365 Days of Nigella
374 recipes cooked; £6,100 (and rising) raised for FareShareUK; 1 Forever Family forged (2 dads, 3 kids, 2 dogs).
365 Days of Nigella has been devised, by me, to provide a much-needed escape from the worries of living with anxiety and the complexities they can bring to daily life. It’s a 365-day Nigella cookalong that will diversify our household palate and, at the same time, grant me the avenue to express my passion for food and write about the memories it can evoke. One of the best therapies for anxiety is to recall our feelings of love, positivity, serenity, and pleasure, and, for me, these are often - if not always – associated with food and cooking. And, of course, eating.
I define one day as one entry into this blog: it may comprise of multiple recipes, or a single recipe, but will feature my witterings of the day - at the time of posting. I aim to post every other day (3-4 times per week), so this journey will go on for considerably longer than a year - a realisation that makes me very happy indeed. The reason for not posting every day is that we do not waste food in this house and we will need the days between each cookalong to gladly enjoy leftovers.
A few pleasantries before we begin: I am not running for first place in a photo competition, and I am quite guilty of rather ignorantly throwing about punctuation, and for this (and my writing) I apologise. However, I don’t deny that there is great satisfaction to be had in capturing a dish in all its beauty. I don’t have any fancy equipment; just a phone, small windows, and a bread board and cheese board for a backdrop.
Above all, however, it’s a bit of fun and I would love for you to join me. Cooking is a joyous way to spread love and happiness and I hope you enjoy it as much as I am sure I will enjoy creating, writing and eating my way through this journey.
Day 10: pasta in rice form
Going for much needed Saturday night comfort here with Nigella’s Meatballs with Orzo.
Day 9: fragrant hypnosis
Novel fragrances fill the kitchen air from Nigella's Saffron Scented Chicken Pilaf.
Day 8: smoky-nuttiness, or nutty-smokiness?
We've passed the 1-week threshold, there’s no turning back, and buckwheat flour brings a subtle smokiness and nuttiness to the equation in Nigella’s Triple Chocolate Buckwheat Cookies.
Day 7: a few of my favourite things
Pork shoulder, capers, olives and prunes - these are but a few of my favourite things, and they are all featured in Nigella’s Pork with Prunes, Olives and Capers.
Day 6: yogurt ‘n’ eggs
After finally procuring some Aleppo pepper, in all it's citrussy heat, it was finally time to make Nigella’s Turkish Eggs.
Day 5: pineapple, but not in pudding?
Once exiled, pineapple returns to our savoury palate in Nigella’s Stir-Fried Rice with Double Sprouts, Chilli and Pineapple.
Day 4: all spice
I need to take a minute here to reflect on this dear little ingredient - the all spice, featuring prominently in Nigella’s Carbonnade a La Flamande.
Day 3: the not so common pea
The, not so common, pea steals the show here in Nigella’s Chicken and Pea Traybake.
Day 2: braving anchovies
This little champ of a pasta dish - Nigella's Gemelli with Anchovies, Tomatoes and Mascarpone - can take the crown and glory for inspiring me to pursue this 365-day Nigella cookalong.
Day 1: gourds and fishes
Kicking off with Day 1 of 365 Days of Nigella with this gloriously amber curry of mixed seafood and winter squash in Nigella's Yellow Thai Pumpkin & Seafood Curry.
Introducing me and #365daysofnigella
Introducing 365 Days of Nigella; my daily escape to the kitchen. Making something each day from one of the many culinary works of the Domestic Goddess herself, for 365 days.