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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Skordalia is the Greek version of the French ‘aïoli’ and the Spanish, ‘allïoli, and is a luscious garlic mayonnaise, sauce, or dip. It is usually based on potato and flavoured with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and parsley. Elizabeth David in her ‘Book of Mediterranean Food’ gives her recipe with egg yolks, ground almonds [...]
This cake makes a lovely Christmas gift, full of Brazil nuts, walnuts and various glace fruits. It may be made in a large loaf tin 20cm x 12cm, or smaller cake tins – 8.5 x 14cm and smaller still at 10 x 5.5cm. This quantity also makes 8 tiny puddings, in mini pudding tins; [...]
