The best thing about this book is the pun presented by the author and the way he defines a fine line of similarity between the movie plot and the cooking journey. This is so much fun to read. You’d definitely be rolling to laughter in some of the recipes and that’s what the aim of the writer. A happy and healthy eating habit can be instilled with good food and lots of smiles. Spices: Ground cumin for earthiness, smoked paprika for smokiness and a subtle heat, and Aleppo pepper flakes for a slightly tangy, sweet flavor. For more heat, use hot smoked paprika instead! Special occasion recipes– A sprinkle of true showstopper dishes for festive occasions and leisurely Sunday suppers! Make the tomato rub: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ cup lemon juice, 5 tablespoons tomato paste, 5 minced garlic cloves, 1 ½ teaspoons each cumin and smoked paprika, and 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper.

Passed on to team members to test and taste – made at least once, but usually twice or more (to refine) After talking about it for months, after all the blood, sweat and tears (literally!), my debut cookbook has arrived! Lemon juice: In total, you need about ½ cup lemon juice, which means you need roughly 2 large lemons. Gluten-free– Approximately 1/3 of the recipes are gluten-free, including those made GF with very simple, common substitutes.Cuisines covered – 20% of the recipes are Asian / Asian-influenced. Then there’s a whole chapter on Mexican (I adore Mexican food!), a sprinkle of French and Mediterranean, plus a dusting of Middle Eastern dishes. The balance are other good ol’ traditional Western favourites. Has comprehensive and detailed ingredients listing followed by a storyline that helps the chef imagine the result and aim towards it.

How much did you cook for this cookbook? I cooked over 1,600 dishes. SO MUCH COOKING! Every recipe in the cookbook was made a minimum of 7 times. Here is a typical workflow:Making “Dinner” was a wonderful experience but also the hardest project I have undertaken in my working life. To say that I underestimated the work involved and the pressure I would put on myself to do the very best I can would be an understatement! After five minutes, your pan should look a little drier than when you started to fry the kimchi. Stir in the soy sauce, ensuring it is completely incorporated, before adding the tomatoes. Let it simmer for a further 10 minutes. But there is no doubt in my mind Dinner would not be what it is if it weren’t for the wonderful messages of support I received from readers as I shared my experience throughout the making of Dinner. You made me strive to do the very best I could. Extra virgin olive oil: You need ½ cup EVOO. You can use a medium-intensity oil like our Arbequina California EVOO, or a more robust oil like our Hojiblanca Spanish EVOO. Fill a saucepan suitable for deep-frying with vegetable oil. It should be filled deep enough to submerge the dough balls but no more than three-quarters full. Heat to 160°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, a cube of bread should brown in 12 seconds. When it reaches 160°C, turn off the heat and carefully lower a few of the dough balls into the pan, making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Keep the heat off for two minutes. After two minutes, the dough will start to move and float a little.