Gizzi Erskine’s rustles up some dirty prawn. Yum!
Gizzi Erskine on why we should be enjoying our fave autumn eats guilt-free *punches air*
‘I’m like a hoover with food’
As soon as the first autumn leaf hits the ground we can’t wait to get stuck into some seriously hearty stews, oozy pies and the kind of sausages that are the culinary equivalent of a big fat hug. But hang on? While we’re being bombarded with messages about healthy eating and “big bad carbs”, how can we enjoy some serious comfort food without feeling guilty?
Before you have a potato-based panic attack, Gizzi Erskine’s new book Slow (Harper Collins, £25) is a celebration of great ingredients and gorgeous food you can take your time over cooking – and eating! “I loathe the term ‘mindful eating’, as it sounds so worthy,” the TV chef tells heat, “But to have the understanding of the ingredients you’ve got, to appreciate them and value them is so important.”
So, could slow-cooked comfort food be the next foodie revolution? loads of vegetables and aromatics, which are so good for you, plus fresh, clean stock… It’s really good, clean rib-sticking food. It’s not going to put a layer of fat on you. It’s going to nourish you. There’s a reason why we cook and eat seasonally.
Why would we spend ages cooking when we can grab and go at the supermarket?
The process it takes to make that dish is part of what makes it taste delicious. If you’re invested in the meal, then the whole process is enjoyable, from going out to the shops to buy the best ingredients to sitting down and eating and enjoying what you’ve made. As someone who has been open about your ADHD , do you think spending time cooking can be good for our mental health, too? Yes, being forced to stay there for three hours while it’s cooking is really good for me. You don’t really have time to be on social media if you’re chopping and preparing things. It’s really nice to be able to lose yourself in that, as it can be meditative and we What about people who might be intimidated by ingredients they haven’t cooked before? know how important that is now. You just have to take the plunge. Try something you’ve eaten when you were at a restaurant, or a memory of something you had when you were younger – a lot of the recipes came from early memories of mine – just be brave. I guess people can be scared of messing up in the kitchen, but just experiment and learn from your mistakes. Most things can be fixed! What about the process of eating, too? I’m totally guilty of wolfing things down too quickly – I’m like a human hoover! It’s terrible and it’s modern life. But sitting down – even just for Sunday lunch as often as possible – is so important.