Baked beans with harissa, chorizo & sun dried tomatoes

in All recipes, Savoury -

Comforting as they are simple, these baked beans with harissa, chorizo & sun dried tomatoes remind me of home and speak to my heart. 

Baked beans with harissa, chorizo & sun dried tomatoes

How happy am I to be back here after what seems like forever! I have been working on projects almost non stop for the last couple of months and even though I much enjoy collaborations and the challenges and joy they bring, cooking purely for pleasure, following a craving or inspired by an ingredient is always what I love the most. That and sharing it all here. [READ MORE]

Brussels sprouts, pear & spinach salad with feta & croutons

in Savoury, Taste -

Brussels sprouts, pear & spinach salad with feta & croutons- aka my new favourite way to pack tons of vegetables and colours onto one dish.

Brussels sprouts, pear & spinach salad with feta & croutons

Happy New Year everyone! I hope it’s filled with everything y’all wish for. I wish for health, laughter and delicious meals shared with loved ones- as cheesy as that may sound (oh! And cheese! I wish for lots and lots of cheese!). These past few weeks have been very intense, emotional and quite frankly very difficult for me for a number of reasons. So along with the above, even though I don’t do new year’s resolutions as they don’t make much sense to me, I really hope I slowly learn to be calmer, more accepting of how things evolve, but also more assertive and active. [READ MORE]

Dried & fresh mushroom tagliatelle with white wine

in Savoury, Taste -

These dried & fresh mushroom tagliatelle with white wine are exactly what a plate of pasta should be: simple, delicious and good enough to go for seconds.

Dried & fresh mushroom tagliatelle with white wine

Dried mushrooms are by far one of my favourite ingredients to use; I do so sparingly though, keeping the precious dark gems at the back of my cupboard, waiting for the right moment to soak some of them in water, toss with few other ingredients and marvel once again at their rich, deep flavour and power to transform any dish into something wonderful. [READ MORE]

Mandarine, beet & pistachio barley salad

in Savoury, Taste -

Colourful and filled with flavour and textures, this mandarine, beet & pistachio barley salad is a super star all around. 

Mandarine, beet & pistachio barley salad

It’s not always clear to me how a recipe comes to happen; often it’s something I crave or miss- usually my mom’s food or a dish I’ve tried in a restaurant and left a lingering taste in my mouth. Other times inspiration stems from recipes seen in cookbooks or online. More often than not though, everything starts with ingredients: it can be something not very exciting I have in the fridge or cupboard, or fresh seasonal produce first making a timid appearance in market stalls. These are my favourite ones: I feel almost haunted by colours and shapes, I touch and smell and a dish, or a faint outline, more like a desire, starts coming together. For this salad, it all started with mandarines- of which I used to not think much  for quite a long time. Then suddenly, a while ago, I started finding them utterly irresistible. I love when that happens- it’s like having a new friend and start making all sorts of exciting plans for adventures to share together. [READ MORE]

Baked pumpkins, stuffed with couscous, blue cheese & pine nuts

in Savoury, Taste -

Perfectly seasonal, very easy to make and very hard to resist baked pumpkins stuffed with couscous, blue cheese & pine nuts.

Baked pumpkins, stuffed with couscous, blue cheese & pine nuts

Fragrant herbs and filling grains or carbs is usually my go to for easy lunches or fuss free dinners. A little bit of couscous, quinoa or wholewheat pasta, brown or black rice, faro and barley are on heavy rotation year round, alongside lots of greens and maybe eggs or fish. In the colder months, I like to pair them with thick skinned vegetables, roasted with generous amounts of extra virgin olive oil until they almost collapse, and their flesh is almost sweet as honey. [READ MORE]

Cavolo nero & sun dried tomato mac & cheese with crunchy pecan topping

in Savoury, Taste -

This cavolo nero & sun dried tomato mac & cheese with crunchy pecan topping is what my cheesy autumnal dreams are made of!

My love for both pasta and cooking with seasonal ingredients is well documented here, as is my excitement over what to cook when seasons change. I may miss summer and its bright coloured juicy treasures at first, but by mid September, I have fully embraced autumn, it’s vibrant hues of deep orange, red and orange and I find myself, almost without realising, ready for heartier dishes. This year, up until a few days, we were graced with an unexpected glorious indian summer, filled with sunny days and almost balmy nights. And then, all of a sudden, the weather turned very cold- just in time for my dear cavolo nero to be featured in all its glory in a couple dishes. [READ MORE]

Anchovy, pea & garlic lemony tagliatelle

in Savoury, Taste -

This anchovy, pea & garlic lemony tagliatelle is the perfect end of summer dish: colourful, delicious and comforting in spades. 

Anchovy, pea & garlic lemony tagliatelle

After a blissful, busy, creative and delicious summer, I am back in crazy, moody London, both happy and sad for my return; I am thinking back to sunny, laid back days filled with the freshest food and the longest nights; and I also can’t wait to embrace my usual routine again and for new exciting food adventures to come. [READ MORE]

Zucchini & smocked trout spaghetti

in Savoury, Taste -

This zucchini & smocked trout spaghetti is not only a delicious stunner put together in mere minutes, but also my new favourite summer pasta dish!

Zucchini & smocked trout spaghetti

My answer to the question “what’s your favourite food” is always: pasta. Pasta forever. Yet, I make it quite rarely. Part of it is because I want to enjoy it more, on special occasions- which can vary from a fancy dinner date to an utterly informal and quick one pot dish, eaten hungrily straight from the pan. Another is my inability to have a little bit of pasta; it’s never a little bit, it’s always a lot. A lot. And carbs- as much as I love them, they tend to weigh me down, so I rather favour quinoa, roast veggies and fish instead. [READ MORE]

String beans with saffron, lemon & mustard vinaigrette

in Savoury, Taste -

Light, simple and delicious, these string beans with saffron, lemon & mustard vinaigrette are the perfect pair to any summer bbq. 

String beans with saffron & mustard vinaigrette

I’ve been in Greece for about two weeks now, hence my brief disappearance. If you’re following along here, you may have seen that the last couple of weeks have been quite the stunner. Visiting Messenia for the first time made my heart beat faster and filled my eyes with overwhelming views: deep blue sea and imposingly towering mountains, separated only by silver green olive trees, proud cypresses and the greenest rosemary shrubs as far as the eye could see. [READ MORE]

Sardine, avocado & spinach quinoa bowl

in Savoury, Taste -

I’ve been making this sardine, avocado & spinach quinoa bowl on repeat lately- it’s so quick and easy and filled with goodness and flavour!

Sardine, avocado & spinach quinoa bowl

It’s no secret I am a big fan of quick & easy meals. Sometimes, I love an elaborate meal, mostly when I’m craving lots of time spent in the kitchen, following in an almost meditating manner steps and carefully measuring and adding ingredients. Mostly though, I love dishes that are straightforward, their parts coming together almost intuitively. Like this quinoa bowl. [READ MORE]