Barbara's Reviews
78 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title 
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12 Maanden Lekker Eten
By Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn - 2008
I made this soup with butternut squash instead of the little squash usually found in Albert Heijn (the biggest supermarket in Holland), and used a homemade vegetable stock. It was a nicely-balanced soup and made 8 servings as a first course.
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This was the first time I made a tortilla. I made a half recipe and added some bacon pieces, and less oil. this may have been a mistake, since the tortilla did not brown or free nicely from the bottom. I'll need to work on my technique.
The topping of parsley, capers, and olives is great, but I found the tortilla itself rather bland. It needed salt and more hot spice.
However, when I ate the leftovers (at room temperature) I found the whole thing worked much better in terms of flavour. I'd still add more salt and pepper to the eggs though.
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The 1997 Joy of Cooking
By Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, Irma S. Rombauer
Scribner - 1997
This banana bread was my standard one for years. I don't really like having banana chunks in the bread so I have always processed it until it is completely blended in. And I prefer to fold in and decorate it with pecans.
Lately I've turned to a spiced banana bread recipe from smittenkitchen.com that is even easier--one bowl, no food processor, and delicious.
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Website: BBC Good Food
This has become my standard recipe for cranberry sauce to go with the Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey. It is absolutely wonderful, with lots of flavour and texture.
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Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook
By Jamie Oliver
Michael Joseph - 2006
This is really a recipe for braised leeks, but the presentation, with the leek pieces standing upright and everything covered in bacon, makes it very attractive. I think it's hard to go wrong with leeks and the resulting dish looks good and tastes great.
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This dish is not authentically Moroccan and it is mad, with a great mix of flavours. It is also a lot of work and when I made it, I did not get a crust on the couscous and the lamb did not get quite as tender as I would have liked.
I'd like to make it again, because it really was delicious, but this time I think I would cook the lamb longer(aybe even braise it) and remove it from the bone before assembling the whole dish.
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The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
By Amanda Hesser
W. W. Norton & Company - 2010
This is such a simple tasty pudding! It is made with cream and buttermilk, which gives it a lovely, refreshing tang that makes it less rich-tasting than some other panna cottas. I served it with some mixed berries, but they almost overwhelmed the subtle flavour of the dessert. Next time I make it (and there will be a next time!) I'll add some lemon rind and serve it plain.
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I've made it a number of times now, always with grated lemon rind to flavour it. I love it that way.
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I wanted to make a vegan cake to bring in to work (one of my co-workers is vegan) and this looked like an easy, dairy and egg free cake to make. I used the variation in the notes with coffee instead of water (3 teaspoons of espresso powder). As stated, it indeed took longer to bake through.
Despite other notes that said the cake never stuck to the bottom of the pan, mine did. I ended up having to patch the bottom together. Lesson: use parchment paper next time.
The texture and crumb of the cake are moist, the flavour is OK but nothing really spectacular. It's a weekday cake, easy to make, and handy to have in the repertoire for vegans.
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The bread tasted great, but contrary to the instructions, there is no way that I could fold or shape this dough. It is closer to a batter. Next time I make it, I'll reduce the amount of water. I'll also use a smaller pot. My cast iron cocotte resulted in quite a flat bread.
For more remarks, see
http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2013/06/daily-bread-ii-no-knead-semi-sourdough.html#more
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Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
By Marcella Hazan
Knopf - 1992
I made this recipe with the parmesan rind but without the cabbage, which I didn't have on hand and often don't care for anyway. Even withouth the cabbage, the soup ended up being like a stew rather than a soup.
I was surprised that the recipe didn't call for any herbs besides parsley. I like the flavour imparted by the cheese rind, but I'm glad I used a full-flavoured homemade beef broth as the base. If I make it again, I would add some bay leaf and tyme.
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Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours
By Kim Boyce, Quentin Bacon, Nancy Silverton, Amy Scattergood
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
I made this recipe with sun-dried tomatoes and found it good but too salty (perhaps the type of salt). I split the dough, and baked the second batch a day or 2 later, but I found the first batch was better.
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I was surprised by the number of fruit recipes in this book. This is an unusual one in that it uses onions instead of fruit. But caramelized onions are sweet, so the idea of making an onion jam is not that much of a stretch.
My one caveat with this recipe is the amount of salt. Kim calls for 1 teaspoon of kosher (that is, coarse) salt. I used coarse sea salt (Baleine) and found it too salty. If you use regular salt, I suggest using just a quarter of a teaspoon.
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This compote is excellent, the caramelized syrup is especially yummy. Good with pancakes, quark, or plain yogurt.
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I made this recipe exactly as written, except for using only a teaspoon of fine sea salt instead of a tablespoon of kosher salt. The result was excellent--a fine crumb bread with good flavour, that slices easily. It makes a big loaf and in the future, I might split the dough and use smaller bread tins.
It's a very soft, sticky dough that would be difficult to knead by hand.
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Oh my, these are good. Not too sweet, with taste that is both robust and elegant. I used roasted hazelnuts without the skins (which is what I had in the house), and they paired beautifully with the partially browned butter and teff flour.
But the sizing is definitely American. The recipe says it makes 10 muffins. I made 14, and they are not small muffins. The hazelnut streusel topping was also too much. I used only 2/3 of it, but this will be good on my morning yogurt or porridge.
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Website: How to cook the perfect ... Felicity Cloake (Guardian)
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/how-to-cook-the-perfect
This is great granola, but too sweet. I also found the coconut flakes toasted too much, so I've made the following adaptations:
Use 75 ml of honey instead of 120 ml
Add half the coconut flakes halfway through the baking process, and mix in the other half after it has finished baking.
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Website: JamieOliver.com
I made a half recipe of this very tasty soup. It features fried sage as a major flavouring, which I really like. Unlike so many squash soups, it did not require cream or buttermilk. Since I don't have any bread on hand, I skipped the croutons.
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Website: JamieOliver.com
Making sure you have lots of flavoursome gravy ahead of time is a good idea. And from this recipe I learned how important vegetables are to the flavour of gravy.
I adapted this slightly from the original recipe. Based on comments and my own gut feeling, I reduced the amount of star anise. I also added a couple of garlic cloves. I think it was a good call.
The resulting gravy has a hint of fennel/anise flavour but more would be overpowering. An alternative might be to include a quartered fennel bulb, but I didn't try this.
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Website: JamieOliver.com
This is a recipe with 5 main ingredients--a concept I really like. Although this pie was tasty, it was somewhat one-dimensional in flavour. Perhaps not that surprising, given the limited ingredients. Acceptable for a weeknight dinner from scratch, but I probably won't make it again. Better to make a really good filling and have some in the freezer to pull out for that fast meal.
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Website: JamieOliver.com
I saw Jamie make this on one of his Christmas specials years ago, and have made it ever since, with some tweaks. It really is a flavourful chicken/turkey gravy and having it made aahead of time is one less thing to do for a Christmas or Thanksgiving feast.
I use only 1 star anise and add a fennel bulb to the veggies. Fennel has natural affinity with poultry and is less overpowering than the star anise.
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Jane Brody's Good Food Book
By Jane Brody
W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. - 1980
This is an excellent recipe for a Middle Eastern classic, despite having the non-standard tablespoon of soy sauce, which gives it a dark undertone that I really like. It uses less tahini than some recipes, but provides a great balance between the sesame, lemon, and salty flavours. I sometimes make it without the sesame seeds, and it is still excellent.
I usually sprinkle it with a bit of sumac. I eat it regularly as a sandwich spread, as well as serving it as an appetizer with pita bread.
[Duplicate of review on another edition]
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I love eggplant and this appetizer is one of my favourites. The recipe is simple, clear and straightforward. It calls for roasting the eggplant in the oven, as do most recipes for home cooks.
The best baba ghanoush I ever had was made with eggplant roasted in wood coals, so if you have that option, or perhaps a BBQ grill, it would be worth a try.
[Duplicate of review on another edition]
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This recipe produces a wonderfully satisfying, rich soup that I often eat for lunch. I normally use a whole serrano chili instead of the 1/4 tsp cayenne that Jane uses because I like this soup to be spicy.
(I've categorized this soup as African because I have seen other peanut soup recipes from West Africa.)
[Duplicate of review on another edition]
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I have served this a number of times as an elegant lunch or a substantial first course at a dinner party. It is colorful, light, and delicious. The recipe calls only for white fish, but I often add some salmon as well. It adds to the color and deepens the flavour.
Although I love scallops myself, this tends to be a party soup, so I tend to omit them because many people have a problem with eating shellfish(allergies, religious restrictions, or they just don't like it).
[Duplicate of review on another edition]
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Mine too. This may be my favourite all-time soup. It is easy to make and absolutely delicious. My mother always makes this soup with red lentils, but they fall apart so quickly. I prefer both the flavour and texture when this soup is made with green or brown lentils.
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Jane Brody's Good Food Book: Living the High-Carbohydrate Way
By Jane Brody
Bantam - 1987
Mine too. This may be my favourite all-time soup. It is easy to make and absolutely delicious. My mother always makes this soup with red lentils, but they fall apart so quickly. I prefer both the flavour and texture when this soup is made with green or brown lentils.
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This is an excellent recipe for a Middle Eastern classic, despite having the non-standard tablespoon of soy sauce, which gives it a dark undertone that I really like. It uses less tahini than some recipes, but provides a great balance between the sesame, lemon, and salty flavours. I sometimes make it without the sesame seeds, and it is still excellent.
I usually sprinkle it with a bit of sumac. I eat it regularly as a sandwich spread, as well as serving it as an appetizer with pita bread.
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I love eggplant and this appetizer is one of my favourites. The recipe is simple, clear and straightforward. It calls for roasting the eggplant in the oven, as do most recipes for home cooks.
The best baba ghanoush I ever had was made with eggplant roasted in wood coals, so if you have that option, or perhaps a BBQ grill, it would be worth a try.
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This recipe produces a wonderfully satisfying, rich soup that I often eat for lunch. I normally use a whole serrano chili instead of the 1/4 tsp cayenne that Jane uses because I like this soup to be spicy.
(I've categorized this soup as African because I have seen other peanut soup recipes from West Africa.)
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Jerusalem
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi
Ebury Press - 2012
This is a basic recipe, with sweet red pepper being the main ingredient besides the tomatoes. I think it could really use an onion, but I think you can make up just about any tomato-based sauce and make it into shakshuksa, as long as it has some heat to it.
I found the cooking time for the eggs (8 to 10 minutes) too long. The egg yolks are cooked through on the bottom, although still a bit liquid on top.
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This recipe is a bit labour-intensive but it a delivers a rib-sticking soup with a smoky, earthy, sweet and sour flavour that is really unusual. I liked it a lot, but the immediate hit of charred eggplant flavour might not be to everyone's taste.
I couldn't find anything called mograbieh (a type of giant couscous) in my local middle-eastern shops. However, I did found some nameless pasta that was shaped a bit like little balls, which is probably what was intended.
I found the soup to be too thick, so I thinned it with extra chicken stock before serving.
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Ooef, this was a lot of work. The hard part was hollowing out the quinces, which are a very hard fruit. In the introduction he mentions that a simpler variation is to just chop up the quinces and form the lamb into meatballs. I think that would be a smart move.
The picture in the book shows that the meat stuffing has been browned on top, but the instructions do not mention anything about it. And if you don't do this, it the filling ends up looking grey and unappetizing. A few minutes under the broiler before serving might be the thing to do.
Also, the instructions call for leaving a shell that 1.5 cm thick, but the picture and my own instincts are to make this .75 cm (.5 inch). Otherwise the hollow is barely worth stuffing.
There was a lot of liquid, so half way through cooking I removed the lid to let some evaporate off.
And the taste result? Very good, although I would have liked a bit more heat. I am rating it down because of the work and some questionable/incomplete instructions. But I'd make it again in its meatball variation.
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This is a very tasty recipe and I loved the flavours but they overwhelm the cod, which is sort of a waste of expensive fish. I think tofu or some bland beans would work just as well. In any case, use cheaper fish such as frozen or salted pollock.
I found I couldn't cut the fish finely enough to make the patties hang together, so I blitzed the whole mixture for a few pulses in the food processor. That worked well.
The recipe calls for simmering the cod cakes for 20 minutes after they've already been fried for 5 minutes a side. Fish is delicate! This is too long. So I simmered for only 10 minutes. The result was lovey and moist.
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This was good, but it made way too much dressing. The total amount of liquid is 335 ml, which would completely drown the vegetables if you used it all. I would cut the yoghurt mixture by at least a half.
I don't like radishes so I substituted fennel instead. I also used stale Lebanese pitta, but Turkish bread (as specified in the recipe) would hold up better.
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This is a wonderful recipe that I've made several times. It's a great summer-time meal, or an attractive starter at any time of year.
I've made it with both fresh and frozen fillets, but I prefer the texture of the fresh fillets.
I'm very careful with fish timings, and would start checking the fish in the oven after 5 minutes. Dry, overcooked fish is not what you want.
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This is not really a review of Ottolenghi's recipe, but of my rif on it. I substituted cavallo nero (palm kale) for the chard, used hard goat cheese instead of cheddar, an upped the feta because I didn't use ricotta. I also used coriander instead of dill. Why? Just because that is what I had on hand.
This recipe reminds me of similar ones I've seen for a Greek herb pie, and I think the point is that you use whatever greens and herbs that you have to hand.
The result was a substantial pie that can be eaten warm or at room temperature. It was delicious, but I had problems with the filo dough.
The picture in the book shows a very heavily oiled filo pastry. My filo broke up even as I unfolded it from its package so I couldn't even lay it out in nice sheets, so I ende up crumpling it and spraying it with oil. The top was crispy but the bottom neve browned properly. Maybe I'll use brick next time.
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Made in India: Cooked in Britain: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen
By Meera Sodha
Fig Tree - 2014
I've made this chutney using roasted unsalted peanuts and another time with some ground almonds that needed using up. I've also used lime juice instead of lemon juice, which is even better, I think.
I found the first batch too sweet, so halved the sugar the second time, and I like the favour balance better.
Served with pappadums, it is quite addictive. I had one guest say that if the whole meal consisted of that with this chutney, she'd be quite satisfied!
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This is the first recipe I've made using poha, or flattened rice. It is the Indian version of instant rice, cooking in about 5 minutes, but so much better!
Brown some onions in fried mustard seed and fennel seed, add some salt, turmeric, and frozen peas, followed by rinsed poha. Cook for 5 minutes, top with lemon juice, pomegranate seeds, and sev.
It made a lovely lunch, with a combination of sweet and savoury, soft and crunchy. It's a true 15 minute meal, especially if you already have some pomegranate seeds ready for use in the fridge.
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This is the Indian cousin of piperade, that Basque dish of stewed peppers. It's an easy dish to make, except for frying the paneer. This never seems to work for me, the paneer always sticks. I may have to try it with a true nonstick pan.
Anyway, the peppers are soft and sweet, and tats great with naan or crusty bread. I think it would also be good if the peppers are cooked for a shorter time, which is apparently the traditional way of cooking this dish.
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I usually turn to bhaigan bharta for an Indian eggplant recipe, but this has now gone into regular rotation because it is delicious and does not require the eggplant to be roasted first. A simple dish to make and only takes about a half hour to cook, it's great for a weekday supper.
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I made this dish with cod, but found the coconut coriander chutney overwhelmed the fish somewhat. I think it would be better with an oily fish like salmon or mackerel. But it was tasty and I plan to make it again with a different fish.
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I'm getting addicted to a cup or two of chai in the evening as a result of this recipe.
I have adapted ithe masala a bit by adding nutmeg to the spice mix, and I use 1 teabag of Yorkshire tea for two cups.
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I have adapted ithe masala a bit by adding nutmeg to the spice mix, but since apparently every Indian family has its own preferred mix, this seems perfectly legitimate. This recipe is a good starting point for creating your own.
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Madhur Jaffrey Cookbook
By Madhur Jaffrey
Tiger Book - 1992
This is an excellent curry. I used 3 tablespoons of oil (instead of 8!) and a red chili instead of a green one. I also added a little extra water because I like a bit of sauce. That being said, this is a spiced cauliflower recipe with a lovely yellow color, not a sauced curry.
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I love eggplant and am always looking for new recipes, and this is a keeper. It was easy to make and delicious.
Although it calls for salting the eggplant for an hour, I only did it for half an hour and I really question whether it is necessary at all unless you have very large eggplants with lots of seeds. I also left the skin on because I like eggplant skin.
Although several spices are used, the most noticeable is fenugreek, which is wonderful with eggplant.
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I made this again more than a year later, and it was ready within a half hour. (I'd forgotten I'd made it before). I made a half recipe, used smaller dice (about 1cm), did not salt, added garlic, cooked for shorter. I bet you could add the cumin/coriander earlier with no effect (except positive) on taste.
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With its use of nuts and seeds in the sauce, I though this would be a good recipe for a vegetarian main course served with rice and a salad or raita. And it was.
This is a mild curry, slightly sweet from the coconut and sugar. The sauce really suits the cauliflower, since it is very tasty but still allows the flavour of the cauliflower to shine through.
If you don't have cashew nuts, you could substitute blanched almonds. That's what I did.
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Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home: Fast and Easy Recipes for Any Day
By Moosewood Collective
Fireside - 1994
Quick to prepare, low-calorie, and colourful, but a bit too acidic and raw. I think the spices need to be cooked more before adding the cauliflower, or perhaps a bit less ginger and turmeric. I didn't have apple juice so I used water instead, so perhaps the sweetness of the apple juice would have balanced it a bit more.
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Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
By Moosewood Collective
Clarkson Potter - 2001
I make this recipe several times a month, and eat it for lunch as a salad.
I'm indifferent to courgette, so I leave that out. If I can't get the orange sweet potatoes (yams), I use butternut squash instead.
These days, I use 2/3 of the spice amounts given, since I find there is actually too much.
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The Moro Cookbook
By Samantha Clark, Samuel Clark, Pia Tryde
Ebury Press - 2003
This recipe basically involves browning a pork roast in a pot, adding milk and flavourings, and then simmering with the lid half off until the pork is cooked and still juicy, and the milk has evaporated leaving the remaining solids to caramelize into an almost cheesy sauce.
I only had a small roast (about 500 grams) and, even though I tried to scale the recipe down, it took only 50 minutes to cook the pork and over 2 hours to evaporate the milk. This may have been a result of cooking the roast in a smaller pan, although I figured this was just part of scaling down the recipe.
The result was tender and flavourful pork. The caramelized sauce is slightly sweet and subtly flavoured with bay and cinnamon. If you didn't know what it was, it would be hard to describe.
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I love lentils but I found this soup very disappointing. Perhaps it is just too simple--onion, garlic, lentils, and cumin with optional spinach, topped with a bit of lemon or yogurt. Simplicity can often be wonderful, but in this case, it wasn't enough.
The instructions are also not entirely clear. Are you supposed to blend the yogurt or lemon into the soup when puréeing it or is it part of the serving suggestion?
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