They may be a support act, but great side dishes can transform a meal. Breads, salads, rice, potatoes and veggies, some can even be transformed into the main attraction with a little inspiration. Here are my favourite side dish recipes.
Melanzane Grigliate Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! Eggplant is like a sponge and soaks up an incredible amount of oil, so I prefer to brush it with oil and bake or grill it rather than fry it. If you have the barbecue fired up, you […]
Peperoni in Padella Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! I was taught to make this braised capsicum dish by a boyfriend’s Neapolitan mother many years ago, and it’s still one of my favourites. Peperoni in padella simply means ‘peppers in the pan’ and the result is quite […]
Steamed Asparagus with Pecorino Join my food & wine tour to Southern Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! When I’m barbecuing, I’ll sometimes grill asparagus spears on the spot. But when I’m entertaining, and want to get as much done ahead of time as possible, I find it easier to steam them. I like […]
Romesco Sauce Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Spanish cooking class! Originating in the region of Catalonia, romesco sauce is one of Spain’s most popular sauces with as many variations as there are cooks. It’s very versatile, especially popular with seafood but also delicious with poultry and red meat. The essential ingredients are nuts, […]
Alabama White Sauce Like this recipe? You’ll love my online cooking class featuring the food of America’s Deep South! While Alabama white sauce is a classic barbecue sauce, it’s also delicious as a dipping sauce for fried food like chicken or fish. It makes a delicious salad dressing too (try it with coleslaw)! It originated […]
Coriander & Mint Sauce Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Indian cooking class inspired by Ajoy Joshi! This slightly spicy coriander & mint sauce is a riff on hari chutney, the traditional accompaniment to that colourful crunchy Indian street-side snack, chaat. My recipe is inspired by a sauce Ajoy Joshi serves at Nilgiri’s Indian […]
North Carolina-style BBQ Sauce Like this recipe? You’ll love my online cooking class featuring the food of America’s Deep South! In the American South, barbecue sauce is as controversial a subject as the barbecue itself, perhaps even more so with regional variations being fiercely defended as the best, the original and the only sauce worth […]
Rice with Fried Garlic & Shallot Like Rice with Fried Garlic & Shallot? You’ll love my online Malaysian cooking class! This simple side dish of rice with fried garlic & shallot is a vegetarian take on the rice served with classic Hainanese chicken rice. The fried shallot and garlic add plenty of flavour without using […]
Churri Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Indian cooking class inspired by Ajoy Joshi! Churri is the traditional accompaniment to Indian biryani and roasted meats, the fresh herbs and tangy yoghurt and buttermilk brighten up the slow-cooked meat and rich onion. Use a natural pot set yoghurt if possible, like the buffalo yoghurt from […]
Cucumber, Fetta & Tomato Salad Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Greek cooking class Inspired by Janni Kyritsis! I love the salty tang of fetta-style cheeses, especially combined with cooling cucumber. Traditional Greek Feta is made from sheep milk, sometimes with a little goat milk added. It has PDO status, meaning only cheese produced […]
