Few things are more handy to have in the fridge at Christmas for spontaneous lunches than a side of smoked salmon. I will be taking myself off to the fishmonger to make my purchase of a locally smoked side before Christmas, that is for sure. Lovely as smoked salmon is I adore the freshness…
Dinner
Slow Cooked Duck with Pickled Blackberries
This mouthwatering slow cooked duck recipe is a simple one, resulting in juicy tender meat with a crispy skin. A perfect balance between the sweet blackberries and the acidic pickling vinegar. I have served the duck legs with roasted carrots, hasselbacks potatoes and greens. The bonus is that this dish tastes better the next day…
Herby Courgette & Feta Tart
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reacquainting myself with my vegetable plot this year having given it a wide berth for a while, why you ask? Frustrated to say the least with the battle of copious slugs and French partridge! Time is a great healer and a little more giving these days which has definitely helped. Courgettes are…
Tomato & Mascarpone Tart
Last week was rather higgledey-piggledey and a little stressful, it felt like I hadn’t stopped. That is why I decided Sunday was a complete day of rest, spent in the garden. I rusted up a salad, bought some cheese, concocted a few dips and made this tomato and mascarpone tart. It was a scrumptious lunch…
Pea & Dill Cakes with Beetroot Yogurt
It’s almost that time of year when we are besieged by green vegetables. After a few years off planting in my little kitchen garden, I’ve taken an almighty leap and sown all my veggie beds. Many are still tiny shoots but I eagerly anticipate harvesting courgettes, carrots, beetroot, kale, Swiss chard and peas. Assuming (the…
Spanakopita – Greek Spinach & Feta Pie
This spinach pie, is a Greek classic: made from dark leafy greens and salty feta cheese, enclosed in several layers of perfectly crisp, flakey filo pastry. If you’ve never tried it before you’re in for a treat. Delicious hot or cold, perfect to serve vegetarians and suitable for lunch or a light dinner. I like…
Garlicky Chicken
The beauty of cooking a humble ingredient such as chicken is that it’s used in pretty much all cuisines. I have prepared chicken with 40 cloves of garlic many times, it’s a French classic. The other I picked up from a chef I had the opportunity to work with from Mougins, some years ago, vinegar…
Cauliflower Cheese Tart
This was ‘I don’t know where the day has gone and I haven’t planned dinner kind of meal’. In fact I raided the fridge in desperation only to find cauliflower, spinach leaves and cheddar cheese to work with. (I always try to buy vegetables in season and cauliflower is superb at the moment). As a…
Sri Lankan Dhal and Chapatis
With beautiful golden beaches lined with palm trees, tea plantations nestled on misty mountain tops, bustling traffic packed cities, tuk-tuks, elephants, bananas and coconuts. Sri Lanka has so much to offer. We visited the cultural triangle between Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla, it has a profusion of wildlife, exotic plants and World Heritage Sites. The palace…
Smoked Haddock Fishcakes with Lemon Butter Sauce
Having experienced an incredible trip to Sri Lanka and arriving back in the UK in March, Spring and my birthday month, happy days! Our holiday was amazing, the food utterly delicious and the people so warm and welcoming. More on this when I post a few recipes from my time working with a Sri Lankan…
