The Kitchen Companion [antikvár]

Making the Most of the SeasonsEVERY SEASON and every month of the year has its own special associations: from the rich and warming soups which ward off the eold of a January day to the luscious soft fruits of summer, the crisp russet apples of autumn, and all the traditional delights of the Christmas season.The Kiteken Companion eontains a seasonal seleetion of recipes, hints and tips to help you make the best of foods in season and create tasty dishes all the year round. Of course, you do not ha ve to restrict yourself to making the dishes just at one particular time of the year, for you are sure to find favourites you will want to cook again and again.Many foods are now available in the supermarket throughout the year, and are often of excellent quality, even when out of season. But they can be more expensive so watch out for both price and quality. It is often the best idea to use foods when they are in season, particularly fruits and vegetables. Not only are they cheapest at that time, the flavour will be at its best. You may be able to buy lovely-looking Brussels sprouts in March, but the taste could be bittér and will not compare with the sweet, nutty sprouts you can buy at Christmas. Tornatoes are available all the year round, but you will find the tastiest, juieiest ones are those which have ripened under a summer sun. And with every month offering you a different seleetion of produce, there is always something to look forward to.Try to use fresh produce where possible. It will notonly taste the best, but is alsó the best for you, as it will contain its full complement of vitamins and minerals. Avoid buying foods which look faded or tired; they are past their best.If you are short of time to prepare fresh foods or want to use produce out of season, look for canned or frozen varieties, many of which offer excellent value and quality. Keep a basic store cupboard so that you can always put together something interesting at short notice.Many of the recipes in this book are simple and quiek to prepare, so they are ideál for the busy household where you need a tasty and nutritious meal without complicated preparation or long cooking times.All the recipes are simply presented so you can see at a glancé what you need and how to prepare it. There are many suggestions for variations to recipes, and you can always experiment to make your own versions of the dishes. If you do not have a particular ingredient, just look through the recipe and see whether you can leave it out, or substitute something else you have in the cupboard. Never be afraid to try out new ideas of your own, especially using foods which you have grown yourself, which are in season or readily available.You will not need any special kitchen equipment. Of course, if you have a food processor, blender or mixer, do use them to speed up slicing, chopping, blending or any other preparation.