Kate Young has a literary sensibility and a keen palate, both of which lead me to regard her books as indispensable reading, but her latest book would be enough to win me over eagerly even if I had come across it in a vacuum. The premise is clever, but practical: each chapter takes an ingredient, and then shows how it can be used in a series of recipes, first for one, then for two, four and six people, followed by recipes “for another day” and “to take with you”. At the risk of making this review-in-miniature rather list-heavy, I think it makes sense to tell you what these chapters/ ingredients are before giving you examples of any recipes so that you can properly see how accessible and welcoming this lovely book is, and yet how wide-ranging are the meals you can make from it. Ready? I’ll just go for it then: a couple of courgettes/ zucchini; a Savoy cabbage; a punnet of tomatoes; a bunch of spring onions; a handful of apples; a bag of frozen peas; a tin of anchovies; a whole chicken; a packet of long-grain rice; a few all-rounder potatoes; a tin of cannellini beans; a loaf of sourdough; a little box of eggs; a pot of yogurt; and a block of butter.
The recipes these yield are perfect examples of the book’s subtitle, namely “New Inspiration for Everyday Ingredients” and include some wonderful courgette pickles, bearing the confident title “The Best Pickles in the World”; Cabbage, Orange and Sesame Salad; the Mexican tomato and tortilla breakfast dish, Chilaquiles, though suitable for anytime eating; the gorgeously spring-oniony One-For-the-Table Prawn Toast; Perfect Apple Pie with Chai Ice Cream; Double-Pea Falafels; Anchovy and Broccoli Pasta Bake; Chicken Broth with Buttered Noodles; Egg and Lettuce Fried Rice; Potato Pub Pie; Sourdough Bread Pudding; Coconut Slice; Yogurt, Fruit and Honey Cake; Cauliflower and Brown Butter Soup; and a particularly luscious Chocolate Poppy Seed Babka.
I can’t say it’s surprising that the recipe I just had to share with you today comes from the anchovy chapter: thus, with joy in my heart, and apologies to those who’ve yet to understand the deep appeal of their salty gorgeousness, I bring you her Anchovy and Thyme Focaccia!
Dinner at Mine? New Inspiration for Everyday Ingredients by Kate Young is published by Head of Zeus, £25. Photos by Yuki Sugiura.
