The colourful world of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses and funghi provides a wealth of possibilities for delicious dishes. While some dishes listed here are vegetarian containing animal products, they’re easily adapted to a vegan diet by omitting or replacing eggs or dairy with a vegan-friendly alternative. Likewise dishes containing anchovies or non-vegan seasoning can be adapted.
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 or any dips, crumbled over salads, alongside soups or just as a moreish snack on their own with a glass […]
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 […]
While cocktails are typically served before dinner, I find some are better suited to the end of the evening. Here’s my version of five classic cocktails that are perfect after, or instead of, dessert. Make your own simple sugar syrup by combining equal quantities of water and sugar or have fun with the exciting range […]
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, […]
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 […]
Rosemary Potatoes 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 potatoes, which are great served alongside any grilled meat, poultry or seafood. I find […]
Nasi Goreng Sometimes you want to spend all day in the kitchen cooking up a storm; and sometimes you just want a quick and easy meal using what’s on hand. Either way it has to taste great, right? For the quick and easy times, I love good pantry staples. I always seem to have leftover […]
Dhal Palak Dhal is my favourite part of any Indian meal. Sometimes written ‘dal’, it is a staple of Indian cooking, ranging from soupy to quite thick and made from any of a wide range of split dried beans, peas or lentils. I use red (masoor) or yellow (moong/mung) lentils most often, as they don’t […]
Spicy Slaw This spicy coleslaw is a great way to liven up a simple poached chicken, steak or piece of grilled fish. It’s also delicious on a sandwich with a hard cheese (like cheddar) or a fried egg. I like chardonnay with the richness of mayonnaise, but prefer something more like a Chablis than the […]
