BOOKS for COOKS

Our top picks from 2019 – there’s something for everyone

VEGGIE HEAVEN Veg by Jamie Oliver

(£26, Michael Joseph)

Jamie makes vegetarian cooking easy, fun and accessible with more than 100 recipes that can be whipped up after a long day at work. There are bags of flavour in every one, with ideas from around the globe – and they’re all family-friendly, with plenty of satisfying stews, curries, pastas, pies, and traybakes, plus brunch recipes and a few quick sharing dishes, such as tacos or tortilla chips & dips for the weekend. BRILLIANT BAKING Aran by Flora Shedden (£22, Hardie Grant)

At 19, Flora was Bake Off’s youngest-ever semi-finalist, and she now owns Aran Bakery in Perthshire, Scotland. This book makes a great gift for keen bakers, covering all the essentials and more – and there’s no fancy equipment needed. On the savoury front, there are breads, quiches and salads, and on the sweet, there are plenty of cakes and bakes, including her gran’s shortbread – a must for any Scot. WILD COOKING Hunter Gather Cook by Nick Weston (£25, GMC Publications)

The ultimate guide to foraging and wild cooking, anyone aspiring to be a bit more like Bear Grylls will love this. Hunter, forager and chef Nick Weston lived off-grid in a treehouse to simplify his life and really get to know the wild ingredients he loved. In this book, he shows how to butcher, cook over fire and safely forage, and shares his recipes for dishes like rabbit quesadillas and venison carpaccio. MODERN ASIAN East by Meera Sodha (£20, Fig Tree)

Meera’s cookbooks have all been huge hits, and East looks set to follow suit. Vegetarian and vegan Indian, Asian and Southeast Asian cooking is given a new lease of life with her modern, authentic and vibrant recipes. From pistachio, pea & mint soba noodles and mushroom bao to Sri Lankan beetroot curry and roasted paneer aloo gobi, there’s so much veg-packed inspiration here.

THERAPEUTIC READING Midnight Chicken & Other Recipes Worth

Living For by Ella Risbridger (£22, Bloomsbury Publishing)

This is so much more than a cookbook. After suffering crippling anxiety and trying to end her life at the age of 21, Ella began cooking, starting with a roast chicken, and discovered the healing powers of the kitchen. Beautifully written and restorative with comforting recipes and ways to find joy, you’ll want to read this yourself before you give it as a gift – maybe buy two.

A FOODIE ENCYCLOPEDIA Signature Dishes That Matter

(£35, Phaidon)

Part cookbook, part travel guide, part historical record, this fascinating book charts the most iconic dishes from the past three centuries, from Mark Hix’s shepherd’s pie in the 90s to Bill Granger’s invention of now-legendary avocado toast in Australia. Read the stories at the front, then in the back, you’ll find all the recipes. Each dish is printed alongside a hand-drawn illustration, making it a stylish coffee table book, too.