Geetie's Cookbook

When Geetie Singh opened her now-famous organic gastro pub in Islington, London experts in the trade said it would never work. That was 10 years ago - and last year the Duke of Cambridge in St Peter's Street was celebrating winning three ethical awards. It has received a Natural and Organic Award, in association with the Soil Association, for the Best Organic Restaurant and its 'unflinching commitment to the environment'. The judges were impressed by the pub's policy of using only produce that is in season, creating a twice-daily changing menu - with 80 per cent of fresh ingredients coming from the Home Counties. The Duke of Cambridge serves outstanding organic food made with seasonal local ingredients. It's hearty, rustic British food with Mediterranean influences. You won't find any
fresh tomatoes on the menu in winter or parsnips in summer. The menu changes twice daily, showcasing ingredients according to what is at its peak of freshness and flavour. All the food is made at the pub - from the ice cream to the bread and pickles.Geetie Singh, proprietor of this award-winning establishment decided it was time to pass on a selection of recipes to over 150 of their specialities, and those collected here do not disappoint. Confit garlic and cream soup, Spicy carrot and parsley soup and White bean, mushroom and chorizo soup are highlights of the autumn soups section. Fish, meat and vegetables get a variety of treatments - grilled, baked, steamed or roasted - all procedures that intensify flavour. This is irresistible food. They take simple, everyday seasonal
ingredients you can find available anywhere - beetroot, cabbage, garlic and chillies, and transform them into dishes that taste so much more than ordinary. There's a fresh take on everything and even though some recipes are little more than assembly, such as Blue cheese, chicory and walnut salad, they're great for new ideas. This book, illustrated with stylish photographs of the food, the cooks, waiting staff and customers is arranged into sections according to the season and will provide you with a year's worth of culinary inspiration.