Food Wine Sleep

Most people can quit obviously recognise a lamb rack or some cutlets, however many people aren't aware that lamb back strap is that exact same meat. It is the "sirloin" of lamb and as in beef this cut has an abundant flavour and I highly recommend it for barbecuing. As with sirloin however, the trick is not to overcook it. In this particular recipe I have taken that extremely flavoursome meat and added another level of flavour by marinating it in homemade Cajun spice. To compliment rather than confuse the strong flavour of the marinated meat, I've served it with a relatively simple and refreshing salad. This particular dish serves quite respectably with either a...

Back some years ago, I was working with Liana Doyle and very talented chef and great personal friend. Liana had been working in the USA for some years before making her way to Asia via Paris where she headed the culinary team at a typical French Bistro for some time. This recipe sort of reflects her career and her cooking style up to that point; a Southern US staple (beef ribs), a traditional French basic cooking method (braising) with an Asian twist. Although I lost contact with Liana a few years ago, I have very fond memories of her as a culinary colleague and friend. This recipe however, of her 'tamarind ribs' will stay with me for a long, long time.

Ox cheek, I can see you scrunching up your nose in disgust as you read that, but trust me once you've tried it you'll be wondering why you haven't been eating it all along and why you can't get it everywhere. Or maybe you are already familiar with ox cheeks and are here to get another recipe for this fabulous ingredient. This recipe, as most great classic dishes, was probably created out of sheer economic necessity. Necessity of peasants who could not afford to be wasteful with any part of the animal and had to ensure that everything went to some sort of use. With these humble beginnings, I find it rather interesting to note that dishes like this are now only found on...

My grandfather has always raised rabbits, for sale and own use, on his farm. Growing up, I was introduced to rabbit as an alternative meat to chicken or pork. A few years ago then, at the height of the BSE scandal in Europe and the outbreak of Foot & Mouth disease in some farms, rabbit meat was actively marketed and gained popularity again. Rabbit has a wonderful tasty, delicate white meat. Depending on the tenderness of the legs they are suitable for pan-frying and roasting, but in general they are best braised to tenderness. The delicate loins are excellent grilled or roasted and in salads. The shoulder have little meat and are mostly boned and the meat used for...

I used to fancy myself as somewhat of a runner, although now I tend to get winded running to catch the telephone before message bank picks up. "Hello..pant..pant..pant...Paul speaking." When I was running I used to eat pasta at least 4 times a week and I found myself having to get rather creative if I didn't want to live off a perpetual cycle of Bolognese, Arrabiata, and Boscaiola. That time in my life was when I created this dish. Even though I no longer run, I do still eat this dish as though I were training for a marathon.

One of my favourite things about the calendar flipping into autumn is pumpkin soup. I know what you're thinking, why wait until autumn? You can buy pumpkin year round now. True yes, but in my mind it still tastes better when you know you are cooking with ingredients that were grown locally, are in season and haven't been stuck in some crate in stagnant air for weeks on end in the hull of some dirty old ship or the trailer of some truck. Plus the seasons are nature's way of getting us to eat a variety of foods, and Mother Nature is a lot older than us, so I imagine she knows best.

Of all the barbecues I have had, one thing is certain of all of them. Regardless of how many other cuts of quality steaks I may have on offer, given the choice, my friends will always choose this one. I suppose I can't blame them, the lengthy marinading time means the meat absolutely melts in their mouths and that each and every ounce of it is permeated with the delicious Cajun spices. One other thing that is certain is that everyone that has it asks me how they can make it. I never tell them as then they will stop coming to my barbecues and I will have to start going to theirs and their beers are rubbish and their beer fridges not cold enough. So please don't tell any of...

Having left Switzerland some 20 + year ago, Fondue and Raclette are still one of the things I do miss and usually have as soon as I return for holidays. I am not too sure if it is just the food that I miss at times, as Fondue dinner, at least in our family, always was a great family affair. Everybody it had to be at the table ahead of mother bringing out the fondue from the kitchen, as it needed to be stirred at all time as soon as it got on the table to avoid it getting burnt. The cheese used in the Fondue is of vital importance. Every cheese store or Formagerie in the French part of Switzerland has it's own 'house' mixture, but you will be most welcome and order your ow...

This must be one of the more simple recipes I know, but the fresh herbs and the roasted spices of the Chermoula lack nothing in flavor or fragrance. Of course the dish works with all kind of other fish aswell but the cod used here will come out really juicy and fork tender.

This is great example of a recipe that is healthy, easy, quick and yet still a very comforting winter dish. When I make this I rarely have it with anything more than a bottle of Pinot Noir and some ciabatta bread. Actually I lie, a few weeks ago I made it for a lunch and simply added arugula leaves, a little more vinegar, a splash of olive oil and served it with white wine.

I don't know why people don't use spatchcock more often. You know how people always fight over the best part of the chicken, for some it's the breast others the thigh or wing. Well hey, if you use spatchcock everyone can have a whole or half a bird, so there's no more feeling ripped off. On top of that a spatchcock has a lot more flavour and moistness, ok it may not be the most easy eating meat but a little knife and fork work is definitely worth the extra taste, especially when the alternative these days is hormone fed boneless, skinless, flavourless cardboard chicken breast. This dish is great in summer with a nice crisp white wine and a leafy green salad as a first cou...

Indian cuisine is a very versatile cuisine and can be incorporated into modern cuisine very easily. Also, thanks to its plethora of spices and flavours it is the ultimate cuisine for inspiration, you can virtually take it in any direction you wish and still end up with something that reflects that Indian origin. In this recipe I have used the Indian technique of marinating in yoghurt for the fish. Slowly cooked the lentils in popular Indian spices and topped the whole dish off with a refreshing salsa to contrast the strong flavours of the fish and lentils.

I was on the phone to my friend Trevor the other day back in Canada, and as well as the usual catching up on each others distant lives, we talked food for a bit. During this conversation Trevor asked me how to make fettuccine Carbonara, as he had attempted it the night before and ended up with as is often the case, fettuccine a'la scrambled eggs. I explained to him the trick was to toss the warmed pasta through the egg mix away from the stove and by doing so the heat of the pasta will warm the egg sauce enough to cook it but not actually scramble it. I was thankful for that conversation because it is a classic dish I hadn't made in ages and since that phone call I have re...

Pasta; the ultimate comfort food. Prawns; grill, them saute; them, marinate them, poach them, there's not many ways a prawn doesn't taste good. Fennel; raw in a salad, braised in a stew, diced in a soup, unique and delicious no matter how you cook it. Pernod and cream; need I say more? Although ingredients can be good on their own, combining them with other good ingredients does not always work. In this case however the combined dish is equal to and greater than the sum of its delicious parts. The pasta is cooked perfectly al dente, the prawns are sauted until just tender, the fennel is cooked and loses its raw power and becomes mild and soft, and finally the entire dish...

Salmon and dill is another one of those unbeatable combinations that has stood the test of time. In this recipe I have included a few ingredients that are very complimentary to both the salmon and dill but still allow them to be the dominant flavours in the dish. This recipe can be made using either smoked salmon (as I've done here) or fresh.

Fresh pasta is so easily done one actually wonders why it is not used more often. Fresh egg pasta is essential for all homemade filled or stuffed pastas such as ravioli, agnolotti and tortellini and more. Ribbon pastas like fettuccini, pappardelle and cappellini (angel hair). Alternatively if you do not have a pasta machine, then you can roll the dough as thin as poissible with a rolling pin, cut the pasta it into ribbons, or any other shape you like, by following the side of a ruler with a pizza wheel inb the exact shape you desire.

This recipe comes from Adam, an old friend and colleague of mine. I worked with Adam as a Sous Chef to his Head Chef in the early to mid 90's. As I'm sure you'll recall that was a time when "fusion cooking" was all the rage. A time when simply mixing wasabi through anything and everything made it French-Japanese fusion. A time when adding grilled vegetables to any dish made it modern Mediterranean. Now I know cooking is like fashion and the envelope needs to be constantly pushed in order to be tested, but I fear that what some chefs were passing off as "fusion" back then is the fashion equivalent of "fusing" Mr T's jewellery and hair cut to S...

Want to cook something spicy for your guests? Do some of your guests like a little more kick than others? Then this is perfect dish to cook. For the spice monger amongst your guests, lay the harissa on nice and thick. For the somewhat less chilli-adventurous, a slightly gentler approach. Regardless of your guests spice tolerance, I'm sure they will find the delicateness of the Corn and Coriander Fritter the ideal foundation and the slight sweetness of the Pineapple and Mint Salsa to offer the perfect balance.

This dish is on the top of my list for summer entertaining dishes. It sits there proudly for a couple of reasons, firstly, it's always a crowd pleaser and secondly, most of the work is done the day before! Unlike many dishes that deteriorate from being prepped too early, this recipe benefits from it. The beans need to be soaked for at least 24 hours and the herbs will permeate the chicken better if marinated longer rather than shorter. In addition doing all the work so far in advance will once again leave you more time to entertain and enjoy the summer weather for yourself. Bon apatite.

When it comes to organic food, I don't think I would be able to tell you the difference between an organic piece of parsley and a non-organic piece of parsley. However when it comes to chicken the difference is night and day. Organic chickens are more tender, the skin crisps better and the flesh tastes 100% like chicken. Non organic chickens are fed copious amounts of antibiotic growth promoters and the end result is unnaturally large birds with bland tasteless meat. Organic birds, even though usually twice as old when slaughtered are often still smaller than these unnaturally oversized counterparts. Having to feed and house the animals twice as long obviously adds a...

The boneless skinless chicken breast, sounds exciting doesn't it? What if we add the words grilled or poached? Unfortunately this is the way most people eat this cut of chicken, dried out and without sauce, usually in the name of health. I've said it before and I'll say it again health is intertwined with happiness and I don't know about you but something dry grilled and without sauce doesn't bring me happiness. The chicken breast is a very versatile cut and prepared correctly it can be anything but dry and bland. This recipe is designed to be ENJOYED, as all food should be. I have given the chicken breast a rich golden nutty coating, topped it with a lush reduced port sa...

Now that winter is upon us once again, I thought it was time to pull out one of my favourite winter recipes; Minestrone Soup. This soup always takes me back to my childhood, working as my Dad's helper in his electrical business. In particular a re-wiring job he did for an old Italian lady back in Vancouver named Mrs Sorrechi. She was a lovely woman of sizeable physical proportions as well as a woman of sizeable compassion. Something I was acutely aware of as a boy working in the freezing cold at her house. Now, I recall as a kid (as I'm sure every kid does) cringing whenever an unfamiliar grown up would kiss, make cutesy faces or hug me. But with Mrs Sorrechi I never mind...

Swordfish, some will claim is a very boring fish, and in all honesty it is a bit simple on its own. However it is that simple flavour that I find so appealing about swordfish, it can be turned into virtually any style of recipe you want. Some fish, salmon for instance, is a beautiful fish but due to its rich distinct prominent flavour it is not as versatile as our humble sword. Imagine either fish with a nice herbed pilaf and a classic beurre blanc, but don't try putting both into a salty sweet Chinese stir fry. In this recipe I have used a tender piece of sword as a platform to get across some very distinct Moroccan flavours, served it on some soft polenta, topped it...

Although this dish is quintessentially French it is probably more of a consistent feature on the dinner tables of the northeastern region of the country. The beauty of a mussel dish like this is that the mussels (or 'moules') are served absolutely fresh. Mussels are harvested all over the coast of France and then shipped live to the local fishmongers. There they are bought, (still alive), taken home, cleaned and prepared in this simple yet stunning recipe and enjoyed by anyone lucky enough to be present. So the key for you to enjoy this dish is to do the same, and by that I mean: buy only the freshest best live mussels from your local trusted fishmonger. And then simply p...

As most of my friends will tell you, I am a huge fan of summer and not big on winter. I tend to complain all winter about the lack of warmth and sunshine, to be honest I complain so much in winter I'm surprised I even have friends willing to put up with it. However, having said that there are a couple of things I do love about winter, there's food, food and more food. One of my favourite ways of cooking in winter is braising (cooking meats or vegetables in their own or added juices in a very slow oven). This dish, Braised Lamb Shanks is such a magnificent winter dish that it on its own gives me the tolerance to cope with the entire winter season, (well almost).

Although not overly extravagant or involved to prepare, Osso Buco is, and always has been a real treat to make. Is it the joy from making that delicious sauce? A sauce so tasty that adding a piece of crusty bread and a bowl is all that is needed to make a meal. Or is it the almost maternal care used when keeping an eye on the whole thing in the oven? Or maybe it's the taking of an otherwise tough piece of meat and turning it into something that is melt in your mouth tender? Whatever it may be that makes me enjoy preparing Osso Buco so much, I am certain of at least one thing; making it is a distant second to the pleasure I get from eating it. All I need is one glass of...

Paella (pa-yay-aa) is a traditional Spanish dish that actually takes its name from the pot in which it is cooked, a paellera. Paella originated from the Valencia region but now virtually every part of Spain offers their own version. There is much debate as to what ingredients belong in a Paella, but there is no debate that at the core there should be rice and saffron. This is the recipe I cook when entertaining, but if I'm cooking only for my girlfriend and I, it might be a very simple Paella with a couple of ingredients or an incredibly involved dish teeming with everything under the sun. This usually depends on my mood and the state of my wallet. As always and especiall...

If you don't love quality extra virgin olive oil and saut�ed golden garlic, then you won't understand this recipe. Those of you that do, well you'll know exactly what a simply magnificent Italian creation this is. I have said it numerous times before and I stand by my words to this day, "If there were no such things as good extra virgin olive oil and garlic I would not have become, or continue to be a Chef!" They are my absolute 2 favourite ingredients and in this dish, the Italians let these ingredients shine in simplicity.

"My brother in law Darren is the best steak cook I know!" I was very young when I first proclaimed that, in fact I may have said "my sister's new boyfriend," it was that long ago. I stick by those words today, as he still cooks one of the best steaks I've had anywhere; however it wasn't until a few years later as I embarked on my cooking career, that I discovered it had just as much to do with Darren's eye for quality and knowledge of beef cuts as it did with his skill. You see Darren knew that I being only young may have found the flavour of a robust sirloin or rib eye a little strong. So he decided to use what is considered to be the tenderest cut of...

This dish, although inspired by the abundant basil of late spring, is a wonderful dish to have any time of year. I find it a great choice for entertaining, as you can crumb the lamb hours before and the caponata can be made as early as a day before. All you'll need to do when your friends arrive is cook the lamb, warm the caponata, let the wine breathe and sit down to dinner.

Polenta is one of those things I despised as a child and only really got to appreciate when I became a chef. Polenta is a great alternative to pasta, rice and potatoes and goes well with chicken, rabbit and grilled sausages. Polenta traditionally is cooked in saltwater only, but different chefs prefer to use beef bouillon, milk or a mixture of it. It really depends on each individual's preference. For different taste and textures, replace the Parmesan cheese with Mascarpone, Ricotta or soft goat cheese. Grilled mushrooms, vegetables or crisp Parma ham also make a great addition to polenta.

This is a dish that I first discovered when working in a traditional Italian Restaurant many years ago. The very un-Italian head Chef was writing the specials menu one Friday afternoon outside the back of the kitchen. In my youthful cockiness I thought that meant it was break time and I went out as well (the orders seemed to be finished). I got out back and saw a few of the specials he had been writing down, I pointed to the prosciutto wrapped salmon filet and I asked him, "Trent, is that really an Italian Dish?" He answered somewhat agitated, "Who gives a *#!* if it is or it isn't, it has Italian ingredients in it and you watch how well it sells tonight...

This dish is great to cook if you are vegetarian and just as good if you are not. As a person that is completely content in their carnivore ways, I can happily attest that this is one vegetarian dish that I am more than happy to put in front of me in place of a meat laden dinner plate. The grilled polenta provides a delicious and substantial foundation, the roasted mushroom is a tender and juicy centre piece, the fresh beans offer the crisp spring factor while the roast pepper and port reduction is the perfect naturally sweet and slightly decadent sauce to unite it all. Enjoy this dish, no matter what side of the carnivore/vegetarian fence you are on.

Although Capsicums really don't come into their own until spring, this is a dish that is too good to wait for, try it around the end of winter as that is when the first Capsicums start to appear. The mushrooms add a clever twist on it and the parsley oil adds a bitter to the sweet of the peppers as well as a nice colour contrast.

This is not so much a recipe as a guideline, as every time I make it, it is slightly different depending on what's in the fridge. The quantities however stay the same but allow your imagination to run when making this soup. I know that personally I enjoy the different flavours every time I make it.

Everyone knows that meats and fresh herbs are a marriage made in heaven, but as in human relationships certain marriages are stronger than others. For example roast chicken with fresh thyme, seafood's with dill or fennel, tender beef with a rich tarragon infused b�arnaise and of course the ultimate paring of roast lamb and fresh rosemary. The latter mentioned combination is, in this recipe taken to a further level by adding garlic and parmesan. This would have to be my favourite way to have lamb.

When making this salad you are likely to find as many variations as ingredients. The important thing to remember is it is made by you for you and your friends, so if you're not a fan of certain ingredients leave them out, likewise if you really love a certain item, add a little more. The recipe we have given here is our collective favourite here at chefs pencil. However if we were true to the salads namesake (ie from Nice in France) there would definitely not be any potatoes in this salad.

When I was around 5 or 6 growing up in Canada, my family moved next door to the Patterson family, the Patterson's had two boys, Mike and Steve. Mike was one year younger and Steve one year older than I. Similar age, same gender, lived close, ok all criteria for position of best friend filled: let's play�.and play we did, usually in the forest that covered their small property. We played war games, hide and seek, climbed trees, dug caves, built forts, you name it we did it. It was an ideal childhood playground, albeit at times cold and wet. After hours of being out there, the remaining daylight would start to fade to a dim grey, we would listen with contradictory f...

As it goes sometimes in the kitchen, a cocktail party had a bit of an over flow on guests and we needed to prepare some extra items. In the hurry, and with the guests waiting, I used anything I could get my hands on. Mostly items that were ingredients for the one or the other a la carte dish currently on our menu. The guests were so happy with these little dishes, that they actually are now featured on our cocktail menu offering.

This is a shining example of the less complicated a dish is, the better it is. Each ingredient in this recipe is served very near to its natural state and this lack of having been �messed' with results in a simple yet sophisticated combination. The flavours in this dish do all the hard work for you, fresh ocean trout complemented by an effortless sesame crust and seared beautifully rare, the fresh cucumber and the just picked tender baby herbs simply glazed with the distinctive flavours of fresh lime, mirin and fiery chilli. The best thing about this lack of complication is exactly that; uncomplicated cooking for you. Serve this next time you want to impress your...

The crispy fritters not only make this dish a little more substantial but they also make a brilliant compliment to the smoky salmon. The peppery watercress and the tartness of the vinaigrette are perfectly rounded out with the soft creaminess of the fetta. This dish is also a great dish to be a little creative with, think of any other meat or fish that would go well with corn and substitute it for the salmon. Roquette (arugula) also makes a great substitute for the watercress. I know you'll enjoy this recipe and I hope you enjoy making your variations of it even more.

Another simple masterpiece inspired by, of course, the Ocean and the Italians. Unfortunately I have been to countless "Italian" restaurants that come nowhere near masterpiece with this dish. I've had it with more sand than the local beach, garlic raw enough to scare a vampire, and God forbid even cream. If you follow this recipe to the letter you will end up with Spaghetti Vongole better than most places in town.

Beurre blanc is a traditional French butter sauce. In this recipe I've tweaked it a little by adding the juice of an orange and infused it with a little ginger. It works very well with the spicy coating on the chicken. Beurre blanc is really quite an easy sauce as long as you take your time. Once you've done it a few times you will find yourself making it over and over and hopefully coming up with new ideas for it as well.

The inspiration for this dish comes from an old booklet I bought when I was just starting my apprenticeship as a chef. Good cookbooks were very expensive and I could not always afford them so I bought myself this little paperback booklet dedicated to 'Western Cooking' meaning the fare of the cowboys, the Midwest and Indians. Just recently while cleaning up some of my old stuff, in stored in boxes, I came across this little booklet and found a coffee rub for steaks in it. Although the recipe in the booklet was much simpler, I liked the taste and the general idea of it and so, this is how, an amended version of it I now use with pork chops for BBQ's or as a rub when roastin...

This dish builds on a recipe my friend Damian gave to me a couple of years back. I was working with him on a function for the annual Melbourne Cup horse race. We had had some problems with suppliers not delivering on time and as such were behind the eight ball with our prep all morning. It was now 12 noon and I recall nervously saying to Damo, "Here come the customers and we haven't even got half the prep done, I've still got to cook the cous cous, I haven't even got the chicken kievs let alone stuff them." Damian calmly replied "Pass me that orange juice. I'll make the cous cous and you run across the road to the Thai restaurant and tell them you'll buy so...

This recipe builds on my Mother's recipe that I recall so fondly from my childhood in Canada. After a hard day of play in the cold west coast winter rain, sitting down to this sweet smoky broth was such a treat. We used to eat it with bucket loads of butter cooked croutons, but now I tend to eat it with just a little fresh bread. However you have it, I'm sure it will become a winter favourite.

This dish was taught to me by a good friend and Swedish chef. Ever since then, around Christmas time, when attending quite a number of pre-Christmas parties that are 'potluck', meaning they require all participants to bring a dish along, I make this Swedish lax pudding. It is so simple, needs little to none care except reheating and is always well liked. As often the case with traditional recipes there are no strict rules and therefore instead of salted salmon one could easily use cold smoked salmon or even raw, sautéed salmon and the dish would taste just as good.

Fresh fish and fresh herbs, what more could you ask for in a spring dish. Both are complemented perfectly by the addition of a hearty Middle Eastern salad. You will find because the Fattoush is pretty substantial as far as salads go, it can also be eaten as a meal on its own.

I have had venison on 3 different continents and on each occasion it has tasted completely different from the last. Wow!! Does that ever sound pompous; when you write that word "Venison" it can't help but be read that way, just pretend I said chicken and I won't come across as a snob. Anyhow apart from the obvious reasons for these differences such as whether the meat is farmed or wild, there are many other reasons. For example, the climate the animal lives in, the age of the animal and even the geography it lives in. For example a very hilly and sparsely vegetated landscape will produce a very different animal to one that has grown up in a fertile well vege...

I think most people have very fond memories of the Sunday roast dinner at a loved ones. Remember those vegetables; just thinking of them makes me wish I was there right now. Well with this recipe you can bring those memories directly to your taste buds on a regular basis without having to worry about all those relatives and all the trimmings. I have added a few extra varieties of vegetables for colour and texture. Probably slightly different from how your grandmother did it, but equally tasty and also a slightly healthier way to have them.

The first time I had this dish was a few years back. A gang of us went to a Spanish restaurant for a going away dinner for a few of the group that were off to Europe indefinitely. It was a brilliant night with beautiful food, great friends, kitschy flamenco music, lots of sangria and many embarrassing stories from the past. The details are a little sketchy but a couple of things I remember particularly well are; the Restaurant was about the size of a small sailboat with less than 7 tables in all. Despite this it was a very comfortable place, the seating was on wooden benches that resembled church pews and scattered over them were randomly coloured embroidered cushions. Th...