Favourite cookbooks (and the best recipes in each)

I love cookbooks and read them for inspiration, but I’m guilt of rarely following them, instead making up a recipe based on what we’ve got in the fridge, but when I do plan ahead, these are the cookbooks I come back to time and again.

Everyday Super Food: Jamie Oliver

I think this is without a doubt Jamie Oliver’s best book. It is probably the book I’ve made most recipes out of ever. Favourites include kiwi fish tacos, figgy banana bread, breakfast pop-overs and the chicken penicillin.

If you don’t have this book and you like to eat healthish but not boring food, go and buy it immediately.

Jerusalem: Ottolenghi

I had to force myself to limit this list to two Ottolenghi books for fear of seeming obsessed but Sweet is also brilliant if you like cooking cakes.

Ottolenghi is not hard cooking, it is just a lot of ingredients and some time! The sweet potatoes and figs are a real crowd pleaser, date and spinach salad, butternut squash tahini dip and shakshuka are all delicious. Definately one of my favourite books of all time, amazon link here.

Simple: Ottolenghi

Whilst I am on Ottolenghi, I might as well cover Simple too. These are easier, quicker or few ingredient recipes. If you have his other books some of it feels a bit repetitive and looses a little magic by simplifying, but I have ended up cooking lots from it nonetheless. The hot charred tomatoes in cold yoghurt and pea and feta frittas are firm favourites. Available here.

Cook now, eat later: Mary Berry

This is a saviour for dinner parties. Mary Berry tells you want you can prepare ahead of times (even a few days before) to avoid last minute rushing. We love the artichoke and chicken or the baked sausages with double onion marmalade. Lots of comfort food in here.

Happy Salads: Leon

If you are a salad lover this has some great ideas as well as the classics. In summer I get a little obsessed with the watermelon and feta salad (I hadn’t had this combination before this book and it is so good), also the squashed chill with hummus and the kale and peanut salad.

Winter’s collection: Delia Smith

Finally, I couldn’t not have a Delia book in here. This has so many classic recipes that I associate with my childhood as my mother is a firm fan as well as more grown up recipes. Moroccan baked chicken, pot roast pheasant with caramelised apples, a classic mushroom risotto or sticky ginger pudding.

What are your favourite cookbooks? I would love suggestions to add to my collection! You can see recipes I’ve made up here when I’ve remembered to take a picture (rarely).

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