Simon Wheeler © 2008

The cookbook is broken down by ingredient instead of meal courses which is a technique that we are seeing more and more lately.  Each chapter starts off with the authors giving you a general overview of the key ingredient. For example, in the chapter about flour they answer the questions "What is flour?", "What does flour do?" and they offer a list of the different types of flour available.  There are lots of great suggestions on substitutions and foods that will compliment the dishes that are being prepared.  I had to give the Sultana Scone recipe a try because a truly good scone is often hard to come by, and needless to say I was not disappointed.  My daughter loves Mango, the Mango and Orange smoothie was incredibly refreshing and a welcome treat.  I also tried the Vegetable Fritters for my fried food loving husband; I heard no complaints and saw no evidence that they were ever even cooked - not one crumb was left behind when he was done!  This cookbook really proved itself to be for the entire family, and will be a great resource guide for older children who want to learn to cook as well as for those who already love to cook.

Vegetable Fritters

Simon Wheeler © 2008

Fritters are chunks of food that have been dipped in batter and fried until golden and crisp. These dainty little fritters are filled with chopped vegetables and herbs. We’ve suggested two fillings here – corn and spinach, and mushroom and parsley – but once you’ve got the idea of cooking them, why not invent your own fillings? Just take care with wet ingredients such as tomatoes, which can make the oil spit as you fry them.

To serve 4:

• Free-range egg, 1
• Cold water, 1⁄2 cup (run the tap for a few seconds so the water is really cold)
• All-purpose or white pastry flour, 1⁄4 cup
• Cornstarch, 1⁄3 cup
• Sunflower oil for frying
• Salt and black pepper

For the fillings:

• Frozen, fresh, or canned corn kernels, 2 tablespoons
• Fresh spinach leaves, a handful
• Button mushrooms, 8 to 10
• Flat-leaf parsley, a handful

To serve:

• Greek yogurt, 3 to 4 tablespoons
• Salt and black pepper
• Ground cumin, for sprinkling
• A lemon 

Small saucepan, sieve, 3 small bowls, cutting board, sharp knife, mixing bowl, balloon whisk, large plate, paper towels, small plate, heavy frying pan, tablespoon, slotted spoon, metal spatula 

1. Prepare the fillings first. If you’re using fresh or frozen corn, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil, add the corn, and simmer for 3 minutes, then drain through a sieve and place in a small bowl. (It’s very important to boil frozen corn first or you’ll find that the corn starts popping as it fries in the hot oil!) If you’re using canned corn, drain off the liquid and add the corn to a small bowl. 

2. Wash the spinach and remove any tough stems that run through the center of the leaves: to do this, fold each leaf in half and tear out the stem. Dry the spinach thoroughly. Pile the leaves on top of each other on the chopping board and chop them finely. Mix with the corn in the bowl. Season with plenty of black pepper. 

3. Chop the mushrooms very finely (just a bit smaller than the corn), then chop the parsley leaves quite finely, cutting away any tough stems. Put these into another bowl and mix them well together. Season with plenty of black pepper. 

4. Spoon the Greek yogurt into a small bowl and stir in some salt and pepper. Sprinkle a little ground cumin on top. 

5. Make the batter. Break the egg into the mixing bowl and add the water, the flour, and the cornstarch. Grind in plenty of salt and pepper. Whisk well until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

6. Line the large plate with at least 2 sheets of paper towels and put it next to the stove. Cut the lemon into quarters and put it on the small plate on the table. 

7. Put the frying pan on the stove, add 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil, and turn the heat to medium. Meanwhile, add half the batter to each bowl of filling and mix together well. As soon as the oil begins to smoke, pick up about 2 teaspoons of the batter mix with the slotted spoon, letting the excess batter drain off into the bowl. Drop the mixture into the pan and flatten with the back of the spoon. Repeat to make 3 or 4 more fritters. You only need the very smallest amount of batter to vegetable – just enough to hold the fritters together. 

8. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom of the fritters is golden brown. Flip the fritters over with the metal spatula and fry the other side until golden. Then use the spatula to transfer the fritters to the plate lined with paper towels, which will absorb any excess oil. 

9. Cook the rest of the fritters in the same way. You may need to add more oil to the pan from time to time. Make sure that the oil is fairly hot before you fry the fritters or they’ll be stodgy. Remember to turn off the heat after you’ve cooked the last one. 

How to eat your vegetable fritters

These fritters make a nice quick lunch served with some fresh bread and other snacky foods, such as hummus and olives. They’ll be fiercely hot to begin with, so let the fritters cool down for just a minute or two before you dip them into the slightly spicy yogurt sauce.

Sultana Scones

Reprinted with permission from The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Fizz Carr, copyright © 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.

Scones are just a daintier way of making soda bread. Baking powder is a ready-mixed combination of baking soda and an acid chemical. It quickly loses its chemical powers, so you’ll need to buy a new can every few months.

To make about 16:

• Self-rising flour, 3 cups, plus extra for dusting the work surface
• Salt, 1⁄2 teaspoon
• Baking powder, 2 teaspoons
• Butter, 6 tablespoons
• Superfine sugar, 1⁄2 cup
• Sultanas (Golden raisins), 1⁄2 cup
  Milk (or a mixture of milk and plain yogurt or buttermilk), about 1 1⁄4 cup 

Mixing bowl, sieve, teaspoon, wooden spoon, large glass measuring cup, rolling pin, 2-inch biscuit cutter, baking sheet

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. 

2. Sift the flour into the mixing bowl along with the salt and baking powder.

3. Cut the butter into little cubes and add them to the flour. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the butter has basically disappeared into the flour and the flour looks like coarse meal.

4. Add the sugar and the raisins and give everything a good stir. 

5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the milk until you have a slightly sticky, rough mass of dough; you might not need quite all the milk. 

6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With the rolling pin, press the dough gently into a round about 3/4 inch thick. Dip the biscuit cutter in flour and use it to cut out as many scones as possible. Gather up the trimmings, press them together, and cut out more scones, until you’ve used up all the dough. 

7. Lightly sprinkle the baking sheet with flour. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Oven gloves on. Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are golden brown. 

How to eat your scones

Let your scones cool for just a few minutes, so that they’re still warm as you split them. Scones taste fantastic with a teaspoon of jam or lemon curd and a generous dollop of whipped or clotted cream. There’s a lot of argument as to whether you should put the cream or the jam on first. What do you think?

Mango and Orange Smoothie

Reprinted with permission from The River Cottage Family Cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Fizz Carr, copyright © 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.

This is a good smoothie to make in early summer, when mangoes are widely available. They turn yellow as they ripen – keep them in a fruit bowl on the table and you’ll see when they’re just right.

To serve 2

• Mango, 1 smallish
• Valencia oranges, 3 to 4 (depending on size and juiciness)
• Lime or lemon, 1/2 to 1, to taste
• Ice cubes, 2 to 3 
• Cutting board, sharp knife, blender, citrus juicer, serving glasses 

1. Peel the mango and slice the flesh away from the pit as best you can. There are various clever ways to cut up a mango, but the only important thing is to get all the flesh into the blender, along with any juice that has spilled out in the process. 

2. Squeeze the juice from the oranges and the lime or lemon. Add this to the blender along with the ice cubes. 

3. Blend for about a minute, until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the glasses and serve.

About The River Cottage Family Cookbook

A distinctly educational cooking primer for the whole family with more than 100 recipes that can be made by children. Written by a father of three and a mother of five who perfected the recipes with help from their kids and their kids' playmates. Ideal for passionate parents who want to instill in their children a love of healthy food handmade from fresh, natural ingredients.

Available at Amazon.com

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