T his column has been one of the great joys among the many hats I wear in this business – it almost acts as a personal diary of food thoughts and recipe development while (hopefully) still serving readers with approachable and practical recipes they can use each week. It has also allowed me to sharpen my writing and recipes, which in turn has served me when it comes to putting together cookbooks – my new one, Everyday Delicious, is my third. In it I aim to do what I have always attempted: to showcase speedy, fuss-free recipes that you can easily re-create at home. Each chapter showcases recipes that reflect what happens in this column every Saturday: recipes that work, use quality and readily available Irish produce, minimise wash-up and contain a few restaurant tips and tricks that can elevate your home cooking with ease.
This week, I’m showcasing two Everyday Delicious recipes. Ribollita soup is a Tuscan classic that manages to turn leftovers into a restaurant-worthy bowl of indulgence. The key is to plate it up a few minutes ahead of time and allow the bread to absorb all the broth.
The second recipe is a great one to make with the kids, providing maximum pleasure with minimal time commitment – always a plus. The cookie dough is brought together with a paddle before being served warm with ice cream to melt into it. While a sugar rush is likely, it’s something we could all do with every so often, especially when it is this simple to make.
Writing a cookbook is a daunting task, and it doesn’t get easier with each passing title. Putting it out into the world is even more daunting, almost like sending a child off to school to be judged, with the results fed back to you every week in the sales charts. Thankfully, the support, feedback and goodwill for this column in particular both inform and drive what goes into the book – I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it.
Tip of the week: When you plate up a soup a few minutes ahead of time, the croutons will have the chance to absorb it and everything will become even more delicious.
Everyday Delicious will be released on October 1st and Irish Times readers are invited to its launch on September 30th at 6pm in Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street in Dublin 2.