Mr NQN often tells me that whilst doing jelly cakes and two tier wedding cakes are always nice, what people really want to know is how to make basics. I didn’t believe him of course, until I put up some of my simpler recipes and they were well received. Then I received a copy of What to Cook and How To Cook It by U.K. author Jane Hornby. It shows you how to make meals such as a basic omelette, smoothie, coq au vin, paella to chocolate pots and everything is laid out step by step with clear pictures and photographs.
Part of the Sydney International Food Festival, Jane is also holding a class at the Sydney Seafood School in Pyrmont. The class runs for three hours, including a three course meal, wine and a copy of her book What to Cook and How to Cook It (RRP $59.95).
And thanks to the people at Phaidon, one lucky NQN readers will get a place at this class! This is a short competition as the class is held on the 27th of October at 6:30pm but don’t let that stop you! It’s the ideal class for novice or first time cooks (give this to your non cooking spouse, I wish Mr NQN could do this!). All you have to do is tell me what is your signature dish!
Simply add your answer as a comment to the story. The competition ends at Midnight AEST 25th October 2010. You can enter this once daily. This competition is open to anyone in Australia who can attend the class.
***The lucky winner is Samantha S.!***
Best of luck!
Love,
Lorraine
xxx
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86 Comments | Add your own
I saw this book in the bookstore yesterday and its really cool, really nice step by step pictures, great for a beginner.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead.
*kisses* HH
p.s. i know i don’t qualify for the competition, but my signature dish would be cardamom and cashew chicken
Sounds great to me!
Great competition and looks fantastic! I’d love to go or send my hubby!
My signature dish is Roast Chicken – thanks to Julia Child I can seem to reliably turn out a crispy skinned, and delish chook!
I love the idea of sending the husband to a cooking course!!!! My husbands signature dish is a Tuna Linguini with Lemon and Chili, I love his signature dish but we are both ready for a change!! …please!
My signature dish is crab pasta with white wine. Crab, cherry tomatoes, cream, garlic, and basil served over pasta.
I would love to win this prize to send one of the non cooks in my house to!!
I am definitely a novice cook -I cannot cook many dishes and I always seem to take twice as long in preparation time than a recipe states.. But I think those dishes I can cook, I cook well!
My signature dish would be my omelette.
My signature dish is a yummy Japanese cheesecake which took many tries to perfect the lightness of it
My signature dish is probably my lasagna. Kids loved it, and it freezes well. (But I’m not entering because I cannot attend the class. Good luck to everyone who can.)
The jargon of cooking can be really confusing so the idea of pics in the book sounds great to me.
My signature dish – is a Sandwich!
On warmed white bread, Mashed boiled egg, banana, a thin slice of tasty cheese with a sauce of mayonnaise mixed with Garam Masala, all without margarine or butter.
My Signature dish is Asian Salmon on Citrus Mash with Aparagus.
I would send one of our Agents who deserves an absolute treat!
Blanched spinach with a side of instant miso soup.
My signature dish since my mum taught me many years ago is fish pie – just curl fillet fish around chopped onions and small tomatoes. Fit in round deep dish, Cover with thickish cheesy sauce. Top with mashed potatoes and cook in medium oven for 40 minutes or so. Every one loves it and polishes if off smiling.
My first time cooking dinners was at the end of 2005 when I went away for the first time with my friends. At that time my repertoire was limited to spag bol, pasta bake and roast chicken. On that trip my friend (who’s worse in the kitchen that I am) decided that the chicken needed water in the bottom of the tray and proceeded to boil the bottom of my poor chook! Unfortunately I’m still usually only making those three dishes but now I kick everyone else out of the kitchen to make my signature dish – roast chicken lightly seasoned and stuffed with lemon, surrounded by crispy potatoes and onion!
Raspberry Mousse – it’s so quick and easy and absolutely mouth watering! Piled high with fresh raspberries on top! Yum
I think my husband would love this (and so would I!). His signature dish is roast chicken
what a shame I live in melbourne good luck to everyone else
my signature dish is warm chocolate brownies with vanilla icecream and raspberry coulis.
dessert = love.
I love this book without seeing it in the store. I am a freak for picture cooking. It makes me feel like the cook is in the kitchen with me explaining every step and I get to see what it should look like after. This is going to be a great book.
My signature dish is carrot and zucchini rice. Very simple, but everyone loves it
Ooh, this sounds like a useful one for me, since my signature “dish” is…er, a salad with defrosted, ready-made falafels.
I’m more of a dessert cook
my sig dish would be steamed garlic prawns on a bed of vermicelli with chilli, garlic and soy sauce.
yummmmmmm!
my sig dish would be japanese curry pork chops with veges.
so simple, it can be prepared in under 30 minutes! so simple, my other half loves it!
this is awesome! i want the cookbook!! simple is best! <3
my fav sig dish would be swiss sauce chicken wings, its so quick and easy to make and so yummy, but sodium overload!!
My signature dish is pumpkin and fetta penne – so simple with caramelised onions and tossed with fresh rocket! yum!
This is such a great contest and that book looks awesome! Beautiful photos and graphics. I will be on the lookout for it in the stores
xo
THis looks like a great book! I am working on one with some step by step photos, quite hard to photograph the steps actually, so I appreciate what I am seeing here!
ciao
A.
Ah, forgot… my signature dish is probably my tiramisu’, or so I think, since it is the one that most people ask me to bring over if they invite me to a dinner party.
Sorry Lorraine, forgot that I don’t live in Australia, hahahaha, so take my name off, and good luck to everyone
My signature dish is kimchi-mentaiko fried rice. It is a hybrid from the original kimchi fried rice recipe and the momofokufor2 kimichi-mentaiko udon recipe.
It has this nice garlicky flavor from the kimchi and a whiff of seaside from the mentaiko. On top of that, it is simple to prepare.
It fills your tummy, kicks the blues away and keep you healthy due to the amount of vegetables used to prepare it.
This looks like a fantastic book, possibly a Christmas pressie for hubbie. . .
My signature dish is iles flottantes, poached meringues floating in a creme anglaise. Hubbie’s is beans on toast. . .
This cookbook sounds perfect for me – lots of photos, and basic recipes with lots of help!
The class would probably help me out a lot too! 
I haven’t really cooked a lot – but my dad has taught me how to make a bolognese sauce with “secret ingredients” to make it taste amazing. I’ve made it once by myself, but most of the time, I just help him by handing him the ingredients or mixing the sauce.
I love picture cook/baking books. That book looks essential in my collection since I learn to cook/bake through trial and error
My signature dish is a simple way of making delicious Malaysian chicken rendang my mom taught me ages ago when I came to Sydney to study.
Im Mad about all the very nice recipes and ideas just love it Im in South Africa!! Gauteng Pretoria!!! And everyday i have a piece of Heaven of food…. Thanks so much!!!!
Okay it’s offical I’m moving you always have the best giveaways…packing my things here in Texas..lol
take care and have a great weekend
sweetlife
My signature dish would have to be riccota and spinach canneloni, with my own homemade riccota cheese, spinach from my garden with marscarpone(homemade) anda tomato concass to top it off, MMmm it’s delicous.
It looks like a great book, love the pictures too! Basic recipes are good every now and then, Mr NQN is right. But I do enjoy the “wow” effect of cakes like the underwater jelly one!
or tuna pasta done a few different ways, sometimes with chilli/lemon/garlic, other times with tomato.
My signature dish would be pancakes
Heidi xo
Hi Lorraine,
what a great competition. My signature dish is spinach pie. My family always clean their plates and friends always ask for leftovers to take home.
Have a great week-end, keep warm!
Regards, Narelle
My signature dish is a flourless chocolate cake. Or lemon cupcakes. I’m pretty much hopeless at cooking.
Hi Lorraine,
love the competition. Thai curry puffs are my signature dish. I always get asked to bring some along whenever I go to a get- together at friends places. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week-end. Kind regards, Lynette
Hi Lorraine,
what a great competition. My signature dish is spinach pie. The family always clean their plates & friends always ask for leftovers to take home. Have a great week-end, keep warm!
Regards, Narelle
That book and cooking class would be ideal for my 28 year old daughter that has no clue about cooking!My signature dish is my paella followed by home made cannoli – yummy!!!
My signature dish is a yummy Shepherd’s Pie with a sweat potato mash. My kids love this because it’s orange, and when cooked to perfection they love the chewyness of the burnt peaks of the sweet potato mash.
That’s a great book. It’s so nice to attend her class. My signature dish is lamb shanks in tomato and veg gravy.
That book looks so pretty! I love having step by step photos with recipes. My signature dish is Cooked Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake- I am not allowed into any parties unless I am holding this!
I would love my other half to do something like this, at present his repotiore is from the 4 ingredients cook book! He tries so hard! =)
My signature is anything with meringue or handmade pasta with a rabbit ragu! mmmm
My signature dish is Hong-Kong Style Sausage Bao!!! (Much Kneading involved!)
Oh Yes.. the world is crying out for basic information, I agree. This looks a fabulous little book, haven’t seen it yet. My signature dish is paella with some little secret Chef Anna touches
my signature dish is a light and delicious passionfruit cake made with almond meal, passionfruit, egg whites and sugar. always goes down a treattt
This is sounds like such a great book, I’d love to send my brother! He’s mastered mashed potato now so this would be a great push in the right direction for him! Really I think my whole family would all enjoy learning the easy/ proper way of doing the basics.
My signature dish would be my tomato, bacon and basil arancini
Chocolate mousse though if I use Jamie olivers recipe maybe it’s really his signature?
I’m a fair cook, but my husband does not fare as well, so this class would be great for him. Plus as i’ve just had our first born, my husband is doing most of the cooking & steak & veg is getting a bit tired.
My signature dish is my pesto. Very easy. 100g of Parmesan, 100g of pine nuts, 1 good bunch of basil, 2-3 cloves of garlic according to taste. Whack it all in a food processor, drizzle oil whilst blending til you have a good consistency. Serve with fettucine. Yummo!
I am from Lima, Peru. I really like your blog, I always see it. Health and success
What a gorgeous book! I’m associated with my ricotta cheesecake complete with Grand Marnier rasins and homemade lady fingers
I love cookbooks that show basics, with lots of photos!
What a great prize! My signature dish is hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting
Ooh, I agree with Chanel, love cookbooks with lots of photos!
My signature dish is veggie lasagne with caramelised leeks, fresh pasta, eggplant, and slooow cooked tomato sauce. My bf worships the ground I walk on when I make it, because it takes a long time, with lots of different processes, but he loves the end result so much he tries to convince me to make 3 or 4 at the same time, for leftovers
Sounds like the kind of book I should buy and carry with me to work and reference to.
Signature dish?Large field mushrooms kilpatrik.It was concocted inorder to get my brother to eat big field mushrooms and it worked.
My signature dish is honey cakes (which are technically honey biscuits, but cakes sounds more whimsical and Winnie the Pooh-like.) For the last few years, I’ve been making these every Christmas, birthday, and dropping-in-for-afternoon-tea session. They’re lovely and sweet and granular, with an unexpected pinch of rock salt to add interest. OK, fingers crossed now!
When time allows and when therapy is much needed, I lose myself in a sea of eggs, salt and flours and other ingredients, to make my home-made lasagna, fettucini and spinach & ricotta ravioli, served with my slow-cooked Bolognaise sauce.
I would give this delightful book to my first-born who sadly reaches for quick-fix meals to feed her two little ones while I cringe in horror
This looks like a lovely book, Lorraine! Another great giveaway!
My signature dish would have to be vanilla-on-vanilla cupcakes. I love making more complicated and exotic desserts and pastries, but I always seem to go back to the humble cupcake for special occasions. Luckily, everyone loves a cupcake!
Oh I’d love to do a basics class. Everyone has their own technique and it would be great to learn the “correct” way haha.
My signature dish is a lamb hotpot with herb and potato dumplings. Great winter dish
my kitchen incompadible boyfriend makes the best vegan friendly corn fritters – I can’t beat them, nobody can – but they are the only thing he can cook, which is so why I have to win so I can send him to this!
While at was at university, the only thing I could cook was pasta with canned tuna and sauce from a jar. Oh and plastic cheese. I ate this for four years.
One day, several years down the track, I discovered by accident that I could actually cook. Once I got over the shock, I began to experiment with a whole bunch of dishes, and started having people over for dinner, which is now one of my favourite things to do.
While I love to cook lots of different things, I’m still really just an amateur, so I would love the opportunity to attend a cooking class like this one. Right now, I would have to say that my signature dish is risotto. I make a kick-arse risotto.
Egg and veg stir fry with Kecap Manis…
My signature dish is warm lemon pots..
I make a great guacamole. Very simple. Take one avocado & mash it. Finely dice half a small red onion & mix it in. Finely dice one tomato (Roma preferred) and mix it in. Finely chop coriander and add to taste. And the juice of one lime, a quick grind of salt, mix, let chill for 2 hours or more and serve! Lovely on fresh sourdough or corn chips.
I am a cookbook addict
I use them to inspire me. I dont really have a signature dish – but everyone loves my “Kylie Kwong eggs” – deep fried eggs (have to be fresh) topped with shallots, chilli, oyster sauce and white pepper.
oh wow, does anyone know which bookstores will be stocking this book? it sounds like a good book for me =)
my signature dish would be Portuguese custard tarts since they always bring back the most compliments and requests for more.
It would be wonderful to attend a class like this. I love back to basics simple dishes and techniques.
Signature Dish: Stuffed Capsicum with mince and cherry tomatoes.
Hmm signature dish.. I think mine would have to be Pesto Chicken with Gnocci as this earns me many brownie points from the hubby! Effort to reward ratio is extreemly positive which I am always looking for in my cooking.
My signature dish is probably microwaved pizza from last night :/ That’s why I’d really like to try the course!
Oh NQN, you really have the goods! I’ve just been informed by my Beloved that my chicken and mushroom risotto is my signature dish – apparently he dreams about it – am loving my new found power!
This book looks great! Perfect for the not-quite NQN’s of us out there
This dish sounds weird but it is really nice, impresses guests & is bloody easy to make. It’s an avocado & blue cheese pasta sauce. Take one avocado and mash it. Add a wedge of blue cheese roughly the size of 2 tablespoons and mash this into the avocado. The crush 1-2 garlic cloves to the mix and stir through. Thin the sauce with some warm water to get the right consistency. All done! Stir through hot pasta, sprinkle with Parmesan & cracked pepper.
Oooh lovely! I need an injection of new recipes!
My specialty is a BBQ whole scotch fillet – was great for a while, but I’m sure everybody is completely over it. I need to branch out
My signature dish would have to be Morrocan Lamb with cummin and mint yoghurt dressing. This is a family favourite and is quick and simply and full of flavours.
Pavlova – such simple ingredients, yet so easy to go wrong!
I have to say that I could definitely use a few new tricks to impress in the kitchen but I do cook a really delicious beef bourguignon with creamy paris mash – yummy mmm
My manager calls me a ‘Prolific Baker’ and I used to sell my signature Chocolate Chip Cookies at a local cafe. Although my husband and I love food and eating, he finds it difficult to navigate around the kitchen. I have often reinterpret recipes to a simple ‘step by step guide’ for him to follow, similar to Jane Hornby’s new cookbook (without the pics!). It’ll a great boost to his confidence by attending Jane’s cooking class!
Slow braised sticky pork ribs …
A male member of my food loving family is in DESPERATE need of this cooking class. I’d say his specialties are 2 minute noodles, instant porridge and cocktails. Okay, in all fairness, he is only 21 and prefers my cooking but he wants to be able to put together an amazing meal to….impress the girls, of course!!!!! Can you help him Lorraine?
Basics – that’s what we need to perfect our signatures… the classes (and book) are just the ticket. My poached chicken breast salad, with celeraic on kipfler potatoes drizzled with an olive lime dressing, though stunning, could always do with a shot of what’s good for it!
I was always terrible with leaving out certain ingredients from my recipes until I discovered my signature chicken pot pie recipe – it called for a liberal dose of tarragon and green peppercorns – for once I didn’t skip the ingredients not in my cupboard and I’ve never looked back!
My signature dish is Pear and Raspberry bread
Salt and Pepper Squid is my signature dish. I’d love to win this prize because Prawn Laksa is my darling old hubby’s favourite dish and I’d love to surprise him by learning how to cook Jane Hornby’s version on Wednesday night.
My signature dish is definitely “doro-wat”, an Ethiopian dish i just love making. Doro-wat is a red spiced chicken stew made with spiced clarified butter, nigella seeds, ajwain and my favourite – berbere, a divine exotic East African spice mix. The best way to eat doro-wat is to leave it overnight and eat it the next day with hot crispy pancakes or rice. The other half asks for doro-wat nearly every week
I would love to win this prize because cooking is my stress relief. I am on a culinary adventure and would love to learn more skills in the kitchen.
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