Written by its star chef Virgilio Martinez, it’s a vibrant collection of simple, healthy recipes that showcases the creative talent of this Peruvian powerhouse and the wealth of flavours the cuisine is known for.  At 224 pages, it’s a generous tome featuring plenty of gorgeous photography, and it covers everything from small plates to drinks and afters. Highlights include Martinez’s introduction, plus a glossary to quickly bring you up to speed on traditional ingredients like chia seeds, quinoa and ceviche. There’s even a visual breakdown of how to make a pisco sour (because if there’s one thing I wouldn’t mind mastering in life, it’s that!).

To find out more about the cookbook, visit Octopus Books. 

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Over the last year, their debut cookbook, “The Art of Eating Well”, has been translated into three languages and shortlisted for an award, while challenging traditional approaches to healthy eating.

This includes embracing “good” fats, like butter and coconut oil, and enjoying sweets without resorting to refined sugar.

The London-based sisters, who run a food consultancy business and write a blog for Vogue magazine, spoke to Reuters about their newfound success and the importance of cooking food that tastes good.

Q: Did you anticipate that the book would do so well?

Melissa: No. We’ve never written a book before. The book came out last year and at that point we’d been Vogue bloggers and had our own blog for two years, so we thought our following on Vogue might buy the book. Our publisher said you’ll have the type of book that someone will buy it and they’ll cook from it, then their friends will ask them about it — and that’s what happened.

Q: How did you come up with the idea of the art of eating well?

Jasmine: Mel and I, we love food. We were brought up to eat our greens, not waste anything, try everything or you’ll be the first in the world to die, which was our mom’s favorite thing to say! But our experience wasn’t idyllic or romantic.

Q: Why did you write the cookbook?

Melissa: The book pretty much wrote itself in that, a lot of the tips and tricks, we were giving our food clients on a one-on-one basis. Some of our clients would already have a diet plan that never felt good or tasted good. So that’s what they wanted — and with us, they found it enjoyable. The biggest compliment we would get is “this doesn’t taste healthy” — and that’s the whole point of our book. It’s a book sharing recipes we love that makes you feel good.

Q: The book offers a lot of unusual recipe ideas such as black-bean brownies or rice made out of cauliflower — but your favorite ingredient in the book is bone broth. How do people respond to the idea of boiling bones?

Melissa: The kind of people who’d only eat chicken breast and wouldn’t eat anything with a bone in, for sure, they don’t like anything of that side of things. But for me, I’d choose broth over a juice or a smoothie. It’s a really good thing, full of nutrients.

Q: You both have created a new philosophy to healthy eating — but if you could narrow it down to one tip, what would it be?

Jasmine: Slow down. Chewing slowly all comes down to connecting with the food again. That word mindfulness has been bandied around a lot lately, but there’s a lot in it. Just by eating slowly, food is more satisfying.

Beef Ragu and Courgetti

2 tbsp ghee or butter

2 onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, diced

2 dried bay leaves

1/4 tsp mixed spice (or try a tiny pinch of nutmeg)

2 tsp dried oregano

400 g minced beef (chuck or braising steak and don’t go for lean meat)

A large glass of red wine, about 250 g

14 large tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 2 tins of chopped tomatoes or 800 g passata

2 tsp tomato purée

200 ml bone broth or water (you won’t need as much if using chopped tomatoes)

2 large carrots, finely grated

1 large handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 large courgettes

sea salt and black pepper

TO SERVE

extra virgin olive oil

2 handfuls of grated Parmesan

1. Heat the ghee or butter in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion over a low heat until softened, but not browned (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, bay leaves, mixed spice, oregano (and any other herbs that you choose) and fry for a further 2 minutes.

2. Increase the heat and add the beef to the pan, using a wooden spatula to break it up as you cook.

3. After 5 minutes, pour in the red wine and stir to deglaze the pan, then add the tomatoes, tomato purée and bone broth or water.

4. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid, leaving the lid just slightly off, then reduce to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2½ hours until rich and thickened. It is even better after 3–4 hours – keep an eye on it and add more liquid if needed.

5. Add the grated carrots 15 minutes before the end of cooking. Turn up the heat to a medium simmer and season with sea salt, a good grind of pepper and the fresh parsley.

6. Meanwhile, use a spiraliser or julienne peeler to make the courgetti. Or use a regular vegetable peeler to slice the courgettes lengthways into very wide ribbons, which you can then slice in half. You might want to cut the long strands in half to make them easier to eat.

7. Soften the courgetti in a pan with a little butter, stirring over a low heat for 3 minutes. Alternatively, save washing up another pan by just running some of the hot sauce through your spirals — the heat and salt in the sauce will soften them.

8. Drizzle each bowl of ragu and courgetti with extra virgin olive oil and serve with Parmesan for everyone to help themselves.

For more details visit www.hemsleyandhemsley.com 

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He believes cacao beans – which once cleaned and roasted are known as cocoa beans – should be sourced directly from farmers and contain only natural ingredients; and it’s a philosophy which has seen his chocolates sell in more than 25 countries worldwide.

The 50-year-old spoke to Reuters about his recent collaboration with the high-end La Patisserie Des Reves and his desire to change the way people think about chocolate.

Q: You’ve contributed to a new range of white chocolate bars inspired by chocolatiers’ childhoods. What was your childhood like?

A: When I grew up in southern Ireland, we were foragers. We foraged for mussels, we grew our own wheat and barley and oats. We made our own goat’s cheese and all those things that are very difficult to find. So the way I managed to do it with chocolate, I skipped all the middle men everywhere and I buy directly from the cacao farm, anywhere around the world and I source the ingredients. I wanted to make what I liked when I was a kid.

Q: What continues to be a misconception about chocolate?

A: There’s a lot of romance in chocolate – I think it’s not clear who’s really making it from the bean to the bar. That’s one thing. Most companies aren’t. There’s also the misconception that it’s bad for you. But chocolate saved me. Apart from all the healthy vitamins and things, it actually makes you feel good. I also think people just see chocolate as a sweet confectionery. I religiously have a hot chocolate in the morning made with water not milk. Milk neutralises all of the anti-oxidants.

Q: How do chocolatiers get their ideas for creating unusual ingredient combinations?

A: It’s trial and error. But when it really comes to cooking, chocolate can go in almost anything. I melt it into a little water to make brown bread. It’s delicious. I put it in my rice. It’s a building block. On one side you can make the most amazing chocolate cakes, but on the other side you can use it as a savoury ingredient.

Q: What tips would you have for people seeking out good chocolate?

A: First of all you need to know single origin doesn’t mean anything. It means it comes from one country. It could be any kind of bean. Venezuela, one of the mothers of all cacao beans around the world, has so many varieties so you’re looking for single estate, which means it comes from one single farm. Then I would look at what the other ingredients are. You’re looking for no artificial flavouring. Then if you want to go a little bit deeper, you may be looking at the origin of the bean. Madagascar is very well known for high quality beans, and fruity. Beans from Indonesia have a toffee flavour. Cuban beans taste like honey. Venezuela has got a wide variety from fruity to nutty to coffee to all sorts.

Q: What other plans do you have for championing ‘bean to bar’ chocolate in the future?

A: My dream is to build a working chocolate museum. I have amassed machines which are very difficult to come by now from all over Europe, all over the world. It would be the ultimate place where people can see real chocolate being made.

Classic Chocolate Mousse in Bitter Chocolate Case

This is one of my dinner-party favourites. The chocolate case adds flair and is surprisingly easy to do.

Serves 12

Ingredients:

550g Peruvian Chulucanas 70-percent dark chocolate, roughly chopped

6 eggs, separated

80g castor sugarom

450ml lightly whipped double cream

Equipment: 25 cm tart or shallow cake tin

Lightly oil the tart or cake tin, then take a piece of baking paper, at least 45 x 45cm, and press it into the tin so it sticks firmly to the base and sides and comes up a little above the rim of the tin.

The case:

Melt 250g of the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Pour into the lined tin and spread evenly, with a flexible spatula, over the bottom and up the sides. Chill in the fridge.

The mousse:

Melt the remaining 300g of chocolate in a heat proof bowl, set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not in contact with the water. Whisk the egg whites with half the sugar until stiff.

In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and stir into the melted chocolate. Fold in the lightly whipped cream, then fold in the egg whites.

Finishing it off:

Tip the mixture into the prepared chocolate case and place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Carefully lift out of the tin and peel the baking paper off the sides. Use a fish slice or spatula to lift the baking paper on the base and place on a serving plate.

Keep chilled until ready to eat and serve with whipped cream or crème fraiche and maybe some fresh red berries.

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• Steak tartine sandwich – For the carnivores like me! Sourdough bread sounds delish, along with the garlic aioli and caramelised onions. Courtesy of Chef Spike Mendelsohn
• Open prawn sandwich – Came across this on the Jamie Oliver recipe network and liking the idea of zucchini (orcourgettes), rocket, mushroom and prawns.
• Arugula and goat’s cheese tartine – My best friend is a vegetarian, so I think she’d love this. You can’t go too wrong with goat’s cheese either in my book.
• Hot tartines – This is less of a recipe but more ideas for tartines, from the New York Times

  Do you love tartines too? Any recipes you recommend?

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 The Methi & Chickpea tikki with Red cabbage Achar  (Serves 4)

Ingredients

For the tikki 

• 300g Fresh Methi (Feugreek leaves)
• 200g Cooked Chickpeas
• 100g Boiled Potatoes (Grated)
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 20g Green chilli
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 20ml Vegetable oil
• Salt (to taste)

For the Achar / Pickle 

• 250g Red cabbage
• 50ml Vinegar
• 5ml Vegetable oil
• ½ tsp Mustard
• 1 Whole red chilli
• Salt (to taste)

Method

Prep for Tikki:  10 mins

•  Roughly chop the methi and green chilli, grate the potatoes and smash the chickpeas
•  Heat oil in a pan, add cumin until oil crackles and follow by adding the green chilli then methi. Sauté over slowly, add turmeric powder.
•  Add the chickpeas and potatoes and mix thoroughly. Add salt to taste.
•  Cook until if forms a good mixture and a consistent green shade. Remove from pan and allow mixture to cool.
•  Roll out balls of approximately 60g, place between palms and press gently to form a patty. Keep refrigerated.

Prep for Achar / Pickle:  10 mins

•  Shred red cabbage as thin as possible. Rinse in cold water, to remove excess colour. Soak in vinegar for 1 hour. Drain excess water
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and allow to crackle. Add chopped red chilli, cabbage, sauté for few minutes, add salt to taste and the remove the pan from the hob
•  Once cool, store in an air-tight container

Cooking & Presentation:  5 mins

• Heat a thick bottomed grill pan over a slow flame, add oil sparingly. Gently add patties, turn around after two minutes or until golden brown on either side
• Add a spoon full of your favourite chutney, push it across the plate with spoon edge to make a nice arch, place two patties per person, and a tsp of red cabbage pickle

Chef’s Tip:

•  May add red wine vinegar instead of normal vinegar, to enhance flavour

Tandoori Baby Chicken (Serves 4)

Ingredients 

• 300g Baby Chicken-Poussin
• Butter
• 1 lime

For marinade

• ½ g Saffron
• 200g Greek Yoghurt
• 10g Cumin powder
• 15g Garam masala
• 30g Ginger & garlic paste
• 3 chopped Green chillies
• 15g Vegetable oil
• Salt (to taste)

Method

Prep: 10 mins

•  Cut chicken in halves and remove skin
•  Mix all your marinade ingredients together
• Apply this over the chicken, cover and leave in fridge for an hour

Procedure to cook: 20 mins

•  Pre heat oven to 180^oC, place the chicken in centre and cook for approx 15 minutes
•  Baste the chicken applying butter or oil regularly while cooking. Check the thickest part towards the bone is fully cooked before serving
•  Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, apply a knob of butter and finish with a generous squeeze of lime

Vishnu Natarajan, chef:  “This is not a normal red coloured Tandoor chicken that you find most places. It should be a yellowish colour due to saffron, with golden brown marks obtained from roasting. Personally I love to have it with a bit of curry – presented on a bed of curry in a serving dish with the Tandoori chicken on top to bring all the senses together: colours for eyes, flavours, temperatures, textures and finally the taste to remember”

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East London Liquor Company Gin Cured Salmon

Serves 12 people

Ingredients

• 1 side of Salmon Fillet – skin on and pin boned (1kg)
• 300g Rock Salt
• 100ml of dry gin (preferable East London Liquor Company)
• 250g Caster Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Juniper Berries
• 1 Teasp Black Peppercorns
• 35g Dill – Roughly Chopped
• Zest of 2 Lemons
• Zest of 2 Limes

To serve

• Crusty Sour Dough
• 250ml Crème Fraiche
• Cornichons – small jar
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Dill – finely chopped

Method

1. Toast the peppercorns and juniper berries in a dry pan for 1-2mins.
2. Once toasted then crush them in a pestle and mortar. You don’t want to grind then to a powder, only lightly crush them.
3. Then in a large mixing bowl place all of the ingredients (except the salmon) and mix so everything is incorporated well.
4. On a clean work surface, then lay cling film for the salmon to sit on. It’s best to use two lengths and overlap so they make one sheet. I like to let the cling film overhang the work surface to its easy to roll up, and you want to roll around 50cm in length.
5. Place the salmon fillet onto the cling film and pat dry using kitchen paper, and then spread the curing mixture over the fillet evenly.
6. Then carefully wrap the fillet up. Once wrapped, re-wrap in 3 more layers.
7. Place this into a roasting tin or something of similar size, and then place another roasting tin on top of the salmon to weigh this down. You can use tins/jars for added weight.
8. Then put this into the fridge and leave for 2-3 days. After this time remove from fridge and unwrap, and then discard cling film and rinse under a cold tap to remove the rest of the cure. Pat dry using kitchen paper.
9. To serve, slice the salmon into thin slices and serve with toasted sour dough and crème fraiche.

Natalie’s cookbook Winning Recipes: For Every Day comes out on 2nd October.  For more info, visit: www.nataliecolemanchef.co.uk/book. 

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For more information about Deliveroo visit www.deliveroo.co.uk

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Louisiana sweet potato pancakes

Makes roughly 8-12 smallish pancakes or I imagine 6 large ones?  Whatever you choose, you get a good yield!

Prep + cooking time = 40 minutes 

• 3/4 pound or 12 oz sweet potatoes (I used one sweet smallish potato that I zapped in the microwave for about 10 minutes – but according to the recipe I should have technically used about 2 small potatoes or 1 large one, which would taste better) 
• 1 1/2 cups or 340g  plain flour 
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt  (I’d recommend cutting this down to 1/2 a teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I didn’t have ground nutmeg in my cupboard so I used mixed spice as an alternative)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used almond milk) 
• 1/4 cup or 4 tbsps butter, melted (alternatively you can use an oil like coconut or vegetable) 

Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water (or zap it in the microwave)  and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and immediately immerse in cold water to loosen skins. Drain, remove skins, chop and mash
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg or mixed spice. Mix mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk and butter in a separate medium bowl. Blend sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture to form a batter.
3. Preheat a lightly greased griddle  or fry pan over medium heat. Drop batter mixture onto the prepared griddle by heaping large spoonfuls and cook until golden brown, turning once with a spatula when the surface begins to bubble.
4. Keep cooked pancakes warm by putting them on a baking tray (with baking paper) in the oven on 100-150 C.  When all the pancakes are cooked, serve with toppings of your choice. 

Papaya smoothie: You know, I never bought a papaya in my life (!) until I came across this recipe from the Hemsley cookbook. I tweaked it a tad using a whole papaya, 1 banana, lime juice (I used lemon) a little bit of ginger , roughly 200 ml water and honey to taste). Blend it and bam! Trés dope.

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a solid week trying out everything from smoothies to cauliflower mash and I’ve got to say, it’s a pretty fabulous book, featuring a broad range of creative and tasty recipes. It’s also a good look for those trying to kick the refined sugar habit – like me! – or lower their carb intake. My favourite recipe so far is for the muffin frittatas. It’s easy to make, looks and tastes gorgeous and costs hardly anything to whip up – plus, if you’re inviting friends around for brunch, this would go down a treat (although I’m planning on giving it a Jamaican twist by serving it with ackee and salfish next time I give it a whirl). Check out the recipe on the Daily Mail website, and for more details about the book visit www.hemsleyandhemsley.com.    

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