Herby roast violet and pink fir apple potatoes

Roasted violet potatoes

There I was, sat there glumly swooshing my spoon back and forth through the pale white sludge. It was somewhere between mashed potatoes and parsnip soup and was the consistency of slurry. This was proof, as if I needed any, that I’d lost my cooking mojo.

I searched for it high and low, far and wide. I set a course for the heat and aromas of SE Asia with an aubergine and coconut curry. But it failed to excite. I stayed in the east – usually the source of so much inspiration – with some spicy prawn cakes. But they were only so much salty rubber. Continue reading

A spicy but soothing potato curry

Potato coconut curry

Everything about this dish cries out comfort. The creamy coconut, soft potato, even the chilli heat brings a certain loving warmth to your mouth. Definitely one for eating on the sofa, with a fluffy pile of white rice,and a good book.

Curry is one of my standard fall back midweek dishes when I want something simple, tasty and not too labour intensive. And this is certainly straightforward. It’s an evolution of one of my standard veggie curries – spicy potato, pea and tomato. Continue reading

Baked Bream with aromatic herbs and lemony potatoes

Baked bream

Has anyone ever told you that nothing in life is simple? Well, they’re wrong. Lots in life is simple. Like this dish. Simplicity itself. It’s one of those beauties that you can kind of throw together, leave in the oven to cook and end up with a really tasty dinner.

And that’s how it should be, because with a few exceptions, you don’t want to mess with fish, particularly white fish. Sure, bream is quite robust, but doing too much to it will dilute and overwhelm the wonderful, delicately meaty flavour and texture. Continue reading

A fritatta with pesto, tomato and potato

Fritatta and rocket

I have it on good authority (that’s you @catty!) that what I made last night was quite definitely a fritatta. Not a tortilla. No sir. Defintely a fritatta. Still not sure of the difference, maybe it was the pesto? At any rate, this is one easy to make dish, and perfect for lunch the next day too.

And, y’know, it gives me another chance to play with my new pan. Not that I really need one. This pan has seen pretty much constant (culinary) action since I bought it at the beginning of March. Continue reading

Potato & chickpea curry, tomato cachumber and raita

Potato curry, cachumber and raita

No-place does vegetarian food like the South Asian subcontinent. I’ve had very good vegetarian Italian, Japanese, Thai and for want of a better name, fusion food. But nowhere, and I mean no-where, that I’ve come across takes vegetarian based cooking so seriously and has such a breadth of veggie food. It’s my go-to cuisine when i’m in need of a serious green (or orange, yellow, red etc) flesh-free hit. Continue reading

A soothing, flavoursome baked potato

Crunchy baked potato

Baked potatoes are real cold weather food – properly tasty fuel for a winter’s night when your radiator isn’t quite heating up the room enough. There’s a slight chill in the air and there’s need for comforting lap food, because you’re knackered, it’s Friday night and all you want to do is to sit and stare at a film before heading off to bed for a long sleep. This sort of situation calls for particular food – easy to eat on your lap, good strong flavours, but soothing and nourishing at the same time. A decent baked spud, all fluffy flesh and crispy skin is perfect here. Continue reading