Very good with drinks T have been to two cookbook

launchings

this week, both interesting and original in their own ways. The first was for Jean Conil's Cuisine Vegetarienne Frangaise (Thorsons, £9.95) held at the Arts Club in Dover Street, London. Monsieur Conil was there, resplendent in chef's gear and bristling with medals, urging the young to become the chefs of the future. A very good idea which might reduce the dole queues and cheer up the skinheads; they could put all that energy and artful design into concocting delicious dishes. The re- ceipts do look very tempting and are also translated into American so you can finally find out what a cup of mushrooms is. Four ounces of sliced mushrooms equals two cups of the same. Fancy!

Rice and mushroom loaf with garlic dressing

2 oz butter

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 oz short-grain brown rice 4 oz sliced white mushrooms 2 oz peas 3 oz baked beans in tomato sauce

2 oz crushed peanuts 3/4 pint water 1 clove of garlic chopped

1 teaspoon each of turmeric and sea salt Black pepper freshly ground Sprig of thyme and a bay leaf 3 eggs beaten 2 oz natural yoghurt.

For the garlic dressing: 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon wine vinegar 1 clove garlic chopped Sea salt and ground black pepper 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Heat the butter and oil in a large pan. Stir-fry the onion for a few minutes without browning. Add the rice and stir for a minute to impregnate the grains with the oils. Add the mushrooms, peas, baked beans and peanuts. Mix well. Stir in the water, garlic, turmeric and seasoning also the thyme and bay leaf. Place the dish in the oven and bake at Gas 6 400F. 200 C. for 20 minutes until rice is cooked. Cool the rice and when cold blend in the beaten eggs and yoghurt. Transfer the mixture to an oblong terrine dish and return to the oven for 25 minutes. After cooking the terrine turn it out onto a nice dish, garnish with lettuce leaves and de-pithed orange seg- ments and serve with the garlic dressing alongside.

I am not fond of baked beans in tomato sauce so I would substitute red kidney beans, I think, also I hate brown rice so would use long grain rice preferably bas- mati which has the best taste by far but would only take half the cooking time (Brown rice never cooks, in my experi- ence.) The other launching party was for Tradi- tional Jamaican Cooking by a charming lady, Norma Benghiat (Penguin, £2.95). There is a comprehensive list of UK suppliers at the back of the book and even a chapter on Medicinals and herb teas. We were offered many exciting tit-bits with wonderful names. Stamp and Go, Solomon Gundy, Manish water a la Norma, which turned out to be a piping hot goat broth and very good on one of the freezing May days. Stamp and Go are little fish fritters which the country people used to buy at the wayside on their travels to keep them stamping and going merrily along.

Stamp and Go 1/2 lb salt cod

1 lb flour 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional) 3 spring onions chopped 2 hot peppers chopped

1 chopped tomato V2 teaspoon thyme Oil for frying

Soak the fish in water for 30 minutes then remove bones and skin. Shred the fish finely. Place the flour and baking powder in a bowl, add the spring onions, hot peppers, tomato and thyme and just enough water to make a soft sticky batter. Mix in the shredded fish and combine thoroughly. Make fritters of the desired size by dropping the mixture from a spoon into medium hot oil and dry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot. Very good with drinks.

Another very good thing with drinks instead of the usual old peanuts and crisps is the receipt for: Coconut chips

2 dry coconuts Salt

Break the coconut shells with a heavY blunt instrument. Cut the coconut flesh into several pieces then slice very thinly oa a mandolin or with a good knife. Salt the chips, lay on a baking tray and either grill or roast in the oven turning them over as they brown.

Jennifer Paterson