It’s winter here and time to make salami. We hadn’t ventured into salami making before so we decided to take a class run by Costante Imports. The salami was made from coarsely ground pork shoulder with a fat content of 30%. For each kilo (2.2 lbs) of meat we added 30g (1.05 oz) of non-iodised salt, 3g (.1oz) of…… Continue reading salami class
Tag: recipe
phổ
Cooking club again. This time we made Phổ, a Vietnamese soup with beef and flat rice noodles, which is popular for breakfast all over Vietnam and any time of day in the north. Normally the stock is cooked overnight but because of time constraints we made a pressure cooker version adapted from various recipes. To make enough stock to fill…… Continue reading phổ
fresh pear pudding cake
This might look like a cake but has the consistency of a lovely moist pudding and the taste of Autumn. Preheat your oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Butter a shallow cake tin and sprinkle breadcrumbs over the butter, shaking out any excess crumbs. Beat 2 eggs with 120ml (4 fl oz) of milk. Add 185g (6½ oz) of…… Continue reading fresh pear pudding cake
steamed fish straits style
Many years ago Peter Knuckey made this beautiful piece of Mishido pottery for us. The bottom part stands in a traditional stainless steel fish poacher and has steamed many a fish in the intervening years. My good friend Fifi taught me this recipe which I always come back to. Of course it tastes just as good cooked in a round bowl over a steamer.…… Continue reading steamed fish straits style
antipasti
Always impressive and popular as a first course, many antipasti can be prepared ahead of time. The olives pictured here are homegrown and the antipasti were served with crunchy homemade sourdough bread. The red peppers should be roasted or barbecued whole until the skins are charred. Place them in a sealed container or plastic bag and allow them to sweat…… Continue reading antipasti
rhubarb ice cream with rhubarb purée and honey toasted almonds
Inspired by some magnificent rhubarb from my local market. To make the rhubarb purée wash and trim the rhubarb and chop it into 3cm (1″) lengths. The 2 bunches I bought weighed 1.35kg (3 lbs). Place in a saucepan with ½ a cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. This will result in a not very sweet purée which balances well…… Continue reading rhubarb ice cream with rhubarb purée and honey toasted almonds
spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms have great texture and robust flavour making this a very satisfying vegetarian meal. Heat oil in a large flat frypan or wok until smoking hot then add 2 brown shallots, 2-3 cloves of garlic and 2-4 red chillies, all finely diced. Next add large squares of tofu (classic Chinese style) and allow them to fry on…… Continue reading spicy tofu with oyster mushrooms
duck breast with sour cherry sauce
This simple recipe uses only one pan and is a quick and easy way to impress. First dry the duck breasts with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper. Place them skin-side down in a cold pan then turn the heat to medium and cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown, pouring off any excess…… Continue reading duck breast with sour cherry sauce
date and tamarind cake with lemon cardamom icing
A surfeit of dates and a search for ideas led me to this amazing Dan Lepard recipe. I just couldn’t resist and it didn’t disappoint. Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and grease and line a cake tin with baking paper. Put 200g (7 0z) of dates, 50g (1¾ oz) of tamarind paste and 300ml (10 fl oz) of water in…… Continue reading date and tamarind cake with lemon cardamom icing
dumplings
A cooking club is my latest venture. And what better way to start than with dumpling making? With our home-made dough and freshly minced meat the results were delicious, although a little tricky to keep from sticking together (I now realise they should be either cooked or frozen immediately). Many dumpling dough methods were researched before deciding to use plain unbleached…… Continue reading dumplings
michelle picker cooks 