The Guardian Feast-14 January 2023
The Guardian Feast-14 January 2023
The Guardian Feast-14 January 2023
Black beans
Felicity Cloake
How to make the
Ottolenghi’s Chinese New Year with ham hock perfect fishcakes
Miguel Barclay Rachel Roddy
Aubergine milanese Italian breakfast
dipping biscuits
Meera Sodha
Chickpea and Kitchen aide
potato curry Pressure cookers
Ravinder Bhogal Tom Hunt
Pot-roast chicken Coffee kombucha
with winter citrus
Grace Dent
Benjamina Ebuehi ‘A gamechanger for
Issue No.260 Saturday 14 January 2023 Vegan orange friands vegan restaurants’
2 Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
Yotam Stir-fried romaine
with sweet-and-
sour cashews
Ottolenghi
Prep 8 min Steamed greens provide a touch
Cook 20 min of comfort and respite from
Serves 4 the cacophony of flavours and
Cost About £1 textures in a Chinese-style feast.
a head This dish is quick to make and
best served hot, but it’s also
For the cashews
50g cashew nuts, lovely in a sandwich with some
halved cold cuts and/or boiled eggs.
2 tbsp satsuma juice
(ie, from 1 satsuma),
or tangerine or
First, make the sticky cashews.
orange juice Set a large, high-sided saute pan for
½ tsp honey which you have a lid on a medium-
I always think that New Year’s eve falls ⅛ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp sesame seeds
high heat. Add the cashews and
toast, tossing frequently, for five
a bit too close to Christmas to be made ¼ tsp sesame oil
½ tsp vegetable oil, minutes, until golden. Pour in
the most of. We’re all too full and knackered plus 1 tbsp extra for the satsuma juice, cook, stirring
the stir-fry
to lean into yet more celebrations so soon, Fine sea salt and
constantly, for 20 seconds, then
black pepper add the honey, chilli flakes, sesame
and lack the headspace to make resolutions seeds, both oils, an eighth of a
For the stir-fry
for the year ahead. Chinese New Year, on the 2 romaine lettuces
teaspoon of salt and a good grind
(550g), cut of pepper. Mix well to coat, tip
other hand, which is next Sunday, is so well widthways into out on to a tray and set aside.
PHOTOGRAPHS: PHOTOGRAPHS (INCLUDING COVER): LOUISE HAGGER/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: EMILY KYDD.
roughly chopped
should be eating at this time of the year: steam for three minutes, stirring it
ste
once halfway through. Remove the
on
steamed greens, slivers of aromatic ginger lid and cook for five minutes more,
and chilli, toasted seeds and sticky nuts. stirring frequently, until the lettuce
sti
has wilted, then mix in the vinegar,
ha
Hop along! Happy year of the rabbit! honey, satsuma juice, sesame
ho
seeds, a tablespoon of chopped
se
mint and an eighth of a teaspoon
mi
of salt, and take off the heat.
Mix in three-quarters of the
sticky nuts, then tip into a large,
sti
shallow bowl and serve with the
sh
remaining cashews and mint
rem
scattered all over the top.
sc
Prep 25 min A steamed whole fish is often the medium heat. Add the oil and the
Cook 20 min centrepiece of Chinese New Year leek and ginger mixture, and fry,
Serves 2-4 celebrations, and is believed to stirring, for two minutes, until the
Cost About £4 bring prosperity and abundance leeks have softened but not coloured.
a head for the coming year. This method Tip out on to a lipped platter and
of steaming is not only speedy, put the pan back on the heat.
175ml rice-wine
vinegar it’s also all that is required to Strain the infused sauce mix into
80ml Shaoxing wine bring together the flavoursome the saute pan, then discard the star
75ml soy sauce sauce. For ease, I have adapted anise and scatter the remaining
1 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
the usual approach and used strained spices over the cooked leek.
1 tsp cumin seeds fish fillets, but by all means go Bring the sauce to a simmer, then
1 tsp aleppo chilli down the more traditional route place an oiled steamer basket on
2 tbsp demerara and use a whole fish instead, if top. Lay in the fish fillets skin side
sugar
1 large leek (200g), you prefer. If you don’t have a down, cover and steam for three
dark green tops steamer, just fry the fish and serve to four minutes, until the fish is
removed, the rest it with the sauce and aromatics. opaque and cooked through (cook for
cut first into thirds
and then into
longer if your fish fillets are thicker
matchsticks Put the first eight ingredients in a or if you’re using a whole fish).
25g knob fresh small saucepan with four tablespoons Lift the steamer off the heat,
ginger, peeled and of water. Bring to a boil on a then use a spatula gently to lift out
cut into matchsticks
(use a mandoline, if medium-high heat, then turn down the fish (peel off and discard the
you have one) to medium, simmer for 10 minutes, skin, if you like). Arrange the fish
2 tbsp vegetable take off the heat and set aside. fillets on top of the leeks and pour
oil, plus 1 tsp extra
Mix the leek with half the ginger, the sauce all over the top. Serve
to finish
4 x 90g skin-on and put a wide, high-sided saute hot with the reserved ginger, chilli
sustainably sourced pan for which you have a lid on a and coriander scattered on top.
sea bass, sea bream
or red snapper
fillets, each about
2½cm thick
1 red chilli,
deseeded and
julienned
10g coriander,
leaves and soft
stems
Feast 5
6 Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
José Pizarro Black beans
with ham hock
Spill the beans and cabbage
Feast 7
Miguel Barclay Aubergine
milanese
The £1 store
cupboard
Prep 10 min Here’s my meat-free twist on a
Cook 20 min classic Italian dish. I especially
Serves 1 love the contrasting texture of the
Cost About £1 crisp, seasoned breadcrumbs and
the buttery-soft aubergine flesh.
Salt and pepper Definitely cook this on a medium-
1 tbsp plain flour
1 egg, beaten low heat, so you get a lovely, even,
1 handful golden colour.
A comparatively bulky veg that breadcrumbs
1 x 1cm-thick slice
can hold its own, the aubergine aubergine
Start by bringing a saucepan of
Olive oil salted water to a boil. Grab three
can definitely be the star of the show. 100g spaghetti plates and put the flour on one, and
¼ onion, diced
That’s the trick behind cooking for £1: 1 garlic clove,
season, the beaten egg on another
and the breadcrumbs, seasoned, on
what can I buy that is cheap but peeled and sliced
⅓ x 400g tin the third. Dredge the aubergine in
substantial enough to fill up a plate? chopped tomatoes the flour, then in the egg, and then
in the breadcrumbs, and fry gently
Aubergine has a luxuriant quality in a splash of olive oil on a medium-
that gives it a premium status among low heat for about seven minutes on
each side, until golden brown and
vegetables, making it a perfect meat cooked through.
substitute without the disappointment. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in
the boiling water until al dente,
then drain.
In a separate pan, fry the onion
and garlic in a splash of olive oil on
a medium heat for a few minutes
and, just as the garlic starts to
brown, add the chopped tomatoes,
season and simmer for about 10
minutes, until the tomatoes have
m
broken down into a nice sauce.
bro
Mix
Mi the drained pasta with the
sauce, adding a little of the cooking
water to loosen as required, and
serve with
wi the crumbed slice of
aubergine alongside.
aubergin
8 Feast
ast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
Chinese aubergine
and sticky rice
Feast 9
10 Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
Meera Sodha Chickpea and
potato curry with
The new quick paratha
vegan
Prep 5 min You’ll need a blender or small food
Cook 55 min processor to make this. You can
Serves 4 find pre-made paratha in Indian
Cost About £1.50 supermarkets, if you don’t want to
a head make your own.
1 onion, peeled and
roughly chopped First make the curry paste. Put the
Potato curry was the defining dish 2 tbsp tomato puree
(40g)
onion, tomato puree, oil, garlic,
sambal oeleck and lime leaves in a
of my youth and, if I’m honest, I didn’t 75ml neutral oil
– I tend to use
blender and blitz to a smooth paste,
love it back then (sorry, Mum). But, as rapeseed oil stopping to scrape down the sides as
5 garlic cloves, necessary (if your blender is
sometimes happens with things you peeled struggling, add water a tablespoon
2½ tbsp sambal
disliked as a child (antiques, Neil oeleck – Yeo’s is at a time to loosen the mix). Scrape
my go-to, and is the paste into a large saucepan and
Diamond and my sister, for example), probably the easiest cook on a medium heat, stirring
to find in the world
they come full circle and in later life food aisle of larger
often, for about 10-12 minutes, until
it starts to come away from the sides
you find a certain intense sort of love supermarkets and in
south-east Asian of the pan and releases some of the
for them. Today’s recipe isn’t my food stores
4 fresh or frozen
oil back into the pan.
Stir in the salt, the chickpeas and
family’s potato curry, though; rather, it’s makrut lime leaves,
deveined their water, the potatoes and the
one I made with an urge in my belly to 1½ tsp fine sea salt coconut milk, turn up the heat and
500g maris piper
bring to a boil, which should take
feel at home again, and I was so pleased potatoes, or another
about five minutes. Turn the heat
fl
floury variety,
with the results that it might becomee pe
peeled and cut into to low and simmer for a further 20
3cm pieces minutes, stirring occasionally, until
a defining dish of my adult years. 2 x 400g tins
the potatoes are fudge-soft.
PROP STYLING: JENNIFER KAY. FOOD ASSISTANT: KRISTINE JAKOBSSON. INSET: GETTY IMAGES
chick
chickpeas, not
drain
drained If you’re making the paratha, clean
1 x 400ml
40 tin and lightly flour a work surface.
coconu
coconut milk Unwrap the pastry and pinch off
PHOTOGRAPHS: LOUISE HAGGER/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: EMILY KYDD.
Feast 11
12 Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
Ravinder Bhogal
Hello sunshine
The bounty of bright lightly, then transfer to paper. Melt the butter in oven tray lined with
citrus brings delight to the plate. a pan on a low heat, then baking paper and dust
even the darkest of Add the fennel seeds brush generously all over with icing sugar. Heat a
winter days. Use every and orange zest to the both sides of the sliced knob of butter in a large
precious part – skin, flesh pan, fry briefly, then brioche. Lay the bread on frying pan, lay in a few
and juice – to add sharp, pour in the stock, the tray and toast in the slices sugared side down
sweet and bitter flavours Pernod and orange juice, hot oven for 25 minutes, and cook until
to savoury dishes and and whisk in the ‘nduja. until golden. Leave to caramelised. Dust with
puddings alike. Carefully place the cool a little, then more icing sugar, flip and
chicken, garlic, fennel generously spread one caramelise for another
Pot-roast chicken and citrus back in the side with marmalade. minute or two. Transfer
with ’nduja, fennel pot, add the olives and Turn down the oven back to the tray, wipe out
and winter citrus bring to a boil. Leave to to 160C (140C fan)/gas 3 the pan and repeat with
bubble for two minutes, and line a 900g loaf tin the remaining brioche.
then cover and pop in with baking paper, letting Transfer to the oven
the hot oven for 30–35 it overhang the sides. to heat through for five
Prep 20 min minutes, until the Arrange the slices of minutes, then serve
chicken is cooked all the bread inside it, as if you topped with caramelised
Cook 45 min
way through. Sprinkle were rebuilding the loaf. clementines and a scoop
Serves 4 with parsley and serve. In a bowl, whisk the of vanilla ice-cream.
Cost About £4 a head eggs, egg yolks, creme
Marmalade toast fraiche, caster sugar and Flu-busting
2 tbsp extra-virgin pudding the vanilla seeds until citrus juice
olive oil smooth, then whisk in
Sea salt and black the cream. Pour this all
pepper over the bread, in
4 whole chicken legs Prep 25 min batches if need be. Prep 5 min
(ie, thigh and drumstick) Leave to soak for a good
Soak 30 min Makes 4 glasses
2 medium fennel bulbs, 30 minutes, then scatter
each cut into 4-6 wedges Cook 1 hr 15 min Cost About £1 a head
over the extra sugar and
1 garlic bulb, cut in half Chill 4 hr + bake for 45-50 minutes,
PHOTOGRAPHS: OLA O SMIT/THE GUARDIAN. FOOD STYLING: SAM DIXON. PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS
Feast 13
15 nights from
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• In Hue visit the Imperial Citadel, the Thien Mu train, 12 breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners
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• Return overnight flights from London, hotel transfers, all
• Experience mouth watering cuisine including a transport and listed activities throughout
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• Explore the Mekong Delta by boat
Book at holidays.theguardian.com/ex-va
or call 0330 333 6710
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and is offered subject to availability. ABTA 0751, ATOL 2582 protected. Additional entrance costs may apply.
Fiona Beckett
Whites to drink with
spicy Asian food
You could be forgiven for having the Wine with spicy food is
impression that the entire country is contentious, of course, and there’s
doing dry January, but only 130,000 still a school of thought that you’re
of us did so in 2022, according to being pretentious or wilful in
Alcohol Change (that said, there must drinking anything but lager.
have been many thousands more Obviously, as a wine lover, I disagree,
who didn’t sign up). So it’s easy to and there are many wines that work
forget that they are still a minority, perfectly well with Chinese food.
and that there might be many who The ones most people instinctively
think January would be improved by reach for are aromatic whites,
a glass of something slightly stronger. especially gewürztraminer and
Foodwise, too, I find that now is riesling. But do they work? Yes, for
a time when I react against the rich, the most part, although the problem
heavy fare of Christmas and have with wines of such distinctive
even got marginally bored with character is that they can jar as often
comfort food. I want the zip, zing and as they hit the spot. For instance,
fiery kick of Korean, Sichuan and gewürztraminer is great with duck
other spicy cuisines, and the clean (especially if ginger’s involved), but
freshness and crunch of south-east less good with dim sum or steamed
Asian salads. Fortunately, we have fish. (Asda has a very decent one in
Chinese and Vietnamese New Year its Extra Special range at £7.50,
next weekend to scratch that itch. though it’s not as good as the
Seifried in today’s pick), while a The good This drink uses the acidity and
delicate, dry riesling won’t make sweetness of balsamic vinegar to
Four aromatic whites much headway with mapo tofu,
mixer add depth to the classic negroni,
worth exploring say. The fierier the dish, the more Black gold and uses orange blossom-infused
sweetness you generally need. negroni gin to add a layer of floral notes.
In fact, Alsace so dominates the It’s on the menu at our newest
Emiliana Novas Riesling conversation about wine and spice Serves 1 trattoria, Jacuzzi, on High Street
2021 £9.59 Rannoch that many other wines don’t get For the infused gin Kensington, London, which
Scott, 13.5%. Has a vivid much of a look-in. Try other 200ml London dry opens later this month.
lime streak that goes well countries’ take on those grapes – gin
2g orange blossom
with Vietnamese salads New Zealand is particularly strong First make the orange blossom
PHOTOGRAPH: ROB LAWSON/THE GUARDIAN. DRINK STYLING: SEB DAVIS
Feast 15
16 Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
Benjamina Ebuehi Vegan orange
friands
The sweet spot
a few
fe minutes, until the mix is
PROP STYLING: ANNA WILKINS. FOOD ASSISTANT: JULIA ADEN. INSET: GETTY IMAGES
Feast 17
Felicity Cloake
Masterclass:
fishcakes
Prep 25 min 1 Prepare the 2 Boil and crush
Cook 25 min potatoes the spuds
Serves 2 Peel the Put the potatoes
Cost About £1.50 potatoes, then in a large pan
a head cut them into with a generous
evenly sized shake of salt and
400g floury
potatoes (eg, maris chunks. Floury cover with cold
Fishcakes have fallen off the menu piper)
Salt
potatoes are water. Bring to
best here, a boil, then turn
in recent years, which is a shame, 250g fish (see step 3)
1 tbsp chopped
because waxy down the heat
because they’re a delicious way to make chives new potatoes and simmer
1 tbsp capers (see will struggle to until tender, but
what is, rightly, a pricey ingredient go a lot step 7) hold together. not mushy.
2 anchovy fillets
further. Based on one of the greatest of in oil, drained and Sweet potato Drain, return
finely chopped will also work, briefly to the hot
culinary love stories, fish and potatoes, 1 egg, beaten either alone or pan to dry off,
40g flour, for
they’re almost infinitely adaptable to suit coating
in combination then roughly
with the white crush, so they’re
both your audience and what you have 100g dried
breadcrumbs variety, and a mixture of
available, so feel free to p y around.
play A generous knob
of butter
you could also mash and
vegetab oil
1 tbsp vegetable add about larger lumps.
75g broccoli,
broken into
small florets,
peas or finely
diced carrot to
the potato pot
towards the end
of cooking.
18 Feast
F
Feast The Guardian Saturday 14 January 2023
3 Choose 4 Or use frozen 5 Poach any 6 Flake the fish 7 Mix in other 8 Flour, crumb 9 Fry until
your fish or tinned uncooked fish Drain the fish flavourings, and chill golden
You can use just Defrost frozen Put any fresh or thoroughly, then shape Put the Put the butter
about any fish fish or seafood defrosted fish in remove the skin, Stir in the remaining egg and oil in a
you like here, before use, and a pan of water, if necessary chives, capers in a shallow frying pan on
though I think drain anything bring up to a (I give it to the and anchovies bowl, and tip a medium-high
a mixture is tinned. If it’s in simmer, then dog), and leave (or seasoning the flour and heat and, once
nicest – water, get rid of turn the heat to cool. Break of your choice, breadcrumbs it’s hot and
something that (or add it to right down and into large flakes such as chopped on to separate the foam has
smoked, pet food, as cook gently for and add to the dill pickles and saucers. Dip subsided, lay in
something white long as it isn’t three to five potatoes. If spring onions, each fishcake in the fishcakes,
Feast 19
Kitchen aide
How to get the best from
a pressure cooker
What are the advantages of
pressure cookers?
“You’ll soon get to a point where
you can make educated guesses, Waste not ...
Charlie, Lincoln
What really sets pressure cookers
though.” For example, rice, pasta
and pulses, which are cooked by
Spent coffee
apart from other bits of kitchen kit,
notes food writer Catherine Phipps,
absorption, are a game of ratios:
Phipps uses 2:5 rice:liquid for
Tom H
T Hunt
is their versatility: “I don’t see them risotto, while basmati requires “No problem,” Mabel said as she
as a gadget, but a saucepan with equal parts rice and water. Brothy handed me a huge bag of used
a specially adapted lid,” says the chickpeas, meanwhile, are a coffee grounds. “Last week, someone
author of Modern Pressure Cooking. favourite of Arturi’s: “Soak dried asked me for some to make a plant-
“You can use them for everything chickpeas in cold water for 12 hours, based leather.” I walked out grinning
you would a normal saucepan, and then drain and transfer to the from ear to ear, happy to connect
much more besides, plus you cut pressure cooker with fresh water with a local barista and to have just
70-75% of the cooking time.” Stefano until barely submerged.” Add salt, scored a kilo of Browns of Brockley’s
Arturi, of the Italian Home Cooking olive oil and aromatics (garlic, bay, finest used coffee grounds.
blog, adds: “I can make dishes that rosemary and/or a parmesan rind), Across the world, almost 10bn
would otherwise take hours [stews, then cook for 10 minutes: “Wait for kilos of coffee beans are consumed
chickpeas] in a fraction of the time, the pressure to drop naturally, then each year, and they are grown on 10m
and with no loss of flavour – in taste.” If the chickpeas aren’t quite hectares across the so-called bean
fact, pressure cooking intensifies soft, cook for a few more minutes belt, an area roughly 25 degrees on
how things taste.” And all for a more, then set aside, covered, for either side of the equator. Imagine
fraction of the cost, too: “It’s a great 30 minutes. “Spoon them and a little the impact if the waste from all that
ally in reducing water and energy of their golden broth over toast.” coffee were repurposed to make
consumption when you’re cooking Pressure cookers are also useful food stuffs, fertiliser, leathers,
things such as vegetables, because for getting veg on the table quickly. skin-care products and even biofuel.
you need very little of either.” In the case of sprout tops, kale and
Which pressure cooker you go broccoli, say, Phipps puts “a slick of Coffee kombucha
for, however, depends on how water in a pressure cooker”, adds Measure two litres of boiling water
you cook, how many you’re feeding just-washed greens, brings up to into a heatproof glass or ceramic
and how much room you have. pressure, then switches it off. jug, stir in 130g unrefined sugar and
“If you’ve got very little counter “Fast release and it’s done, often in 700g used coffee grounds, then leave
space, get one you can leave on the seconds.” There’s no compromise on to infuse overnight. The next day,
hob,” Phipps advises. “You can then taste, either: “I often cook broccoli at strain through a non-metallic sieve
use it as a saucepan, too.” Electric demos and people tell me, ‘I’ve never into a fermentation jar, add 300ml
pressure cookers, meanwhile, had such broccoli-tasting broccoli’,” kombucha (homemade or shop-
might suit those who “have lots of she says. “Pressure cookers are just bought) and gently float a kombucha
worktop space, are used to slow- so good at preserving flavour.” scoby on top. Cover the jar with a
Printed at Walstead Group, Elvington, York YO41 4AU
or multi-cookers and like that way Anna Berrill clean tea towel, secure it in place
of cooking”; they also come with Got a culinary dilemma? with a rubber band, then store in
a multitude of accessories, such as Email feast@theguardian.com a warm (roughly 20C) spot out of
PHOTOGRAPHS: JOHN LEWIS; GETTY IMAGES
air-fryer lids and yoghurt makers. direct sunlight. After a few days,
In terms of size, bigger is often start tasting the kombucha –
better, Phipps says, because it gives depending on the ambient
you more options; she has cooked temperature, it will take between
as much as 500g dried beans in her three and 14 days to ferment. When
four-and-a-half-litre pressure cooker you are happy with the flavour,
and as little as 50g rice. strain into sterilised bottles, and
You would also be wise to follow keep back 300ml to kick off the next
recipes designed specifically for batch. Store in the fridge or leave to
pressure cookers, “because it isn’t ferment a second time, which will
obviously intuitive”, Phipps says. carbonate the drink.
Rachel Roddy
Tales from an
Italian kitchen
Breakfast biscuits grandmother would buy a bag of six
The Passi bakery in Rome is long biscotti all’uovo, as well as eggs
and quite narrow, with terrazzo tiles themselves. Their nature and Italian
and an L-shaped, glass-fronted habits mean they are also known
counter. Even on the coldest day, it as biscotti da inzuppare, biscuits for
is warm, and when it rains, they dipping, or breakfast biscuits.
strew sawdust on the floor to prevent In a large bowl, lightly beat two
slipping. The bread is stacked on eggs, then add 50ml whole milk,
shelves and in crate-like sections 50ml vegetable oil, the grated zest
that line the walls. The counter is of a large orange and 100g caster or
home to everything else pulled from golden caster sugar. Once everything
the ovens in the back: a few is well mixed, add 300g plain flour,
typically Roman hot dishes, lengths a teaspoon each of baking powder
of pizza and focacce, tarts, cakes, and bicarbonate of soda, and a
and buns and biscotti. Hundreds pinch of salt. Mix first with a fork
of biscotti. and then your hands, until you have
The word biscotto, like biscuit, is a consistent and tacky dough (if it
a generic word with a Latin sticks to your hands, add a little
root, panis biscoctus, which refers to more flour). Set the oven to 180C
bread (panis) cooked (coctus) twice (160C fan)/gas 4, line a baking tray
(bis) to make it durable. It is a with greaseproof paper and put
durable “rusk” that requires dipping some sugar on a plate. You now
in liquid to make it edible. Over the have a choice: for larger biscuits,
centuries, this rusk evolved and break off lumps of 70g, for smaller
sweetened into hundreds of ones 40g lumps (it might be an idea
different forms, some of them to weigh the first few, to set an
twice-cooked, others not, many example). Roll each lump into a ball,
with new names, others then roll the ball into a log and roll
simply biscotti al latte (milk that in the sugar. Arrange the logs,
biscuits), biscotti savoiardi (sponge well spaced out, on the lined tray,
fingers), biscotti regina (small logs then flatten them slightly, so they
covered with sesame seeds). Then look like mini surfboards. Dust with
there are stout oval biscotti di icing sugar, then bake for 20
Prato from Prato in Tuscany, which minutes, until they are puffed up
are traditionally dipped in sweet and light gold in colour. Remove
wine, and are also known and lift on to a drying rack to cool.
as cantucci, though they have cat’s tongues, hazelnut-and- Ready, steady, dip: A few years ago, I bought a bag
travelled the world as honey tozzetti, biscotti with Rachel Roddy’s of tozzetti with honey that were as
breakfast biscuits
simply biscotti. chocolate drops, sultanas or a hard as a mountain face and
PHOTOGRAPH: RACHEL RODDY/THE GUARDIAN
Back at Panificio Passi, a rectangle fingerprint of apricot jam and floury impossible to eat without dunking
of pizza with cheese and mushrooms biscuits half-dipped in chocolate in milk or, better still, wine. This is
is steaming the glass just in front of called fiammette (little flames). rare, though. Most of the time,
me. A few metres away, a little girl The biggest on display dipping or dunking is a choice rather
is breathing on her section of are biscotti al latte, milk biscuits, than a necessity. And that is
counter, then dragging her index which look and taste like a baby certainly the case with these
finger through the condensation. rusk crossed with plain cake and a milk-egg-dipping-breakfast biscuits
The counter is long and the metal sponge finger. In Sicily, biscotti inspired by those in the L-shaped
trays of biscuits are well spaced. all’uovo, or egg biscuits, are similar: counter at Passi. And which, of
There are ring biscuits made with Vincenzo remembers the cry of the course, can be eaten any time you
wine, waffle-like pizzelle, pale and egg man as he arrived at the end of want (I like mine at 11am or 4pm
soft almond balls, wholemeal plaits, the street, and how occasionally his with a cup of tea).
Feast 21
Grace Dent
‘This is a gamechanger
for vegan restaurants’
Jam Delish, a glitzy independent my workings: Jamaica has the world’s Jam Delish
down an Islington back street, is largest Rastafarian community; 1 Tolpuddle Street,
a noteworthy new opening for Rastafarians follow a meat-free diet; London N1,
several reasons. First, it’s not a vast, and Britain is home to many vegans, jamdelish.co.uk.
laughably expensive, 200-seater, Jamaicans and Jamaican food-lovers, Open Tues-Fri
5-10.30pm, Sat
all-day, mock-Mediterranean bistro, not to mention Rastafarians. So you’d noon-10.30pm, Sun
which is what just about every think that, somewhere along the way, 1-7pm. From about
investor is backing these days, plant-based brown stew “fish” or £40 a head à la
knowing that a fool and his £28 for macaroni “cheese” with fake bacon carte (three-course
set menu £34), plus
substandard, citrus-doused carpaccio might have become mainstream. drinks and service
are easily parted. Second, it is a Instead, Jordan Johnson, Jam
Jamaican vegan restaurant that Delish’s co-founder, found it tough to
serves fake goat curry (pictured right, find decent versions of his favourite
top) and saltfish that is certainly not Jamaican food, so began during
fish. This is unusual. lockdown as a dark delivery kitchen
Sure, Jamaican vegan food should in Wimbledon, before appearances
probably be more commonplace, if as a market stall and a residency in
you think about it logically. I’ll show Soho’s The Sun & 13 Cantons, where
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