Ainsley Harriott's Gourmet Express 1 - Softcover

Harriott, Ainsley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0563488263 ISBN 13: 9780563488262

Publisher: BBC Books, 2002

Synopsis

In Gourmet Express, popular TV cook Ainsley Harriott takes a fresh look at the best and tastiest fast food on offer. He goes out and about to explore what we eat when we're in a hurry and gives us lots of appetizing alternatives that are easy and speedy to make at home. With the emphasis on making good food quickly rather than recreating take-away food, Ainsley Harriott's Gourmet Express encourages us to change our cooking and eating habits, opting for the great-tasting, healthier, home-made option.

About this title

Review:

Another TV series, another book. The energetic Ainsley Harriott rides back into our kitchens on board the Gourmet Express, fizzing as always with ideas and enthusiasm. His mission this time is to persuade us away from the freezer, the microwave and the telephone at the end of a long day, when we're tired, stressed and hungry. He wants to show us how we can eat well and imaginatively, with little more effort and at considerably less expense, by cooking for ourselves instead of reaching for a ready-made meal or phoning for a take-away. As he points out, "food has never been more exciting or inspiring than it is today". Given intelligent shopping in supermarkets and food shops, and a judiciously maintained store cupboard, we really only have ourselves to blame if our diet becomes a bore. It certainly won't do that with Ainsley around. He has the most amazing knack of coming up with interesting, tasty, fresh-sounding food, time after time, sourced it seems from all round the world. True to his theme, the current book concentrates on fast food, with lots of snacks and street-food type recipes: Celtic Samosas (the insides are green and white), Paper Potato Pizza, Café Chilli Beef Tacos are a few of these. There are a number that require a bit more time and attention (a cracking Shepherd's Pie, for instance), but most dishes come in at well under the hour for both preparation and cooking. Fans of Ainsley Harriott will know what to expect, and they won't be disappointed. As ever, the book is beautifully produced and clearly laid out, a pleasure to use. There is the usual quota of pictures of Ainsley, some striking a more pensive note than hitherto (connoisseurs will be interested to note), and the punning recipe titles have the requisite love-them-or-loathe-them pizzazz. -- Robin Davidson

Review:

Written to accompany the TV series, "Gourmet Express", by that inimitable chef Ainsley Harriott, aims to stop people buying ready-made food and eat fresh, home-cooked meals instead. Understanding today's hectic pace of life, Ainsley ensures all the recipes are quick to make - often taking less time than reheating a pre-packaged meal. Using fresh, seasonal produce, he also ensures the recipes are healthy. Gleaned from his travels around the world, it is a cosmopolitan collection of tasty dishes: iced cafe latte cups, spicy Spanish patatas bravas and green onion chapatis mix with traditional British fare such as minted mushy chip-shop peas, golden crumb-crunch scampi and Granny's corned-beef hash and fried egg. Appealing to every taste, the recipes also cater for a range of cooking methods: grilling, woks, baking or frying to give variety and encourage cooks to alter their cooking routines. So next time you think of a takeaway or look at the cellophane-wrapped cartons in the supermarket, stop and buy something tasty instead and make a delicious, exciting meal from the innovative concoctions in this book. - Lucy Watson

About this edition

• Publisher: BBC Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0563488263
• ISBN 13: 9780563488262
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176