Born in Samoa and raised in Wellington, Monica Galetti has made a name for herself in London. Not only is she a first-class chef, she is also a presenter and judge on BBC2's MasterChef.
Monica's Kitchen is her first solo cookbook. It promises exciting home cooking for all occasions and teaches simple methods to create fantastic-looking and tasty dishes.
The ingredients are mostly simple fare that everyday cooks would have easy access to.
Chapters include Work to Table (Mediterranean puff tart, pork chops with Asian cabbage), A Leisurely Weekend (creamed onion soup, olive, bacon and fennel cake) and A Time for Friends (crayfish and mango salad, stuffed chicken legs with pea ragout).
Some of these dishes may take a little time to prepare but the end result will be well worth the look on the faces of those lucky enough to be served them.
