Mussels – Cleaning, Preparation and Cooking

Some mussels you buy are cultivated in protected areas of the sea bed, or grown on poles, fixed in clean saltwater. Others, because of their habitat, are often sandy and need to be scrubbed; mussels also ingest sand and grit as they feed. Buy good quality, local mussels and they are well cleaned and very [...]

By |2021-07-20T16:06:13+10:00July 20th, 2021|Brittany, Cook Real Food, French Cooking Classes, French food, French Regional Cooking, Moules mariniere, mussels, Mussels - Moules mariniere, Recipes, Seafood, Seafood|Comments Off on Mussels – Cleaning, Preparation and Cooking

Chicken Cacciatore – hunter’s wife’s braised chicken

Whether you are cooking the Italian Chicken Cacciatore or the French Chicken Chasseur, it is the same slowly braised sauce and luscious tender chicken with the vegetables that make this a great nutri-dense, LCHF dish. Regional variations of Chicken Cacciatore or hunter’s wife’s chicken are made throughout Italy, and while most are cooked with [...]

By |2021-06-09T16:43:11+10:00June 9th, 2021|Basil pesto, Chicken, Chicken Cacciatore, Chicken Chasseur, Cook Real Food, French food, Healthy Family Meals, Italian Food, Italian Food, Low Carb, Mushroom, Recipes, Slow cooked winter dishes|Comments Off on Chicken Cacciatore – hunter’s wife’s braised chicken

Mushrooms and a great mushroom sauce

Years ago, as a small child in the May school holidays, my mother and I always drove to visit my grandparents at their farm in central Victoria. May meant it was mushroom time and so we would 'go mushrooming', usually on Sunday afternoons. Armed with a big bucket and small knife, we would drive out [...]

By |2021-06-06T16:11:40+10:00June 4th, 2021|Autumn vegetables, Cook Real Food, Dehydrated, Food, Mushroom, Mushroom sauve, Mushrooms, Mushrooms, Recipes, Sauces, Uncategorized, Vegetables in season, Winter braises|Comments Off on Mushrooms and a great mushroom sauce

Mandarin and pistachio cake

I do look forward to baking this cake in autumn when mandarins are at their peak; some varieties continue into June and winter, so there is still time for you to get into the kitchen and baking.  The lusciousness of the pistachios and the sweetness of the mandarins, make a perfect and flavoursome match. The [...]

Passata Making

 Now, in February and March, is the perfect time for Passata making. Tomatoes are at their peak. It is an easy process - here is how to make it! Ingredients: To make 12 x 750 ml bottles 1 box of Roma 'sauce' tomatoes, about 15kg Bunch basil Murray River Sea Salt [...]

By |2021-02-26T15:15:47+11:00February 26th, 2021|Fruits, Italian Food, Italian Food, Passata, Passata, Passata, Recipes, South Melbourne Market, Suppliers, Tomatoes, Uncategorized, Vegetables|Comments Off on Passata Making

Classic Salmon Mousse

This is a perfect dish for leisurely, relaxed entertaining in the summertime.  It can be made a day ahead and it will keep well refrigerated for a few days afterward; that is, if there is any left-over! We have been making this for years in the Cooking School and, although it is reminiscent of [...]

By |2021-02-04T11:48:44+11:00February 4th, 2021|Cold summer dishes, Cook Real Food, Cook Real Food, Healthy Family Meals, Low Carb, Mayonnaise, Recipes, Salmon, Salmon mousse, Summer entrees|Comments Off on Classic Salmon Mousse

Skordalia – a luscious garlic mayonnaise, sauce or dip

Skordalia is the Greek version of the French ‘aïoli’ and the Spanish, ‘allïoli, and is a luscious garlic mayonnaise, sauce, or dip.  It is usually based on potato and flavoured with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and parsley. Elizabeth David in her ‘Book of Mediterranean Food’ gives her recipe with egg yolks, ground almonds [...]

By |2021-01-20T17:28:39+11:00January 19th, 2021|Condiments, Cook Real Food, Garlic, Greek Cuisine, Skordalia, Skordalia|Comments Off on Skordalia – a luscious garlic mayonnaise, sauce or dip

Syrian Festive Cake

This cake makes a lovely Christmas gift, full of Brazil nuts, walnuts and various glace fruits.  It may be made in a large loaf tin 20cm x 12cm, or smaller cake tins – 8.5 x 14cm and smaller still at 10 x 5.5cm.  This quantity also makes 8 tiny puddings, in mini pudding tins; [...]

By |2021-01-18T16:17:15+11:00January 18th, 2021|Cakes, Cakes and baking, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cakr, Festive, Festive Food, Festive Food, Recipes, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Syrian Festive Cake

My Grandmother’s Christmas Cake – Our Family Christmas Fruit Cake

Makes a square 20 x 20cm, 2.5kg cake This cake has been made by my family for a couple of generations; it is simple to make if just a little time-consuming cutting up the fruit and nuts to approximately equal sizes.  It stores and keeps very well for months if it lasts that long! [...]

By |2020-11-06T10:51:21+11:00November 2nd, 2020|Cakes, Cakes and baking, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cake, Christmas Fruit Cakr, Festive Food, Recipes|Comments Off on My Grandmother’s Christmas Cake – Our Family Christmas Fruit Cake

My Cauliflower ‘Cake’ – Low Carb Healthy Fat

I love this interesting ‘cake’.  It is my low carb healthy fat adaption of the Cauliflower Cake in Yotam Ottolenghi’s book, Plenty More. Hopefully, you will love it, as it is very attractive, colourful, unusual and delicious.  Serve it as an appetiser with the glass of wine before dinner or as a lunch dish with [...]

By |2020-11-02T13:41:40+11:00October 27th, 2020|Burgundy, Cauliflower, Cauliflower, Cook Real Food, Entree, France, Recipes, Vegetables|Comments Off on My Cauliflower ‘Cake’ – Low Carb Healthy Fat
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