
COMFORT
& SPICE by Niamh Shields |
BOOK
REVIEW |
 |

To
order a copy of Comfort & Spice <click
here>
There
cannot be a better time of year than Autumn to launch
a book called Comfort & Spice
I have shelves of cooking books and most of them just
gather dust. Why? Because their recipes are either far
too complicated or just not interesting at all. Food
is to be enjoyed and eating should be an enjoyment.
Many of those writing cooking and recipe books forget
this fact. Comfort & Spice does not fall into this
trap.
The book is one of those published as part of a series
entitled 'New Voice in Food', and the second one I have
looked at. The first thing that strikes you is that
the books are written by real people who love food for
what it brings to the table and for how it gives a quality
to life . . . there is nothing like a good meal shared
with friends or family. The books have to stand on their
own merits as there is no polished TV show or celebrity
status to promote them. (How refreshing.)
First impressions are often right and as I quickly
thumbed through the pages for the first time I was constantly
stopping to read and savour the different recipes. Plenty
of ooohs and aaahs! This was not good as I had to select
three recipes to publish as examples (see below)
and I was just spoilt for choice. The three I have selected
are good examples but there are so many more that are
equally as good if not better . . . you do need to buy
this one!
The appearance of the 'New Voice in Food' books is
strange because the covers appear to be low quality,
presumably to save on publishing costs, yet the photography
and quality of the pages is excellent. Perhaps it is
just the design style. Whatever the reason never judge
a book by its cover!
Comfort & Spice is a book where the author shares
her love for food and cooking but more importantly it
gives encouragement to those who are hesitant about
cooking or wanting to learn and gain experience. Definitely
one for the kitchen shelf and would make a great gift
for anyone you know that loves their food.
Niamh Shields
Full-flavoured, generous and easy to reproduce recipes
have won Niamh Shields a huge following for her blog,
Eat Like A Girl, as well as critical acclaim (The
Times included the blog in its top ten food blogs from
around the world). Now, for the first time, her
adventurous though frugal food and warm, bright writing
style is collected in a book.
Niamhs gastronomic curiosity has gathered together
the cookery of her native Ireland, in such dishes as
the Cork speciality Spiced Christmas Beef, as well as
exotically greedy but delicious Asian Chicken Skin Skewers,
and an elegant Raspberry and Rose Tart, in dishes that
embrace both the passing of the seasons, the foods of
the world, and the special occasions of a modern life.
Divided into chapters that reflect Niamhs enthusiasms
Brunch, Quick and Light, Share, Passions, and
Weekend the recipes also come with sumptuous
ideas for what to do with leftovers. Always keen to
produce spectacular meals on a budget, Niamh reveals
how to treat just six or seven jars of spices as a palette
to accent each dish you cook.
Comfort and Spice is a book both to read in bed and
to splatter with sauce next to the stove, whether you
are a nervous novice a group of potential cooks
very close to Niamhs heart or simply someone
who wants to make their food sing.
Blog: Eat
Like a Girl
- Practical
and appealing - Benjamin (Amazon review)
With recipes from her native Ireland, but often with
other influences and presented in her own way, this
unassuming little cookbook offers some real gems.
A self-taught and obviously passionate cook Niamh
Shields aims to provide delicious tasting food that
does not require deep pockets or an extensive larder
of spices. The result is a collection of solid hearty
dishes that will warm the coldest of winter nights
along with some lighter dishes suitable for any time.

- Jam-packed
with generous recipes
-Ms A Phelan (Amazon review)
Generous! That's what comes to mind when you first
flick this book. Not only is it packed with loads
of recipes but they all seem to offer so much. With
dishes for all occassions ranging from quick and easy
(Spiced Chickpea, Spinach and Feta Salad) to gentle
and slow (Overnight Shoulder of Pork) Niamh's enthusiasm
for comforting, generous food shines through.

- Love
it! - S D Williams (Amazon review)
I am not a domestic goddess and I don't normally get
excited over cookery books but this book is an exception.

- A
delicious, delectable slice of a book! - Mara
Greenwood (Amazon review)
I'll be the first to admit that while I love food
and eating, I am not generally a very good cook. Something
about recipes seem to flummox me, and while I gain
a great deal of pleasure from experimenting in the
kitchen from time to time, the results are rarely
as good as I might hope. This book, however, inspires
me to have another go at the whole cooking malarky,
because the author not only conveys the passion and
intensity she feels about cooking and food in general,
but she provides recipes that are SIMPLE and often
very quick to make, even for a kitchen klutz like
me!

COMFORT
& SPICE SAMPLE RECIPES

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID
I
love crispy squid, especially this version. I like
it a little intense so use fiery, numbing Sichuan
pepper, but feel free to use just black pepper if
you dont want the same effect.
Squid is cheap, sustainable and easy to source.
It also cooks super-quickly. Have your fishmonger
prepare it for you if you dont think you can
face it.
Ingredients
75g plain flour
75g cornflour
1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tbsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tbsp sea salt
2 squid, cleaned, bodies cut into chunks, tentacles
left whole
light oil, such as sunflower, to deep-fry
How to make
Serves 4 6 as a starter, or 6 8
as part of a spread

CHICKEN AND CHORIZO PIE
Cut
lids from the pastry to fit each pie dish, using a
dish as a guide. Butter each pie dish and divide the
pie filling between each. Add the pastry lids, brush
with the egg and cook for 20 minutes or so, or until
delightfully crisp and brown. These pies are super,
full-flavoured and bursting to get out from under
the pastry.
I use cooking chorizo
and chicken thighs, as they have the best flavour
and stay moist.
I make these in
12 x 8.5cm cast-iron dishes..
Ingredients
15g unsalted butter, plus more for the dishes
1 tbsp olive oil
500g chicken (preferably thigh meat), diced
200g cooking chorizo, sliced
2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 mild red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
400g can tomatoes
2 tsp Spanish paprika
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
250g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
How to make

ROAST BONE MARROW WITH A
PARMESAN CRUST
Any
roast bone marrow dish from me will have to give a
nod to Fergus Henderson of St John, the only reason
I ever tried it in the first place.
Roast bone marrow
is a very rich and intensely savoury, umami-packed
dish. It is beautiful simply roasted, scooped out
of the bone and spread on toast. I also use it as
a secret ingredient in beef-based sauces: finely chopped
raw bone marrow gives my Gutsy Ragu an extra savoury
depth and richness (see page 140).
One bone per person
is plenty and it makes a perfect lunch, or even an
appetiser (though make sure your main course is lighter).
It’s so dramatic looking that some of your friends
may be taken aback; get them to try it and they will
change their minds..
Ingredients
handful of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
50g dried breadcrumbs
50g finely grated Parmesan
sea salt
8 bone marrow shafts, halved vertically or horizontally
(whatever your butcher can provide), with
extra meat on the bone removed (your butcher
can do this)
How to make

To
order a copy of Comfort & Spice
<click
here>

Published
28 October 2011
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