Tomatoes and mushrooms are naturally high in umami flavours, as is miso paste. The combination creates a deliciously savoury and simple pasta dish, perfect for quick meals. The recipe is from The Ultimate Japanese Noodles Cookbook by Masahiro Kasahara. You can switch the nameko mushrooms out for other varieties if you can’t find nameko. Tomatoes ... Read more »
It’s likely this Avocado, Mushroom and Tomato Pilaf recipe from Arto der Haroutunian’s cookbook, Vegetarian Dishes of the Middle East carries influences from French colonialism in the region, given the use of white wine in the recipe. There’s a pleasingly retro vibe to the suggested presentation, and it’s a straightforward recipe for a midweek meal. ... Read more »
Our love affair with Middle Eastern food began at Uni with a Manchester Asian sweet shop that inexplicably also sold Lebanese dishes. It was affirmed by Lebanese buffet lunches of amazing quality, freshness and value, discovered at the Phoenicia restaurant just off Kensington High Street. Although now closed, memories of the tantalising fragrance of garlic, ... Read more »
If ever a dish represented autumn in a bowl, it would be this hearty, warming soup of mushrooms, butternut squash and soured cream, flavoured with paprika and ginger. It’s simple to make, delicious to eat and I love how each mouthful gives a different combination of textures and flavours. ... Read more »
Yesterday I shared my review of Maori Murota’s Tokyo Cult Recipes, published by Murdoch Books. Click through to read more and to enter my giveaway to win your own copy of the book. This beautiful hard back cookery book features over 100 recipes loved by Tokyoites, covering breakfast, lunch, sweet snacks and dinner, both foods ... Read more »
I’ve been reading about black garlic for the last few years. I’ve even tried a product made with black garlic – my friend Dave made some striking black garlic cheese which I used in a delicious seasonal butternut squash and cheese bake. But until this week, I’d never actually tried the stuff as it comes, ... Read more »
Cep aka porcini is such a prized mushroom that it is often showcased as the key ingredient in very simple dishes like the tagliatelle ai porcini I enjoyed in Parma a couple of years ago. It’s fêted in porcini festivals; there are recipe books dedicated to it; even children’s stories! But fresh porcini is expensive, ... Read more »
I already own Eggs and Sauces, the first two titles in Michel Roux’s series of reference books on classic techniques and recipes. Pastry: Savoury and Sweet is the latest in this excellent series. There are chapters for shortcrust pastries, enriched sweet pastries, puff pastry, raised pie pastry, brioche dough, croissant dough, choux pastry, pizza dough, and ... Read more »
Boef Bourgignon aka Boeuf à la Bourguignonne is a classic French dish often thought to originate from the Burgundy region of France, though food historians suggest this is not the case; concluding instead that it was likely created in Paris, and named simply for the use of Burgundy red wine that is a prominent ingredient. ... Read more »
Olly Smith is well known as a wine writer and presenter, respected for helping the nation to find and appreciate good wine. But he’s also a keen food lover and has written his own cookery book Eat and Drink full of his favourite recipes, with an emphasis on food that’s great to drink with. The ... Read more »
The Place of Onions, in old Lille. After last night’s rainstorm the intense sticky heat has broken and today is cool, breezy, fresh… I love it! A drop of… [more]
We went to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at The Void this morning, an amazing VR experience where we got to be Rebel Alliance members going undercover as… [more]