Walnut and onion bread

This is a versatile bread served either fresh or toasted and is a wonderful accompaniment to cheese and wine.  I always serve it with the ‘Blue cheese and walnut terrine’, which you will find in the website recipe collection as well. Bread is not time-consuming to make, but it does require a little forward [...]

By |2021-10-19T15:29:05+11:00August 26th, 2021|Breads, Food, French Odyssey cooking class, Recipes, Walnut and Onion Bread, Walnuts, Walnuts|Comments Off on Walnut and onion bread

Smoked trout frittata with avocado

Frittatas are my go-to lunch when I want a simple quick lunch or dinner and I am longing for some eggs!  There are a few other suitable ingredients in the refrigerator, such as cream and a variety of cheeses, a tomato or 2, some spring onions, a zucchini, chili, bacon and lemons. Last Sunday, [...]

By |2021-08-10T15:44:34+10:00August 10th, 2021|Eggs, Frittata, Frittata, Recipes, Smoked trout, Smoked trout|Comments Off on Smoked trout frittata with avocado

A simple classic Moules Marinière

For the classic, simple Bretagne ‘Moules Marinière’, the mussels are cooked with white wine and water; I am sure those Bretagne sailors’ wives would have used water only. These days various cooks use cider, beer or even red wine.  Add a bouquet garni of bay leaf, parsley, celery stalk, thyme and peppercorns, plus a [...]

By |2021-07-21T18:18:05+10:00July 21st, 2021|Brittany, Cook Real Food, French food, French Odyssey cooking class, French Regional Cooking, Moules mariniere, mussels, Mussels, Mussels - Moules mariniere, Recipes|Comments Off on A simple classic Moules Marinière

Moules Marinière – the French bistro classic

Moules Marinière is one of the best-known classic French mussel dishes. The recipe hails from the wives of French sailors living along the northwest coast of Brittany, where most of France’s mussel catch is harvested. It is a typical French provincial bistro dish, in that these Bretagne sailors’ wives could afford to make a [...]

By |2021-07-21T17:48:54+10:00July 21st, 2021|Cook Real Food, French Odyssey cooking class, Low Carb, M.F.K.Fisher, Moules mariniere, Mussels, mussels, Mussels - Moules mariniere, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Moules Marinière – the French bistro classic

Mussels – Cleaning, Preparation and Cooking

Some mussels you buy are cultivated in protected areas of the sea bed, or grown on poles, fixed in clean saltwater. Others, because of their habitat, are often sandy and need to be scrubbed; mussels also ingest sand and grit as they feed. Buy good quality, local mussels and they are well cleaned and very [...]

By |2021-07-20T16:06:13+10:00July 20th, 2021|Brittany, Cook Real Food, French Cooking Classes, French food, French Regional Cooking, Moules mariniere, mussels, Mussels - Moules mariniere, Recipes, Seafood, Seafood|Comments Off on Mussels – Cleaning, Preparation and Cooking

Chicken Cacciatore – hunter’s wife’s braised chicken

Whether you are cooking the Italian Chicken Cacciatore or the French Chicken Chasseur, it is the same slowly braised sauce and luscious tender chicken with the vegetables that make this a great nutri-dense, LCHF dish. Regional variations of Chicken Cacciatore or hunter’s wife’s chicken are made throughout Italy, and while most are cooked with [...]

By |2021-06-09T16:43:11+10:00June 9th, 2021|Basil pesto, Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore, Chicken Chasseur, Cook Real Food, French food, Healthy Family Meals, Italian Food, Italian Food, Low Carb, Mushroom, Recipes, Slow cooked winter dishes|Comments Off on Chicken Cacciatore – hunter’s wife’s braised chicken

Mushrooms and a great mushroom sauce

Years ago, as a small child in the May school holidays, my mother and I always drove to visit my grandparents at their farm in central Victoria. May meant it was mushroom time and so we would 'go mushrooming', usually on Sunday afternoons. Armed with a big bucket and small knife, we would drive out [...]

By |2021-06-06T16:11:40+10:00June 4th, 2021|Autumn vegetables, Cook Real Food, Dehydrated, Food, Mushroom, Mushroom sauve, Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Recipes, Sauces, Uncategorized, Vegetables in season, Winter braises|Comments Off on Mushrooms and a great mushroom sauce

Mandarin and pistachio cake

I do look forward to baking this cake in autumn when mandarins are at their peak; some varieties continue into June and winter, so there is still time for you to get into the kitchen and baking.  The lusciousness of the pistachios and the sweetness of the mandarins, make a perfect and flavoursome match. The [...]

Passata Making

 Now, in February and March, is the perfect time for Passata making. Tomatoes are at their peak. It is an easy process - here is how to make it! Ingredients: To make 12 x 750 ml bottles 1 box of Roma 'sauce' tomatoes, about 15kg Bunch basil Murray River Sea Salt [...]

By |2025-03-12T15:39:04+11:00February 26th, 2021|Fruits, Italian Food, Italian Food, Passata, Passata, Passata, Recipes, South Melbourne Market, Suppliers, Tomatoes, Uncategorized, Vegetables|Comments Off on Passata Making

Classic Salmon Mousse

This is a perfect dish for leisurely, relaxed entertaining in the summertime.  It can be made a day ahead and it will keep well refrigerated for a few days afterward; that is, if there is any left-over! We have been making this for years in the Cooking School and, although it is reminiscent of [...]

By |2021-02-04T11:48:44+11:00February 4th, 2021|Cold summer dishes, Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Healthy Family Meals, Low Carb, Mayonnaise, Recipes, Salmon, Salmon mousse, Summer entrees|Comments Off on Classic Salmon Mousse
Go to Top