The recipe for the Provençal classic presented here in clear, simple form, recreated with a passion for simple ingredients combining to make something that's much, much more than the sum of its parts.

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

Tomato & marscapone sauce is one of our family favourites, as is the soft garlic cream cheese known as Boursin, so when we noticed we had a large surplus of Boursin in the fridge, the solution was obvious… let’s see... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

The Recipe This is a great, general-purpose pasta sauce. It should be rich and full-flavoured, thickened by the process of reduction and the pectin in the tomatoes rather than any added thickeners. It should not be hurried – it is... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

The Risotto A good risotto is made with love, and takes all your attention. Don’t be tempted to rush it by adding too much liquid at a time. Add the liquid ladle by ladle, just enough to make the mixture... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

This bread is wonderful – our friends and family seem to think so too. We discovered it in the excellent “90s Vegetarian” by Ursula Ferrigno, ISBN 1 85391 309 X published 1994 by Merehurst Ltd. Make it vegan by substituting... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

The Recipe This is a recipe I came up with when I was stuck for something to serve with a main meal. The rich flavours of the dish may pleasantly surprise you because of its simplicity. Our first-born son loved... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

This Italian-style casserole makes good use of Florence fennel, one of the most under-rated and under-used vegetables. It looks like a cross between celery and onion, and tastes of aniseed when raw. When cooked, it takes on a flavour all... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

Garbanzos, or chickpeas, are commonly used in many Mediterranean countries to make hearty and filling casseroles. This one is something I dreamt up when my wife had soaked & cooked chickpeas for houmous but we were missing some of the... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

The Standard British Bolognese Sauce is a travesty, a mere shadow of the original, exquisitely rich, almost solid sauce. So here’s my version of the classic Ragu. Oh, and anyone who thinks this word is even slightly trademarkable, get lost... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

One of the classic sauces, Bechamel is useful for a wide range of dishes. Try using it as a pasta sauce, or with eggs, fish or fowl. The Recipe You can make this into a classic cheese sauce merely by... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

This is one of my oldest formalised recipes – it’s surprisingly good, and even people who don’t like spinach, mushrooms, courgettes or butter beans seem to love it. Strange but true… The Recipe This recipe would be good with all... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

The aubergine in this rich and wonderful dish takes on a melt-in-the-mouth texture that even people who don’t like aubergine say is fantastic. You can leave the cheese out if you want a vegan dish, but if you do then... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

If you serve this up at a dinner party, it’ll be the first to go. Make sure it’s a course by itself, served only with some fried rice or chow mein (fried soft noodles), because everything else will be ignored. Ingredients... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.

Egg-fried rice is a brilliantly simple accompaniment to all kinds of Chinese dishes. The secret of all good home-cooked Chinese food is a well-seasoned, extremely hot wok. The rice won’t stick at all if you get this right. You’ll know you’ve got... Continue Reading →

Originally published on A Brighton Boy Blogs - Consumer issues, recipes and apolitical thoughts from a Brighton native.