On the first Tuesday of November, everything in Australia (and particularly Melbourne) stops for the Melbourne Cup, a prestigious annual thoroughbred horse race. Everyone dresses up for the occasion and hats or fascinators are almost compulsory. For those who don’t go to the races it’s a great excuse for a party, usually involving sweeps on the races…… Continue reading almond and strawberry trifle
lobster tail
Here’s a simple and delicious treat for a luxurious lunch. Christmas, perhaps? Trim the lobster tails and cut down the middle of the inside with a pair of chicken shears. Now, with a heavy knife, cut through the middle of the tail just enough to allow it to open and still stay connected. Season with…… Continue reading lobster tail
ribeye roast with mustard and horseradish sauce
Succulent beef, roast vegetables and a delicious sauce. Who could ask for more? To improve the crust on your ribeye roast, allow it to air-dry, uncovered, on a rack in the fridge overnight. Season it generously with salt and pepper on all sides – seasoning with salt up to a day in advance helps the seasoning…… Continue reading ribeye roast with mustard and horseradish sauce
chocolates
I was researching sous vide cooking when I came upon some information on Serious Eats about tempering chocolate by that method. I had to try it. It was certainly easy but not absolutely necessary, as you can see in Three Ways to Temper Chocolate. My first attempt was nice and crunchy, melted nicely in the…… Continue reading chocolates
sichuan braised eggplant
The province of Sichuan (Szechuan) in southwestern China has a bold, pungent and spicy cuisine. It’s known for it’s liberal use of garlic, chillies, vinegar and sichuan pepper. Here’s a great example of Sichuan braised eggplant from Serious Eats. Trim ¾ kg (1½ lbs) of small Asian eggplants and cut them into quarters lengthwise then into 10cm (4″) lengths. Pour…… Continue reading sichuan braised eggplant
slow-roasted lamb shoulder
Iranian in style, this fragrant slow-roasted lamb shoulder is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Serve it with rice and a fresh salad. Preheat your oven to 160ºC (320ºF). Cut 3 onions into wedges and scatter them into a large roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. Place the lamb shoulder on…… Continue reading slow-roasted lamb shoulder
sour cream panna cotta with berries
Cindy made this panna cotta (Italian for ‘cooked’cream’), the perfect dessert to follow our home-made pizzas. It’s a great make-ahead recipe that’s always elegant and delicious. She followed this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. For the panna cotta pour 1 cup of milk into a saucepan and sprinkle with 2½ teaspoons of unflavoured gelatine powder. Allow the…… Continue reading sour cream panna cotta with berries
zucchini, parmesan and basil soup
Do you keep those rinds from parmesan? Here’s a truly delicious way to use them and to eat your greens. The first step for this soup is to make a stock from the parmesan rinds. A pressure cooker helps to shorten this process. Cut 4 -6 pieces of rind into small pieces and cook them…… Continue reading zucchini, parmesan and basil soup
greek lemon chicken and potatoes
Looking for a simple meal that’s enticing and delicious? Here is a wonderful version of this Greek classic from Chef John at Food Wishes. Preheat your oven to 220ºC (425ºF). Cut a chicken into 6-8 pieces (I left the breasts whole as they cook more quickly) and place them in a large bowl. Season well…… Continue reading greek lemon chicken and potatoes
torta di cioccolata
This Italian-style flourless chocolate cake has a crisp crust, a wonderful rich dark chocolate flavour and a light, moist, melt-in-the mouth centre. I prefer my cakes not too sweet so I reduced the sugar in this recipe which comes from one of my favourite cake books, Bake your cake & eat it too! by Tamara Millstein. Preheat…… Continue reading torta di cioccolata
michelle picker cooks 