Recipes

Lucky coin cake

     LUCKY COIN CAKE This is the Vasilopita I make lately. Our Greek New Years cake – that holds the lucky coin well, and everyone loves it. Whoever gets the coin in their slice has a lucky year ahead. We make it every New Year’s Eve and have it first thing on New Year’s […]

Pumpkin Gnocchi

      PUMPKIN GNOCCHI My family made these from my book on Venice ‘Venezia’ – Pumpkin gnocchi with sage butter They used a delica pumpkin. If you make this, choose a nice, sweet & bright orange one. There is no potato here- pumpkin & just enough flour to hold it together so you can […]

Carrot Cake

      CARROT CAKE This is my mom’s friend Annettes’ wonderful carrot cake – & in my book ‘Falling Cloudberries’. You can substitute the cake flour for another flour such as teff. Serves 10 or more 4 eggs, lightly beaten 250g (2 cups) sugar 185 ml (¾ cup) sunflower or light olive oil 300g […]

Tomato Soupe

Fish in a Bottle

      FISH IN A BOTTLE The wonderful thing here ~ is the no smell of fish anywhere in the house. The recipe is from my book ‘Limoncello & Linen Water’. The fish is cooked in preserving jars with watertight lids, that can even be simmering away amongst your jam jars. Serves 4 4 […]

Tomato Soupe

Sgroppino – Lemon Chill

      SGROPPINO – LEMON CHILL This recipe is from my book ‘Venezia’. Sgroppino is a wonderful refreshing lemon ice cream/ prosecco/vodka whizz – often served in a glass as a drink or palate cleanser – but fantastic for dessert. I like to serve it after lunch & have kept the alcohol amounts quite […]

Tomato Soupe

Spaghetti con Vongole e Calamari

      SPAGHETTI CON VONGOLE E CALAMARI I like the addition of calamari to a classic recipe. The timing is important here – the calamari must be tender, & you need the seafood cooking while you par-cook the spaghetti. Then they can be tossed together at the right moment & the spaghetti can finish […]

Tomato Soupe

Chocolate Cake from Guadeloupe

      CHOCOLATE CAKE FROM GUADELOUPE I had many lovely cakes in Guadeloupe – one on a chocolate plantation, which you could tell was made with cocoa butter & the chocolate logs for grating that you find there. There were also several other inspiring, tall chocolate cakes ready-cut into pieces for buying to eat […]

Tomato Soupe

Pineapple cake

      PINEAPPLE CAKE This recipe is from my book ‘Piri piri Starfish’. It is a very popular cake in Portugal – great for breakfast or afternoon tea. I had this very often on the island of San Miguel in the Azores – with their lovely pineapples. Make sure the pineapple you use is […]

Tomato Soupe

Suspiros – Sighs

      SUSPIROS – SIGHS Meringues are everywhere in Portugal. You can make them & have them plain, or more dressed up as this lovely, simple dessert here. Keep the egg yolks for making pasteis de nata. Makes many 4 egg whites, at room temperature a good pinch of salt 225g (1 cup) caster […]

Tomato Soupe

Finnish meatballs, sour cream & lingonberries

      FINNISH MEATBALLS, SOUR CREAM & LINGONBERRIES The dish my mother always made, the one that always remains in my mind. All-spice is very often used in Finnish dishes. You can use ordinary cream instead of the sour cream if you prefer. The lingonberry or cranberry jam is very easy to make. This […]