Milly’s Real Food: 100+ easy and delicious recipes to comfort, restore and put a smile on your face

COPYRIGHT

HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 2017

Text © Nicola Millbank 2017

Nicola Millbank asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2017 ISBN: 9780008215057

Version: 2017-03-31

Design: HQ | Louise McGrory

Editor: HQ | Rachel Kenny

Production: Milly Cookbook Ltd.

Photography: Susanna Blåvarg

Food stylist: Sara Assum Hultberg with Nicola Millbank

Props stylist: Susanna Blåvarg with Nicola Millbank

Clothing and jewellery:

Missoma: Image 1, Title Page. Image 4, Introduction. Image 20, Mains. Images 17 and 18, Puddings and Sweet Treats. Image 1, Sides, Snacks and Sauces.

Whistles: Image 12, Brunch.

COS: Front Cover. Image 1, Stockholm Markets and Restaurants.

Cyberjammies: Image 8, Brunch.

Astley Clarke: Image 19, Puddings and Sweet Treats.

Make-up: Katie Nixon

Hair: Kieron Lavine

Recipe testing: Sara Assum Hultberg

Thank you also to Anthropology: Image 2, Fridge, Freezer and Cupboard Essentials

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

HarperCollinsPublishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication.

DEDICATION

For my Grandad, Walter, who at the ripe old age of 101 taught me

that “a little bit of what you fancy does you good.”

CONTENTS:

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Introduction

Fridge, Freezer and Cupboard Essentials

Brunch

Brunch

Juices and Smoothies

Milly Green Juice

Apple, Orange, Carrot and Ginger Juice

Pink Lemonade

Pineapple, Cucumber and Mint Juice

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Banana, Date and Cinnamon Smoothie

Mixed Berry, Almond and Yoghurt Smoothie

Courgette, Asparagus and Feta Egg White Frittata

Greek Baked Eggs

Cashew, Cranberry and Coconut Granola

Cinnamon Hazelnut Milk

Light Banana Pancakes with Orange Drizzle

Berry and Granola Frozen Yoghurt Lollies

Mum’s Toasted Lemon Drizzle Agave Bread

Halloumi, Prosciutto and Smashed Avocado Sarnie with Mustard Maple Syrup Dip

Hot Smoked Salmon, Watercress and Dill Potato Cakes

SweetCorn Fritters, with Bacon and a Quick Tomato Chutney

Girls’ Brunch

Light Bites

Light Bites

Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup with Kale and Pistachio Pesto

Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

Clams with Pancetta and Cider

Chicken, Leek and Ginger Potstickers

Rainbow Salad Rolls with Tangy Peanut Dip

Halloumi Fries with Soured Cream, Honey and Pomegranate

Pan-Fried Gnudi with a Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce

Cauliflower “Rice” Smoked Salmon Sushi Rolls

Paprika Hummus with Baked Wholewheat Crisps

Chilled Cucumber and Coconut Soup

Filo Pissaladière with Sweet Onions, Anchovies and Olives

Grilled Peach, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola Salad with Frosted Walnuts

Bang Bang Chicken Salad

Mushroom, Ricotta and Thyme Filo Quiche

Sticky Calamari with Ginger and Coriander

Beetroot Salmon Gravadlax with Pickled Cucumber

Chargrilled Prawns with Lemon and Chilli

Stilton, Pear and Caramelised Onion Tarts

Pork, Cranberry and Sage Sausage Rolls

Milly’s Munchies 3 Ways:

Panko Salmon and Cream Cheese Bites with Dill and Mustard Mayo

Molten Sausage Balls with Hot Sauce Mayo

Mozzarella Stuffed Arancini with Tomato Sauce

Canapés

Mains

Mains

Flourless Pizza — however you like it

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Garlic, Chilli and Rocket

Pan-Fried Sea Bass Fillets with Burnt Butter and Caper Sauce

Harissa Lamb Meatballs with Bulgur Wheat, Mint and Yoghurt

Roast Chicken, Leek and Barley Risotto with the Best Gravy

One-Pot Spelt Spaghetti

Fried Chicken Thighs with Homemade Sweet Chilli Jam

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese

Mike’s Paella

Lemon and Prosciutto Fettuccini

Coq au Vin Pie

Jerk and Rioja Lamb Shanks with Rice and Peas

Asian Beef Lettuce Cups

Sicilian Mackerel with Capers, Pine Nuts and Sultanas

Aubergine Lasagne

Sweet and Sticky Pork Ribs

Salmon and Brown Rice Patties with Watercress and Lime Soured Cream

Moroccan Shepherd’s Pie

Slow-Cooked Oxtail Ragu with Parmesan Mash and Gremolata Oil

One-Pot Sticky Sausage and Three-Bean Cassoulet

Chicken Katsu Curry Burgers with Pickled Asian Slaw

Creamy Saffron and Prosecco Mussels

Honey Garlic Shredded Beef and Brown Rice Bowls

Couscous-Crusted Chicken with Chunky Puttanesca

Baked Cod with Prosciutto and Rustic Pea and Mint Mash

Prawn, Chorizo and Beetroot Barley Risotto

Pea and Pecorino Risotto with Pangrattato

Courgette and Parmesan Orzotto with Crispy Spinach Balls

Courgette and Chickpea Burgers with Whipped Feta and Pickled Cucumber

American-Style Banquet

Puddings and Sweet Treats

Puddings and Sweet Treats

Raspberry and Rose Jelly Cheesecake

Peach and Thyme Filo Tarte Tatin

Death by Chocolate and Peanut Butter Brownie Cake

Frozen Chocolate Banana Lollies

Lemon and Raspberry Vicky Sponge

Portuguese Almond Cake

Pimm’s, Cointreau and Raspberry Jellies

Rose-Shaped Apple Tarts with Walnut Crust

Biscotti, Honey-Baked Figs and Cheese

No-Fuss Chocolate Pizza

Amaretto Chocolate Truffles

Cinnamon and Chai Tea Poached Pears

Nan’s Lemon Mousse with Toasted Coconut

Mojito Frozen Yoghurt

Lavender and Honey Cupcakes

Oreo Cupcakes

Afternoon Tea

Sides, Snacks and Sauces

Sides, Snacks and Sauces

Kale and Pistachio Pesto

Dill and Walnut Pesto

Homemade Butter 3 Ways

Sundried Tomato and Parmesan Butter

Dill, Lemon and Parsley Butter

Cinnamon-Sugar and Orange Rind Butter

Tangy Peanut Dip

Sweet Chilli Jam

Radish and Red Onion Pickle

Rose Petal Rosemary and Garlic Potatoes

“Cherry Bakewell” Bites

Shredded Sprout and Pomegranate Salad

Honeyed Dijon Green Beans with Toasted Almonds

“Chocolate Brownie” Bites

Sriracha and Lime Baked Corn

Buffalo Roasted Chickpeas

Sweet Miso-Baked Aubergine

Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Chai Spice and Sea Salt Popcorn

Homemade Fruit Gums

Lemon, Lime and Thyme Curd

Homemade Chocolate Spread

Summer Picnic

Dog Biscuits Apple and Cheddar Bites

My Instagram Faves @millycookbook

London Street Food and Markets

Stockholm Markets and Restaurants

Shooting the Book in Stockholm

List of Searchable Items

About the Publisher

INTRODUCTION

So, here we are.

If you’re after a no-nonsense approach to home cooking, with a sprinkle of delicious recipes, a dash of reality and a ladle of EAT CARBS AND BE HAPPY, then this is your kind of book.

But before we go any further, a little bit about me. I’m an actress by trade, but I’m also a devoted foodie. And by that I mean I spend most of my spare time thinking up new recipes, writing about food, and dreaming about what I’m going to eat next. I live in London with my fiancé Mike and my miniature Dachshund Darcey, and in summer 2015 I set up a website, Milly Cookbook, to document my life in food. I had no idea then that my passion project would become a second all-consuming full-time job!

I don’t do elimination diets. I do, however, eat just about everything, so don’t be surprised if you see chicken wings or sweet potato gnocchi in here. My mantra is quite simple: Eat everything in moderation. So in this book you’ll find recipes that embrace all ingredients and food groups from pancakes to paella, salads to sticky ribs.

Unless you’ve had your head in the sand, I’m sure you’ve heard of the “clean eating” trend that’s been sweeping the nation. If that’s your gig, then cool. As you were. But that’s not my thing. My primary issue with the term “clean eating” is that it insinuates that unless you follow a sugarfree, alcohol-free (God forbid), gluten-free lifestyle, you are eating dirty. Eating a bowl of courgetti instead of spaghetti is about as appealing to me as eating a sponge. I do not get a kick out of that. And don’t get me started with the raw-avocado-matchaquinoa brownies … just have a brownie and enjoy it!

The worst thing for me, perhaps, is the term “guilt-free”. In the early days, I toyed with this tagline, but it soon became very apparent that there was something fundamentally wrong with it and I asked myself the question, “Why do we need guilt-free alternatives?” This surely perpetuates the notion that we have something to feel guilty about. Why should we feel guilty for eating food that we enjoy? Why have we abandoned staples such as bread and pasta? “Enough of the self-persecuting, self-diagnosing and demonising food groups,” I thought. “It’s time to enjoy our food again.”

Not an easy ideal to stick to when you’re in my line of work, I’ll admit. I’m privy to the pressures that are put on women (and men for that matter) to fit the narrow definition of what the media think a woman (or man) should look like. Although I love what I do, I can become impatient and frustrated with the industry. It’s very fickle; judging people on their looks and not their talent. It could be very demoralising in the early days, but I quickly learnt that you have to grow a thick skin and just power through. It’s important to be yourself and not succumb to the pressures put on everyone to look a certain way. I really look up to the women who defy these rules; who’ve turned their backs and called people out on it. They’re the women who’ve made history.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking – an actress woke up one day, decided she wanted to do a book and so had an entire team of people writing it for her with her name slapped on the front, right? Wrong. Blood, sweat and tears have been poured into making this book, not only because I’m an utter control freak and wanted to be involved in every part of it, but because I was given the chance. My publisher took the rather brave step of handing over the creative reins, allowing me complete control over the photography, the food styling, the props – the whole look and feel of the book! And I think we’ve created something rather wonderful. I did a lot of research online before I stumbled upon a photographer – Susanna – whose work I loved, and I fired off an email with no expectations whatsoever. I was stunned when she emailed back to say she was available, and she wanted to work with me! Next I found a beautiful and talented food stylist – Sara – and a team of fabulous hair and makeup artists and, we then shot the book in Stockholm, Sweden, returning to my distant Scandinavian roots to take inspiration from the colour schemes, the laidback attitude, effortlessly cool interiors and food. All of the recipes are mine: I’ve created them, tested them, tweaked them and now I want to share them with you. I’ve learnt so much already and I hope this is just the beginning of my food journey.

Growing up, I always sat down to dinner with my family. No matter what anyone was doing we always made it back to the table. The kitchen was the hub of our home; we cooked, we laughed, we cried, we ate and drank and caught up on the day’s events together. Mealtimes equating togetherness is such an important mentality to have. Because of this I always associate food with family, talking and laughing – positivity. Snacking and eating on the go makes food become fuel. I’m very much a person who lives to eat and doesn’t eat to live; it’s such an important part of my life. Home cooking is, after all, what we all do. We survive on it every day. It is something we all have in common.

And this is why I want to celebrate the home cook again, dedicate my time to making real food and always aim for lagom (a Swedish term meaning “just the right amount”).

When I moved to London aged 18, I started to try lots of new food from all over the world – from Japan to France via Portugal. My cooking, however, wasn’t quite so cosmopolitan. Shepherd’s Pie, stir-fries and tray bakes were pretty much all I could cook and I quickly tired of the beige monotony. Something had to change. Cooking became my hobby; I experimented with flavours, learnt a few of the basics and began curating dishes, many of which have made it into this book.

I’m not a chef – I never have been and I’ve never tried to be. (And, for the record, I have appalling knife skills and I’m not afraid to admit it.) What I am, is passionate about home cooking, mixing flavours and experimenting with recipes that can be enjoyed with friends and family. Creating something that makes us happy and brings us all together.

So I wanted to create a book with recipes that were a fitting testament to that philosophy, using accessible and affordable ingredients – no weekly pay cheques spent at health food shops on coconut oil and spirulina. It’s all about fresh, easy to find and reasonably priced produce, the best of British grub cooked to perfection and embracing Scandinavian, European, Mediterranean, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisines.

I also wanted to create a book that the generations of female cooks and chefs before me would be proud of. It’s these ladies who have blazed a trail, and who have given me the courage to stand confidently by my values regarding what we eat, how we eat, and our relationship with food. This is my way of saying thank you to them. Above all, Milly’s Real Food is a little bit of everything; how I like to eat at home and what I cook my friends and family. As my hero of a grandfather, Walter, would say: “A little bit of what you fancy does you good.” Let’s get cooking some Real Food.

P.S. Share your recipe photos, favourite foodie haunts, meal ideas, and real food tips, tricks and hacks with me on Instagram @millycookbook or Twitter @MillyCookbook, with the hashtag #MillysRealFood

WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR FRIDGE

FRUIT & VEGETABLES

Berries: strawberries, blueberries and raspberries – perfect for breakfast, they can be frozen for smoothies and made into jams when they’re on their way out. Lots of lemons and limes for easy seasoning and bringing a dish to life immediately. Anything green: broccoli, green beans and sprouts – fantastic sources of iron and easy to use as a base, just add a dressing or a sauce; grill or fry to make dinner a bit more exciting. Mini Cos lettuce and cucumber for their refreshing crunch, plus celery, carrots and banana shallots as the base for casseroles, ragu, pasta sauces and risotto.DELI

Prosciutto or Parma ham – eat the slices as they are, or, for a twist, try frying them as a bacon alternative; add to stews and sauces for an extra kick of flavour. Chorizo – essential for Mike’s Paella and a game-changer with seared scallops and in chicken dishes.DAIRY

Halloumi and feta cheese and the full-on stinky blues. Full fat, salted butter. Parmesan to make any savoury dish sing, and it lasts forever.MEAT

Chicken – buy a whole bird, roast it and live off the leftovers for days: cost-effective and extremely versatile. Beef brisket, chuck and oxtail for slow-cooked and hearty ragu. Pork or beef mince for Bolognese: double up the ingredients and you can freeze portions for later meals. Good-quality sausages have more uses than just bangers and mash: squeeze the meat out into pasta sauces and slice them into stews.FISH

Salmon, cod and prawns – quick to cook, packed full of goodness and easy to rustle up a meal in minutes.

WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR CUPBOARD

VEGETABLES

Potatoes – sweet potatoes, new potatoes and Desirée for the best dauphinoise. Mushrooms: chestnut, shiitake, enoki, oyster – the weirder, the better. Do try different ones. Tomatoes in all shapes and colours, if you can find them – perfect as a light lunch with mozzarella and a staple for homemade tomato sauce.OILS

Extra-virgin olive oil – the best you can afford, for drizzling. Rapeseed oil for cooking because it has a higher smoke point, which means it retains its nutritional qualities even after being heated. Toasted sesame oil makes Asian dishes really wonderful.HERBS & SPICES

Chilli flakes, dried rosemary, thyme and oregano are my cupboard essentials and go into so many of my recipes. Chinese five spice, curry powder and turmeric lend themselves to lots of dishes, adding colour and a delicious depth of flavour. Ground and whole cinnamon works brilliantly in savoury and sweet dishes and drinks. Saffron is, without doubt, the most decadent, but a little goes a long way. Add to the cooking water when preparing rice for a fragrant dish or work into seafood pasta sauces. Salt must be flaked sea salt. Don’t bother with table salt to season your food, leave that for the pasta water.BREAD & BISCUITS

ANYTHING – I’m pro-carbs. Pitta, bagels, tortillas, fluffy white loaf, crackers and oatcakes are my favourites and form the basis of an instant delicious lunch or substantial snack (there’s no beating a ham and cheese toastie when you’re starving and the cupboard is bare). Store bread in the freezer if you don’t manage to get through a whole loaf or pack in 3 days.

WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR CUPBOARD

EGGS

Free-range hen’s eggs (also duck eggs are tasty and available at a lot of big supermarkets).CONDIMENTS

Stock jelly or cubes save dishes which need that extra oomph; soy sauce, oyster sauce, Sriracha (the only hot sauce worth its salt) and hoisin are all essential for Asian dishes; peanut butter – dollop into sauces and dips, fry with chicken and add to noodles and broth for an extra kick; Marmite – treat it like stock in stews and ragu, it adds a different element to a hearty dish; wholegrain and Dijon mustard work their way into almost every vegetable side dish of mine as well as salad dressings.DRIED & GRAINS

Pasta: Love it all, but lasagne sheets are my cupboard essential. White and brown rice, Arborio risotto rice and pearl barley – different but my absolute favourite and pleasingly chewy.TINNED

I always have jars of passata and tins of tomatoes – cherry, chopped or whole. They go into every Italian pasta dish and stew – I buy them by the truck-load. Coconut cream is much better than coconut milk, it has ten times more flavour. Chickpeas – a single tin of chickpeas can make a tub of homemade hummus; I also like to roast them and drench with hot sauce to make a tasty snack.