Even with the vast number of recipes available on the internet these days, there’s nothing quite like leafing through a beautiful book full of recipes. It’s a medium that’s stronger than ever before, with cookbooks topping bestseller charts throughout the year. If you’re anything like us then you’ll have shelves upon shelves of them in your home – some kept in pristine condition, others earmarked, stained and scrawled over after years of use.

It’s this national love for cookbooks that has prompted us to start our very own cookbook club. Each month we’ll select a cookbook that we think stands out from the rest and ask you, the Great British Chefs community, to cook a recipe from it. We’ll publish a small selection of recipes on our site so, even if you don’t already have the book, you can still get involved and see how your cooking compares to everyone else’s. Apply to join the Facebook group here and take a look at this month's book (and recipes) below. We've also included the winning post from last month's book, as well as some of our other favourite entries.

Join us in September as we cook from Santiago Lastra’s new cookbook, Mexican Soul: A New Style of Cooking. In Mexican Soul, Santiago reimagines Mexican cooking using what’s local, seasonal and already in your cupboard. From wickedly spicy, citrusy trout tostadas to a rich arroz con leche (rice pudding), these recipes are a must-try for anyone looking to expand their understanding of Mexican cuisine.

We have six incredible recipes from Santiago’s book for you to try.

For August, it was Throwback Month, when members cooked from the archives of previous Cookbook Club books. We loved seeing old favourites revisited, from the very first Great British Chefs cookbook to more recent choices.

This month's winner is Julie Singer with her confit trout with crushed potatoes and crème fraîche, adapted from Adam Gray’s recipe in Great British Chefs: 120 Recipes from Britain’s Top Chefs. We were impressed by the precision of her cooking and beautiful presentation, as well as her thoughtful use of rainbow trout and local Yukon Gold potatoes. Thank you Julia for taking us all the way back to 2018! 

Make sure you post photos along with commentary of the dishes you cook this month in our Facebook group to be in with the chance of winning.