Hungry Hobbit’s Amy Brett Talks Favourite Dishes, Restaurants & More
EARLY FOODIE MEMORIES
My earliest food memory is my dad’s spaghetti bolognese. We always used to have it after school on a chilly evening. It was my favourite dinner growing up – I’d genuinely look forward to it from the moment I woke up. Years later, I discovered his secret ingredient was chicken livers (wisely kept from six-year-old me!). Now, I don’t make bolognese without them.
Food has always been a big part of my family’s life. My dad is a fantastic cook and we’ve always loved to eat. Growing up, mum, dad and I sat around the dinner table every night, eating and chatting about our days. It’s a ritual I will continue when I have a family of my own.
I’m not a breakfast girl, so my day starts with iced coffee – winter or summer. If I’m cooking at home, it’s usually a big bowl of brothy rice and marinated chicken. My most-made recipe is classic pomodoro with rigatoni: good tinned tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, fresh basil and lots of parmesan. It’s very simple, so there’s nowhere for bad ingredients to hide.
My ultimate comfort food is a proper jacket potato. Crispy skin, fluffy middle, lots of salted butter (never scrimp), mature cheddar and Heinz baked beans. Simple, nostalgic and very hard to beat. As for ingredients, I get through an alarming number of anchovies. I’d be lost without them.
LONDON FAVOURITES
I had a lovely girls’ dinner at Osteria Vibrato in Soho recently. The fritto misto was exceptional, the tartare is a must and obviously get the dirty martini, which is poured from what feels like ten feet in the air! Very dramatic, very fun.
Brat is somewhere I could eat every week. I love the open-fire cooking and the whole turbot is iconic for a reason. If the baked rice is on the menu, you better get it.
The best meal I’ve had recently was at a tiny taverna called Alexandros in Kefalonia. The owner has been cooking there for over 25 years and we had an incredible traditional Greek meat pie and moussaka. It was charming, rustic and the perfect end to a wonderful week.
For something more low-key, I love Salusbury Wine Store in Queen’s Park. Pick a good bottle, order some charcuterie, a couple of gildas or a tin of sardines, then grab a table outside for a long catch-up.
I also love Wildflowers in Newson’s Yard, just behind Pimlico Road. It does great Mediterranean-inspired food, with lots cooked over coals and a real focus on what’s in season.
The ultimate London food day? I’d start with smoked salmon, creamy scrambled eggs and a Bloody Mary at mine. Then an iced coffee from The Grocery Post in West Hampstead and a wander around the Heath, before heading to Eel in Notting Hill for the nigiri flight. Then it’s into Soho for something sexy and boozy at SOMA, before finishing at Bouchon Racine for the best pâté and duck of your life.
LATEST & CLASSIC OBSESSIONS
Let’s start with products and ingredients. Right now, I’m obsessed with Dudu Chilli Oil, Ottolenghi Shawarma Marinade, Borough Broth and The Pickle House Pickle Juice.
I’m often asked where I do my weekly shop. I’m a Waitrose girl through and through. My first job was behind the meat and fish counter and, 15 years later, I’m lucky enough to be creating recipes for them. It’s very full circle.
The one thing I always buy rather than make is puff pastry. Could I make it myself? Probably. Will I? Absolutely not. Life is too short.
My most-loved cookbook is Ottolenghi Simple. My copy is very well loved – splattered pages, folded corners, the lot.
There are honestly so many talented people in food right now. At the moment I’m loving everything @SlaterChef does; @KittyColes and @Ixta.Belfrage are the queens; @RosieMackeanPastaQueen and her genius salad-on-chips series; plus, @LuckyDragonSupperClub and @JimsTable are must-follows.
FOOD RULES TO LIVE BY
The biggest mistake people make at home is overcomplicating things. You don’t need 20 ingredients or restaurant-level techniques to make really good food. Don’t overthink it, don’t be afraid to go off-recipe and I’ve said it already, but never, ever scrimp on the butter.
There are certain dishes everyone should know how to make. In my book, those are a signature roast chicken, really good chicken stock, a fruit crumble, a pomodoro sauce and, perhaps most importantly, really good mash. Also, if you want to become a better cook, cook the same things more than once. You learn much more by making a dish three times and tweaking it than constantly chasing new recipes.
My dad once told me never to cook with a wine you wouldn’t happily drink. Safe to say, I’ve followed that advice very closely.
People should use more fish sauce. Not just in Asian cooking – a little splash adds incredible savoury depth without making everything taste fishy. It’s liquid umami.
HOSTING TIPS
A good dinner party needs three things to be successful: good food, a crispy pre-dinner cocktail and a host who isn’t stuck in the kitchen all night. I love serving big dishes in the middle of the table and letting everyone help themselves. I’m a planner until the first drink is poured, then all bets are off.
My dream menu? We would start with ice-cold martinis, gildas and oysters, followed by a golden roast chicken or whole roasted fish with crispy potatoes, aioli and a big herby salad. Then one enormous, fluffy chocolate mousse with softly whipped vanilla cream.
If you’re just doing drinks, I recommend teaming them with a few extras. Definitely olives – ideally big, buttery gordals – a good hunk of cheese, fresh baguette, some saucisson and a few cornichons.
GO-TO RECIPES
Inspired? Impress your guests with one of these tried & tested recipes from Amy…
Greek Salad Chicken Traybake
Preheat the oven to 190°C fan. Add the potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, onion, olives and garlic to a large roasting tray. Toss with olive oil, wine, oregano, salt and pepper.
Pat the chicken dry and season with olive oil and salt. Place one lemon inside the cavity and sit the chicken on top of the vegetables.
Roast for around 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on size, until golden, the juices run clear and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75°C.
Remove the chicken and rest for 15-20 minutes. Spoon off some excess fat from the tray, then stir through the red wine vinegar. Season to taste.
Blitz the feta, Greek yoghurt, olive oil and black pepper in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
Spoon the vegetables onto a platter, top with the chicken and whipped feta, then finish with lemon slices, chives and olive oil.
Harissa Chickpeas With Jammy Eggs & Buttery Toast
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and cook for 6.5 minutes. Transfer to cold water, then peel.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and harissa and cook for 5 minutes, until warmed through and saucy. Season.
Toast the bread and spread generously with butter. Halve the eggs and place on top of the chickpeas. Finish with Greek yoghurt and olive oil, then smash onto the toast and enjoy.
For more recipes & foodie inspiration, follow @THEHUNGRYHOBBIT
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