Dishes with chocolate are found in many South American countries and were no doubt influenced by traditional Mexican mole negro. The chocolate, which is entirely sugar free, lends a depth of flavour to the sauce. This recipe from The South American Table by Maria Baez Kijac was adapted by David to suit our rather small…… Continue reading rabbit in a chocolate sauce
maple ice cream with salted buttered walnuts
In Australia, most maple syrup is A grade. B grade is produced later in the season and is darker, with more minerals, a higher viscosity and a stronger maple flavour. Luc, our local Canadian importer and ambassador of maple syrup, assures me that the closest here is Coles Brand. My can of B grade, however,…… Continue reading maple ice cream with salted buttered walnuts
seafood japchae
Japchae is amongst the most popular dishes in Korea. It’s a stir-fry of noodles, vegetables and, in my case prawns and squid. The transparent noodles are made of sweet potato starch and have a lovely chewy texture. Soak 6 – 8 whole dried shiitake mushrooms in boiling water for a few hours before you start…… Continue reading seafood japchae
broccolini
Broccolini is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan (Chinese kale or broccoli). It has smaller florets and thinner stalks than broccoli and the flavour is a little milder. It lends itself to just about any cuisine. Here are 2 simple recipes. Broccolini with lemon: Wash and trim the broccolini and set aside. Warm a generous amount…… Continue reading broccolini
braised cumin lamb
The city of Xi’an in the northwestern province of Shaanxi in China lies at the eastern end of the Silk Road. Persian and Arab traders arrived here introducing their food and customs and there is still a Muslim quarter in Xi’an today. This is an adaptation of a popular dish which combines lamb and cumin…… Continue reading braised cumin lamb
frangipane tart with brandied prunes
Frangipane is a sweet filling made with almonds. Here it’s paired with brandied prunes in a classic French combination. Soak your prunes in brandy for as long as possible or at least overnight. To make the pastry, place 180g (6⅓ oz) of flour in a food processor. Add 100g (3½ oz) of cold butter cut…… Continue reading frangipane tart with brandied prunes
spicy mussels
This recipe, from THE RIVER CAFE COOKBOOK by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers hails from the Puglia region of Italy. Serve it with crusty bread. Scrub clean 2kg (4½ lbs) of fresh mussels. In a large saucepan heat 60ml (2 fl oz) of olive oil and add the mussels, 150ml (5 fl oz) of white…… Continue reading spicy mussels
eggplant and onion
Deliciously soft and sweet eggplant and onion – an excellent side dish to serve with a Korean or Japanese style meal. Slice a large onion and an eggplant (aubergine) into wedges. Heat some oil in a saucepan and fry the onions until they are starting to soften. Add the eggplant and continue to cook until…… Continue reading eggplant and onion
pork in aspic
This cold cut is based on a peasant dish that originated in Europe and has been made since the Middle Ages. Traditional versions are made with the head of the animal and go by various names such as coppa di testa, presswurst and brawn. It can be made either as a large sausage or set…… Continue reading pork in aspic
lingonberry and cranberry frozen yoghurt
Lingonberries and cranberries are similarly tart so I chose to combine them in this frozen yoghurt. To make this frozen yoghurt first soak ½ a cup of dried cranberries in ¼ of a cup of vodka, preferably overnight. Make a sugar syrup by heating 2 parts sugar to one part water until dissolved. Combine 2…… Continue reading lingonberry and cranberry frozen yoghurt
michelle picker cooks 