I first tried this dish at 10 Greek Street in London. I love the combination of textures and flavours. The slightly smokey, creamy aubergine (eggplant) flavoured with mint and pecorino is the perfect spring combination to match with lamb. The tangy salsa verde whips up quickly and delivers a punch of freshness to the dish,…
Exotic Sicily
We explored the south-western part of Sicilia (Sicily) starting with a drive from Palermo to Erice. The land was arid and rocky dotted with rows of vineyards. It feels more like North Africa than Italy now. Dates grow on the palm trees, rows of pomegranate trees and fig covered cacti line the walls. Dwarf olive…
Arnad: The proud land of lard
Driving from Milan towards the Alps, at the mouth of the Aosta valley you pass the tiny hamlet of Arnad, where there is a sign welcoming you to the Pays du Lardo (land of lardo). This is enough to make the health conscious wary (although new research indicates we should be more worried about carbohydrates…
It finally feels like Spring!
Spring is in the air. The flowers are blossoming, the birds are singing and the sun is shining…sometimes. After the dark slumber of winter, the world seems abuzz with life. We are starting to pack away our jumpers and winter coats with a hopeful eye on the weather. Spring lambs are arriving and what was…
Meet my new love, presenting the chestnut, chocolate and pear tart
Spring has arrived but the winter chill is still lingering. I am savouring the last moments with the flavours of winter- slow cooked beef ribs, hearty stews and the earthy flavours of chestnuts, hazelnuts and mushrooms. We are away for the Easter holidays and I spied on the flight, a pear and chocolate cake on…
One sauce makes 10 recipes
We drove through Carmagnola, the pepper capital of Piemonte, on our way from Torino to the Langhe last autumn. Carmagnola is famed for producing four varieties of peppers including the peperone corn di bue di Carmagnola (the bull-horn shaped pepper from Carmagnola) which comes in bright yellow or red and has a firm meaty flesh….
Easter pizza
The egg is a symbol of Easter because it represents the resurrection of Christ, rebirth and the beginning of Spring. Colourfully painted eggs and chocolate eggs are popular ways of celebrating this festival around the world. In Italy, there are many types of special breads prepared at Easter using eggs, both in the dough and on…
An ancient cooking method revisited: salt baked fish
Sealing food in pastry, dough, salt crust or even leaves is an ancient method of cooking. Before pots and pans were invented, people living near geothermal springs would either wrap the food up and cook it in the springs or bury it in the hot earth near the spring. In Iceland today they still bake…
My favourite winter salad
In the winter, puntarelle (a type of endive typical in and around Rome) begin to pop up in the markets. The long, young, crisp leaves and shoots are dressed with a garlicky anchovy sauce and are the perfect accompaniment to a plate of salumi. The slightly bitter, crunchy leaves contrast well with fatty, silky soft prosciutto…
The joy of alpine milk
I, like many people, find thoughts of melted cheese and skiing in the Alps inseparable. Fondue and raclette are signature winter mountain fare. In Valle d’Aosta the iconic cheese is Fontina, where it is exclusively made amongst the highest mountains in Europe: Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc), Monte Rosa, Cervino (the Matterhorn/Zermatt) and Gran Paradiso. Two…
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