| Baked Aubergine |  | Its shiny coolness, contrasting against the warm, morning sunshine was delightful. Plump, firm to the touch, denoting its perfect ripeness, I could hardly wait to get these freshly harvested gems into the kitchen, surrendering to the steel blade ...
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| Mincemeat Crumble cake |  | Chaos, disorganisation, tingling excitement mingled with apprehension, reflection whilst peering into the future, cardboard packing boxes impatiently waiting...a pending house move.
Frequently moving house as a child and this nomadic lifestyle r...
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| Hazelnut Cappuccino Cake |  | Sweet treats have always been a way of life for me. Early memories are of aluminium foil encased, individually baked custard tarts – crumbly, buttery pastry with a pale, creamy filling topped with a sprinkle of exotic nutmeg. Even now, I can se...
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| Broccoli, Bacon & Spring Onion Salad |  | I love to cook – it is my form of relaxation and my way of demonstrating my appreciation to those whom I cook for. How truly wondeerful to be blessed with friends who eat, without complaint, everything which is served to them. A simple, yet hea...
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| To Perfectly Cook A Quails Egg |  | With their mottled, ivory outer shell hiding a most delicate pale blue lining, what delicious treats these tiny morsels make. Add them to a lunch box, picnic or serve with aperitifs by simply tapping, uwrapping and indulgently dipping into fine sea s...
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| Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup with Sumac |  | Having sang the virtues of broccoli in past times, I am delighted to add another warming dish to my repertoire of broccoli delights: a comforting, warming soup to shield against this long, chilly winter.
Broccoli and blue cheese are a time honored c...
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| Sticky Date Cake |  | Simon King and Dave Myers, The Hairy Bikers, are two stocky, hairy, Northern lads, who present an entertaining food show. Neither have a chef's background but do have an obvious ability to cook, coupled with an enormous enthusiasm for food – j...
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| Zesty, Buttermilk Ranch Dressing |  | A salad just isn't complete without a decent dressing but, mayonnaise aside (I thoroughly enjoy Maille's) I have yet to find a ready prepared version to live up to it's marketing promises. Vinaigrette can be acidic and often the creamy sorts simply t...
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| Warm Salad of Smoked Haddock |  | No matter the weather or season I enjoy eating salad. Not a plate of limp leaves with half-a-tomato and slices of cucumber but something vibrant: bursting with colour and energy. My current favourite leaves are handfuls of peppery rocket, simply garn...
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| Umami - The 5th Taste Sensation |  | Taste is our ability to detect flavour in food, the four basic sensations being: sweet, sour, salt and bitter. though first described in 1908, umami, the Japanese loanword for savoriness has only gained recent attention as our fifth basic ta...
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| Butternut Squash Mash |  | Butternut squash is probably the most popular winter squash variety. Its cool, creamy, smooth outer skin encases a deep orange coloured, nutty flavoured flesh within; flavour which intensifies and sweetens as it cooks. Chunked, drizzled in oil and ro...
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| Brussels Sprouts |  | Whether you enjoy or detest them, Brussels Sprouts are synonymous with this holiday season. Thankfully, I belong to the former camp though surprising, raised on pre-frozen, watery offerings which were subsequently boiled to death (sorry mum!). Howeve...
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| Roast Pork belly |  | A once under rated cut, pork belly is making a come back; tender, succulent, and with crisp crackling it has masses of flavour. For too many years there has existed a brainwashing to believe that low fat and fat free was the way forward, convenien...
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| A Poached Chicken and An Autumnal Soup |  | As much as I adore the long warm days of summertime, there is magical feeling as autumn softly approaches. Jewel coloured garments appear and how thrilling to enjoy warming, soft knits gently caressing the skin. Crisp mornings followed by midday wa...
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| Roast Butternut Squash Salad |  | The vibrant autumnal palate is gently creeping into our kitchens once again – ripe black figs, hazelnuts, walnuts, wild mushrooms and copious shapes and varieties of bulbous squash. What joy to sample new seasonal treats but, as sunny day...
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| Opulent Gems |  | As an iridescent cobweb, its misty bloom lingers above the dark, impenetrable membrane; protecting the luscious, sweet nectar captured within. Shelves at the local market are stacked high; heaving once again under the sheer weight of these opulent...
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| Super Salad |  | I adore summertime eating. It is the time of perpetual salads – vegetables, fruits and cheese. My favourite comprises of wedges of juicy watermelon and slivers of salty parmesan. Nothing else is required, the fresh ingredients shouting loudly...
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| The Virtues Of Broccoli |  | Broccoli is a member of the Brassica family (mustard family) which includes cauliflower, cabbage and turnip amongst its relatives. A naturally fat free food which is high in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, broccoli is a powerhouse of goodness. ...
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| Courgette and Caprice des Dieux Quiche with Minted Parmesan Crust |  | Those gardeners amongst us will be still enjoying their glut of courgettes. With its sunshine yellow-orange edible flowers courgettes can be griddled, dipped in a light batter and fried, made into chutney or simply baked. Versatile it is, but how the...
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| Muscat Vanilla Apricots |  | With the passage of summer the apricot season is reaching its finale. Rich in vitamins A and C (for the eyes, skin and general well being), these luscious, velvety fruits are also high in health promoting minerals and a good source of dietary fiber.
...
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| A Marinade and A Sprinkle |  | Hot humid weather demands quick food bursting with colour and flavour. Slaving in the kitchen isn't an option, nor is standing close to an even hotter BBQ. What then to prepare?
Bavette (skirt / flank) steak is a tasty, popular choice in France. A ...
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| Lemon, Almond and Ginger Drizzle Cake |  | Sometimes, especially during times of warmer weather, a craving for cake may only be satisfied with a fresh, zesty tasting treat. And what better can there possibly be than a Drizzle Cake? No requirement for a rich buttercream filling or even a topp...
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| Samon Rillettes |  | Rillettes is the French term to describe a rich pate which is traditionally produced from pork. The meat is cooked very slowly in fat until it is meltingly tender. Next, it is shredded, using 2 forks then mixed with ‘sufficient' fat to produce...
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| Quick Fix: Salmon & Rub |  | As has been mentioned on previous occasions, salmon is my convenience food. I would happily throw down the gauntlet and set a challenge to prepare a quicker, tastier option with a pre-prepared meal. In the time it takes to read the instructions,...
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| Wild Asparagus Risotto |  | Unassumingly displayed on the shelves of my local supermarket were beautiful bouquets of wild asparagus – French Woodland Asparagus. Tiny crunchy spears atop slender stalks, these are a fine addition to salad – wash, trim and blend with y...
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| A Dip, A Chip and Naan Bread |  | I'm sure these words won't arouse a great deal of sympathy, but all this cooking does take its toll on my waistline – developing and sampling new recipes not to mention testing the most mouthwatering array of dishes during reviews of the most m...
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| New Season Cherries |  | Synonymous with springtime, the first cherries of their short growing season have finally appeared. With no better way to be served than fresh from a bowl, savor and enjoy these ruby red gems. ...
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| When A Quiche Is A Tart |  | A menu staple in pubs, snack bars and restaurants, the delightful quiche has so quickly been adopted into our lives and language that many of us have probably forgotten its roots are in France. The original quiche is a regional dish from Nancy in Lor...
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| Scrumptious Sweets |  | During these frugal times we do deserve occasionally to throw caution to the wind and enjoy moments of pure self indulgence. How better to pamper oneself than with sinfully scrumptious sweet treat; the spice of life.
For a quintessentially Engli...
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| Springtime Fennel |  | With its bulbous root stem and distinct aniseed piquancy, this popular and versatile Mediterranean vegetable is available year around. Delicious both raw and cooked, Italians will often serve fennel at the end of a meal in preference to fruit or mari...
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| Beer Can Chicken |  | Albeit more commonly found on the States side of the Atlantic, Beer Can Chicken is well worth making. A chicken is regally enthroned atop a can of beer then oven roast until the outer skin reaches crisp and its meat is succulently juicy.
Perhaps I ...
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| Quick Fix Pesto Salmon |  | With bright silvery scales and deep pink flesh which turns pale when cooked, British salmon is in season February to August and Irish, January to September. With an excellent firm texture and delicious flavour, it is suited to the simplest of cookin...
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| You Say Cornmeal, I Say Polenta |  | You say cornmeal, I say polenta but, no matter what you call it this grainy flour produced from ground corn is a versatile cooking ingredient. Native American Indians ground maize to bake rustic bread and likewise the Italians since Roman times. Pole...
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| The Versatility of Tarragon |  | Tarragon is a green leafy perennial and most commonly associated with béarnaise sauce, tartar sauce or salad vinegars. With slender leaves, tarragon resembles rosemary, but its tender leaves are a sweet aniseed flavour.
Easily grown on an outdoor ...
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| Sticky All Bran Loaf |  | Easy to make, virtually fat free (use skimmed milk) and an excellent source of dietary fibre, this moist sticky tea-bread is a delicious treat. Begin preparation the evening before by simply mixing together the principal ingredients then pop into the...
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| Aromatic Roast Chicken with Citrus Couscous |  | Created from the desire to prepare a meal in advance; something to be full flavoured and utilising store cupboard ingredients, delicious hot or cold as the mood would dictate later in the day, I began work using a favourite ingredient - chicken.
Th...
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| Pecorino Salad |  | Rays of forgotten but delicious sunshine streaming through the window and a slab of pecorino shouting from the fridge turned my thoughts to the light, leafy lunches of Italy. I simply adore the simplicity of Italian salads with fresh ingredients ligh...
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| Spaghetti Carbonara | Spaghetti Carbonara, when made well is one of my all time favourites but, all too often this dish can be a disappointment. Like all simple food, a good result of the finished dish lies in the choice and quality of ingredients.
A regular mid-week su...
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| Saint David's Day | The Feast of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales falls on 1 March each year in remembrance of his death in 589 AD. Born a nobleman less than 100 years after the Romans left Wales, he underwent rigorous education and later established a Celtic mon...
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| Drinking Chocolate | ‘Hot chocolate' should not be confused with ‘hot cocoa' – their difference is immense, both in flavour and ingredient. Hot chocolate is made from bar chocolate which is dissolved in milk, whereas hot cocoa is made from powder.
Po...
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| Cake Baking | "Let them eat cake," hailed Marie Antoinette. Cakes are a delicious indulgance and are defiantly well remembered, be it a teatime treat, wedding or birthday. There are four basic methods for cake making and lots of variations within these though it ...
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| Walnut & Tomato Focaccia | Focaccia is a variety of Italian flat bread which may be simply prepared with a sprinkle of sea salt or with herbs, vegetables and cheese for a hearty option. Often round in shape and is related to the pizza but not regarded as the same. During May 2...
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| Meatloaf | Meatloaf, both a traditional and favourite comfort food traces its origins through many European cultures and is a close relation to Italian meatballs. There is no definitive recipe though it is usually a combination of minced (ground) meat and veget...
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| La Tartiflette | A product of a 1980's marketing campaign by the Reblochon cheese producers, La Tartiflette season is once again upon us. So easily described as traditional, this delicious concoction of the Haute Savoie region of Alpine France is a dieters nightmare ...
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| Frosted Panettone Cake | What a pleasure to receive a true artisanal, fruit spangled panettone with its beautiful toile jolie wrapping paper, tied with a satin bow. So pretty, it was almost too much to bring myself to unwrap and enjoy but, leafing through January's edition o...
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| Seasonal Cupcakes | Cupcakes are a winner with adults and children alike so when time is short and you are searching for a quick-bake seasonal frippery, tweak a basic recipe, add a little sparkle, a voila! a deliciously moist cupcake with the most delicate suggestion of...
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| Cooking For A Crowd - Soup & Sandwich Fundraiser | 2008 Christmas Craft FayreBritish School of Paris,
11 am, 29th November 2008,
Croissy-Sur-Seine ...
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| Quick Fix Cooking | It's always good to have a few meals planned for busy mid-week cooking, meals which don't necessarily require a great deal of preparation but do rely on seasonal and store-cupboard ingredients. Black figs are still available in abundance, making del...
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| Cooking With Kids: Honeycomb | Wanting something fun to cook with the children – and also a fairly instant entity, I decided to make a batch of honeycomb. Requiring only the most basic of ingredients, the accuracy of measuring can be concentrated on together with cooking ter...
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| The Miniature World of Cupcakes | Cupcakes or Fairy Cakes as I often call them, were once just a flashback to our indulgent days of childhood but recent times have seen a growth in their popularity as a party-time dessert. ...
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