I enjoyed a bowl of smoked bourbon baked beans at the weekend, paired perfectly with a juicy rib-eye steak. What to do with the leftover beans though? I had planned to make a pizza during the week. A steak pizza for that matter.
In a moment of culinary creativity, my wife blended the remaining beans into a sauce as a passata substitute. It resulted in one of the best tasting meat pizzas that we had.
Continue reading “Steak and Mushroom Pizza with Bourbon Bean Sauce”
I watched Jamie Oliver’s “American Road Trip” a couple of weeks ago. One recipe that stood out was when he cooked baked beans cowboy-style whilst camping in the great outdoors. Looked great with strips of steak seared on a cast iron pan over a campfire.
So we decided to made our own version at home … very simple and definitely several notches above your standard tin of baked beans.
Continue reading“Smokey Bourbon Baked Beans” Continue reading “Smokey Bourbon Baked Beans”
Recently we cooked a lovely 2 inch thick rib-eye steak using the reverse sear technique. The beef was cooked evenly throughout, and the rubbed seared crust was outstanding. It was some of the best steak we have experienced, our cats confirming this assessment.
Side dishes are often overlooked, with focus given to the main event. Yet they can be fantastic in their own right, a true co-star instead of a supporting cast member.
Black bean coconut rice is just such a dish. It’s a superb companion for meals with a bit of a kick.
Continue reading“Black Bean Coconut Rice” Continue reading “Black Bean Coconut Rice”
Banh mi is to Vietnam what a sandwich is to the western world, and along with Pho Ga is a contender for Vietnam’s national dish. Packed with tasty pork, fresh herbs and mouth-tingling pickled vegetables, it takes the lunch experience to a whole new level.
Easy to make, enjoy a homemade banh mi panini with this simple step-by-step guide.Continue reading“Banh Mi Panini – A Vietnamese Sandwich” Continue reading “Banh Mi Panini – A Vietnamese Sandwich”
This is currently our go-to pizza. A simple, yet effective, combination of spiced lamb, textured goats cheese and tasty spinach, finished off with shredded mozzarella. Learn how to cook this for yourself, using either an oven or a Big Green Egg.
Continue reading “Moroccan Lamb, Goats Cheese and Spinach Pizza”
Last night we feasted on monster rib-eye steaks with smoked garlic, served with roasted vegetables. Paired with some lovely red wine, these were about the best steaks we have cooked. And by “we”, I mean my wife. 🙂
Continue reading “Rib-Eye Steaks with Smoked Garlic”
Popcorn has been going through a bit of a resurgence lately. Tastes and flavours from salted caramel through white cheddar and even Worcester sauce and sun-dried tomato are now readily available at supermarkets and online.
With the addition of an inexpensive popcorn maker to the kitchen, these can mostly be made at home. Our standard popcorn comes in from left field, using Ras el Hanout and Maple Syrup to add a spicy kick to movie nights. Or … writing a blog post :).
Continue reading “Ras El Hanout and Maple Syrup Popcorn”
I have been embroiled in a friendly-ish competition with my mother-in-law (who is an excellent cook) to cook the best roast potato. My current method is the culmination of this endeavour, to which a dinner guest once commented:
“he has studied to Heston Blumenthal levels of obsession, [these] were emphatically the finest roasties I have had ever.”
Praise indeed for humble spuds transformed into Duck ‘n’ Dexter Roast Potatoes.
Continue reading “Duck ‘n’ Dexter Roast Potatoes”
One of my favourite aromas is that of freshly baked bread, even beating a good red wine. And it’s easy to make a crusty, tasty loaf at home with virtually no effort.
This classic restaurant dish from the 1970’s has all but disappeared from our menus now, as the food trend has moved from sauces poured onto food to food served on sauces (or with foams).
In the past the emphasis was weighted towards the sauce … which led to heavy sauces, unbalanced flavours and the duck skulking somewhere in the background. With a couple of tricks, the meal can be re-balanced, letting the duck shine through once again.
An impressive meal to serve to guests, or enjoy as a family, we present duck a l’orange.
Continue reading “Duck a l’Orange”
Walk around any town or city in Vietnam and you’ll find a Pho vendor, either a curbside street stall or a bustling cafe. Pho is a very popular Vietnamese noodle soup dish, normally served with beef (Pho Bo) or chicken (Pho Ga).
From my first taste, it was an instant hit. So many new and exotic flavours and aromas. This just had to be made when we got back home … which happened, and as a result of eating this wonderful dish, I dropped 19kg (3 stone) in weight.
Delicious, cost-effective and incredibly healthy, I hope you enjoy Pho Ga.
Continue reading “Pho Ga – Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup”
The Cook's Digest 