Michele Cranston - Marie Claire: 10 Years of Great Food

Contents

Introduction

Im often asked what makes a marie claire cookbook and so, having just completed my 10th book in the series, I thought it was time to look back over the past 10 years and re-visit some old favourites.

I had been working in food media for only a year when I wrote my first marie claire cookbook, although I had been a cook for almost twenty years prior to that. I had escaped the professional kitchen and found myself in my own, working on my many ideas what a joyful place to find oneself! Ten years on, I am still in my kitchen and still excited about food. In fact, even as Ive been putting this book together Ive been jotting down future ideas, expanding on recipes found in these pages, or letting memories of past food-adventures inspire me.

Over the years, during talks I have given about writing cookbooks, I have found people to be fascinated by how I come up with so many recipes. They have also been interested by how and why the food is styled in such a way, who tests the recipes and so on. Compiling my favourite recipes seemed to be a great way to address some of these queries so youll find my own personal notes on the recipes throughout the book. They are my way of explaining the inspiration for the recipe, why its a favourite of mine and what memories it conjures up. I think this is important because food is so integral to our personal and cultural history. For me, that is the wonderful thing about food and why I always laugh when anyone queries how I could come up with yet another book of recipes.

The other wonderful thing about working on a book is it is such a collaborative experience. I may be working on the bones of it but there is an enormous team around me filling in the missing pieces and fleshing the whole project out. Editors and producers ensuring that the words are correct and everything is where it should be, home economists testing the recipes to ensure that what I cooked at home works for everyone, designers arranging it all into a beautiful whole and the studio team who take the amazing photographs for which these books are renowned.

I have to say I love the time we all spend in the studio. I started my adult life studying art and somehow became sidetracked into the kitchen. Its a combination that works because I think about the aesthetics of food. When Im writing a recipe I imagine how it will look, how it will taste, what the main flavours, colours and textures are, way before I actually put pen to paper. So to be in a studio for several weeks or months working with a creative team of photographers, stylists and prep chefs is my idea of heaven.

The end result is a beautiful book, which is a testament to all the hard work of the previous twelve months.

Looking back, I realise that the marie claire books are all about light and vitality, seasonal produce and of course delicious food. So come with me on a journey to enjoy the lush greens of spring time, the summery alfresco table, the earthy tones of autumn or a wintery afternoon of comfort food and enjoy the fresh flavours of marie claire all over again.

a new start

Spring for me is always a time to shake out the old cobwebs and become reinvigorated about the day-to-day patterns of life. As the air begins to feel sunnier and lighter and the layered weight of winter is slowly discarded, its wonderful to embrace the flavours of the new season. If I were to break a day down into seasons, then the early morning would be springtime, with its crisp, bright air and so Ive started this chapter with fresh and fruity breakfast and brunch ideas. Some people swear by an ocean swim or a jog around the park as the perfect way to start a day but Ill happily settle for berries and yoghurt, the perfect egg or an indulgent muffin.

pancakes with maple-berry butter

SERVES

250 g (9 oz/2 cups) self-raising flour

2 heaped tablespoons light brown sugar

400 ml (14 fl oz) buttermilk

2 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

12 tablespoons butter, for greasing

fresh berries, to serve

maple-berry butter

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons maple syrup

100 g (3 oz/about 2/3 cup) dried cranberries

To make the maple-berry butter, put the butter, maple syrup and cranberries in a food processor or blender and chop until well combined. Spoon onto a sheet of baking paper or plastic wrap and roll up to form a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the pancakes, sift the flour and sugar into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk, egg yolks and vanilla and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until light and fluffy. Fold the egg whites into the buttermilk batter.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly grease with a little butter. Spoon the batter into the pan, in batches, to form pancakes that are 810 cm (34 inches) in diameter. Cook until golden brown underneath, then flip the pancakes over and cook for a further minute or two. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining mixture, adding more butter to the pan as you need it.

Pile the warm pancakes onto serving plates. Serve with slices of maple-berry butter and a scattering of berries.

Butter flavoured with maple syrup and finely chopped cranberries slowly melting over warm pancakes do I need to say any more?

spring smoothie

SERVES

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) fresh orange juice

160 g (5 oz/1 cup) chopped fresh pineapple

1 banana

pulp of 2 passionfruit

4 mint leaves

4 ice cubes

Blend the ingredients until smooth and pour into two chilled glasses.

Over the years this drink has appeared on the menu at various cafs Ive worked in. Its a favourite of people who like an early-morning fruit fix. However its also perfect as a pre-brunch hit to fill the tummy before a later, longer weekend big breakfast.

citrus compote

SERVES

3 limes

3 oranges

2 pink grapefruits

1 vanilla bean, finely chopped

1 teaspoon sugar

260 g (9 oz/1 cup) honey-flavoured yoghurt

Zest one of the limes and one of the oranges and place the zest in a medium-sized bowl. Peel the limes, oranges and grapefruits with a sharp knife. Cut the flesh into segments, or thinly slice, saving any juice, and place in the bowl. Add the vanilla bean, sugar and reserved juice and mix to combine. Serve with honey yoghurt.