Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

June 9, 2026

From Ancient Remedy to Beloved Dessert – A Spice Route Treasure – Rhubarb’s roots stretch back thousands of years to the mountainous regions of northern and central Asia (China, Mongolia, and Siberia), where it was cultivated primarily for medicinal purposes. The Chinese prized it as a digestive tonic and laxative,

Mushroom & Pesto Lasagne

September 5, 2008

Lasagna has taken on new meanings over the years

Mushroom & Pesto Lasagne

September 5, 2008

Lasagne has changed a bit over the years from what the original dish consisted of (alternate layers of pasta, cheese and often ragù or tomato sauce) and I suppose it was inevitable that chefs worldwide would use their culinary imaginations to alter the ingredients. I found 20 such recipes from one site all a bit…

Prosciutto, Zucchini & Ricotta Tart

September 3, 2008

An ideal meal to serve when you have guests show up unannounced and so easy to prepare! Fresh ingredients, as always, stand out to make this dish “tastebud” heaven. Serves 6recipe from Good Taste 2 sheets (25x25cm) frozen ready-rolled puff pastry, just thawed3 large zucchini, ends trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways3 tablespoons pesto250g fresh ricotta3…

Fasolada (Greek Bean Soup)

September 1, 2008

In the past, beans have been a neglected part of our diet and most probably due to the fact that I grew up on homemade baked beans which, although were delicious, never quite agreed with me. However, since I started this food blog, I’ve been more accepting of beans and lentils and found that most…

Marinated Zucchini Salad with Pine Nuts & Parmesan

August 29, 2008

Salads come in all forms and not just the leafy version that most associate the word with. It’s usually a mixture of cold foods including vegetables or fruits and topped with a dressing. Experimenting with different textures and flavors by chefs and cooks alike have, over the years, come up with some very interesting savory…

Chicken, Fennel & Lemon Fettuccine

August 27, 2008

Pasta has been around for centuries and it’s been a romantic myth that Marco Polo brought pasta back from China (it was already there in Polo’s time). Marco Polo returned in 1295 after twenty years of travel away from Italy. It was noted that in 1279 a Genoese soldier listed in the inventory of his…

The Culinary Chase turns 2!

August 25, 2008

It doesn’t feel possible that I’ve been sharing recipes on the web for 2 years (304 postings later!). Three times a week I post new recipes that my family tries and they are my best critics. I do have to say a big thank you to my friend, Robert Esser, from Pantry Magic for encouraging…

Courgette Soup (Minestra di zucchine)

August 22, 2008

Simple soups only require the freshest of ingredients to make the difference between an ok soup and one that has flavor. Courgettes (zucchini) is a very good source of vitamin C, A, folate, fiber, riboflavin and potassium. This soup is also delicious served at room temperature and is a perfect light starter! Serves 4-6recipe from…

Tuscan Pork Skewers

August 20, 2008

We use our bbq all year round (even when we lived in Canada) and I’m always looking for recipes that enable us to cook outdoors. Fennel has an anise like flavor but is more aromatic, sweeter and less pungent and goes well with pork. The name comes from the Greek word for marathon because the…

Tuna Tartare (Tartara di tonno)

August 18, 2008

Tuna has always been a fish I liked better in the can and it wasn’t until 8 years ago that I started to experiment with fresh tuna in dishes. I’ve moved on since then and really enjoy cooking with tuna. I also like it rare and this recipe is absolutely delicious! It comes across as…

Rigatoni Portofino

August 15, 2008

I just happened to be flipping through the channels one night and saw that Martha Stewart had Valentino on her show. He was just getting ready to show her how he makes his rigatoni Portofino. I’ve never seen pesto made the way he likes it so I was intrigued to watch more of the show.…

Indian Prawn Curry

August 13, 2008

A few months ago new neighbors moved in down the hallway and they’re from India. I love Indian food and the aroma’s coming from that apartment was a subtle reminder that I haven’t made any Indian food in a while. I wasn’t in the mood for cooking in the kitchen for longer than an hour…