aubergine, coconut, courgettes, creme fraiche, cumin, food, lime, rice, tomato
roasted vegetable chilli with parmesan wedges
November 2, 2013
Those lovely people at Vouchercodes.co.uk asked me to come up with a family-friendly money-saving recipe. Just for them I made roasted vegetable chilli with parmesan wedges. They filmed it to boot. Watch the whole recipe below on YouTube: Fun fact: I wasn’t going to make wedges, it was supposed to be polenta fingers. Unfortunately the […]
pollock with jollof-style masala rice
April 22, 2013
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with quite a few people of Nigerian descent; without fail every one of them at some point has brought in jollof rice from home for lunch. This is a slight play on it. Usually the rice is simmered in tomatoes but this can be time consuming so I kept […]
tuna with greens and coconut rice
February 22, 2013
I’m certain people who cook a lot, like me, ponder something along these lines: when you really enjoy a dinner, one that you made, what made it special? Was it the choice ingredients, or the exotic technique you used… or was it the company? Heston talks often about this theory – the atmosphere of a meal […]
chicken katsu curry
October 30, 2012
Whenever my son is offered a treat out to a restaurant, say for a birthday or good school report, before I’ve even finished the question he replies “Wagamama“. And he always orders the same thing: chicken katsu curry. I’ve hard arguments with people on Twitter about Wagamama in the past; that it is lowest common […]
15 minute chilli con carne meatballs
October 21, 2012
Jamie Oliver thunders on with another lightning-quick meal, this time turning his attention to chilli con carne. I’m no stranger to rapid chilli but this is a more hearty and balanced version than mine. This chilli dinner is from Jamie’s 15-Minute Meals. The genius here is to disassemble chilli con carne’s parts (spiced meat, cumin, […]
chicken biryani
September 16, 2012
Give me a few minutes alone in someone’s company, and I’ll soon be asking them about their eating habits. A colleague, originally from Lahore, Pakistan was kind enough to give me a lift. We talked of food, of the curious Anglicisation of Indian cuisine and what he recognised of it. We discussed balti, dhal, obsession […]
paella
June 7, 2012
My in-laws frequently pop over the water for holidays to Spain. So when I received this amazing 40cm paella pan as a birthday gift this year I shouldn’t have been surprised. I set about using it straight away, but not for paella (at least not straight away): a made a full English in it, baked […]
beef stroganoff
February 4, 2012
I must have made beef stroganoff to a different recipe each time I’ve made it. There’s always beef, always mushrooms, always paprika and a creamy element. But like many of the best recipes, once you hit the familiar targets the rest falls where it may. I’ve tried this version from Lawrence Keogh on Saturday Kitchen. […]
sproutotto
December 23, 2011
I couldn’t help myself with the name. Sorry. But I love Brussels Sprouts and try to make the most of them in their season, so I thought I would pair them with unctuous, creamy risotto. If you pass them through a food processor you get lovely, delicate shreds which can be swirled through your rice. […]
porcini steak with mushroom camargue rice
July 20, 2011
It’s an idea that’s bubbled around my head for ages so when I saw this recipe for porcini mushroom rump on Michelle’s site that was the kick I needed to follow it through. And it was everything I imagined. The concentration of dried porcini in beef provides an umami kick that’s hard to beat. Combined […]
coley kedgeree
May 11, 2011
I’m a big fan of Great British Menu and love to watch real working chefs and pros sweating and creating to challenge each other. Who are more competitive than top-flight chefs? Real gems come out of it and I’m sure bookings are a dead cert to increase for everyone involved. This week Michael Smith made […]
paella gabriel
April 23, 2011
I’m fresh back from a week in Mallorca, and besides the balmy weather, powder-fine sandy beaches and beautiful views, one of my highlights was watching an expert cook paella for me up close. I’ve never had any particular technique for paella, throwing things in and waiting for a bit. But this guy, taking his time and enjoying […]