Stars, Jeremy Irons Among Them, Reveal Their Tasty Secrets
by Patricia Roberts, Manchester Evening News
October 31, 2001
BABY Spice's weakness for chocolate and Jeremy Irons' soft spot for the humble spud are revealed in a new book which lifts the lid on the food fancies of the rich and famous.
VIPs including the Prime Minister's wife Cherie Blair, Sir Cliff Richard, Jane Asher, John Cleese, Phil Collins, Dame Judi Dench, David Essex, Julian Lennon, Ken Livingstone and Baroness Margaret Thatcher shared their favourite dishes for a celebrity cookery book, called Posh Nosh, in aid of the Francis House appeal. The book, with a forward written by celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, will be launched at his Manchester brasserie, Le Petit Blanc at a charity lunch on Monday. "I can't think of a more worthy cause to motivate such an entertaining project,'' he writes. Francis House is a haven of warmth, reassurance and support and the contributors to Posh Nosh reflect this beautifully.'' Baby Spice Emma Bunton gives her calorific recipe for chocolate crunch - a mixture of cornflakes, syrup and lots of chocolate. Film star Jeremy Irons shares a traditional Irish recipe called champ, a mix of mashed potatoes, butter and leeks. "My great grandmother was Irish and she has passed on to me a great love of the potato,'' he said. "This dish will not cost much to make in time or trouble - yet on a winter's night it will kindle the coldest heart."
Champ
Serves 4
1 1/2 lb freshly cooked mashed potato 10 spring onions (or 2 leeks) cooked in 1/2 cup of milk 4 tablespoons melted butter salt and pepper
Cook the chopped spring onions, green part as well as white, in the milk. Drain and keep the milk. Mash the potatoes, season to taste and add the spring onions. Beat well together and add enough hot milk to make the dish creamy and smooth.
Place the mixture in a deep, warmed dish, making a well in the centre and pour the hot, melted butter into well. The dry potato should be dipped in the pool of butter when serving.
Champ can also be made with chopped parsley, chives, young nettle tops or young green peas. In the latter case, the peas are kept whole and added last. For a supper dish, scrambled eggs are often served in the centre and sprinkled with chopped parsley.