Chicken and cheese ‘soup’ or is it ‘stew’?

Especially delicious for cold winter days, or any day really, this soup or stew is a meal in itself.  Make it into a stew by adding more chicken pieces and serve it with a crisp, mixed salad. Serves 4 Ingredients   2 onions finely diced 25g butter 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 red [...]

By |2020-03-29T15:40:34+11:00March 29th, 2020|Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Recipes, Slow cooked winter dishes, Soups, Soups|Comments Off on Chicken and cheese ‘soup’ or is it ‘stew’?

Memories of Gascony by Pierre Koffmann

Memories of Gascony is an award-winning cookbook written by three-Michelin starred chef Pierre Koffmann about the provincial cooking of Gascony, in south-west France.  I did read it a couple of years ago, I am really enjoying reading it again and seeing how it fits so well within my Cook Real Food Program cooking classes. I [...]

Croatian Ajvar – a delicious capsicum and aubergine dipping sauce or paste

Croatian Ajvar is a popular dipping sauce which is served with meats, and particularly ćevapčići, or chevapi sausages, meatballs, chicken and sausages and Mediterranean vegetables.  Ajvar is a capsicum pepper-based condiment with aubergines, garlic and chilies, which also is lovely as a spread; I loved it. You can see it here nestled into the meat [...]

By |2019-09-15T06:56:42+10:00September 15th, 2019|Ajvar, Condiments, Condiments, Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Croatian, Food, Mediterranean, Mediterranean Food, Mediterranean Food, Peppers, Recipes, Red Capsicums, Sauces|Comments Off on Croatian Ajvar – a delicious capsicum and aubergine dipping sauce or paste

Braised fennel with citrus and cider

Braised fennel has a wonderfully subtle flavour, not very strong and more like a braised onion, with just a hint of fennel.  The citrus adds a lift to make this a fabulous side for pork, chicken or beef.  It cuts the richness of the meats as well.  The pairing of fennel and citrus is a [...]

By |2019-06-12T11:12:46+10:00June 12th, 2019|Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Cooking classes, Fennel, Fennel, Italian Food, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetables, Vegetables in season, Winter braises, Winter braises|Comments Off on Braised fennel with citrus and cider

Mandarin and pistachio flour-less cake

This recipe is a variation of the classic Elizabeth David orange and almond cake, made with mandarins and pistachios. You may also like to substitute the pistachios with macadamia nuts. 300grams, about 2 – 3, seedless mandarins 4 eggs 220g, 1 cup, dark brown sugar 200g unsalted shelled pistachios, finely chopped in food processor 1 [...]

By |2019-06-12T10:49:57+10:00June 11th, 2019|Cakes, Cakes - Flourless, Cakes and baking, Fruit in season, Mandarins, Pistachios|Comments Off on Mandarin and pistachio flour-less cake

Slow cooked, braised lamb neck garnished with gremolata

Slow cooked, braised lamb necks in a scrumptious sauce, made with our home-made beef or chicken stock adds such a depth of flavour.  Garnished with a gremolata and lemon slices this lamb makes a wonderful winter dinner served with creamed cauliflower and wok tossed mixed greens.  As with any meat that you cook on the [...]

By |2019-05-30T17:47:22+10:00May 30th, 2019|Braised lamb necks, Braised lamb necks, Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Food, Recipes, Slow cooked winter dishes, Stocks, Winter braises, Winter braises|Comments Off on Slow cooked, braised lamb neck garnished with gremolata

Special Event Greek Cooking Class – A journey through the Island of Crete and the Mediterranean diet

Saturday 22nd June at 8.45am - Special Event Greek Cooking Class with Kelly Michelakis from The Hellenic Odyssey. I am very excited to announce this Greek Cooking Class with Kelly Michelakis - Kelly is a passionate Greek home cook with a proud heritage; she will guide you to through the Mediterranean diet, its origins and its [...]

By |2019-05-30T15:33:26+10:00May 30th, 2019|Cooking classes, Food, Greek Cuisine, Guest Chef - Special Event|Comments Off on Special Event Greek Cooking Class – A journey through the Island of Crete and the Mediterranean diet

Pickled fennel with mustard seeds, fennel seeds and pimentos

This pickle is a good match with cold meats such as salami and ricotta, tossed through salads or with barbecued fish. When the pickles are finished, keep the jar of brine in the fridge. Whisked with some extra virgin olive oil, it makes a lovely salad dressing. Make 2 x 500ml jars  Ingredients Brine 2 [...]

By |2019-05-28T14:07:58+10:00May 28th, 2019|Condiments, Condiments, Cook Real Food, Fennel, Pickled fennel, Pickled fennel, Recipes, Vegetables in season|Comments Off on Pickled fennel with mustard seeds, fennel seeds and pimentos

Ajo Blanco – Spanish white gazpacho soup

Serves 4 This is one of my favourite chilled soups and is a delight for lovers of garlic. A traditional and popular Spanish cold soup, Ajo Blanco is typical from Granada and Málaga, Andalusia.  It is older than the more common red version, with tomatoes, which was not possible until tomatoes were introduced into Europe [...]

By |2019-02-19T11:33:36+11:00February 19th, 2019|Ajo Blanco - White Gazpacho soup, Breads, Cooking classes, Garlic, Grapes, Recipes, Soups, Spanish cuisine, Spanish Cuisine|Comments Off on Ajo Blanco – Spanish white gazpacho soup

Buttermilk

We use buttermilk from time to time in cooking classes and often people do not really know what it is, how to use it or how to make it.  You may find this interesting.  Some notes on buttermilk. What is buttermilk Buttermilk is similar to yoghurt.  Originally it was the name given to the liquid, [...]

By |2019-01-30T18:41:21+11:00January 30th, 2019|Buttermilk, Buttermilk, Cook Real Food, Cooking classes, Food, Recipes|Comments Off on Buttermilk
Go to Top