San Chow Bow
Many years ago a friend came for dinner and bought me a terracotta pot filled with Vietnamese Mint. At the time I’d never heard of this type of mint, let alone tasted it. But when I did taste it, it...
View ArticleCafé Baloo Grilled Aubergine
Food, scents and music are irrevocably linked and leave romantic etchings in our soul. One of my personal etchings, comes from a long time ago, from a café in the Russell St Melbourne called Café...
View ArticleThe Healthiest Chocolate Tart
The very thought of making a chocolate tart with avocados and without using dairy products would never have occurred to me until I was watching Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s TV series ‘River Cottage...
View ArticleHot Cross Buns
I’ve written about Hot Cross Buns before, but since then, I’ve leant much more about bread making. So my recipe has changed dramatically following more practice. The first major insight for me was to...
View ArticleMadeleines au citron
Recently, I was given an antique French madeleine baking tray. I wish I knew its story, where in France it came from and who cooked with it. It’s marked with years of culinary love and attention and...
View ArticleDumpling and Prawn Soup
This recipe is all about having a comforting bowl of steaming dumpling soup within thirty minutes. So given that it also about time and maximum flavour, picking fresh and good quality ingredients is...
View ArticleChocolate Roulade
I am a huge fan of roulades or swiss rolls. They have the perfect balance of a delicious creamy filling with a moist cake. The fear of cracking the cake open with deep crevasses when rolling it up can...
View ArticleGnocchi: Homemade Potato Dumplings
Good gnocchi should be light and fluffy and there are three important rules to the perfect gnocchi. Don’t let the potato get wet. The best way to do this is to avoid boiling the potatoes and bake them...
View ArticleVegetable and Ginger Noodles
No meat Monday is a regular feature in our house. With absolutely nothing against meat, there is a chance to reduce the amount of meat we eat by going without for at least one night in the week. It’s...
View ArticleMandarin and Almond Cake
When you look at the ingredients for this recipe, you know this is going to be easy and quick to get in the oven. You might also wonder if it is going to work but it does and rewards you with...
View ArticleBeef Bourgiugnon
I wrote and posted a recipe for beef bourguignon several years ago but since then, my style and tastes have changed dramatically. In the first version I included more layers such as orange zest,...
View ArticleTarte au Chocolat (Baked Chocolate Tart)
This tart is easy to make. You can make it ahead of time; in fact I think it is better with a day in the fridge before it is served. But, there are a few tips to make sure the final result is the one...
View ArticlePreserved Lemons
A jar of preserved lemons is always on hand in my kitchen. Because I use them in so many ways, I tend not to add spices or herbs to the jar when I am making them so as not to impact on the final dish...
View ArticlePortuguese Tarts
Legend has it that in 19th century Portugal, Lisbon monks used egg whites to starch nuns’ habits and so there were plenty of spare egg yolks. Careful to not waste the yolks, they made these small...
View ArticleGremolata
Gremolata is a classic Italian herb condiment or garnish that is traditionally used with veal shanks or osso buco. But you can use it in fish dishes and even dress a basic salad with it. Another...
View ArticleSlow roast lamb with white bean stew
This is a dish I love to serve on a cold winter’s night and when I want maximum comfort. Stemming from French origins, this is one dish that can be popped in the oven and forgotten for the rest of the...
View ArticleTarte à la Rhubarbe (Rhubarb Tart)
Tarte à la rhubarb or Rhubarb Tart is a French classic and definitely one of my favorites. Every region in France has a different version, even families within regions will have a different recipe and...
View ArticleChristmas Fruit Mince Tarts
Christmas time is marked with plenty of food, but one that stands out for me is a Christmas fruit mince tart. It is my most favourite of all and I cannot imagine a Christmas without one at hand. This...
View ArticleGingerbread Biscuits
The narrative of gingerbread is steeped in nearly 1000 years of a very European history. With a story that is so long and diverse, it is not surprising that there are countless recipes and uses. Of...
View ArticleGingerbread Cake
I love making this cake at Christmas time. It is deeply aromatic and warming. The best part of this recipe is that it’s melt and mix which means it’s easy to prepare, in and out of the over in the...
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