Dijon has been a mustard making centre since the Middle Ages. Traditionally it is made exclusively of brown mustard seeds soaked in verjus, the acidic juice of unripened grapes. For the sake of availability, I’ve used white wine, but if you have access to verjus, then all the better! I also use a 50/50 mix …
Your Daily Bread
This is an essential, fundamental loaf of bread. It’s the type that you will want to make a sandwich with, or some toast in the morning. It’s humble and unintrusive. There are no seeds or flavours to clash with your soup or stew. It’s what’s needed to support everything from your favourite jam to tuna …
Pad Ka Prow – Thai Beef and Basil
This dish can be made with strips of beef or with ground beef, chicken, or pork. Th main ingredient is really the basil. It’s not the usual thai basil, with the purple stems and large shiny leaves. This is Holy Basil, or Hot Basil. It is Ka Prow. You can tell it by it’s slightly …
Shakshuka with Feta and Olives
You can make this for an elegant brunch for company or you can eat it while hungover in your pyjamas. Either way, this is a delicious and easy way to start your day! The eggs will satify your hunger and the spicy tomatoes will get your juices flowing! This version is pretty mild, but another …
Wild Rice and Chicken Soup
If you’re traveling in Minnesota, you will see a version of this delicious soup served in many different restaurants. Wild rice is definitely a local delicacy, with a nutty, woodsy, flavour and a chewy, almost crunchy texture. The grains are ridiculously long and when cooked, the hull will split open and a tender curl of …
Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce
This is a Chinese restaurant classic. Gai lan is available at most Asian markets, but in a pinch, rapini or Italian broccoli will be just as delicious. The sauce is simple. Oil is infused with garlic and ginger, then mixed with oyster sauce, soy sauce, shaoxing wine and a little sugar. The broccoli is simply …
Make it! Hawayej – A Yemenite Spice Blend
Fragrant, colourful and warming, this is a great spice to use with chicken, fish, soup, and stews. I’ve even heard of people putting it on their oatmeal in the morning! In my opinion, this delicious blend kicks “pumpkin spice” to the curb and leaves it there.
Roasted Squash Soup
Ripe, plump, and plentiful squash and pumpkins signal the beginning of fall and cooler weather. A great way to use them up is in spicy, aromatic soups, like this one. I have made a simple purée version and dolled it up with a dollop of fresh cream and a crispy pancetta slice. This would make …
Celery Soup with Stilton and Walnuts
A chef at a restaurant that I worked at, years and years ago, made this soup and I fell in love with it. He said that it was on the menu of the Orient Express in the 1920’s. I’m not sure how I would go about verifying that, but I really don’t care. It’s a …