Rich with dark chocolate and with a good hit of brandy, this was the perfect dessert for a French menu. The addition of a walnut tuile added some buttery crunch. I always keep a jar of brandied prunes – a jar filled with pitted prunes and topped up with brandy. The prunes taste better and…… Continue reading chocolate and brandied prune terrine + walnut tuiles
chèvre omelette
A simple dish of eggs and cheese might only take 10-15 minutes to prepare but it can still impress. This omelette highlights light and fluffy just-melted goats cheese. Break up 1 cup of fresh chèvre, mix through 1 tablespoon of finely chopped chives and set aside. In a small frypan heat some butter with a…… Continue reading chèvre omelette
chicken and peanut stew
This African classic Huku ne Dovi comes from Zimbabwe where chicken is considered a delicacy. It’s always served with either rice or millet dumplings. An amazingly tasty dish despite the simplicity of its ingredients. This might be better with bone-in chicken but I only had 4 chicken thighs to hand which I cut into large…… Continue reading chicken and peanut stew
oat cakes
Quintessentially Scottish, these savoury oat cakes are equally good served with a cheese platter or with butter and jam. A coating of dark chocolate works too. Read more about the art of oat cakes here. Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Mix 225g of instant oats, 60g of flour, ½ a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, ½ a teaspoon of sugar and 1…… Continue reading oat cakes
miso grilled tofu and vegetables
Here’s a lovely way to eat tofu and should appeal to both vegetarians and omnivores. You will need a firm tofu for this meal. For the vegetables I used butternut pumpkin (squash), zucchini (courgettes) and whole Swiss brown mushrooms but the choice of vegetables is flexible as long as they keep their shape reasonably well.…… Continue reading miso grilled tofu and vegetables
braised rabbit
Rabbit is such a dense and lean meat that it’s difficult to keep moist and tender. David’s rabbit-cooking technique is a work in progress but he usually gets it right and here is one of his recipes. Joint 1 fresh rabbit into 6 pieces. Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy casserole dish and…… Continue reading braised rabbit
yoghurt honey cheesecake
I agree with Yotam Ottolenghi about cheesecakes – baked is always the best. So when he described this set cheesecake in glowing terms, he piqued my interest. He wasn’t wrong – absolutely delicious! Before you start this cake, place 500g (17½ oz) of Greek style yoghurt in a clean cloth, tie it together and hang it…… Continue reading yoghurt honey cheesecake
mini breakfast frittatas
Here’s a great breakfast for a crowd that’s easy to prepare ahead. These were simple ham and cheese but there are endless ingredient choices for mini frittatas and they’re excellent party food too. Try mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, chillies, olives and truffle to name just a few. Let your imagination run wild. Generously butter some…… Continue reading mini breakfast frittatas
spicy prawns + vegetables in coconut
These two dishes use Belacan, a shrimp paste pressed into a block and sun-dried. It’s an essential ingredient in Malaysian cooking which adds a unique depth of flavour. Pre-roasting, a necessary step, reduces it’s very strong smell and flavour. Wrap a piece in foil and roast it over an open flame or in the oven until…… Continue reading spicy prawns + vegetables in coconut
pandan chiffon cake
Here’s a wonderful Asian treat. This amazingly green and fantastically light sponge cake is popular throughout South-East Asia. Pandan leaf is often used to flavour desserts and, as in this cake, is often paired with coconut. I’ve bought excellent versions of this cake at Asian grocery stores but for a while there was a shortage…… Continue reading pandan chiffon cake
michelle picker cooks 