Ricotta and caramel apple cake
Coming from a family of orchardists has its consequences - namely, strong fluctuations in my fruit supply. No nectarines in April, nor May, nor June or July. Come the warmer months, though, and I have more than I can possibly eat. Repeat with figs, pears, plums, and an array of other fruits. When each wave hits I need to think about what I can do, other than [...]
Spuma di Mortadella
When somebody asks me what is my most memorable moment of my Europe trip a couple of years ago, my ten days in Emilia Romagna is hard to look past. With some of the most amazing food I've eaten, unexpected encounters with locals, and a private tour with the owner of an esteemed acetaia, I can't stop thinking about my next trip back. I recently [...]
Abruzzese Rice and Celery Minestrone
Italian food is characteristic in its use of so few ingredients and simple cooking techniques to produce some of the most flavoursome dishes known. This hearty Southern Italian soup dish is a perfect example, and is something I keep going back to when I'm in need of a quick but very filling meal.
Pasta with Pesto alla Trapanese
Mention the word "pesto" and it conjures up images of the very well-known Pesto alla Genovese, the bright green basil and pine nut condiment from Genoa in the northern parts of Italy. Less known, yet equally as tasty, is its southern cousin - Pesto alla Trapanese, from the fishing town Trapani in the western parts of Sicily. Unlike its Ligurian counterpart, the Trapanese version is [...]
Squid Ink Pasta with Calamari
To those who like their spaghetti white and their carrots orange, it can be a scary looking thing, but tagliatelle dyed with squid ink is nothing to fear. Typical of various regions of Italy and Spain, squid ink is used to give pasta and risotto dishes a mildly salty flavour with hints of the sea. Most notable, though, is the deep black colour that it [...]
Kaffir Lime Zabaglione with Galangal Tuile
I was chatting with a friend on Facebook recently (actually, Belinda from Why Yes, I Do Eat Constantly) about the green curry recipe that I wrote about, and the topic of an Italian-Thai fusion dish came up. At first I jokingly suggested a shrimp paste risotto, which is a dish that I hope nobody ever tries to create. Belinda then suggested, in a more serious [...]
Green Curry of Prawn Dumplings with Eggplant
Green curry is undoubtedly one of the most well known culinary products of Thailand, made green by the heavy use of green chili. Like many of the South-East Asian curries, a traditional Thai green curry is so intensely packed with flavours imparted by the great number of ingredients used. If used in the correct quantities, though, everything will balance out into a perfect harmony. Actually, [...]
Brutti Ma Buoni Biscotti
There comes a point in every cook's life, normally after having made Hollandaise sauce or a crème brûlée, when he must decide what to do with the leftover egg whites. Of course they can be frozen, but that is just delaying the inevitable decision that must eventually be made. A quick Google search will yield a few recurring suggestions--macarons, angel food cake, soufflé and pavlova--however [...]
Shakshouka – Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Breakfast is probably one of the least creative meals of the day in Australia, with the majority of restaurants that open in the early morning hours offering a pretty typical menu of toast, a "full breakfast" (usually eggs with bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and sausages), pancakes, and yoghurt with muesli. There are some great breakfast locations in Perth that do offer a variation from the usual, [...]
Low(er) Fat Brownies
Low'ish fat brownie with quenelle of vanilla ice-cream (which probably just adds back the fat that I removed by cutting the butter content) I was at home today working on my honours project, reading about solid agglomeration and deposition in liquified natural gas production (boring!) in the Journal of Cryogenics. It didn't take long for me to become sidetracked, and before I knew [...]