This recipe is inspired by an al fresco dinner we recently enjoyed in the beautiful city of Lucca in Tuscany. We were sitting on the outside of the infamous Piazza Anfiteatro when I noticed a long snake of very young children each holding tiny posies of flowers with their very handsome teacher who was nervously whispering instructions to them….
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…
Cadouin Tarte Paysanne
Throughout our lifetimes, we occasionally stumble upon experiences that change the way that we think about food. It could be beachside shack serving up the freshest of grilled fish, or a market stall in an exotic bazaar that fills our eyes with wonder and awe; it could be fine dining by an open fire in…
Turkish Smashed Cucumber Salad with Late Summer Berries & Herbs
Just behind our home there is a wild country path that connects the river Ouse to the historic centre of York. Hardly anyone knows about it so nature rules and has created a paradise for city foragers. Right now, we have flowering baby nettles – the old ones were cut down after the heatwave and…
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…
Livorno Cannellini Bean, Tomato & Ricotta Salata Salad
On a recent trip to Tuscany, I was astonished to discover that the covered markets in both Lucca and Pisa had been closed down. It seems that even the Italians are succumbing to pre-prepared food that can be grabbed on the go. Indeed, one man I spoke to who reminisced fondly about the dishes his…
Sicilian Pea and Ricotta Salata Bruschetta
The word ‘ricotta’ means re-cooked and ‘salata’ means salted. Ricotta Salata is a Sicilian cheese made from the whey part of sheep milk which is pressed, salted and aged for at least 90 days. It is milky white in colour with firm texture and a refreshingly salty taste (similar to Cheshire cheese). It’s great for slicing, crumbling and…
Greek Island Feta and Tomato Saganaki
Last week, it was so hot I could barely face going into the kitchen let alone cooking in it so our evening meals had to be supper simple and quick to make such as this Greek feta and tomato saganaki (a term used to describe a variety of small dishes made in a frying pan) finished with a roasted…
Paulo’s Creamy Cannellini Bean Dip with Parsley and Sicilian Lemon
‘Shopping at the Dandelion Co-op made me feel European. Very Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina in Paris. River picked out goat cheese to spread on crispy-crusted French bread for the picnic, and olives, and a jar of roasted red peppers, and a bar of seventy percent dark chocolate, and a bottle of sparkling water. He bought…
Greek Skordalia with Biber Salçası-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…
