steak & guinness pie

The origins of Steak and Guinness pie are somewhat of a mystery and, what used to be served as…

mixed salad with pink grapefruit

This is my favourite mixed salad. Full of colour and lots of different flavours, the slightly bitter taste of…

marmalade salmon

Although this dish does sound a little strange, it is rather delicious. The sweet tangs taste of the marmalade…

potato and parsley soup

One of the many variations of potato soups to warm you up on a chilly day. This one is…

tom ka gai soup

This is a great soup for parties. It is quick and easy to make, you can use chicken “tom…

fried place in parsley sauce

Fried place is a light, delicate fish full of subtle flavour. I usually serve it with oven roasted cherry…

roast chicken with lemon, garlic and ginger

Roast chicken is one of the great international classics, is one of the easiest things to make, requires almost…

mince pie with puff pastry

Mince Pie with Puff Pastry is the perfect dish for a blustery winters day. It is full of rich…

crème brûlée

Crème Brûlée or burnt cream is one of the classical desserts which has its origins in France in the…

onion soup

Onion soup is a great French kitchen classic which can be served at any time of the year. The…

crostini with curried shrimp

A quick little appetiser which is slightly spicy. The onions break down in the sauce and help to bind…

quiche

Quiche is a wonderful little French dish which is easy to make, is great for parties or picnics and…

rösti

Rösti or röschti is a traditional Swiss dish that was originally eaten for breakfast.  It is a wonderful way…

stuffed savoy cabbage

Stuffed Cabbage is a great meal for cold winters evenings. The northern European version, which is traditionally made with…

the two minute hollandaise

Hollandaise sauce is often considered to be almost peerless among sauces. Not necessarily because of its flavour but mostly…

poached pears in port wine

Poached pears in port wine is a traditional side dish which can be served with roast turkey, duck or…

braised brussels sprouts

tomato soup anisée

Unlike most tomato soups which are usually made without the skin or the seeds of the tomatoes, this soup…

baked cherry tomatoes

Baked cherry tomatoes not only look good, they are absolutely scrumptious. When they bake in the oven the skin…

mushroom soup

This is one of the best french classic soups. It is quick and easy, makes a great lunch or…

spaghetti with prawns and rocket

Spaghetti with prawns and rocket is a lovely light Italian dish which is full of summer flavours and aroma.…

crostini with tomatoes

A quick little traditional Italian appetiser which tastes deliciously refreshing and can be served on warm slices of toasted…

parsley sauce for white fish

Parsley sauce is a light smooth sauce with a wonderful flavour which goes perfectly with any delicate white fish…

tom yam gung soup

Tom yam gung is a wonderfully sour, tangy, spicy Thai soup which complements the flavour of the prawns perfectly…

mousse au chocolat

Mousse au Chocolat is a wonderfully fluffy chocolate dessert which can be served with fresh fruits, frutti di bosco,…

fettuccine with saffron, cherry tomatoes and rocket

This is a quick and easy pasta recipe which I came up with on one of those days when…

caramelised shallots

This kitchen classic is the perfect side dish for any meat, fish or vegetarian meal. It is a wonderful…

pea soup with mint

Pea soup might not be as fashionably exotic as many of the soups served nowadays but it is still…

beef roulade or olives

The word roulade comes from the French word rouler ‘to roll’ and is used to describe a dish cooked or…

tagliatelle with ragù alla bolognese

Ragù alla bolognese is probably the most disputed dish in Italy. Some say it should contain beef, pork and…

thai coconut and mussel soup

Like all Thai food, this soup is full of complexly orchestrated flavours and a hint of spice which will…

spaghetti vongole

Spaghetti Vongole is another one of the Italian classics which is quick and easy to make. It combines the…

linguine with sage and lemon

This is a simple little vegetarian pasta dish which is full of the intense flavour of fresh sage and…

baked cod with saffron foam

Baked cod in Saffron foam is delicious. The cod is baked in a matter of minutes and doesn’t fall…

vitello tonnato sauce

Vitello Tonnato is probably the most subtle and elegant appetiser I have come across and definitely a great Italian…

saffron sauce or foam

Saffron sauce or foam is delicate, sophisticated and indeed, the perfect sauce to accompany any white fish or shellfish…

panna cotta

Panna Cotta is a classic Italian desert which is best served with Frutti di Bosco or Caramel Sauce. It…

bread sauce for chicken or turkey

The tradition of using bread to thicken sauces goes back for centuries to a time when stale bread which,…

beef hotpot

This is a variation on the classic Lancashire Hotpot which is usually made with lamb. It is easy to…

scallops with saffron sauce and green asparagus

Scallops with saffron sauce is a lovely starter to any meal and one which is served all over the…

vitello tonnato

Vitello Tonnato is probably the most subtle and elegant appetiser I have come across and definitely a great Italian…

crostini with mushrooms

A quick little traditional Italian appetiser which tastes deliciously of mushrooms and onions and can be served on warm…

mushrooms on toast

spaghetti with prawns and courgette

Spaghetti with prawns and courgette is a glorious, light Italian dish which is bursting with flavour. The combination of…

thai green curry with prawns

Spicy, aromatic, ingenious – a Thai green curry, whether with prawns, octopus, beef or chicken is, in my opinion…

Tuscan Tomato Soup

This Tuscan Tomato Soup is a wonderfully delicious and easy soup to make. A simple combination of olive oil,…

thai mango salad

This is a wonderfully summery ,refreshingly light and spicy side dish which can be served with steaks, seared Tuna, swordfish or mackerel.

scrambled eggs with tomato sauce

soda bread

strawberry risotto

Strawberry risotto does sounds a trifle far-fetched but it is in fact really first-class. A gorgeous and rich combination…

roast collar of pork

The pork collar is a lovely and rather inexpensive cut of meat which is marbled with a good layer…

rémoulade sauce for fish

Rémoulade sauce is a wonderful cold, French classic sauce which is often served with cold meats, fish and shellfish.

orange sauce for duck or goose

Orange sauce is the great traditional sauce for roast duck. The tangy orangy flavour harmonises perfectly with the fat…

apple sauce for pork or duck

Apple sauce is a delicious sauce which is excellent with pork or duck. If you double the quantities and…

onion sauce for beef, liver or bratwurst

Onion sauce is a standard French kitchen classic which is excellent with roast beef, steaks, liver or bratwurst.

poached fish in coconut

Poached fish in coconut is lovely way of cooking white fish. It is full of exotic flavours with a…

vinaigrette sauce

The standard vinaigrette is made of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts olive oil mixed together with some salt…

spaghetti with tuna, capers and mint

Spaghetti with tuna, capers and mint is a quick and easy dish to make which can be served as…

tagliatelle with tomato ragù

Tagliatelle with tomato ragù is a simple little pasta dish which is full of the flavours of summer. The…

spaghetti with spicy tuna

Spaghetti with spicy tuna is a lovely light Italian dish which is full of spicy, garlicky flavours. It is…

caramel sauce

Caramel sauce is a simple little Italian sweet sauce which is usually served with panna cotta, ice cream or…

frutti di bosco

Frutti di Bosco us a simple little Italian sweet sauce which is usually served with panna cotta, ice cream…

sage & onion stuffing

Stuffing is not only a great way of seasoning a roast from the inside, it also soaks up the…

crostini with chicken liver & apple

A quick little traditional Italian appetiser which tastes deliciously of liver and apples and can be served on warm…

sherry trifle

Scrumptious is the only word I can think of to describe a sherry trifle and decadently scrumptious it truly…

the two minute mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is one of the easiest sauces to make and this method has the advantage that it is very…

parsley & thyme stuffing

Stuffing is not only a great way of seasoning a roast from the inside, it also soaks up the…

bakers custard

Bakers Custard or Crème Anglaise is one of the great classic sweet sauces. It can be served hot or…