Pages

"The Oxford Companion to Food" by Alan Davidson

~  Menu  ~

Cauliflower & Cornish Crackler Fritters
Spicy Tomato Sauce
Glass of Secret Red

Last night I cooked too much cauliflower and was going to sneak it into tonight’s veggies to go with my Real Man’s Mince & Dumplings but I had a better idea.


Cauliflower & Cheddar Fritters 


I made this up as I went along but had the presence of mind to notice what I was doing for once!

2 tbsp self raising flour
30g grated Cheddar – I used lovely Cornish Crackler
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
a little milk
100g cooked cauliflower – in small pieces

~   Mix together the flour, cheese and seasonings.
~   Stir in the egg and then add enough milk to make a very soft dough (or, possibly, a very thick batter).
~   Stir in the cauliflower.
~   Drop tablespoonfully into a little hot olive oil and fry till crisp and golden on both sides.

I topped these with a big spoonful of spicy tomato pasta sauce which I always keep in my store cupboard.  It occurs to me that these fritters would work, with flavour adjustments, for 100g of all sorts of leftovers!
cauliflower fritters with spicy tomato sauce



I have just been to the library and collected The Oxford Companion to Food – luckily I had my real man with because it is HUGE!  

Oxford Companion to Food
I cannot conceive of the mind of Mr. Alan Davidson who has compiled so much food info.  It’s phenomenal!

I looked up Lunch, although I thought I already knew what it is and discovered that …”there are few foreign equivalents” to lunch as most countries consider midday a good time for their main meal.  I learnt that our modern meal of lunch dates back to the early 19th century when it was a meal mainly partaken by women or ladies who lunch.  I am delighted to read that many 19th century lunches appear to have been “collations of leftovers” but not that “British lunch has generally lacked gastronomic interest” – well not here!  

Having aspired to become one of the “lunch-eating classes” I am determined to make the most of the meal.

I have just dipped into this wonderful book so far - it is very interesting and informative but tiring on the arms. 

researching lunch


1 comment:

Laura said...

I remember buying this book and finding it completely fascinating- with Elizabeth David's writings it is one of my favourite foodie reads