A Delightful Little Starter or Snack I was out for dinner in a lovely local French restaurant recently and this dip caught my eye. It wasn’t the fanciest starter on offer but it was just what I was in the mood for (before I tucked into a very delicious steak frites main course). It was…
A Risotto for Spring Time I love risotto and at when spring arrives, it has to be risotto primavera for me. A classic Italian dish, using seasonal spring vegetables – asparagus has a short season in the UK, so I love to let the it take centre stage for this recipe, along with some broad…
It’s that time again – the Pieathalon. Not just any old one, this is the 10th anniversary of the pie extravaganza – we nominate a vintage pie recipe, the fabulous Yinzerella of Dinner is Served 1972 chucks our names in her virtual hat and bestows upon us our pie challenge. I submitted a chicken pie…
Aubergine Season There’s an abundance of aubergines around now and I just LOVE them. I know some people who don’t care for them so much – I hope this recipe might help convert at least some of the doubters. Aubergine Parmigiana is truly an iconic Italian dish, literally meaning “aubergine Parmesan”. You’ll find it served…
Halloween Ghost Cupcakes Halloween is all about getting creative with dress up – and it doesn’t have to stop there, you can also get creative with cake. Transform a batch of cupcakes into gruesome masterpieces 🎃👻 If you’re looking for a festive last minute Halloween treat – these Ghost Cupcakes are the cupcakes to make. The…
Salad days I love this middle Eastern salad and to be honest I could tuck into it any time of year. Now that spring is upon us, it’s definitely a good time to start serving this crisp, fresh dish. It originated in northern Lebanon and always featured some leftover toasted bread, often pitta. Fattoush will…
Blood Orange Season Blood oranges have a short season – January to March, so there’s still time to make the most of them. We don’t grow them here in the UK, they’re mostly grown in Mediterranean countries. You can easily spot a blood orange – they have a lovely distinctive dark red rind and flesh.…
Burns Night Delight Cranachan is a Scottish dessert, traditionally made to celebrate the raspberry harvest in June. It’s also often served as part of a Burns Night supper, which would be in January, long before the Scottish raspberry season, but these days you can from time to time stray from what is strictly seasonal. It’s…
Mushroom Stroganoff I love this recipe – it’s quite quick and easy to put together and it’s so luxurious, with that cream and brandy (or wine if you prefer). Stroganoff is a Russian dish, traditionally made with sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce made with sour cream. It’s often made with beef and…
The classic French soup This is one of my favourite dishes – perfect for these chilly winter evenings. I was without a proper kitchen when I last made this, so I got to work in the Kitchen in the Lounge. I had the chopping board perched on a chest of drawers and a single induction…
Greek feast anyone? This is a welcome dish at any time as far as I’m concerned – a big bowl of rich and delicious butterbeans. Project new kitchen is finally under way, so for now I have just a single hob and a mini-fridge to work with in the Kitchen in the Lounge. It certainly…
A Different Way to Use Up Some Courgettes Actually, this cake is so good, it’s a bit unfair to suggest it’s something to bake with leftovers – it deserves a special trip to the greengrocer to buy some courgettes. But if you do have surplus and you’re wondering what to do with them – give…
Fairly Quick, Very Easy and Utterly Delicious This is a great salad for an easy weekday dinner. Of course, you can have it for lunch if you prefer, or even dinner. It’s perfect at any time of year: a little bit cold, but with a bit of warmth. If you’ve got time on your side,…
Polenta Chips How often do you go through your kitchen cupboards to see what you actually got? Well, a recent inspection revealed FIVE bags of polenta (three already open!) . Time for action…polenta chips! Polenta Chips Ingredients 1 litre vegetable stock pinch of salt 200g polenta Optional flavourings: Grated parmesan cheese Thyme Rosemary…
I was ridiculously excited when I got the annual email from the brilliant Yinzerella of Dinner is Served 1972, reminding me that it was once again coming up to Pieathalon time. This annual pie fest is all about digging out vintage recipes and nominating them to pie mistress Yinzeralla, who puts them all in her…
I was to bake a Hawaiian Banana Pie I was late to the pie party this year. So late in fact that the wonderful Yinzerella of Dinner is Served 1972 gave up waiting for me to get my act together and nominated a pie on my behalf. And so I was to be part of…
I’m Catherine Sloman, aka Battenburgbelle. Everything about food and cooking inspires me. Any excuse to hang out in the kitchen is fine by me! I’ve been writing a food blog for quite a few years now, all about my adventures as a home cook. Since then, I’ve gone on to write my own book – Kitchen Confidence – and have added other strings to my bow, including cookery classes and community catering.
with Catherine Sloman
Kitchen Confidence is a cookery school for anyone who wants to learn to love being in the kitchen or at the very least not to fear it. All my classes are currently available online. It’s all about building your confidence in the kitchen. Those lockdowns taught me that teaching cookery skills online really works. I teach in small groups and also offer one-to-one sessions, tailored to your needs. I can give cookery classes in my north London kitchen or I can come to you if you’re in the vicinity. And there are recipes and tips here at the Kitchen Confidence website.
If you’re not local to Kitchen Confidence HQ in north London, I can offer you an online class to get you ready to make that perfect meal or special dish. I also host online group sessions, so if you can’t get together with your friends or family in real life, why not join me for a fun online session tailored to your group?
by Catherine Sloman
My Kitchen Confidence cookbook is full of ideas for easy and delicious dishes and lots of tips and tricks to get you started in the kitchen. It is packed with my personal selection of recipes, based around dishes my family enjoys and old favourites I keep coming back to time after time. Every recipe is accompanied by a full colour photo, as well as including note pages with beautiful illustrations by Harry Stone. From breakfast to dinner and dessert, you’ll find loads of ideas to tickle your taste buds and maybe inspire you to turn the occasional date with the oven into a full-blown culinary affair with your kitchen!
Each recipe is straightforward, with a guide to how long it will take, what ingredients you could substitute and sometimes even a little bit of history. There’s a guide to useful store cupboard ingredients, equipment you might want to invest in and some tips and techniques for success in the kitchen.
As well as my cookery classes, I offer catering, from delivering delicious home baked goods locally – such as bread, biscuits or cakes – to cooking for dinner parties and other events. If you are in the N10 area or nearby, I can deliver to you or you can collect from me.
I also run a pop-up supper club, sometimes just for fun, sometimes to raise money for charity, including Missing People, the Alzheimer’s Society and the Royal National Life Boat Institution.
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