Robert Armstrong’s commitment to his land and olive groves, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range (near Crookwell, NSW) has led to ALTO Olives becoming Australia’s most awarded extra virgin olive oil. His agrodolce (bitter-sweet) vinegars are the best Australian vinegars I’ve found too.
Pan-fried Radicchio Radicchio is a wonderfully versatile vegetable. In Italy it’s popular cooked as well as in salads; the cooking softens the bitterness and brings out a touch of sweetness. I often shred it and toss it through pasta with some garlic and olive oil for a quick meal. This pan-fried radicchio is inspired by […]
Mushroom Bruschetta One of the things I loved most about Lucio’s Paddington restaurant was the seasonal bruschetta that always arrived with our aperitivi, a tradition I like to continue at home. In autumn, the crisp air of the Italian hills is filled with the wonderful aroma of mushrooms, inspiring cooks to prepare many dishes (sometimes […]
Shish Kebab Grilling meat on a skewer over coals is one of the most basic forms of cooking. So kebabs, in their many forms, are popular throughout a huge area covering the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, the Caucasus and on to the Indian sub-continent (from whence they spread to South East Asia as satays). There’s […]
Kisir (Turkish Tabouli) I’m a fan of traditional recipes but every now and then I prefer to do things my way. And I’ve always made tabouli with far more cracked wheat than any Lebanese cook ever would. Then I realised I wasn’t making tabouli, I was making the kisir I enjoyed so much in Turkey. […]
Hummus Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Lebanese cooking class! I was taught to make hummus by a Cypriot friend’s grandmother and her recipe produces a wonderfully creamy result; she insisted we remove the skins from the chickpeas to make a really smooth hummus. I find it quite therapeutic popping them out of their […]
Steak Sandwich A good steak sandwich is an Aussie icon. It makes for a satisfying, and relatively healthy, fast food meal on long road trips. It can also be upscaled for a delicious casual dinner; I use Beerenberg Tomato Chutney and Brasserie Bread rustic loaf. As with its near-cousin the great Aussie hamburger, good caramelised […]
Kolokithokeftedes These fritters (keftedes in Greek) are typically served as part of a mezedes, the array of snacks eaten at the start of a meal or at any time when drinking ouzo. Add some dolmades, spanakopita, Janni Kyritsis’ stuffed red capsicum (see video below), olives and tzatziki to create your own mezedes, or serve them […]
Deep-fried Zucchini Flowers The best deep-fried zucchini flowers I’ve ever tasted were served at Buon Ricordo. They weren’t filled, just coated in a very light yeasted batter, deep-fried in olive oil and well salted! I used to drive chef-patron Armando Percuoco crazy by asking for them out of season. “Yes, Roberta,” he said one night, […]
Lamb Loin Chops with Garlic Oregano Marinade Lamb chops were a fixture on the menu when I was a kid and I’d forgotten how good they are until I noticed them recently at the butchers and thought I’d give them another try. They’re like tiny T-bone steaks and just delicious dressed up with this simple […]
La Ribollita The famous Tuscan soup, Ribollita, is a classic example of delicious cucina povera (peasant cooking). The name literally means ‘reboiled’ as it was created to use up leftover beans and vegetables cooked for Friday, the fast day when no meat was eaten. On Saturday, they were turned into a hearty soup with stale […]
