Even London’s most insatiable gourmets can’t eat out every night of the week, so we’ve compiled a list of some of the most exciting food books on offer this month. All are available now or can be pre-ordered online – go on, treat yourself!
The Seasoned Vegetarian - Simon Rimmer
Following the success of his highly acclaimed book The Accidental Vegetarian; Simon Rimmer returns with another helping of innovative and flavour-packed vegetarian recipes. Based on the menu at his award-winning restaurant, Greens, The Seasoned Vegetarian features internationally-inspired dishes and creative flavour combinations that will appeal to vegetarians and carnivores alike. Fans of BBC Two’s Something For The Weekend won’t be disappointed and novice veggies will love Rimmer’s simple and easy-to-follow style.
Eat vegetarian in London: Saf; Vanilla Black; Food for Thought; Maoz; Manna; Tibits.
Serendip: My Sri Lankan Kitchen - Peter Kuruvita
Tired of Thai? Uninspired by Indian? Try Sri Lankan - a must for anyone with an insatiable appetite for spicy curries. In Serendip, chef Peter Kuruvita describes the kitchen experiences of his grandmother and aunties, as well as his own visits to the bustling markets and food stalls in Sri Lanka. The beautiful photographs and heart-warming stories add colour to traditional recipes for curries, breads, snacks and sticky sweet treats.
Eat Sri Lankan in London: Elephant Walk; The Ceylon Tavern; Hop & Spice; Papaya.
New Bistro - Fran Warde
Written by London-based food writer Fran Warde, New Bistro is a fascinating introduction to twelve chefs at the forefront of France’s bistro revolution. For each of them, Fran outlines their approach to French country cooking and introduces four of their recipes, in addition to 50 of her own recipes, inspired by bistros and eateries from all over France. Alongside recipes for accessible and affordable classics like steak frites, pot au feu and cassoulet; she also recommends the ‘runners up’ at the back of the book – ideal if you’re travelling to France this summer.
Eat bistro-style in London: Cote; Savoir Faire; The Lobster Pot; Gazette; The French Table.
Pintxos: And Other Small Plates in the Basque Tradition - Gerald Hirigoyen
Having perfected the art of small plates in his San Francisco restaurants, Piperade and Bocadillos, chef Hirigoyen's new book focuses on pintxos - the Basque version of tapas. There are 75 California-influenced dishes in total, but don’t panic - many can be made ahead of time and all come with a recommended wine pairing. Highlights include oxtail empanadas with spicy mango dip; salt cod with piperade; duck breast with oranges and green olives; and fava beans with crème fraîche and mint. Not for beginners, but ideal if you ever need show-stopping canapés or dinner party inspiration.
Eat tapas in London: Dehesa; Fino; Iberica; Tapas Brindisa; Salt Yard; Tendido Cero.
Veg – The Cookbook
In between hosting Masterchef Goes Large and supplying some of London’s best restaurants with top notch greenery, Gregg Wallace has managed to compile the ultimate guide to veg. He explores the veg grown in this country, when it’s in season and, most importantly, what to do with it all. There are 120 nutritious recipes in total and each vegetable has its own chapter – perfect to dive into when your organic veg box arrives. There’s advice about buying, preparing and storing your favourites too. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with samphire, fennel or chicory; this is the book for you.
Eat at restaurants Greg supplies: Le Café Anglais; Hibiscus; Zaika; Bumpkin; River Café.
The Pleasure is All Mine: Selfish Food for Modern Life
With minimal kitchen equipment and a few key ingredients, Suzanne Pirret proves that solo dining can be simple and decadent. There are 100 no-fuss recipes in total, including dishes like steak au poivre; three-cheese ravioli; coconut fish curry; and wild blueberry tart. Combined with inspired wine and cocktail pairings and entertaining anecdotes from her experiences in New York, London and Paris; this is the ultimate antidote for anyone suffering from ‘cooking for one’ fatigue.
Dine solo in London: Roka; L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon; Arbutus; maze; Pearl; Fernandez & Wells.
Eat My Globe: One Year to Go Everywhere and Eat Everything
Written by one half of Dos Hermanos, one of London’s most popular food blogs; Eat My Globe is Simon Majumdar’s attempt to go everywhere and eat everything in one year. Having left behind a job in book publishing, he visited 30 countries and over 100 cities in his quest to taste the best the world has to offer – from pho in Vietnam and chilli dogs in LA, to bhel puri in Mumbai and lamb tagine in Morocco. With glowing reviews from Jay Rayner and Anthony Bourdain, this is the ideal gift for regular readers of the blog and anyone with a passion for good food.
Eat where DH have eaten: Bocca di Lupo; The Bull & Last; Harwood Arms; Corrigan’s; Goodman.
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