Large format hardback published in 2011 by BBC Books. Photography by Jason Lowe.
Simon Hopkinson was born in Bury, Lancashire in 1954. Simon is known as an English food writer, critic, and former chef and restaurant owner, with the BBC describing him as the “food writers’ food writer”. He began working in the kitchens of Le Normandie at the age of 17, developing a love of regional French cooking, and his early influences were Richard Olney, Jane Grigson and Elizabeth David (all writers about whom I will write posts in the future). In 1978, Simon became the youngest chef to win an Egon Ronay Star, and he subsequently worked as an Egon Ronay inspector for a few years. He retired from restaurant cooking in 1995 to concentrate on his food writing, writing a cookery column in The Independent and publishing a bookshelf of interesting cook books. Simon has won the Glenfiddich Award several times, as well as the André Simon award, and has appeared in cookery programmes on the BBC and Channel 4.
This book is a collection of recipes to accompany Simon’s BBC TV series, using some of his favourite ingredients and categorised according to those ingredients, so the layout of the book is a personal choice, rather than the more usual starter/main/pudding. The recipes are a familiar format, with ingredients and techniques clearly described, and personal anecdotes at the start of each recipe with a story about it and the ingredients. The first category is Anchovy & Aubergine - both flavours I love, with the first recipe being for Anchovy & Onion Tarts (photo above), looking savoury and delicious. This is followed by Spinach & Ricotta Croquettes with Anchovy Sauce, a light dish with a beautiful sauce. Reading Simon’s Salade Niçoise prompted me to make this classic dish for my supper, and it was fresh and full of flavour. Aubergines with Olive Oil, Garlic, Parsley & Feta Cheese is another flavour combination which I enjoy, followed by a recipe for Aubergines & Tomatoes with homemade Masala Paste, with the Masala paste a versatile and useful paste to keep in the fridge for all sorts of applications. This book is full of classic recipes, with a good description of technique for Tzatziki. Simon explains his Horseradish base recipe - my favourite eye-watering condiment, and then uses the flavouring in the photo below of Smoked Salmon & Chive Potato Pancakes with Horseradish Cream. They sound a bit tricky to get right, but worth the trouble.
The charm of these favourite recipes is their personal ties to Simon - he gives the original recipe of My Mother’s Lancashire Cheese & Onion Pie (photo below), a very traditional English dish. Simon is generous with his acknowledgement of the provenance of his recipes, citing Rachel Cooke for his Parmesan Biscuits, which look and sound very moreish. Another cheese and allium combination is his Roquefort Tart, with the allium being leeks, which looks mouthwatering. Then there’s his classic Coq au Vin, with a lovely anecdote describing his (disastrous) first attempt.
Another traditional French preparation is given for Baked Trout with Chablis, Cream & Tarragon, a beautiful, delicate dish. More robust flavours are described in the Piedmontese Peppers (photo below), as well as in Baked Pappardelle with Pancetta & Porcini, followed by the warm hug that is Mushrooms with Garlic, Parsley & Lemon, with Olive Oil & Potato Purée - a delicious supper dish.
Simon describes his classic technique for Homemade Gravadlax with Cucumber Salad & Mustard Sauce (photo below), moving from Northern Europe to the sunny South with his Salt Cod baked with Potatoes & Olive Oil, another flavour combination made in heaven. And he lays down the rules for ratio of rice to liquid in his Smoked Haddock Pilaf with Ginger & Coriander. If I could get spanking fresh sardines, pilchards or herrings, I’d like to try his Marinated Sardine Fillets, which sound very appetising.
Simon’s story associated with his Braised Neck of Lamb with Carrots & Pearl Barley reminds me of my childhood supper dish of Irish Stew cooked by my mother, with lovely sweet lamb in a tasty vegetable broth, and his Breast of Lamb baked with Onions is a definite must to try, harking back to an Elizabeth David description of a similar, classic French dish. The Grilled Lamb Cutlets with Minted Hollandaise (photo below) look wonderful, with another lovely lamb recipe following of Marinated Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Asian Green Sauce. Simon’s first restaurant was in Wales, and his delicious recipes for lamb make me think of the lovely quality and exquisite taste of Welsh lamb.
Simon’s love of food radiates out from his descriptions in this book, and he isn’t pretentious in any way. He takes his food, and recipes, seriously but tries to be good and honest in his commentary, such as his decision to call his dish Rice with Mussels & Saffron, rather than a pilaf, or baked risotto, or some sort of paella, none of which satisfied him. And, talking about good honest food, look at his Homemade Tandoori Chicken (photo below), with his confession that he has always failed at naan bread.
I love the look of his Chicken Liver Mousse with Port Jelly (photo below), which, again, sounds mouthwatering, and is followed by an excellent recipe for a Simple Chicken Liver & Pork Terrine, with Green Peppercorns (next photo along after the mousse) - both wonderful traditional style dishes with lots of flavour.
An interesting recipe is given for a Fried Ham & Cheese Sandwich, based upon those served at Harry’s Bar in Venice. I’d like to try this dish just for the unusual technique, never mind the association.
More savoury dishes follow: Braised Pork Shin with Saffron Mashed Potatoes he describes as a labour of love but looks delectable, and Pigeon & Mushroom Pie (photo below) which Simon states is wood pigeons cooked in a coq-au-vin-way, taken off the bone and put in a pie - delicious. And Simon’s description of Traditional English Roast Duck, with Apple Sauce, just sounds absolutely wonderful. I am soo hungry just flicking through these recipes! I’m slightly ambivalent about the sound of Salmon in Pastry with Currants & Ginger, Sauce Messine, but I trust Simon’s judgement so would be glad to try this combination of ingredients.. And I have no ambivalence about his Mackerel in White Wine, a classic French dish, although again it relies on being able to get your hands on very fresh mackerel.
Simon again shows his sense of humour and lack of pretension in his anecdote about Oxtail ‘Nehari’ with Potatoes, and still manages to make me want to try the recipe. I love his Fillet of Veal with Anchovy Mayonnaise & Asparagus, although I would have to replace the veal with fillet of beef. I’ve only eaten veal once, but I really disliked the taste - it had a farmyard flavour for me which I found deeply unpleasant. No such problems with beef, though. I have horrible memories of chewy slippery liver from schooldays, when we weren’t allowed to choose what went on our plate, and HAD to eat everything on said plate, but I have learnt to cook it in a way that I can tolerate. Simon’s Calf’s Liver with Sweet & Sour Onions (photo below) is a recipe I will definitely try, deeply savoury and full of flavour.
I love scallops and will definitely try Scallop Mousses with Mornay Sauce, based on a classic French dish - this recipe requires preparation and care but I’m sure it’d be worth it. Then there are Mussels ‘Rockefeller’ style (photo below) - don’t they look beautiful, with that gorgeous green sauce? Simon doesn’t hold back in his pre-recipe anecdotes, he has his opinions and is happy to voice them, but he does speak from a lifetime of experience. His Best Potato Salad recipe is a simple dish, adding a dressing to warm cooked potatoes so that everything mixes optimally. But, he hates unpeeled potatoes, and is determined to persuade his readers to get rid of the peel! I love potatoes and very rarely peel them, so, sorry Simon, but no way José, I’m sticking with my version and stealing your dressing. The final savoury recipes that caught my eye are Split Peas & Ham Hock - a delicious traditional English dish - and a lovely Chinese-style Crab & Sweetcorn Soup.
Simon gives a very interesting introduction to his recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding, a recipe which apparently originated in Canada, and I like the sound of his Steamed Ginger Sponge - a delicious steamed suet pudding. I love his Coffee Ice Cream recipe - made without eggs, yay - and am definitely going to try this fabulous sounding dish, which Simon says is very easy to make. Then there’s his Orange Caramel Custard (photo below), with another amusing display of Simon’s opinions of how you should and shouldn’t eat this delectable dish.
The final recipe I liked in his very comprehensive pudding section is one for Coffee Granita - just lush. There are 100 recipes in this book, with only a small sample mentioned here but these are the ones I would particularly like to try. I hope you are tempted by some of my choices too, and I guarantee you will enjoy Simon’s personality peeping shyly through from behind his recipes. My impression of him is a relatively shy man who loves food and cooking, has his likes and dislikes - as do we all - and yet who managed to overcome that shyness to appear on TV. A very human cook, and I like him better for it.