Rosie Lovell - Spooning with Rosie

To Raf – the harshest critic and the hungriest companion

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Title Page Spooning with Rosie Food, Friendship & Kitchen Loving Rosie Lovell

Dedication To Raf – the harshest critic and the hungriest companion

INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Another late night in Soho at the New Evaristo Club. Now, as usual, my alarm is pounding at me, calling me to the deli. Showered and squeezed into trusty jeans, I dash out of the door of my damp 1930s flat. Round on the main road I pass Simon, one of the more amenable local down-and-outs. ‘All right, Ma’am.’ He’ll be in later for his hot chocolate with five sugars. I nip into the Portuguese deli to pick up fresh rocket for the shop, and then into the Iraqi supermarket to buy free-range eggs for the scrambling rush later. Electric Avenue is particularly alive at this time of the morning, with sex workers, red snappers, pig’s tails and pulsing beats coming from every crevice. The fishmongers holler at me and, laden with my shopping, I nod my good-mornings to market traders and road sweeps. Arriving at the deli, I fling the door wide open, turn the fans on and get The View playing, to beat out my tired head. Pastry out of the fridge for rolling, cakes onto the stands, tables and chairs outside, oven on, flick lights. The daily cheese and bread deliveries arrive – Sardinian Pecorino, Taleggio, Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire, Hereford Hop, sourdough, rye, ciabatta – just as I’m making myself a double-shot cappuccino to drink in the last bit of peace on my doorstep. Brixtonians rush past on their way to the tube, with cheery waves. My moment is broken by the first telephone call of the morning – Alice. ‘What shall I cook for my date tonight?’ (She’s excited, so I’m thinking risotto with black pudding and ice cream drowned in espresso.) By this point I’m juggling, squeezing lemons for the daily batch of houmous with the phone wedged between my shoulder and cheek. My first early customers, the loyal Bharat and superwoman Kylie Morris, arrive, armed with newspapers and requesting their morning soya lattes. As I steam their milk, I’m mulling over what salad to make this morning. Vietnamese carrot and peanuts, nutty brown rice with seeds, or couscous with mint and feta? And as they eat their toast with mackerel pâté, I’m wondering what will soothe my weariness tonight. Baked polenta, beans on toast or boquerones? Mum is calling. Have I got time to pick up the phone before the next customers descend? ‘Oh darling, you’ll never guess what we had for supper last night…’ Asparagus from her garden. The day is truly in swing now. I’m navigating cooking, serving breakfasts and all the usual flurry of telephone calls, Daddy’s usual herbal tea and the ordering, when I drop my ciabatta…a curly-haired boy has just ambled in…And how shall I woo you with my wares?

DAWN CHORUS DAWN CHORUS Foods for the first wave of a hangover, or just to start the day with a bang, when you need some morning loving or have a dawn appetite. These breakfast recipes hail from the deli, my travels and a frugal upbringing. Favourite morning foods. Starting the day with an egg is surely one of life’s best treats. But sometimes we crave something more wholesome, to kick-start the morning and give sustained energy, like porridge or muesli. I often make a vat of muesli, which keeps me going for a few months and is a good economy drive when I’m a bit stumped for cash. It all rather depends on who you’re with and how you’re feeling, and what’s actually in the fridge: hangovers usually demand fried foods like Rupert’s eggy bread, but friends for breakfast could prompt some steaming sweet muffins. My mum says breakfast is the best meal of the day, which it certainly is at her big oak table, with her homemade yoghurt, popovers, marmalade and bread and fragrant coffees. Each country has its own take on breakfast too, often revolving around the glorious egg. I never tire of the magical egg. Egg-fried noodles on the Khao San Road in Bangkok, eggs Benedict in London, oeufs en cocotte in France. An omelette is one of my favourite ways to use up leftover vegetables. Some of the recipes, however, like soda bread and muesli, require some pre-planning to stand you in good economical stead during the week. Other breakfast recipes will be more for that weekend drawn-out brunch affair, like the ultimate sausage sandwich along with a big cafetière. Many of these recipes are just as good for a last-minute supper or a lovers’ midnight feast. And of course the bread (on page 12) is fantastic as an addition to every meal of the day.

Muesli Muesli Makes about enough for 30 breakfast sittings Muesli is such a great breakfast hero. You will start the day with health and happiness. It’s wholesome, and I like it with lots of wheat flakes. My mum used to add cream to every cereal we ate, but I’m managing to restrain myself here, in favour of cutting up crunchy apple and sweet banana and spooning tart yoghurt on top. If you make a vat of this, you can keep it jarred up in the cupboard and it works out so much cheaper than buying packets of the stuff. And it can last up to six months – well, that’s if you still have any left after that long. You will need a really serious piece of Tupperware to store this. 250g coconut flakes 3 tablespoons golden caster sugar 1kg jumbo oats 700g golden currants 1kg wheat flakes First of all heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Lay out the coconut flakes on a large baking tray and scatter over the caster sugar. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the flakes are toasty and golden – keep checking them, as they are easily burnt. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, measure out the oats, currants and wheat flakes and pour into your big container. Give them a thorough mix around. This is best done by sealing the container and jiggling it around, like a barman with a cocktail shaker. When the coconut is cool, add it to the muesli and give it another good shake to distribute.

Pancetta & Quail’s Egg Tart

Cinnamon Toast

Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Chilli Jam

Mum’s Seedy Soda Bread

Soda Bread with Tomato & Oregano

Rupert’s New York Eggy Bread with Bacon & Maple Syrup

Omelette with Potatoes, Peperoncino, Tomatoes & Cheese

Fried Bread with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Mum’s Piping Popovers

Australian Marmalade Muffins

Porridge with Golden Currants & Muscovado Sugar

Gazpacho for a Barcelona Morning

Raspberry Risen Pancakes with Clotted Cream

Colombian Scrambled Eggs with Frills

Buckwheat & Banana Pancakes with Runny Honey

The Ultimate Sausage Sandwich

Economical Oeufs en Cocotte

LOVESOME TONIGHT

Risotto Milanese with Morcilla & Rocket & Asparagus Salad

Tomato & Pont I’Evêque Proposal Tart

Garlic Fried King Prawns, Hot Spanish Squid & Balsamic Onion Tortilla

Vietnamese Salad with Steak

Pyrenean Duck with Champ

A Ceviche Fish-off with Corona & Guacamole & Tomato Salsa

Frozen Berries & Grapes

Sweet Pastry Swirls

Affogato

Lemon Tart

Bunty’s Brandy & Oranges

FEASTING FIESTAS

Esme’s Hot Wings, Daddy’s Jamaican Ackee & Saltfish, Fried Plantain & Coconut Coleslaw

Moroccan Honey Chicken, Pomegranate Couscous & Chickpea Purée

Lots of Houmous, Halloumi with Red Onion, Stav’s Babaghanoush, Daddy’s Meatballs & Carrot Purée