Crumpets
For me, lockdown has meant an absolutely manic schedule, working from home with back-to-back Zoom calls and long hours. Crumpets have been my saviour. Yes, factory made, perfectly consistent and versatile: top with yoghurt and frozen berries at 8am, blue cheese and leeks at 1pm, followed by eggs and spinach at 7pm, and you have a full day’s menu. For a bit more lockdown spirit, I tried the sourdough version (delicious if squishy) and making my own (I promise you, it’s not worth it). Sophie, data analyst, St Albans
Lockdown hash
This last year, I have been even more fixated on avoiding food waste than usual. I started putting together a lunch that was known as ‘“lockdown hash” and is a great opportunity to use up any vegetables that are no longer fresh. Sauté potato cubes over a medium heat until they are starting to soften, then throw in whatever other veg you have to hand: peppers, courgettes and mushrooms work well. Add a splash of water to help things steam if necessary. Then add whatever onions/shallots/leeks you have to hand as well as a generous amount of garlic. Diced chilli is always a winner, too. Top with a fried egg (a fried egg improves most dishes) and splash over any condiments you fancy. Ben Thorpe, York
Chocolate mug cake
This cake with a gooey centre takes less than five minutes to prepare and cook in a microwave oven, and is utterly delicious. The recipe I use by Julie Chiou has no egg (which can make mug cakes too spongy), and once you have poured the batter into your mug, you drop a spoonful of Nutella (or your preferred filling) into the middle. As the cake cooks, this sinks into the centre of the cake and becomes almost like a chocolate fondant. I have mine with a dollop of natural yoghurt to cut through the richness of the cake. Natalie Peet, consultant, Bristol
Vegan vodka rigatoni
My vegan take on vodka rigatoni is so cosy and rich that you don’t miss the cream and cheese at all. Soak 100g cashews in hot water for a minimum of 15 minutes while chopping an onion and two cloves of garlic. At the same time, bring a pan of heavily salted water to the boil and cook the rigatoni. Next, heat a pan with olive oil and add the onion and garlic, followed by a full tube of good quality tomato paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add 2tbsp vodka and cook for another minute. Meanwhile, blend the cashews with water and 2tbsp nutritional yeast, plus salt and pepper, until completely smooth. Add the cashew cream to the pan along with 40ml of pasta water and stir. After simmering for a few minutes, add the rigatoni and a few handfuls of rocket. Serve with basil leaves and chilli flakes. Bon appetit! Emily Gilmour, global health researcher, Canada
Ham, cheese and red onion toastie
When you need that comforting, savoury fix, it has to be achievable swiftly. For our family, the answer is a deep-filled ham, cheese and red onion toastie. The ham should be off the bone, the cheese should be raclette (or similar), and don’t skimp on the sliced red onions. But what really transforms this snack into culinary opium is the addition of garlic butter – spread on both sides of sliced white bread before popping it into the sandwich maker. Cathy, teacher, Cambridge
Feijoada
This Brazilian black bean and meat stew is a wonderfully simple and filling meal. Start by soaking black beans overnight. The next day, fry Linguiça (Brazilian sausage), and whatever other pork is available, before adding it to the slow cooker. I then fry onions, garlic and chilli flakes in the meat fat and add it to the slow cooker, along with the drained beans and a couple of bay leaves. Add 2tbsp of white wine vinegar, then set to cook for four hours. Serve with coriander and lime rice. Arjun Robertson, student, Brighton
Cinnamon buns
I have really got into bread-making and yeast-based recipes during the past year, and one of my favourite sweet treats to make are cinnamon buns. There are two reasons I would call them a comfort food: the sweet aromas of cinnamon and cardamom have a naturally homely feel, yet to me they also evoke happy memories of cosy bakeries and coffee shops in Europe, and, with tourism out of the question for the time being, food has, in many ways, been a means through which to travel. I more or less follow the recipe by Brontë Aurell of ScandiKitchen, though I often add some grated orange zest to the dough itself as an extra something special. You can also add chopped apple pieces, sultanas and chopped dried apricots to the filling for a fruity kick. Joe Jarvis, Manchester
Rösti
One of my favourite lockdown dishes is a variation on the Swiss rösti. Coarsely grate potatoes, a courgette, a couple of carrots and an onion in a bowl. Then add an egg, a handful of peas, a gram of flour and perhaps some smoked mackerel. Next, season with nutmeg, salt, pepper and herbs if you’ve got some. Mix well and spread on baking paper inside a roasting tray or similar. Pack it well with your hands, then sprinkle with sesame seeds or cheese. Bake for 30 mins at 180-200C, then serve with gingery yoghurt. Uli Sattler, professor of computer science, Manchester
Kimchi jjigae
For my wife and I, nothing spells comfort food like a big, steaming hot bowl of spicy soup. This quintessential Korean classic has got everything: it is sour, spicy, salty and deeply filling. My version is pretty simple: fry up a big fistful of the best kimchi you can get, and, after a few minutes, add another big fistful of minced pork (the fattier the better), which has been lightly marinated in mirin and black pepper. Once the meat has browned, add shiitake mushrooms, half an onion (thinly sliced) and a few thick slices of medium-firm tofu. To make the soup base, combine 2tbsp soy sauce, 2tbsp Korean chilli paste, 1tsp minced garlic, and 1tbsp Korean chilli flakes. Add this mixture to the pot, top up with water until everything is barely covered, and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste (I use Vietnamese fish sauce or soy sauce for more saltiness, if needed). Serve with rice, more fresh kimchi and topped with shredded spring onion. Edward Dalton, dementia support worker, London
Pesto pasta
I discovered intuitive eating in lockdown: an anti-diet revolution that encourages you to focus on finding the satisfaction factor in the foods you eat. One recipe I kept coming back to was a comforting bowl of spaghetti with pesto. I make the pesto vegan using several large handfuls of basil, 4 large cloves of garlic (roasted in the oven for a few minutes), 3tbsp pine nuts (we have also tried it with walnuts, and it is equally delicious), a dash of lemon juice, a dash of water, a generous glug of olive oil and, the key ingredient, nutritional yeast (which is what gives it its cheesy flavour). Blitz in the blender, thinning with oil or water to reach your preferred consistency, then stir a dollop of the pesto into al dente spaghetti and a handful of rocket – you could also add fresh or sun-dried tomatoes for an extra punch of flavour. Bellissimo! Lowri Evans, career consultant, Chester
Vegan Turkish manti
I moved to Glasgow from Istanbul at the end of January 2020, not long before lockdown. Cooking, walking and writing – as well as reminiscing about the past – became my main activities for over a year. One day I remembered manti: meat filled dumplings. Traditionally, they are made with minced lamb and served with garlic yoghurt and spices, but my partner is vegan, so I invented a vegan version. First, prepare the filo dough. While it is rising, cook the vegan mince with diced onions, garlic, cumin, black pepper etc, then roll the dough into sheets of pastry and cut into one inch squares. Fill each square with the mince and squeeze the squares along the sides making small, four-cornered pouches. Then cook the dumplings in a preheated oven for 15 minutes until golden brown, and serve with vegan garlic yoghurt, sumac, oregano and dried mint. (Traditionally, you would pour meat stock over them, but I prefer to serve it just with yoghurt.) Ümit Ünal, film director and writer, Glasgow
Pearl barley and lentil stew
This dish is warm and filling, and the recipe is very adaptable; sometimes I use new potatoes instead of pearl barley, or add peas or beans. Start by frying onion, garlic and celery, then add carrot and mushrooms. Stir in pearl barley, add stock and simmer. After about 10 minutes, add brown/green/puy lentils followed by kale, cabbage or spring greens. Stir in dijon mustard, thyme, parsley, a splash of soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and black pepper, before serving. My other absolute favourite is porridge. I use porridge oats and whole milk, and always cook on the stove top. I like to add salt and a spoon of peanut butter or chopped banana, cinnamon and honey. I have also found it works well with oat or almond milk. Anna, doctor, Sheffield
Homemade pizza
I didn’t realise how much relief an end-of-week pizza delivery afforded until I moved to a place where it wasn’t an option. Fortunately, I have become an amazing pizza chef. During lockdown, I have created thin-crust pizzas with a number of delicious toppings, from prosciutto with balsamic drizzle and fresh arugula (rocket) to simple mozzarella, caramelised onions and spicy sausage. I now have a pizza stone, crank the oven to the max and often burn my arms getting it out – just like the pros! Cadence Dubus, fitness studio owner, New York
Coco Pops
I was brought up by a mum who was into health foods and home cooking – so no sugar, sweets, crisps, fizzy drinks or fun cereals. We were only allowed Kellogg’s Variety Packs at Christmas because my grandmother bought them for us. So, out of childishness, comfort and nostalgia, I have really enjoyed variety packs of cereal and large boxes of Coco Pops during the lockdowns. Best eaten at 2am. Lucy, Nottingham
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