LUST FOR LOAF
NIGELLA: COOK, EAT, REPEAT BBC2, 8pm
NIGELLA LAWSON seems to have a knack for knowing exactly what’s needed, and when. So if you are growing sick of your own limited repertoire of dishes, you may want to tune in for some inspiration from the ‘Domestic Goddess’.
The food writer and presenter, who, unbelievably, turned 60 at the beginning of the year, has always been adept at producing recipes that are nourishing and comforting, and after a year like this, Nigella is on a mission to make mealtimes a little less overwhelming.
The programme celebrates the small everyday wonders of putting together a meal, and the satisfaction in doing something as simple as chopping up an onion or breaking open a pomegranate.
Nigella provides ideas you can stretch and revise, depending on what you have in. And it’s all done in Nigella’s inimitable style as she reveals the diverse locations where she finds inspiration for her recipes.
In this second instalment, Nigella focuses on something that has been on the rise during lockdown – homemade bread.
She starts with her recipe for a gorgeously fluffy white loaf that requires minimum effort, before moving on to a real crowd pleaser: a fried-chicken sandwich garnished with some of her favourite condiments, including pickles and kimchi.
Nigella then shares two recipes that can be made in advance.
First, there’s a cheesecake ice cream which is popped into the freezer for later.
Then, there’s her fear-free fish stew, which starts with a fragrant tomato base full of the warming flavours of mace, cinnamon and nutmeg.
To finish her meal, the host makes a simple yet daring dish of cherry flambé using frozen che cherries and kirsch, which sh she serves up with the n now frozen cheesecake ice cream.
Finally, in the bright morning sunlight, Nigella uses up the fi final slices of her soft w white loaf to make rum rum-spiked French toast.