A simple classic Moules Marinière
For the classic, simple Bretagne ‘Moules Marinière’, the mussels are cooked with white wine and water; I am sure those Bretagne sailors’ wives would have used water only. These days various cooks use cider, [...]
Moules Marinière – the French bistro classic
Moules Marinière is one of the best-known classic French mussel dishes. The recipe hails from the wives of French sailors living along the northwest coast of Brittany, where most of France’s mussel catch is [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Iceberg salad with smoky aubergine cream
At Cooking on the Bay Cooking School, I always stress to the class that we are cooking for FLAVOUR! We aim to bring out the best in the marvellous ingredients we are using. It [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Anzac biscuits – the story and my Grandmother’s recipe
I always enjoy baking these Anzac biscuits for Australia Day and Anzac Day. They are a quick, sweet, treat to make in about half an hour; they provide a wonderful activity to bake with your [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Smoky aubergine cream, from Yotam Ottolenghi’s new book, ‘Flavour’.
When we cook at Cooking on the Bay Cooking School, I always stress to the class that we are cooking for FLAVOUR! We aim to bring out the best in the marvellous ingredients we [...]
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, [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Affogato – Crème Anglaise Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Espresso and Cointreau
Affogato is Italian for drowned; the ice cream is drowned in espresso with the liqueur served on the side. It is the easiest of all desserts, once you have mastered the ice-cream making. Make your [...]
Rack of Lamb with two sauces – a mint sauce and red wine sauce
My butchers, Barry and Mario from Kirkpatrick's Butchers at the South Melbourne market, sell the most delicious and tender racks of lamb which I frequently buy for a simple and quick mid-week dinner. The butchers [...]
Roast pork with Agen prunes
Prunes and apples always team well with pork, so if you prefer, substitute apples for the prunes. For the pork, you can select various cuts, female pork neck, pork scotch, a boned, rolled pork shoulder, [...]
Bresse and the Chicken market at Louhans.
Cooking all these chicken dishes and stock as I have been in this Covid-19 winter 2020, reminded me of some happier times and our visit to Bresse, the home of the famous Bresse chicken, la [...]
Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise sauce is a classic emulsion* sauce, made with egg yolks and butter, seasoned with lemon juice, salt and a little white pepper to become a thick, yellow, creamy sauce. It is the traditional partner [...]
Coq au Vin – a French classic regional dish
The Burgundian Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon share many similarities. They are both regional Burgundian specialities, they both showcase the famous Burgundian wines, Bresse chickens, pork and Charolais beef. Their method of cookery is [...]
The Betty B Barge Burgundian Coq au Vin
In France, on our Betty B barge, I frequently cooked a simple coq au vin as it was easy to manage in my small barge galley kitchen, the ingredients readily available and it can be [...]
Poulet Vallée d’Auge – chicken braised with onions, leeks, apples, mushrooms, crème fraiche and calvados
This is a classic, regional, warming, hearty braise originating in Normandy, France, the region famous for its dairy produce, the creams, butters and cheeses, such as Camembert, and apples and Calvados. Chicken and apple is [...]
Brussels Sprout and Stilton soup
Serves 6 as lunch-time serves It is winter here at the moment and we are in Week 4 of Melbourne’s Covid-19 lockdown, so comfort soups are a great idea. Over the recent cold and wet [...]
Eggplant Parmigiana
Serves 4 – 6 This is a marvellous dish for a party, although it is sometimes hard to serve and cut through the aubergine slices and the melted mozzarella is always very drippy. So, for [...]