French Toast with Grilled Peaches and Thyme:

I am not a huge fan of eggs, (ok, so that’s a big understatement); I hate them. Before any egg-lovers begin to judge me (and I know there is a huge amount of you out there), I have desperately tried to like them. I have tried Quiche, omelets, and fritatas but to no avail – somehow the egg gets in the way. I find I have the same problem when it comes to scrambled, boiled, and fried eggs – the egg gets in the way.

Alas, there is hope for me. I have managed to eat French Toast and like it too. Look, it does have to be very lightly dipped into the egg mixture and, once cooked, slathered in syrup, sugar, cinnamon, cream — anything to help the egg from getting in the way. At this moment, I should show a bit of gratification for my penchant towards French Toast to Sam of Drizzle and Dip (www.drizzleanddip.com) . She is the one that got me liking French Toast. Sam makes a wonderful French Toast of caramelised pears, Gorgonzola and walnuts. It’s absolutely delicious, so much so it got an egg-hater like me to like French Toast.
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No Comments | In: Breakfast, Lunch, Pudding | tags: cream, egg, French Toast, peaches, thyme. | Link

Mini Pavlovas with Sweet Cream Cheese Filling and Mixed Berries

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a recipe, in fact its been 4 months! In those four months I have been busy working on my website, which should be up and running by the end of this week yay! I say that (with great and good intentions), but lets face it I move at a sloths pace so it might not be up by Friday, but by Monday for sure. All I have to do is write the ‘about’, which I have left for last because it’s the worst part.

Any who moving on to the recipe…

This recipe is quick, easy and simply delicious, and I mean simply cause it is so simple to make. It’s not wonderfully exciting and most of us have made/eaten pavlova, but I do find the cream cheese filling a nice addition. Oh and pavlovas are so pretty, which is reason enough to make them.

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5 Comments | In: Pudding | tags: berries, cream, cream cheese, pavlova. | Link

Cannellini, Leek, Basil and Lemon Soup

A nice, quick soup for a meat-free Monday. I love the combination of the creamy cannellini beans with the zesty lemon and the sweet basil.

I have always thought that leek and potato soup was a great combination of flavours, however I have never enjoyed potatoes in soup. I detest the sandy, crumbly thing that happens to a potato once added to a soup. Even if you blitz the soup, the sand remains, the wonderful soup that should be silky and smooth is a bowl of wet sand – to me anyway . Which brings me to my soup, I add cannellini beans instead of potatoes (and a bit of lemon and basil). I know a lot of you are thinking that beans are quite sandy too, but for some reason the sandiness of beans do not bother me, it seems to be a smoother sand, a less offensive one.

Anywho, I don’t like potatoes in soup but I love beans in soup – hence my re-invention of the potato and leek soup. Serve this soup with crusty bread and a nice cold glass of white wine.

 
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6 Comments | In: Dinner, Lunch, starter, Vegetarian | tags: Basil, Cannellini beans, cream, leeks, lemon. | Link

Pork and Leek Kebabs with a Spicy Soy and Honey Dipping Sauce

These  kebabs are great served as a starter or as a main accompanied with steamed rice and grilled long-stem broccoli — or any vegetables of your choice. The ground pork can be substituted for ground chicken or ground beef, should you prefer. They are wonderfully simple and (most importantly) delicious.  Oh, and I think they would work quiet well as a burger patty or a filling for a wonton. The choices are endless…well, more like 4 but you get the point — these kebabs are versatile, simple, tasty and rather in-expensive to make.

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1 Comment | In: Dinner, Lunch, starter | tags: asian, coriander, dipping sauce, honey, kebabs, leeks, pork, soy sauce, spicy. | Link

Ricotta Pancakes with Strawberry Lemon Curd

If you’re thinking that these ricotta pancakes will taste like cheese or have a crumbling texture, you’re wrong. If you’re thinking that these pancakes will have more oomph, pizazz, zeal, or gusto (but still be light), you’re right. These pancakes neither taste like cheese, nor sink to your stomach like a lead ball, they, on the contrary, are light, fluffy and truly deliciously, spectacularly, wonderfully satisfying.

There is no trace of an overtly cheese flavour, or any odd texture. One would think that adding ricotta to a batter would make it lumpy which would in turn make a lumpy pancake, and yes the batter is lumpy (causing a little anxiety before cooking), but once cooked these wonderful griddled pillows show no trace of a lumpy batter. Instead, you’re left with a beautifully moist and fluffy, fat pancake.

On that note, they do, however, resemble more of an American version of a pancake – kinda like our crumpets, fat, small-ish discs, so don’t pour in too much batter when cooking or you will experience difficulties in flipping – so don’t envision a sophisticated crepe, think diner.

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5 Comments | In: Breakfast, Pudding | tags: curd, Donna Hay, food photography, food styling, foodmonger, lemon, lemon curd, pancakes, ricotta, stawberry lemon curd, Strawberry, strawberry curd. | Link