Portobello Book Blog

When we came to view the house we now live in, one of the reasons I wanted to buy it was because of the shelves in the kitchen. Perfect for all my cookbooks! Today I’m sharing five of my favourite cookbooks and telling you about one of my favourite recipes from each. You can see from the photo that most are very well used!

Ainsley Harriott’s Low Fat Meals in Minutes

I used to love watching Ainsley Harriott on Ready, Steady, Cook. He is such a cheerful and enthusiastic cook. This book is full of quick and easy recipes with the bonus that they are low fat but still full of flavour. One of my favourites is for Sinhalese linguine prawn pasta.

Michael Barry’s Food and Drink Cook Book

This is technically my husband’s book as I bought it for him when he moved to London to work for a couple of years not long after we met. However, as you can tell since we’re married (26 years this year!), he moved back again. Our favourite recipe from this book is steak with cream and mustard sauce, our go-to recipe for special occasions. It’s one of those cookbooks with very few photos of the food in it which is quite unusual these days.

Delia Smith’s Winter Collection

I couldn’t do a feature on cookbooks without including Delia Smith. I do have a battered copy of the Complete Cookery Course but have chosen her Winter Collection here which is full of warming comfort food. One favourite from this book is oven baked wild mushroom risotto. I love risotto and although baking isn’t a traditional way of cooking it, it does work really well.

How To Be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

I could actually do a very tall stack just with Nigella cookbooks! She is my absolute favourite cook. I have almost all of her cookbooks and have watched all her tv series. My most used recipe from Domestic Goddess is Lemon-Syrup Loaf Cake. Easy peasy and quick to make, always turns out really moist and is a firm favourite in this house. Again this recipe book doesn’t have many photos. You can see from my photo of the page that this is a well loved and well used cookbook!

Jamie’s Italy – Jamie Oliver

I really enjoy watching Jamie Oliver on tv and have quite a few of his cookbooks but rarely cook many recipes from them for some reason. However, there are quite a few in this book that we regularly cook. A favourite for a family meal is pasta al forno con pomodori e mozzarella. In other words, baked pasta with tomatoes and mozzarella.

Who are your favourite cooks and what’s your favourite cookbook? Have you got one cookbook that you use more than others? Do let me know in the comments.