If I had to choose one piece of wisdom from Ben Lippett’s debut cookbook to broadcast far and wide it would be his spot-on injunction: BE BOLD, BUT GO SLOW. This piece of advice comes at the end of an instructional section on “how to use salt”, but it actually needs to be borne in mind so often as we cook. It sounds patronising, I know – or, in my case, matronising – to say that for a young man, Lippett is very wise, but it’s true. There is such depth of understanding and accomplishment in this brilliant kitchen manual, and all conveyed with so light a touch. Of course, it helps that I agree with him but, I would argue, that’s only because he’s right!
As he writes in his introduction, “The most effective way to learn to cook is to understand the sights, sounds, smells and taste of food….I’ve done my best to talk you through these sensory cues and describe in detail what you should be looking for as you cook your way through a recipe. There are plenty of words, but don’t be dissuaded by a chunk of text. An overly brief recipe is a useless one!” Amen to that. As a collection of recipes, How I Cook is exciting and inspiring; as a compendium of kitchen wisdom and a valuable resource for all cooks, it is indispensable. I couldn’t be more admiring. I’m not sure that this is what young Mr Lippett wants to hear (though I mean it as praise) but in many ways How I Cook feels like a vibrant, hip, contemporary version of the old Good Housekeeping Step-by-Step Cookbook. But comparisons aren’t really to the point: the important thing is that this is a book that can teach and encourage you, and one that has the feel of a classic in the making.
It’s about so much more than the recipes, as I say, but the recipes are enough to make me an evangelical fan. It’s not easy to whittle my loves down to a shortlist, but here goes: Poached Eggs with Garlicky Greens; Tomato, Anchovy & Smashed Olive Salad; Cucumber, Cherry & Almond Crunch Salad; Chopped Beef Tartare & Rosemary Crisps; Cured Mackerel with Soy Vinaigrette; Fragrant Pork Meatball Soup; Crispy Rice with Za’atar Chicken Livers; Ricotta Dumplings with Cheese & Tomato Broth; Stuffable Pitta Breads; Foolproof Focaccia; Semolina Flatbreads with Scapece (a minty, vinegar-sharp dish of courgettes/zucchini); Cod Schnitzel Holstein; Crispy Pork Belly with Sesame Sauce; Pomegranate Lamb Ribs & Parsley Salad; Spiced Short Ribs with Dates & Warm Hummus; Chocolate Mousse; Rhubarb & Pistachio Choux Buns; Brûléed Rice Pudding & Poached Cherries; and Brown Sugar Tart. But I’m just skimming the surface here: there are so many other recipes (along with the tips and the tricks) I want to tell you about, if only I had the time and the space. At least there is one more recipe I can bring to your attention, and that’s the one I’m ecstatically sharing with you today, and which couldn’t be more up my street: the Peppered Clam Frites. Bravo Ben Lippett – and thank you!
How I Cook by Ben Lippett, available now (HarperCollins, £26).
Photos by Sam A Harris.
