The test of a good Welsh cook: Paris
Kate is a poet who divides her time between Paris and London.
How did you learn to cook?
I should no doubt say at my mother's knee or in my grandmother's back kitchen, but the truth is that I didn't really learn how to cook anything that could be classified as a proper meal until I went to University. Yes, there were the odd attempts when I was a teenager, which my father always consumed with the same enthusiasm he had approached my little girl jam tarts made with left over pastry, and yes, I am from the generation of British girls who were taught to cook in school. However my efforts there can be boiled down quite literally to the burnt carrots that were held up to class ridicule by the formidable Mrs. Cooper, for whom I had nothing but loathing for the rest of my school time. I still have a nervousness and lack of confidence after that humiliating experience, and even though I am now a good cook, by all guest responses, you will still hear me asking if it is all right, in quite a concerned way. I need reassurance.
University it was and a shared house with five others meant that supper had to be prepared once a week in turn. Sundays we did our own thing. Thus I learnt all the student staples: chilli con carne, spaghetti bolognese, quiche, piazza, lentils a hundred ways and so on. We were broke and certainly could not afford take aways or ready meals (not that they really existed in the early 1980s), so we had to learn how to make pastry and dough from scratch, even the boys. We girls were pretty clear that we are not going to do their turns and that we expected to eat proper food! The guiding hand in all of this was the wonderful Delia Smith. The twentieth century Mrs. Beeton. Her book, Delia's Complete Cookery Course has the basic recipes for just about everything you can think of. I couldn't do without it, even now. My copy is totally wrecked, covered in flour, jam, streaks of things I'd rather not think about. Its spine broken and has chunks of pages loose, but I refer to it often.
What’s your approach?
It depends who I am trying to impress or just feed. With the former I will often do something fancy and crazily, new, which always ups the ante on my considerable lack of confidence. For the day to day, I stick to the old staples which my children have always enjoyed, occasionally guinea pigging them into something new.
How do you learn new recipes and techniques?
I follow certain chefs whose approach I admire. Generally those who cook proper food, not messed about with too much. I am a fan of Nigel Slater and Yotam Ottollenghi at present. In the past I would have added Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, but I've gone off him as he cooks far too much meat for my liking.
Where do you find inspiration?
Chefs who cook simply with great ingredients. Over fussy preparation to no purpose really annoys me. You will not find me piping choux pastry into swans, for example, or participating in that whole Bake Off nonsense. Cup cakes, I'm glad to say, have passed my by. I enjoy cooking with herbs and spices to add guts to a meal. At heart I am a peasant from various countries from Wales to the Med.
Do you prefer to cook alone or with others?
Oh, definitely alone. Too many cooks and all that. Although I am quite happy to have an audience, if it is pouring wine and chatting.
What challenges you the most?
Cooking well on holiday without all the right equipment, store cupboard staples and good knives. I often give up and head for the nearest bistro, or local restaurant, of course, avoiding anything described as international cuisine, which is shorthand for food poisoning. I'd rather try an unfamiliar local dish, as it will be cooked correctly, and most often deliciously.
What are you cooking these days?
A lot of vegan food, some fish, virtually no meat I am off gluten and reducing lactose, I have issues; I can't yet completely give up cheese. It is my heroin. I am making a great number of salads and relearning proper vegetarian cooking. Sarah Brown has come off the bookshelf again and my notebook is filling up with recipes when I am out and about.
What are your staples?
Basically anything Italian, except that I now have to substitute the pasta for a gluten free version. Tomato sauce with all the trimmings. A good piece of fish, pan fried, with a simple herb sauce. Anything Indian, but not too piquant. I have to control the heat or my mouth will burn. Various versions of vegetable curry with cashews and the like, a good bowl of basmati and a poppadom or two with mango chutney.
What equipment do you use?
The usual. Sharp knives being the most essential. I tend not to use too many gadgets. I have never owned an ice-cream maker and I whisk by hand. I bought a mandolin last year at great expense to julienne vegetables. I have yet to use it, see what I mean?
What’s the most important thing to you when you’re cooking?
Flavour. I taste everything, adjusting as appropriate. I try not to use too much salt though. Still I am dismayed when people cover their food in salt and pepper without even tasting it first.
Where do you get your ingredients?
I could lie and say I buy what looks good on the day in one of Paris' fabulous street markets. It's true that I do this some Sundays, but like everyone who works, I shop in the supermarket on the way home. I have even been known to buy fruit from the top of the metro steps. I do frequent organic suppliers when I can. We have a particularly good range in Paris (Bien and Naturalia).
Do you find any limitations to your cooking here in the city?
My limitations are time and inclination. Mostly I am cooking for one these days, so I make it fast and as tasty as I can. One frustration is having to buy too much food as things come in family sizes, which means I either have to eat the same thing several days on the trot, freeze things, or, inevitably waste food. I hate that.
Who are you favorite people to cook for?
My children. They are always appreciative of childhood fancies, like pancakes for breakfast, or lasagne, or anything Japanese.
What do you do when you don’t feel like cooking?
Cheese. Always cheese, a good chutney, tiny tomatoes bursting with flavour, and a ripe piece of fruit.
What dishes please you the most/do you regard as your best or signature ones?
That has changed over time so much as food fashion and tastes have changed and ingredients have become more available. In the '80s and '90s when British cooking was having a resurgence, my answer would have been Shoulder of Lamb stuffed with garlic and rosemary and Orange Bread and Butter Pudding. I couldn't imagine eating those things these days. Too fatty. Too sweet. Now I am a leafy, nutty, fruity person. Fresh fish though in a good sauce. Oysters for a treat. Asparagus. Wild mushrooms in butter with thyme. That sort of thing.
Can you tell us a great memory of home cooking, yours or someone else’s?
My job when making Welsh cakes with my Mum was to do the cutting out. She seldom let me get near the heat. These are very traditional flat scones with or without raisins. They are cooked on a bake stone (or griddle). You absolutely have to have the right equipment for this. My bake stone, which is a large piece of cast iron, is over a hundred years old. Best hot off the plate and dusted with sugar. There is nothing like them. Don't be seduced by anything of the same name you might find in a supermarket. The test of a good Welsh cook, is how well she can make these. Don't ask me for the recipe, the secret ingredient is handed mother to daughter in our family.
What’s one thing you’ve learned that you want other home cooks to know?
My top tip is to buy the freshest and most expensive ingredients you can afford. You get what you pay for and live is not worth living is you are eating poorly. That and keep it simple, but packed with flavour.
Do you have a recipe you'd like to share with us?
Yes, Wild Mushroom Risotto, or “Oh No! Not cheesy rice again, Mum”.
I have no idea about quantities, as I don’t measure. You will just have to do it by trial and error. For 3 or 4 people, depending on how hungry they are:
One white or yellow onion, finely chopped - not red onion or the colour will bleed and make the whole thing look awful.
One large clove of garlic, pressed.
Olive oil – Best Virgin
A mixture of wild mushrooms – take your pick of a couple of handful of chantelles, trompets de mort, ceps, oyster, whatever takes your fancy in the market, or whatever you can get your hands on in the supermarket. Chop thinly.
Dried mushrooms (any variety or a mixture) – soak half a handful in boiling water to rehydrate and then chop thinly. Keep the liquor and use as part of the stock.
Risotto rice – Best brand you can afford.
Parmesan – Strength you prefer, fresh and finely grated. Remember it is very salty, so go easy on additional seasoning. Do not use the pre-grated powder you find in supermarkets. It is rubbish.
Vegetable stock – Swiss Bouillon is my preferred brand to add to boiling water. Again salt warning. Or, make your own if you really have nothing better to do with your life.
Dry white wine – Italian naturally. Not the cheapest crap either. You want this for flavour not added acidity. Oh, and you are going to drink the rest of the bottle.
Salt – if you really need it. Best Halen Mon or Maldon (sea salt), or if you are being really fancy, Truffle Oiled Salt.
Black Pepper – fresh and coarsely ground.
Flat leaf parsley – a handful, chopped coarsely.
A heavy-based saucepan is needed for this so you minimize the chance of burning the base of the dish. Also a wooden spoon, draining spoon, super sharp knives, chopping board, ladle, jugs for stock, plate. Sense of humour.
The trick to risotto is to keep stirring. When it says this in cookery books it does not mean constantly, otherwise your arm would fall off. What you need to do is leave it a little, stir it to prevent it sticking to the bottom and to allow all the rice to absorb the liquid, and repeat until it is al dente. Don’t overcook it, and watch how much liquid you use, especially towards the end, or you’ll be eating rice soup. But you do have to stand over it and watch and stir. No sneaking off to Facebook, tweet or chase Pokemon.
Start by frying the finely chopped onion in the olive oil. Add garlic. Cook until the onion in transparent.
Add chopped rehydrated mushrooms and the fresh mushrooms, also chopped thinly, and cook until all are light brown, but not burned. Watch them. Mushrooms can catch quickly and absorb oil fast, so you might need to either turn down the heat or add a little more oil, but go steady on this.
Take everything out of the pan with a draining spoon and put to one side. Now add the rice to the remaining oil and stir it around until it is coated in oil. Then, adding one ladleful at a time, add the wine, a good slug of this, say about one third of a bottle, and then the mushroom liquor and then the stock. Stir until absorbed and add the next ladleful etc.
When the rice is cooked (15-20 mins or more) stir in the parmesan, as much or as little as you like depending on how cheesy you want it to be. Remember there will be more on top, so if anything hold back. Now taste it. It should not be too salty.
Stir in the onion and mushroom mixture and turn off the heat. Now taste it again. It should not be too salty. Add salt, but only if you need to. Add pepper. Now taste it again. OK? Not much to do if it is too salty. You will just have to say that is how it is meant to be. Stir in half the chopped parsley.
Serve on soup plates garnished with the rest of the parsley and a scattering of parmesan, especially up over the edges of the plate to look pretentious and bistro-ish. Serve immediately, with a green salad and the rest of that white wine. Enjoy!
P.S You can have the leftovers for lunch the next day at work. It nukes quiet well in a microwave, but will be a little stodgified. It will still taste great though.
