Lemon Drop Martini
Some cocktails have a way of taking you back to a particular place and time. For me, the Lemon Drop Martini will always be Hong Kong. I first made one in 2004, when we were living there. Hong Kong nightlife was buzzing.
Baked Eggplant and Ricotta Rolls
An easy midweek meal to make. Eggplant is a vegetable I try to incorporate into our meals as it contains a host of vitamins and minerals. Choose eggplants that are firm and heavy for their size. The skin should be smooth and shiny, and their color, whether it be purple, white or green, should be…
Veal Polpettone
These little meatballs are so delicious and are good on their own, on top of spaghetti or as a side dish. Polpettone are large meatballs (like meatloaf). In Italy, different versions of Polpettone are made in different regions and even differ by city. Serves 4recipe from Better Homes and Gardens 2 egg yokes, lightly beaten3/4…
Lamb Manti with Yogurt and Harissa
This stuffed pasta takes on a Middle-Eastern flavor with the lamb and harissa. Harissa is a red hot sauce or paste used in North African cooking and is made from chili peppers (often smoked or dried), garlic and olive oil. It may also have ground cumin, caraway or coriander mixed in it. Harissa can be…
Spaghetti with Slow Cooked Cauliflower and Broccoli
I have a recipe that’s similar to this using orecchiette and anchovy fillets. The thought of adding anchovies to anything used to bother me until I took a cooking lesson from my Italian friend, Francesca. She would tell me, “my dear, you haven’t lived or experienced Italian food if you haven’t tasted anchovies!”. That was…
Billy Kwong, Chinese Eating House
Last month my husband and I ate at Kylie Kwong’s restaurant, Billy Kwong. We were in Sydneyvisiting our friends, Nicola and Anthony, and Nicola wanted to know if we’d like to eat at Kylie’s restaurant as she knows I’m a big fan of hers. I first heard about Kylie Kwong from her cooking show, ‘Cooking…
Squid and Bulgur Pilaf
Bulgur is a quick cooking form of whole wheat which has a pleasant, nutty flavor. Bulgur is what’s left after wheat kernels have been steamed, dried, and crushed. Bulgur holds a place in recipes similar to rice or couscous but with a higher nutritional value (it’s low on the glycemic index). Most know it as…
Roast Pork with Fennel, Citrus & Olive Salad
Whenever the word salad is mentioned, some people cringe or turn their nose up at the idea. However, a salad does not have to be lettuce, tomato and cucumber smothered in some form of prepared dressing. These days, a salad takes on many forms and more substantial than aforementioned. In the last few decades the…
Linguine with Artichoke Hearts
Yesterday was a bit of a hectic day running around town doing errands so I wasn’t in the mood to be in the kitchen for any length of time. I had in my mind that I wanted to make something with linguine and artichoke and my search on the web came up with this recipe.…
My Favorite Italian Cheeses
I love cheese and although Reggiano Parmigiano is one of my favorite Italian cheeses, there are others that rank equally as high. With so many to choose from, I have highlighted the ones that my family and friends enjoy when we get together. GorgonzolaNamed for a town outside Milan where it was originally made, Gorgonzola…
Sauce alla Norma
When I think of Italian food my mind automatically thinks of pasta, fish and slow simmered meats. However, none of these would be as good if it weren’t for the sauce. Each region reflects the flavors and textures that make up each sauce – some are salty and sweet, chunky, spicy, velvety smooth etc. These…
Warm Fennel Dip
I’ve been on a bit of a fennel kick of late and am very happy to have found this recipe! The flavors here are awesome and while fennel has a distinctive licorice taste, roasting the fennel in the oven mellows the flavors. Fennel is a good source of fibre, vitamin C, folate and potassium. In…
Seafood Stew with Smoked Chili Aioli
This aromatic Mediterranean style stew is so simple to prepare and yet when presented at the dinner table, your family or friends will think you have spent the entire day in the kitchen! The added flavors of chilies and smoked paprika to the aioli gives this stew a bit of a kick. Ailoi (pronounced ahy-oh-lee)…