Barbara's Reviews
78 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date 
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Vegetarian Planet
By Didi Emmons
Harvard Common Press - 1997
These are good vegetarian burgers with chickpeas, carrots, and mushrooms as the base. The burgers were easy to form and held together well during the cooking. They are quite soft in the eating, so benefit from crusty rolls as a foil. I added a lot of black pepper and next time would add some cayenne pepper give it a bit more punch.
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I made half a recipe, using chopped fennel instead of corn kernels, which I'm not that fond of. Cooked the potatoes for less than the suggested time and added the dressing while the potatoes were still hot instead of dumping the potatoes in cold water.
This was tasty salad, but it needed spice. I think I would add a chili next time.
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I wasn't sure about this recipe on day one (not unusual; I often don't taste it as well after I've been busy cooking it). But I loved it on day 2. Not part of the recipe, but I added crumbled feta cheese, which really went well.
Next time I will try some pickled lemon instead of the lemon juice and zest.
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I'm not sure if it was execution or just a poor recipe, but the flavour of the soup was totally dominated by the grated orange zest. Maybe there was some pith in the zest, or I should have scraped the carrots, but the soup also has an underlying bitter note that I find unpleasant.
Unfortunately I made a whole recipe so I will be eating this for a while. Maybe if it sits for a bit, the flavours will meld andmellow a bit into a more pleasing whole.
If I make it again, I will increase the ginger and omit or drastically reduce the orange zest.
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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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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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Made in India: Cooked in Britain: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen
By Meera Sodha
Fig Tree - 2014
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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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 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 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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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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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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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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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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Jerusalem
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi
Ebury Press - 2012
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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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 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 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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The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
By Amanda Hesser
W. W. Norton & Company - 2010
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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Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
By Deborah Madison
Broadway - 2007
This gratin was delicious. I made a quarter of the recipe and ate it as a main meal. If I make it again as a main meal, I would add some cheese or nuts to provide some protein. And another clove of garlic would not go amiss.
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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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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
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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Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Chronicle Books - 2011
Cross-posting from British edition: http://www.cookbooker.com/recipe/35862/winter-couscous
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Cross posting from British edition: http://www.cookbooker.com/recipe/35863/very-full-tart
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Cross-posting from British edition:
http://www.cookbooker.com/recipe/35860/shakshuka
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Cross-posting from the British edition:
http://www.cookbooker.com/recipe/35646/multi-vegetable-paella
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Plenty
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Ebury Press - 2010
This is essentially a quiche made with roasted vegetables, ricotta, and feta. It was delicious. Roasting the vegies is a bit of extra palaver but well worth it. As usual with this type of recipe, I used evaporated milk instead of cream to try to keep the fat down.
Although I blind baked the tart shell, it had a few holes and I was using a tart pan with a removable bottom, so some of the liquid leaked out, but it was still great.
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This couscous was excellent. It reminded me a bit of the Moroccan Roasted Vegetables from one of my Moosewood cookbooks, but the flavouring was more subtle.
I really liked the addition of butter to the cooked couscous.
I bought parsley root instead of parsnip (they look very much the same) and really enjoyed the flavour.
Definitely will make this again.
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The Silver Spoon
By Phaidon Press
Phaidon Press - 2005
I adapted the recipe for Gallina alla Melagrana, braising chicken pieces in the oven instead of roasting the chicken whole. I added the soaking water from the soaking the porcini mushrooms, which the recipe does not seem call for.
The pomegranate was an interesting feature. The seeds are both tart and sweet, and the resulting dish reminded me of having cranberry sauce as an integral part of the chicken. I liked it.
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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
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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Plenty
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Ebury Press - 2010
The focus of this shakshuka (apart from the eggs) is peppers. I made about a third of a recipe, using green, yellow, and red peppers, adding a bit of garlic and using less oil and no saffron.
It was very good, but because it calls for a bit of muscovado sugar, and the onion partially caramelizes before you even add the sugar, I found it too sweet, at least to go with eggs.
Ottolenghi uses a lot of oil for this (and other) recipes. Even reduced by half, it could have used less.
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A vegetarian take on paella. The recipe says it generously serves 2, but this is an understatement, at least for women. It easily serves 3.
And very good it was. I didn't have broad beans or artichokes in oil, so I substituted frozen peas and fried eggplant, and used cilantro instead of parsely to garnish.
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Website: Simply Recipes
This Iranian stew is all about the sauce. The result is both rich and sweet. I think the next time I would omit the extra sugar in the sauce, just relying on the sweetness from the pomegranate syrup.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
I had trouble with this recipe. At first I though it was because I made it with cake flour (patent bloem) which is a stupid thing to do with a yeasted cake. It works better with all purpose or strong flour (as the recipe calls for), but ultimately I think the batter just has too much butter in it, leaving it too dense.
A lot of butter is beaten into the dough which makes it very tender. However, I've made other plum kuchen now and I think you can get away with less. See http://inthekitchenwithbarbara.blogspot.nl/2012/10/glut-of-plums-cake.html.
I've made the recipe at least 3 times now, and used other recipes as well, and the recipes that use less butter work better.
That being said, I'm beginning to develop a plum cake addiction and it started with this recipe!
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12 Maanden Lekker Eten
By Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn - 2008
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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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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Jerusalem
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Sami Tamimi
Ebury Press - 2012
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 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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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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Website: Simply Recipes
This recipe for this Portugese salt code casserole/stew was just too plain. The kalamata olives were a good compliment, but it really lacked punch. If I were to make it again, I would first sauté the onions, along with plenty of garlic and a serrano or birds-eye pepper.
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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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The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century
By Amanda Hesser
W. W. Norton & Company - 2010
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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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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Tofu Cookery
By Louise Hagler
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 1991
This is my go-to recipe for chili. I no longer own the book because I didn't find enough other recipes in it to make it worth keeping, but this recipe made it worth its soujourn in my home.
I never make chili con carne (somehow beans and meat together seems overkill), but I make this at least once or twice a year and have adapted the technique or freezing then thawing and seasoning the tofu in other recipes as well.
I often add corn and use black beans, and probably vary other ingredients to what I have on hand, but the basis is this.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
A first for a Smitten recipe--this recipe seemed so light and easy but it didn't work for me. I left the cake in for the full 60 minutes, but the center still wasn't cooked through (although the tester came out clean). The apples themselves were also still not cooked soft, the batter had turned hard and meringue-like on top. It was also far too sweet.
I made it with 4 granny smiths and a rembrandt, plus some frozen cranberries.
I'd like to give it another go, but this time I will reduce the sugar by at least a quarter cup, only beat the sugar and eggs until just mixed, and cook the thing for a lot longer.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
I never would have thought of red wine in a cake, but this made a very tasty cake and was easy to make. I had some problems getting cake out of its greased-and-floured pan. Next time I'll make it with the parchment bottom.
I also loved the mascarpone-cream topping to serve with it. The mascarpone provides more body than normal whipped cream, and proved a wonderful compliment to the cake.
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Madhur Jaffrey Cookbook
By Madhur Jaffrey
Tiger Book - 1992
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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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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Website: Smitten Kitchen
This recipe is simple and delicious. Definitely a keeper that can be adapted to other fruits as well. I really liked the delicate flavour the barley flour added.
The strawberries I used were wonderfully sweet and I found the amount of sugar to be too much. Next time I make this, I will cut the sugar by up to a quarter of a cup.
I made this recipe in a 9-inch cake pan and had no problem with overflowing.
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