A word from Jill Dupleix

"Hell it's only food. Just enjoy it. Have fun."

I'm feeling lazy after my very short stint of childminding, so here is an A Word From post. I have to say I thought I had done Jill Dupleix but apparently not. So this is a long overdue one.

Alas I only have two books by Jill Dupleix. New Food and one of those little free booklets - Summer Food. I think it came up in a Lucky Dip post, so maybe that's why I think I have done Jill Dupleix.

She is Australian and married to Terry Durack - food critic. I think they now live in London but she obviously has strong ties to Australia as she used to write stuff for delicious and she is always popping up at food festivals and things. Maybe she lives here part of the year. Maybe they have moved back here. I do know that she was the food editor for The Times in London for some time, so well=known in the foodie world. I know I should look it up but it really doesn't matter does it? In his book New Great Dishes of the World, Robert Carrier includes her recipe for a non-yeasty pizza base in his New Basics section. He describes her as: "Bright, cheery and a superlatively imaginative cook." And indeed she is. She is up there as one of my favourite cooks whose recipes I have used many, many times. I must have another look at the pizza recipe.

She has written lots and lots of books, so next time - family - you are looking for something to buy for me for Christmas check out Jill Dupleix. Though I have to say that I don't see them in the shops all that much. I suspect she is a bit under appreciated and not up there with the 'gourmet' people like Maggie Beer and Stephanie Alexander, although I have no idea why.

The introduction to her book New Food is called the credo and is full of wonderful statements about food and cooking. I can't copy them all out but here are some. And they are all interspersed here and there by "Have fun" which I suspect is really her credo.

"Question all cook books, including this one."

"Make every meal an event, in some small but meaningful way."

"Don't diet. Instead, eat better food with more flavour, get heaps of exercise, and take a good, long look at your attitude to body image and self-esteem."

"Eat lots of fruit and vegetables and grains. Nutritionists recommend five servings of fruit and vegetable a day, but try to ignore that. I find as soon as nutritionists recommend something, I don't want to do it." And incidentally since then (1994) I think the nutritionists have upped the five to seven.

"Remember that some of the best recipes come from old people." That's me guys!

"Never apologise for your food." Strange how we do that isn't it? I do it all the time. Is it because we have really high standards, because we have low self-esteem, because whatever we do in this modern world is never going to be good enough - or that's what we think anyway?

"Wash the dishes with a glad heart, the memory of the good food within you."

"Use non-stick pans"

"Remember that it is only food."

"Make your favourite recipe your own."

"Don't garnish. Food is beautiful"

"When we all learn to taste, there will be less fast food, more slow conversations, less war, more peace, fewer broken homes, more families sitting around tables, fewer morally loathsome films and TV soaps, and more honest work and creativity."

In New Food she has a whole lot more to say in similar vein. The recipe sections are interspersed with a page on a particular topic, from sardines, through olive oil, weddings to pasta. Again with little statements and suggestions. It's a very entertaining book

And her recipes are great too. Here is one. It's very urban hipster. And yes it looks complicated, and you do have to start it the day before, but actually it's very, very simple.

SUGAR-CURED TUNA WITH WARM POTATO PANCAKES

For the tuna

30g granulated sugar

30g coarse sea salt

1/2 tsp peppercorns, crushed

1 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed plus

1 tsp extra for serving (optional)

1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

2 x 250g fresh tuna steaks

For the horseradish cream

1 tbsp prepared horseradish

4 tbsp creme fraiche or thick yoghurt

For the pancakes

1 large egg, beaten

sea salt and black pepper

500g cold cooked potatoes, mashed

100ml milk, warmed

60g plain flour, sifted

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp oil for frying

2 tbsp spring onions or chives, chopped

For the tuna (prepare a day ahead)

Mix the sugar, salt, pepper, pink peppercorns and coriander seeds and place on a large sheet of clingfilm.

Coat the tuna steaks in the mixture, then sandwich remaining mixture between them and wrap tightly in the clingfilm.

Place on a plate and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Unwrap, rinse the tuna and pat dry.

For the horseradish cream: Fold horseradish into the creme fraiche, season well and set aside.

For the pancakes: Beat the egg, sea salt and pepper into the cold mashed potato. Fold in the milk, then the flour, until you have a thick batter that will slide off a spoon.

Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan. Add the batter by the tablespoonful and cook for 2 minutes over moderate heat until golden. Gently turn with an egg slice, and cook for 2 minutes until firm to the touch.

To serve: Finely slice the sugar-cured tuna and pile on top of the pancakes. Add a dollop of horseradish cream, and scatter with spring onions and pink peppercorns.