Win a Copy of Solo: The Joy of Cooking for One
***Rachel Khoo would like to thank all the inspiring people who helped make the Khoollect studio a hive of creativity. Although the Khoollect studio’s doors have now closed, you can keep up with Rachel’s newest adventures on RachelKhoo.com and on Rachel’s Instagram and Facebook pages – and, continue to enjoy the Khoollect website’s stories and recipes, which will remain available.***
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I live alone so am always cooking just for one, very often spending hours over something only I get to enjoy. It’s what I enjoy most, so over a lot of time and effort there have been many many “favourites” and it arguably depends upon the time of year and circumstances! Currently my weekly repeater is a green bean salad, usually dressed ina minty tahini with cracked freekeh, loads of walnuts and topped with at least one brown buttery fried egg. Also have made Meera Sodha’s chickpeas and tomatoes with buttery cashew and lime tadka every week for the past three since trying it (dinner tonight so maybe I should say that?!)…roast aubergine with textures of cucumber, labneh and rose…the panzanella from Plenty…I made huge vats of braised broad beans with lemon and coriander this year and recently discovered Olia Hercules’ Lobio which -dressed up with walnuts, feta and pomegranate seeds, roast beets and/ or bread if I have them- is a fantastic standby in a dinner-crisis, as long as one keeps a good spice cupboard (and I do!) . So so many I could go on and on -we haven’t even touched carrots yet! And must tip a nod to the lifesaving avocado plus bread in dark times. The anything-but-humble egg (Team Burford!). Grappling with downsizing recipes is a routine headache and palaver but I’ve discovered so many good meals. ALWAYS room for more though. And a book that removes the “excess/presumptive crowd” issue -by Signe, no less- is one to covet. So I do!
I love cooking ramen for myself!
slow scrambled eggs.
Kimchee fried rice – it is my ultimate comfort food when I come home to an empty house!
I often cook for myself when hubby is away! My favourite is a bunch of roasted vegetables mixed with lentils- lightly dressed and served with some chicken or fish!
Let me spell it out- I NEED this book.I usually stick to one or two recipe and I need fresh ideas. My go-to recipe is a simple chilli con carne dish with rice. The chilli is my leftover dish for the next 2-3 nights.
In the words of Demi Lovato: ‘… so I do it SOLO’
Please pick me khoollect
My partner often works from home, so I enjoy not having to “worry” / “plan” , what to cook for dinner . One of my fave things to eat is “tinned mackerel in olive oil, ” but my other half despises the smell of it , so its banned when he’s home. Thus, my fave thing to prepare when i’m alone would be a simple, yet delicious mackerel sandwich , made with a fresh white baguette and a little sliced tomato. A big glass of Shiraz and a glossy Travel magazine, would be the perfect accompaniments .
I love to make Korean bibimbap for myself – such a tasty, versatile, and colourful dish. Also great for using up leftover veg.
I love to cook a very tasty pasta con la bottarga and confit cherry tomatoes
Simple poached eggs on sourdough toast, usually because I want something quick.
I like cooking Asian food, I recently went to Japan so I’ve been experimenting with some Japanese recipes – making one-pot ramen using miso paste as a stock and adding vegetables and rice noodles – my favourite. Cooking for just me can at times feel a bit lonely and more effort than it’s worth. I’d love to learn some new recipes to bring the excitement back to cooking.
I love to cook melanzine parmigana, quick easy and comforting
My favourite thing to cook myself is a spicy tomato sauce with white beans served with a home made potato focaccia! It’s like a posh beans on toast but it is all for me. xxx
Grilled brie with anything to your fancy, raspberries, peaches, eggs. Super easy as I bought this teeny Japanese grill for one.
When I’m alone, I’ve generally just come back from work so want something quick. Normally just beans, egg or mushrooms on toast (or all 3). Or if I’m desperate some kind of microwave curry! I work six days a week and my partner is away a lot so I rarely cook for enjoyment any more. If I have time my favourite dish to cook for myself is a chicken pie. Homemade shortcrust pastry, white wine, asparagus, wild mushrooms and chicken with a touch of cream in the white sauce. Sometimes I add a little French Mustard. I would really love this book to help me find inspiration and enjoy cooking again. I really miss it!
Ooh…I’m a little obsessed with gochujang and my mate keeps banging on about how great corned beef hash is (I can’t stand corned beef) so I decided to substitute in another Korean favourite, Spam!
Par boil new potatoes then fry in oil with chopped up Spam, red onion. When the potatoes and Spam have that bit of caremalisation add tinned tomatoes, gochujang and baked beans and cook through. Chopped red chilli for when I fancy it a bit spicy.
It’s a bowl of unctiosness, bonus is it microwaves well the next day as I always make way too much x
My favourite meal when I’m eating alone is a frittata with plenty of vegetables and a little cheese.
A big dish of deluxe mac and cheese that leaves me with no will to live… but three cheeses, bacon, onion and chicken. But a book where quantities are more appropriate may cure this deadly issue.
Spaghetti with anchovy carbonara. And a glass of rosé
Unfortunately my mother once again finds herself living alone after losing her husband (my second father) and all too often tells me that she cannot be bothered at the age of over 70 cooking a meal from scratch just for her. This would be a fantastic help in getting her to once again enjoy cooking.
Unfortunately my mother once again finds herself living alone after losing her husband (my second father) and all too often tells me that she cannot be bothered at the age of over 70 cooking a meal from scratch just for her. This would be a fantastic help in getting her to once again enjoy cooking. She used to have a real passion for thai and Asian cuisine especially Thai green chicken curry with a good luck of heat. Fingers crossed I win !
A big bowl of Mac and Cheese
Cooking only for myself is a special thing after I got married.
So I’d like to cook something simple yet comforting food when I’m alone.
And as a Japanese, Ramen such as Signe’s recipe Late-Night Miso Ramen is definitely a my kind of food.
Although I must admit that I like cooking using eggs. They are cheap and cheerful (and easy to cook).
My favourite dish is omelet.
You can tweak anything and recipes are limitless.
And do you know that Japanese has a certain omelet dish called “omurice” which is omelet with fried rice?
Omelet.. such a comforting food 🙂