Great gifts for foodies this Christmas

Lacking culinary inspiration? Here are nine new, cool cookbooks to get you into the kitchen…

Our cookbook of the month … heck, the year … has to be A Year of Seasonal Dishes. This collection of recipes from Food and Home Entertaining has seasonal recipes for every month on the year. Gorgeous, glorious recipes … like potato-and-prosciutto tart; grilled aubergine with mozzarella, mint and pomegranate rubies; white bean and baby-marrow burgers with cashew mayo and a sport salad. For the more glutinous (yip, that’s us) there’s a Mile-high chocolate-brownie flapjack stack with pretzel brittle and peanut-butter sauce. Good grief! For hot summer summer, make watermelon and vodka ices, or the rose, pink pepper and Champagne slush, which is without a doubt the prettiest cocktail we’ve ever seen. Human and Rousseau, around R350

As a child, Jackie Cameron was taught to make biscuits by her grandmothers and her love of food was born. In Baking with Jackie Cameron, you’ll find a few of her grandmother’s tried and tested recipes along with those to which she has given her own twist. Baked treats range from easy-peasy lavender and jam-drop biscuits through some interesting breads and on to the most yummy savoury treats like twice-baked Gorgonzola souffle and trout quiche. And when it comes to the sweet stuff your taste buds will shout ‘hooray’. Think red wine pear puff tarts with caramel sauce; orange custard puddings and apple, pecan nut and cinnamon cake. Sigh! Penguin, R290.

Obviously Jamie needs no introduction. Super Food – Family Classics is Jamie Oliver’s collection of much-loved classic, comfort food … with a healthy, super-food twist. So there may be porridge, but it’s chocolate (yum) with Greek yoghurt and fresh seasonal fruit. There are a handful of ways to make the simple boiled egg more interesting, 18 (yes, 18!) ways with avo on rye, fab wholewheat pasta dishes and loads of fish dishes served with vitamin-loaded veggies. There are also tips for fussy eaters and heathy eating habits. Michael Joseph, R395.

Although born in the USA, Ana Patuleia Ortins learned her love of Portuguese food from her immigrant parents. In Authentic Portuguese Cooking she explores dishes not only from mainland Portugal, but also from the islands of the Azores and Madeira, with a couple of nods to Mozambique. There’s St Michael Island-style spicy beef steaks and mushroom-stuffed pork with pomegranate sauce very different veggie creations – even braised goat. There are chicken and salt cod dishes galore, yummy breads, luscious sweet treats and some amazing sauces and marinades. Page Street Publishing, R420.

‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ … but not in the case of Valentina Rice’s Recipes From Many Kitchens. The author scoured the UK to find the most talented producers making the most innovative food, who have generously shared their expertise. Among the more than 80 recipes you’ll find a decadent French breakfast menu, a Southern summer picnic), and an English tea. The recipes swing round the world via India, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico and various Asian countries. Can’t wait to give some of these dishes a try. Page Street Publishing, around R489.

If you enjoy food, but are a hesitant cook, salads are a good way to start. After all, it’s impossible to burn lettuce! Healthy eating enthusiast Chantal Lascaris spent 10 years or so creating new and interesting salads. Her book, All Sorts of Salads, is the delectable result. She combines fennel and radishes; watermelon and feta; figs, pancetta and Roquefort … all with delicious abandon. Using fillet steak, crayfish, pork, sashimi and chicken she covers the entire gamut of tempting edibles. She even offers a breakfast salad for heaven’s sake! And when it comes to sweet treats, how about champagne granita with fruit blinis or Christmas ice cream with nectarine purée? Oh my! The final touch is a mouth-watering selection of dressings. Struik Lifestyle, R236.

Nothing beats home cooking, but the reality is that we are often pressed for time. The collection of easy and affordable recipes in The Cookbook, compiled by Your Family, provides for all tastes … from comforting soups and stews to the best-dressed pasta, from chicken masterpieces to fish favourites. There are one-dish wonders and meals you can whip up in less than 30 minutes, perfect for busy moms on school nights! Whether you want to celebrate a special occasion or are looking for midweek dessert, you’ll find it here. Human & Rousseau, R275.

There has been plenty of controversy about the low-carb, high fat diet – aka the Banting or the Tim Noakes diet – but more and more scientific evidence supports it. However, giving up that chocolate cake is hard! In The Banting Baker – Low Carb High Fat Treats, Catherine Speedie takes care of the problem … in seriously scrumptious style. Pressing various nuts, seeds and spices into service, she dishes up pizzas, muffins, snacks, breads, cookies and cakes … think fresh lime cheesecake tart, apple and cranberry upside-down cake and zucchini, cashew and mushroom loaf. There’s also loads of useful extra info. Jacana, R280.

Packed with a huge variety of fruits and flavours, Carol Beckerman’s 500 Green & Detox Juices is the only compendium of detox recipes you’ll ever need. From filling breakfasts and summer treats to kids’ parties, and even a green apple martini, the only problem you might have is making up your mind what to choose. We fancy the orange and strawberry with cashew milk as well as the redcurrant and peach. Struik, R140.

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