How to cook artichokes – instructions for boiling, Instant Pot, pressure cooker, grilling and frying. Don’t be intimidated by artichokes any longer! Plus recipes for a delicious aioli and vinaigrette to go alongside.
I adore artichokes. As a child, my mother would boil a whole artichoke for my dinner on those nights when she was preoccupied with other things or, more likely, fed up with cooking and needed to give me a no-fuss dinner. Hard task given that I was a fussy eater for most of my life.
A delicous and simple recipe for Meyer Lemon Syrup Cake
I first came across the Meyer lemon when we were living in the US. I had frequently seen mention of them in American cookbooks and magazines, but I never really paid much attention until I saw them one day at the grocers. I bought them to use in place of normal lemons for a dish later that night, and upon slicing into the first lemon, I realised that I had made a crucial mistake. Whilst the skin was a golden yellow, the flesh was bright orange. Had I done my research, I would have known that a Meyer lemon was a cross between a common lemon and either an orange or a mandarin, thus explaining the orange hues. It follows that Meyer lemons are somewhat sweeter than ordinary lemons, and also much more fragrant with notes of orange blossom. They are a beautiful citrus fruit, perfect for use in cakes and desserts.
My go-to recipe for Hummus which is perfect for dips and entertaining.
Hummus would have to be my go-to dip. It’s quick and easy to make and, what’s more, it’s a very versatile dip. It can be served with vegetable crudités and crackers as an appetiser, spread onto flatbreads to eat as a snack or light meal, or even served as part of a main meal with some grilled lamb koftas and a salad. I make it so often that I tend to keep tins of chickpeas on standby in the pantry so that I can whip up a batch at short notice.
Madeleines with Lemon Curd, a delicious madeleine recipe from Rachel Khoo from The Little Paris Kitchen.
I am rather surprised that it has taken me this long to try this popular madeleine recipe from Rachel Khoo. In my defence, I already had a madeleine recipe to which I have been faithful to for many years, plus I felt that Rachel’s recipe was a bit fiddly for me.
And with a tiny tot distracting me whenever I am in the kitchen, I didn’t think I was safe around multi-step recipes.
This Spaghetti with Tuna, Chilli, Rocket & Lemon takes only 20 mins from start to finish!
I have been a long-time admirer and follower of Donna Hay’s cookbooks, even as early back when she was the food editor of the Marie Claire cookbooks in Australia. Her clean and refined approach to food styling is what normally attracts the attention of readers in the first instance; food which looks so stunningly beautiful on the page, yet deceptively simple in composition, that each photo could pass as a piece of artwork. Many have tried to copy and emulate the style of Donna Hay, but I think few have come close in executing the same level of sophistication.
A delicious recipe for Blueberry Lemon Cake using crème fraîche, sour cream or natural yoghurt to produce a fluffy and moist cake. Bake it in a bundt tin to make it extra special!
Strangely, I have always associated blueberries with muffins. And pancakes. Of course, you can eat them just as they are, as nature intended, but I’m sure most of us are more acquainted with blueberries in cakes and bakes.
