Tuesday 13 April 2010

Nigella's Feast

There is nothing I like more than a weekend morning potter around the kitchen with Feast by Nigella Lawson on the cookbook stand cooking up something delicious for my family later that day or throughout the weekend. I can’t tell you how often when I do this the weather is sunny and there is a little breeze coming in through the window, and I give thanks to God I can tell you =)
Feast is most definitely one of my very favourite cookbooks. When it came out I cooked from it relentlessly for a long time. Just before my obsession came to an end I started blogging, and I sometimes think it’s a shame that I didn’t blog at that point, as I’d like to look back at all of what I’ve cooked from Feast, and also to share with you.
I’ve recently started to cook from Feast again, and have taken new pictures of the same recipes, but where I’ve liked the older pictures better, I’ve gone with them. This is the first of a couple of big Feast picture posts I’m planning. Now is a good time, as I’m guessing I may have a new favourite soon. In the form of Nigella’s new one, officially announced (last week) as due out in the UK in September – "Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home". There is to be a 13 part TV series too I’ve read =)
In the following pictures you’ll see six from the Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame chapter, I’ve cooked all except one (the chocolate chestnut one). I’ve always meant to cook the last one on my list to, but somehow have never gotten round to it, well not yet anyhow.

Chocolate Fruit Cake
An extremely moist fruit cake, fruity with the usual fruit and prunes (which I love) too. Not overtly chocolate-y and doesn’t taste of the Tia Maria coffee liqueur in it either, it just all adds to the depth of flavour this cake.

Chocolate Honey Cake
A really intense chocolate his this one, very small portions! I very mich enjoyed making the marzipan bees, mine are not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but I still like them a lot. I couldn’t force myself to dot the bees all over the cake, I’m far to ordered for that (!), so a bee ring it was.

Chocolate Orange Cake
A simple chocolate and orange cake, low fat and flour free, so perfect if you have issues with flour. I had to decorate it a bit, so I melted a little milk chocolate and dotted spots round the cake, which I toped with candied orange slices. Overnight the moisture from the chocolate seeps into the candied orange and makes them taste better and look like little jewels to boot.

Chocolate Raspberry Heart
Chocolate, cream and raspberries. A classic cake, and very pretty in real like too.

Old fashioned Chocolate Cake
A plain iced chocolate cake. I made this cake first the day of Prince Charles and Camilla got married, five years ago. I’ve kept the picture though and never see this cake without thinking of them. I’m not even royalist, maybe just very sentimental, with high hope for love and romance.

Rigatoni al Forno
This make a huge dish of pasta, but then it is for feeding a crowd.

Cornbread topped Chilli Con Carne
We love the chilli, and I’ve made it lots of times, but alas the cornbread topping was really not our thing. The guacamole is fabulous too.

Chocolate Cheesecake
Smooth, smooth, smooth and chocolate-y!

Rococoa Cake
I was so chuffed with myself the first time I made this, it is so pretty, tastes great too.

Easter Egg Nest Cake
This is another pretty one. The chocolate cream made it too rich for us, I’d rather just have simple whipped cream on top of the cake.

Holiday Trifle
Apricot and pandoro trifle. No alcohol, so fine for all the family. Flavoured with cardamon and topped with honey, pistachios and almonds.

Georgian Cherry Rice
Goodness, I love this rice! Fruit and rice, oh yes!! I have often made this in a pan as an accompaniment to other dishes, it doesn’t have the depth of flavour of being cooked inside the roast chicken, but I like it either way.

Georgian Stuffed Chicken with Beetroot Puree and Green Beans in Herbed Yoghurt
Lovely, I like a bit of pan juices-gravy with this too. A real feast.

Kedgeree Risotto
This is gorgeous. I don’t often do fishy risotto, don’t know why because the two I do make I just adore.

Malteser Cake
I’ve kept the best till last. One of my all time favourite cakes, moist and tender sponge, malty frosting and a few Maltesers for good measure. I have made this one for so many different things, a family tradition in our house now. I know from reading on food forums and Nigella.com that this cake and the Chocolate Guinness one have people really divided. They both seem to be loved or loathed, I dislike the Guinness one with a passion, but love this one in equal measure. I’m sure there is a chocolate cake to please everyone in the Chocolate Cake Hall of Fame.

23 comments:

julie said...

Great pics, KJ!

Kudos on making all cake but one in the chocolate cake chapter, you have reminded me that I love the chocolate orange or plain orange one. Also, so many of your favourites that I have never tried and really should.

Unknown said...

Firstly Yum! I have this book and must bake some of those delicious cakes! Secondly I love your blog so when I recieved this Sunshine Award I decided to pass it on to you.

http://theartofbeingperfect.blogspot.com/2010/04/sunshine-award.html

x x x

Beth (jamandcream) said...

I'm working my way through Feast - you're doing better than me though. I'm seriously excited about the new book - will have to pre-order it I think - just in case they run out or something.

Helen said...

Feast is one of my favourites too. Your cakes look great - I've always wanted to try the malteser one. The kegeree risotto sounds good too.

Lucie said...

Wonderful cakes! Just love them all, but I agree the malteser cake is to die for :) Lucie x

Audrina Attic said...

What a gorgeous selection! The shameful thing is that I own Feast but I haven't cooked anything from it yet. You have inspired me to finally use it.

Caroline said...

Lovely post, really inspiring. I love reading what you've made from all of the books, it really makes me want to sit down with some of my cook books and see what I'm missing out on!

I love Nigella's Feast too, there are some great recipes in there!

Homemade Heaven said...

Malteser Cake is my favourite, I am having a chocolate cake craving and this is not helping my will power.

Nickki said...

Lovely pictures Kelly Jane, everything looks delicious as always! Feast is my favourite cookbook. I may "forget" about it in favour of new books now and again, but I always come back to it time and time again. I can't wait for Nigella's new book in September

Sarah said...

Wow, you certainly have been busy!!! I love Feast too, and I'm glad to hear that Nigella has a new book coming out soon!! Yay!!

The malteaser cake is one of my faves too. I Don't mind the guinness cake, but prefer it as cupcakes!

xox Sarah

Brownieville Girl said...

Fantastic post Kelly-Jane, Feast is one of my favourite books too.

There must be something wrong with me I LOVE both the Guinness and the Malteser cakes!!!!

Gemma said...

Mmm malteser cake... So excited to hear about the new book! Feast is probably my favourite Nigella book and I am so impressed by how much you have made from it. Last time I looked through I bookmarked the paneer curry and the beetroot puree to make soon so must remember to do just that! In the meantime I might have to make the chocolate orange again...

Anne said...

Very excited to hear of a new book and show from Nigella! (I can hear the bookshelf groan already!!)

I must use my Feast book more, is great to see all your lovely dishes made from it, my family were divided on the Malteaser cake too!

Maggie said...

You have been very busy. Everything looks so wonderful, I couldn't possibly choose a favourite.

Maria♥ said...

Great pics Kelly. I love Feast and have made so many recipes from this book, each one of them being amazing. I can't wait for Nigella's new book!

Maria
x

Christine said...

Wow you love all those chocolate cakes? I do!!! Your feast looks delicious!

bed frames said...

I like the cakes that you have posted there! I was drooling over the photos!

Lisa said...

Fab pics! Loved seeing your "Feast" round up especially as I've been using this book a lot recently, and have just made the old fashioned chocolate cake for the first time today! I really can't wait to try the malteser one now! September can't come soon enough but at least we have Feast to entertain us until then!

Maria♥ said...

Hi Kelly

Unfortunately I have some very sad news about Rosie from Baking Cakes Galore, she has passed away. Could you please pass by my blog. I have written up a tribute for her on my blog and would like everyone who knew her to leave a comment as I will be printing out all the comments to send onto her husband.

Maria
x

Anonymous said...

WOW! Feast is one of my favourite cookbooks, and I just love the chocolate malteser cake, in fact I'm getting extreme cravings for it right now!!
I am cooking my way through the Spanish cookbook '1080 recipes' by Simone and Inés Ortega on my blog if that is of interest to you? x

Thinking About Food said...

Oh my goodness Kelly-Jane, that is an impressive array of offerings from Feast- so mouth wateringly gorgeous too!!!!

Sally - My Custard Pie said...

Wow! I thought I'd used Feast a lot but you've really cooked your way through it. I also love the malteser cake - forgotten how many times I've made it. Ditto old-fashioned choc cake - I put the marzipan bees on it (as my daughter is called Bea) - they're so cute. That Easter egg cake looks fab but is far too rich to ever make or eat again.
My most-made savoury recipe...the little meatballs and the vegetable dish that goes with it (for entertaining carnivores and abstainers).

Shaun said...

Kelly-Jane ~ I also LOVE Feast and have cooked from it since I first purchased it 7 years ago. As much as it is a source of inspiration for me, I have never noticed the Georgian cherry rice, so thanks for raising it to my attention! Your chocolate cake run-down is impressive. I have not baked that many chocolate cakes and am worn out just by looking at the effort you have made over the years. I'm sure La Lawson would be pleased!