Cook, Eat, Repeat is subtitled ingredients, recipes and stories but I really feel the emphasis should be on the word stories. Nigella talks about food like an author. One can salivate at her words, with no need for pictures. And for any of you who watched Master Chef Australia 2021 you will have heard this for yourself.
Food, for me, is a constant pleasure: I like to think greedily about it, reflect deeply on it, learn from it; it provides comfort, inspiration, meaning and beauty… More than just a mantra, “cook, eat, repeat” is the story of my life.’Cook, Eat, Repeat is a delicious and delightful combination of recipes intertwined with narrative essays about food, all written in Nigella’s engaging and insightful prose. Whether asking ‘What is a Recipe?’ or declaring death to the Guilty Pleasure, Nigella’s wisdom about food and life comes to the fore, with tasty new recipes that readers will want to return to again and again.
Chapters are divided into:
- A is for Anchovy
- Pleasures
- A Loving Defence of Brown Food
- Rhubarb
- Much depends on dinner
- Christmas comforts
Recipes that caught my eye:
- celeriac and anchovy gratin (p24)
- no-knead bread (p40)
- marzipan loaf cake (p73)
- lemon and elderflower drizzle cake (p76)
- chocolate, tahini and banana bread (p80)
- chocolate cookies (p84)
- burnt onion and aubergine dip (p98)
- marrowbone mince (p110)
- oxtail bourguignon (p119)
- black pudding meatballs (p124)
- toasted marshmallow and rhubarb cake (p146) this is the one from Master Chef
- one-pan chicken with apricot harissa and sweet potatoes (p170)
- fear-free fish stew (p184)
- roast red peppers with pomegranate molasses and dukkah (p204)
- brown butter colcannon (p212) *
- fennel gratin (p215)
- Basque burnt cheesecake (p254)
- Norwegian pork ribs (p269)
- roast quinces (p280)
- pomegranate fizz (p288)
- fermented hot sauce (p302)
- no-knead black bread (p306)
- black forest brownies (p316)
- pomegranate-poached quinces (p319)
My impressions:
I confess that I did not have time to read every story behind the recipes. For example, the recipe for colcannon * starts on page 209. The ingredients are listed on page 212 and the method sounds as if Nigella is on her cooking show and goes on for 2 pages. I hope when I share the recipe the shorter method encourages people to try this as it was scrumptious. Everything looks so good in the book and I am determined to get back to it to make the burnt Basque cheesecake.
What I made:
I love black pudding and happened to have bought some the day before I started paging through this tome. It seemed like I had no choice but to make the black pudding meatballs and I am so glad I did. They were perfectly scrumptious and went even better with the brown butter colcannon. Penguin UK sent me the recipe for chocolate, tahini and banana bread long before I got the book. I had already decided to make this as I love the way tahini adds that salty element to baking, with a slight umami undertone. This, as well as my adaptation of the lemon and elderflower drizzle cake, went down a treat. I used the drizzle cake recipe merely as inspiration for some lavender cordial I had been gifted.
Publishing information:
Disclosure: I was sent the book to review by Penguin Random House South Africa. I was not required to write a positive review. This post is in line with my blogging policy.
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime September 29:
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- 2019: Maybe This Time
- 2017: Fruit Butter Granola
- 2016: Hrapoćuša Cake
- 2014: Sweet Moravian Buns
- 2013: The Dinner
- 2011: Far Breton
- 2010: Prawn And Caper Butter
Tandy I think I have bought everyone of Nigellas books either for myself or my daughter, but not this one yet, however its on my list. I think its quite a coup that you have been asked to review it. You are one busy lady. I’ll make the chocolate , banana and tahini cake next, it really sounds delicious.
It is so good that I would make it again 🙂
Sometimes a recipe seems to captivate cooks all over the world. I think the Burnt Basque Cheesecake has been one of these super popular choices for a couple of years. Quite a few of the big-time food magazines and the like have featured it. I hope your effort is delicious.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
I am saving it for something special 🙂
reminds me a bit of your blog; where you mix stories with recipes. it’s a wonderful combination…
thank you for the compliment Jim 🙂
So I’m assuming your overall take on the book is positive? I love reading and listening to Nigella. She’s so articulate and funny. I’ve read some complaints about it, but can’t remember what they regarded.
It is positive, and if you like listening to her you will love it 🙂