This deliciously moist flourless cake is equally good for dessert or afternoon tea. To make it you will need 100g butter, ¾ cup sugar, 3 large eggs, 1½ cups poppy seeds, 2½ cups almond meal, 1 teaspoon bi-carb soda, 2 cups buttermilk and 1 teaspoon almond essence. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Combine the butter and sugar then add the eggs…… Continue reading poppy seed and almond cake
baked breakfast
Here’s a breakfast (or brunch) with a Middle-Eastern influence. First prepare a baking dish with some olive oil. Cut tomatoes in half and sprinkle with sumac (a spice made from berries which adds a tangy lemony flavour) then place them cut-side up in the baking dish. Cut mushrooms into quarters or thick slices and add…… Continue reading baked breakfast
ratatouille
Ratatouille used to be such a fashionable dish, but somehow I had memories of a mushy mix of overcooked vegetables that just wasn’t inspiring. This time I tried the real French method – what a difference! Heat some olive oil in a large wide frypan and add 2 onions sliced into 1cm (½ inch) rings. Cook…… Continue reading ratatouille
fig, date and goat cheese tart
Moroccan tagines often include fruit and I love the way it’s cooked. Take 12 pieces of dried fruit and cook them in a cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar. Allow to boil until the fruit is soft and the liquid is low. Now add a tablespoon of orange blossom water (available at Middle…… Continue reading fig, date and goat cheese tart
pizza 2
More pizza ideas. Here is the recipe for the base. This one is reminiscent of Mexican food with tomato paste, Provoletta (a cheese mix would work too), chorizo, corn, red onion, green chilli and fresh coriander to serve: And this one has 3 cheeses (Provoletta, Gorgonzola and Parmesan) with thinly sliced zucchini, black pepper and…… Continue reading pizza 2
celery stir-fry
Never a favourite of mine, I used to leave celery off my shopping list. That was until I travelled to China. There I ate some simple celery stir-fries, usually with only one other ingredient such as onion, lotus or even macadamia. Since then, I’ve added celery to my repertoire, sometimes with onion or with tomato segments and…… Continue reading celery stir-fry
mapo tofu
Mapo Tofu (Grandma’s beancurd) is a favourite of mine. In this version I cook 500g of minced beef in a hot pan, making sure it’s broken up into small pieces to form the basis of the sauce. No oil is necessary as the meat first loses it’s water content and then fries in it’s own fat, intensifying…… Continue reading mapo tofu
christmas feast 2010
With contributions from family and friends our indulgence on Christmas day began with antipasti which included roasted peppers, eggplant and olive caponata, Insalata Caprese (tomato, mozzarella and basil salad), prosciutto, salami and Sicilian olives all served with a fresh Ciabatta bread. Two main course dishes followed, accompanied by a lettuce salad with feta dressing and…… Continue reading christmas feast 2010
pizza
Everyone loves to make their own pizza, so I divide a batch of dough into pizza-sized balls, prepare all the topping ingredients and let everyone else take over! A pizza stone (or unglazed terracotta tiles) preheated in a hot oven or covered barbecue does an excellent job of cooking the pizzas. For the dough, take…… Continue reading pizza
rhubarb and blackberry compote
I couldn’t resist buying a bunch of rhubarb recently – it looked so wonderfully bright and fresh. I decided to combine it with blackberries in a baked compote. After washing and trimming the rhubarb, I cut it into short lengths. These went into an oven-proof dish with a cup of blackberries, ¾ cup of caster sugar and…… Continue reading rhubarb and blackberry compote
michelle picker cooks 