My Life In Recipes: Kitty Coles
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My love of food was inspired by my parents, who owned a small, daily changing seasonal restaurant in Marlborough, Wiltshire. It opened when I was five years old, and I have fond memories of our time there. I’d often get up at around 4am with my dad to go to the veg market in Bristol or Smithfield market in London. Looking back, it seems mad that he would drive all that way to get the fruit, veg and meat himself, but he liked to see what looked good – and, most importantly, to get a good deal! I’d sit on the counter, folding napkins or polishing cutlery for hours while chatting to the staff or customers, taking a few breaks to hide in the basement and eat the fresh focaccia. I took it for granted back then, and only now realise how lucky he was that it was always busy. They worked incredibly hard and managed to raise three daughters while doing it.
The first dish I ever made was inspired by my first Mary Berry cookbook. It was a small A5-sized book with all the basic baking recipes. I loved it, and remember making Victoria sponges and marbled loaf cakes when I was really young. And of course, a roast chicken. If I were to create a signature recipe now, it would have to include roast chicken... or shortbread.
A childhood recipe that holds a special place in my heart is one I talk about a lot. My mum was always at home making meringues, shortbread, treacle tart and crème brûlée. It was a child's dream to come home and lick the greaseproof paper from chocolate nemesis cakes. She taught me how to make her shortbread from a really young age, as it was so easy. I started making it for my family on Sundays and eventually took over from my mum to make it for the restaurant. I must have been about 11 or 12.
A family recipe I make time and again is homemade stocks. My dad’s obsessed and I’m the same. A bowl of simple chicken broth, rice and leftover chicken will always make me feel better. Roast a chicken and make stock – it’s my number one kitchen tip.
A simple recipe everyone should have in their repertoire is a good basic cake. I have an 'Any Cake Cake' recipe in my book which is a one-stop sponge. It can be made into muffins, layered cakes, loaves or tray bakes – the flavours and customisation options are endless.
My favourite dessert to make is probably a flourless chocolate cake – it’s always a crowd-pleaser. But I also love making pastry. I tend to make some form of flaky pastry that I can then turn into a galette, frangipane, custard tart or simply bake plain with lots of demerara sugar and pile it high with whipped cream and seasonal fruit.
A recipe that always gets compliments is the charred tomato broth from my book. It’s so simple but full of flavour, and people seem to love making it. The recipe serves four and starts by heating a dry, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add 400g of cherry tomatoes and char them all over for six to ten minutes until blistered and softened. A couple of minutes before the end, add four whole garlic cloves and char them for two minutes, making sure not to burn them. Transfer the charred tomatoes and garlic to a large saucepan over medium-high heat, then add two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of tomato purée. Fry for two minutes until the purée turns a darker red. Add a litre of water or vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 30-45 minutes. Taste, then add 25g of basil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Once satisfied with the flavour, stir in 150g of fregola, rice, orzo or tinned beans, and cook for six and seven minutes until tender. To serve, top with more basil, a knob of butter or a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil, chilli flakes, parmesan, and additional seasoning if needed.
My go-to recipe for entertaining guests at this time of year is slow-cooked chicken with something seasonal. The trick is to roast chicken legs on high for 30 minutes, add white wine, then turn down the heat and roast for another 45 minutes until the chicken is crispy and falling off the bone. You can't overcook it, so it's ready whenever your guests are. At this time of year, I’d serve it with creamy parmesan polenta and crispy pan-fried mushrooms to spoon over the top, plus a big salad.
For a quick weeknight dinner, I hate to be a bore but it’s most likely going to be an omelette. At the moment, I love making rice and omelette, then serving it with limey fish sauce, a chilli Vietnamese cucumber and a carrot salad. Or maybe I’ll make a simple sauce pasta.
An underrated classic recipe I love is a really good green sauce. Blitzed-up blanched cavolo nero, kale or spinach with loads of basil or parsley, extra virgin olive oil and parmesan. It’s great for using up what you’ve got and works perfectly stirred through pasta, spread on bread with ricotta, or dolloped on the side of meat or fish.
The autumnal recipes I’m loving at the moment tend to include leeks. I’ve been making a delicious pasta dish where I sweat the leeks down until soft, then toss them through the pasta with plenty of parmesan, a little butter and pasta water. Another go-to of mine is roast squash with kale, feta and pine nut butter – it’s something I make a lot at home and it never disappoints.
The ingredients I find myself reaching for most often include fennel seeds, good quality olive oil (I love Citizens of Soil or Honest Oil), lemons – I use SO many lemons – and a good quality vinegar (I always use Willy's). Chilli oil (Mamma Yu’s or White Mausu), cucumber, a mountain of herbs, homemade chicken stock, a jar of Bold Beans, sushi rice, short-grain brown rice, and a great selection of pastas are also staples in my kitchen.
A recipe that represents my personal cooking style would be the sweet breadcrumbs from my book (it’s also on Mob Kitchen). Fry breadcrumbs in butter, sugar and sesame seeds, then spoon over ice cream – I love to use everyday ingredients and make them taste amazing.
The most challenging recipe I’ve ever attempted is hard to pin down – there have been so many! After working on cookbooks and magazines for so long, I’ve had many times when I’ve been put on the spot to make something I’ve never done before. But I love a challenge, and so far nothing’s gone too wrong. I remember some of the recipes on the Bread Ahead cookbook were challenging, especially the complex baking ones I’d never attempted before. Cookbooks need to be perfect, so there’s always a lot of pressure – but everything turned out well, and I love how the images came out.
I’m not someone who really keeps up with food trends. I tend to stick to seasonal ingredients that excite me when they come around. I cook things I crave and take inspiration from restaurants. Staying inspired and creative when styling food comes easily when you’re cooking delicious things – it makes styling so much easier.
Travel influences my cooking and recipe creation hugely. I travel a lot for work and pleasure, and I’d really struggle if I didn’t. I need to taste, see and experience things to be inspired – I can’t just see something on a screen. My dad grew up in Mallorca, and my parents now live there, so I visit a lot. The produce and markets there are amazing for creativity. Being based between London, Dublin and Mallorca keeps me on my toes.
To make home meals look more appealing, don’t overcrowd the plate – it’s nice not to have too much at once, and it also lets you see what you’re eating. Finishing a dish with lemon zest, herbs or parmesan is always a good idea, along with that final drizzle of olive oil.
For more recipe and travel inspo, follow @KITTYCOLES
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