The Groove Book Report: Scrumptious by Chelsea Winter

Just when Master Chef Chelsea Winter couldn't give any more she slides in with this nifty collection of comfort food yummies.  From the day it arrived we've been treating ourselves to dishes that are perfect for the slow warming Spring and the fading Winter days.  Her Beetroot, Carrot and Orange Salad went down a treat at our first BBQ the other day, paying respect to the dying embers of the winter veges.  It's a refreshing wake up call and brilliant (in colour and taste) addition to the sausages and grilled steak.  Goes well as a leftover for the office lunches, too.

Her Cajun Chicken salsa with mango and Haloumi, the roasted Brussels and bacon and the winter (no pun) rice comforter are all excellent and really easy to do.  The coconut-poached Chicken Noodle salad is a real winner. 

Most of the recipes are pretty straight forward and uncomplicated.  That's because her philosophy is all about easy ingredients and good.  I can remember my grandmother making brandy snaps the old fashioned way - bending them over a spoon to get the curl and filling the with cream.  Chelsea must have nicked her recipe and done away with the fluffy bit.   Overall it's good cooking without the BS 'chefy' stuff and I like that.  Better still the recipes are generous and forgiving (you don't have to be pinpoint accurate on the measurements).  So she might look like a model but everything here is genuine and authentic, and real!

http://chelseawinter.co.nz/