Write A Recipe? Take Some Onions

Sorry, Jay. For once you're getting no sympathy from me.

My food hero Jay Rayner has written a cookbook*. In a recent article in the Observer Food Monthly he writes about the problems of a bish-bash-bosh cook trying to explain to his readership how to make a particular dish. Tell me about it, mate.

When I set out to write the masterpiece which became A Bunch of Fives, I had perhaps two role models when it came to recipe writing. One was Elizabeth David who assumed that her readers knew how to cook. The other was my late Ma, who had written a book for me when I went off to Uni. It's one of life's ironies that the better you know a dish, the harder it is to write about it, simply because it's so familiar. I have a pasta sauce recipe which I've cooked probably more often than any other. I could do it in my sleep. I can take diabolical liberties with it. Yes, I dare say nonna wouldn't include black pudding as I did last week, but I had a leftover slice in the fridge.

It's loosely based on my mum's, a favourite when I were a lad. Taking my first faltering culinary steps, I asked her how to make it. Well, she said, take some onions.  Excuse me, but recipe books say things like, take a pound of onions (the metric system hadn't yet been invented). She looked flummoxed, which I can now understand. For many parts of the book I had to remake lots of dishes, simply to note down what I did and with what quantities.

Tom Cooks! will celebrate its tenth birthday next year. From the outset I've aimed my recipes at the inexperienced cook. My target audience was based at the me of about 25 years ago. It occurs to me that if you've been following me for the past decade, you will now be operating at a highly sophisticated level. Is it time to change my style? More importantly, isn't it time that you invited me to dinner?

If you have any views on how you like your recipes, let me know. I've always said that they should be indicative only, not prescriptive. And it can't be stressed too highly that as soon as you set out to try one of them it becomes your recipe not mine. Don't have a particular ingredient? You can probably think of a substitute. Maybe you can ignore it altogether. Well, maybe. Similarly, you can usually find a workaround for dislikes and allergies. Elmlea for cream, for example, or stock instead of wine.

Oh, and you want the recipe for that brilliant dish I cooked for you last time you were round? Simple. Take some onions....

 

 

 

 

*Nights Out At Home: Recipes and Stories from 25 Years As A Restaurant Critic will be published on 5 September

 

 

 

Janet Hood: A Service of Celebration and Thanksgiving

This will take place in the V & A Dundee on Saturday 19 October. I don't yet know the time. The family is expecting a very large turnout. To help them and the V & A to make appropriate arrangements, can you please let them know if you plan to attend by completing the short form on the following link. https://forms.gle/csrA2KRFsCH7nPhTA