Although I loved our recent long weekend in Vienna and Bratislava, I get this kind of ‘eating out fatigue’ when we’re away and literally cannot wait to get back into the kitchen. This particular supper was inspired by the years I lived in Andalusia with a dish of piquant baked beans mixed with wilted spinach, new…
Category: Herbs
Shuk Ha’Carmel Pea and Mint Falafel with Tahini and Lemon Sauce
“Wait. You’re telling me that you have never – NEVER! – eaten falafel?” he exclaimed, narrowly missing the turning onto Boulevard Rothchild as we made our way to dinner one impossibly hot and humid evening in downtown Tel Aviv. “No!” I replied, “I have never – NEVER! – eaten falafel!“. He looked at me with that…
Spicy Tuscan Borlotti Bean, Tomato and Cavolo Nero Soup
During the summer months, when it rains in Assisi, it pours. Literally. Narrow Medieval streets turn into warm fast-moving rivers as the water gushes down from the top of the hilltop town to the very bottom. I remember very clearly once standing atop the Rocca Maggiore, the ruined castle which has dominated, for more than eight…
Spanish Paprika-baked White Beans with a Sourdough and Manchego Cheese Crust
Although it’s not officially spring until next Friday, you will have noticed that I am already turning to the lighter, brighter dishes I prefer. I’ve updated this simple but flavour-packed recipe from the version I published a couple of years ago to make it work for these beautiful lighter evenings. This is a simply delightful dish served…
Andalusian Spicy Lemon-scented White Bean Dip
These sunny pre-spring days are all the motivation we need push open the French windows and think about creating lighter and vibrant dishes. The dip you see here is new to my repertoire and is inspired by a gorgeous little whitewashed cafe high up in The Andalusian mountains above Ronda where I was once given…
Santorini Tomato Keftedes with Feta and Wild Oregano
At the beginning of my adult life, I spent a lot of time exploring the Greek Islands. I did pretty much all of them from Paxos and Corfu to the North to Santorini and Rhodes in the South. I was drawn to the azure sea, the oregano-covered mountains, the tiny beaches, the glamorously bearded Greek academics…
Greek Skordalia with Biber Salçasi-roasted Plum Tomatoes
Skordalia is simply a thick purée of waxy potatoes, an insane amount of garlic, lashings of vibrant Kalamata extra-virgin olive oil, a generous splash of white wine vinegar and finely chopped flat leaf parsley. Yes, it’s basically mash but not as you know it because this is rich, oozy and dairy free. Also, it’s served just warm – never…
Pizza Bianco with Lemony Courgette Ribbons, Dolcelatte and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Just an hour’s drive away from Assisi sits Cortona, a charming walled town in the Valdichiana Valley in southern Tuscany. After exploring its shady Medieval vicolos, inspiring artisan food stores and the beautiful duomo, we settled at the street-side table of a tiny local pizzeria. There we slowly sipped delicate glasses of an ice cold Italian rosato whilst we chatted over the…
Warm Cumin-roasted Squash, Wild Rice and Black Bean Salad with Cranberries
After a somewhat tumultuous couple of weeks preparing to close my beautiful little restaurant at Spark: York, I am back in my kitchen pondering the attraction of salads in the autumn when many are reaching out for carb-heavy cheesy comfort. Here’s the thing, I believe that, if you stay nutritionally focused, warm salads such as…
Roast Chestnut, Mushroom and Oloroso Sherry Tart
A nigh on perfect Andalusian tart for a bright autumnal Sunday lunch. All butter pastry encased around caramelised red onions, wild mushrooms, roast chestnuts, fresh lemon thyme and gently stirred with fragrant oloroso sherry and a generous knob of butter. I put some pieces of creamy citrusy Caerphilly cheese on top of this one just to…
