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 30: euphonious crunching
The euphonious crunching of cornflakes for Nigella’s Crunchy Chicken Cutlets is strangely, yet deeply, satisfying.
Day 29: a midday escape
Regaining composure by escaping to the kitchen for a midday-cookalong to Nigella’s Salmon, Avocado, Watercress and Pumpkin Seed Salad.
Day 28: an occasion of jubilation
Celebrating a moment of pure joy unveiling my first ever attempt at meringue-making with Nigella’s Cappuccino Pavlova.
Day 27: i’ve got a crush
So, at the weekend, I cooked Nigella’s Spaghetti with Chard, Chillies and Anchovies, and I am not ashamed to admit I have developed quite the high school crush on it. That is to say: I cannot stop thinking about it.
Day 26: let’s talk about colcannon
Recounting a childhood memory, and taking my new electric masher for a test drive, with Nigella’s exceedingly delicious Brown Butter Colcannon.
day 25: a very merry nigella-christmas, part two
Part two of my Nigella-Christmas-cookalong: taking time in the holidays to unwind, cookalong to two recipes from Simply Nigella, and witness a love affair blossom between my taste buds and a slow-cooked black treacle ham.
day 24: a very merry nigella-christmas, part one
Part one of my Nigella Christmas-time cookalong: finishing for work in 2020 with a Snowball in Heaven, and introducing Nigella’s Jansson’s Temptation to our Polish Wigilia supper on Christmas Eve.
Day 23: a smoky-sweet catch
Smoky-sweet mackerel and plump, sweet sultanas are harmoniously matched with the tangy saltiness of capers in Nigella’s Pasta with Mackerel, Marsala and Pine Nuts.
Day 22: roasting a radish
It has only taken me five years, but I finally got around to roasting radishes in Nigella’s lavishly pleasing and mood-boosting Spiced Bulgur Wheat with Roast Vegetables.
Day 21: autumn, winter and christmas layered into one
The sights and smells of autumn and winter are beautifully mimicked here in Nigella’s Pumpkin and Goat’s Cheese Lasagne.
Day 20: peas with oomph
The richness from vermouth and the saltiness from pancetta are perfectly offset by the fresh liveliness of parsley and mint in Nigella’s Peas with Pancetta.
Day 19: to bundt, or not to bundt?
A high return on investment from a single tin of pumpkin purée in Nigella’s Pumpkin Bundt Cake and No-churn Brandied Pumpkin Ice Cream.
Day 18: an elixir for the rainy-day blues
The warm and daintily-spiced umami broth in Nigella’s Mussels with Pasta and Tomatoes is an elixir for the rainy-day blues.
Day 17: pungent stigmas
The honey-sweet, floral pungency of saffron is the perfect suitor for the sharpness of tomatoes in Nigella’s Radiatori with Sausage and Saffron.
Day 16: squeaking and crunching
The sharp saltiness from parmesan, anise fragrance from basil and resinous crunch from pistachios, raises green-bean-eating to an entirely new level in Nigella’s Green Beans with Pistachio Pesto.
Day 15: muffins for a monday
There is something gratifyingly satisfying about tearing open tea bags and using their fragranced contents to make something that isn’t a cup of tea, as done here in Nigella’s Chai Muffins.
Day 14: another anchovy showdown
Taking on cold/uncooked anchovies, for the first time, in Nigella’s Sicilian Pasta with Tomatoes, Garlic and Almonds.
Day 13: i really do need to be alone with this sandwich
The honey sweetness of figs, the nuttiness of creamy brie and the saltiness of Parma ham marry into a molten enchantment in Nigella’s Toasted Brie, Parma Ham and Fig Sandwich.
Day 12: riesling to the challenge
White wine takes stewing to a new level in Nigella’s Coq Au Riesling.
Day 11: autumnal bliss
Sweet, buttery, silky divinity - chaperoned, welcomingly, in each mouthful by the sharp tanginess of blue cheese and the crunch of toasted pine nuts in Nigella’s Pappardelle with Butternut and Blue Cheese.