In search of an elusive cake once eaten, I tried this recipe by Mietta O’Donnell. I still haven’t found it but this one was deliciously dark and rich with that hint of whiskey shining through. You must plan ahead to make this cake as you start by soaking ½ a cup of raisins in ½ a cup of…… Continue reading chocolate whiskey raisin cake
Tag: recipe
pork belly curry
My good friend Fifi cooked this Northern Thai pork belly curry which was every bit as delicious as it looks. Below is the recipe she gave me. Remove the rind from 1kg (2¼ lb) of pork belly, score it and make sure it’s dry. Season with salt and roast on high heat until you have perfect crackling. Meanwhile cut the…… Continue reading pork belly curry
flourless almond bread 2
My first flourless almond bread, although delicious with butter, was unsuited to more savoury toppings. With the addition of flaxseed meal and olive oil this new version is more savoury. Enjoy it with bacon and eggs, cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado or just about anything. It toasts well and can be used for sandwiches. Preheat your oven to 180ºC…… Continue reading flourless almond bread 2
black sesame ice cream
At my local Asian supermarket I spied a packet of instant black sesame dessert which had no preservatives or additives. So I decided to experiment and use this as flavour and thickening for an ice cream. I combined 3 cups of milk with 1⅓ cups of cream and after bringing to a boil allowed it to simmer…… Continue reading black sesame ice cream
celery and tomatoes
Celery was a vegetable I used to avoid but it’s becoming a favourite, especially with tomatoes. An Asian stir-fry of celery, asparagus, onion and tomatoes. Finely dice 2-3 cloves of garlic and a similar amount of fresh ginger. Slice a few sticks of celery into diagonal slices, trim and slice a bunch of asparagus into shorter lengths and cut…… Continue reading celery and tomatoes
grilled turkey meatballs
In Vietnam these grilled meatballs are made of minced pork but less traditional turkey ones are delicious too. In a food processor combine 225g (½ lb) of turkey mince with 4 finely diced shallots, 8 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of Vietnamese fish sauce, 2 teaspoons of sugar and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Process to a sticky paste…… Continue reading grilled turkey meatballs
flourless poppy seed cake
A shared love of poppy seeds and a shared birthday made this the perfect celebration cake. Beat 100g (3½ oz) of butter and ⅔ of a cup of sugar. Add 4 egg yolks, one at a time. Add ½ cup of light sour cream. Beat 4 egg whites until stiff. Fold a little into the butter mixture. Partly fold…… Continue reading flourless poppy seed cake
cauliflower ricotta frittata
Here’s a different version of cauliflower and cheese. Heat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Divide a small cauliflower into florets and slice 1 onion. In an ovenproof dish, toss them in some olive oil and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and some grated fresh nutmeg. Add a bay leaf and roast in the oven until brown…… Continue reading cauliflower ricotta frittata
squid stuffed with prawns
Seeing fresh squid tubes on a recent shopping trip inspired this meal. For 4 squid tubes, you will need 300g (10½ oz) raw prawn meat. Place half of this in a food processor and process to a fine sticky paste. Add the rest of the prawn meat, 1 finely diced clove of garlic, a few sprigs of…… Continue reading squid stuffed with prawns
backyard mint ice cream with a chocolate shell
Here’s another wonderful ice cream flavour from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. Creamy, delicate and refreshing all at the same time. The chocolate shell is so simple and so much better than anything you can buy. Measure 2 cups of milk. Take out 2 tablespoons of the milk and make a slurry…… Continue reading backyard mint ice cream with a chocolate shell
michelle picker cooks 