This is an absolutely lovely side dish for a summer Sunday lunch and is my decidedly Mediterranean take on the standard roast potato. Here, the potatoes are new and coated in a sumptuous mix of olive oil, tomato paste and fiery smoked paprika. It is inspired by a dish I first came across in La…
Category: Sunday Lunches
La Belle Salade Niçoise with a Green Olive Tapenade Dressing
Named ‘La Belle’ after the frequently used nickname for the city of Nice which lies in the French Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea, this salad typifies for me the fresh seasonal beauty of the local cuisine. This simple plate of summer is inspired by Richard Olney’s musings on Lulu Peyraud who, with her husband Lucien,…
Greek Skordalia with Biber Salçasi-roasted Plum Tomatoes
Greek skordalia, a beautifully simple smooth purée of waxy potatoes, an insane amount of garlic, lashings of vibrant extra-virgin olive oil, a generous splash of white wine vinegar and finely chopped flat leafed parsley. Yes, it’s basically mash but not as you know it because this is a dip my friends. It’s rich, oozy and…
Elena’s Greek Spanakopita, a Greens, Feta, Anari and Herb Filo Pie with Tahini and Lemon Sauce
Living off the land is something Greeks do as a matter of course and wild greens (horta) are some of the most sought-after food items in nature’s larder. This is a lesson we too can learn, especially right now when fresh greens are sometimes hard to come by (I’m writing this during the Covid-19 lockdown)….
Greek Broccoli Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Toasted Almonds
Now we have so much more of time on our hands, we can be more mindful of our friends, family and neighbours which is lovely but cooking continues to be my solace and I’m taking my time. I’m reminding myself of happier times – when we could travel – by designing simple menus that remind…
Greek Roast Potatoes with a Vegan Wild Garlic and Walnut Pesto
In a recent post for my classic Greek spanakopita, I referred to my friend Elena whom I met on the tiny island of Paxos one hot and sultry evening. She used to run a teeny tiny little taverna with just four tables covered in waxed gingham cloths around which sat 16 beautiful old white chairs with…
Ligurian Basil Gnocchi with Broccoli, Spinach and Creamy Cheesy Sauce
This beautiful dish is perfect for these early autumn days because, although it’s comforting, it is ultimately still light and delicious. The recipe is a little more complicated than you’re used to from me but it all comes together quite quickly in the end. If you don’t fancy making the gnocchi, you can always replace them with large white beans or thinly sliced cooked…
Lebanese Feta, Orange and Almond Filo Pie
A couple of weeks ago, my School House gallery menu was inspired by recipes I’ve picked up in Lebanon including this beautifully light and flavoursome filo pie. It takes just a few minutes to put together and it freezes well so, if you can’t eat it all in one sitting, don’t worry about it. This is the…
Sóllar Lemon and Saffron-infused Roast Potatoes with Olivas Negras Sea Salt
We’ve just returned from a brief visit to the beautiful island of Mallorca where the sun was shining and the air was heavy with the scent of orange and lemon blossom, heady wisteria and clouds of tumbling white jasmine. It made my heart sing to be back in the Mediterranean where I had the chance…
