Carneval

Carneval, Harry Eastwood, Bantam Press, £25 ISBN: 978-0-59306-995-0

ONLY a part-time vegetarian could write a book full of meat recipes – more than 100 oh-so delicious meat recipes – that starts with a chapter on the ‘environmental implications of eating meat’.Boiled down, Ms Eastwood says meat demands so much of the planet’s resources to make (40% of the world’s grain supply for beef) that every mouthful should be a satisfying delightNot all the recipes are meat: Pommes Anna, tartare sauce, lamb and beef stock, shoestring fries and plenty of other side dishes – but once you get to the meat of the book it is mouth-watering. Beer Can Chicken – yes, made with a small can of beer stuck up the chicken’s bum –Always Pink Rib of Beef, Beef Cheeks Bourguignon (takes four hours), Tandoori Butterflied Leg of Lamb, Shepherd’s Pie, Ham Hock Risotto and a just-in-time-for-Christmas Redcurrant Glazed Ham… The recipes are precise and easy-peasy to follow and the book is sprinkled with ‘Chef’s Tips’ on leftovers, drinks, substitutes and why she uses vodka in Lard Shortcrust Pastry. Again thinking about Christmas, there is a week-ahead countdown to the big day with shopping lists, cooking and baking times and all you need to be properly prepared – plus a guide to carving the bird.Ms Eastwood, known for her Cook Yourself Thin series on Channel 4, lives in Paris but the recipes are all in English and you will need to translate the cuts of meat into French for yourselfA section on mincing meat – not making mince – explains why different cuts work well in different recipes and sums up the priorities of Carneval… enjoy meat the best it can be.