Winter is the perfect time to settle in with a good cookery book. Some can prove a tonic as they transport you to far-flung places. Some can inspire you into planning daring culinary feats — especially now that exotic ingredients are easily available online and often from your local supermarket. Others offer kitchen tips and tricks to make life that bit easier. Cookbooks also make welcome gifts. With that in mind, and in no particular order, here are six of our favourite new ones.
Cava Bodega Tapas: A Taste of Spain in Ireland by JP McMahon
Savour the taste of Spain even as the rain beats down and the wind howls outside. Now in its fourth edition, this book spills some of the secrets behind the success of chef JP McMahon’s Cava Bodega restaurant in Galway. Try the octopus with potatoes; chicken and chorizo skewer with Dillisk crispy onions and truffle mayonnaise; charred pork ribs with chillies and tomatoes; or rack of lamb with chicory and piquillo pepper sauce. They should help to keep the cold out. €30; cavarestaurant.ie
Your Home Izakaya by Tim Anderson
Even if you can’t get to Japan any time soon, a dip into chef Tim Anderson’s book about the food served at izakaya, which are a bit like tapas bars, will help to transport you to the Far East. Anderson is an American and his book is both a love letter and a guide to what these hostelries offer. The food served in an izakaya “skews in the direction of spicy, salty, meaty and deep-fried,” according to Anderson — perfect for winter dreaming. This book has more than 100 intriguing recipes including marinated octopus with okra, and avocado sashimi. Hardie Grant Books, €35; easons.ie
And For Mains . . . by Gareth Smith and Rick Higgins
Gareth “Gaz” Smith, the chef and owner of Dublin restaurants Michael’s and Little Mike’s, and award-winning butcher Rick Higgins, from Higgins Butchers in Sutton, have come together here to offer a hearty helping of inspiration. The book is brimming with recipes as well as tips and tricks from the pair. Recipes include a fennel orange and grape salad; chicken hearts in Jägermeister; and chocolate Amarena cherry brownie cake. Nine Bean Rows Books, €39.95; andformains.ie
Soup Broth Bread by Rachel Allen
This has lots of the type of warm, nourishing dishes we all crave at this time of year, but with a twist. The carrot soup comes with harissa, the spicy paste from north Africa, for example. Impress your friends with Nordic salmon and dill soup, or keep it seasonal with Brussels sprout soup with candied bacon and hazelnuts. Then there are the breads, such as Guinness, and blue cheese and walnut. There are also tips on which equipment works best, batch-cooking, freezing and presentation. Penguin, €28; penguin.ie
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In Minutes by Clodagh McKenna
Just 30 minutes to knock up a chicken cacciatore? How about an Indian fish curry? It can be done — if you’re Clodagh McKenna, the ever-evolving chef from Cork. But even a complete beginner wouldn’t take much longer with these simple and delicious recipes. McKenna came up with the idea when she noticed her social media followers wanted to know how long a dish would take to make, and often looked for a quick fix. These recipes can be made in ten, 20 or 30 minutes — with a little extra time for chopping. Kyle Books/Octopus Publishing, €30; clodaghmckenna.com
Burnt Toast and Other Disasters by Cal Peternell
A chef with a lot of empathy for normal humans, Cal Peternell spills the beans on how to make ordinary supermarket staples taste like something special, if not cheffy. Rather than binning that burnt toast, why not make cheesy onion bread pudding? He also has advice on bringing back to life any vegetables left to languish for too long at the back of the fridge, and recipes for a few simple sauces so that you can turn any kitchen disaster into a delight. HarperCollins, €20; harpercollins.com