a creamy vanilla crème brûlée with a chewy chocolate chip cookie - Delicious!

Bar staff and waiters were friendly, chatty and keen to help with whatever you need. Whether your request is a bottle of ketchup, no gherkins on your burger or help choosing from their extensive wine and cocktail list, staff are only too happy to help and with a smile on their face.

Drink: A huge selection of wines, beers and even cocktails are on offer at The White Star, leaving us spoilt for choice. To help with this dilemma, a flow chart is printed on to the back of each menu to help guide you towards the wine for

The White Star dining room

Vanilla Crème Brûlée with Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

What we drank:

you. After following this we settled on a Pinot Grigio blush and a Pinot Noir (both large glasses of course) followed by a Bloody Mary to finish the evening.

Sleep:

Pinot Grigio Blush

What we ate:

Pinot Noir Bloody Mary

Not just for stuffing your face and drinking the day away, The White Star Tavern is also a place to stay the night. With stylish décor, each room is sophisticated yet homely with roll-top baths, luxurious bed linens and widescreen TV’s. C

White Star Tavern, 28 Oxford Street, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 3DJ 023 8082 1990

Spring rolls with a hoisin and plum sauce Spicy chorizo sausage rolls with tomato dip Hampshire Steak Burger - Locally baked brioche bap, skinny fries and burger sauce (We added cheese and bacon to ours but blue cheese or chorizo are also on offer). Fish ‘n’ Chips - Ale battered hake, crushed peas, triple cooked chips and tartare sauce Vanilla Crème Brûlée with a Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

Feature

Dine Like An American Words and Images by Daisy Churchward The burger has always been a family favourite and there’s no denying those across the pond certainly know how to do it. With the arrival of the gourmet burger riveting the UK, huge chains such as Byron Burger and Gourmet Burger Kitchen are front-runners in a burgeoning burger industry. Yet, nestled on a street full of cheap takeaways in Southampton lies a small restaurant named 7-Bone. A small, independently owned diner, authentic American burgers are served alongside classic shakes and bourbon liquor, all in a beautifully rustic environment. The rise of the speciality burger has also lead big chains to embrace the burger trend amongst their usual menus. Vodka Revolutions, a chain of bars throughout the UK boasts a wide range of burgers. Pictured here is the American Ranch burger, topped with Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, pickles, and chipotle sauce, a truly tasty treat.

Cook’s r o f r e v Turn o f gourmet o version gers. bur

So why not head down to your local pub or restaurant and try out their selection of gourmet burgers, to experience a true taste of what it’s like to Dine Like An American? C

American Ranch Burger by Vodka Revolutions 41

Recipes. Cook brings you the tastiest dishes, from our in-house writers and our featured bloggers of the month.

Recipe

Burgers With a Difference

Jamaican Falafel Burger

Traditionally made with minced beef, the classic burger is a family favourite. As we here at Cook, like to try something different, here’s three burgers with a twist. Defying the rules of the typical burger, all can be served with any side, Cook recommends a mix of homemade potato and sweet potato fries, but equally a pasta salad wouldn’t go a miss either! Words and Images by Daisy Churchward

Jamaican Falafel Burger

Recipe:

Taking the falafel to Jamaica, this recipe has all the jerk spice you need to create a hot and tasty burger. With chickpeas making up the bulk of the burger, this recipe is low in fat and is great for vegetarians, or for those who like a little bit of heat, or a lot!

1. In a food processor combine the allspice, brown sugar, garlic, chillies, spring onions, nutmeg, soy sauce and lemon juice. Blend to a paste.

Makes 8 burgers

3. Add flour until the mixture is moist enough to stick together, but dry enough to not stick to your fingers. Mould into burger patties before placing in the fridge for 3 hours to firm.

Falafel Burgers: 2 cans of chickpeas 1 tbsp flour 2 tbsp ground allspice 2 tbsp soft brown sugar 8 garlic cloves 2-3 chillies, (your variety of choice, depending on how spicy you like it) 5 spring onions, trimmed 1 tsp nutmeg 2 tbsp soy sauce (this helps to keep the burgers moist) Juice of half a lemon

2. Add the drained chickpeas to the food processor.

4. Once firm these can either be shallow fried until crispy (3 minutes on each side usually does the trick), or brushed with oil and baked in the oven for around 20 minutes at gas mark 7/220 degrees C. To serve, smother in BBQ or hot sauce before popping in a bun. Top with crunchy iceberg lettuce.

Tip We don recom : m ’t co BBQ ok th end yo a ten or grill a e falafe u l on st de coo ncy to f hey do h a king all a av crum ; this is part wh e due ilst bly n to a chic ture of the the kpea s.

Gourmet BBQ Pork Burger The sweet and tangy sauce lifts this burger to a new level, whilst keeping it refreshing and smoky. Pork is a good substitute too if you are trying to reduce your fat intake. To make this burger even healthier switch to extra lean mince. Makes 8 burgers

Burgers: 500g pork mince Small bunch of fresh parsley 3 spring onions Salt and pepper to season

Peach BBQ Sauce:

1tbsp oil 3 ripe peaches 1 red onion 2 garlic cloves 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tbsp BBQ sauce 2 tsp honey 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp chilli flakes (reduce if you want less heat) 2 tsp tomato puree Salt and pepper to season

1. Dice the onion and peaches to similar sizes.

Burgers: 1. After trimming the spring onions, pulse all the ingredients for the burgers in a food processor. 2. Form into patties, before placing on a plate and leaving to chill in the fridge for 3 hours. The burgers should be firm to the touch once removed. Skip to the Peach BBQ Sauce recipe. 3. Brush with oil and place on the BBQ or grill until cooked through. (These can also be cooked in a frying pan with a little oil in the bottom. The low fat content in the pork doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make these too bad for frying and ensures a crispy top and bottom.)

al: Option ansfer r cool, t Once nder if you to a ble smoother a prefer uce. sa

2. Add to a saucepan or deep frying pan with hot oil and sweat on a medium-high heat, until both are soft. 3. Add chopped garlic and stir gently for another 3-4 minutes. 4. Put the rest of the ingredients in the pan and stir on a medium-high heat for 3 minutes. 5. Turn the heat down to the point where it is simmering and leave, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. To serve, place in a bun and pour the sauce over the burger. Top with lettuce and cucumber.

Mackerel Fishcakes: This is one of the simplest recipes featured in Cook this month. Instead of serving these as burgers we made them into meatball shapes that work well as a starter or as bite-size nibbles at a buffet.

Gourmet BBQ Pork Burger

Makes 4 burgers or 12 meatball sized patties

Fishcakes: 175g smoked mackerel , skin removed 4 medium potatoes (some that are good for mashing) 2 red chillies 2tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tsp smoked paprika Sprinkling of flour 1/2 tsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper to season

Recipe: 1. Peel and cut potatoes into 3cm by 3cm chunks. Place in boiling salted water for 20-30 minutes or until soft and ready for mashing. 2. Mash potatoes with butter and pepper. 3. When the mash is cool add it to a food processor with the mackerel, chillies (deseeded if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want too much spice), ketchup and paprika. 4. After pulsing a few times, the mixture should start to come together. 5. When it has completely mixed together start to mould it into either burger shapes, or meatball sized shapes. 6. Place onto a flour-dusted sheet of greaseproof paper and allow to rest in the fridge for 3 hours, this will allow the shape to keep its form. 7.Grease the baking tray and place on mackerel fishcakes, brush with oil then bake for 30 minutes at gas mark 7/220 degrees C.

Mackerel Fishcakes

To serve, place them onto a big plate for guests to nibble on.

Rose Lemonade Scones by Karen Burns-Booth of Lavender and Lovage

Recipe

Food Bloggers Takeover Recipes and the Internet go hand-in-hand. It’s possible to find a recipe you haven’t seen in years in just a few seconds, all you have to do is Google a few of the ingredients or remember it’s quirky name and you’ll come across it. With blogs dedicated to a whole host of subjects it was only a matter of time before food was on the agenda. With this in mind, and our Foodie Followings feature on page 22, we asked some of our favourite bloggers for their recipes. Family-friendly and incredibly moreish, these dishes are divine. By Daisy Churchward

Samphire Quiche

by Dominic Franks of Belleau Kitchen 46

It’s a sin, I know, but I’ve never cooked with samphire before even though I love the stuff and it’s grown locally here in the saltmarshes of Lincolnshire. It’s one of those ingredients that seems to have passed me by for some daft reason and now that’s it’s so wonderfully trendy, I’ve had my eyes opened to how amazing it is. It works well as both a vegetable and serves wonderfully with fish and chicken but also as a herb, used like I have here alongside mushrooms, garlic and a little rosemary. It has a beautifully salty taste that compliments Parmesan too, so I’ve included some in the pastry.”

Mushroom, Garlic, and Samphire Quiche

Images by: Dominic Franks, Karen Burns Booth, Rachel Brady

Parmesan Pastry: 250g plain flour 100g butter 50g finely grated vegetarian Parmesan Water, to mix

The filling: 1 large box of closed cup mushrooms (380g), finely sliced 3 large garlic cloves, finely crushed 1 bunch of samphire Butter Olive oil Fresh rosemary, finely chopped Salt and pepper 3 eggs, beaten 250ml cream

1. Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour in a large bowl, until you have something resembling breadcrumbs. Stir in the grated Parmesan then add a tbsp or two of cold water and bring together with your hands, you may need to add a little more water to create the dough but you will feel how short the pastry is. 2. Wrap in cling film and pop in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 3. In a large pan gently melt a generous amount of butter with a little olive oil before adding the mushrooms. Stir and then leave until they begin to squeak. Add the garlic, plenty of pepper and a little salt, then turn up the heat a little and sauté till the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the samphire and continue to sauté for another five minutes, then remove from the heat. 4. Now your pastry should be ready, roll it out and line your greased quiche pan. Place some baking beans on top of the pastry and blind bake for 15 minutes on gas mark 2/150 degrees C. 5. Once your pastry is turning golden, take it out of the oven and set aside whilst you beat the eggs into the cream. 6. Pour the mushroom and samphire mix into the pastry case followed by the cream and bake on160 degrees C for about 15-20 minutes until golden. Once cooked, set aside on a wire rack to cool. The quiche should easily slide out of the tin.

Eat and of course, enjoy! Check out more recipes on Dom’s blog belleaukitchen.com

“With the weather improving in leaps and bounds I feel a quiche is in order. In my humble opinion the quiche is the cornerstone of a good picnic, it’s both light yet entirely satisfying at the same time, and even though the French would love to claim it as their own, I feel there’s something so very British about the quiche. I liken it to the British version of the rustic Italian pizza or the Spanish frittata but with a pastry base, and as we all know, you can pretty much make anything British by adding pastry to it.

Recipe:

Karen Burns Booth, writer of Lavender and Lovage: These uniquely flavoured scones are great for afternoon tea with friends or a romantic afternoon. Karen Burns-Booth from Lavender and Lovage gives Cook her delicious rose lemonade scones that are both incredibly light and fluffy. If you cannot source rose lemonade, use normal lemonade and add some rose water or essence. Serve with jam and cream for an authentic tasting scone.

Rose Lemonade Scones Makes 9 scones

Scones: 125ml rose lemonade, or any lemonade of your choice (I used Fentiman’s Rose Lemonade) 300g self-raising flour 1/4 tsp salt 50g caster sugar 125ml crème fraiche (or double cream) 2 tbsp milk

Recipe: 1. Pre-heat oven to gas mark 7/220 degrees C. . Put the flour, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl, followed by the crème fraîche or cream and the lemonade. Mix well until combined into a soft dough, adding a little more cream if too dry. 2. Turn the dough onto a floured board and knead lightly before pressing the dough out to a thickness of about 2cm (3/4”). 3. Cut the scones out with a round cutter, and place them onto a greased and/or lined baking tray. Glaze the tops with the milk. 4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until well-risen and golden brown. Serve warm with butter, jam and cream, alongside a refreshing glass of rose lemonade!

Find more recipes on Karen’s blog lavenderandlovage. com

Dominic Franks, writer of Belleau Kitchen:

Turn over for Rachel Brady’s spaghetti with courgettes and gremolata.

Spaghetti with Courgettes and Gremolata Breadcrumbs by Rachel Brady of Well Worn Whisk

Rachel Brady from Well Worn Whisk gives Cook a family-friendly recipe of courgette pasta. “Gremolata is, in its original form, a mix of finely chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest, normally used to top meat and fish. Here I omitted the garlic (enough in the dish itself) and mixed it with sourdough breadcrumbs to create a crunchy topping for the pasta. It really is addictive and is a great contrast to the slippery, silken strands of al dente spaghetti – perfect if you want to jazz the dish up for guests. To make an every day version simply don’t bother with the gremolota, it’ll still be a great dish. And let’s face it, blitzing breadcrumbs is arguably too much bother for a quick Wednesday tea. One more thing, if I were only serving adults I would finely chop half a red chilli and fry it off with the anchovies and garlic for some extra va va voom.”

Spaghetti with Courgettes and Gremolata Breadcrumbs: Makes enough for 3 adults (or 2 adults and 2 kids):

Pasta: 3 medium courgettes, grated on a cheese grater (i.e. not too fine) 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 50g tin of anchovies in oil, drained 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil Juice of 1 unwaxed lemon, to taste Freshly ground black pepper 300g spaghetti (100g per adult) 2 tsp of salt

Gremolata Breadcrumbs: Large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated 2-3 slices of stale sourdough or similar rustic white loaf, blitzed in a food processor 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil Pinch of salt

To serve: 50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Extra virgin olive oil

Recipe: 1. First the gremolata. Warm oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add your breadcrumbs, toasting them for a few minutes. 2. Add your parsley and lemon zest. Keep moving the pan every so often. Season and fry for about 10 minutes. Keep warm. Don’t do this too far in advance; you want it to taste as fresh as possible.

3. Fill the biggest pan you own with cold water and bring to an angry boil for the pasta. 4. Now the sauce. Warm oil in another large frying pan over a medium heat. Add anchovies and allow them to melt into the oil for a minute or so. 5. Add the garlic to the anchovies and let the mixture sizzle gently for 5 minutes. Don’t let the garlic colour. 6. Back to the pasta. Add salt, then the spaghetti, to your boiling water. Cook for 2 minutes less than it says on the packet for al dente pasta. 7. Tip your grated courgettes into the anchovies and garlic. Turn up the heat and stir gently. Squeeze the lemon directly into the pan and season with pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes and remove from the heat. 8. Test the pasta to see if it’s ready (it should have a little bite left in it). Reserve half a mugful of starchy pasta water. Drain. 9. Tip your pasta immediately into the sauce, adding a little of the pasta water and tossing, then a little more water before tossing again. Don’t be afraid of the water, it will soak up into the pasta. 10. Serve with lots of freshly grated Parmesan and gremolata breadcrumbs on top. Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Discover more recipes on Rachel’s blog wellwornwhisk.com

Tip: Starchy left over pasta water is handy to loosen up pasta sauces that become too thick.

Recipe

Chorizo and Crab Salad

Refreshing yet deliciously decadent, this salad can work as an indulgent starter or as a lighter main. Words and Images by Laurel Spooner

Ingredients:

Recipe:

8 asparagus spears 1 bag of rocket 100g crabmeat 100g chorizo sausage A splash of olive oil Salt

1. Mix the crĂ¨me fraiche, mustard, and lime juice together, leaving in the fridge to infuse.

For the dressing:

3tbsp crĂ¨me fraiche 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard Juice of half a lime

2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook asparagus for 2 minutes. Once cooked, drain, and tip into cold water to refresh. 3. Heat a small drizzle of oil in a pan before adding chorizo, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Once warm, mix with crabmeat.

4. Place a handful of rocket onto a plate, topping with the asparagus spears, and chorizo and crab mixture. Drizzle with dressing and serve!

Tip: Swap the asparagus for avocado to add some healthy fat.

Chilli and Mint Lamb Cutlets A twist on the classic lamb-and-mint combination. Team with roasted tomatoes for an extra burst of flavour. Ingredients:

Recipe:

Olive oil Half a tsp of dried chilli flakes Half a tsp of celery salt 1 tsp of dried mint 4 lamb cutlets Fresh mint (chopped) Fresh parsley (chopped) 8 tomatoes (still on the vine) Salt Pepper

1. Mix the chilli flakes, celery salt, and dried mint with 3 tbsp of olive oil before drizzling over the lamb. Place cutlets in the fridge to marinade for around 30 minutes. 2. Heat oven to 200 degrees C, placing tomatoes in an ovenproof dish along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a good glug of olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes.

3. Heat a pan big enough to fit all the cutlets. Once hot, add cutlets to the pan, turning occasionally until cooked through. Place on a bed of rocket alongside the roasted tomatoes before garnishing with some chopped mint and parsley.

Make sure to buy tomatoes on the vine as roasting them this way produces a sweeter, more intense flavour.

What To Drink. This month Cook are looking at what drinks you will be wanting to drink in the sunshine whilst the BBQ is going, including the Ginger Beer Dream!

What To Drink

What to Drink Summer dawns the arrival of long evenings and light nights, meant to be spent outside with food, friends, and a bottle of something cold, refreshing, and if possible fizzy. With this in mind, here’s Cook’s guide on what to drink this summer. Words by Laurel Spooner

Rosamore Rosato NV, Italy (£9.99, 10.5%, Waitrose)

Images by: Waitrose, Marks and Spencers

A sparkling rosé with a fresh and fruity flavour that’s perfect with seafood dishes or a light salad. A light-weight wine that’s full of berry flavours, Rosamore Rosato is a delicious accompaniment to a summer evening spent with friends.

Heston from Waitrose Earl Grey and Lemon Gin (£23, Waitrose) A British gin with the classic flavours of juniper, citrus, almond, coriander, orris root, liquorice, and angelica. With the addition of Earl Grey, Heston Blumenthal’s take on the traditional gin and tonic is perfect for a lazy summer’s afternoon.

Pink Grapefruit Liqueur (£13.99, Marks and Spencer)

Estrella (4x330ml, £4.97, Waitrose and Tesco)

Zingy and refreshing, this liqueur is an unusual choice that’s fit for an after dinner tipple just as the sun’s setting. Serve over ice for an extra kick, or try topping with lemonade for a more toned down, yet equally delicious taste.

Brewed in Barcelona for over 130 years, Estrella is the classic Spanish beer. With a clean, dry finish and a balanced taste, it’s best-served ice cold and sipped straight from the bottle. Serve with lime for an extra special touch.

Summer Tipples Summer isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t summer without a few parties and the odd BBQ here and there. Of course, no get together is complete without cocktails; one of the most important ingredients of any good party. With this in mind, Cook has whittled down the perfect summer spritzers to keep you and your guests refreshed. Words and Images by Daisy Churchward

Lemon & Gin 1

+ 56

Ginger Beer Dream

The Adult Smoothie 3

+ +

From left to right: Lemon and Gin, Ginger Beer Dream, The Adult Smoothie

What To Drink

A fragrant take on a Tom Collins, this cocktail takes fresh herbs and transforms the normal to the extraordinary.

Ginger and spice conjure up images of the cold and dusky winter months. Yet this refreshing cocktail combines spiced rum and sweet ginger beer, that when served ice cold with sprigs of mint makes the perfect summer afternoon treat.

The star of this month’s Summer Tipples is the sweet smoothie. Boasting two portions of fruit, unfortunately the addition of vodka doesn’t make this smoothie particularly good for you.

Ingredients: Per Serving: 25ml dry gin 25ml vodka (or any vodka equivalent) 125ml sparkling water 50ml fresh lemon juice 1 sprig of thyme

Recipe: 1. Add the gin, vodka and lemon juice to a cup before adding the sprig of thyme. Leave for 30 minutes then remove the thyme. 2. Add sparkling water and serve over ice.

Ingredients: Per Serving: 50ml Sailor Jerry’s Spiced Rum (or spiced rum equivalent) 200ml Ginger Beer (alcoholic or non alcoholic) Half a lime 4 sprigs of mint A lot of ice!

Ingredients: Per serving: 1 banana 50ml vodka 50ml fruit squash (your choice of flavour) Handful of raspberries 100ml water

Recipe:

1. Add all the ingredients into a blender or smoothie maker.

1. Add all of the above into a cocktail shaker and serve.

2. Whizz it all up. Sit and enjoy. 57

What To Buy.

Images by: Nescafe

Everything you need to know about the best gadgets in the shops right now.

What to Buy

Gadgets Galore Need help choosing which juicer to buy or want to know how much pasta you will be using, then you have turned to the right page! Words by Megan Norris

Chef’n Garlic Zoom, Garlic Chopper

Sage by Heston Blumenthal Nutri Juicer

Masterclass Professional Kitchen Blowtorch

£150 Debenhams

£29.99 John Lewis

This juicer is incredible! Designed by Heston Blumenthal and made by Sage, this is a beautifully designed kitchen gadget, with a brushed metal body and a 84mm chute, it’s easy to juice large fruits and vegetables. Titanium blades help to extract up to 70% nutrients while removable parts mean this juicer is easy to clean. Pop it in the dishwasher after you’ve finished and this handy gadget will really live up to its long-lasting claims.

If you want your food to look professional then this is the gadget for you! Caramelising sugar perfectly, as well as making it easy to skin tomatoes and peppers and crisping joints of meat. Just push down the trigger at the front of the torch and watch your desserts become masterpieces. This blowtorch features a non-slip metal body as well as a safety lock, an essential with any dangerous device.

The problem with trying to chop garlic is that you can never get it the same size; there is always a bigger chunk or two. But who has the time in their day to try and chop garlic to the right size? Well now you don’t have to worry about it with this new chopper from Chef’n. Named the Garlic Zoom, this speedy gadget chops up garlic perfectly; just roll it across your kitchen side. Easy! It also stops that annoying smell of garlic getting onto your hands and is dishwasher safe.

Chef’n Garlic Zoom, Garlic Chopper

Sage by Heston Blumenthal Nutri Juicer

Masterclass Professional Kitchen Blowtorch

£10 John Lewis

Lid Sid

£7.99 (for two) Iwantoneofthose.com

£199 eCookshop.co.uk

This cordless hand blender by Kitchen Aid is a must-have in any kitchen.

This gorgeously coloured hand blender has five variable speeds, visible by a LED display, which also allows you to see how much battery is left.

Alessi Spaghetti Measure £15.50 John Lewis

Alessi Spaghetti Measure

Always cooking too little or too much spaghetti? Well this is definitely the product for you! This beautifully designed measure will make sure you get the perfect amount every time. Designed by Paulo Gerosa for Alessi, this will measure one, two or five servings. Adding a bit of beauty into your kitchen with its sleek design, it will have visitors baffled as to what it is.

Jamie Oliver The Park Portable Charcoal Barbecue, Blue £49.99 Garden4less.co.uk

Images by: John Lewis Press Office and Debemhams via PRshots.com

It is quite pricey at £199.95 however it comes with an array of different attachments including a wisk and an ‘S’ blade, all kept neatly in a carry case along with the battery and charger.

Lid Sid is a unique kitchen accessory, which hangs over the side of your pans, keeping lids open. This is instead of trying to balance the lid on the pan itself, which inevitably ends in disaster. He hangs both ways, so you can have his body hanging out or his legs. Made of food safe silicon you don’t have to worry about any contamination from this little fella. Sid will add a bit of fun to your kitchen, whilst also letting off steam!

KitchenAid Artisan Hand Blender, Candy Apple Red

Yes you read correctly, this nifty little hand blender is great for everything, and you don’t even need to be near a plug socket. Gone are the days of that annoying cord that restricts you, getting you tangled up and wasting your time as you spend ten minutes trying to unravel it.

KitchenAid Lid Sid Artisan Hand Blender, Candy Apple Red

We at Cook think this is the cutest portable BBQ ever. Available in red, black or blue it’s perfect for summer afternoons whether they be spent at home, a festival or in the park. With a porcelain enamel-coated lid, this BBQ will be sure to last a while and will definitely brighten your day with its super bright colours. It may only be half a meter in height, but it packs a punch, with a 40cm cooking surface you can fit a tonne of food on this making sure you’re able to cook chicken, sausages and of course burgers easily.

Jamie Oliver The Park Portable Charcoal 61 Barbecue, Blue

What To Use

Perfect Pods

When it comes to making coffee at home, there’s nothing easier than just popping a pod in a machine. With 14% of UK homeowners owning a pod machine, a staggering 3.7 million homes, we here at Cook decided to give you the run-down on the best machines to buy. Words by Daisy Churchward

Nespresso U Pure Cream

Dolce Gusto Melody III Play & Select

£149.99 Machine: dolce-gusto.co.uk Coffee Pods: dolce-gusto.co.uk

The beautifully designed Nescafé Dolce Gusto Melody III Play & Select can create your favourite drinks in seconds, all custom tailored to suit your preferences. With an LED display on the front of the machine, designed to be used like a computer mouse, you can tell the machine what length of drink you like, or it will give you a recommended length dependent on the type of pod. Pods come in a variety of drinks, ranging from caramel to ristretto espressos and iced lattes to Americanos. The Dolce Gusto can even produce other hot drinks, such as flavoured teas and hot chocolates, perfect for children or an evening treat.

£179 Machine: nespresso.com/uk Coffee Pods: nespresso.com/uk

U Pure Cream is the new machine from the popular Nespresso Range. At first, we thought the popularity of this machine might be down to the fact George Clooney stars in the advert, but no, we found this coffee machine to be rather incredible. U Pure Cream offers technology that produces extensively creamy and frothy milk, enabling you to recreate your favourite cappuccinos and lattes. Similar to the Dolce Gusto, you can custom make your drinks by deciding what length you prefer - it will even remember your favourite. The machines appearence can be edited by moving different parts around such as the water-heating unit. Ensuring you can make the most of your kitchen space. Boasting 22 different types of coffee, you also get to join the exclusive Nespresso club.

Length of coffee drinks refer to shot size but still using the same amount of coffee. Ristretto: Less than 28ml. Normale: around 28-35ml. Lungo: Around 42ml.

Your coffee time nibbles: If you’ve got a really sweet tooth, head for the caramel waffles. Rest your waffle over your hot mug for a few minutes to allow the inner caramel to melt, and then devour the chewy goodness. They often come with a slight spice of warming cinnamon too.

Cook’s favourite was found in Waitrose: Tregoes toffee waffles. These moreish snacks should be eaten in moderation, but Cook highly doubts they ever will be! £1.45 for 8 waffles.

The most popular coffee nibble of choice is the biscotti biscuit. Crunchy and tasty, they are a perfect accompaniment to an espresso. Biscotti is produced in a variety of flavours, so you can always guarantee you’ll find something you like, whether you’re a chocolate fiend or a classic almond lover. Again, Cook’s favourite was found in Waitrose, a glorious combination of almond and chocolate biscotti by Arden and Amici. £2.49 for 180g

Whilst the above aren’t really a suitable breakfast (they’re not exactly nutritious), Cook suggests making berry pancakes to go with your morning coffee, the sweetness of the berries enhancing the flavours found in the rich coffee. To make even more nutritious add oats to your pancakes, providing a great source of energy, these pancakes are a great family breakfast. Load up with summer berries and drizzle with a spoonful of honey. See below for recipe.

In next months issue of Cook magazine we delve into the world of filter coffee. Exploring the origins and the characteristics of the coffee that will let you find your favourite flavour. July’s Cook magazine will be available from the 1st of July.

Berry, Banana and Oat Breakfast Pancakes:

Topping: 200g frozen berries 100ml water 4tbsp honey

Images by: Nespresso, Nescafe, Alvimann.

Recipe: A lovely addition to breakfast time, these pancakes are packed full of fruit and energy.

1. Blend the porridge oats in a blender until finely milled.

Makes 4 pancakes

2. Mash the bananas until smooth.

Pancakes:

3. Add eggs, ground porridge oats, yoghurt and eggs to mashed bananas, whisking until mixture is a thick consistency.

200g plain Scottish porridge oats 4 bananas 6tbsp Greek yoghurt 4 eggs Butter or olive oil

4. Heat the oil or butter and pour a quarter of the mixture at a time, cook through and flip

For the Topping: 1. Whilst the other pancakes are cooking, add your frozen fruit to a saucepan with 100ml of water. 2. Heat on a low heat, slowly squashing the fruit to release some of the juices, you want to create a compote. 3. Add the honey and simmer until the pancakes are ready. 4. Pour your homemade compote on top of your pancakes and serve up this delicious and nutritious breakfast.

Tip: It’s better to cook the pancakes in a large frying pan or individual smaller ones as they do have a tendency to run into one big pancake!

Battle of the Supermarkets

With strawberries a summer staple and meringues a much needed ingredient for our Strawberry and Raspberry Eton Mess page 15, we decided to test what’s on the shelves, so your summer can be the sweetest, most succulent it can possibly be. Words and imagery by Laurel Spooner

Marks and Spencer

Waitrose

Sainsbury’s

Sunbliss strawberries, £2.50 per pack, place of origin - Spain:

Speciality strawberries, £3.80 per pack, place of origin - Morocco:

British strawberries, £2 per pack, place of origin - The New Forest, UK:

These strawberries were sweet, succulent, and had a “proper strawberry taste” according to our testers. Although we did find a couple of mouldy strawberries in the pack, taking a point off their otherwise stellar 5/5 score.

The sweetest out of all the strawberries tested, these were both Cook’s and our testers favourites and thus get a 5/5 from us!

Surprisingly the most tasteless, these strawberries started off sweet at the tip but became more and more tasteless as we moved up the fruit, resulting in their slightly average score of 3/5.

Meringue nests, £1.59 per pack: Chewy inside yet with a soft crunch, these meringues tasted the best out of all that we tested, giving them the Cook seal of approval and scoring a 5/5.

Meringue nests, £1.59 per pack: Meringue nests, £1 per pack: “Eight crisp, light, melt-in-the-mouth individual meringues made to a classic recipe using free range egg whites” is the description given, something we have to agree with, despite the fact these were the smallest out of the meringues tested! Cook gave these meringues a tasty 4/5.

Hard, sticky, and crunchy is the best way to describe these meringues that unsurprisingly ranked the lowest amongst our testers. Tasteless compared to the other two offerings, we gave them measly 2/5.

Dream Day of Eating Lil, from lifestyle blog Whip Until Fluffy, reveals her Dream Day of Eating to Cook, and it is certainly a feast to make anybody envious.

Lunch: In the summer, I want seafood. In an ideal world I’d be in a light, airy restaurant over-looking the beach. On the menu would be moules Wmarinière with a big basket of bread on the side - heavy on the booze, heavy on the garlic! Purists won’t approve, but a splash of cream really does it for me. A glass of white wine would be the drink of choice. Riesling, if I’m being picky.

Whip Until Fluffy came about after seven years of fashion and beauty blogging took its toll on blogger Lil. As her interests started to change, Lil realised she wanted to focus on entertaining, home improvements and cooking, and so Whip Until Fluffy was born. Full of delicious and authentic recipes, restaurant visits, and Lil’s new life as a married woman, Whip Until Fluffy is a must read. Here, author Lil discusses her Dream Day of Eating.

Breakfast:

These dishes don’t exactly go together, but for a starter I’d polish off a plate of arancini. They’re risotto balls, deliciously cheesy, burning your fingertips as you tear them apart. Served with marinara sauce and a couple of basil leaves.

Evening Meal:

Elevensies:

Evening Snack:

There’s this café where I live called The Cup & Saucer by Opposite. They make good coffee, but they serve AMAZING cakes. What’s weird is that That Old Chestnut provides most of the cakes; a Leeds-based company that are entirely vegan. They have this one that’s Earl Grey and blueberry and it is so delicious, I can’t believe there are no eggs or butter in it. It’s insane.

I’m not a big snacker, but I’d happily graze on a cheese board. My husband and I had a cheese and wine party a few years ago and I tried a lot of cheeses I’d never even seen before. Époisses is my favourite; it’s brushed in brandy. Give me that with Carr’s Cheese Thins and I’m happy. Fig chutney would be a welcome extra, as would a bunch of grapes to pick at.

That’s my ideal mid-morning snack, a big hunk of that.

You can see Lil’s lovely food diary on her blog www.whipunitilfluffy.com C

Images by: Elizabeth

Pastry, pastry and more pastry. But keep it savoury. Danishes have no place at my breakfast table; I’m all about a classic, French croissant, fresh from the oven – crunchy and soft at the same time. I’d happily eat them plain all day long, tearing them apart with my fingers, but for a real flourish I’d stuff them with brie and bacon – smoked, streaky and fried until it’s crisp and glistening. Finally, it would have to be a mug of tea you can stand your spoon in.

Well, basically my whole life revolves around mashed potatoes, I’d eat them for every meal if I could, even in warm weather. So naturally, my ideal main course is a big portion of mash – made with the proper amount of butter and a splash of milk, pushed through a ricer to make them smooth. On top of that I would have beef cheeks, marinated in red wine and garlic, and braised for 3-4 hours, filling the house with fumes. I’d ladle on plenty of sauce - shallots and carrots swimming around, and serve with lots of parsley and some garden peas. No dessert, I’m too full. However I’d drink Côtes du Rhône by the bucket-load.