This is the ubiquitous Spanish dish, tortilla EspaƱol, made from potatoes and eggs. Some purists leave it at that but others, including Thomas who followed this Serious Eats recipe, add onions. This dish is so versatile – it can be served hot or cold, as a snack with drinks, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. In…… Continue reading tortilla de patatas
bread with tomato
Pan con tomate is a Spanish tapa, or small portion of food, usually served at bars. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this recipe – it’s a flavour bomb! Thomas made these delicious morsels following this recipe from Serious Eats. Make sure you choose the best ingredients for the best result. Cut ripe, sweet…… Continue reading bread with tomato
pork loin roast with onions and honey
Here’s a simple but impressive roast recipe that yields tender juicy pork with a delicious sauce to boot. Dry the pork sirloin. For a 2kg (4 – 5lb) roast combine 1 tablespoon of oil with 2 teaspoons of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, Ā½ -1 teaspoon of chilli powder, 1 teaspoon each of garlic and onion powder, 2 teaspoons of salt…… Continue reading pork loin roast with onions and honey
flourless almond apricot cake
Apricots and almonds are both members of the same family of plants which is probably why they complement each other so well. This cake is easy to make, flexible (you can use fresh stewed apricots, canned apricots or stewed dried apricots) and very yummy. Preheat your oven to 160ĀŗC (320ĀŗF). In a food processor combine…… Continue reading flourless almond apricot cake
ricotta gnocchi, gorgonzola, butternut and spinach
This one is for all you cheese lovers. To make theĀ gnocchi, combine 340g (12 oz) of fresh full-fat ricotta with 2 whole eggs, Ā¾ of a cup of plain flour and ā of a cup of finely grated parmesan. Mix with a pastry cutter or fork. When the mixture is well combined, flour a work…… Continue reading ricotta gnocchi, gorgonzola, butternut and spinach
marinated octopus
Having recently bought some marinated octopus from a deli, I was inspired to make it myself. The results didn’t disappoint. A perfect consistency – tender but not too soft – and a simple but delicious Greek style marinade. Slightly adapted from a recipe by Nancy Gaifyllia for Spruce Eats. I had just one tentacle to…… Continue reading marinated octopus
ossobuco
Ossobuco means ‘bone with a hole’ in Italian, and traditionally refers to veal shanks. These days, the slow braised shanks are more often beef. The dish is a speciality of Lombardy and this fabulous recipe comes from The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Preheat your oven to 180ĀŗC (350ĀŗF). Choose a heavy-bottomed…… Continue reading ossobuco
saffron ice cream and honey grilled figsĀ
Bastani Sonnati is a Persian ice cream flavoured with saffron and rosewater and traditionally thickened with salep (sahlep, sahlab or glucomannan), a flour made from the tubers of orchids; and mastic, a resin from the mastic tree. Instead I used cornflour (cornstarch), guar gum and xantham gum. Figs were in season and a delicious accompaniment. For the ice cream,…… Continue reading saffron ice cream and honey grilled figsĀ
homemade marinated feta
You might be familiar with Persian marinated feta. It’s not the sort of feta you would normally buy for a Greek salad. Persian feta is a much softer and creamier cheese. In Iran, a soft cheese like this would traditionally be served with flat bread and herbs and not necessarily marinated. Either way, it’s delicious.…… Continue reading homemade marinated feta
seed crackers
For those of you who want to cut down on carbohydrates, or who follow a gluten free diet, these delicious and delightfully crunchy crackers taste great with dips, cheese…..anything. They are not too difficult to make and are similar to some exorbitantly priced crackers available in supermarkets today. Each of these crackers has less than…… Continue reading seed crackers
michelle picker cooks 