Featured Recipe
Balsamic Beef Short Ribs with Butter Beans and Sugar Beet Greens
Thursday, January 29, 2026| |
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Bone-in beef short ribs braised, low and slow in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, shallots, thyme, beef broth and coconut sugar until they are fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy, perfect for serving atop a Parmesan mashed pumpkin-- a hearty dish that's comforting on a chilly evening. You can also make this in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours at low, then thicken the sauce with a little cornstarch. I served it with a Parmesan mashed pumpkin to keep it low-carb, but you can enjoy it with mashed potatoes, parsnip, or cheesy polenta if carbs ain’t an issue for you. Replace some beef stock with red wine or dark beer if you like.
Mavrou with Turmeric Rice
Monday, January 12, 2026| |
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Mavrou, a traditional Cape Malay beef curry which is usually served at weddings, on Eid and other family gatherings and special occasions. It's a comforting and hearty dish and a perfect fusion of culinary traditions brought to South Africa by enslaved folks from the Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and East Africa, alongside Dutch influences. Cape Malay cuisine is renowned for its vibrant use of spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, and chilli, often balanced with fruit and sweet components like apricot or tamarind. The name "Mavrou" itself is believed to stem from the African word "Mevrou," meaning "Madam" or "Ma'am," possibly implying it being a refined dish or one expertly prepared by the mistress of the house.
Içli Köfte – Turkish Stuffed Meatball
Tuesday, December 30, 2025| |
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Içli Köfte, similar to Middle Eastern kibbeh, are Turkish finger food at its best! Crispy on the outside, with a spiced minced meat filling on the inside. Sometimes walnuts or pinenuts are added to the filling for a touch of sweetness and crunch. Hugely popular in Turkey, but a little tricky to make. The trick is to make a dough for the shell, which must retain the grittiness of the fine bulgur, but must not break when shaping and frying. So don’t try to add lots of flour to the crust, or your köfte crust would taste like dough. The outer shell contains also some minced meat which makes it richer and more delicious. İçli Köfte freeze beautifully and you can make them ahead too. Keep the uncooked köfte in the freezer for up to 3 months, take them out, and fry whenever you need, without needing to defrost them. The best way to enjoy these delicious treats is to deep fry them, but you can make them by lightly oiling them and baking in the oven at 200C/400F for about 30 minutes until they turn crispy and golden brown, flipping them halfway through.
Ossobuco
Friday, December 26, 2025| |
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Ossobuco, meaning "bone with a hole" in Italian, is on the menu today, because sometimes you just have to pamper yourself. Ossobuco is a traditional Italian stew made from cross-cut veal/beef shanks, garnished with a zesty gremolata and served with saffron risotto or polenta. The veal or beef shanks stewed in a stock of vegetables and spices, releasing an incomparable rich flavour. Admittedly, this recipe is time-consuming, so it’s perfect for special occasions or if you simply fancy spending some time in the kitchen. So get your apron out and let the cooking begin!
You will need an oven-safe roasting pan for this dish. Use a cast-iron pan in which you can first sear the beef shanks and stirfry the vegetables on the stove. Then transfer to the roasting pan to the oven, where they will slow cook for 2-3 hours until butter soft. If you don't have a roasting pan to hand, you can improvise and place the seared ingredients in a casserole dish. Serve the ossobuco with any side dish you like.
Oxtail Ragout with Celery
Wednesday, December 10, 2025| |
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Richly caramelized oxtails are simmered low and slow with vegetables in a wine sauce until the meat comes off the bones. It can be eaten on its own or served mashed potatoes (cauliflower puree if you are on keto), bread dumplings and pasta.
A ragoût is essentially the same as a stew, except that most recipes for ragout are originally French, and often chunks of meat and vegetables cooked together at a low heat for a few hours until tender. But it also can be made with fish or just vegetables. A ragù is an Italian pasta sauce that is usually made with minced meat and/or vegetables.
Carbonnade Flamande – Flemish Beef and Beer Stew
Friday, November 28, 2025| |
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Carbonnade is a Belgium / Flemish iconic stew which features fork-tender chunks of beef and plenty of caramelized onions bathed in a hearty beer broth. French fries are considered a classic accompaniment to Carbonnade Flamande, but mashed potatoes, crusty bread, pasta or simple roasted vegetables are also excellent. The classic choice of beer for Carbonnade is usually brown ale, but it can also be made a dark or golden ale, depends on what you prefer. Try not to add too many different types of vegetables to the stew, just keep it simple with onions. Tomatoes, leeks or carrots have no place in Carbonnade Flamande, which is best the traditional way. This recipe can be adapted for your instant pot (about 45 minutes) or slow cooker (4-5 hours at slow), but the browning and caramelizing steps are still required.
Gözleme with Minced Beef, Pointed Pepper and Spinach
Tuesday, October 21, 2025| |
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Fancy trying something new? Then why not give this Turkish Gözleme with beef mince, spinach and pointed peppers a go? It’s super easy to make at home with just a few ingredients. Just mix a simple dough without any leavening agents, fill it, fold, seal and panfry in a pan. It is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Fuss free, delicious and keeps well in the fridge. Serve it warm with a side salad or just some lemon wedges.
Gözleme is a type of Turkish stuffed flatbread, like pide and lahmacun, with different fillings such as spinach and cheese, potatoes or minced meat. There’s something for everyone.
Köttbullar – Classic Swedish Meatballs
Monday, October 06, 2025| |
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Köttbullar slathered in gravy and plated with mashed or boiled potatoes and lingonberry sauce are indisputably the national dish in Sweden. They are eaten everywhere: at home and parties, in canteens and fine dining restaurants, hospitals and prisons. Anyone who really thinks that authentic Swedish köttbullar should taste like they do at IKEA has never eaten any truly good one.
Everyone has their own favourite recipe, and most people will, of course, say that their mother's recipe is the best! Impress your friends with homemade Swedish meatballs using this simple recipe!
One of the secrets of this Swedish classic is the deliciously sweet caramelised onions and a dash of cream in the meat mixture. It's not just the meatballs that make this dish such a classic comfort meal, the creamy sauce is just as good. And don’t forget the lingonberry! If you cannot find lingonberry in your local supermarket, try IKEA or online shops or use cranberry sauce instead.
Peposo - Tuscan Black Pepper Beef Stew
Friday, September 19, 2025| |
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Peposo, peppery in Italian, is an Italian, or rather Tuscan stew consisting of beef, lots of red wine, garlic and plenty of pepper. Not only is it amazingly delicious, it also has a strong connection to Filippo Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome in Florence.
In 1400 Filippo Brunelleschi was responsible for the design and construction of the Cathedral’s dome (Duomo) and also for the management of the workers and their working times. He took his cue from the workers of the Impruneta furnaces to optimize the times of the lunch break and, therefore, the long climbs and descents from the Duomo’s very high scaffolding. He had two canteens built on scaffolding from where workers could eat without having to get off. According to some versions of the story, it was even Brunelleschi himself who came up with the idea of adding a generous portion of pepper to the meat. So that his workers could work even better after a well-seasoned meal.
There are many variations of this dish, some starting with a base of onions, crrots and celery, others richly infused with tomato. Many recipes also use the usual additions like rosemary, bay leaf, sage or garlic to the stew. But the authentic slow cooked stew is unpretentious and down-to-earth simple--pared back to the essentials. Just for key ingredients are needed: beef, peppercorns, and a generous amount of Chianti Classico.
I have included garlic in my version, but leave them out if you are not a fan. It is important to use a ridiculously large amount of freshly crushed black pepper. I used a mixture of 20 grams of long pippali black pepper and tellicherry black pepper. Use any other types of black peppers you prefer. Ciabatta is the classic accompaniment to peposo. However, any homemade bread, polenta or mashed potatoes are also delicious. If you like pasta or dumplings, go for it!
Güvec – Turkish Beef and Vegetable Stew
Saturday, September 13, 2025| |
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A Güvec is a Turkish clay pot in which the Güvec stew of meat and/or vegetables the same name is prepared. This means that all the ingredients are simply layered on top of each other and cooked together in the pot. However, you can also prepare it in a slow cooker to achieve the same effect. A dutch oven works just great too. When cooking in a Güveç pot or slow cooker, use very little or no stock in the dish as it tastes better when everything cooks in their own juices. If you make this in a dutch oven, add 100-200 ml of beef stock, so it won’t dry up. There is no standard recipe for this dish as the ingredients vary according to region and taste. A typical Güveç might include tender chunks of meat such as lamb, beef, or chicken. Though there are also plenty of seafood versions or vegetarian options featuring an array of fresh vegetables, the most traditional version is made with lamb or beef. Common additions include onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, aubergines, green beans and potatoes. Some variations also include legumes such as chickpeas or beans. Serve it with rice, bulgur or flatbread to mop up the sauce.
Grilled Kofte with Labneh and Tahini Slaw
Wednesday, August 06, 2025| |
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These kofte served with a light slaw and creamy labneh over warm flatbread are incredibly delicious, flavourful and ridiculously simple to make. A mediterranean-inspired meal perfect for summer evenings. Make them with beef or/and lamb mince. I have threaded kofte with rosemary stems, but you can use metal or bamboo skewers. I prefer to make kofte without any filler, but you certainly can add a slice of finely chopped toasted bread or even plain breadcrumb to the mixture.
Coffee and Chilli Beef Koftas with Grilled Onions
Sunday, June 29, 2025| |
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Coffee and chilli-rubbed beef koftas with a simple grilled onion and herb salad, adapted slightly from Ottolenghi, are truly a Middle-Eastern feast and perfect for a bbq or party. The rich and smoky flavour of coffee add a depth of flavour and complexity to those koftas without overpowering the natural, beefy flavour. To avoid an overly bitter flavour when cooking at 240C/475F, use instant coffee instead of coffee grinds. The caffeine is going to burn off during the cooking process, similar to cooking with alcohol. As an added bonus, the acidity in coffee helps tenderise the meat. And mild cascabel chilli adds just the right amount of heat.


