Posts by: MammaChef

It's a good idea to add a little salt to the eggs before cooking them because it helps to break up the white and the whites and the yolks will amalgamate better.

If you don't like the milk seeping, then you can use less or for a fuller flavour use cream.

Butter gives a wonderful rich taste but of course loads on the calories rather too much.

Finally a good handful of chopped parsley and some black pepper make it really tastey.

I know the one you mean Essex Girl, but I haven't used one. I use a potato ricer too, they are great.

Hi Bongo,

As I said on another thread, its worth looking at www.wingyip.com and www.hoohing.com.

Hope that helps.

Hi brucey-b,

Books for cooks do have a website but they don't list their books as they change too quickly. www.booksforcooks.com.

My advice would be to visit bol.com regularly as they often have introductory offers on books at sixty percent off the rrp.

Also I find Tesco.com have an amazing collection of books and also offer discounts.

I have around 800 (last count was ages ago though, so possibly more) cookery books, I just love them for inspiration.

Well I haven't had much to say about Rosemary since I watched some of her recipes being demonstrated on one of her diet shows on some obscure channel a few years back. I just sat there watching her cook and thought, what a sad a miserable life we would lead if we ate like that all the time. Her food looked so unappatising that I would rather go hungry, perhaps she would too, tee hee.

Well on the show, she had her favourite foods in front of her which were, chips and crips, she also said she loved ice cream. But whilst I agree with her that these foods should be eaten in moderation, I had to laugh at her conception of "moderation". Yes eating ice cream only at weekends is ok but the crips that come in tubes that she was referring to, she said she only eats when she's on holiday. Sorry but I had to laugh, especially as I only go on holiday once in the blue moon. Presumably she must go at least once a year or she must be really daft to consider crips one of her favourites if she virtually banned herself from ever eating them. Even then she says she only ever buys the short tube.

Can you imagine it... I'm just going to pack for my holiday, passport, crips, sun cream......

Hi cheers


I'm sure everyones recipes are great but in the restaurant we wouldn't add butter or olive oil or anything. They sear beautifully in a dry pan and slightly caramalise automatically. I personally wouldn't add anything, sorry to repeat myself but I just wouldn't. Dry fry them briefly and add them to a salad with avocados chopped and panectta or any type of fatty bacon grilled and the excess fat removed. Use kitchen paper to dab them dry.

Add balsamic vinegar as a dressing and you have my all time favourite dish.


Enjoy every mouthful. x

Hi Nimisha

I would also use a mixture of flour and butter, it's known in the trade as beurre manie and is used to thicken all sorts of sauces as well.

Best way I would say is to turn up hungry at snoozys house. She does the best herby, creamy scrambled eggs I've ever tasted.

My kids have always called them scrummy eggs instead of scrambled eggs. A genuine slip from my daughter at a very young age, but it stuck. Well they are scrummy!

Sorry ohforgodssake, I don't know. But if you like pomegranates I think you will love pomegranate molases. It's a thick syrupy sauce made from the fruit itself and is absolutely delicious used as a salad dressing. It acts in a similar way to balsamic vinegar when used as a salad dressing, bringing a sweetness etc.

Good luck binno,

where are you working at the moment and what sort of food is prepared and served. what area do you work in and how long since you started. Did you go to college and where or learn on the job (which can proove just as valuable if not more so).

Sorry, I dont mean to be nosey, just want to know so I can help if poss.

Well done JO405,

The mascapone also adds a creamy taste as well as stops it setting too hard. Thanks Gaye, you keep passing on the info.

Another tip besides the excellent alcahol one is to add more sugar or better still glucose syrup. Sugar stops it setting too hard.

This is especially important when making sorbet as this can set rock hard. When it comes to sorbet the rule of thumb is more water for harder sorbet, more of the sugary stock syrup for softer.

Imagaine a ice cube, it sets hard as there's nothing to stop it.

Yes good idea Rustie, I love starters but then can never manage my main course, so canape sized starters is an excellent choice.

To have pre starters and starters is too much I agree but they do serve them in many restaurants and some people for special occassions.

I think your choice of books were wonderful as I said in my previous post, as long as the buyer knows they are bite sized portions before purchasing.

Hi Christopher,

My nephew has such a severe nut allegy and egg allegy the poor thing has to carry a life saving emergency injection pack with him at all times. I bought his mum a book called The Allergy-Free Cook Book by Maggie Pannell. It not only has recipes but contains information about allergies too. If you are going to cook for this nut allergy sufferer on a regular basis, I would highly recommend the book as this is such a complex area.

I have or have read all the books that Rustie mentions and they are truely wonderful books. Especially Amuse-Bouche. I would say however, these books contain many recipes that are sort of canape sized and would make excellent pre-starters or entrees or indeed, hors d'oeuvres. You could of course make the recipes larger into a starter size portion.

Whilst Shane Osborns book is my favourite on the subject, I also have Appetizers, Starters and Hors d'oeuvres by Christine Ingram, Soups and starters by Linda Fraser and a real favourite is Australian Womens weekly, starters and soups.

All excellent but the Austalian Womens Weekly has the advantage of a picture with every recipe and a really good price tag.

Hi Doppleganger,

I was in books for cooks last week in London and I flicked through a book by Shane Osborn. Its called starters and its rrp is £18.99. Amazon are currently selling it for £13.29 which is a saving of 30 percent.

I would highly recommend this book for its recipes and photography.

Hi DeeR

I go to Chinese supermarkets for my supplies. I know this is not always possible so here's two good websites so you can buy on line. www.wingyip.com and www.hoohing.com. They both have several branches and both offer different things at the different branches. I visit many shops selling these ingredients but these two are my favourites and sell at the cheapest prices too.

Well worth a look.

Hi sugarpuff,

I agree with rday, they have a similar taste but are totally different vegetables so I also wouldn't substitute it. I would suggest you use either all 3 if suggested in the recipe or at least the celeriac and the swede as they have the most flavour. Hope it turns out ok.

or sauce in this case. x

thanks camelia, curry recipes can be so temperamental, its good to know one has been tried and tested

x

Yes sugarpuff, but it is the celeriac that will give it the taste.

celeriac does actually taste like a mild form or celery

loads of people say they dont like celery but it makes such a difference to a stock which in turn makes such a difference to a stock

try it.... its great

that sounds fab jenifer, thank you. I will definately try it out.xxxx

hi spud

river cafe do a chocolte nemisis that is to die for, I cant post the recipe here but it can be easily found. if you have trouble, post and let me know, I will try to get it to you. There are wonderful websites around supplying us with wonderful recipes

hi sugarfuff

turnip is a white root veg and swede is an orange root veg. Swede is sweeter. However, the Scotts, call a Turnip Swede and so as long as you know which is which you will be fine. All are lovely with a little butter and grated fresh nutmeg.

Hi Nathan,

Just stopping by, been so busy lately but just thought I'd stop by to see how everyone was. Good to hear you are still into catering. Good luck my lovely. xxx

got room for me in your suitcase Nick?