I have been very reluctant to jump on the kale bandwagon, which seems to have exploded in my part of the world in recent times. Evangelists of green shakes full of pureed kale and other greens are everywhere, but I have failed to be compelled by their vocal praises of kale. However, after trying it a…
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Little lime madeleines
No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me. An exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses, something isolated, detached, with no suggestion of its origin. And at once the vicissitudes of life…
Read MoreTomato, eggplant and ricotta salad
I made this super quick salad to use some of the fresh ricotta I have been making for the last couple of weeks. Along with a green salad, grilled chicken, and crusty bread it made a delicious dinner on a weekday evening. It was so pleasurable to spread the ricotta on the bread, add a…
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Ricotta and raspberry tarts
I was going to call this recipe “Rustic ricotta and raspberry tarts” but that seemed a little too alliterative, even to provide an excuse for pastry that did not turn out quite as it should. However, it was very delicious and a perfect vehicle for my latest obsession – home made ricotta. It was a revelation to…
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Spiced salmon with green goddess dressing
Perfect for a simple Sunday lunch, this salad is rich with salmon and creamy avocado, balanced with touches of caramel and spice, and the clean bite of radishes. The recipe is based on one that I saw in the October 2014 issue of Delicious magazine. It’s one of my favourite food magazines, because the recipes are almost always…
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Hazel Warren’s Anzac Biscuits
Anzac Day (25th April) was a special occasion this year for many Australians and New Zealanders because it was the centenary of the landing at Gallipoli in Turkey during the First World War, a defining campaign, although ultimately unsuccessful. My working life has been closely tied to commemorative activities related to the First World War, and…
Read MoreBaked Italian meatballs
A prosaic title for what is a super dish, quick and easy, full of flavour, and pretty much loved by all (at least in my family). It’s so easy because the meatballs are simply prepared and then baked with a rich tomato sauce, with no need for cooking first. I like to make them on weeknights…
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Welsh cakes, and why my name is not Myfanwy
picau ar y maen My mother’s heritage was Welsh and she and my father were both talented amateur singers who were brought up in Ipswich, in Queensland, a town with a proud heritage of coal mining, Welsh immigration and eisteddfodau. As a child she went to a Welsh speaking church and one of my favourite memories…
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Plum tart
This luscious tart marries gently roasted vanilla plums with a crisp puff pastry and a rich creamy filling. With the last of the season’s plums now available it seemed opportune to make this tart for an autumnal dessert. Find the recipe for the plums here, but you could also roast peaches or apricots the same way…
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Lemon pound cake (and the delights of New York City)
Last month I went on a grand adventure with two friends to New York. We attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and then spent a week exploring the city. It was an amazing experience in all respects and I grew very quickly to love New York – the city scape (look…
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Simple food 