Salt & Time (Octopus Publishing Group)

A collection of delicious modern recipes from Siberia and beyond. Salt & Time will transform perceptions of the food of the former Soviet Union, and especially Siberia - the crossroads of Eastern European and Central Asian cuisine - with 100 inviting recipes adapted for modern tastes and Western kitchens, and evocative storytelling to explain and entice.

Why not try the restorative Solyanka fish soup (a famous Russian hangover cure), savour the fragrant Chicken with prunes or treat yourself to some Napoleon cake. 'Often we need distance and time, both to see things better and to feel closer to them.

This is certainly true of the food of my home country, Russia - or Siberia, to be exact. When I think of Siberia, I hear the sound of fresh snow crunching beneath my feet. Today, whenever I crush sea salt flakes between my fingers as I cook, I think of that sound.

In this book I feature recipes that are authentic to Siberia, classic Russian flavour combinations and my modern interpretations. You will find dishes from the pre-revolutionary era and the Soviet days, as well as contemporary approaches - revealing a cuisine that is vibrant, nourishing, exciting and above all relevant no matter the time or the place.