This is not only a meal in one pot but takes chilli con carne to a new level. Especially good made a day ahead. Begin by frying a large chopped onion in some oil until it wilts then add a few finely diced cloves of garlic and a finely diced hot red chilli. Next a…… Continue reading two bean chilli con carne
almonds iberica
The Spanish are one of the world’s largest producers of almonds and they definitely know how to bring out the very best of their flavour. Almonds like these are often served as tapas. If you have almonds with skins, pour boiling water over them and wait until the skin is wrinkled. You can now pinch…… Continue reading almonds iberica
corn fritters with smoked salmon
A lavish finger food that’s easy to make and sure to impress. Mix 2 cups of cooked corn kernels with 1 finely diced green chilli, ½ cup chopped coriander (cilantro), 2-3 finely diced brown shallots, ¾ cup self-raising flour, 2 eggs and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a little corn oil in a fry-pan and drop spoonfuls of the mix in,…… Continue reading corn fritters with smoked salmon
chargrilled chicken
Some more delicious Asian-inspired barbeque from Spirit House Restaurant’s cookbook HOT PLATE Asian-Inspired Barbeque. My husband David cooked this one. The marinade is made by pounding 100gm (3½ oz) of white sugar, 3 birdseye chillies, a teaspoon of white peppercorns and the bottom of 3 stalks of lemongrass in a mortar and pestle with 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce…… Continue reading chargrilled chicken
figs in red wine
This Nigel Slater recipe was intended as a dessert to be served with all it’s syrup. I decided instead to serve the figs as delightful cold morsels. In a saucepan place 375g (8oz) of dried figs, a bottle of red wine, 3 tablespoons of honey and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Bring to the…… Continue reading figs in red wine
sweet chilli and ginger squid
Smoky, spicy, sweet and tender. Pound or blend together 2 long red chillies, 1 clove of garlic and 1 coriander (cilantro) root. Heat this paste in a small saucepan adding 2 tablespoons of shredded ginger, ½ a cup of white rice vinegar and ½ a cup of caster sugar. Bring to boil then add 2…… Continue reading sweet chilli and ginger squid
McNulty’s vegetable pie
This amazing pie was made for us by our good friend Chris McNulty. The incredibly light and almost puffy pastry was a shortcrust made with organic flour and plenty of butter. The pie’s filling included onion, garlic, ginger, potato, carrot, parsnip, turnip, pepper (3 colours), zucchini, celery, tomato and parsley. Some of these were blanched and…… Continue reading McNulty’s vegetable pie
basil walnut and pecorino bread
This bread makes a perfect centrepiece for a casual lunch. To make it, first mix 2½ teaspoons of dry active yeast and ½ a teaspoon of sugar into 3 tablespoons of warm water (this can be fairly warm to touch but not hot). Leave this to prove for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, into a large…… Continue reading basil walnut and pecorino bread
spicy pork patties
This Thai-style recipe comes from a wonderful addition to our cookbooks, HOT PLATE Asian-Inspired Barbeque, a gift from visiting friends. Having eaten at Spirit House Restaurant and Cooking School, they wanted to share some of the inspiration. In a mortar and pestle pound to a rough paste 6 cloves of garlic, 6 coriander (cilantro) roots, 3 small green chillies, ¾ of…… Continue reading spicy pork patties
rojak
This traditional Malaysian salad is a refreshing accompaniment for a spicy barbecue. From your Asian grocer buy a jar of rojak sauce (made in Malaysia), a packet of bean-curd puffs (deep-fried squares of tofu) and either a Chinese turnip or a daikon radish. The other ingredients in this salad are green apple, pineapple, cucumber and…… Continue reading rojak
michelle picker cooks 