Chocolate and Amaretti Torte with a Divine Chocolate Frosting

The recipe for this chocolate and amaretti torte with a divine chocolate frosting could not have come at a better time than during the national Chocolate Week 2009. I am…

Orange and Cardamom Soaked Brioche Buns

Credit goes to Valentine Warner for inspiring me to make these fabulous orange and cardamom soaked brioche buns. I was watching Val on telly a few months ago making something…

Wild Boar Bacon and Lemon Thyme Popcorn – My Tribute to Partick Swayze

This recipe is a bit of fun and yummy at the same time! The perfect Saturday afternoon recipe when you have  time on your hands, the weather is uninspiring and…

One £10 Chicken Three Meals – Part Three

Chicken Noodle Soup

There is something rather magical about chicken noodle soup, a feeling that’s it’s all going to be just fine. Did your mum give you chicken noodle soup when…

One £10 Chicken,Three Meals – Part Two

Chicken and Mushroom Ballotine with Pan Roasted Figs and Crushed Cobnuts

It’s day two of my posh chicken challenge which was to cook three meals for two adults with one £10…

Fig and Pine Nut Tart

I feel incredibly privileged to live in Britain, especially close to London as we are the “food  capital” of the world, well that’s my opinion. You can buy nearly anything…

Sous Vide Belly of Pork with Soy Bean and Udon Stir Fry

Thanks go to James who has kindly reminded me of this sous vide belly of pork dish that I’m always going on about. He called last week in search for…

Classic Tart Tatin with Velvety Crème Anglaise

I’m known as the Queen of Tart Tatins….even if I have to say so myself!

I’m looking for perfection when it comes to this classic dish and these are the three…

Celeriac and Potato Gratin with Cobnut Gremolata

How good does cooked cream taste? My mouth is watering just writing about it, but the moment of weakness over the lips and the lifetime of regret over the hips…

Fresh Borlotti Bean, Tiger Prawn and Chorizo Horneado

Eating the produce from my garden this summer has been a wonderful experience. The fruits of our labour are swiftly coming to an end. I harvested the last of the…

Victoria Plum and Blackberry Frozen Ice Cream Slices

The signs of autumn are in the air. The mornings are crisp and the sun is reluctant to show it’s face. I definitely feel the change in the season as…

Crispy Mackerel Wontons

It’s the height of the mackerel season and there is nothing more satisfying than going fishing and coming home with a healthy catch. Mr.P went fishing a few weeks ago…

Julia Childs’ The French Chef Talking Chickens…

With the movie Julie and Julia out in the cinemas this week I thought it would be a bit of fun to watch a old classic video by French chef…

What To Do with a Glut of Tomatoes

I have been harping on all summer about my fantastic kitchen garden. We have taken full advantage of a small space and grown as many different fruits and vegetables that…

Damson and Bramble Plate Pie

I love this concept, Mr.P told me a lovely story a while ago after he had visited a chef in the Newcastle who made plate pies. I liked the idea…

Chilled Courgette Soup with Goat’s Milk Yoghurt

The ultimate courgette supper is on the table and and it looks absolutely divine. Chilled courgette soup with goat’s yoghurt, courgette and garden herb pesto bread and finally borlotti bean…

Borlotti Bean and Courgette Hummus

My borlotti beans  have finally produced a few pods which can now be harvested. Last year I was very impatient and picked them too early and ended up with only…

My Organic Garden Courgette Fritters with Home Made Kumato Ketchup

You have heard me speaking about a glut before but you have not seen anything yet! I think the courgette monster is about to suffocate me and take over my…

My Farewell Celebration Cake for Mum; Lemon, Polenta and Almond Cake

This lemon, polenta and almond cake recipe has been with me since I was a young commis chef working in a London restaurant. This is another one of my recipes…

Picnic in a Jar, Orzo Pasta and Greek Style Meatball Salad

First of all a big apology to everyone that  received a version of this recipe which had  lots of spelling and grammar mistakes, it was ugly and unforgivable!!. I have…

Sweet & Sour Pickled Green Beans

Summer is the season of plenty. Surely there must be a few keen gardeners that will have a glut of something whether it’s beans, raspberries, plums or even courgettes. I…

Warm Organic Carrots with Puy Lentils and Summer Savoury

My garden has been fruitful this summer. I have now harvested all my carrots, beetroot, spinach, mulberries, radishes, broad beans and peas. The courgettes, onions, garlic and raspberries are still…

Finger Licking St.Peters Ruby Red Ale Sticky Pork Ribs

The wonderful sweet aroma of caramelised onions is filling the air. In the oven I have pork ribs cooking at 160°C for two and a half  hours  while I’m making…

Fishworks! Pan-Fried Brill with Creamed Caper Vermouth Sauce

A few weeks ago I hosted a Fishworks cookery and skills course for a group of chefs. The day was sponsored by M&J Seafood. Their generosity was astounding as they…

A Glut of Beans and a Cold Summers Evening, Comfort Food!

It’s the beginning of August and the weather is not good. It’s been dreary,cloudy and simply cold for the past two or three weeks. I need a proper summer to…

Plum Upside Down Cake

The plum season is about to start and it’s amazing how many different varieties of plums are available. I like each for different reasons, some are sweeter than others, some  juicier…

Char-grilled Balsamic Rump Steak with Heirloom Tomato and Bobby Bean Salad

It’s a pretty miserable  rainy day, not much to look forward to considering it’s supposed to be mid-summer.

However I  should look on the bright side,at least my tomatoes and the…

Potted Pigs’ Cheeks with Pea Custard

The inspiration for this dish came from the Great British menu. I liked  both Nigel Haworth’s approach to create a taste of home with a slight twist and the little…

Raspberry, Olive Oil and Thyme Shortbread

All the credit for creating this outstanding recipe goes to Ross my brilliant other half. Our annual summer holiday for this year was only for one week . Nevertheless I…

Chilled Pea Soup With Parmesan Cream and Soft-Boiled Gulls’s Egg

The season for peas is short and preserving the flavour and colour is very important when creating a dish like this. My top tip is to work as fast as…

Lightly Smoked Lobster with Sea Purslane and Suffolk Samphire

Before I launched the British larder I would have not looked twice at social networks, I thought that Twitter was a waste of time and Facebook is one of the great evils…

My Signature Jam, Strawberry and Redcurrant

This might sound bizarre, most chefs have a signature dish, mine is a signature jam. This strawberry and redcurrant jam is my star recipe, and I’m proud of it.

The combination…

Beetroot Tart Tatin with Frozen Broad Bean Crème Fraîche

It’s a gardener and foodies delight in my back yard.I  had great fun this morning pulling the beets and harvesting the broad beans. The courgette flowers are amazing too. I…

Raspberry Vinegar, Savoring Summer…

This is the easiest recipe that I have ever made and posted on The British Larder. It’s simple, there are only two ingredients but the possibilities are endless.

I bought a…

Cape Malay Curried Lamb and Apricot Sosaties

It was a joy to make these sosaties,as it evoked the wonderful memories of home  life in South Africa. Sosaties is an essential dish to accompany every braai (barbecue) in…

Raspberry Jam

My newly planted garden is one year old and contains a multitude of plants. I am incredibly impatient and cannot wait to fill the baskets with raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, gooseberries,…

Gooseberry Ginger Ale, Memories of My Grandmother

Last week we went to Cammas Hall Farm to pick strawberries and gooseberries. Once we got home it was all systems go and we were fired up to make as many…

Elderflower and English Wine Jelly

The short elderflower season is drawing to an end.

I’m feeling a bit sad as it means that this wonderful gift from Mother Nature is not going to be around for…

Gills Baked Gooseberry and Ginger Nut Cheesecake

Dear Gill,

A big apology for not replying to your letter and saying thank you for sharing this remarkable recipe with us. Your cheesecake recipe will be one that I shall…

Confit Carrot Arancini Canapes with Roasted Carrot Houmous

Congratulations to Maria Elia for writing The Modern Vegetarian cookbook. It’s beautiful and truly outstanding. A few weeks ago I went to a cooking demonstration hosted by Maria to promote…

Baked Cherry and Almond Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting

I have had a serious love affair with cherries since I was a little girl. I remember that the cherry season in South Africa is around Christmas time and how…

Elderflower Cordial

I have been on the elderflower watch for a few weeks and finally this week they were in full bloom. There were a few bushes by the road side with…

Early Hertfordshire Pea and Feta Crush

It’s Saturday morning and the high street is buzzing with lots of people going about  their normal Saturday business.  I was dashing about to complete all the tasks on my…

Lime, Almond and Strawberry Chutney

When Richard phoned and asked me to make one kilo of strawberry chutney, I was confused and slightly sceptical.

Wow was my scepticism put to bed once I got started. This…

Spiedini Toscana

I could not wait for summer to arrive this year just so that I could dust off the barbecue and make this dish again. Spiedini in Italian means meat on…

Wild Asparagus and Opal Basil Risotto with Chilled Green Tomato Jelly

I love the textures and flavours of this dish. The cold fragrant tomato jelly against the warm carnaroli risotto pearls laced with the highly perfumed opal basil. It’s simply a…

Cookies for Nanette; Planning for Our Alice in Wonderland Tea Party!

This recipe has been  specially developed, designed and made for Nanette aka Gourmet Worrier. I have only recently met Nanette via the internet, however it feels as if we have…

Restaurant Sat Bains presents a “Sweet Curry”

I’m going to tell you about my visit to Restaurant Sat Bains again and again…! We had a brilliant time and experienced the warm glowing feel that you get when you…

Coconut and Coriander Half Roast Chickens

It’s nearly the barbecue season or braai weather, as my family would say.

Cooking the chicken on the bone is the best way for me as the bone helps keep the…

Marshmallow, Cardamom and Bitter Chocolate Naughty Dunkers

These marshmallow, cardamom and bitter chocolate naughty dunkers are a bit of fun! It’s very simple and easy to make, but the guilty pleasure it provides is irresistible.

I dunk the…

Pink Peppercorn Strawberry Jelly and Thyme Infused Honey Custard

Wow did I have fun making this dish today!

Thanks to Great British Menu last week featuring the Welsh heat with Stephen Terry and James Sommerin. Both their desserts reminded me…

Slow Cooked Hens Eggs with Crispy Bread Sticks

The perfect breakfast to savour on a bright Sunday morning with the morning paper and a cup of freshly brewed coffee. What better way is there to start the day?

Have…

Restaurant Sat Bains, Organic Salmon, Miso Caramel, Nettle Juice

There is no place like home! My place is in the kitchen. I like eating in restaurants and enjoying the beauty of a well designed dining room but when given…

New Season English Asparagus, Salt & Pepper Roll, Sauce Gribiche

On Friday morning I received a box with amazing looking seasonal vegetables. It was a real treat for me to discover two bunches of the finest looking English asparagus from…

English Garden and Giant Pearled Couscous Salad

When   Garden or chopped  salads are listed on a menu the words are vague enough to mean anything. It could convey  that it includes minimal ingredients like cucumbers, tomatoes and…

Restaurant Sat Bains presents Beef Cheeks, Seaweed, Oyster, Sprouts and Radish

Last year,for my birthday, Ross took me to Nottingham to stay and dine at the Restaurant Sat Bains. We were given one of the beautifully furnished and very comfortable rooms.…

Date and Earl Grey Tea Madeleines with Muscavado Dip

I love Madeleines and always call them mini Me’s. Fabien my pastry chef friend always makes lemon Madeleines for me as a little treat.

I’m pretty pleased with this date and…

Curly Kale and Mung Bean Slaw

I have eaten and made lots of coleslaw in my life but so far have not made cabbage taste so good as this recipe. I’m pretty pleased with myself. I…

Crispy Quack Eggs with Radish Mayonnaise

The inspiration for this dish came from Stephen Williams,the chef at the Harwood Arms. We went there last week to take photos of the pub and Stephen served up some…

Slow Cooked Duck Leg with Sweet Tamarind Pickled Rhubarb

The outdoor rhubarb season is in full swing. The combination of rhubarb with duck is a match made in heaven.

I have made the pickled rhubarb twice ,once with forced rhubarb…

Giant Cocoa and Cinnamon Meringues

These giant meringues take me back to the Millennium when I lived in Fulham. Most Sunday mornings I used to walk down Fulham Road towards Sloane Square to have breakfast…

Warm Ginger, Tamarind and Lime Flu Beater

I’m feeling pretty rotten this week. I have been struck down with the dreaded flu for four days and cannot stand it much longer.

My mum was kind enough to tell…

Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb, Greek Style Salad and Warm Lamb Vinaigrette

Shoulder of lamb is level pegging with belly of pork when it comes to my favourite meat rankings. I simply love the flavour of the shoulder when cooked slowly for…

Buttermilk Pudding with Blood Oranges

When I received an invitation to spend a morning in the pastry section of Rocco Forte’s Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair with head pastry chef Fabien Ecuvillon I was delighted. Fabien…

Saffron Clam and Corn Chowder

I love spring, today is a bright and sunny day, a bit chilly but its great as long as its sunny. I even noticed the daffodils popping up everywhere. The…

Plum Tart Tatin with Mulled Plum Sorbet

Making tart tatin used to be my “party piece”. I love the wow factor which I still get  after all these years. It’s a warm fussy feeling and a sense…

Roasted Cardamom Panacotta with Stewed Rhubarb

This roasted cardamom panacotta with stewed rhubarb is exactly what the British Larder is all about. The combination of flavours, textures and unusual methods is a sheer delight.

Sophistication with a…

Sweet and Sour Pigs Cheeks

Yum yum is the thought that spring to mind when thinking about these lip smacking delicious little gems. Packed with natural gelatine, and when cooked for a few hours they…

Mulled Plum Sorbet

“Sugar and spice and all things nice. That’s what little girls are made of”. You might think that I have now completely lost the plot!? Perhaps I have, but this…

Flame-Grilled Mackerel with Smoked Eel and Shiso

When Brett Graham invited me to visit him at the Ledbury in Notting Hill to share one of his signature dishes , I was truly honoured and incredibly excited.

Brett cooked for…

Crispy Celeriac Gnocchi with Watercress Cream

Making Gnocchi like an Italian mama is an art in itself. I have gone one step further and used celeriac instead of traditional potatoes. I guess that the Italian Mamas…

Corn on the Cob and Celeriac Fritters

There is a lot of love in our home for corn on the cob. These Corn on the cob and celeriac fritters are just one of many recipes that we…

Silky Butternut Squash and Parmesan Soup

The vibrant  bright yellow colour of this silky butternut squash and Parmesan soup is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face, especially on a cold and grey winters day.

It…

Sticky Orange Cake with Natural Yogurt Topping

This Sticky Orange Cake with Natural Yoghurt Topping is a tribute to my very good friend Fabien. Fabien is an outstanding pastry chef and the two of us certainly have…

The Ultimate Cottage Pie

The inspiration for this dish came from my very first couple of weeks working in contract catering. At first, the change  from restaurants to the contract catering world was fierce…

Garden Pea Soup

For years it has always been a hassle and a half to make a successful and vibrant green Garden Pea Soup. It does not matter if you use fresh or…

Cracked Wheat, Walnut and Pomegranate Salad

Packing a lunch box to work is something of the past. Most work places have a lunchtime offer on site and if  not there’s enough expensive temptations on the high…

Bite Size Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts

Doughnuts could be described as devils food; you simply just can’t get enough of them. Or shall I say that’s my excuse!

As these Bite size cinnamon sugar doughnuts  limit themselves…

Quince Brule Tarts

Quinces were introduced to Britain during the late 16th century from the Mediterranean. It made its appearance at the end of a large banquet, as it  helped with the digestion…

Milk Tart

This recipe takes me back to my childhood. South Africans would know the name of this dish as Melk tert and not surprisingly the English translation is Milk Tart. There…

Jerusalem Artichoke and Haricot Bean Soup

This Jerusalem artichoke and haricot bean soup is rich, velvety and highly perfumed. The distinctive perfume of the Jerusalem artichoke is not everyone’s cup of tea but it certainly makes…

Gingerbread Men… the fella with the blue eyes.

There is a inner child hiding in every grown up, true! These gingerbread men bring that inner child out of me. This is truly a trip down memory lane, and…

White Hot Chocolate Espuma with The Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

I had been asked to help out with a canapé function a couple of weeks ago. I got all excited, as I wanted to make Catharine’s ultimate very chocolaty brownies.…

Catherine’s Ultimate Very Chocolaty Brownies

Chocolaty, gooey, deliciously rich is the only way to describe Catherine’s ultimate very chocolaty brownies. A few months ago the whole support team at work took part in a cooking…

Cauliflower and Shallot Piccalilli

Piccalilli is the king of the pickles. Once a year in a rather ceremonial fashion there is an official piccalilli making date in our household calendar.This occurs just before Christmas…

Pheasant, Aegean Prune, Girolle & Chestnut Pie

The Game season and autumn is in full swing. The joys of walking in the woods on a crisp autumn day, seeing the chestnuts falling from the trees and a…