Smoky Sardines with Sweet Tomato Chutney

In Australia, sardines became a staple in our household as we used the BBQ more often than the oven. Really easy to gut yourself or just ask your fishmonger. Use a griddle pan if too cold or wet for a BBQ and leave to char to promote the smoky flavour. Sardines are relatively cheap and…

Romanian Sarmale

When I met Nancy I had just moved to Melbourne, she worked in my local cafe (The Barber Shop). I miss the coffee, bagels and Nancy now too! Nancy liked to forage (something id never heard of) but learning about all these secret spots to pick-up free herbs and other eatable things was convenient, money-saving…

Sandra’s Prawn and Pancetta Spaghetti

Another recipe taken from Sandra’s kitchen (La Cucina di sandra). Ben found it on her new blog, subtly emailed it to me and since then we’ve already made it 3 or 4 times. In the blog she shares travel adventures and recipes that would normally be kept for the pleasure of her guests in her…

Nduja with Silky Tomato Butter Pasta

Nduja is something I’ve been hunting down for years and I finally got to cook with it this week. It is Calabria’s clever variation on salami, which is spreadable and melts into an unctuous delight when heated, making this buttery sauce perfectly rich and wicked (even though the ingredients are so humble). Nduja is composed…

Bagel Power – Kablam

We’ve all experienced the wonder of bagels, whether it be plain as butter or completely complexioned – as far as bagel fillings go. There were my younger days, when I would peruse the vast, white impersonal shopping centres with friends…..clinging onto an onion bagel for comfort. We’d eat them just as they came, no jazz,…

Decadent Pork Ragu

I’ve made this ragu so many times since I first tried it, about 2 years ago. Its simplicity always deems it a pleasure to make and it’s perfect for a dinner party, as it can feed 6-8. If you have fiddly starters or desserts, this can just be left either in the oven or on…

Zucchini Flowers with Peas, Tomato, Basil and Saffron Parpadelle

A Ridiculously simple pasta dish, celebrating the zucchini flowers with the invigorating sharpness of saffron, the sweet tomato flesh and earthy fresh peas…. I found the flowers at my local market and was inspired by the enthusiasm of the stall holder, whose love for his produce shone clear through his recipe concoctions. I have stuffed…