Everything Alexandra Dudley posts on her instagram account (@alexandradudley) I invariably want to eat, and so I had high hopes for her book. And you know what? I was right to! Hers is an approach I warm to: her food may be simple, but it always has something about it that makes it special, for simple is not the same thing at all as basic. I believe with her that, as Dudley writes in her introduction, “Cooking, and cooking well, does not need to be difficult. The truth is that a good meal — an excellent meal even — does not have to equate with endless hours in the kitchen, nor does it always demand patience.”
The book’s subtitle — ‘Foolproof recipes for busy people' — is exemplified by such dishes as Charred Artichokes (those which come out of a can, incidentally) on Minty Yogurt; Herby Meatballs with Green Tahini; Pan-Fried Seabass with Olive Salsa; Soft Courgettes with Chickpeas, Lemon and Mint; Squash Risotto with Sage and Pecan Butter; Crispy Za’atar Smashed Potatoes; Baked Salmon with Blood Orange and Chilli; Cider-Braised Chicken with Apples; Charred Spring Onions with Burrata, Peas and Dill; Strawberry Flapjack Tart; Pistachio Tiramisu; No-Churn Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream; and Baked Figs and Plums with Whipped Honey Yogurt and Amaretti. It’s a book that just propels you to daily deliciousness, and the recipe from it that I am eagerly sharing with you today is her Asparagus and Green Bean Mimosa Salad!
Cooking Made Simple: Foolproof Recipes for Busy People by Alexandra Dudley, published by Ebury Press.
Photos by Ola O. Smith.
