Author: Lindsey Bareham
Penguin, £7.99
THEN LINDSEY Bareham’s Hungry? is certainly worth a place on your bookshelf, or better still, a place on the kitchen worktop (open of course!).
Let’s get the negative out of the way first. One of my housemates was aghast that the book doesn’t have any pictures and refused to even try out a recipe - well, until I’d actually made something that is. The ‘Not Roast Chicken with Onions’ was so ridiculously easy and mouthwateringly good that even my doubting friend had to concede the book was worth a try. Stick a few large potatoes (scrubbed and pricked) into the oven to bake at the same time as the chicken for a complete and filling meal.
This book is definitely for you if: you fancy having a go but aren’t very confident or don’t know what to cook; you find the likes of Delia and Nigella way too much like your mum’s cooking and want to find some stuff of your own; you want to improve your diet with some proper, home cooked food that doesn’t take all day and a fully stocked cookware shop to produce.
The Moroccan Chickpea Salad – perfect for vegetarians – is simple to prepare and absolutely delicious; I’ve made it so often now that I’m in danger of turning into either a chickpea or a Moroccan!
If you’ve got a sweet tooth and an electric blender to make breadcrumbs, the Apple Betty with Almond Crisp is to die for (although I confess, I couldn’t be bothered making the almond crisp so just added ground almonds to the topping).
The portions are generous enough to keep you satisfied and Lindsey provides plenty of helpful hints on how to adapt them to add interest. Unlike some books, the recipes are logical and easy to follow – you don’t get halfway through and find you were supposed to soak one of the ingredients for a week before starting to cook! The style is uncomplicated without patronizing and, best of all, the recipes work.
Written for her son when he went off to college, Lindsey knows from experience the challenges involved in getting people to give cooking a try. As she says, “The book is suitable for anyone who’s hungry, isn’t sure if they can cook and is cost conscious. It’s a book for people of all ages who love good food”.
Right, I’m off to make Meatloaf and Tomato Sauce, which the book says is “one of those useful feed-the-five-thousand sort of dishes that requires very little preparation and more or less cooks itself” – goodie!
Rating: 9/10
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