Cherries and chocolate are famously well suited. Try this simple combination of fresh ripe cherries in a dark chocolate shell with a hint of coconut. Wash and chill 30 ripe cherries. In a microwave melt 40g (1½ oz) of 70% dark chocolate with 2 teaspoons of unrefined coconut oil until you can stir them together into a smooth…… Continue reading dark chocolate coated cherries
black bean soup
Spiced and a little spicy, this hearty soup will satisfy vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. To make this soup first soak ⅔ of a cup of dry black beans in 3 cups of water overnight. Cook the beans until soft (this only takes 10 minutes in a pressure cooker). Dice 1 onion, 1 red bell pepper and 2 sticks of…… Continue reading black bean soup
saté chicken + char-grilled asparagus
Just one version of a dish that’s popular the world over. For these saté skewers use sliced chicken thighs. In a mortar and pestle or small food processor combine 8 cloves of garlic, the white parts of 3 stalks of lemongrass, 4 large scraped and chopped coriander (cilantro) roots, 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns and 1 tablespoon of…… Continue reading saté chicken + char-grilled asparagus
chocolate whiskey raisin cake
In search of an elusive cake once eaten, I tried this recipe by Mietta O’Donnell. I still haven’t found it but this one was deliciously dark and rich with that hint of whiskey shining through. You must plan ahead to make this cake as you start by soaking ½ a cup of raisins in ½ a cup of…… Continue reading chocolate whiskey raisin cake
pork belly curry
My good friend Fifi cooked this Northern Thai pork belly curry which was every bit as delicious as it looks. Below is the recipe she gave me. Remove the rind from 1kg (2¼ lb) of pork belly, score it and make sure it’s dry. Season with salt and roast on high heat until you have perfect crackling. Meanwhile cut the…… Continue reading pork belly curry
flourless almond bread 2
My first flourless almond bread, although delicious with butter, was unsuited to more savoury toppings. With the addition of flaxseed meal and olive oil this new version is more savoury. Enjoy it with bacon and eggs, cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado or just about anything. It toasts well and can be used for sandwiches. Preheat your oven to 180ºC…… Continue reading flourless almond bread 2
black sesame ice cream
At my local Asian supermarket I spied a packet of instant black sesame dessert which had no preservatives or additives. So I decided to experiment and use this as flavour and thickening for an ice cream. I combined 3 cups of milk with 1⅓ cups of cream and after bringing to a boil allowed it to simmer…… Continue reading black sesame ice cream
celery and tomatoes
Celery was a vegetable I used to avoid but it’s becoming a favourite, especially with tomatoes. An Asian stir-fry of celery, asparagus, onion and tomatoes. Finely dice 2-3 cloves of garlic and a similar amount of fresh ginger. Slice a few sticks of celery into diagonal slices, trim and slice a bunch of asparagus into shorter lengths and cut…… Continue reading celery and tomatoes
grilled turkey meatballs
In Vietnam these grilled meatballs are made of minced pork but less traditional turkey ones are delicious too. In a food processor combine 225g (½ lb) of turkey mince with 4 finely diced shallots, 8 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of Vietnamese fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Process to a sticky paste…… Continue reading grilled turkey meatballs
flourless poppy seed cake
A shared love of poppy seeds and a shared birthday made this the perfect celebration cake. Beat 100g (3½ oz) of butter and ⅔ of a cup of sugar. Add 4 egg yolks, one at a time. Add ½ cup of light sour cream. Beat 4 egg whites until stiff. Fold a little into the butter mixture. Partly fold…… Continue reading flourless poppy seed cake
michelle picker cooks 