British Food Fortnight at Roullier White
British Food Fortnight is here, the time when we celebrate the wonderful world of British produce. Since 2002, the British Food Fortnight has celebrated farmers and producers up and down the country, whose fantastic fare has seen the British restaurant scene enjoy the kind of culinary renaissance we could only have dreamt of 30 years ago. Yet by looking increasingly outside of itself, towards the regional flavours and dishes brought back to these shores by migrants from across the globe, the last five years have seen the country's culinary landscape grow up to embrace a dizzying array of new taste sensations and flavour combinations. However, the beating heart of this gastronomic revolution are the small producers whose fantastic work produces the world class ingredients which propel chefs to stratospheric levels of recognition and prominence. To mark the occasion, we're taking a look at our favourite British cookbooks right now, written by some of the most talented chefs, food writers and restauranteurs in the industry today.
1. Mildred's: The Cookbook
Operating out of London's Soho, Mildred's is one of the most recognisable names in modern vegetarian cuisine, continuing to win new converts with their intoxicating ability to transform every day ingredients into a wonderful world of exciting new textures and flavours. Dissatisfied with the uninspired world of vegetarian fare, Mildreds began life in 1988 and quickly began to rip up the rule book on meat-free gastronomy, transforming a cuisine dominated by bland, uninspired aesthetics and flavours into a vital, joyous, and engaging way to eat. Now with the release of their first cookbook, Mildred's has brought its inimitable style into the home kitchen, where their elegant, ingredient led philosophy can truly shine.
What to Cook:
With a smoky, delicately aromatic aroma, Mildred's Lapsang Suchong scented mushroom stroganoff brings out the best of its ingredients. British woodlands are renowned for their bountiful funghi foraging opportunities, and the dish exemplifies why their rich, earthy flavour and meaty texture are so beguiling.
2. Leith's Fish Bible
Prue Leith is one of Britain's most beloved culinary heroines, and her cookery school is one of the most prestigious in the country, having trained a staggering number of the country's top chefs. Over the years, her school's cookery books have been the go to resource for a generation of British cooks, and her recipes take in a huge breadth of styles; from classic haute cuisine to bold contemporary creations. It's no wonder then that Leith's Fish Bible remains the bona fide gold standard when it comes to fish cookery, making the most of the limitless variety of delicacies found around the British Isles.
What to Cook:
For sheer elegance and simplicity, it's hard to beat Leith's take on simply steamed scallops. Designed to accentuate the natural sweetness of the delicate shellfish, this is a quick-and easy recipe which produces truly stunning results. Make sure you use only the best scallops you can get your hands on!
Chicken is a seemingly perpetual frustration for the casual home cook thanks to its tendency to become dry and overcooked at seemingly a moments notice. Thankfully though, Britain's best loved food writer is on hand to guide you through the pitfalls of this simultaneously beloved and reviled classic! A Bird In The Hand is Diana Henry's exhaustive, inspiring paean to the versatility of the humble bird, and her book is packed full of fool-proof and deliciously modern ways to take your chicken cookery to the next level.
What to Cook:
The perfect dish for cooks who worry about drying out their meat, Diana Henry's recipe for pot roasted chicken with milk, bay, and nutmeg is the perfect centrepiece for a hearty and comforting family meal. The milk ensures the chicken remains succulent, while the aromatic flavourings bring a deep, rich and satisfying savour to the dish.
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