Make it fresh! 12 new cookbooks for spring
Inject some new ideas into your repertoire with these inspiring new titles, from gut-friendly veggie recipes to Korean street food made simple.
HOW TO EAT 30 PLANTS A WEEK
By Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
Having tackled the issue of fish, Hugh’s now turned his attention to greens (and every other colour of the veg rainbow) in a bid to improve our gut health: Speaking of which, the gut man himself, Tim Spector, has written the intro. In classic Hugh fashion it’s tasty and wholesome with a few easy recipes that you can hopefully wedge into your weekly routine. Out on 10 Apr.
£25
GREEKISH: EVERYDAY RECIPES WITH GREEK ROOTS
By Georgina Hayden
The Greek-Cypriot cookery writer and presenter whose first book, Stirring Slowly has become a foodie’s classic, has released her fourth – a collection of her take on Greek recipes like spanakopita jacket potatoes and baklava cheesecake. The idea is that they’re a little easier and quicker to prepare than her previous two titles – music to our ears. (Out 25 Apr).
£26
WOK FOR LESS
By Ching-He Huang
The prolific and best-selling author Ching-He Huang hits back at the air fryer generation with her own wok-based meals that she says are quicker, less costly, and don’t take up a huge spot on your worktop. Using affordable and store cupboard ingredients to make dishes like our fave, spicy peanut noodles, this will be a big hit with Wagamama lovers (and cheaper than Uber Eats).
£20
MEDITERRA: RECIPES FROM THE ISLANDS AND SHORES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN
By Ben Tish
The Cubitt House chef director and TV presenter has drawn inspo from his foodie travels in Spain, Morocco, Italy, Greece, Syria and Croatia for this tour de force of Med cooking with dishes like cumin-roasted aubergines, pork belly gyros and quince and honey tart. The cover’s just as gorgeous – this is definitely one you’ll want to adorn the kitchen shelves. Out on 23 May.
£26
ELLA’S KITCHEN: THE FIRST FOODS BOOK
By Ella’s Kitchen
The latest in the series is a godsend to young parents who want to raise their pureed carrot game and raise the Hestons and Skye’s of the future. There’s 130 recipes suitable from six months to a year, starting with purees but venturing to more exciting territory for your little gastronome. Also features advice from nutritionists to take you through the messy business of weaning.
£10
THE SIMPLE AIR FRYER COOKBOOK
By Denise Smart
What to do with that enormous block taking up space on your worktop? Voila! There’s everything from breakfast to snacks to dinner and dessert to really work your appliance hard and expand your air fryer repertoire. Harissa chicken thighs, BBQ mushroom burgers and apple and blackberry ginger crumble are among the recipes – just not all at once, ‘kay?
£16.99
KITCHEN SANCTUARY QUICK & EASY: DELICIOUS 30-MINUTE DINNERS
By Nicky Corbishley
Kitchen Sanctuary is back – and this time it’s all about speedy meals (praise be). This is very much about no-nonsense cooking with crowd pleasing (but still innovative) dishes that don’t require unheard of spices that leave you resorting to Amazon to track them down (ajwain not stocked in your local Co-op? Mine neither). There’s super practical tips about whether you can make ahead and freeze, substitute ingredients and the WEBSITE has lots of video content if you want to back up the cookbook with visual prompts.
£19
DESIFIED
By Zaynah Din
When Zaynah Din combined her digital know-how (she’s worked for FB and Insta) with her love of cooking, it’s no surprise that her IG and TikToK went stratospheric. Inspired by the desire for innovative recipes for Ramadan and influenced by South Asian flavours, there’s recipes for before dawn, like masala chai brioche and butter breakfast pudding and after dark like karahi chicken
and 20-minute one-pot salmon and rice. Yummy whether you’re fasting or not.
£26
SERIOUSLY GOOD TOAST
By Emily Kydd
What this woman can’t serve on toast isn’t worth knowing. This book takes you waaay beyond eggs and avo and into whole meals like stroganoff or haggis and whisky onions, plus there’s even desserts likes peaches and cream. Perfect for fresh takes on brunch, a way to use up that sad looking loaf of sourdough or just a quick and easy supper.
£14
GOOD EGGS
By Ed Smith
With over 100 recipes this book takes you through the simplest quick dishes – want to nail the perfect eggy bread? – right through to the elaborate and exotic like fudgy eggs with crunchy rice and nam jim. The menu offers an alternative take to find the recipe you want, searching by criteria like ‘with meat or fish’ or with certain veggies, so it works for an empty the fridge kind of night as well as for bigger dishes that’ll serve a crowd – hello Turkish menemen or tray-baked coconut omelette, and there’s even recipes for hangovers (egg, bacon and cheese bagel). Out on 28 March.
£20
POCHA: SIMPLE KOREAN FOOD FROM THE STREETS OF SEOUL
By Su Scott
With kimchi all the rage, Korean food is having something of a moment, but if you want to take it beyond bulgogi and fried chicken to next level recipes like corn cheese with green chilli and lime or pan-fried skate and wasabi butter sauce, you’ll need this cookbook. A gorgeous and vibrant read, it’ll inspire you to visit Seoul once you’ve got into cooking its street food. Out on 25 Apr.
£27
EVERY LAST BITE
By Rosie Sykes
Rosie Sykes’ experience running her own gastropub, The Sutton Arms in Smithfields, London, and her time in the kitchens of fellow stellar chefs (Joyce Molyneux, Shaun Hill) has all come to roost with this latest cookbook that’s very much in her trademark vein of cookery – no nonsense, no waste and very much done with the wallet in mind. With wholesome dishes like tomato, squash and creamed kale gratin or braised pork with fennel and tomatoes, it’s easy to see how these dishes could work their way into your family favourites.
£18.99