Food & Travel
5 Food Questions with Des Harris
To kick off my 5 Food Questions series for this year, I thought who better to have answer them than Des Harris, of Clooney restaurant. Des has just recently been awarded Chef of the Year by Cuisine NZ Good Food Awards, and Clooney, which is a bit of an establishment here in Auckland, is one of only two restaurants that holds three hats.
A French Classic: Daube of Beef
When we have people over for dinner I try to take the stress away by having the meal prepared as much as possible and depending on the season, in the oven when the guests arrive. Winter is perfect for that.
Moroccan Lamb Shanks
We had such a wet Sunday yesterday, the perfect day for some slow cooking. I had some lamb shanks in the fridge so searched the Internet for a new recipe that wouldn’t require too many new ingredients to stock up on. I came across this Moroccan lamb shank recipe on the Delicious UK site. It was super easy to do, the most fiddly part, if you can call it that, would be mixing the spices. I’ll definitely make this yummy meal again!
Banana & Pear Cake
An overripe banana is a rarity in this house, so if the occasion occurs I almost always make a banana cake or a variation of it, depending what I have on hand. Yesterday I had only one banana so I made a pear and banana cake. It’s simple and as far as cakes are concerned, uses not too much butter and sugar.
Roast Pumpkin Cous Cous Salad
Do you have a recipe that you do time and time again that is a sure winner and you’re forever asked by friends for the recipe? This salad is one of them for me. I made it for lunch this week and thought it a good time to share with you.
How to Eat a Whole Flat Fish
A lot of people (including myself at one point) are intimidated by eating a whole fish. It’s a real shame because nothing compares with the taste of it and it’s the only way that you know that what you’re eating is truly fresh.
Chocolate Chip Cookie
My five year old had his first day at school for the year yesterday and I promised him that he’d have some homemade chocolate chip cookies in his lunchbox as a treat. So on Wednesday afternoon, my five year old, three year old, eighteen month old and I gathered around the kitchen table to take turns in measuring, pouring and stirring. It’s a fun moment together and they feel such a sense of achievement. The best part for me is to see their eyes light up as they take that first bite of the cookie while it’s still warm from the oven.
Monkfish a l’Armoricaine
Meet Mamie Annie, Guillaume’s mother from France. “Mamie” means grandma in French so “Mamie Annie” is what our kids call her.
In true French tradition, Annie is a wonderful cook, so over the coming weeks I’ll try to document some of her dishes for you because they are in one word – delicious!
