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.
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 […]
Nachos I’ve always had a soft spot for this Tex-Mex snack, invented, as so many good things are, out of necessity. Asked to feed some hungry customers after the kitchen had closed, a Mexican cook called Ignacio (“Nacho” for short), fried strips of tortillas, melted cheese over them and topped them with pickled chillies. The […]
Guacamole & Pico de Gallo Guacamole is one of the quickest snacks to toss together and serve with drinks. It seems lime juice is not traditional – but it’s the best way I know to stop the avocado from browning, and I like the tang it adds (storing it with the avocado seed in the […]
Chilli sin Carne Chilli sin carne is my vegetarian play on the famous Texan dish, chilli con carne. Since there’s no carne (Spanish for ‘meat’), it’s ‘sin carne’ (without meat). The idea would be an abomination to any self-respecting Texan, so why not go a step further and serve it with brown rice – I […]
Chicken Kiev I love this retro dish of deep-fried chicken breast wrapped around garlicky herb butter – it looks so impressive, but is really quite easy if you follow the recipe step-by-step. I use chives, parsley and tarragon because that’s what’s in the herb patch, but any combination of herbs works well. The traditional chicken […]
Truffled Macaroni Cheese For many food lovers, fresh black truffles are the highlight of winter. I developed this recipe using white Italian truffles from Alba (during their short mid-October to mid-December season), but it works just as well with black truffles. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled and is also a great side […]
Strawberries Romanoff I’ve seen this simple dessert credited to Câreme and Escoffier (under the name Strawberries Americaine-style) though it seems to have become famous at Romanoff’s, a popular Beverly Hills restaurant in the 1940s and 50s. It was a favourite of mine at a suburban Italian restaurant that I frequented in the 1980s where they […]
Pecan Pie with Maple Cream As an Aussie, I’ve never been convinced by putting pumpkin, a vegetable I associate with Sunday roasts, into a sweet pie; but I do love pecan pie, another American classic. Pecans are grown widely throughout the southern USA, where pecan pie is as popular as pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving tables […]
No-bake Cheesecake with Passionfruit Desserts often evoke nostalgia and this no-bake cheesecake with passionfruit topping certainly does for me. My father loved cheesecake and I wish I’d made it for him more often, especially this simple version which only takes 15 minutes or so to put together. I prefer unbaked cheesecakes, not just for how […]
Sticky Date Pudding Also called sticky toffee pudding, this dessert is pure comfort food and, assuming you keep a packet of dates in the pantry, is quick and easy to whip up without any special shopping. The Grand Marnier in the sauce isn’t traditional, but I like the hint of orange that it adds, of […]
