H&F Mayor's new cookbook contains recipes collected from residents

EVER wondered what Boris Johnson puts on his cheese on toast, how the Sloaney Pony conjure up their scallops or how the pupils of Ravenscourt Park Prep School create their traffic light jelly?

Well now thanks to a new cookbook all those questions have been answered.

The Hammersmith and Fulham Cookbook is the culinary brainchild of H&F mayor, councillor Belinda Donovan, who has collected recipes from local residents, restaurants, councillors and schools.

A passionate foodie, who also happened to be trained at the world famous Parisian cooking school La Varenne, Ms Donovan has always wanted to put a book together but she decided to get the ball rolling when she took on the civic responsibility of mayor last year.

She said: “I’ve always loved cooking, at 19 I was asked to start a restaurant for dons and postgraduates for one of the Faculty Centres at Oxford University, which I did from scratch. I can remember seven people turning up the first day - out of curiosity - and after a few weeks I was cooking for 100 every day.

“I also ran my own catering company from my kitchen table.

“Throughout this time people have always asked me for recipes and when I was going to put a cookbook together so it’s always been at the back of my mind.

“I have enjoyed asking so many wonderful people and restaurants if they would be kind enough to contribute.

“I received so many that I’ve got more than enough for two cookbooks. It’s been a tremendous year.”

As well as the Mayor of London’s cheesy snack, there are also recipes from local celebrity chef and writer Allegra McEvedy who has contributed a Brazilian seafood stew, The Hampshire Hog pub in Hammersmith with its house-made gnocchi and many more.

All proceeds from the book are going to small independent charity, West London For Action, which is also one of Ms Donovan’s chosen mayoral charities, which provides free and confidential counselling and therapy to children, teenagers and families in need.

The book is also dedicated to Ms Donovan’s late brother Will, who tragically died 10 years ago from malignant melanoma, at the age of 43.

She said: “My first memories are of cooking as a child with my sadly departed brother Will, we were given recipes pulled from my parents newspaper. We were only about six or so.

“I suggested to West London Action for Children that we could produce a cookery book by asking for contributions from the borough, and the response has been overwhelming.”

Copies are available now from www.wlac.org.uk for £10.

PULL OUT RECIPE BOXES

Councillor Belinda Donovan - Lime and lemon grass chicken - serves four

Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham

2 tsp sesame oil

4 chicken breasts

grated zest of 2 limes

2 large fresh chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

2 kaffir lime leaves, sliced

2 lemon grass stalks, finely chopped

1 tbsp palm sugar

2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tsp tamarind paste

8fl oz coconut milk

8fl oz chicken stock

Heat the oil in a frying pan and when hot add the chicken and stir fry until golden brown (about 5 minutes) then take out the chicken and keep warm in a low oven.

Add all the spices and flavourings to the pan and stir fry for two minutes. Put the chicken back in the pan, add the coconut milk and stock, then simmer for at least 30 minutes, making sure the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Serve with Thai fragrant white rice, red rice or wild rice. It is extra delicious served with a salsa of chopped ripe mango stirred with Greek yoghurt with chopped fresh mint.

Toby Anstis - quick spicy salmon-on-naan snack - serves 2

Resident & radio presenter

2 salmon fillets, skinned and boned

curry paste from a jar

olive oil

2 plain naan breads

1 green chili

1 cucumber

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

So, cut the salmon fillets horizontally into around 4 or 5 slices each. Rub curry paste over each slice, and get ready to lob them in a hot wok. Little bit of olive oil in there.

As the oil is heating up, turn the oven on to 200 degrees c/400 degrees f/Gas 6. Sprinkle a little bit of water over the naan breads, and whack them in the oven for 2 minutes.

While they're cooking, finely chop the chili, peel and chop the cucumber into approximately 1cm chunks, and put them in an empty bowl, along with the yoghurt, the lemon juice and a bit of seasoning with salt and pepper. And there you have a nice cooling sauce for the salmon later.

Fry off the marinated salmon slices in the wok until golden brown. Take the naan breads out of the oven. Put them onto a plate, smother with the cucumber relish, and place the slices of salmon on top.

John Betts School - Chocolate muffin - makes 12 large or 24 mini muffins

Paddenswick Road, Hammersmith

175g margarine, melted

175g caster sugar

3 medium eggs

175g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp milk

100g chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c/350 degrees f/Gas 4.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients except the chocolate chips for about 2 minutes until smooth.