Jessica Thompson - The Bookery Cook

Contents

Foreword

by King Adz

I was chuffed to bits when I got an email from three Australian sisters who had been developing their own idea for a wicked cookbook, and had been inspired by my first foray into food writing The Urban Cookbook to get their own book out there. As you are now holding it in your hands, either reading it in the shop or having made a very wise decision and invested in it, you will find that this book is seriously original and I am very proud to be involved.

Food and creativity is a powerful combination. Is food art? Probably. But what I like most about creative cooking is that you are producing something that can be almost instantly appreciated. Good food stays around for a lot less time than even the most transient street art, which is considered ephemeral. Good tucker is only around for a fleeting moment, before someone snaffles it up and asks for more.

My favourite place in my house is the kitchen, and once Im there cooking I can travel around the world in a lot less than eighty days (without leaving the comfort of my own home). This book is not only a journey into food and art, its also a travel guide for your taste buds. With over a hundred recipes, it will have you bouncing around the globe, no matter where you are cooking.

Much of my time is spent cooking and writing about street food, which I consider to be the freshest form of cuisine. For the past twenty years I have travelled from country to country discovering and writing about street culture, and it is on those streets that Ive had the pleasure to eat. The thing about food that I love the most, is that it unites everyone in the world. We all have to eat, no matter what race, religion or gender. Food is a good place to start if you want to help spread a bit of peace and love a theme that is very important for the world right now.

Some of the recipes and art in this book are influenced by experiences on the street and this is indeed a mark of quality for me a badge of honour. So without further ado, I raise my glass of Rwandan Shandy (Coke and Guinness, discovered on a trip to Kigali) to The Bookery Cook .

Introduction

Food and art

Its hard to pin-point exactly when our infatuation with food began. From breaking into kitchen cupboards when we were toddlers, pulling out any foodstuffs we could reach to empty on the floor to make pancakes, to building campfires in our backyard to make doughy burnt damper, cooking and entertaining has always been something that has come naturally. Mornings are spent discussing breakfast, lunch and dinner options a friend once said that we are the only people she knew who talked about dinner before theyd finished breakfast.

Hungry for a new adventure in our early twenties, we moved to Bristol in the UK, where we were inspired by the new cultures and food experiences that come with living so close to Europe pizza in Napoli, habas con Jamon in Spain, bastilla in Morocco and jerk chicken cooked in drum barrels in the UK. We worked in pubs and restaurants, travelled when we could, cooked for new friends, and started to collect our recipes.

Eventually all making our way back home (Jessie later, via a year in Japan), we took up residence together. Again, cooking and entertaining was the heart of our house friends would knock on our door on a Friday evening or Sunday afternoon knowing that something would be brewing. Guests were always ready and willing to get involved by kneading dough, rolling pasta, grinding peppercorns, shelling pistachios, choosing music or pouring wine. We started The Bookery Cook blog and book around this time, wanting to share our recipes and love for food.

The idea of a collaboratively illustrated cookbook came about during a dinner one night with about 20 friends. As the evening progressed, someone pulled out pens and paper and we all started drawing what wed eaten. Some sketches were literal representations of food, some more abstract. Inspired by this idea, we approached artists and designers all over the world to produce artworks to accompany the recipes in the book. We are lucky to have met such an incredible and talented range of people who have helped bring this book to life liftingthe recipes off the pages and into the imagination.

The recipes in this book emphasise soulful, balanced meals from many global cuisines. Some recipes are quick and straightforward, others more challenging but all are designed to be accessible, tasty and made for sharing.

Now living in different places, our love for food keeps us close messages about a new dining hotspot, pictures of produce, a quick phone call about a recipe, and other edible moments.

Breakfasts

Mornings can be distinctively sweet or savoury, made up of Vegemite or jam on toast, baked pancetta egg cups or ricotta hotcakes. This chapter provides a variety of breakfast options ranging from the healthy to the more indulgent, with ideas for different occasions and preparation times.

Artwork by Femke de Jong digital illustration

Smoked salmon scrambled eggs with dill, caper and onion salsa

A deliciously Scandinavian-style start to the day, this breakfast combines smoked fish, creamy eggs and a salsa of fresh dill and salty capers. The salsa also goes well with boiled or poached eggs, steamed and grilled fish, and all manner of potatoes.

PREPARATION TIME: MINUTES

COOKING TIME: MINUTES

SERVES:

8 eggs

125 ml (4 fl oz/ cup) pouring (whipping) cream

200 g (7 oz) smoked salmon, sliced into thin strips

30 g (1 oz) butter

4 slices sourdough bread, lightly toasted, to serve

lemon wedges, to serve

DILL, CAPER AND ONION SALSA

large onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil

To make the dill, caper and onion salsa, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Whisk together the eggs and cream in a bowl. Add the smoked salmon and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Melt the butter in a frying pan over mediumlow heat and add the egg mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to push the eggs from the base of the pan as they start to set and try to avoid overworking them this will keep the eggs smooth and glossy. Cook the eggs for about 3 minutes, or until set. Remove the pan from the heat and season with sea salt.

Serve the scrambled eggs with the salsa and a wedge of lemon.

Artwork by Belinda Suzette watercolour and digital media

Citrus roasted mushrooms on sourdough

Cooked with a citrus twist, these fairy-tale favourites will bring a touch of psychedelia to your morning!