Monday Morning Cooking Club - the food, the stories, the sisterhood

In 2006 a group of Sydney Jewish women came together to share recipes and talk about food. They cooked, ate, drank endless cups of tea and – often heatedly – discussed the merits of different recipes. After just a few weekly meetings, the Monday Morning Cooking Club was born and a legacy of food and recipes spanning many cultures and generations began to take shape.

 Five years and hundreds of dishes later, six members of the sisterhood have handpicked their favourite recipes for publication in their first book of the same name. Over 100 culturally diverse recipes from more than 60 cooks have been tried, tested and refined for inclusion in the Monday Morning Cooking Club book.

 Each recipe begins with a short story of the cook and their history of the dish. These stories, interweaved with amazing recipes, narrate the rich and personal history of far-flung communities and families who find a deep connection through food and the memory of generations that have gone before.
A big handsome book with French folds and gorgeous photography by Alan Benson.A valuable addition  to the kitchen cookbook shelf as well as the coffee table.

 About the authors

 Merelyn Frank Chalmers, Natanya Eskin, Lauren Fink, Lisa Goldberg, Paula Horwitz and Jacqui Israel are nurturers and passionate cooks with varied backgrounds in law, business, marketing, public relations and administration. They first met through Sydney’s Jewish community, where their shared passion for food brought them together and cemented a lasting bond. Since its inception in 2006, their Monday Morning Cooking Club has received various accolades, from coverage in The Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Living to a segment with Maeve O’Meara on the popular SBS show, Food Safari.

Monday Morning Cooking Club - the food, the stories, the sisterhood 

Hardie Grant, RRP: $79.99

The publishers have kindly agreed to allow me to reproduce the following recipe (which I warmly recommend) from the book.

Roasted baby potato salad with capers

This dish came together simply by combining ingredients that I love. This is not one of those potato salads that is heavily laden with dressing – less mayonnaise is used rather than more – it’s a wonderful fresh dish with a light dressing. This has become my signature salad, which friends often ask me to make. And then everyone asks me for the recipe!

2 kg mixed baby potatoes (with a variety of shapes and colours)

80 ml (N cup) olive oil

2 tablespoons salt

1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped (reserving some to garnish)

60 g (½ cup) caperberries, sliced

3 tablespoons mini capers

3 handfuls wild baby rocket

3 handfuls baby spinach leaves

Dressing

80 ml (N cup) white balsamic vinegar

80 ml (N cup) extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons homemade or best-quality whole egg mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a large baking tray.

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, leaving the skin on.

Place in a plastic bag with the olive oil and salt and shake to coat. Tip the potatoes out onto the prepared tray and roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are golden and crisp. Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, spring onions, caperberries, capers and dressing.

Just before serving, spread the rocket and spinach leaves on a large platter. Place the potato mixture on top of the leaves and only slightly mix. Garnish with the reserved spring onions.

Serves 12

Extract from Monday Morning Cooking Club, Merelyn Frank Chalmers, Natanya Eskin, Lauren Fink, Lisa Goldberg, Paula Horwitz, Jacqui Israel, Hardie Grant Books distributed by Random House in New Zealand, RRP$79.99, Hardback 

Photography - Alan Benson