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The Italian words for garlic and oil are aglio and olio respectively. Not hard to see where this dish gets its name or its ingredients for that matter. If you love both of those things on their own you will love them together in this recipe.
Someone once asked me what are the things I could not do without in the kitchen and after my knives of course, I would whole heartedly say I wouldn't even want to be a chef without quality olive oil and fresh garlic.
Most people I know make their aioli with raw garlic but I like to roast the garlic first to give it that sweet nutty flavour as well as that lovely garlic flavour. Like I said you can throw out your jar of plain o...
Air dried venison or other game meat is considered a specialty throughout winter in many European countries. In order to preserve the meat gained during the short hunting season, for usage throughout the winter, drying, curing and salting are popular methods.
This dish combines the air-dried venison meat with a mild feta-olive salad and makes a delicate appetizer for any day during the cold winter.
I remember the first time I heard of this drink, I was a young Chef working for a very stern head Chef. John was a very "My way or the highway" kind of guy and during service or anytime in the kitchen for that matter, all of us junior Chefs knew to agree with him no matter what the topic. I know, it's not very respectable to be a yes man but trust me in the case of John it was easier to sell out a little than to debate and possibly be threatened with your job.
Long story short, one night after work we, "we" meaning the waitress's and the kitchen staff went out for a few drinks after work. The bar we were at was an absolute hole in the wall, but it...
Antipasto or Antipasti literally translates to before the meal and is served as an appetiser/first course. It is such a social way to eat; a group of family or friends standing or sitting near this communal platter and everybody sampling everything together as they chat and catch up. Italian's have eaten like this for centuries and although there are no real rules as to what you put on your antipasto platter, I prefer to stick to the things that have most likely been served on antipasto platters just as long. Think of this not so much as a recipe but rather a list of ideas that you can stick to or stray from.
Ah the humble crumble, in season sweet apples stewed with cinnamon and brown sugar, golden baked buttery topping and vanilla ice cream on the side! Is there a more appropriate thing to serve as dessert in the colder months? I think not.
This juice blends a traditional juicing fruit with a very unlikely ingredient into a smooth and refreshing concoction. Ensure to use very young bulbs of fennel only, as they have much less "bite"in taste and have a very fruity flavor. Chill the fruits well before juicing them.
This is one of my favourite classic recipes. The name originates from and was made famous by the Tatin Sisters of France in the early part of the last century, I believe they had a Restaurant/Hotel in Paris but don't quote me on that. In fact, feel free to quote me if you wish, what should it matter if I have the geography wrong, the important thing is that I have the recipe right. What I find most appealing about this dish is its simplicity of ingredients and the ease of preparation. Try it out and I'm sure it will become one of the main stays of your dessert repertoire.
The crisp asparagus is sure to please the lovers of all things green. The salty prosciutto will definitely make the meat lovers smile. The reduced balsamic will satisfy the sweet teeth amongst your guests and the ease of preparation is most definitely going to please you; the host, (that's really all that matters isn't it?) Enjoy your party.
Frittata is one of those items you can make when all you have in the fridge are eggs and a few bits and pieces; it's entirely welcoming to your creativity.
This particular recipe is one that I created one morning when I had a relatively bare fridge. I had had a few friends over for dinner the night before, or should I say "I had had a few friends over for wine the night before". We ended up drinking a disproportionate number of bottles to food. That's what I love about my friends, they are so enthusiastic about my food, they always bring what ends up being one bottle per person, far too much but who am I to complain. Anyhow this one morning I woke up and not...
Perhaps passé and old (and sometimes forgotten) tradition, but, if not only for nostalgia sake, Sulze (German), 'en gelee' (French) or aspics are still great appetizers. Certainly, for a dedicated
Garde Manger Chef, the preparation of aspics is a close seconds to the art of preparing Terrines, Galantines and the most famously, the Pate. Using too much gelatin and it becomes a bouncy jelly, not enough of it and the aspic will fall apart. The trick of the whole matter is that the stock, meat or fish needs to be really tasty and flavorful in order to produce the aspic. If not, it becomes a dull and uninteresting jelly and a far cry of what our culinary forefathers created...
A delightful dip, which holds it's own without needing to be part of the Mezzeh (Please also see the recipe and description of Hummus in this category) Perfect on grilled Bruschetta, or with savory crackers, Lavosh or crisp Papadums.
Ah! Don't you love winter, the season of indulgent deserts. The one time of year no one really feels too guilty about too many sweets, must be the fact that beach season is well behind us.....or in front (depends whether you are a "glass half full" or "glass half empty" kind of person).
The nice thing about this recipe is that even if you only have 4 dinner guests you can still enjoy the 6 puddings this recipe makes (they make a wonderful decadent muffin in the morning).
Most people can quit obviously recognise a lamb rack or some cutlets, however many people aren't aware that lamb back strap is that exact same meat. It is the "sirloin" of lamb and as in beef this cut has an abundant flavour and I highly recommend it for barbecuing. As with sirloin however, the trick is not to overcook it. In this particular recipe I have taken that extremely flavoursome meat and added another level of flavour by marinating it in homemade Cajun spice. To compliment rather than confuse the strong flavour of the marinated meat, I've served it with a relatively simple and refreshing salad. This particular dish serves quite respectably with either a...
The English have somewhat of an unfounded reputation for being a country with very little to offer the culinary world. A belief that may have been partially true 20-30 years ago, but certainly not now. Nowadays not many cities in the world can top London's cuisine and many of the best Chefs I have worked with have been English. Maybe they're such good Chefs because of the diverse food scene they come from, or maybe they are trying extra hard to shake off the remnants of that unjustified reputation. Whatever the reason I have learnt many things from English colleagues, and this recipe is one of those many things. As in most great recipes, what really makes this recipe is i...
Bearnaise and Hollandaise are, I believe, a couple of the major reasons many people dine out. I suppose they feel that these beautiful rich sauces are too difficult to make at home, what with all that clarifying, whisking, reducing and incorporating, but don't let these words or the actions they represent, scare you. Like all things cooking, it's all about practice and once you've done it a few times you'll wonder why you never tried it earlier. So go on get to it, it's easy!
Carpaccio is a traditional Italian dish and lends itself incredibly well to modern healthy eating. Although Carpaccio traditionally refers to a first course of thinly sliced raw beef, named in honour of the Italian renaissance painter, Vittore Carpaccio, you can now find many modern interpretations using raw seafood and uncooked vegetables, (see tuna Carpaccio). In this dish however we are going with the original; beef. Carpaccio is a perfect option to serve your guests if you want an impressive first course that will take only seconds to prepare on the day. You can prepare all the parts for beef Carpaccio the day before, allowing you to use the time on the day to mingle...
Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles used to like to drink in a bar in Venice Italy, called Harry's Bar. However, this establishment is not known for it's past famous clientele but rather it's owner, Giuseppe Cipriani. In fact it is probably more accurate to say that his bar is really actually famous for his drink invention, The Bellini, rather than him or his clientele.
After creating the famous drink using white peach puree, Italian sparkling Prosecco wine and raspberry or cherry juice, Giuseppe felt the colour resembled the colour of the toga worn by a saint in a painting by one of his favourite Venetian artists, Giovanni Bellini.
Whatever the tru...
I know some people who say "any idiot can cook; it's the sauces that make the meal!" Of course most of these people are Saucier Chefs and I've only heard them speak with this blasphemous tongue at 4:30 am on a Sunday morning in the last pub that will still serve us after a busy Saturday nights service in the restaurant. Just in case there is some truth in what they say though, you would do well to learn a few classic sauce recipes and what better place to start than Beurre Blanc. This sauce can be used on any number of dishes and is very adaptable to new ideas and styles of cuisine, infuse it with some unique spices, add some citrus or virtually any herb you can...
Back some years ago, I was working with Liana Doyle and very talented chef and great personal friend. Liana had been working in the USA for some years before making her way to Asia via Paris where she headed the culinary team at a typical French Bistro for some time. This recipe sort of reflects her career and her cooking style up to that point; a Southern US staple (beef ribs), a traditional French basic cooking method (braising) with an Asian twist. Although I lost contact with Liana a few years ago, I have very fond memories of her as a culinary colleague and friend. This recipe however, of her 'tamarind ribs' will stay with me for a long, long time.
Ox cheek, I can see you scrunching up your nose in disgust as you read that, but trust me once you've tried it you'll be wondering why you haven't been eating it all along and why you can't get it everywhere. Or maybe you are already familiar with ox cheeks and are here to get another recipe for this fabulous ingredient.
This recipe, as most great classic dishes, was probably created out of sheer economic necessity. Necessity of peasants who could not afford to be wasteful with any part of the animal and had to ensure that everything went to some sort of use. With these humble beginnings, I find it rather interesting to note that dishes like this are now only found on...
My grandfather has always raised rabbits, for sale and own use, on his farm. Growing up, I was introduced to rabbit as an alternative meat to chicken or pork. A few years ago then, at the height of the BSE scandal in Europe and the outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease in some farms, rabbit meat was actively marketed and gained popularity again.
Rabbit has a wonderful tasty, delicate white meat. Depending on the tenderness of the legs they are suitable for pan-frying and roasting, but in general they are best braised to tenderness. The delicate loins are excellent grilled or roasted and in salads. The shoulder have little meat and are mostly boned and the meat used for...
I used to fancy myself as somewhat of a runner, although now I tend to get winded running to catch the telephone before message bank picks up. "Hello..pant..pant..pant...Paul speaking." When I was running I used to eat pasta at least 4 times a week and I found myself having to get rather creative if I didn't want to live off a perpetual cycle of Bolognese, Arrabiata, and Boscaiola. That time in my life was when I created this dish. Even though I no longer run, I do still eat this dish as though I were training for a marathon.
One of my favourite things about the calendar flipping into autumn is pumpkin soup. I know what you're thinking, why wait until autumn? You can buy pumpkin year round now. True yes, but in my mind it still tastes better when you know you are cooking with ingredients that were grown locally, are in season and haven't been stuck in some crate in stagnant air for weeks on end in the hull of some dirty old ship or the trailer of some truck. Plus the seasons are nature's way of getting us to eat a variety of foods, and Mother Nature is a lot older than us, so I imagine she knows best.
When I was 18, a few friends and I were backpacking around Australia and during that time we held all sorts of odd jobs. One of which was fruit picking, pears in particular. From those weeks on the ladders and in the trees we all learnt many things, namely not to take for granted the amount of work that goes into getting produce into our supermarkets, but also 1001 ways to eat pears. To be totally honest with you for 5 years afterwards I couldn't look at another pear.
Anyhow long story short, after my 5 years of a pearless diet since, I was ready to gradually start eating them again. I am now back to loving them again as I'm no longer a backpacking teenager eating the...
Caesar salad is perhaps the most popular and wide spread salad anywhere. I don't think I have worked in an establishment where Caesar salad wasn't served in one form or another. Invented by the Italian Caesar Cardini, in a restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico. The story is, that on a holiday weekend in 1924 supplies were running short and in a last minute improvisation Caesar said to one of his staff: "Take all of these ingredients to the table and make a real ceremony out of preparing that salad. I want the guest to feel that they are getting the house speciality prepared for them". So it happened and perhaps the most famous of salads today was born, "prepared a...
Fresh sweet mussels dressed with a spicy rich butter dressing. This recipe is a great little dish for the summer patio gathering or barbecue that will ensure you can spend more time with your friends and less time in the kitchen.
Of all the barbecues I have had, one thing is certain of all of them. Regardless of how many other cuts of quality steaks I may have on offer, given the choice, my friends will always choose this one. I suppose I can't blame them, the lengthy marinading time means the meat absolutely melts in their mouths and that each and every ounce of it is permeated with the delicious Cajun spices. One other thing that is certain is that everyone that has it asks me how they can make it. I never tell them as then they will stop coming to my barbecues and I will have to start going to theirs and their beers are rubbish and their beer fridges not cold enough. So please don't tell any of...
Although you could just go out and buy premixed spices, making them yourself will give you a much nicer flavour and the comfort that you will not be consuming all sorts of preservatives, sugar, and anti-caking agents. For this recipe I have quoted the ingredients in parts in order that you can make as much mix as you like, whether that be a few tablespoons or a couple of kilo's.
I remember the first time I was introduced to this drink. It was when I was working at a 5 star hotel in Canada, just outside of Vancouver. Every Sunday morning the hotel used to do a very large brunch buffet that was booked out weeks in advance by locals and tourists alike. The food was incredible, the buffet abundant and overflowing with fresh seafood and the waterfront setting stunning. The perfect environment to enjoy this drink in after a hard day in the kitchen.
This is a very versatile dish. It can be served as a first course; all it needs is a sprinkle of fresh shaved Parmesan cheese. It also makes a great main course accompaniment for lamb, game, poultry or beef. The only down side to this dish is you won't be able to eat it without a nice glass of red nearby, I find a relatively mellow merlot works nice with it.
I've used Chambord in desserts for many years, but it wasn't until recently that I discovered it as a drink. Since discovering it in a glass it often takes the place of dessert for me, as it is on the rich and sweet side of things. On the nose Chambord smells of plum and vanilla, on the tongue it tastes like a mouthful of raspberries washed down with a glass of good cognac. In this recipe the champagne adds another level (pardon the pun) yet takes nothing away from the Chambord either.
Only a few weeks into summer and twice as many barbecues. In that time I have seen enough potato salad, green salads and coleslaw to last a lifetime.
I find this dish (although not technically a salad) to be the perfect barbecue alternative to those usual summer staples. The best thing is that it is a lot less work than those dishes (more time for socializing, that is why you have barbecues right), a lot more impressive and much better for you than all that mayonnaise based dressing.
Having left Switzerland some 20 + year ago, Fondue and Raclette are still one of the things I do miss and usually have as soon as I return for holidays. I am not too sure if it is just the food that I miss at times, as Fondue dinner, at least in our family, always was a great family affair. Everybody it had to be at the table ahead of mother bringing out the fondue from the kitchen, as it needed to be stirred at all time as soon as it got on the table to avoid it getting burnt. The cheese used in the Fondue is of vital importance. Every cheese store or Formagerie in the French part of Switzerland has it's own 'house' mixture, but you will be most welcome and order your ow...
Recipes for Chermoula come in all kind of different variations and flavours. This particular recipe, is well suited for seafood, fish or poultry and the use of fresh and dried coriander gives it such a great fragrant 'kick'. It is also great for basting onto your BBQ meat, as an dip for grilled poultry and fish and for 'en papilotte' type of prepeartions.
This must be one of the more simple recipes I know, but the fresh herbs and the roasted spices of the Chermoula lack nothing in flavor or fragrance. Of course the dish works with all kind of other fish aswell but the cod used here will come out really juicy and fork tender.
I know it's not overly creative of me, but hey can I help it if throwing mascarpone at any fresh fruit makes a wonderful dessert all on its own. Thank god for the Italians; they've created perfection in so many simple ingredients that lazy Chefs like me can impress with very little effort. With that said, I did stew the fruit and toast the almonds.
These little cakes are so versatile; they can be used as a canape, first course or even main course. Once you start making them regularly you'll find that they lend themselves very well to your creativity. Simply drop the ingredients listed below the egg and add your own creations. Whether it be Cajun, lemon & pepper, ginger & lemongrass, onion & dill, or cashew & coriander they will definitely become a favourite.
This is a dish that I serve even to my friends that don't like liver. I threaten them with no main course if they don't at least try it. They usually reply, "But I don't like liver!" I tell them "Try it and if you don't like it, no problem."
Nine times out of ten, to their surprise they enjoy it and clean their plate. You see, most people have a memory of liver served to us as children, it was usually overcooked and usually served with nothing more than some spuds and veg. Liver is like butter, it's very complimentary but not a dish on its own. In this dish you'll see that I have: tender liver, slightly bitter radicchio, juicy eschalots and sweet b...
A good Chicken Stock is the building block of many a good soup, sauce and stew. Quality home made stock is to the Chef as much a staple as good olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. Although there are many retail varieties of stocks now available, many of them I find too salty and contain a lot of unwanted additives. Plus I find something very enjoyable and therapeutic about making stocks for my kitchen. Not only can you claim to your quests that the entire dish is made from scratch but you will know exactly what is in the food you are eating.
This is great example of a recipe that is healthy, easy, quick and yet still a very comforting winter dish. When I make this I rarely have it with anything more than a bottle of Pinot Noir and some ciabatta bread. Actually I lie, a few weeks ago I made it for a lunch and simply added arugula leaves, a little more vinegar, a splash of olive oil and served it with white wine.
I don't know why people don't use spatchcock more often. You know how people always fight over the best part of the chicken, for some it's the breast others the thigh or wing. Well hey, if you use spatchcock everyone can have a whole or half a bird, so there's no more feeling ripped off. On top of that a spatchcock has a lot more flavour and moistness, ok it may not be the most easy eating meat but a little knife and fork work is definitely worth the extra taste, especially when the alternative these days is hormone fed boneless, skinless, flavourless cardboard chicken breast. This dish is great in summer with a nice crisp white wine and a leafy green salad as a first cou...
I've categorized this dish in winter but truth be told it reminds me more of summer. It was a dish that my mother would make a huge pot of a few times each summer. Each pot would last about a week and meant that my mother could spend more time enjoying the short Canadian summer rather than missing it spending her whole summer in the kitchen. I still use that approach when I make Chilli, I make enough to feed an army, portion it up and freeze it. It makes a great winter warming meal when you really don't feel like cooking but still want a warm home cooked meal.
Every time I make this stuff I end up putting it on virtually every meal I have and it never lasts in my fridge more than a couple of days. The sweetness of it compliments many vegetables perfectly, try it on grilled eggplant. And the spiciness is the perfect addition to eggs any style, as well as virtually all meats, particularly roast chicken. I think I might start making double batches from now on.
Summer is the season for eating fresh oysters near the water. For casual occasions you can't beat the natural oyster with a squeeze of lemon. However if you're entertaining you might want to spice things up a little. The fresh chilli and ice cold gin in this marinade should be more than enough to do the trick.
Some of the best beef comes from Argentina and with it comes one of my favorite steak accompaniment. This thick parsley-olive oil paste is as commonly eaten in Argentina as ketchup is in the rest of our world. There are several variations and I guess every chef in Argentina has his own special twist to it. However it always features Italian flat parsley, virgine olive oil, vinegar and garlic.
This is one of my favourite desserts to prepare when having guests over for dinner as it can be completed entirely on the day before and leaves time to focus on other parts of the dinner on the night. On top of this early preparation ease, the quality chocolate, the creamy texture, and the accompaniment of chocolate's perfect match; raspberries, ensures it is always a big winner with guests and never fails to impress. It is quite an adaptable dessert as well; if you are not a fan of Cointreau, feel free to substitute with any other liqueur you may like or simply some vanilla extract. However if using vanilla use only about 1/2 tsp as it is much stronger in flavour than an...
If you love Chocolate (yeah right who doesn't?) and Creme Brulee, then you'll love this recipe. The option is yours as to whether you want to caramelise sugar on top of the finished product as it is equally delicious without it. Keep in mind however that then it would technically not be a creme brulee, as the words literally translated mean cream burnt. Anyhow enough useless facts, on with the recipe.
I have a confession to make. I admit, I am a chocoholic and love all things chocolate. I also like spicy food. I dislike sweet drinks and although I am not really a Martini drinker also (gin has always been more my beverage of choice), this recipe of a chocolate martini combines some of the best things in live for me. Depending on your personal taste you may want to start with a little less chilli and work your way to the spiciness you prefer.
This recipe that is a mixture of mulled white wine and a white sangria. During cold winter nights I find this a very nice drink and it seems to make me less sleepy than a mulled wine. The warm white wine will keep you warm and your nose free, the citrus fruits add freshness, vitamin C and balances the sweetness of the honey and sugar. The Cardamom adds a little surprise to this old and tested recipe.
Firstly to help us understand what clarified butter is, let us begin with what butter itself is. Butter is made up of three main components; around 80% fat and around 20% milk solids and water. When butter is heated, it melts. If it is heated for any length of time these components split apart from one another and settle into different layers. At the bottom of the heating vessel you will have a white cloudy substance; this is the milk solids and water. On top you will have the golden liquid known as clarified butter or what is know in Indian cuisine as ghee.
Since the milk solids are what cause butter to burn, clarified butter can be heated to much higher temperatures...
A lot of people don't eat mussels at home. I think it may have something to do with the fact that they look so much different at the fish monger than how they do on a restaurant plate. Once you learn how to clean mussels properly you'll be eating them all year.
For a grain that mankind has been eating for over 5000 years and helps feed over 2/3rds of the world's population, it really is amazing that so many of us still don't know how to cook it. I suppose that may have something to do with the fact that there are close to 40,000 different varieties of rice on the planet, all differing in size, shape, absorption rates and just as many intended uses.
The method of cooking rice explained here is equal to and not superior to the traditional absorption method but it is easy and very consistent and what I recommend to anyone having problems getting a consistently good result. It will give you perfectly cooked consistently fluffy in...
Artichokes are native to the Mediterranean countries and are widely used in the cuisines of southern Europe. They make a great addition to any salad or appetizer buffet. The edible flesh is hidden within the base of the leaves and in the artichoke bottom itself. The tender inner lower part of the leaves is of very subtle in flavor and great with a dip of either aioli, roast pepper salsa or simply drizzled with vinaigrette. Often on hot summer days, artichokes are served as a 'snack' or appetizer in bistros and street-side cafes with a nicely chilled medium to dry white wine. Young baby artichokes are of the same species and are great for grilling and roasting with roasted...
I'm not going to give you the time to cook your steak for, as it is a very individual requirement, you may have a really hot barbecue or you may have a not so hot pan, you may like your steak a few inches thick or you may like a very thin cut. I'm not going to tell you what is the ideal cut of steak or breed of cattle as again that is a very individual choice, if you would like some help in choosing a steak, please see our Tips & Techniques category and click on "Steak Cuts". I'm not going to tell you what is the ideal degree of cooked ness for your steak as that again is a very individual choice.
I am however going to tell you the 7 fundamentally most...
A good pesto has got to be one of the most versatile ingredients one can have in their fridge. Liven up that boring old sandwich, a welcome change from tomato and cream sauces for pasta, a great addition to any soup and of course, great for a quick entertainment help as a dip, or spread on crostini's with a bit of melted parmesan cheese. This pesto recipe, although not a traditional European one, is equally versatile and then some, use it on most Asian rice dishes, a spoon full in your laksa, toss it through you stir fry at the last minute or dollop a little on your pizza before you serve it.
Indian cuisine is a very versatile cuisine and can be incorporated into modern cuisine very easily. Also, thanks to its plethora of spices and flavours it is the ultimate cuisine for inspiration, you can virtually take it in any direction you wish and still end up with something that reflects that Indian origin. In this recipe I have used the Indian technique of marinating in yoghurt for the fish. Slowly cooked the lentils in popular Indian spices and topped the whole dish off with a refreshing salsa to contrast the strong flavours of the fish and lentils.
The great thing about corn fritters is that they are perfect anytime of the day. Have them at breakfast with a little wilted spinach, some bacon and roast tomatoes. Serve them at lunch with a salad of arugula, fetta and salmon. Use them for dinner as the base to any seafood or chicken dish. When entertaining serve mini-fritters as a canape topped with a little smoked chicken and mango salsa. The options are endless and I trust that once you give this recipe a try, you will soon be adding to the list of endless possibilities. This recipe makes about 12 fritters so depending on what you are using them for adjust it accordingly.
If you want to truly wow you guests with an impressive dish while at the same time amazing yourself with a recipes simplicity, then look no further than this great little recipe. It is a dish that is truly perfect for a summer dinner party and a perfect example of the less you mess with food the better it can be. The fresh crab meat is delicate and slightly decadent, the ginger a zesty but subtle complement, the in season avocado a light yet substantial foundation and the freshly cut baby herbs the perfectly simple and understated bit of sophistication. As with most good recipes, the key to this dish is the sum of its parts and you will be rewarded if you take the time to...
This is a great little recipe to pull out as a simple yet impressive canape next time you want to make an impression. All the ingredients are pretty easy to find although the trip to your local fish market for the fresh cooked crab meat is the key. Do not use crab that has ever been frozen, or canned. At a stretch, the pasteurised stuff in the refrigerated section of your local supermarket or deli can be used, but really the only choice for me is fresh cooked.
What Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is to a beginning guitar player, the Creme Brulee is to the apprentice Chef. It is the first real Restaurant dessert that they learn, and like playing "Stairway" they can now impress their friends. Over the years in restaurant kitchens I have found there to be as many recipes for Creme Brulee as there are Chefs. This is the recipe I have perfected over those years. Some recipes you will find need to be in the oven for half a day before they set, others set like a rock, and some curdle as soon as they see the oven. If you stick to this recipe, you will consistently produce a perfectly balanced beautiful creme bru...
This recipe has been with me for a while and I am using it in small cakes for cocktail parties or as an appetizers. It actually was given to me by my colleague Liana Doyle with whom I had the pleasure to work with a few years ago. The tender texture and the sweetness of the crabmeat combined with the mild spicyness of the Cajun spice and the tabasco is what I like on it. Feel free to add more Tabasco and chilli sauce as you like, it is really up to everyonce individual taste. The quality of the crabmeat is very important for the final product to come out right. I like to use pasteurized lump crabmeat, for the crab cakes. These crabcakes are best served with either a salsa...
This recipe is a staple in many kitchens and really an old way of preserving the freshly caught fish. It is all based on the marriage of salt and sugar, which will cure the salmon or any other fish for that matter, and therefore preserve it. In general you can not go wrong when applying a 2:1 ratio salt over sugar when curing any fish. The time of the curing process although is quite essential and depends very much on the thickness of the fish fillet to be cured. Smoked salmon, especially from farmed salmon, is often quite fatty, but curing the salmon fillet removes a lot of the fatty structures in the meat and the resulting cured salmon is leaner, easier to cut and a del...
Do you like drinks with cream, drinks with fruit, and drinks with layers? So do we, that's why we came up with this one. The other night a couple of friends and I were after something new. After a bit of collective input we came up with this one straight out of the hatch. However, trust me when I say that this was the only successful drink we made all night. I think we probably celebrated our success a little too much. Hope it becomes part of your celebrations as well.
I remember when I was young, well before I was a Chef, watching cooking shows and being amazed at their knife skills. They could cut up an onion into perfect sized uniform pieces in the time it would take my mother to peel an onion. I am sure (unconsciously of course), those cool TV Chefs were ultimately part of the overall motivation for my becoming a Chef much later in life.
Dukka, a.k.a Dukkah, is an Egyptian spice blend comprising of toasted nuts, seeds and spices. It can be sprinkled over cooked meat, poultry or vegetables, as a seasoning mixture, but mostly is used as a dip for bread.
Dukka/Dukkah seems to be one of these recipes where every chef has his own take on what is best. There are very lightly toasted to heavily roasted varieties and there are some that include walnuts, chickpeas and even pistachios. Personally I feel that this is great, as it gives some creativity and individuality to our recipes.
For best results; dip bread into a quality virgin olive oil and then into the dukka mix. Alternatively, combine the dukka into...
Coloring easter eggs is one of the traditions I have the fondest memories of from when I was a kid.
I am a strong believer in the upkeep of traditions and just a few days ago did the process with my own kids. Perhaps in terms of cooking and culinary delight not necessarily the most challenging recipe, but I feel that we need to honor traditions such as the coloring of easter eggs and besides that it makes a great spring table decoration for your Easter brunch or a nice gift to give away to your friends.
Shortly before Christrmas a guest was asking for Egg nog to be served during her party. It came to me that, even though I had fond memories of egg nog being served at Christmas parties during my time spent in New York, I had never bothered to write down the recipe. So with the help of our bartenders and some of my kitchen staff we started to collect recipes and sample, test and taste them(and in the progress getting pretty tipsy). The recipe below is the result of this research and testing. This recipe is for a chilled egg nog, but egg nog is at times also served warm. Then the drink is done the same way and then gently warmed in a waterbath and brought so to temperature.
Although we all know spring to be the time of year when some of our favourite fruit and vegetables such as juicy apricots, crisp green beans, first season berries, sweet green peas, crunchy snow peas, juicy cucumbers and tomatoes return to our local market we can often forget about some of the less obvious spring vegetables returning to market. Eggplant is one of those less famous vegetables that comes back into its element at this time of year. Or possibly you didn't even know it had left, or thanks to our ever shrinking planet maybe it never did leave. If that is the case, you may ask why should I celebrate this vegetable at this time of year? Well trust me, everything...
I was on the phone to my friend Trevor the other day back in Canada, and as well as the usual catching up on each others distant lives, we talked food for a bit. During this conversation Trevor asked me how to make fettuccine Carbonara, as he had attempted it the night before and ended up with as is often the case, fettuccine a'la scrambled eggs. I explained to him the trick was to toss the warmed pasta through the egg mix away from the stove and by doing so the heat of the pasta will warm the egg sauce enough to cook it but not actually scramble it. I was thankful for that conversation because it is a classic dish I hadn't made in ages and since that phone call I have re...
Pasta; the ultimate comfort food. Prawns; grill, them saute; them, marinate them, poach them, there's not many ways a prawn doesn't taste good. Fennel; raw in a salad, braised in a stew, diced in a soup, unique and delicious no matter how you cook it. Pernod and cream; need I say more? Although ingredients can be good on their own, combining them with other good ingredients does not always work. In this case however the combined dish is equal to and greater than the sum of its delicious parts. The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, the prawns are sauted until just tender, the fennel is cooked and loses its raw power and becomes mild and soft, and finally the entire dish...
Salmon and dill is another one of those unbeatable combinations that has stood the test of time. In this recipe I have included a few ingredients that are very complimentary to both the salmon and dill but still allow them to be the dominant flavours in the dish. This recipe can be made using either smoked salmon (as I've done here) or fresh.
Hearty clam chowder, delicate seafood bisque, rustic fish stew and deliciously fresh bouillabaisse are just a few of the wonderful seafood dishes that require a good fish stock as their main ingredient. In fact countless dishes in traditional French cookery build on the solid foundations of stocks. That's why making stocks forms a large part of a Chef's first year in Culinary school. In this recipe I have used snapper carcasses, however feel free to use whatever your fish monger has on hand, however avoid excessively oily varieties such as salmon. Ask your fish monger and he can steer you in the right direction.
You will feel guilty after eating some of this chocolate cake. 'Chocoholics' and chocolate fanatics love the rich, smooth and creamy texture and the full flavor of bitter sweet chocolate. I prefer to use Valrhona chocolate for this recipe, but if it's not available use a good quality high cocoa butter content dark chocolate.
Folding is quite simply the process of combining two or more ingredients by lifting rather than stirring. It is a technique most often used when attempting to mix ingredients where one or more is of a very delicate nature. A good example is when attempting to fold a thicker substance through whisked egg whites.
Egg whites that have been whisked contain little bubbles of air in them and stirring them with another ingredient would simply knock all the air out of these bubbles. By folding the ingredients together these air bubbles are retained.
Fresh pasta is so easily done one actually wonders why it is not used more often. Fresh egg pasta is essential for all homemade filled or stuffed pastas such as ravioli, agnolotti and tortellini and more. Ribbon pastas like fettuccini, pappardelle and cappellini (angel hair). Alternatively if you do not have a pasta machine, then you can roll the dough as thin as poissible with a rolling pin, cut the pasta it into ribbons, or any other shape you like, by following the side of a ruler with a pizza wheel inb the exact shape you desire.
Crème brulé is perhaps one of the most popular desserts anywhere. There are some recipes of it already on Chef's pencil, but I still wanted to share mine as well. This recipe for crème brulé has an Asian twist as that the cream is infused with ginger. I feel that ginger, although in general mostly used for hot savoury dishes, adapts very well to custards and cream and adds that little bit of spice in life I am sometimes looking for. If you can get Muscovado sugar please try this with it. It really does have a different taste to it and balances great with the ginger.
Snails/escargots are the sort of delicacy people either love, crave for and adore or simply do not like and are quite appalled by it. In any case, the snails one usually buys come in a tin or jar and are already washed, purged and ready for the final cooking. I like to sautee the snails and flavor them with a little Pastis or Riccard before baking them with the butter. The recipe for the 'Escargots butter', just as the 'Cafe de Paris' butter is the sort of recipe that makes the 'house specialty' the very sort of thing. I guess the whole secrecy stems from the fact, that especially with escargots, the butter is the most important ingredient, as the snails itself are rather...
When most people think brussel sprouts, they think of childhood dinners. Dinners where you were still at the table at 9 pm because you couldn't get up until you had cleaned your plate. Or maybe that was just at my house. In any case I recall them being very hard to eat; they made me want to gag to be totally honest with you. To me they tasted like a handful of newspapaer boiled to buggery in cabbage stock, they were that bad. And no offence to my mother, she is a wonderful cook and has taught me plenty about food and cooking, but in the 70's, 'boil it till its grey' was how you prepared vegetables. Which is such a shame really because brussel sprouts, when prepared correc...
This recipe comes from Adam, an old friend and colleague of mine. I worked with Adam as a Sous Chef to his Head Chef in the early to mid 90's. As I'm sure you'll recall that was a time when "fusion cooking" was all the rage. A time when simply mixing wasabi through anything and everything made it French-Japanese fusion. A time when adding grilled vegetables to any dish made it modern Mediterranean. Now I know cooking is like fashion and the envelope needs to be constantly pushed in order to be tested, but I fear that what some chefs were passing off as "fusion" back then is the fashion equivalent of "fusing" Mr T's jewellery and hair cut to S...
This is one of my favourite summer desserts. I must admit, one of the reasons I probably like it so much is because no matter how many summer cocktails I've had on the balcony I can always roll back into the kitchen for the last course and manage to pull this one off and still impress every time.
Considering that all stone fruits are in such abundance in summer feel free to experiment with other fruit variations.
Sardines are abundant in spring and summer and are also at their most flavoursome during these months. In this dish the beautiful flavour of this fish is paired with the natural sweetness of freshly roasted red pepper. A perfect dish for the seasons first alfresco dinner and since you can make the sauce ahead of time, quite a simple dish to prepare on the day. Serve it as a first course or add a couple more sardines and some fresh sliced baguette and serve it as a main course at lunch. The combination of flavours in this recipe allows it to stand up to a substantial white wine and I would recommend it with an unoaked chardonnay.
Guacamole is one of those items that everyone and their dog has a recipe for. This of course is the best version (haha), it is my version. I find avocado and lime have very distinct flavours so I tend to keep mine very simple and not overwhelm the guacamole with a 1001 ingredients. You'll also notice that some people make their guacamoles chunky and others smooth. Depending on the dish I am serving it with I may make it chunky but overall I prefer to make it smooth as a ripe avocado really lends itself really well to that silky smooth texture.
I learnt the recipe for this versatile marinade/paste/rub/dip from one of the worst head chefs I have ever worked for. I know, that's probably not going to make you want to cook it, but allow me to explain; Do we judge Rocky I on the fact that Rocky IV and V were subsequently made? No. Do we judge our favourite one-hit-wonder bands on their, mediocre follow up albums? No. Do we judge Bruce Willis or John Travolta on Armageddon and Battle field earth? No, we try to remember Moonlighting and Welcome Back Kotter instead. Well this is the logic I use to judge the head Chef in question and original source of this recipe.
The man lets call him "Carl" may not have k...
Want to cook something spicy for your guests? Do some of your guests like a little more kick than others? Then this is perfect dish to cook. For the spice monger amongst your guests, lay the harissa on nice and thick. For the somewhat less chilli-adventurous, a slightly gentler approach.
Regardless of your guests spice tolerance, I'm sure they will find the delicateness of the Corn and Coriander Fritter the ideal foundation and the slight sweetness of the Pineapple and Mint Salsa to offer the perfect balance.
This dish is on the top of my list for summer entertaining dishes. It sits there proudly for a couple of reasons, firstly, it's always a crowd pleaser and secondly, most of the work is done the day before! Unlike many dishes that deteriorate from being prepped too early, this recipe benefits from it. The beans need to be soaked for at least 24 hours and the herbs will permeate the chicken better if marinated longer rather than shorter. In addition doing all the work so far in advance will once again leave you more time to entertain and enjoy the summer weather for yourself. Bon apatite.
Bearnaise and Hollandaise are, I believe, a couple of the major reasons many people dine out. I suppose they feel that these beautiful rich sauces are too difficult to make at home, what with all that clarifying, whisking, reducing and incorporating, but don't let these words or the actions they represent, scare you. Like all things cooking it's all about practice and once you've done it a few times you'll wonder why you never tried it earlier. So go on get to it, it's easy!
This recipe is actually from my mother. Throughout the year, but especially around Christmas time, she used to borrow the 'wafer iron' from my grandmother and produced those thin, sweet crisp wafers. After they wafers have cooled on a rack, they were stored in airtight containers for up to a month. In dry, relative humidity free, Switzerland, they stayed crisp and fresh. Problem was, it was never really proven, that the wafers could be stored that long, as my brother, my sister and my dad usually ensured the wafers were eaten while fresh and crisp.
When I worked at a restaurant that specialised in breakfast I remember poaching over 400 eggs every Saturday and Sunday morning. I've never done the numbers that we used to do in that place. The other Chefs and I would arrive at 5:30 am to start service at 8:00 am. Right through until 11:30-12:00 o'clock it was go go go, and if one of the team was not feeling well, it was a nightmare as we had to carry one another through this insane service.
Why would one of the team not feel so well? Well these are Chefs you're talking about here and they are not used to having nights off, so most weekends at least one of the team was hung over from a big night before.
Unfortunate...
I like the Middle Eastern Mezze or appetizers. Mezze almost always consists, of Hummus (chickpea - sesame spread) and Babaganoush (eggplant- sesame dip) served with warm pita bread. Other items such as Sambousik (pastries filled with minced meat and nuts) Tabouleh (Cous cous and parsley salad) and more are also added, but Hummus and Babaganoush are omni present when Mezze is served. The rich creamy sesame paste called Tahini is really the "main ingredient" in both spreads and the strong, nutty, almost smoky taste of it, is what makes this spread so flavorful and distinct.
This is a well liked dessert in one of our schools restaurants. As with all ice parfaits or ice soufflés, the trick of getting the ice cream really smooth, light and frothy is in the correct beating of the sabayon. Once the sabayon is well done, the rest is a piece of cake.
There's nothing really seasonal about chocolate, but I thought the endorphin lift it gives could better be utilized in the gloomier months and as such have decided to put it on the winter menu. Some would say there's enough chocolate in this recipe to make a Nordic Laplander trapped in 6 months of darkness forget about the "gloomy" weather. So if the words chocolate, indulgence and excess aren't words you like to describe winter desserts, please move on. Just Kidding!! You can always cut the chocolate by 1/3rd, also you'll find that the refreshing cinnamon cream really does help to cut some of that richness.
Kilawin or kinilaw is a traditional Filipino dish of marinated/cured fish or seafood in vinegar and a souring agent such as the juice of calamansi or
Kamias. Calamansi is a small citrus fruits, which grows throughout South East Asia and the juice of it suits this dish much better than lime, as it is still fairly acid but has a distinctively fruity flavor. I personally like Kilawin of tuna the best, simply because the quality of the tuna available in the Philippines is second to none.
It doesn't get much easier than this, pop it all in a pot turn the heat down low, crack a beer and join your friends by the pool. In a couple of hours you'll be wowing them all with your abilities in the kitchen, even though you were barely there.
When it comes to organic food, I don't think I would be able to tell you the difference between an organic piece of parsley and a non-organic piece of parsley. However when it comes to chicken the difference is night and day. Organic chickens are more tender, the skin crisps better and the flesh tastes 100% like chicken. Non organic chickens are fed copious amounts of antibiotic growth promoters and the end result is unnaturally large birds with bland tasteless meat.
Organic birds, even though usually twice as old when slaughtered are often still smaller than these unnaturally oversized counterparts. Having to feed and house the animals twice as long obviously adds a...
There is nothing better than a homemade dressing. This one lives in my fridge all the time as I find it indispensable. I use it as a dressing on salads, on steamed vegetables, on virtually any seafood and even dress my chicken with it when once I take it off the barbecue. It will last about a week so don't bother making too much if you don't plan on using it.
Lobster bisque, a name many of us haven't heard in restaurants for quite some years. I suppose it may be because too many of us who do remember it being in restaurants, remember many attempts at being sold a bastardized fish stock and we just stopped ordering it all together. With this recipe in hand, you needn't fret that it's hard to find or even if you do, whether it is the genuine thing or not. I hope you enjoy revisiting this classic as much and as often as I do.
The boneless skinless chicken breast, sounds exciting doesn't it? What if we add the words grilled or poached? Unfortunately this is the way most people eat this cut of chicken, dried out and without sauce, usually in the name of health. I've said it before and I'll say it again health is intertwined with happiness and I don't know about you but something dry grilled and without sauce doesn't bring me happiness. The chicken breast is a very versatile cut and prepared correctly it can be anything but dry and bland. This recipe is designed to be ENJOYED, as all food should be. I have given the chicken breast a rich golden nutty coating, topped it with a lush reduced port sa...
The Philippines pride themselves to have the best Mangoes. In parts I must agree, a Philippine "Carabao" mango, just at the peak of it's ripeness is both sweet with the right amount of acidity and very juicy. At that time the Philippine mango certainly is one of the best in the world.
This salsa recipe is great with barbecued fish, seafood or chicken. I often use it as an accompaniment with Cajun spiced seared tuna or chili dusted prawns, and it also makes a great condiment with deep-fried oysters.
These individual chocolate marbled cheesecakes are easy to do, simple to assemble and very versatile.
I'm not sure if it's because of its place in popular culture but for a lot of people the
Martini
is a drink reserved for a night on the town and special occasions. For me it is a drink that I like to make at home, (I know I sound like a lush) but there is something strangely rewarding and enjoyable about all that stirring, straining and garnishing. Plus I like any excuse that allows me to walk around my own house drinking from a Martini glass, domestic extravagance.
Mash Potato, sounds like a recipe right there doesn't it. Pretty simple dish to prepare, one would think, yet based on the amount of times I have ordered it and received something closer to cemented or watered potato, I thought it appropriate that we put a recipe of it out there. That and the fact that we receive countless emails requesting us to.
Proper mash potato is something most of us remember from our childhood, rich, creamy, buttery flavour all whipped up into something that is surprisingly light and fluffy in texture. I think the reason for it reminding us of childhood is that, since adolescence most of us, (the western world anyhow) have been running to the hi...
Now that winter is upon us once again, I thought it was time to pull out one of my favourite winter recipes; Minestrone Soup. This soup always takes me back to my childhood, working as my Dad's helper in his electrical business. In particular a re-wiring job he did for an old Italian lady back in Vancouver named Mrs Sorrechi. She was a lovely woman of sizeable physical proportions as well as a woman of sizeable compassion. Something I was acutely aware of as a boy working in the freezing cold at her house. Now, I recall as a kid (as I'm sure every kid does) cringing whenever an unfamiliar grown up would kiss, make cutesy faces or hug me. But with Mrs Sorrechi I never mind...
As an avid James Bond movie fan, I recently re-watched (for the 10th + time perhaps) one of the old classics. To make the story short, Bond, the notorious Martini drinker, in this movie orders and drinks a Mint Julep. Even though I heard of this cocktail before, I actually do not remember having had one. I decided to Google it and afterwards headed for the bar and started mixing and tasting and a little later (and a little tipsy) I figured I had a very good combination. Even though, not quite a traditional one, due to the use of Bourbon whiskey instead of traditional Early Times Kentucky whisky, which I did not have available to me.
A mirepoix is a finely diced mixture of; carrot, celery and onion. It is often sweated off in the first stages of a recipe to enhance the flavour of sauces, soups, stews and numerous other dishes. Although usually finely diced, some recipes, such as a stock recipe might call for, 'mirepoix roughly chopped' in this case it simply refers to the three vegetables of carrot, celery and onion. 'Mirepoix au gras' is simply mirepoix with meat and usually refers to the addition of bacon or ham.
This drink has it's origins in warmer climes, where the lime is not an expensive imported citrus and rum is a plenty. So you'll find that this drink lends itself well to hot summer days by the pool. When I drink Mojito's (pronounced mo-hee-to) I always feel good about it, well to be honest with you I feel pretty good about drinking any drink, but with this drink I almost feel like I'm doing my body a favour. I mean drinking soda water, fresh citrus, fresh citrus juice and fresh mint must be good for me right? Well apparently not, judging by the Mo-hangovers, but it is too tasty a drink to resist and the day after is still much less an ordeal than when drinking preservati...
Although you could just go out and buy premixed spices making them yourself will give you a much nicer flavour and the comfort that you will not be consuming all sorts of preservatives, sugar, and anti-caking agents. For this recipe I have quoted the ingredients in parts in order that you can make as much mix as you like, whether that be a few tablespoons or a couple of kilo's.
Swordfish, some will claim is a very boring fish, and in all honesty it is a bit simple on its own. However it is that simple flavour that I find so appealing about swordfish, it can be turned into virtually any style of recipe you want. Some fish, salmon for instance, is a beautiful fish but due to its rich distinct prominent flavour it is not as versatile as our humble sword. Imagine either fish with a nice herbed pilaf and a classic beurre blanc, but don't try putting both into a salty sweet Chinese stir fry.
In this recipe I have used a tender piece of sword as a platform to get across some very distinct Moroccan flavours, served it on some soft polenta, topped it...
Although this dish is quintessentially French it is probably more of a consistent feature on the dinner tables of the northeastern region of the country. The beauty of a mussel dish like this is that the mussels (or 'moules') are served absolutely fresh. Mussels are harvested all over the coast of France and then shipped live to the local fishmongers. There they are bought, (still alive), taken home, cleaned and prepared in this simple yet stunning recipe and enjoyed by anyone lucky enough to be present. So the key for you to enjoy this dish is to do the same, and by that I mean: buy only the freshest best live mussels from your local trusted fishmonger. And then simply p...
Mulled wine is popular throughout Europe, on chilly nights, as soon as the winter breaks in November and especially during the Christmas season. Even though I have lived in a tropical country for the last 15 years, for me, it wouldn't be Christmas without a glass of "Gluehwein" while sitting around the Christmas tree. There are quite a number of variations of it, from the Swedes which add raisins and nuts to it, to French in the Bordeaux region that add nutmeg and bay leaf to it and use rather heavy Cabernet or Merlot wines.
Originating from Germany although it is best to use a light dry red wine or as another variation a dry Riesling type of white wine. This...
As most of my friends will tell you, I am a huge fan of summer and not big on winter. I tend to complain all winter about the lack of warmth and sunshine, to be honest I complain so much in winter I'm surprised I even have friends willing to put up with it. However, having said that there are a couple of things I do love about winter, there's food, food and more food. One of my favourite ways of cooking in winter is braising (cooking meats or vegetables in their own or added juices in a very slow oven). This dish, Braised Lamb Shanks is such a magnificent winter dish that it on its own gives me the tolerance to cope with the entire winter season, (well almost).
This dish for me always conjures up memories of long summer nights, nights spent amongst a forest of sailboat masts, glowing orange as they reflected the deep northern sunset.
Every Friday for a whole summer myself and my two best mates since high school, John and Trevor would take John's dad's sailboat out onto the Georgia Strait, sailing around just off Vancouver. I remember one Friday in particular we were sailing back from the Gulf Islands, the diminishing light from the never setting sun painting the water a profound blue and the mighty fir trees appearing as mere peach fuzz on the coastal mountains, it had been an amazing day on the water. We were bringing the bo...
Imagine a Sunday afternoon, somewhere in a idyllic little town in the Normandy (France), sipping 'Cafe au lait' on a small marble table in front of a side walk cafe. Acoompanying the cafe, a freshly baked, Calvados scented, warm apple tart with vanilla sauce or a generous dollop of whipped cream. Sometimes it's those day-dreams of the simple things in (culinary) life that inspire the most.
Although not overly extravagant or involved to prepare, Osso Buco is, and always has been a real treat to make. Is it the joy from making that delicious sauce? A sauce so tasty that adding a piece of crusty bread and a bowl is all that is needed to make a meal. Or is it the almost maternal care used when keeping an eye on the whole thing in the oven? Or maybe it's the taking of an otherwise tough piece of meat and turning it into something that is melt in your mouth tender?
Whatever it may be that makes me enjoy preparing Osso Buco so much, I am certain of at least one thing; making it is a distant second to the pleasure I get from eating it. All I need is one glass of...
Paella (pa-yay-aa) is a traditional Spanish dish that actually takes its name from the pot in which it is cooked, a paellera. Paella originated from the Valencia region but now virtually every part of Spain offers their own version. There is much debate as to what ingredients belong in a Paella, but there is no debate that at the core there should be rice and saffron. This is the recipe I cook when entertaining, but if I'm cooking only for my girlfriend and I, it might be a very simple Paella with a couple of ingredients or an incredibly involved dish teeming with everything under the sun. This usually depends on my mood and the state of my wallet. As always and especiall...
As I've said before, "I love spring!" A time when menus virtually write themselves. How can one not incorporate strawberries, raspberries, boysenberries and blueberries into at least one course of a dinner menu. In this dish I've steeped more than stewed; blueberries, raspberries and boysenberries in a light sugar syrup to accompany the delicate panna cotta. Even if I'm only cooking for four I still tend to make this recipe for six, a little snack for the cook pre dinner...ssshhhh.
This recipe is one of those occasions where the ability to use dried herbs in place of fresh is not an option. The fresh thyme and parmesan cheese work together to compliment the flavour of the mushroom in a way that the dried herb cannot. Making this dish using the larger field mushrooms also makes a great option for a vegetarian first course.
If you don't love quality extra virgin olive oil and saut�ed golden garlic, then you won't understand this recipe. Those of you that do, well you'll know exactly what a simply magnificent Italian creation this is. I have said it numerous times before and I stand by my words to this day, "If there were no such things as good extra virgin olive oil and garlic I would not have become, or continue to be a Chef!" They are my absolute 2 favourite ingredients and in this dish, the Italians let these ingredients shine in simplicity.
Pate a choux is also called Choux paste or pastry or Chou dough and is a basic dough for many savory and sweet dishes.
Pate a chou is the base for traditional cakes such as the Gateau St. Honoré, Paris-Brest and the Croque-em-bouche or individual pastries like éclairs and the children favorite Choux puffs.
But choux paste it can also be fried into Beignets, Crullers and Churros, or used as the base for hot soufflés and mixed with mashed potatoes for Dauphine potatoes. In Austria this same basic dough is also used to make sweet knoedels (dumplings), where a fruit is incased into pate a choux filled and then poached before being tossed in toasted crumbs and melted...
Personally I am not a huge dessert eater, I like to taste it but after 1 or 2 bites I've had enough. So what usually happens is that I just have a few bites and give the rest to my girlfriend. When we are at a restaurant it's a win win, she doesn't want the guilt of ordering one for herself, but she does like�sorry LOVES dessert. I order dessert, save her the guilt, I have a couple small bites and she gets 2/3rds of a dessert to herself.
Anyway, I digress, as I was saying I'm not big on dessert but whenever I make this dessert, 5 minutes into making it, the smell of the freshly roasting pecans wafting through the kitchen has me salivating and thinking about sneak...
Ever wonder how they get the skins off the tomatoes you buy in cans? It's really quite a simple process. In this tip I'll show you exactly how and also how to take the seeds out.
"My brother in law Darren is the best steak cook I know!" I was very young when I first proclaimed that, in fact I may have said "my sister's new boyfriend," it was that long ago. I stick by those words today, as he still cooks one of the best steaks I've had anywhere; however it wasn't until a few years later as I embarked on my cooking career, that I discovered it had just as much to do with Darren's eye for quality and knowledge of beef cuts as it did with his skill. You see Darren knew that I being only young may have found the flavour of a robust sirloin or rib eye a little strong. So he decided to use what is considered to be the tenderest cut of...
I love this salad for summer time, warm weather, picnic's and when friends come over for a swim by the pool. It is very simple, quickly done, and refreshing. It is a meal in itself, perfect for busy people wanting to do something quick and light and for those of us who want to watch the calorie intake. I'll do several variations of it, with Cajun-fried shrimps, grilled salmon, stir-fried squid or a combination of it; whatever I have handy or feel like eating. Medium roasted warm sirloin of beef is also a nice option, although a Balsamic or a red wine vinegar dressing would then suit better than the lemon-olive oil emulsion required in this recipe.
Another one of those dishes that once you make it a few times you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. The delicacy of the flowers and the rich stuffing make them very appropriate on the most formal of occasions. Or leave them un-stuffed au'naturale and serve their golden fried goodness with a simple squeeze of lemon on the most casual of occasions.
I usually make pesto when basil is at its best, fortunately when basil it at it's best it's also abundant and cheap so I usually end up making it in big batches. I leave some in my fridge, jar some up for friends and freeze the rest. The freezing affects it slightly but in winter when there is no fresh basil I've still got better pesto than I can buy from any deli or shop. In those colder months I toss it through my pastas, dollop it in my soup or spread it on toasted French bread.
This dish, although inspired by the abundant basil of late spring, is a wonderful dish to have any time of year. I find it a great choice for entertaining, as you can crumb the lamb hours before and the caponata can be made as early as a day before. All you'll need to do when your friends arrive is cook the lamb, warm the caponata, let the wine breathe and sit down to dinner.
This pineapple salsa is ideal for summer barbeques. Serve it as a dip with white corn chips, on top of grilled fish, throughout a salad of prawns or along side any chicken dish. The best time to make this is about 1/3rd of the way into pineapple season as that is when they are at their sweetest and luckily also when summer is in full swing.
Polenta is one of those things I despised as a child and only really got to appreciate when I became a chef. Polenta is a great alternative to pasta, rice and potatoes and goes well with chicken, rabbit and grilled sausages. Polenta traditionally is cooked in saltwater only, but different chefs prefer to use beef bouillon, milk or a mixture of it. It really depends on each individual's preference. For different taste and textures, replace the Parmesan cheese with Mascarpone, Ricotta or soft goat cheese. Grilled mushrooms, vegetables or crisp Parma ham also make a great addition to polenta.
Gnocchi were originally served as an extra course or pasta/warm appetizer course during a traditional Italian meal. These days they are often used as an starch / side dish to main courses. Gnocchi are fairly easy to prepare, can be done ahead of time. They are very versatile in the sense that they can be flavored with anything from Spinach to smoked salmon and because they are fairly bland in it's original taste they suit any sauce that they may be served with.
Next time you prepare a dish that leaves you with a lot of crustacean waste i.e. lots of prawn (shrimp), crab, lobster, or bug heads and shells do not throw all those wonderful bits out, instead knock up this oil and you will regret every time you did throw them out. With this oil in your fridge you will be able to add a beautiful richness to a plethora of dishes.
The recipe for this dip has been with me for a few years now. It combines the best of both worlds, the 'Asiatic' spices of ginger, chili and lemongrass with Mediterranean ingredients like the virgin olive oil and the lime juice. If you prepare the dip ahead of time, you must ensure that the cilantro is chopped and added last minute to the dressing in order to achieve the freshness desired for this dish.
This is a dish that I first discovered when working in a traditional Italian Restaurant many years ago. The very un-Italian head Chef was writing the specials menu one Friday afternoon outside the back of the kitchen. In my youthful cockiness I thought that meant it was break time and I went out as well (the orders seemed to be finished). I got out back and saw a few of the specials he had been writing down, I pointed to the prosciutto wrapped salmon filet and I asked him, "Trent, is that really an Italian Dish?"
He answered somewhat agitated, "Who gives a *#!* if it is or it isn't, it has Italian ingredients in it and you watch how well it sells tonight...
A correct flaky, buttery and light puff pastry or 'Pate feuilletee' is the most important ingredient to so many dessert and savory dishes. Preparing and baking the puff pastry takes some practice, is fairly time consuming and tedious process, but the final product will be so much more rewarding, whether you are making a vol-en-vent, mille-feuille or the famous Napoleon.
This recipe comes from a friend of mine; Maria. She is from the beautiful coastal region of Galicia in the North West of Spain. The area is bountiful in many types of delicious seafood and the local's diet and Maria's repertoire clearly represents this. Her seafood recipes are amazing and the stories she tells of her upbringing eating all the wonderful local specialties always makes my mouth water. One such dish that had me salivating when she first told me about it was this one; Pulpo a'la Gallega. Unfortunately when I make it, I break a cardinal rule and serve it on a normal plate as opposed to the traditional wooden plate. I don't think she has yet forgiven me and I am...
I created this dish some time back while browsing the fridge, (to be honest I was giving the fridge the weekly clean and got hungry in the mean time). I looked in the crisper drawer and found a couple heads of radicchio lettuce, 'what can I do with these' I thought. I moved to the cheese drawer and found a little piece of neglected blue cheese, it had been over looked for the last few cheese platters due to its small size, but this neglect had also meant it had aged nicely. 'Blue cheese and radicchio, bitey and bitter' I thought. 'Better get something a little sweet to balance it a touch.' I went to the pantry and pulled out a few handfuls of walnuts tossed them in a pan...
This recipe for marinated mushrooms is an absolute breeze, it keeps for weeks and can be done in large batches. So go on, make some now and the next time you have friends over you'll have one more homemade item you can serve with your antipasto platter. Did we mention they are delicious.
This is a great recipe for dessert after a rich or heavy meal. Unlike a simple fruit granita, it has a little more depth and also a little bit of kick thanks to the Grand Marnier and red wine. I tend to serve it in the warmer months, but if you have served a warming stew or even something spicy in the cooler months, it can be just the right way to finish the meal then as well. Due to the high alcohol content it will not hold it's frozen properties for long once out of the freezer, so it is best served and eaten right away, and as such may be better suited to smaller parties rather than large gatherings. Trust me your close friends will be glad you didn't invite too many p...
A Chef I used to work with once said, 'A jus prepared correctly and served with a crusty bread roll is a 5 star meal to me.' In fact I've seen many a Chef call that dinner. Usually when the head Chef wasn't looking of course. Jus's are like liquid gold in restaurant kitchens. Most kitchens have one stove and sometimes even entire kitchens designated to the slow process of making these decadent sauces. First the veal bones are roasted golden brown in high temperature ovens, then the vegetables are chopped, herbs are selected and then it's all put in a pot and covered with water and simmered for days on end. The resulting stock is then, strained numerous times, red wine is...
Reduced Balsamic is one of those incredibly simple items to prepare, it is simply Balsamic Vinegar that has been thickened by way of evaporation over heat. This is a great ingredient to have on hand in any kitchen. It's sweet yet slightly tart flavour not only is the perfect complement to many dishes but makes a very visually appealing garnish. Try it over grilled vegetables or salads and even on some desserts. When preparing this item I would not recommend you use your best and most expensive Balsamic vinegar as you will lose about 2/3rds to evaporation, however I would also avoid using a very cheap and acidic variety, as no matter how much you reduce these; they remain...
This dish is great to cook if you are vegetarian and just as good if you are not. As a person that is completely content in their carnivore ways, I can happily attest that this is one vegetarian dish that I am more than happy to put in front of me in place of a meat laden dinner plate. The grilled polenta provides a delicious and substantial foundation, the roasted mushroom is a tender and juicy centre piece, the fresh beans offer the crisp spring factor while the roast pepper and port reduction is the perfect naturally sweet and slightly decadent sauce to unite it all. Enjoy this dish, no matter what side of the carnivore/vegetarian fence you are on.
Although Capsicums really don't come into their own until spring, this is a dish that is too good to wait for, try it around the end of winter as that is when the first Capsicums start to appear. The mushrooms add a clever twist on it and the parsley oil adds a bitter to the sweet of the peppers as well as a nice colour contrast.
This is not so much a recipe as a guideline, as every time I make it, it is slightly different depending on what's in the fridge. The quantities however stay the same but allow your imagination to run when making this soup. I know that personally I enjoy the different flavours every time I make it.
When I was a teenager I worked briefly in a pizza joint as a delivery driver. When there were no deliveries I was assigned various jobs by our recently out of jail 'Chef', not that he was too busy to do so but he had to go hassle the waitresses and beg for bourbon from the bartender. One of the jobs that the 'Chef'; used to get me to do in this classy place was to prep the garlic bread. This job involved taking some anaemic highly processed and cottony soft bread rolls and cutting them in half, dipping them face down about 1 centimetre into some dirty old vegetable oil that had 2 cloves of garlic sadly sunken on the bottom, then I would take chopped parsley and sprinkle i...
This sauce is so simple and tasty that you'll find yourself making it over and over. Try it with coconut crumbed fish, or grilled chicken. Play around with it and you will find uses for it as a canape or mix it with some sour cream and serve as a cold dip. The possibilities are endless.
This is a great winter soup. At a time of year when we are probably eating a little bit too much of the good stuff in life such as butter, cream and rich desserts, this soup is the perfect option to lighten our dietary load. You'll find that thanks to the sweet potato's much lower glycaemic rating than regular potato you won't find the inevitable post eating blood sugar spike and subsequent crash of many energy rich winter meals. Add to that ginger's excellent properties as a digestive aid and you have a great start on helping your body deal with a lot of those richer meals you've been eating. Then take the ultimate comfort spice; cinnamon and your soul will also thank yo...
Roasting large joints of meat to the correct doness can be fairly difficult at times and once the roast too much done, there is no turning back anymore. The difficulty starts by getting people to agree on one uniform system. While in classical French cooking (and most of the European countries) only 4 degrees of doness (blue, saignant, a point and bien cuit) are used, in the rest of the world and certainly in English speaking countries we generally use five degrees of doness (rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done). Some even order the meat by percentages e.g. from 25 % for rare, to 70%, 80% and obviously 100 % for well done. Whatever method one prefers, the...
Bell peppers (capsicum) are pretty delicious and tasty as nature makes them, however roasted or grilled they become all the more tasty and more versatile. Once roasted they are the ideal addition to any antipasto, beautiful in a salad, perfect in a pasta and not to mention an amazing base to many beautiful sauces or soups
Everyone knows that meats and fresh herbs are a marriage made in heaven, but as in human relationships certain marriages are stronger than others. For example roast chicken with fresh thyme, seafood's with dill or fennel, tender beef with a rich tarragon infused b�arnaise and of course the ultimate paring of roast lamb and fresh rosemary. The latter mentioned combination is, in this recipe taken to a further level by adding garlic and parmesan. This would have to be my favourite way to have lamb.
When making this salad you are likely to find as many variations as ingredients. The important thing to remember is it is made by you for you and your friends, so if you're not a fan of certain ingredients leave them out, likewise if you really love a certain item, add a little more. The recipe we have given here is our collective favourite here at chefs pencil. However if we were true to the salads namesake (ie from Nice in France) there would definitely not be any potatoes in this salad.
I still am blown away by how many people keep salt and pepper on their dining or kitchen table. Personally I keep my salt and pepper in one place, right next to the stove where it belongs! If the Chef does his or her job properly, that is the only place it should need to be as the seasoning should already be in the meal. Wherever you stand on the salt and pepper issue, I think we can all agree that in this dish, the more the better!
A lot of recipes you find that incorporate Sea Scallops tend to drown them in rich sauces. I think that this is a bit of a shame as rich sauces are best reserved for flavourless and texture lacking seafood's, something that a nice fresh scallop is definitely not. This recipe is very simple to prepare and although it incorporates some strong flavours it still leaves the Scallop as the star of the show. I tend to use the Queensland variety, as I find them to be the perfect size and have beautiful ocean sweetness. Obviously if you're not in Australia it will be a bit difficult to find this variety, but find a fish monger you can trust and ask him or her what they recommend.
When I was around 5 or 6 growing up in Canada, my family moved next door to the Patterson family, the Patterson's had two boys, Mike and Steve. Mike was one year younger and Steve one year older than I. Similar age, same gender, lived close, ok all criteria for position of best friend filled: let's play�.and play we did, usually in the forest that covered their small property. We played war games, hide and seek, climbed trees, dug caves, built forts, you name it we did it. It was an ideal childhood playground, albeit at times cold and wet.
After hours of being out there, the remaining daylight would start to fade to a dim grey, we would listen with contradictory f...
As it goes sometimes in the kitchen, a cocktail party had a bit of an over flow on guests and we needed to prepare some extra items. In the hurry, and with the guests waiting, I used anything I could get my hands on. Mostly items that were ingredients for the one or the other a la carte dish currently on our menu. The guests were so happy with these little dishes, that they actually are now featured on our cocktail menu offering.
Semi dried tomatoes, say it to some and they'll scrunch up their nose and make a "yucky" face, say it to others and they'll smile and move closer to you. The difference I think is that some have only tasted the jarred variety, while the latter group has tried the homemade variety or tasted them from a nice deli. The difference is quite staggering; the ones from the jars often taste like an oily shoe with liquorice laces. While a proper freshly dried tomato can taste like you're actually eating a dozen tomatoes, with a bunch of fresh herbs and a whisper of extra virgin all in the one bite. Once you realize how easy it is to do your own you'll wonder why you ever...
This is a shining example of the less complicated a dish is, the better it is. Each ingredient in this recipe is served very near to its natural state and this lack of having been �messed' with results in a simple yet sophisticated combination. The flavours in this dish do all the hard work for you, fresh ocean trout complemented by an effortless sesame crust and seared beautifully rare, the fresh cucumber and the just picked tender baby herbs simply glazed with the distinctive flavours of fresh lime, mirin and fiery chilli.
The best thing about this lack of complication is exactly that; uncomplicated cooking for you. Serve this next time you want to impress your...
This is a recipe that I created a few years back while I was on a quick hiatus on my motorcycle. I was running a very high stress level in the restaurant and decided a quick jaunt down the south coast was in order to stay sane. I spent a day in the saddle with no particular destination and pulled into Hyams Beach on Jervis Bay and decided to call it home for a couple of days. That was as soon as I could find a place that would have me. I asked the lady at the town conveience shop/restaurant where I could find some reasonable accomodation. She directed me to a guest house down the road and told me to tell the owner that she had sent me. I liked this place already, I'd been...
There are numerous variations of this dish throughout Vietnam, southern China and Thailand. This particular recipe calls for a cuttlefish and shrimp mousse that is breaded and deep-fried while other variations are made with shrimps or prawns only, with the addition of crabmeat to the mousse or even spiced with chili, basil and coconut milk, crusted in desiccated coconut flakes.
They are also not always breaded and fried, but also available steamed and steamed and then grilled. Whatever your preferences might be, shrimp on sugar cane will always be a well liked dish whenever you serve it.
Next time you are entertaining and you want your first course to be a definite crowd pleaser, then look no further than this recipe. The beautiful tangy crème fraiche is the perfect accompaniment for the crispy potato rosti and helps to soften the rosti just enough to be gentle on your guests palette while still maintaining the crunchy wafer like rosti characteristics. Add in the peppery watercress, the tender salmon and your guests will experience a beautifully balanced first course with perfect flavour and texture contrasts.
Although this is not a difficult recipe per se, it is worth having a trial run on yourself sometime prior to your event, particularly as the ro...
The crispy fritters not only make this dish a little more substantial but they also make a brilliant compliment to the smoky salmon. The peppery watercress and the tartness of the vinaigrette are perfectly rounded out with the soft creaminess of the fetta.
This dish is also a great dish to be a little creative with, think of any other meat or fish that would go well with corn and substitute it for the salmon. Roquette (arugula) also makes a great substitute for the watercress. I know you'll enjoy this recipe and I hope you enjoy making your variations of it even more.
One would think that a dish built around salmon should remind me of my life living on the west coast of Canada, home of arguably some of the best salmon in the world and definitely one of the most abundant sources, but strangely enough this dish reminds me of Sydney more than anything. When I first moved to Sydney in the mid 90's I was blown away to see how many local menus featured salmon. Canadians weren't the only ones with a taste for this beautiful fish and obviously Canada and Scandinavia weren't the only source for it! Some excellent Atlantic salmon was and is being farmed in Tasmania.
There are subtle differences between all varieties of salmon and each breed...
Another simple masterpiece inspired by, of course, the Ocean and the Italians. Unfortunately I have been to countless "Italian" restaurants that come nowhere near masterpiece with this dish. I've had it with more sand than the local beach, garlic raw enough to scare a vampire, and God forbid even cream. If you follow this recipe to the letter you will end up with Spaghetti Vongole better than most places in town.
This dessert is ideal to serve if you are having a large gathering. It sets in the dish or glass you serve it in and it can be prepared well ahead of time. It can be made for minimal guests as well, although due to the 3 different components it may be a bit cumbersome. Of course you could just serve more to your minimal guests in order to make it worth the effort, but beware; rich rich rich.
Beurre blanc is a traditional French butter sauce. In this recipe I've tweaked it a little by adding the juice of an orange and infused it with a little ginger. It works very well with the spicy coating on the chicken. Beurre blanc is really quite an easy sauce as long as you take your time. Once you've done it a few times you will find yourself making it over and over and hopefully coming up with new ideas for it as well.
The inspiration for this dish comes from an old booklet I bought when I was just starting my apprenticeship as a chef. Good cookbooks were very expensive and I could not always afford them so I bought myself this little paperback booklet dedicated to 'Western Cooking' meaning the fare of the cowboys, the Midwest and Indians. Just recently while cleaning up some of my old stuff, in stored in boxes, I came across this little booklet and found a coffee rub for steaks in it. Although the recipe in the booklet was much simpler, I liked the taste and the general idea of it and so, this is how, an amended version of it I now use with pork chops for BBQ's or as a rub when roastin...
This dish builds on a recipe my friend Damian gave to me a couple of years back. I was working with him on a function for the annual Melbourne Cup horse race. We had had some problems with suppliers not delivering on time and as such were behind the eight ball with our prep all morning. It was now 12 noon and I recall nervously saying to Damo, "Here come the customers and we haven't even got half the prep done, I've still got to cook the cous cous, I haven't even got the chicken kievs let alone stuff them." Damian calmly replied "Pass me that orange juice. I'll make the cous cous and you run across the road to the Thai restaurant and tell them you'll buy so...
Salads are often not associated with the colder months of autumn and winter. This salad however is ideal for the colder months. The soft baby spinach leaves are a great alternative to the crispy summer lettuces, the oven roasted pumpkin is a nice slice of country warmth, and the crispy slightly salty prosciutto makes a nice wake up call to the hibernating taste buds.
This recipe builds on my Mother's recipe that I recall so fondly from my childhood in Canada. After a hard day of play in the cold west coast winter rain, sitting down to this sweet smoky broth was such a treat. We used to eat it with bucket loads of butter cooked croutons, but now I tend to eat it with just a little fresh bread. However you have it, I'm sure it will become a winter favourite.
Mussels would have to be one of the most versatile of all seafood's, as long as they are dressed appropriately for the weather they are pretty much heaven year round. In winter there is nothing more comforting than a bowl of them swimming in a steamy Mariniere broth. In summer, as in this dish there is nothing more refreshing, a bowl of freshly steamed mussels, in season Mango salsa, crusty Vienna bread to soak it all up with and a very crisp white wine to wash it all down with. Enjoy.
Personally, papaya or pawpaw is one of my favorite fruits. I like it for breakfast with cottage cheese and few drops of lime or like here in this recipe as a mildly spiced salsa with prawns or other seafood for that matter.
Papaya is a fruit which needs to be eaten at the peak of it's ripeness. If the fruit is just a little under-ripe they are quite tasteless and lack sweetness and flavor and if they are just a bit over-ripe the flesh is getting mushy and has a sort of "tired" aftertaste.
This recipe of the salsa combines ginger, honey and lime, which I feel is a perfect accompaniment to ripe fully flavored papaya meat and goes well with any freshly grille...
I know what you're thinking, didn't we see enough of this dessert in the 90's. Well yes I think we did, but no we don't see enough of it now. It went from hip to passe overnight, and I am usually the first to bid good riddance to a dish that is eaten simply because it is in fashion, but the sticky date should never have been fashionable. It is a humble dessert, a dessert that was never suited to being trendy, it's old, and it's a classic and should be treated accordingly. You don't dress your grandmother in the latest hipster jeans, off the shoulder top, Gucci sunglasses and hang with her at the latest clubs every weekend for the entire summer, no of course not. You love...
A real summer specialty. The idea was to recreate the Italian favourite of aged Balsamico vinegar as an accompaniment to marinated strawberries as an mocktail. The thickened, reduced balsamic vinegar can also be replaced by a side order of pure Balsamico, where a guest can flavor their own strawberry honey juice to their liking.
Please ensure that you use very ripe and full flavoured strawberries and a good quality honey.
If you want to make this an alcoholic drink, replace the water with sparkling alcoholic cider.
Martini's are usually quite a strong drink and technically only Gin Martini's are really Martinis. These days the name is often used on many different cocktails simply served in a Martini/Cocktail glass. In any case who are we to be stubborn sticklers for tradition? This "Strawberry Martini" is similar to the Gin Martini in 2 ways; it is strong and served in a Martini Glass! The strawberries and sugar will however disguise that strength as sweetness, mmmmmmm!
The strawberry shortcake is an American classic and if the strawberries are ripe, sweet and juicy, it makes for a great dessert. The shortcake crust can be done small for individual desserts or large as a whole cake. Alternatively shortcakes can be done with fresh peaches; bananas or any other ripe fruit in season. The crust can be easily pre-baked in the morning and assembled just before serving.
The light texture of the homemade tart shell and the natural sweetness of the strawberries, make this tart a great choice for a lovely Morning Tea or High Tea. It can even be a delicious Dessert after a dinner of heavy meats and rich sauces. If however you are enjoying it for Morning Tea, High Tea or following a not so rich meal it can be made a little more indulgent by adding some whipped or double cream on the side.
This recipe uses an incredible amount of strawberries and as such I wouldn't recommend making it outside of berry season as it can get expensive.
Sugar syrup is to the bar what stocks are to the kitchen. Simple to make and an indispensable staple item to have on hand.
This dish was taught to me by a good friend and Swedish chef. Ever since then, around Christmas time, when attending quite a number of pre-Christmas parties that are 'potluck', meaning they require all participants to bring a dish along, I make this Swedish lax pudding. It is so simple, needs little to none care except reheating and is always well liked.
As often the case with traditional recipes there are no strict rules and therefore instead of salted salmon one could easily use cold smoked salmon or even raw, sautéed salmon and the dish would taste just as good.
This is stuff I grew up on and it is still one of my favourites. Although mainly used as a breakfast cereal, back in my childhood it was also occasionaly served as snack on hot days or even as a light meal or fruity dessert at times.
Muesli was invented/created around the turn of the century by Swiss doctor Maximilian Bircher for the patients in his hospital in Zurich, Switzerland. He was a pioneer in nutritinal
research and "healed" his patients with a balanced diet of raw fruits and vegetables, a revolution, considering the eating habits of the people at that time. The term "muesli" comes from the Swiss dialect word of "mus" lite...
Tabouleh like hummus and babaghanouj has its origins in the Middle East, it is a salad made of parsley, wheat bulgur, tomato and lemon. I have some Lebanese friends and an annual highlight for me when summer rolls around is to be fortunate enough to be invited to a few of their many barbecues. The only thing that flows thicker than their hospitality is the food. It always starts with some traditional dips, spreads, stuffed vine leaves and stacks and stacks of freshly baked flat bread to spread and dip it all with. After that the barbecue gets fired up and the various types of meats hit the grill, there is garlic marinated chicken skewers, minced and spiced lamb skewers, b...
I remember a couple of years back, a time in Sydney when virtually every single restaurant and caf� had fish cakes on their menu. Unfortunately it was also the time when this beautiful Southeast Asian dish gained a very bad reputation. Fish cakes were served crumbed in bread crumbs, undercooked, overcooked and served with everything from ketchup tomato sauce to heated peanut butter as "Satay Sauce". The reason for this I believe is people think it is an all too easy recipe, "mince some fish add a bit of this and that, a bit of commercial curry paste, deep fry them and dip in anything." This obviously looks nothing like the symphony of flavours u...
One of the nicest things about dining out in restaurants is experiencing foods you can't make at home, having said that, it doesn't have to be that way. All chefs during their first year of training are taught how to make perfect stocks, stocks from which they are later taught to make virtually every sauce possible. Once you learn to make the perfect stock, all those restaurant sauces that make the meal worth paying top dollar for will be well within your reach.
Fresh fish and fresh herbs, what more could you ask for in a spring dish. Both are complemented perfectly by the addition of a hearty Middle Eastern salad. You will find because the Fattoush is pretty substantial as far as salads go, it can also be eaten as a meal on its own.
Tiramisu is one of those dishes that is widely available as almost every restaurant serves some variation of it. Unfortunately it is this same widespread availability that means it can often disappoint. Fortunately when it is good it is sublime and it is these occasions that keep most of us coming back for more and trying it again and again.
This recipe is a result of years of working with numerous other Chefs (Italian and otherwise) creating different Tiramisu's in countless different kitchens using just as many different methods. During this time I watched, learned, tasted and most importantly listened to the customers in those places where the Tiramisu was a house s...
Occasionally, when my friend's restaurant is very busy and I am not so busy, I will help out in his restaurant for old time's sake, (every Chef needs to feel the rush of a busy service once in a while, or we'll wither and die). These occasions are usually in the busier summer periods, which consequently are obviously the hotter days in the kitchen. Some days they are so unbearably hot that when the hunger hits you could not imagine eating a hot meal, even though the guests seem to be quite content to do so. The difference of course is that those patrons are in a different world than ours, they are dining in the ocean breeze at this seaside haunt, while we Chefs are workin...
The term concasser as defined by the Larousse Gastronomique (The Chef's bible) defines it as: The French term for chopping or pounding a substance, either coarsely or finely. When skinned deseeded tomato pulp is finely chopped it is known as tomato cancassee. In this recipe it is the latter definition referring to the tomatoes that we explore. Tomato concasse although used in many traditional sauces, it can also be used many other ways; tossed through pasta, garnishing, salsas, bruschetta's and soups.
This is a great salad for the warmer months of spring and summer. Easy to assemble, good for you, great with barbecues or picnics, it's a perfect match to many white wines, it's more substantial than a leaf salad and most importantly it's not another mayonnaise based potato or pasta salad.
There are quite a few reasons why we truss or tie chickens ahead of the roasting them, if not just because, traditionally, it has always been done that way and sometimes we just should not question our culinary fore fathers. Something's just shouldn't be changed or abandoned to save preparation time.
Firstly they just look better. Nothing worse, than birds with the legs and wings spread, 'lying' in a roasting pan when they come out of the oven.
Secondly, if you are using a rotisserie or spit over a BBQ, the snug fitting legs and wings of a well trussed chicken will prevent uneven rotations. It will ensure that the chicken is not 'flapping' over and about on the spi...
Tuna is the world's most popularly eaten fish. Unfortunately much of this huge consumption is aided by millions of can openers and a lot of cheap mayonnaise. Such a shame really as this beautiful fish deserves to be eaten in the state it comes off the fishmongers knife; raw, or as near to as possible. The more you meddle with it the more beauty it loses. That is why it lends itself to carpaccio so well, cut it raw, a little sprinkle of this, a little drizzle of that and serve it.
I have had venison on 3 different continents and on each occasion it has tasted completely different from the last. Wow!! Does that ever sound pompous; when you write that word "Venison" it can't help but be read that way, just pretend I said chicken and I won't come across as a snob.
Anyhow apart from the obvious reasons for these differences such as whether the meat is farmed or wild, there are many other reasons. For example, the climate the animal lives in, the age of the animal and even the geography it lives in. For example a very hilly and sparsely vegetated landscape will produce a very different animal to one that has grown up in a fertile well vege...
A popular drink in Mexico is Agua Fresca, literally translated it means "Fresh Water". It consists of any available fresh fruit juice mixed with cold water and a little sugar. It is a perfect drink for the hot Mexican climate and is the inspiration behind this recipe, although inspired by; I did stop short of naming it, "Vodka Fresca".
I think most people have very fond memories of the Sunday roast dinner at a loved ones. Remember those vegetables; just thinking of them makes me wish I was there right now. Well with this recipe you can bring those memories directly to your taste buds on a regular basis without having to worry about all those relatives and all the trimmings. I have added a few extra varieties of vegetables for colour and texture. Probably slightly different from how your grandmother did it, but equally tasty and also a slightly healthier way to have them.
When you whisk egg whites what you are actually doing is whisking air into them. The result is tiny little bubbles of air living inside your egg whites. It is these air bubbles that give egg white based desserts that light and airy texture.
A great example to demonstrate how these little air bubbles live inside the egg whites is that of the souffle. A souffle consists of predominantly whisked egg whites, in other words eggs whites full of little air bubbles. These air bubbles when put in the oven expand (as any air does when heated) and it is this expansion of air trapped in those little bubbles that causes a well made souffle to so impressively stand up out of dish....
This tasty appetizer makes use of one of my favorite springtime ingredient - white asparagus</a>. They are a delicacy throughout Europe, although only available for the short period of May and June.
If you live in an area where white asparagus are rarely found, you can easily substitute green asparagus for this dish
Tarragon is a herb I lately kind of rediscovered, mainly perhaps because I actually grow it myself in our hotels little herb garden and the beginning of the wet season seems to become it well and it just keeps on growing and I can get it in abundance.
White Russian, Cold Mexican however you look at it, it's not exactly a difficult drink to make, but it is one of my favourites so I thought it deserved a spot on the Cocktail Menu. The sweetness of the Kahlua is an absolutely perfect match for the crisp kick of the Vodka, if you stop there it's a Black Russian; add milk and you have the beloved White Russian.
In multi course menus this is an ideal amuse bouche or starter. It does not clash with anything that might be served during the later courses, is very light and not filling and very adaptable and versatile to match with as an accompaniment as well. You may want to serve the white tomato mousse with a few drops of truffle oil, a small herb salad or on a rye bread or pumpernickel as a canapé
The French have a name for it and the Italians have a name for it. I'm not sure who created it (and who really cares?) it tastes great, is simple to make and can turn any fruit into a rich and impressive dessert. Ok, my money is on the Italians, but if you know otherwise drop us an email.
The first time I had this dish was a few years back. A gang of us went to a Spanish restaurant for a going away dinner for a few of the group that were off to Europe indefinitely. It was a brilliant night with beautiful food, great friends, kitschy flamenco music, lots of sangria and many embarrassing stories from the past. The details are a little sketchy but a couple of things I remember particularly well are; the Restaurant was about the size of a small sailboat with less than 7 tables in all. Despite this it was a very comfortable place, the seating was on wooden benches that resembled church pews and scattered over them were randomly coloured embroidered cushions. Th...
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