I’m really loving Anissa Helou’s fantastic mezze recipes, as well as the stories on her wonderful blog. She currently has a lovely tale to tell about chocolates made from camel milk. Here’s two more mezze recipes from her excellent book Modern Mezze; check out more of her books here.
Mezze are so versatile: they make great [...]

I’ve been watching Jamie Oliver’s New European Series - so far I’ve seen him in Morocco, Spain and, most recently, Greece. This episode was all about simple ingredients simply put together. He went spear fishing, met up with some bee keepers and nibbled on some goats cheese with a Greek Orthodox monk.
Some of the dishes [...]

News alert! My tomatoes have ripened. Okay it doesn’t warrant such drama but I have managed to produce a considerable amount and I am giddy at the thought of eating this free fruit.
I want the tomatoes to be the star of the show and I came across this amazing looking soup recipe in The Guardian [...]

To mark Bastille day, I’m planning a French feast this evening with some friends. Tucking into French onion soup, a classic Coq au vin and a Crème brûlée; a French three course meal doesn’t have to cost a fortune and this menu contains basic ingredients that won’t break the bank.
Incorporating onions, white wine, cheese and [...]

Well the first of my crops are ready to pick. Unsurprisingly, the peas are the first to make an appearance followed by the lettuce. Peas are plucky little fellas that will keep giving and giving and are unbelievably hardy.
I cultivated them from seed in April and planted them outside in May. I also kept a [...]

I was down in the Hook Peninsula in Co. Wexford last week and I have to admit before I left I wasn’t even sure where it was. I associate Wexford with Rosslare and getting the boat to France each summer, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hook Peninsula is a lovely place with lots to [...]

Calling all soup lovers, today is Gorta’s “Soup for Life” day. This global event urges you to gather your friends, family and colleagues for a get together over a bowl and make a  contribution to Gorta’s work fighting hunger and malnutrition in Africa.
If you would like to take part, you can check out details here. [...]

My sister has just informed me that she has become addicted to lamb. Consequently, she has been inventive in the kitchen again and come up with this little gem, perfect for a light Sunday lunch, if you are brave enough to eat out in the garden (well, for God’s sake it’s scorching outside).

A lighter soup for spring days, carrot and orange is a flavour pairing from heaven. It’s also, like many soups, a good way of using up those slowly dying vegetables.
Ingredients

10 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
800ml vegetable stock
Juice and grated [...]

Now’s the best time of year for lamb. Lovely, lovely lamb, so tender and juicy - and pricy.
Last week, I picked up two lamb shanks for about €11.00 and made this recipe from BBC Food. It tastes as good as it looks, with the meat falling off the bone.
I’m always loathe to throw out any [...]