Recipes, Life Updates & More!
Recipe: Tom Yum Goong
This spicy broth is the epitome of Thai cooking, perfectly showcasing the balance of sweet, salt, spice and sour that is essential in any great Thai dish.
Recipe: Egg Fried Rice with Sweet Chilli Chicken
Delicious Egg Fried Rice with Sweet Chilli Chicken is simple and quick, you can get the kids stuck in with the messy bits, and it beats a Chinese take away.
Like Water for Hot Chocolate
On our recent trip to Mexico, the birthplace of chocolate, it was only natural (and fair) that we replaced our morning tea with a mug of hot chocolate. Chocolate originated in Mesoamerica, and archaeological evidence shows that people were drinking chocolate in Mexico as early as 1900 BC. The Mayan and Aztec people called it xocolatl, the basis for the modern word for chocolate in most languages. Xocolatl reputedly means ‘bitter water’ in Nathuatl, the language of the ancient Aztecs, and if you have ever had the opportunity to drink freshly ground chocolate, without sugar added, you will understand why.
Recipe: Roasted Butternut Squash, Kale & Feta Quiche
My lovely wife is not a huge fan of quiche, but I won her over with this one. She said it was one of the most delicious things she had ever tasted. I used to make this quiche lots when I worked in the Skip Garden Kitchen, a vegetarian cafe in an urban garden in central London. It’s a great winter quiche for when all the gorgeous peppers and courgettes are out of season, somehow the sunny orangey yellow of the butternut squash and the vibrant green of the kale make a winter day not seem quite so dreary.
Recipe: Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Prawn & Mango
Summer Rolls or Rice Paper Rolls are a popular street food snack or light meal in Vietnam. They are fresh, delicious and healthy, and full of lots of crunchy vegetables.
Recipe: Marrakesh Fish Tagine
Transport yourself to the medina in Marrakesh or the windswept Atlantic coastline of Morocco with this recipe for a colourful and zingy fish tagine. This recipe is inspired by our recent trip to Morocco and the excellent cookery course that we took at the Dar Les Cigognes Riad and Cookery School in Marrakesh.
Prickly Pears & a Berber Halloween: Food stories from Morocco
We were in search of some Autumn sunshine and a few days of rest and relaxation after a rather crazy few months selling our house in London, moving to Northern Ireland, house hunting, setting up The Edible Flower and doing our first few events. It’s all been brilliant but it’s been tiring too, and we really felt we needed a change of scenery before the next big push.
Recipe: Chai Spiced Carrageen Moss Pudding with Mango, Berries & Star Anise Salsa
I discovered carrageen moss pudding at Ballymaloe Cookery School, and I have to admit I thought it was one of the most delicious desserts I had ever eaten. I’m not sure everyone would agree, but I like the fact that it isn’t very sweet and the texture, the way the whisked egg whites rise to the top of the pudding, makes me dreamily think I’m eating clouds.
Recipe: Spicy Couscous with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
A gorgeous middle eastern inspired salad that is great just by itself as a packed lunch or served with grilled lamb chops or halloumi as a more substantial summer supper. The contrast of the fragrant and warmly spiced couscous, broccoli and cauliflower with the sharpness of the pink pickled onions and the lemony tahini dressing is yummy.
Recipe: Lime Leaf Panna cotta with Mango & Mint
This is one of my most popular supper club desserts. I developed it because I cook a lot of South East Asian menus. Desserts are not a huge part of South East Asian cuisine, many meals will just finish with a platter of fresh fruit. A fruit platter is of course delicious, and very suited to the hot South East Asian climate, but doesn’t really feel special enough for a supper club dessert.
Recipe: Persian Beetroot, Carrot & Lentil Salad
This recipe was really inspired by cooking at the Skip Garden in the winter, when often British carrots and beetroots were some of the few seasonal, local and organic vegetables I could get hold of. It’s a gorgeous salad to make in the late Autumn months (when pomegranate’s are at their best) and the bejewelled nature of the glistening carrots, beetroots and pomegranate seeds somehow suits the season.
Recipe: Vietnamese Summer Rolls
Tasty Street food snacks from Vietnam!
You can put whatever vegetables and meat you like in these rice paper rolls so you can pick your favourite foods. Below are a few suggestions of tasty fillings.
Recipe: Chilli Con Carne
You can include additional vegetables (mushrooms or perhaps grated courgette) or for a vegetarian option, use cooked lentils in place of minced beef.
Recipe: Lemon & Rosemary Cake
Lemon and rosemary are a Mediterranean match made in heaven and more commonly found in my kitchen alongside garlic and a shoulder of lamb. Recently I’ve been experimenting with using more herbs in desserts and cakes, I think they add a freshness and a surprising twist to classic pudding combinations, as well as helping to cut through the sugar.
Recipe: Thai Sweetcorn Fritters
I’ve served these as canapés for a couple of recent supper clubs with Asian inspired menus. If you are making them for guests you can cook them in advance and then just gently reheat them in the oven. I like these with a bit of chilli heat so I suggest using an actual Thai brand of green curry paste such as Mae Ploy (supermarket brands don’t cut it with me) or better yet make your own paste.
Recipe: Duck, Blood Orange & Fennel Salad
I designed this dish for our recent (and first ever) ‘Introduction to Homebrewing’ course. In an effort to keep everyone fed and watered we prepared various dishes to go with the different beers we served throughout the afternoon.
Recipe: Festive Biscotti
Tis the season for drinks parties and catching up with friends and family. Every year I make a big batch of festive biscotti so that I have a ready supply of host gifts for parties or to give as little last minute Christmas gifts for friends. They are best dipped in tea, coffee or better yet a seasonal glass of Vin Santo.