There’s a whole world of food in The Americas, the landmass that stretches from Alaska and Northern Canada, through the USA, Central and South America to the icy Tierra del Fuego archipelago – with an embracing arm including the diverse Caribbean islands. Here are a few of my favourite Canadian recipes, North American recipes, Latin American recipes, Central and South American recipes and Caribbean recipes.
Southern Fried Chicken Wings The Colonel may have had 11 secret herbs and spices, but these Southern fried chicken wings taste just as good with only four! The secret to flavour is salt – and soaking these wings (or any poultry) in brine makes a world of difference. Just not too long for small pieces […]
Huevos Rancheros Meaning eggs cooked rancher-style, huevos rancheros is a classic Mexican breakfast which, at its most basic, consists of fried eggs with a spicy tomato sauce and tortillas. It also often includes a bit of a fry-up that can be as simple or as complex as you like; I love black beans and corn […]
Chive Pull Aparts These pull-aparts are simply a scone dough rolled up with a savoury filling. So, as with any scones, the trick is not to handle the dough any more than is necessary (see video below). Use any filling you fancy, such as chopped herbs, ‘nduja, cheese, anchovies or tapenade, and serve alongside your […]
Rare Roast Beef Sandwich Rare roast beef sandwiches are popular in the USA, especially the north east, as a closed sandwich, often with American cheddar-style cheese melted over the beef. I prefer an open version without the cheese, using delicious Sonoma miche bread. The essentials are thinly shaved rare roast beef, a creamy sauce (usually […]
Wagyu Hamburger A discovery of wagyu beef patties at Vic’s Meat Market inspired me to make my own wagyu hamburgers – bringing back wonderful childhood memories of family road trips down the south coast of NSW. Stopping at a milk bar along the way for a hamburger was a rare holiday treat that ended up […]
Chocolate & Raspberry Brownies This American classic is one of the easiest sweet treats to make. The recipe could be written in one sentence: melt butter and chocolate, whisk eggs and sugar, combine, fold in flour and bake. The most delicious brownies I’ve ever had were made by Scottish food writer Sue Lawrence; they contained […]
Steak Diane I love food history almost as much as I love food. I always thought this dish of steak with a garlicky sauce was a French classic. In fact, steak Diane originated in the USA in the 1940s, when tableside cooking was all the rage. Every recipe I’ve found is a little different; butter, […]
Nanaimo Bar This is my version of the delicious unbaked slice I discovered years ago on a road trip through Canada. It hails from the town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, but is popular throughout the country. It’s a simple biscuit base with creamy custard-flavoured filling and chocolate ganache topping – and it’s irresistible! Nanaimo […]
Hazelnut & Butterscotch Pull-aparts Hazelnut and butterscotch pull-aparts are one of the quickest and easiest sweet treats to make, yet looks fabulous and tastes delicious. That’s my kind of cooking! Best of all, you can use this technique to make any flavour pull-aparts, sweet or savoury. Replace hazelnuts with any other nut, add dried fruit […]
Here’s my take on some of the best-known classic cocktails. As I’m really more a wine drinker than a cocktail fan, these are mostly relatively low alcohol – making them perfect for sipping on a hot day or evening. Add more ice or soda to stretch them even further if you like, after all the […]
