BBC 1 | Daily Kitchen

Well this thread went well. What annoys me about Ready, Steady, Cook and other shows which claim to cook up food you'll have already is the idea that anyones basics food stock extends past salad cream and mint sauce.

Funny you should say that:




Reminds me of when I heard someone describe spaghetti bolognaise as 'posh food'

What is a working class solution for budget food? Beans on toast? Pasta and ketchup? We had her risotto the other day, it was very basic - only about 5 ingredients and it was very nice. Is that working class or middle class food?

Really? You don't have a cupboard with a few herbs and spices in or some flour?

It's never the flour that's the problem. It's the pinch of baking powder, the teaspoon of yeast etc. that usually catches you out.

So this started today, and I'm sure some of you are desperate to hear what I thought about it.

As Jack Monroe developed a cough yesterday she appeared by Skype which unfortunately had a bad connection. That can't be helped and the cough is gone so hopefully she'll be in soon.

This left Matt Tebbutt to cook Jack's recipe in the studio, a "cheap go-to dish packed with store-cupboard and freezer staples". That's provided you consider root ginger, fresh lemons, paprika, cumin and turmeric cupboard staples and you're never without a bag of spinach in your freezer.

It may surprise you that I felt Jack's contribution, albeit distorted, was probably the strongest aspect of the show. Yes the recipe is a very "Islington set" idea of cooking on a budget, but she seemed very amiable and grounded, possibly enhanced by how out of touch Matt appeared to be with the reality of the times we're living in now.

Matt's contribution was - bizarrely - a "Leftover Lamb broth", because obviously we've all had the family over for an Easter Sunday roast and are desperate to get rid of the leftovers. This recipe came with an eye watering SEVENTEEN ingredients. (We're going to need a considerably bigger essentials cupboard.)

We were helpfully dictated a list of essential items we should definitely have in that cupboard:

1. Paprika
2. Chilli powder
3. Curry powder
4. Cumin
5. Dried bay leaves
6. Turmeric
7. White wine vinegar
8. Italian mixed herbs
9. Lemon juice
10. Mustard

There was a particularly condescending remark from Matt about using bottled lemon juice instead of fresh lemons, a stance challenged by Jack.

The rest of the show was padded out with a couple of filmed inserts including one by - low and behold - Nadiya Hussain and another with Monty Don showing us how he grows his own veg in his vegetable garden.

It's basically what I thought it would be. To use a retro comparison, it's very Blue Peter when I'd have preferred Magpie.

But luckily for me, on the other side Alison Hammond was making her mum's recipe for Banana Bread live from her kitchen, with interchangeable ingredients, and while flour seems to be thin on the ground at the moment (which was acknowledged) it was entertaining, unassuming and certainly a recipe I'll be attempting at some point.

Is this going out live then?

Lol, I have all of those except lemon juice!

I'm sure Matt Tebbutt could fix you up with a bottle!

I have none of those, except lemon juice lol!

If you had that shopping list and the police stopped you they'd definitely send you home.

Is Matt the permanent host for Saturday Kitchen Live now, or are they still rotating? I always thought that he was the perfect replacement for James Martin.

The most surprising thing about this thread is apparently how little some people are seasoning their food! The list of ingredients being mocked for being things we should have in our cupboards is a pretty a basic mix of herbs, spices and flavourings IMO...

Some of the reactions above sound like they're from people that don't really cook (hence the incredulity about being expected to have an 85p pot of Tesco ground turmeric at home), and as such aren't actually going to be cooking any of the recipes from the show anyway and are just itching for an argument!