I love to travel the world and one of the pleasures or travelling is new food experiences. Amanda (who shares the same name as the head chef) recommended Dirt Candy, an innovative restaurant in New York serving tasting menus made entirely with vegetables. Beginning with a dirty corn martini we launched into the 10-course menu…… Continue reading travelling and eating
sultana yoghurt cake
Just part of a wonderful lunch with friends, Caroline baked this cake from Turquoise: A Chef’s Travels in Turkey by Greg and Lucy Malouf. Dotted with plump sultanas, the texture was somewhere between custard and cheesecake with a subtle not-too-sweet yoghurt flavour. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease and line a 20cm (8″) springform cake…… Continue reading sultana yoghurt cake
soda bread
What to do when you’ve run out of bread and can’t get to the shops? Soda bread is an excellent quick bread which doesn’t require any special bread flour or yeast. Traditional Irish soda bread has only 4 ingredients: plain flour, bicarbonate of soda (the raising agent), salt and buttermilk. These days we don’t churn…… Continue reading soda bread
lamb shanks with rice and lemon
These Greek-style Lamb shanks, one of Yotam Ottolenghi’s one-pot-wonders-recipes, are packed with flavour. If you can get the lamb shanks to stand up they look pretty amazing too. Heat some olive oil in a large casserole over medium heat and fry 200g of peeled and halved shallots for three to four minutes until well browned. Remove them…… Continue reading lamb shanks with rice and lemon
hazelnut, apricot and mascarpone layer cake
I saved this recipe so long ago that I’ve forgotten where I found it. I’m glad I finally made it. The hazelnut cake was a little chewy and meringue-like and the combination of flavours was wonderful. It looked good too! I made the four layers of this cake in two 15.25cm (6″) cake tins. To make…… Continue reading hazelnut, apricot and mascarpone layer cake
huevos rancheros
Here’s a great wake-up breakfast – fried eggs served the Mexican way. If you want to make your own fresh tortillas (and there’s nothing better!) see how to do it here. These ones were made with blue corn masa which is a little coarser than white corn masa and therefore results in thicker tortillas. To…… Continue reading huevos rancheros
slow-cooked calamari
Cooked long and slow in the Provençal style, calamari becomes amazingly tender with a rich and deep flavour. Enjoy it with a crusty baguette, a fresh green salad and a crisp white wine. This recipe, from PROVENCE Gastronomique by Erica Brown, also works with squid, cuttlefish or octopus. If you intend to clean your own calamari,…… Continue reading slow-cooked calamari
honey walnut cheesecake with figs cooked in ouzo
Here’s a deconstructed cheesecake which celebrates Greek flavours. A simple and elegant way to serve cheesecake as a dessert for a dinner party. At least a few hours before or even the night before, strain 500g of Greek-style yoghurt. Place in a piece of cheesecloth or fine linen, tie together and hang over a bowl…… Continue reading honey walnut cheesecake with figs cooked in ouzo
Greek tomato soup
This Domatósoupa is a creamy, slightly sour tomato soup with an amazing depth of flavour. The recipe can be found in Susie Jacobs’ Recipes from a Greek Island. To make this soup you must first make a herb stock. Measure 1.2 litres (40fl oz) of water into a saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped thyme, 2…… Continue reading Greek tomato soup
ribeye with mushroom sauce
For you meat-lovers out there. We brined this steak with leftover dill pickle brine. This can be from store-bought pickles or home-made. The pickle brine not only salts the meat but imparts some delicious flavour. Marinate for at least a few hours. Brush the steak with oil and cook it on the barbecue, not directly…… Continue reading ribeye with mushroom sauce
michelle picker cooks 