So many of you have asked for the recipe for this super moist gluten-free Spanish orange and almond cake which features on my Mallorcan menu at the restaurant. It is inspired by the fields and fields of fragrant blossoming orange and almond trees we passed through as we travelled via the extraordinary antique train – El…
Tag: Vegetarian
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…
Basque Country Apple Tart
This recipe is inspired by the generously filled apple tarts and pies that, during the autumn months, hit the bars and restaurants of the Basque Country where the terrain is given over to orchards for cider making. Awareness of Spain’s crisply tangy sidra is relatively low in the UK but, like everything else related to fermentation and brewing, it’s catching on fast. I for…
Spanish Roast Potatoes with Garlic and Smoky Paprika
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…
Lucca Rigatoni with Roasted Tomatoes and Salsa Verde
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…
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…
