Here’s a hearty meal with North African and Middle Eastern influences. To make the meatballs combine lamb mince with finely chopped parsley, ground cumin and ground cinnamon to taste and season well with salt and pepper. Form into small meatballs and set aside in the fridge. Dice a large eggplant (aubergine) and fry gently in some…… Continue reading lamb meatballs with eggplant and tomato + couscous with cauliflower
sambal with okra and prawns on coconut rice
A spicy Yotam Ottolenghi recipe (with the addition of prawns) from his book PLENTY. To make the sambal combine 5 de-seeded fresh red chillies, 5 de-seeded dried red chillies, 100g (3½ oz) of red shallots, 1 diced clove of garlic, 2 tablespoons each of oil and water and ½ a teaspoon of salt in a…… Continue reading sambal with okra and prawns on coconut rice
semolina pudding brûlée
I love crème brûlée but it doesn’t love me. Imagine my delight at finding this recipe for a wonderful burnt and creamy dessert which doesn’t use any cream! The recipe comes from my sister’s birthday present to me: MY LITTLE FRENCH KITCHEN by Rachel Khoo. In a saucepan bring 500ml (1 pint) of milk to boil and…… Continue reading semolina pudding brûlée
sichuan chilli chicken + smashed cucumber salad + peanuts in vinegar
Sichuan (or Szechuan) pepper from northern China has a unique aroma and flavour with slight lemony overtones which creates a tingling numbness in the mouth that sets the stage for hot spices. This traditional chicken dish demonstrates Ma la (麻辣) literally “numbing and spicy”, a combination of Sichuan pepper and chilli which is common in Sichuan cooking. Cut 650g (1½ lbs) of chicken…… Continue reading sichuan chilli chicken + smashed cucumber salad + peanuts in vinegar
tagliatelle with beef cheek and mushroom ragout
Wonderfully rich and gamey, this ragout would work equally well with polenta. In a pressure cooker or heavy pot heat a little olive oil and sear the ox cheeks briefly before setting them aside. Add a little more olive oil to the pot and gently fry 1 diced onion and 2 finely diced cloves of garlic until the onions are…… Continue reading tagliatelle with beef cheek and mushroom ragout
poppy seed cake
This is more like a slightly sweet bread than a cake. It’s delicious for breakfast and is actually traditionally eaten as a wedding breakfast amongst the Sorbian people, a Slavic race who number only 60,000 and live in Saxony, Germany. The recipe is adapted from the book Culinaria GERMANY. To make the dough mix 4 cups of flour with 2¼ teaspoons of dried yeast,…… Continue reading poppy seed cake
salmon on mash + roasted fennel & kale
A fresh piece of salmon with sweet mash, lemon roasted fennel and crisp kale. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (390ºF). For the mash steam equal amounts of potato and sweet potato until very soft and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan, add 1 finely chopped shallot and cook gently. Add ¼ of a finely sliced…… Continue reading salmon on mash + roasted fennel & kale
chicken meatball and risoni soup
A chicken noodle soup fragrant with rosemary and lemon. To make the meatballs combine 500g (17 oz) of chicken mince with 1 crushed clove of garlic, the finely grated zest of ½ a lemon, 1 teaspoon of finely diced fresh rosemary, 2-3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Form into walnut-sized…… Continue reading chicken meatball and risoni soup
tarte tatin
This classic French dessert comes from the Hotel Tatin in Lamotte-Beuvron south of Paris. The hotel was run by two sisters, Stéphanie and Caroline Tatin. The tart was apparently created by Stéphanie Tatin when she left her apples on the stove too long and decided to put the pastry on top, serving it hot from the oven. It became a signature dish at…… Continue reading tarte tatin
roasted jerusalem artichokes
Looking for something a little different to serve as a side dish? Mediterranean flavours make this a perfect accompaniment for barbecued, grilled and roasted meat or fish. Peel and chop 450g (1 lb) of jerusalem artichokes. Drop them into a bowl of acidulated water as you go to prevent them from turning black. You can also add some peeled and diced…… Continue reading roasted jerusalem artichokes
michelle picker cooks 