From San Sebastien, in Basque Country northern Spain, comes a cheesecake like no other. Invented three decades ago by Santiago Rivera, the owner of the pintxos bar and restaurant La Viña, the cake is so popular that La Viña makes 20 a day and the cake has become famous globally. It’s a deliciously creamy baked…… Continue reading burnt Basque cheesecake
Tag: recipe
scallops and cauliflower
Scallops and cauliflower make a fabulous pair. Cauliflower is often served as a purée with scallops but here it retains its integrity. This wonderfully well-balanced and complex recipe, by Chris Blanchard and Richard Reddington for Food & Wine, is quick and easy to cook. What more could you ask? First cut a cauliflower into florets…… Continue reading scallops and cauliflower
socca
Socca is a thin unleavened bread or pancake made from a batter of chick pea flour, water and oil. A speciality of the area around Nice in southeast France, variations known by other names and cooked by different methods can be found in many countries. This version is most closely related to the bordering Italian…… Continue reading socca
fish-fragrant pork slivers
Fish-fragrant or yuxiang flavouring, despite its name, doesn’t contain any fish or seafood. It’s a wonderful combination of doubanjiang (broad bean paste), sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and pickled chillies. This is a slightly adapted version of another sensational recipe by Fuchsia Dunlop from The Food of Sichuan. First, soak 4-5 wood-ear fungus in boiling water…… Continue reading fish-fragrant pork slivers
toasted pistachio ice cream
Pistachio ice cream is a classic for good reason and toasting the nuts brings out their flavour to the max. This recipe is once again thanks to Jeni Britton Bauer from her Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. Preheat you oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Spread ½ a cup of pistachios on a baking sheet and…… Continue reading toasted pistachio ice cream
pasta e fagioli
Pasta and beans is a classic soup in Italy and can be served thin or thicker as you prefer. This is an adapted version of a recipe from THE RIVER CAFE COOKBOOK by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. Hard to beat. The beans need soaking and cooking first. I used fava beans as I didn’t…… Continue reading pasta e fagioli
tapenade
Ancient Rome had similar dishes using olives and anchovies but the Provençal tapenade is named for its ubiquitous ingredient of “tapenas” or capers. Traditional tapenade always includes black olives and capers but additional ingredients may vary. This well-researched recipe is by Felicity Cloake for The Guardian. Spread it on bread or crackers as an hors…… Continue reading tapenade
stewed chicken with shimeji mushrooms + carrot kinpara
This sweet and sour Japanese style stew is easy to make and just delicious. And carrot kinpira, a Japanese way of cooking root vegetables, is an excellent accompaniment. Serve them with rice. Bring some salted water to boil in a small saucepan. Trim the green beans, cut them into shorter lengths and cook them in…… Continue reading stewed chicken with shimeji mushrooms + carrot kinpara
vanilla custard with roasted rhubarb and strawberries
For a recent celebration, Mary made this dessert. It’s another fabulous recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi, this time from SIMPLE. The custard is made with double cream and is reminiscent of a crème brûlée without the crunchy layer. And the wonderfully red and tart fruit is a perfect foil. Preheat your oven to 200ºC (390ºF). Cut 200g…… Continue reading vanilla custard with roasted rhubarb and strawberries
vietnamese caramel tofu
If you think you don’t like tofu, this might just change your mind. This sweet and salty method of cooking is often used for pork, chicken or fish. Here is a satisfyingly chewy tofu version. Choose a very firm tofu for this recipe. Place the tofu on a plate and cover with another plate. Weigh…… Continue reading vietnamese caramel tofu
michelle picker cooks 