food philosophy and a word about hot-pots

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I very seldom cook with any conscious care, only when making something like profiteroles that demand being exact with the measurements. If I have a food philosophy, I think that the basics are proportion and lack of unnecessary complication. When I first married, my husband was vegetarian so I had to expand my vegetarian repertoire. Later on we both realised that we actually needed meat so we started having roast chicken and fish. We still don't eat dark meat. We both love leeks so I use them regularly, and we both love the flavour they add to a dish.

When I'm trying out something new I aim to keep the flavours clear, and not allow any one to smother the others, that's where proportion and simplicity are important. I do think about nutrition and keep the fat and salt levels low. I try to find a balance between proteins and vitamins. That's why both hot-pots have beans in them and are meals in themselves not needing any accompaniment. The leek and mushroom hot-pot just occurred to me the other night so I tried it and it worked! Serendipity is very important in life and in cooking.

The basic distinction between hot-pot and a casserole is that the hot-pot usually has sliced potatoes on top. My dictionary defines it as: "a dish of hot mutton seasoned and stewed in a pot, with sliced potatoes, or similar mixture." Maybe another distinction is that hot-pot is cooked in a pot, rather than a saucepan, and baked in the oven. As with many things the terminology is probably very loosely used nowadays. The most direct association is with Lancashire hot-pot. "The Cookery of England" by Elizabeth Ayrton gives a recipe which she claims to be the original as cooked in the kitchens of Loughton Hall. It uses "8 very good lean chump chops, 3 sheeps kidneys, 240g. mushrooms, 60g. butter, 60g. cooked lean ham, 1k. potatoes, 1/2 k. onions, 1/2 pint stock, pepper and salt, a pinch a cayenne, 1 teaspoon mace and a little finely chopped thyme". It states that "This dish should be sent to table in the pot". The recipe serves 8 people.

Try Isobel's modern, healthy versions of hot pot:eggplant hot pot, leek and mushroom hot pot, London butterbean hot pot. To go with it, make Isobel's healthy, delicious whole wheat bread then have apple meringue for dessert.