COOKBOOK REVIEW: RACHEL KHOO’S KITCHEN NOTEBOOK

RACHEL KHOO’S KITCHEN NOTEBOOK

Author: Rachel Khoo
Michael Joseph RRP $39.99
Review: Monique Mulligan

My ideas start with a taste, a flavour, and a sketch in my kitchen notebook.

I enjoyed watching The Little Paris Kitchen on SBS so was pleased to receive a copy of Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook for review. The “notebook” of the title reflects the quirky journal-like presentation, with photographs, illustrations and recipe ideas scattered throughout the more traditionally laid out recipes. It has a young, fresh look that’s very appealing.

Rachel Khoo’s Kitchen Notebook contains more than 100 recipes from Khoo’s personal cookbook. It’s a diverse, flavoursome collection that includes starters, mains, desserts and a few extra treats. From Slow-roasted pork belly with sloe gin, Smoked haddock with cornichon crème fraîche, Cauliflower cheese burgers, Pickled pear, lentil and Gorgonzola salad, Cherry-glazed lamb shanks with pilaf, Pistachio and pomegranate cake, Honey-roasted peach crema Catalana and Black Forest gâteau bowls. Each one has a little twist – something that makes the recipe very Rachel.

Reading through it, I was taken with the layout and overall look of the book, as well as a number of the recipes that I plan to test on the family. However, while I like it, many of the recipes won’t quite work for my family (too many vegetables and a bit too fancy). I imagine it would best suit a young couple who loves home cooking. So far I have tested two recipes – a European-style Spiced Apple Tray Cake, and Sweet Chilli Sauce. The cake got the thumbs up from the whole family and I’ve made another one today. The sauce also got high praise from a friend, who said it was much nicer than store-bought sauce.

There’s plenty to inspire in this delightful cookbook – if you like cooking, and you like trying things that are a little different, give this one a go. I’ll be giving the Slow-roasted pork belly with sloe gin a go, that’s for sure!

Available from bookstores and Penguin Australia. My copy was courtesy of Penguin Australia.