SHE'S AT IT AGAIN!

Delia Smith's Winter Collection
JANUARY 26 2012

They say the first step is to admit you have a problem. Okay, I admit it. I am hooked! I loved, loved, loved having a cooking challenge and so have decided to conquer a new cookbook. This time, I've left Italy and voyaged across the English Channel to the gastronomically misunderstood England to cook "150 recipes for winter" from Delia Smith's Winter Collection. It's from 1995. Which leads to hilarious recipes such as "PRAWN COCKTAIL 2000" and "BEEF IN DESIGNER BEER".

I know, I know! There are 50% more dishes than in Frankies and I struggled to get them all done. But, I have a more organized approach this time (fun! I love organizing!) and I'm not going to give myself a firm deadline. Just try to have them done before summer fully blooms (so August?). I'm super excited to do new stuff like roast duck! yorkshire pudding! mincemeat! sticky toffee pudding!

Immediately, it becomes clear that there are a number of terms & ingredients that I don't recognize or won't be able to find. So I compiled a handy reference list with appropriate translations and substitutions:

Black treacle = molasses
Blade (i.e. blade of mace) = a healthy pinch
Bicarbonate of soda = baking soda
Braising steak = chuck, blade or skirt steak
Bramley apple = similar to a green apple
Caster sugar = superfine sugar
Chestnut mushroom = similar to brown button mushrooms
Cos lettuce = romaine lettuce
Cox apple = similar to a Pink Lady apple
Desiree potato = similar to Red Bliss potato
Dessertspoon = 2 teaspoons (2/3 tablespoon)
Double cream = heavy whipping cream
Flageolet beans = similar to Great Northern beans
Fromage frais = low-fat cream cheese or neufchatel cheese
Gammon = ham
Golden syrup = very distinct flavor; try equal parts honey and corn syrup
Groundnut oil = peanut oil
Icing sugar = powdered sugar
Lard = pork fat
Mace = the red outer lining of a nutmeg; substitute 1/2 quantity ground nutmeg
Mixed peel = variety of candied citrus peels
Mixed spice = substitute pumpkin pie spice
Open cap mushroom = similar to portobello mushroom
Parma/San Daniele ham = similar to prosciutto
Puy lentil = French green lentil
Single cream = regular whipping cream
Suet = beef or mutton fat (specifically from around the kidneys)
Sultanas = golden raisins
Swede = rutabaga

So here goes!

Note : I decided not to change the name of the blog in honor of where it all began. Thanks for the good times, Frankies!!