Once you’ve learned to cook, you never forget, says Carina Contini
Like ballroom dancing, once you have learned how to cook, you never forget, writes Carina Contini of the Scottish Cafe
Ivisited Blackpool last month. My daughter Carla was dancing along with some incredibly talented boys and girls at a competition in this iconic town. Our team wasn’t dancing in The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, but I sneaked there for afternoon tea between the shows.
It’s hard to gauge any seaside town off-season. Having grown up down the coast I know how miserable it can be outwith the Easter and summer holidays before the crowds head down in their thousands. With the horizontal rain and gale force winds that Scotland and, clearly, England do so well, it was a cold and frosty experience. It took three of us to open the door to leave the ballroom.
Despite the grey and gloom of the weather and the sad sight of several shops lying empty and derelict, the glory of the Strictly Come Dancing location is that the ballroom wasn’t tarnished. It is as beautiful as Darcy and Bruno’s sparkly costumes. The professionals were out in force. Poise posture grace.
It is wonderful that these people have learnt a craft and continue to display it; Viennese waltzes, foxtrots and the tango, all executed to perfection. The majority of the dancers were trim, beautifully dressed, having fun and mostly over 70, but the style was timeless.
If their cook counterparts were analysed they would be judged in the same league. They’d have learnt to make soups, stews, casseroles, soufflés and perfect steamed puddings. The ballroom was brimming with people who had learnt to dance and they’ve danced all their lives. If you learn to cook you’ll be cooking with style all your life too.
My mission is to prevent our cooking traditions from being lost. Let’s bring back the ballroom and the stockpot and let’s keep cooking... n
Creamed carrot and parsnip soup with salted apple compote
Because so much butter is used to make the soup, you don’t need to finish the dish with any cream. For a different taste experience altogether, this chunky salted apple compote spooned through the soup really delivers.
Serves four
100g unsalted butter 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 400g onions, coarsely chopped 600g carrots, coarsely chopped 400g parsnips, coarsely chopped 2 apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 litre hot home-made stock or 1 litre boiling water (plus 1 tbsp of water for the compote) freshly ground black pepper, to serve salt
1 To make the salted apple compote, place the apples, coriander seeds, a pinch of salt and water into a pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes until the apple has cooked through. If you choose dessert apples they won’t collapse so you’ll have pieces of apple in the soup. A puréed compote is also delicious but I rather like the smooth soup with the bits of apple. Set aside.
2 Cook this soup either on the hob or in the oven. If cooking it in the oven, preheat to 200C/gas Mark 6.
3 Melt the butter and olive oil in a large casserole dish over a low heat. Add the onions and sweat slowly until they are soft and look as if they can’t absorb any more butter. Don’t let them caramelise or brown.
4 Add the carrots and parsnips, season with a good teaspoonful of salt, then add the hot stock or water. Either simmer for 45 minutes with the casserole dish half covered with a lid or cover completely, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
5 When the vegetables are tender, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste, if necessary, and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
6 Serve with a scoop of the salted apple compote.
Chicory toast
This options should be served hot, though it is also really tasty when eaten cold.
Serves four 2 heads of chicory 6-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp light honey (such as clover or acacia) 2 salted anchovies in olive oil 1 garlic clove small handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, coarsely chopped 1 dried red chilli, crumbled 4 thick slices of country or sourdough bread salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/gas Mark 6.
2 Quarter the chicory lengthways, then quarter it again. Lay the quarters in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with a little olive oil, honey and a generous sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the chicory has wilted.
3 Meanwhile, use a pestle and mortar to cream together the anchovies and garlic. Loosen with some olive oil, then stir in the parsley and chilli. The mixture should make a lumpy sauce rather than a smooth one.
4 Pour 2 tbsp olive oil on a ridged griddle pan and toast both sides of the bread. When golden, remove the toast and rub with some of the anchovy sauce.
5 Place the hot chicory on top of the toast and drizzle with more of the anchovy sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
Meringues
Meringues are as simple as a merengue. I’m not cracking a yolk.
Makes eight to 10 fabulous meringues 3 organic free-range eggs, whites only (room temperature) white caster sugar, double the weight of the egg whites pinch of salt
1 Preheat the oven to 150C/gas Mark 2.
2 Beat the egg whites and the salt until stiff. You’ll need a hand mixer or a table-top mixer is even better.
3 Beat the sugar in, a teaspoon at a time. The mixture should be firm and light.
4 Spoon small ladles of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Place in the oven and turn the oven off. Leave in for 1½ hours if you like them chewy, or overnight if you like them dry.