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French Bistro Chicken with Bacon, Tarragon and Crème Fraîche

05 Oct, 2026

This base recipe came from Dish and I’ve very slightly tweaked it. It is a classic French recipe I’ve been cooking for years, I never tire of it. A bowl of super creamy mashed potatoes and cooked green beans and or broccolini are the perfect accompaniments. Easy to cook, “smells” amazing while cooking, yummy to eat and “good enough” to serve to friends as a dinner party main dish Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS 1...

Freddie’s pork bun cha with mango salad and vermicelli

20 Sep, 2025

This is a fantastic recipe, suitable 365 days every year! The original to her credit is from Nadia Lim. Freddie and I have adapted, tweaked it a bit. The mango and raw bok choy salad is fresh, light, crunchy and zesty with a sweet, sour and salty nuoc cham dressing. Oh, and by the way, Freddie (Eliza) is a “she” who is actually engaged to our son, Macca! Fresh is exactly the correct adjective to describe this dish. Yes, lots of...

Moo’s yummy beef rissoles with “Italian” tomato sauce

09 Mar, 2025

This recipe comes from my mate Moo (well actually he’s a “rellie”). He’s served them twice when I’ve been around and both times for 12 plus guests, so the recipe can be bulked up, easy to cook for good numbers and any leftover mince mixture can be frozen, which are all pluses This is no gourmet dish, nor is it meant to be – it is a simple but very tasty rissole recipe and can simply be part of a range of dishes served as part of a BBQ...

Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken

30 Jan, 2025

This Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken recipe is made with the best citrusy lemongrass marinade and can be cooked on a BBQ plate, grill or in a pan. You could also make chicken kebabs with this recipe Lemongrass, with its tangy, lemony, minty, slightly gingery flavour, is the starring ingredient here and somehow transforms a simple garlic-soy marinade into one that tastes fabulously fresh and light. And once it’s paired with lightly charred...

Strawberries, hot honey, cucumber, mint and sheep feta salad

04 Jan, 2025

Who doesn’t love strawberries, but have you tried a salad with strawberries as a main component/ingredient? If not, while they are still in season, why don’t you try this dish out for lunch or light dinner. You will most likely also be introducing hot honey into your pantry! Our dear friend Julie enjoyed a similar dish at a restaurant and it appealed to me so have put together this recipe based on an image from the restaurant Takes no...

Classic Eggplant Parmigiana

26 Feb, 2024

This is a lovely dish based on a recipe in Dish magazine which I have very slightly adapted and simplified. It is one of my all-time favourite vegetarian Italian dishes – a true classic and unlike some Eggplant Parmigiana dishes, whilst super tasty, is not too rich and doesn’t take long to make - enjoy Ingredients Jar of ready-made Italian tomato sauce or passata – Farro have a well-priced Sicilian cherry tomato...

Beef cheeks in red wine

15 Jul, 2023

We are currently right in the middle of winter and certainly in Auckland, the rain keeps falling, so it’s definitely the time to cook and enjoy those slow cook meals. Beef cheeks are a real favourite of ours, easy to cook and well worth waiting for the cheeks to slowly cook and then enjoy the flavour and melting-like texture of correctly cooked cheeks. Acknowledge that cheeks are one of the hardest-working muscles in the animal – think of...

Asparagus pasta – three simple ways

16 Oct, 2022

It’s spring 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’re looking for quick, easy and seasonally yummy meals ready in well under 15 minutes and you love asparagus, check these out and look at how few ingredients are required… · A bunch of asparagus…. of course · Spaghetti ·...

Warm Chicken, Haloumi and Avocado Salad

01 Oct, 2022

This is a perfect spring, summer or autumn dish – yes a few quick cooks but all in the same pan and the dish is quick and easy to make. The salty, squeaky haloumi works really well with the capsicum, avocado and asparagus together with the dressing which has that tangy balsamic sharpness The pancetta or bacon is an optional ingredient – I use it, but you may feel that the haloumi, being salty, is sufficient to provide that salty/umami...

Baked eggplant with chickpeas and yoghurt

25 Sep, 2022

The base recipe was in the DISH magazine, and I have very slightly tweaked it. Yummy, tasty dish, especially if you love eggplants, chickpeas and smoked paprika which combine so well. Very quick and easy to make While the eggplants do take time in the oven, once they’re in, it only takes a few minutes to add the final touches for a flavour-packed meal. Ingredients 2 medium eggplants or 5-6 long Island eggplants, cutting...

Blue Cheese Pasta with Spinach and Walnuts

20 Aug, 2022

Ready in just 15 minutes, this blue cheese pasta with spinach and walnuts is perfect for those busy days when all you want is a treat. The blue cheese sauce is made lighter with creme fraiche, and the toasted walnuts give this pasta just the right amount of crunchiness. How good is that – prep time 5 mins, cook time 10 mins, ready to eat in 15 minutes. A lovely taste sensation as long as you like blue cheese, super yum and an ideal dish...

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

25 Jul, 2022

Spaghetti alla Carbonara. Luscious and wonderfully indulgent, pasta carbonara takes as long to make as it does to cook the pasta. The ingredients are simple—just spaghetti (or another long pasta), and the carbonara is made with pancetta or bacon, eggs, parmesan, a little olive oil, salt and pepper. The silky carbonara sauce is created when the beaten eggs are tossed with the hot pasta and a little fat from the pancetta or bacon....

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