Posts by The Culinary Chase

Tahini is made from sesame seeds. They are soaked in water for a day, then crushed to separate the bran from the kernels. The crushed seeds are put into salted water, where the bran sinks, but the kernels float and are skimmed off the surface. They are toasted and ground to produce an oily paste…

There are few things more proudly Australian than the slice. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what a slice was when my Aussie friend invited me over one afternoon (a few years ago) for a cuppa and a slice (tea and cake). The humble slice can also be seen as a culinary, or even cultural,…

Aioli (pronounced ahy-oh-lee) is a garlic-flavored mayonnaise from Provence, served with fish and seafood and often with vegetables. The sauce is made of garlic and olive oil with egg sometimes added but purists say this isn’t considered traditional. Chef John, from Food Wishes, has a wonderful video using aioli for garlic bread. Click here to…

Lunch or dinner ready in less than 20 minutes! Although high in saturated fat, lamb is a very good source of protein, providing 60.3% of the daily value for protein. It is also a good source of zinc which is critical not only to immune function, but for wound healing, and normal cell division. If…

I usually get my inspiration to cook by glossing over food magazines or cookbooks and then there are other times when I see something on a cooking show that ignites a fire in me to recreate what I saw. But this recipe was born out of an effort to help raise money for a health…

There’s a sense of accomplishment when a meal looks great, tastes great but isn’t fussy.  Even though this dish requires some stirring, it’s not a daunting task so don’t be put off by this because the end result is a delicious, creamy risotto. The fresh herbs liven up this risotto and compliments the delicate flavor…

Carpaccio typically refers to raw meat or fish that has been either sliced thinly or pounded thin and served as an appetizer. However, fruits and vegetables can also be included. According to Arrigo Cipriani, the owner of Harry’s Bar, Carpaccio was invented at Harry’s Bar in Venice, where it was first served to the countess…

The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus) is one of the oldest known cultivated vegetables, originating from Ethiopia, with Italy currently being the world’s largest producer. It was valued in ancient Greece and Rome as a digestive aid, available only to the wealthy due to its scarcity. Globe artichokes are an excellent source of dietary fiber, magnesium,…

Mushrooms contain 80 to 90 percent water, and are low in calories (only 100 cal/oz). They have very little sodium and fat, and 8 to 10 percent of the dry weight is fiber. They are an ideal food for people following a weight management program or a diet for high blood pressure. Sage is from the…

A while ago (2 years to be exact) I ordered a book called, Working the Plate as I wanted more inspiration with regard to food presentation. I read most of it but failed to see that there were some recipes at the end of the book and only noticed them last week! Makes about 20…