Growing up, and then starting to cook at University, I can remember the horrible meekness of cookbook recipes where strong flavours were concerned. I don’t know if this stemmed from war-time deprivation and paprika rationing, or if it was just a timid British palate. Bolognese with a pinch of herbs, chicken jalfrezi with a teaspoon …
Category Archive: Spicy food
Not just chilli, anything with plenty of spice
Spicy beetroot soup
There’s definitely a nip in the air this morning. A little frost in the shadows and by the road was a big old toadstool with a puddle of water on its upturned cap that was still frozen. Steamy breath and a hazy sun on the rooftops of Ludlow. I love chillies at any time of …
Pumpkin soup
Halloween isn’t really celebrated in earnest here in the UK. Each year a few people decide to have a fancy dress party, and of course most kids get to troop around their immediate neighbourhood in shop-bought costumes asking (usually nicely) for sweets. And various things that happen every week anyway get to be horror themed …
Devilled mushrooms (or kidneys)
Of course I’d rather be devilling kidneys. I love a plate of devilled kidneys with some nice buttered toast, it makes me feel like Bertie Wooster. But I got a huge box of mushrooms at Ludlow market this morning for £3.50 and so the crystal ball is showing a number of mushroom suppers in the …
Chilli con carne (sin carne)
This is one of my absolute staples, a really good chilli that is full of deep flavour. It’s also one of those great fridge-is-empty meals because there’s nothing in the ingredients list that shouldn’t always be hanging around the kitchen somewhere. Now, this recipe does use vegemince. That’s because I think the taste and texture …