Contents
Contents
Dame
Mary
Berry
As Dame Mary prepares to come to Topping & Company to celebrate her new cookbook, Mary’s Foolproof Dinners, we showcase an extract from the book for you to read.
We also give you a couple of recipes to try for yourselves, as well as run a reader competition to win a copy of the book.
Photography Tara Fisher
‘What does ‘dinner’ mean to you? To me, it is the main meal of the day, whether that is lunch or in the evening, a supper or a more special occasion. I have focused on the main meal of the day because, with that meal sorted, the rest of the day will follow. ’
I always think of myself as a teacher, and I want to share the knowledge that I have gathered over the years. This is why I like to explain every process clearly, so the recipes are foolproof for you, the home cook. We’ve included instructions that are a little bit more detailed, so that you have success every time.
As life gets busier, we take short cuts – I never make puff or filo pastry anymore, and if I haven’t any stock, I use a stock pot. These compromises make sense when the ready-prepared products are so good. In this way and others, we aim to simplify the method, wherever possible.
I feel there’s no use having fancy tins or dishes that only come out of the cupboard once a year, and the same goes for ingredients. I have incorporated some flavours that are new to me, like sriracha, but I’ve made sure they don’t just feature once.
Other combinations, like chimichurri, use familiar ingredients, but in an interesting and different way. When all the family come round, serving something comforting but rich, like the Coq au Vin Pie, will always be a hit. Or try the Three Fish and Potato Gratin, which is quicker than the standard version, as it has no mashed potato on top, but is equally delicious. More and more I like recipes that can be made all in one dish to bake, like the Slow- cooked Spiced Lamb , or are cooked in one pan on the hob, like the Prawn Fried Rice with Vegetables. These save on washing up, as well as being easy to serve.
Enjoy the recipes, make your own notes in the margins or write post-it notes and stick them on the page as a reminder to yourself of which dish you used, for example, or who you served the recipe to. Next time, you won’t have to think. I love a well-used book!
Win
