Maybe it's the first day of your period or perhaps you've weathered a particularly hazardous day, there's no greater source of comfort than food. We all have our unique (and some not so) cravings when we're in need of consolation. To me, comfort tastes like bowls of my mum's parmesan and olive oil-topped lentil soup or mounds of fried chicken. There's no middle ground. To others, comfort may come in the form of a lovingly simmered pasta sauce, a plate of mashed potato or a tub of Ben & Jerry's. To each their own. When you're in need of a hug, the following recipes will provide it in food form. There's the holy trinity, carbs, cheese and chocolate, and a little something else too. Below eight comforting recipes to try this week.
1. Bon Appetit's Soy and Scallion Tofu Bowl
Inspired by Tadashi Ono’s Soboro Beef from Bon Appetit's December 2015 issue, this simple vegetarian bowl is an easy and filling lunch that won't ask you to break the bank – or break out more than one pot from your kitchen cupboards. It's ready in three simple steps, and can be adjusted to your taste – throw in extra veggies, leftover cooked meat or a cooked egg. This tofu bowl is your oyster!
2. Clementine Day's Really Good Rocky Road
Aussie homecook-turned-food-influencer Clementine Day is one of my favourite people to turn to for easy recipe inspiration. And her 'Really Good Rocky Road' recipe is a crowd-pleasing sweet treat packed with plenty of nuts, chocolate and freeze-dried raspberries. This one's even gluten-free, so you can take it to your coeliac-friendly picnics too!
3. The Monday Pasta Club's Leek, Crispy Bacon and Crème Fraîche Pasta
The Monday Pasta Club's website is a go-to for when you're looking for a carbed-up Italian dish that will use up just about any ingredients you have left to the back of the fridge. This one in particular is a real winner, with delicious creamy crème fraîche, salty bacon and fresh, zesty leeks for a balanced meal that feels like a warm hug for your taste buds.
4. Club Sup's Lamb and Orzo Stew
Club Sup founder Sophie McIntyre's recipes are full of love and made to be shared – a practice she's poured into her supper club's philosophy. This hearty lamb stew is a classic winter warmer with plenty of delicious ingredients like parm, stelline and chicken stock and cavolo nero. It's surprisingly simple to make, but don't let that fool you, it's still brimming with a moreish depth of flavour.
5. Ottolenghi's Slow-Cooked Chicken with a Crisp Corn Crust
Is there anything more comforting thana. slow-cooked chicken pot pie? This one from Ottolenghi is one of our favourite recipes, best served with a fresh green salad and a glass of red. Using corn for the crust means that it's also a gluten-free recipe, and makes for a much lighter alternative to the usual pie crusted versions you've probably tried. It can also be made in advance, if you're thinking of entertaining.
6. Trevor Joyce's Potato Roesti
There's no better breakfast – and we'll die on this hill – than crispy potatoes. Call it a hash brown if you must, but these potato roestis are a divine addition to your regular eggs and toast combo. You can even make them in advance and heat them up in a sandwich press to keep them tasting crispy. Trevor Joyce's extra large-scale version essentially segue into a potato pancake. And we're here for it.
7. Alison Roman's Lemon Pepper Pasta with Browned Butter
Like cacio e pepe's sophisticated aunt from out of town, this dish hits the spot when it comes to your taste buds. Salty, creamy, fatty (courtesy of that delicious browned butter) and with the ability to be pepped up by just about anything else you've got lingering in your pantry – a little garlic clove? Perhaps some leafy greens or a preserved lemon? It's simple, requires a tad of technique, but really does the trick.
8. Sohla El-Waylly's White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Maybe it's just me, but nothing really hits the nostalgic spot in my brain quite like the humble Subway cookie – specifically the macadamia and white chocolate iteration. And Sohla El-Waylly's version takes this cookie to a whole new level, celebrating the dessert in all its buttery, rich, nutty goodness.
