May 18, 2018
A good lunch salad is an art and takes a little imagination but it doesn’t have to be complicated. I was leafing through a Donna Hay cookbook last night when saw a fennel and chicken salad and decided to translate it to a vegetarian version and change the dressing. I liked the croutons idea so went with that. The fennel has to be sliced thinly, like they do in Italy, and then marinated for... View Article
May 27, 2017
I may have mentioned before that I am addicted to Master Chef Australia. I am watching the 2014 season and have totally bonded with the home cooks and judges on that show. It’s a stellar season in terms of personalities and the show is so well done that I don’t miss an episode. Surprisingly, I have learned a lot from watching this and other reality TV food shows. It’s not necessarily recipes but you get... View Article
January 31, 2017
Fennel is a perfect for winter salads and it pairs beautifully with citrus fruits that are also in season during the winter. Orange and fennel is a classic combination but I like the extra tang of a grapefruit with it as well, lightly sweetened with a drizzle of honey and the crunch of candied nuts. Slice the fennel thinly with a mandolin and chop up the fennel fronds to use in the salad as well.... View Article
December 8, 2016
Fennel and citrus are one of those marriages made in heaven. A squeeze of lemon or a few orange or grapefruit segments make the fennel come alive. This salad is made simply by combining the ingredients, squeezing the juice of the orange over and adding a drizzle of olive oil. A little sea salt goes a long way in this salad and there are two items that I must have: good honey and a handful... View Article
October 25, 2016
Fennel is a fall vegetable and although it is available all year it is really best in the fall when you can get it locally. Many people are not that familiar with it and are reluctant to try but I would say be adventurous and go for it. What can happen? Fennel is a white”ish” bulb with fronds that resemble dill. It has anise-like flavour and crispy texture when eaten raw. I shred it into... View Article
June 7, 2015
Risotto is one of the most luxurious and flavourful dishes to come out of northern Italy. It’s easy to prepare and combines well with all kinds of seasonal vegetables and flavours. I posted a number of risotto recipes on the blog before and you can always exchange ingredients as long as you follow the basic simple method of cooking the rice. There are a few considerations when cooking a risotto: What rice to use? Oil or... View Article
January 21, 2014
Since this is a food blog first, I thought i’d start posting a few recipes between the travel posts. Here is a salad I made when I was still at home and plan to make again in the next few days but this time I will add peeled orange segments to it. After all, we are in Valencia, the land of Valencia oranges. I thought I’d share it now, and add the version with oranges... View Article
May 17, 2012
Traditionally fennel is paired with orange and there are many salad recipes combining these two ingredients with various dressings. While tradition is important, so is innovation. Here is a salad combining fennel with another citrus, grapefruit this time, and a touch of exotic with a few slices of fresh mango I picked up at the Asian market the other day. I made different versions of this salad a few times while working on my salad... View Article
April 13, 2012
For this tartine I roast the fennel first and then pile it on a long slice of Poilane bread between layers of crumbled goat cheese. I then bake it in the oven for a few minutes to lightly melt the cheese and warm up the tartine. The fennel can be roasted a few hours in advance and kept at room temperature until you are ready to proceed. Save some fennel fronds for garnish, or use... View Article
