If there are any cooks in your life who are in need of a gift I have some suggestions. Below I list three books that I have enjoyed this year and used countless times already, they will be on my kitchen shelf for many years to come.

                A Platter of Figs by David Tannis could almost be described as a coffee table book. I suppose it is not large enough, but the pictures are gorgeous. This book comprises menus based on seasonality and is the antithesis of the ‘food as chemistry’ fashion. From duck to pasta, everything that I have cooked from this book tasted great but didn’t always look as pretty as the pictures.

                Simon Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken and Other Stories is arranged by favorite ingredient, from anchovies to veal and whilst it does include some really off base ideas for an American audience (brains anyone?) contains some very worthwhile recipes. I have actually been cooking from this book for a few years now as I picked it up in England before it came out here. It has been so successful that the follow up, Second Helpings now out. I am hoping that Santa has noticed that I look through it when I am in Barnes and Noble.

                My favorite book from this year is Beyond the Great Wall by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid. The authors are intrepid travelers and this book records some of their journeys to the outlying regions of China and neighboring countries, it is part travelogue and part recipe book. I was not aware of how many ethnic minorities live in China, many have separate clothing, customs and diet, all of which are changing rapidly as China races to join the developed world. This book is truly fascinating and the recipes are great too! Here are two recipes that I have developed from the book.

Dai style Roast Chicken  -serves 4

4 whole chicken legs, divided between the leg and thigh

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 ½ teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns, lightly toasted in a dry pan

1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil

In a pestle and mortar, mash together the garlic, salt and peppers to a paste. Stir in enough oil to make a thick slurry. Massage the mixture into the skin of the chicken and set aside whilst the oven heats up.

Set the oven to 375 degrees and, once the oven is up to temperature, roast the chicken for about 25 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part is pierced with a knife.

Serve with vegetables that have been cooked with the chicken, I have been roasting cauliflower, cut into florets and tossed with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt, it takes about the same time as the chicken. Butternut squash is also great cooked this way.

Hui inspired  Lamb Noodle Soup  -serves 4

1 tablespoon each minced garlic and ginger

¾ lb boneless lamb from the shoulder or leg, sliced into bite sized pieces

½ can of chopped tomatoes (or 2 fresh, seeded and chopped)

5 cups chicken stock

6 oz wide fat pasta, broken into pieces

2 or 3 large handsful of leafy greens like spinach

1 cup chopped cilantro

In a large pot, sear the lamb in a little oil. When meat no longer looks raw, add the garlic and ginger and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock and a little salt and bring to a simmer. Throw in the pasta, stir and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Stir in the greens just before serving in wide bowls with chopsticks and spoons and sprinkle with cilantro.

My children have developed the habit of dipping the lamb in soy sauce, the book also suggests using rice vinegar as a dip.