Let's take a trip down memory lane, and look at 2012's most popular recipes. These 10 dishes have either been viewed by a lot of people, or received an impressive number of complimentary comments.
All hail Elizabeth David, one of the most seminal characters in the history of British cooking. Her moules marinière recipe may be an oldie (a couple of people question her use of flour as a thickening agent), but it sure is a goodie. She shows us how to serve mussels three ways in this recipe.
Our beef stroganoff recipe was hugely popular in 2012. Recipe author Jassy Davis describes it as “a classic 1970s dinner party dish that matches elegant French cooking with Russian opulence…” You’ll need beef fillet, mushrooms, butter, brandy, sour cream, paprika and fresh herbs for this beauty.
Time for a bit of heat, and Maunika Gowardhan’s spicy paneer and spinach bites. Each morsel is made up of Indian cheese paneer (be sure to grate it coarsely), mashed potatoes, fresh ginger, green chillies, coriander and korma paste. Enjoy at a party with a mint yoghurt dip or some chilli chutney.
Team loveFOOD took to the studio kitchen this year to film our very own recipe videos. Here I am experimenting with boiled, cumin roasted and buttery glazed carrots, complete with colour coordinated top. Our recipe videos have been well received so far – thank you all for the comments!
Chickpeas with chorizo, by Jose Pizarro. As he explains himself, it’s a “cross between a soup and a stew and is served in homes all over Spain; that tells you how good it is”. Apparently it’s a great hangover cure too, aside from the fact that it goes really well with a nice bottle of Spanish red.
Anjali Pathak’s simple chicken biryani always impresses, and is done in under an hour. Recipe comments include “I made this last night for supper and it was delicious. Thank you!” and “[you have] inspired me, a bacon and egg man, to try the chicken biryani recipe…”
Ever tried making your own chilli oil? This recipe is an absolute cracker, and the end result is far better than anything you can buy from the shops. Remember to use a flavourless oil (groundnut is best) so that you can only taste the chilli and herbs, and sterilize your bottle before filling it.
We’re on to the puddings now. Callum Hann’s no-bake chocolate cake involves zilch effort, but gives excellent rewards. It’s more of a terrine than a cake, and is basically just a matter of melting and combining all the ingredients (chocolate, digestives, almonds, figs, pistachios…) and setting in the fridge.
Another quick-fix cake, this time from The Sorted Crew. Their cake in a mug recipe just involves bunging a load of ingredients into a mug, cooking in the microwave for a couple of mintues, and eating straight away. “It works a treat,” said one user. “I did one for my daughter to lure her out of bed!”
Pippa Kendrick’s gluten free mocha fudge cake sneaked into the top 10, too. It’s made from rapeseed oil, walnuts, cocoa powder, maple syrup and a little rice milk, and tastes divine. “I made this cake for my gluten and dairy free friend. It was absolutely delicious, rich and gooey,” says one happy bunny.
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