This one is for all you cheese lovers. To make the gnocchi, combine 340g (12 oz) of fresh full-fat ricotta with 2 whole eggs, ¾ of a cup of plain flour and ⅓ 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 180ºC (350ºF). Choose a heavy-bottomed…… Continue reading ossobuco
saffron ice cream and honey grilled figs
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 figs
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
duck with orange sauce
Duck a l’orange is thought to have originated in Tuscany where it was served to the Medicis. It migrated to France, perhaps when Catherine de’ Medici married into the French court, and eventually became a classic there. It was a favourite in the UK and the US in the 1960s and, although less fashionable today,…… Continue reading duck with orange sauce
semolina lemon syrup cakes
These little lemon cakes are tart and delicious and perfect for a picnic. Serve them just as they are or, if you prefer, with sour cream. You can make these cakes up to 2 days ahead. Another great recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi for Bon Appétit. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350°F). Use paper cupcake liners…… Continue reading semolina lemon syrup cakes
cauliflower pizza crusts
This low carb pizza option has been around for some time. Supermarkets are even selling cauliflower pizza crusts although the ones I’ve seen have added flour and are not truly low carb. I decided to make mine with just cauliflower and was pleasantly surprised. The pizzas held their shape, could be eaten by hand and…… Continue reading cauliflower pizza crusts
oat cakes revisited
Oat cakes are a Scottish cracker or biscuit with oats as their primary ingredient. In Scotland, where they can replace toast for breakfast, they were traditionally cooked on a griddle and have been documented to exist since Roman times. These days, oat cakes are often baked in the oven. The size, shape, thickness and texture…… Continue reading oat cakes revisited
michelle picker cooks 