Category: Recipes

Roasted Beetroot with Chèvre Cream

Earthy roasted purple and golden beetroots are natural bedfellows to a mellow goats cheese. Leaves of roasted red onion add a sweet dimention – plus it’s pretty as a picture.

Muesli Cookies

I’m always banging on about how recipes are just a template. These cookies are the perfect example of that. Once you’ve made a recipe a few times you get a sense where and how to substitute. In this case, you’re looking for the right texture on the cooled dough, slightly sticky and moist.

Halloumi, Grapes & Mint

Halloumi just begs to be grilled or fried and paired with many delicious things. Here it dressed with sweet grapes and two types of mint.

Cabbage, Mint, Pecorino Salad

There’s so little to this recipe, it’s barely a recipe at all. It’s great with anything fried, schnitzel in particular.

Stuffed Capsicum

These stuffed capsicums are the sort of low-fuss meal I keep coming back to. They’re happy made ahead and served warm or at room temperature, which makes them ideal for lazy lunches or unfussy entertaining.

Pistachio Chocolate Cookies

The recipe is basically a riff off a Nigella Lawson recipe. Recipes never come out of thin air; we are inspired by mere fact of existing in the world.

Pea, Mint & Feta Salad

This colourful little number practically hums early summer vibes — crisp, fresh, and a bit too pleased with itself.

Fregola Summer Salad

If this was just called pasta salad, I know I’d have lost most of you already. Meet fregola — a toasted semolina pasta from Sardinia that looks like oversized couscous and tastes like sunshine on a Mediterranean breeze.

Savoury Cheese Custard for all Seasons

If a sauce can be ‘quiet luxury’, this is definitely it. Kept low and slow on the hob, cream, egg yolks and cheese are coaxed together into a silky emulsion. Choose your cheese according to mood and frankly, this is my MO for most things. Spoon it over whatever vegetables the season is currently offering.

Oatmeal Parkin

Not long ago, I inherited a couple of my late mother-in-law’s cookbooks. I’m particularly taken with Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course from 1982. Black and white line drawings outweigh colour photographs ten to one. May I present Oatmeal Parkin, translated to my current time and place.

Chorizo Feta Braid

I buy sausages freely without thought for when or how they’ll come into play. This recipe uses a couple of raw/uncured chorizo that had been hanging around in my freezer for a few months without purpose.

Fishcakes with Tartar Sauce

I couldn’t possibly count the number of fish cakes I’ve eaten in my lifetime. As kids, we ate these so many times over summer using up the endless flathead Dad would catch in the bay. He was happy to fish and we were happy to eat.

Honey Joy Slice

I’d seen honey joy slice recipes around the internet but they added in other ingredients trying to make them healthier (urgh) or adding in a biscuit base. Nope, nope, nope. I just want classic honey joy without the sticky paper cup.

Cheesy Bean Dip

This warm dip could be called a deconstructed nacho dip. Just like nachos, this recipe is a template for you to adjust as suits your preferences. Don’t have any black beans? Sub in whatever tinned beans you have in the pantry. Can’t be bothered adding in extra veg? No problemo. Need your daily dose of garlic and herbs? Load ‘er up!

Warm Barley & Roast Vegetable Salad

We all know that whole grains are a healthy inclusion in our diets. The attention and effort to cook with them can seem like a faff but when I do I’m always glad I did. The nuttiness of perfectly cooked grains is as welcome an addition to salads as it is with something juicy and slow-cooked.

Irish Coffee

This boozy treat was recreated one winter evening during the pandemic when we were bored and looking back over holiday snaps from a 2017 trip to the USA. Yes, it was lots of fun trying to recreate this treat.

Chow Chow Pickle

Traditionally this Appalachian preserve captures the last of the summer harvest. It’s sweet and tangy and is great on sandwiches, with anything grilled and even with hard cheese. Make multiple jars so you can share the bounty with friends.

Coriander Chicken Meatballs in Coconut Broth

This recipe has been in my life for more than 25 years but it didn’t start out in this exact form. But I never felt like the recipe made use of its full potential.

Sausage & Grape Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, don’t they? While I have included a recipe for the pizza dough, don’t feel compelled to make your own base. There are plenty of places to buy good pizza bases these days, including low carb and gluten free versions.

Butter-poached Prawns in Brioche

This is a more economical recipe than lobster rolls and in my opinion just as good. I have deliberately kept the quantities unspecified here as you can scale the recipe up as needed. We often only pull out more indulgent dishes for a crowd but there’s no reason you couldn’t do this for a smaller number of people.

Polpette & Mozzarella Bake

I love using sausages as a sure fire flavour shortcut. Depending on how well seasoned the sausages are you may need to add extra flavour enhancers such as your favourite herbs. Ideally, your sausages are that good you don’t need to add anything.

Shrimp & Grits (aka Prawns & Polenta) w/ Dashi Butter

As with all seafood, my vote is to buy local. I’ll often buy a double quantity then devein and remove shells (optional) and freeze half for another occasion.

Seasonal Wine Aperitif

Seasonal recipes provide a comforting rhythm to life. I make a version with sweet juicy oranges in winter and in summer I make batches with ripe peaches. The hardest part is waiting until it is ready to drink.

Creamy Potato Salad

Even when you accidentally overcook your potatoes, the sliced vegetables and the thick creamy dressing hides all manner of sins. I find it hard not to multi-task in the kitchen and now and then it comes back to bite me – like today.

Mulled Cider

I first enjoyed this tipple on a cold Canadian evening in the town of Whitehorse in the Yukon in 2013. We were on a trip to hopefully sight the Northern Lights. Some friends of friends who lived in town had picked us up from the airport and entertained us for the evening. Dinner included reindeer, bison and caribou sausages, red eyes (beer and clamato juice) and mulled cider. Every winter since has seen me pull out this recipe with much delight.

Miso Peanut Biscuits

I had to share this recipe if only to try convince people how delicious these are. One taste and you’ll be an immediate convert. Earthy, peanutty perfection.

Hot Honey Halloumi Sweet Potato

Recently, I spotted fried halloumi crumbs on social media and honestly, I’m always open to new ways of sneaking more cheese into my meals. Toss them through a bright salad, stir into a veggie soup, or just snack on them like popcorn.

Almond & Coconut Macaroons

Some recipes call for the addition of almond or vanilla essence but I honestly don’t think they add anything to the finished product. I want the simple comfort or toasted, sweetened coconut when I’m craving a coconut macaroon. Even their almost uniform colour seems appropriate.

Crumbled Halloumi, Plum & Tomato Salad

An ideal autumn salad while plums and tomatoes are still on the market and tasty. Of course, halloumi is delicious at any time of the year.

Lazy Lamb Kofta

I’m on a mission for everyone to realise how brilliant sausages are in terms of flavour and tenderness when it comes to dinner shortcuts.

Quick Yoghurt Flatbreads

Yoghurt for texture and background flavour, miso for salt and umami. These flatbreads can be topped with all manner of tasty delights, served alongside any curry/stew or even sub in as a quick pizza base.

Chicken with Miso Rice

You’ll end up with essentially two different textures by using two different rice. The white will soften and cook right down while the red rice will still be a little nutty.

Ham & Raclette Tart

This tart is very much like a quiche but not as eggy. How delicious this tastes is directly related to the quality of the ingredients you choose to use.

Chilli-free Laksa

How to achieve that complex heat and mouthfeel that chilli brings? Pepper helps, as does ginger as does green Sichuan pepper oil. Read on to find out more.

Crisper Clear-out Okonomiyaki

Simple to prepare, this savoury pancake is well loved in Japan and in our household as well. I oftne make this with thick cut bacon but it’s also a fabulous way to use up half a cut, the less-than-stellar spring onions and even broccoli stalk.

Potato & Hot Smoked Trout salad

The key is letting the potatoes cool enough so as not to split the mayonnaise when it’s all combined together. I like that I can eat this over a couple of days without compromising on taste.

Banh Mi but make it salad

I can’t resist flipping a classic recipe on its side. In this case, a traditional banh mi but make it salad. Same vibe in terms of fresh punchy flavours but flesh it out into a meal. And if it tickles your fancy, serve a pate spread crusty roll on the side.

Cheese Lovers Biscuits

Just like when making pastry, the use of a food processor will mean the dough does not get overworked. Yes, you can make this recipe without one, just be mindful to maintain a light hand.

Broccoli Anchovy Orecchiette

The butter softens the funky anchovy flavour while the pangrattato adds a welcome crunch and replaces the oft-used parmesan which I think is superfluous to requirements in this case.

Cheesy Greens Galette

Need an quick boost of greens in your diet? This is my go-to and made all the easier for aving pastry on hand in the freezer; homemade or shop bought, either is just fine.

Tasty Tempeh Wraps

This flexible recipe is very tasty and infinitely variable. I’ve successfully subbed in pineapple, added handfuls of bean shoots and coriander, swapped sesame seeds for peanuts, wrapped the lot in rice paper – so many options.

Butter Cake template

This basic butter cake can be made as is and served with fruit compotes, fresh berries, even your favourite ice cream. Alternatively, add flavourings to the batter and take it a completely different direction – lemon, chocolate and so on.

Cheesy Mushroom Risotto

Cheesy, vegetarian and gluten-free – what more can you ask for? When I feel like creating magic, this is perfect. Honest, down to earth ingredients become something ethereal before your very eyes.

Baked Feta in Filo

You know I love cheese and this simple baked cheese makes a tasty starter or light lunch when paired back with a well-dressed green salad.

Gingerbread Biscuits

Traditional and easily executed, these gingerberead biscuits are a staple in our house anytime we fancy a little baking fun.

Baked Oats with Fruit

Old dogs can learn new tricks. This recipe was shared with me by my daughter. Subbing in non-dairy products or frozen fruit work just fine.

Aromatic Syrian Chicken

A warming comforting dish with plenty of flavour built in. I like to serve this with rice or cous cous and a fresh herby garnish, with chilli on the side for those who wish to partake.

Practically Panforte

Another recipe generously shared with me from my front of house hospo days. Again, this is a naturally gluten free recipe. If you prefer you can swap out the liquor for more orange juice/honey mix instead.

Fabulous Florentines

This fabulous florentine recipe was shared with me by a pastry chef I once worked with. I’ve had to scale down the quantities as it truly was a commercial sized recipe. 

Spiced Apple & Walnut Loaf

I’m realising that most of my sweet baking recipes skew towards the monastic. There’s no perceived virtue in this, just where my tastes naturally land.

Impossible pie

Why impossible? It goes from lumpy liquid to a three-layered delight in just under an hour.

Fondue

How do you have people over dinner when you don’t have a dinner table? Fondue, obviously.

Pork Meatballs in Spiced Turmeric Broth

Like many of my recipes, I ate a version of this at a friend’s place and prompty asked for the recipe. I truly believe we should share recipes far and wide as everyone deserves to eat tasty food.

Feel good fruit muffins

These were a staple in my baking routine when I had small children. They loved them and I loved them as did any visitor lucky enough to get one.

Beef and onion pie

I was craving an old-school family meat pie. Can you guess the unexpected ingredient in this version?

Sausage Rolls

Sausage meat is a truly invaluable ingredient in my kitchen. It is a shortcut to so many meals.

Ginger Turmeric Paste

I developed this recipe in order to recreate a rice dish I regularly ate at an organic cafe I worked at. The chef shared his turmeric paste recipe with me and I duly misplaced it.

Roasted Cauliflower with Panch Phoron

Panch Phoron is a blend of five Indian spices typically consisting of equal parts cumin/jeera, fennel/sauf, fenugreek/methi, nigella/kalonji, and wild celery seed/radhuni.

Pickley Tuna Salad Sandwich

I have such an appetite for pickles it’s no wonder they wind their way into so many of my dishes.

Cream Cheese Pastry

This is one of those recipes where a food processor really comes into play. You can make it by hand; it will just take longer and be more laborious but maybe that’s the mood you’re in today.

Cheesy Zucchini Slice

This is just one of those solid recipes that works for any time of the day, travels well. It also keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen.

Roast Pumpkin w/ Spiced Nuts

Not a pumpkin lover? You might be after this.
Did you know you can eat the skin of some pumpkins?

Spiced Nuts

These spiced nuts are delicious with a beer or a gin and tonic. They are also great tossed through salads or anywhere you need some flavour and crunch.

Octopus and Potato Salad

My top tip particularly when it comes to cooked vegetables is to dress them while they’re still warm so they suck in all the flavour. The octopus legs I purchased were already fully cooked so they just needed some grilling or frying for colour and texture.

Pico de Gallo

My only advice is to make sure your knives are sharp before you begin as this recipe is all about cutting.

Cornbread

I make this cornbread on the regular and delicious as it is warm from the oven it is also particularly good toasted the next day and slathered in butter – what wouldn’t be!

Piccalilli

I’m always banging on about how recipes are just templates. I subbed in brown onion, cauliflower and broccolini stalks because it was what I had in the house.

Universal Gravy

Mostly this is a very hands-off recipe and it just happens to be vegan.

Beetroot Ginger Relish

My many-years old recipe card has the notation ‘triple at least!’ written boldly next to the ingredients. Who am I disagree? 

Honey Lemon Jam

Knowing when you jam or jelly is properly set gets easier with time.

Rye Pear Cake

This cake delights in its many shades of brown. Not every dish needs to be a riot of colour.

Easy Lemon Curd

I really didn’t think this recipe would work but it does. At first it appears like a curdled mess but eventually if you keep stirring and keep an eye on the heat, you will get proper lemon curd.

Chilli Apple Jelly

Now just because I can’t eat chilli anymore doesn’t mean others in my life should go without. This jelly has a focussed flavour and its visual clarity means it looks fab too.

Boneless Chicken Roast

If you have the skills then by all means go ahead and bone out the chicken yourself, otherwise ask your butcher.

Chicago Style Pizza Pie

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I reckon this pizza pie is a beautiful thing. That’s amore.

Cheese and Leek Pie

This pie uses my cream cheese pastry as its base. You can always use shop-bought pastry if you’d rather.