Chocolate Cake with Szechuan Pepper and Basil
Wednesday, June 05, 2024The exotic flavour combination of fresh basil and aromatic Szechuan pepper simply sounds great and cocoa actually harmonises perfectly with the spicy pepper and fresh basil. If desired, frost the cake with ganache icing for an even more luscious finish or simply dust with some cocoa powder.
Xylitol is a natural sugar alcohol that looks and tastes like sugar but has fewer (or none) calories and doesn't raise blood sugar levels. But feel free to use the regular white sugar. Szechuan pepper is not a pepper at all: it is called this because its berries resemble black peppercorns.
Sesame Crusted Avocado Cucumber Salad
Tuesday, June 04, 2024Get ready to experience a side dish or appetizer like no other with this beautiful and fun Sesame Crusted Avocado Cucumber Salad. It combines the velvety goodness of avocado with the delicate nuttiness and earthiness of toasted black sesame seeds, crisp, fresh cucumbers, cherry radishes and sweetly fragrant raspberries. You can use white sesame seeds or a mixture of both black and white if you prefer.
Wholegrain Spelt Quick Bread
Monday, June 03, 2024Want to bake bread but don't have any yeast in the house or are allergic to yeast? No problem, you can bake your own bread quickly and easily with this recipe. I used baking powder as a leavening agent, which works at least as well as fresh or dry yeast and also simplifies the baking process considerably without having to wait for it to rise. Have fun baking!
Brotgewürz is a variety of bread spice mixtures often used in German bread making. It usually contains anise, caraway, fennel and corainder seeds, with the other additions or changes in amounts depending on tradition, taste, and the type of bread. If you can't find it, just grind 2 tablespoons of each anise, caraway, fennel and corainder seeds in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
Herb Roasted Rack of Lamb
Saturday, June 01, 2024The lamb racks are coated with a blend of fresh herbs and then roasted to perfection. It's so tender, juicy and flavourful. Served alongside a vibrant mint chimichurri, absolutely perfect for a family Sunday dinner or an easy main for entertaining. Roast the lamb for about 15 minutes for very pink meat, 20 minutes for medium rare, and 25 minutes for medium/well-done and 30 minutes for well done.
Romaine Heart Salad with Goat Cheese and Red Lentil Vinaigrette
Tuesday, May 28, 2024Delicious as a snack, or starter or even as a light lunch: try this simple yet deliciously filling salad with Romaine hearts, soft goat cheese and spicy lentil vinaigrette - seasoned with thyme and chilli!
Romaine Hearts are the center leaves of Romaine lettuce. Smaller, more yellow, and sweeter, these leaves have a delicious flavour and tender texture that is perfect for salad.
Smoked Salmon Terrine with Pink Peppercorns and Gremolata
Sunday, May 26, 2024This luxurious and utterly delicious salmon terrine is much easier than its beautiful presentation suggests but should be made at least six hours before serving. It comprises a creamy filling wrapped in smoked salmon slices topped with a tangy herb condiment made with fresh lemon zest, dill, parsley, and fresh garlic. A real showstopper for your festive table or dinner party.
Gremolata, usually enjoyed with fish or meat, is an Italian condiment made with fresh herb (usually flat parsley), garlic and lemon.
Buffalo Smashed Cucumbers with Roquefort
Friday, May 24, 2024‘Smashing / smacking’ cucumber is a Chinese cooking technique allowing them to absorb more sauce, hence more flavour. The combination of buffalo sauce with cucumbers might seem really weird, but it works like a charm. You get a punch of heat from the spicy, garlicky buffalo sauce immediately followed by a juicy burst of crunchy, cool cucumber that keeps you coming back for more and more.
Charred Cucumbers with Coriander Goat Yoghurt and Zhoug
Wednesday, May 22, 2024A beautifully refreshing summer salad to enjoy at your next grill party or simply alongside some roasted chicken or burgers. It's ridiculously quick and easy to throw together!
Zhoug is a popular Middle Eastern condiment that's made with cilantro, jalapeños, garlic, spices and olive oil. Basically, it's a spicy herb sauce, so if you ain't a fan of cilantro, use other herb sauce you like. If you can't find goat yoghurt, use plain Greek yoghurt instead.
Smoked Salmon Mousse with Caviar
Monday, May 20, 2024These wonderfully sophisticated bite-sized appetizers or snacks are incredibly easy to prepare yet impressive and can be done in 10 minutes. Smoked salmon is delicious and packed with nutrients, vitamins, and omega-3 fatty acids. Turning them into a mousse made with cream cheese is even better. Black caviar are optional, but they do add an elegant touch to the appetizers that your family or guests will love. The mousse can be made one day ahead and stored in your fridge. It actually taste better the next day as the flavors have time to develop. If you don't have a pastry bag, put the mousse into a small sealable plastic bag and cut the tip off the corner of the bag. You can also put the mousse in a bowl and serve with vegetables or/and crackers.
Cucumber and Feta Salad
Saturday, May 18, 2024Made with ridged cucumber, yellow cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and feta Lesbos, this easy Mediterranean-inspired salad is perfect as a light summer lunch or served alongside any meal.
Ridge cucumbers, or outdoor cucumbers, tend to be shorter, plumper and they've got a rougher skin. You can use other varieties, such as long, slender English or smaller, (almost) seedless Persian cucumbers.
35 Recipes to make the most of Asparagus Season
Thursday, May 16, 2024Make the most of this seasonal star with these light and delicious recipes. Asparagus is super versatile. They can be enjoyed as raw with some of your favourite dips, or grilled, stir-fried, blanched, steamed or baked. If your green asparagus is young and the spears are slim, all you need to do just give it a good wash before cooking and trim the very ends. With larger and thicker green asparagus, you can break these off. There's a natural breaking point between the woody end and the tender stalk. I usually just slice off 1.5cm from the bottom. The skin of white asparagus can taste very bitter and fibrous, so make sure to peel it off completely before cooking.
- Asparagus Baton Bread with Sesame Seeds
Crisp crust with a moist and soft interior, this is an interesting and a perfect spring bread recipe, especially with asparagus season in full swing.