enoki mushroom and bean thread soup

This quick Asian style soup makes a deliciously satisfying meal. Nothing in this soup takes very long to cook. Prepare a light chicken or vegetable stock and add some finely shredded cabbage, enoki mushrooms and julienned carrots. After a couple of minutes add some bean thread noodles (mung bean vermicelli) broken into 10cm (4″ ) lengths, some sliced…… Continue reading enoki mushroom and bean thread soup

8 hour smoked lamb shoulder

Cooked by Thomas, following a recipe from AmazingRibs.com, this lamb shoulder was truly amazing. With all the fat rendered, what was left was beautifully moist and smoky meat falling off the bone. You will need a charcoal barbecue or smoker, a thermometer and a free day to cook this. The day before cooking your lamb shoulder, prepare it…… Continue reading 8 hour smoked lamb shoulder

salade niçoise

I’m enjoying a sojourn in Provence, in the south of France, where the local produce and hot weather make this salad a perfect choice for a meal. Of course, fresh tuna would be fantastic but this version is the kind you can make with ingredients you have to hand. First prepare some potatoes and place them in a saucepan…… Continue reading salade niçoise

cauliflower pilaf + fried root veg + spinach and yoghurt

This vegetarian meal is loosely based on a Jordanian Maqluba which normally includes meat, rice, and fried vegetables placed in a pot, which is then flipped upside down when served. The recipe is adapted from one by Henry Dimbleby and Jane Baxter which appeared in The Guardian.  Preheat your oven to 200ºC (º400F). Heat 1 litre (34 fl oz)…… Continue reading cauliflower pilaf + fried root veg + spinach and yoghurt

albondigas

These juicy Mexican beef and pork albondigas (meatballs) are enhanced by a smoky and fiery chipotle sauce. For the chipotle sauce put 1 litre (35 fl oz) of tomato passata (sauce) into a saucepan with ½ a cup of canned chipotles in adobo sauce (available from Mexican food stores), 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ a…… Continue reading albondigas

pepita cookies

Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside and deliciously nutty. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and line one or two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. In a food processor, combine 1 cup of pepita (pumpkin) seeds, ½ a cup of coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon of ground ginger and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon. Process until the…… Continue reading pepita cookies

quail and chick pea stew + bulgur and zucchini pilaf

This fragrant dish of quail with chick peas, saffron and herbs is from Saraban – A chef’s journey through Persia by Grey and Lucy Malouf. Heat some olive oil over low heat in a large heavy-based pot with a lid. Gently fry 2 finely sliced red onions and 4 finely sliced cloves of garlic until soft and translucent. Meanwhile soak…… Continue reading quail and chick pea stew + bulgur and zucchini pilaf