A traditional Greek style octopus recipe. Simple and super tasty. Serve with some crusty bread and a fresh salad. Place 450g (1 lb) of octopus tentacles in a saucepan with 1½ tablespoons of red wine vinegar, ¼ of a cup of dry white wine and a bay leaf. Cook for 40-60 minutes over low heat with the…… Continue reading octopus 2
fennel and broad bean salad
A pale but delicious salad of fresh fennel, broad beans, hazelnuts and feta. Finely slice a large fennel bulb lengthways and put the slices in a bowl. Place 100g (3½ oz) of frozen broad beans in a small bowl and cover them in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, refresh and add to the fennel. Dress…… Continue reading fennel and broad bean salad
baked whole fish
A Greek-style baked fish that’s light, fresh and simple to prepare. David cooked it following this Mark Bittman recipe. Preheat your oven 230ºC (450ºF). In a bowl combine 2 cups of chopped tomatoes (or halved cherry tomatoes) with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh chilli, 1 tablespoon…… Continue reading baked whole fish
apple cake
Here’s an apple cake with a crusty exterior and delicious apple filling. Thomas used this recipe. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease an 18cm (7″) cake tin. Melt 125g (4.4 0z) of butter in a large saucepan, then add 90g (3 oz) of sugar and stir to dissolve. Add 1 cup of self-raising…… Continue reading apple cake
kung pao tofu
Kung Pao (Gong Bao) is a classic dish from Sichuan province in south-west China. Traditionally made with chicken, vegetables and peanuts, here is a version using firm tofu instead. To start, cut a 450g (16 oz) block of firm tofu into 2.5cm (1″) cubes and marinate in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 tablespoon…… Continue reading kung pao tofu
butter paneer + cauliflower dhal
Instead of the ubiquitous butter chicken, this recipe by Swasthi uses paneer cheese. Delicious! To make the sauce heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan and add 2 whole cardamom pods. Next add 1 large chopped onion and cook until it becomes translucent. Add an equal amount of chopped tomatoes and ¾ of a…… Continue reading butter paneer + cauliflower dhal
beef ribs + zucchini banchan
Here’s are two tasty Korean style dishes. The super tasty ribs recipe is adapted from My Korean Kitchen and the zucchini side dish comes from explorecookeat. Soak 1.5kg (3⅓ lbs) of beef ribs in cold water. Bring a large pot of water to boil. When the water boils, transfer the short ribs into the pot…… Continue reading beef ribs + zucchini banchan
burnt Basque cheesecake 2.0
Just one more Spanish food post to end the year on a sweet note. I’ve expounded on the history of this cheesecake in a previous post. This recipe, adapted from Spanish Sabores, is my favourite so far. With only 4 ingredients it’s incredibly easy to make, looks amazing and is just delicious! Preheat your oven…… Continue reading burnt Basque cheesecake 2.0
pastel de nata
The Portuguese custard tart, pastel de nata (plural: pastéis de nata), has become a popular treat worldwide. They were created in the 17th Century by the Catholic monks of the Hieronymites Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) in Belém, Lisbon. The monks used egg whites to starch their clothing, leaving a surplus of egg yolks which came to be used…… Continue reading pastel de nata
conservas
The first fish conservation company in Portugal was created in 1853. Since then, the Portuguese have continued to improve canning techniques, making conservas an essential pantry item and part of everyday cuisine of the region. Entire shops are dedicated to canned seafood which are considered a delicacy. The fish and seafood are often canned the…… Continue reading conservas
michelle picker cooks 