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Fresh Fig, Pancetta and Baby Rocket Salad with Goat Cheese

28 Feb, 2021

I’m guessing that there won’t be much interest in this recipe as not many Kiwis have tried or eaten fresh figs and that’s fine…but if you haven’t, do give this recipe a go as the end “product” is so yummy. “Tis the season” right now (Mar/Apr) and it’s a short season, so enjoy them over the coming weeks. Fresh sweet figs with crisp pancetta and soft goat cheese over baby rocket...

Lockdown/ “leftovers” pasta salad

15 Feb, 2021

I actually made this dish a couple of weeks ago but the concept of using leftovers in your house applies even more strongly during Lockdown if you can’t be bothered going to the supermarket and joining all the loo paper hoarders!! In our fridge, freezer and pantry, we had the following “end” bits and pieces that needed eating very soon…..baby potatoes, rocket, half a capsicum, half a packet of prosciutto, frozen...

Prosciutto, Nectarine and Rocket Salad

29 Dec, 2020

During this peak summertime of the year, this salad enjoys two of our favourite summer fruit, the lovely saltiness of Italian dry cured ham (prosciutto), together with rocket and a yummy dressing – it is a “to-die-for” summer lunch Just ten minutes max to prepare and you’re ready to enjoy, ideally outside for lunch on a sunny summer’s day. If you prefer you could use peaches and you could substitute the...

Asparagus and pancetta (or bacon) pasta

08 Nov, 2020

It’s November and the height of asparagus season, so for many of us we really indulge eating and enjoying asparagus until, maybe, we’ve overdone eating asparagus until next spring! If you don’t enjoy asparagus, please don’t read on! If you do and you like the idea of a “think about it to start eating” in 15 minutes (legit 15 mins unlike some of Jamie Oliver’s 15 min meals!), this is a very tasty...

Beef Rendang

02 Oct, 2020

This is one of my “cheat” curries! Beef Rendang is a Malaysian curry and is considered by many to be the king of all curries! To say it’s extravagantly delicious is an understatement. There are very few curries in this world with such amazingly complex flavours. Originally from Indonesia, the sauce is made with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom and star anise as well as fresh aromatics including...

“Sicilian” Anchovy, Tomato and Feta Tart

29 Aug, 2020

I asked my good wife, Sally, to make a tart for a Sunday lunch using some amazing anchovies that we had in our fridge – it happened to be at the time our daughter Anna and her partner Haydo were in Sicily and the anchovies “happened” to be from Sicily. They are easily the best anchovies we have bought in New Zealand – we bought them at a market in Waiheke. The owner is a lovely guy, Danilo, who is passionate...

Sicilian Sausage Soup

29 Aug, 2020

I googled Sicilian soups when our daughter Anna and her partner Haydo were in Sicily and here is the result and what I cooked. It doesn’t sound amazing and is not a “to die for” dish but very easy and quick to cook, healthy, hearty and tasty, improving with age each day. Worth a cook for lunches or easily substantial enough for dinner as, in addition to the vegetables, it also has pasta Basically onions, carrots, celery,...

Warm Lamb, Beetroot and Chickpea Salad

16 Aug, 2020

I saw this recipe in the Herald a few weeks ago and decided to try it. Tweaked it a tad and had it for dinner It was so easy to cook and had real flavour, so much so that we cooked it again for lunch that weekend but without the lamb. It is the combo of beetroot and chickpeas roasted with spices, feta and salad that make the dish…along of course with the lamb as an extra, but not essential ingredient if you get the drift!...

Pasta e Fagioli (Italian pasta and beans)

17 Jul, 2020

I saw this dish on MasterChef, liked the sound of it, so looked up a recipe, tweaked it a tad, cooked it, loved it and here it is! It is a simple, quick, inexpensive and tasty pasta stew which makes such a lovely dinner or lunch during the winter months. If you like the sound of it, follow the recipe and you will have 6-8 meals. If you want to include some meat in addition to the vegetables, beans and pasta, fry off some pancetta or bacon...

Roasted Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup

23 Jun, 2020

Roasted cauliflower and blue cheese are the perfect partners in this elegant soup. With it being early winter and cauliflowers both plentiful and “cheap”, if you like the sound of this combo, you’ll love the soup – the roasting of the cauliflower with onions and garlic adds good flavour with the onions slightly caramelising the cauliflower. The chilli kick is great but you can leave it out if you don’t...

Beef cheek and mushroom Ragù (with pappardelle)

19 May, 2020

This is a very easy dish even if it takes quite a bit of cooking time. The end result is a dish that is so tasty and tender….. and you will know all the ingredients, so nothing weird at all! Beef Cheeks are the cheek muscle of cows and they are a very tough cut of meat that needs to be cooked long and slow to make it tender. It absorbs the flavours of braising liquid well and when you cut into it, it is stringy,...

Anglo Indian cottage pie

11 May, 2020

This is a real favourite - eat for dinner and then eat the leftovers cold or warm! The flavours, which are really varied, come together beautifully as the dish is cooked. I haven't met anyone who hasn't really enjoyed this - it is a very old recipe originally given to me by my grandmother which I have slightly tweaked over time. If you have a favourite mango or any fruit chutney, it would likely go well with this dish. This...

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