Syrian Walnut Dip
This dip/dish is surprisingly moreish. It’s slightly sweet and sour and tastes incredibly fresh. It’s the kind of food that makes you feel healthy and wholesome as you eat it. Walnuts are renowned…
Read more
Latest Starters, Soups & Canapés Recipes
Raw Parsnip, Blood Orange & Pea Shoot Salad w/ Quinoa
This vibrant winter salad is really simple to put together and looks stunning on the plate. Have it on its own as a main course (also yummy served with a sliced avocado top)…
Roasted Squash & Beetroot Salad w/ Green Beans, Avocado & Feta
As the cooler weather draws in, I find myself craving autumnal root vegetables in the form of warm salads. Butternut squash is the main ingredient in this dish. It’s low in calories, high in vitamins A…
Pumpkin Hummus
Squash and pumpkins are everywhere at the moment, they’re a sure sign that autumn is on its way. Squash is an incredibly versatile vegetable which features heavily in my winter repertoire because it’s…
Baked Feta w/ Lemon, Chilli & Rosemary
Baked Feta is a thing of beauty. In my experience even people who claim not to like Feta tend to love it in this form. Cooking the Feta makes it fluffy and light…
Tomato Bruschetta
The key to this recipe is the quality of your tomatoes. It’s worth paying extra for the best quality tomatoes you can afford/find, ones with a deep red hue which you know will…
Padron Peppers
Padron Peppers are not spicy but are slightly bitter and sweet. I love to serve this tapas dish doused in good quality olive oil and sea salt. They’re great on the BBQ as…
Leek & Artichoke Pearl Barley “Risotto”
Serves 4-6 Ingredients 6 artichokes 2 leeks, finely chopped in to discs 150g pearl barley 1 clove garlic Chicken or vegetable stock Sprig of thyme 1 bay leaf 40g Parmesan cheese Lemon zest…
Curried Parsnip Soup
Parsnips are packed with fibre, potassium and vitamin C and the spices in this dish will do nothing but good for your immune system which will probably need a helping hand at this…
Cauliflower Soup w/ Watercress Pesto
Take your cauliflower soup to another level with this recipe. A spoonful of Watercress Pesto gives this dish a flash of colour with its vibrant green hue and the peppery flavour of the…
Mushroom Bruschetta w/ Ricotta & Watercress Pesto
This dish is easy to assemble once you have your pesto to hand and can be made in advance making it a great option for a starter if you’re entertaining. You could use…
Watercress Pesto
Watercress Pesto is a delicious and nutritious alternative to the classic basil version but can be used in the same way. Watercress is high antioxidants and vitamins C and K and it contains…
Roasted Carrot Salad w/ Watercress, Pomegranate & Goat’s Cheese
If you’re looking for a winter salad that’s easy on the eye and packs a punch taste-wise then this is the salad for you. You can leave out the goat’s cheese if you’re…
Courgette & Onion Bhajis
This recipe if fairly straight forward and can be served as a side dish with a curry, as a starter or as light lunch or dinner with some salad. If you’re not…
Squash & Kale Tray Bake
Squash and Kale go so well together and it’s the sweetness of the squash and the sun-dried tomatoes along with the bitterness of the kale that makes this a winning combination. Feta adds…
Zuppa di Isola Bella (Tomato, Aubergine & Lentil Soup w/ Salted Ricotta)
Seves 6 Ingredients 1 small aubergine, fine diced ½ brown onion, fine diced 400g cooked puy lentils, or one tin of ready cooked brown lentils 600g tinned tomatoes 1 bay leaf A pinch…
Lentil & Coconut Soup w/ Turmeric
Serves approx 6 Ingredients 250g red lentils, rinsed 1 brown onion, thinly sliced 1small green chilli, fine diced 1 green pepper, sliced 10 cherry tomatoes, chopped 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 large thumb-sized…
Moroccan Squash & Lentil Soup
Serves Appox 8 Ingredients 1 small squash (approx 900g), peeled and cut into fairly big chunks 2 carrots, cut into large chunks 1 brown onion, diced 1 yellow pepper, diced 2 bay leaves…
Sanguine Orange Salad w/ Baked Feta Crumbs & Mint
This salad is pretty straightforward to assemble so I haven’t included any weight measurements. Ingredients Sanguine/Blood oranges, peeled and pith removed Feta cheese Black olives (I used Niçoise olives but Greek Kalamata…
Roasted Red Pepper & Feta Dip (Htipiti)
This dip is great with crudité or on crackers and can be served a part of a mezze. Ingredients 1 large red pepper 100g Feta 200g Greek yoghurt Fresh dill, roughly chopped 1…
Tomato Soup
Use the best tinned tomatoes you can get your hands on for this soup. Higher quality tomatoes will give the soup a better flavour. Makes approximately 8 servings Ingredients 600g baby tomatoes (i.e.…
Beetroot Hummus
I love the colours in this dish, the contrasts make it so eye catching. The hummus can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to three days. Bring to…
Baked Aubergine w/ Black Chickpea & Tomato Salad
Serves 8 Ingredients 1 large aubergine 400g tin black chickpeas 200g cherry tomatoes 1 tablespoon flaked, toasted almonds 1 bunch coriander, chopped 2 cloves garlic, grated 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika…
Beetroot Purée w/ Feta & Rocket Salad
This beautiful little verrine of goodness was inspired by a salad I bought at Pret à Manger at the airport last week. To create the contrast between the beetroot and the Feta you…
Celeriac Soup w/ Rocket Pistou & Garlic Mushrooms
This soup is a perfect starter for a winter dinner party. All components can be made ahead so it’s just a matter of assembling the soup as your guests sit down to eat.…
Vegetable Broth
Instead of wasting vegetable peelings, try my vegetable broth recipe. The broth can be used in soups, risottos, casseroles etc. Ingredients Vegetable peelings (here I used carrot, parsnip, leeks, garlic, onion skins, the…
Broccoli & Gorgonzola Fritters
I use my food processor for this recipe as it saves so much time. If you don’t have a food processor you can finely chop the broccoli with a knife, whisk in the…
Celery & Stilton Soup
Serves 6-8 Ingredients 450g celery sticks cleaned, trimmed of any leaves and diced ½ brown onion, pelled and diced 1 bay leaf 1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped 1 vegetable stock cube 200ml…
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Serves 6 Ingredients 450g mushrooms, finely chopped 1 tablespoon butter 1 brown onion, peeled and sliced 1 bay leaf 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 1 sprig of fresh thyme, or a pinch…
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Serves approximately 6 Ingredients 4 large red peppers or 8 eight or so smaller ones (see image below) ½ brown onion, peeled and finely diced 1 bay leaf 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped 1…
Leek, Potato & Watercress Soup
This soup gives the humble leek and potato soup a run for its money. The addition of watercress is not only aesthetically pleasing, it gives a nice subtle peppery note to the soup…
Lemon & Mozzarella Arancini
Begin preparing the risotto the day before as it is easier to mould when chilled. Ingredients For the lemon risotto: ½ a small brown onion, peeled and finely diced 1 garlic clove, finely…
Squash & Beetroot Croquettes w/ Feta
Makes approx 20 croquettes Ingredients For the filling: 1 whole butternut squash 2 raw medium/large beetroot 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 200g Feta cheese Small bunch of dill, coriander…
Peperonata
Peperonata is a sweet and sour cooked salsa made by cooking peppers with vinegar and sugar. I like to serve it on sliced baguette with some fresh goat’s cheese (it also works well…
Cicchetti Sandwiches
You can use any bread to make these sandwiches. I found this lovely “Orientale” bread at Grand Frais which has a nice crust but is really soft in the middle but you can…
Carrot & Cumin Soup
This soup is one of my favourites and it’s a winner on a cold winter’s day. This recipe makes a fairly large batch but you can easily halve it or freeze whatever is…
Asian Chicken Broth
Ingredients 1 whole chicken 2 carrots 3 spring onions 2 celery sticks 5 garlic cloves, peeled 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, sliced Pinch of chilli flakes 6 star anise 2 cinnamon sticks 12…
Parsnip Rosti w/ Turmeric
This recipe is vegan and gluten and dairy free but would make a very nice vegetarian lunch or dinner served with a fried egg and a tomato salad. Makes approx 12 rosti (can…
Kale & Carrot Salad
Makes a large salad of about 8 side servings, can easily be halved Ingredients 700g mixed carrots 120g kale 100g pecans 100g cranberries 10g grated ginger 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar Zest and…
Parsnip, & Egg Salad w/ Puy Lentils & Watercress
(serves approx. 8 people as a side dish) Ingredients For the salad 500g parsnips ¾ cup puy lentils 8 eggs 200g Watercress ½ a vegetable stock cube 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon…
Thai-pot’s Pumpkin Soup
(makes 4-6 servings) Ingredients 750g pumpkin/butternut squash, peeled and chopped into large pieces 1 small/medium sized potato, peeled and diced ½ a small onion, diced 1 celery stick, diced 10g ginger, sliced 1…
Celeriac Remoulade
Celeriac is also known as Root Celery and belongs to the same family as the carrot i.e. the Apiaceae family of vegetables. It’s quite an ugly vegetable to look at but it’s extremely…
Cauliflower & Fourme D’Ambert Soup
Ingredients 1 cauliflower, roughly chopped into small pieces (main stalk and leaves discarded) 1 small onion, diced 1 medium sized potato, peeled and diced 300ml milk 1 bay leaf 1 vegetable stock cube…
Panzanella
This recipe makes a large batch, you could easily halve it to serve approx 4 people Ingredients 1 stale loaf of bread (ciabatta for example) 750g cherry or baby Roma tomatoes, halved Salt…
Baked Feta in Tomato Sauce
This recipe is inspired by a dish from Katerina’s restaurant in Little Venice, Mykonos. It is best served warm as part of a mezze/tapas meal or on it’s own with lots of toasted…
Basic Tomato Sauce
This recipe will make approx 750ml tomato sauce Ingredients Olive oil 1 clove of garlic, cut in half 150g cherry tomatoes (or similar) chopped in half ½ tsp Himalayan pink salt Ground pepper…
Hanan’s “Lazy” Gluten Free Pizza
On a recent trip I was chatting with one of our guests about a “pizza” I had rustled together the night before with some tortilla wraps as a base. Hanan said that she…
Kamut “Risotto” w/ Tomatoes, Mint & Feta
Ingredients 500g cherry tomatoes 100g Kamut ½ small aubergine, diced 1 garlic clove 100g Feta, crumbled 2 tbsp Mint, chopped Olive oil Salt and pepper 1 tbsp red wine vinegar Honey, a teaspoon…
Curried Cabbage Salad
This dish was inspired by a salad I had many years ago from La Ferme de Foie Gras in Antibes who did the best salads in town. I’ve tried to recreate the salad…
Smoked Salmon Canapés w/ Dill Scones & Horseradish Cream
We had a few crew drinks on the dry dock yesterday as morale has been a bit low this week (STILL in the shipyard!), so I rustled up a nice cheese platter, some…
Asparagus Slaw
Ingredients 1 bunch green asparagus 1 carrot ½ red onion 50g dried cranberries 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley ½ orange 2 tbsp orange scented olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil if…
Cauliflower & Kamut Pasta w/ Paprika, Lemon & Parmesan
I was chatting with a friend on the weekend about how much I absolutely love cauliflower. I used to eat the frozen stuff as a child, heated up in the microwave with…
Queen-Green Goddess Salad
This salad is so refreshing, simply eating it feels as though you’re doing your body some good. The lemon in the salad gives it a wonderful zesty tang which would make this salad…
My Green & Blue Soup
As per Lou’s request, here’s the recipe for my Green & Blue Soup. The reason for separating the florets from the stalk of the broccoli at the beginning of the recipe is that…
Chickpea Pancakes
Ingredients 300g Chickpea flour 2tsp Cumin 2tsp Coriander 1tsp Garam Massala 1/2tsp Turmeric 1tbsp Nigella seeds Pinch Chilli flakes Salt and pepper 1/2tsp Bicarb soda 2 Spring onion, finely sliced 2 tbsp Coriander…
Grilled Chicory w/ Lemon & Parsley Pesto
Trim the chicory’s stem and peel off any browning outer leaves. Slice the chicory lengthways in half, rince well in some cold water and set aside. To make the pesto, finely chop some…
Butternut Squash, Chorizo & Cheddar Patties
Ingredients 1 Butternut Squash (approx. 1.5kg) 100g frozen peas (defrosted) 50g chorizo, finely chopped 100g grated cheddar 1 egg, beaten 2tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander ½ tsp paprika 80g breadcrumbs Olive oil Salt…
Kale, Cabbage & Radish Salad
I was shopping at Metro in La Seyne yesterday when I came across these lovely “Radis Bleu” or Purple Plum Radishes as I think they’re known as in English. I love the grainy…