The Really Quite Good British Cookbook

Description

What do you cook for the people you love? Asked this question, 100 of Britain’s food heroes have shared their most beloved recipes to make this extraordinary cookbook. Nigella Lawson divulges how to bake her Chocolate Guinness Cake and Rick Stein fries up Shrimp & Dill Fritters with Ouzo. Yotam Ottolenghi would serve Pea & Mint Croquettes and for Jamie Oliver, an unrivalled Fantastic Fish Pie. These are just a few of the incredible recipes provided by the best and brightest on the British food scene, including chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay, Delia Smith, James Martin, Nigel Slater, Thomasina Miers, Mark Hix, Jason Atherton, Marco Pierre White, Claudia Roden and more.

Compiled by award-winning food editor and author William Sitwell, The Really Quite Good British Cookbook is keenly anticipated and a stunning object in its own right. Ultimately it is a celebration of the breadth, creativity and richness of Britain’s unique food culture.

Review

I just love the photography in this Cookbook. It's always good to be able to see how exactly the dish is going to look, not only so you know how to present it, but whether you are visually attracted to it. 

I only got a couple of pages in and I was hooked with the Brioche French toast which has banana and bacon ingredients. I have tried these flavours together before and loved them, so I am looking forward to creating this dish.

It's true to say that a lot of the recipes are probably going to push the average cook out of their comfort zone flavour wise. However, if you are more of the Heston school then this will be right up your street. One of the less appetising recipes for me was the Nettles on Toast with  pollack and wild garlic and poached egg. I also wasn't too keen on the Happy Fish pie from Jamie Oliver, which shows the tail of the fish peeking from the pie - not sure the fish is really that happy!

There are however on balance lots of recipes I would love to try and it was nice to be able to put a face to those contributors who are a little less famous and to read about them.

I've already earmarked to make the Cherry Clafoutis - one of my fav desserts. This recipe also comes with some extra tips to know when it is cooked which is useful.  I'm also drawn to the fig leaf and cherry brulee - however unlike the creator of the recipe, I do not know of any local fig trees. You will have no trouble sourcing the ingredients for Nigella's Chocolate Guiness cake though.

I think this would be a book perfect for any foodie - anyone wanting to stretch their cooking a little further and to leave on the coffee table for people to just drool over the sumptuous photographs within its pages. 

I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. My thanks go to Netgalley for a review copy of the book.