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.
Pan-fried Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta Like this recipe? You’ll love my online British cooking class! Did you grow up disliking soggy, cabbage-smelling Brussels sprouts? I did. Then I discovered how delicious pan-fried Brussels sprouts. With a bit of charring and some cured pork fat if you like they are delicious! I like to use a […]
Vietnamese Red Rice Cake Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Vietnamese cooking class inspired by Mark Jensen! Every rice-centred cuisine has a version of fried rice to use up leftover cooked rice. In Vietnam it’s tomato rice, cơm đỏ, which is best made with cooked rice that’s been refrigerated overnight. I sometimes take Vietnamese […]
Pan-fried Agrodolce Radicchio Join my food & wine tour to Italy to discover more Italian regional specialties! 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 […]
Baked Honey-Glazed Carrots Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Australian cooking class inspired by Matt Moran! Honey glazed carrots has long been a favourite side dish of mine, especially when the carrots are baked so they caramelise a little, adding a touch of bitterness to balance the sweetness. I love the look of whole […]
Braised Romaine Lettuce Like braised romaine lettuce? You’ll love my online French cooking class Inspired by Damien Pignolet! Who knew you could cook lettuce? It’s a revelation to many Aussies, but a traditional side dish in much of Europe. Italians love grilled radicchio and sauteed escarole (curly endive), while the French like braised romaine lettuce […]
Pita Crisps Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Lebanese cooking class! With this not-even-really-a-recipe, you’ll never buy pita crisps again, nor will you ever waste a piece of leftover Lebanese bread! Perfect with hummus, tzatziki, babaganoush, labneh, or any dips, crumbled over salads, alongside soups or just as a moreish snack on their own […]
Kisir (Turkish Tabouli) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! 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 […]
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 […]
Gnocchi Fritti with Salumi Join my Small Group Food & Wine Tours to Emilia-Romagna, Home of Gnocchi Fritti Gnocchi fritti are crisp puffs of deep-fried dough served with salumi all over Emilia-Romagna, they’re also popular in neighbouring Lombardy where they’re called chisolini. If you (or your guests) don’t eat salumi, they’re excellent with smoked salmon […]
Rosemary Potatoes Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Australian cooking class inspired by Matt Moran! Rosemary is surprisingly easy to grow (trust me, I’m no gardener and mine has thrived). So consider popping a cutting in some soil and having it on hand to add its wonderful aroma to dishes like these roast rosemary […]
