Gobi Matar: Indian Cauliflower & Peas

A staple in most Indian restaurants, Aloo Gobi is an aromatic combination of spiced potato (aloo) and cauliflower (gobi), made even more popular with Gurinder Chadha's 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham, a wonderful heart-warming comedy about bending the rules to reach your goal. The film follows two 18 year old girls who have their heart set on a future in professional soccer, as opposed to finding a nice Indian boyfriend, settling down and cooking the perfect chapatti. There is a quirky cooking segment at the end of the film where the director of the film, Gurinder Chadha, makes her personal recipe for Aloo Gobi with the help of her outrageously interfering mother and auntie. Ever since I saw that segment, I can never make this dish without smiling. With its rich texture, complex flavours and intoxicating aroma, Gurinder's recipe for Aloo Gobi has been adjusted without potatoes for a sensational Gobi Matar, an equally delicious yet low-fat carb-free version of the original.




Gobi Matar | Indian Cauliflower & Peas
Serves 2-4 

1/2 cauliflower 
1/4 cup vegetable oil 
1/8 tsp asafoetida 
1 tbsp black mustard seeds 
1 tbsp kari leaves 
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen 
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste 


Separate the cauliflower into small florets, about 1 to 2-inches. Warm the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the asafoetida, then a second later, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the kari leaves and stir to combine. Then add the cauliflower, turmeric and some salt to taste. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the cauliflower is well coated with the spices and begins to brown slightly. Add 1/2 cup of water, and as soon as it starts to bubble, add the peas, cover the pan and turn down the heat to med-low. Cook 10-15 minutes more until the cauliflower is soft and cooked through. Delicious served with grilled fish, chicken and a spoonful of rice or dal.

Homemade No Knead Bread: The Second Loaf

This recipe which made its debut in 2006 in Mark Bittman’s column in the NY Times, was the brainchild of Jim Lahey of Sullivan Street Bakery, who devised the recipe as a minimalist technique to bread baking that anyone could master. The magic to this beauty is in the science. The recipe uses very little yeast, and the water content is very high. Another big difference is that the proofing time is extremely long and slow. Apparently the wetness of the dough, and the long rising time, allows the gluten molecules to align themselves into long strands, creating elasticity, thus eliminating the necessity to do laborious kneading to develop those strands. The high moisture content also creates a beautiful crackly, crust by providing steam from its own moisture during the baking process. 

From start to finish, it takes about 24 hours to create the bread, but much of that is just waiting for the slow fermentation of the dough that results in a perfect loaf. After the first 24 hours, the dough didn't seem to rising so I left it another day. Using a razor blade, I scored the top of the dough before bunging it in the oven. Much different than my first loaf two days before, I was still overjoyed as I pulled this gorgeous bread from the oven. It was perfect. Light and fluffy on the inside, with a crisp crust and a pretty design on top that allowed the loaf to expand at the crown, and expose the breads lovely rich chestnut colour. More importantly, it was absolutely delicious, again. Truly amazing.

Sullivan Street Bakery No-Knead Bread
Makes one 1 1/2 lb loaf
Recipe adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery NYC

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran , as needed

In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups water (it should be about 70°F but I upped it to 75°F this time) and stir until blended — the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 18 hours at room temperature. Ideally, you want the room to be about 72°F. In the dead of winter, when the dough will tend to rise more slowly, as long as 24 hours may be necessary. The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. "This long, slow fermentation is what yields the bread’s rich flavour", says Jim.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Generously flour your work surface. Use a bowl scraper or rubber spatula to turn the dough onto the surface in one blob. The dough will cling to the bowl in long, thread-like strands and it will be quite loose and sticky. This is exactly what you want. Do not add more flour. Instead use lightly floured hands to gently and quickly lift the edges of the dough in toward the center, effectively folding the dough over onto itself. Nudge and tuck in the edges of the dough to make it round. That’s it. Don’t knead the dough.

Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran, or cornmeal. Place the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust the surface with a little more flour, bran, or cornmeal. Cover the dough with another cotton towel and let it rise for about 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will be double in size and will hold the impression of your fingertip when you poke it lightly, making an indentation. If the dough readily springs back when you poke it, let it rise for another 15 minutes.

A half hour before the dough is done with its second rise, preheat the oven to 450°F. Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and place a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot and its lid (whether cast iron or enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. I used 2 Pyrex inverted plates, which actually works very well, as I was still waiting for my Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven to arrive. 

When the dough is done with its second rise, carefully remove the pot from the oven and uncover it. Also, uncover the dough. Lift up the dough and quickly but gently turn it over into the pot, seam side up, being very careful not to touch the pot. The blob of dough may look like a mess, but trust me, everything is O.K. Using a razor blade, you can quickly score the top of the bread in an artful manner, which makes the bread look nice and also helps control the expansion of the loaf as it will bake. Cover the pot with its lid and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and bake until the loaf is beautifully browned to a deep chestnut color, 15 to 30 minutes more. Use a heatproof spatula or pot holders to carefully lift the bread out of the pot and place it on a wire rack. Don’t slice or tear into it until it has cooled, which usually takes at least an hour.

Homemade Crusty No-Knead Bread: A Triumph!

As we continue adapting to the new normal, I hope you and your loved ones are staying well, and safe. I also hope that you are taking time to reflect, explore and nourish your mind, body and soul. This is the time to try something new and feed your curiosity. To help you in this culinary journey, I am serving you fresh ideas to feed what every part of you craves. This is one of the most popular recipes The New York Times ever published, courtesy of Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery in NYC. It requires no kneading, uses no special ingredients, equipment, and it takes very little effort — only time. It takes about 24 hours to create the bread, but much of that is simply just waiting for the slow fermentation of the dough that results in a perfect loaf. At the beginning, I was sceptical. The dough didn't seem to be rising after 24 hours, so I left it another day. I was completely overjoyed when I pulled this beautiful bread from the oven. It was indeed a perfect loaf. Light and fluffy on the inside with a crisp outer crust, and absolutely delicious. I was totally hooked. Now on to the next loaf...

Light and fluffy on the inside, and crunchy on the outside, and cooked in my pijamas!

Jim Lahey's No-Knead Bread 
Makes one 1 1/2 lb loaf
Recipe adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery NYC

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
1/4 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 tsp salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran, as needed


In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups water (it should be about 70°F) and stir until blended — the dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for about 18 hours at room temperature (a couple of hours less if your kitchen is warmer; a couple more if it’s cool). The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with a second cotton towel and let rise until it has more than doubled in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450°F. Put a 3- to 4-quart covered pot with the cover — it may be cast iron, enamel, Pyrex, or ceramic — in the oven as it heats. (I used 2 Pyrex inverted plates). When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. (Slide your hand under the towel and just turn the dough over into the pot; it’s messy, and it probably won’t fall in artfully, but it will straighten out as it bakes.) Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned; the bread’s internal temperature should be 200°F or more. (If at any point the dough starts to smell scorched, lower the heat a bit.) Remove the bread with a spatula or tongs and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Linguine with Homemade Basil & Walnut Pesto

Italians have long used walnuts for pesto, as they lend a rich earthiness to the sauce. This foolproof recipe from my treasured and well-used copy of The Silver Palate Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, quips that this sauce is "more Mastroianni than DeNiro: suave, mellow, even elegant. Walnuts and heavy cream add sophistication to the basil-garlic duo — a pesto that is equally at home on pasta, fluffed into hot rice or stirred into homemade mayonnaise as a sauce for cold poached fish or crudités". Buying a magnificent bunch of fresh basil on one of our now limited excursions to the St Lawrence Market, to try and 'flatten the curve' and keep virus-free, this linguine with homemade basil and walnut pesto was an absolute treat.

Linguine with Basil & Walnut Pesto

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of The Silver Palate Cookbook

1 lb linguine 

1 1/2 tbsp salt

4 quarts water

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup homemade Basil & Walnut pesto

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated imported Parmigiano or Romano cheese

Basil & Walnut Pesto: Makes 2 cups

2 cups fresh basil leaves thoroughly washed and patted dry

4 good-size garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 cup shelled walnuts

1 cup best-quality olive oil

1 cup freshly grated imported Parmigiano 

1/2 cup freshly grated imported Romano 

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the basil, garlic and walnuts in the bowl of food processor and blitz. Leave the motor running and add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Shut the motor off, add the cheeses, a big pinch of salt and a liberal grinding of pepper. Process briefly to combine, then scrape out into a bowl and cover with a thin film of olive oil on top, until ready to use; freezes well.

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the salt and when the water starts to boil again, add the pasta. Use a wooden spoon to stir the pasta until all the strands are under the water. Boil rapidly until done to taste. To test, occasionally  lift and bite a strand. Stir 2 tablespoons of the hot pasta water and the heavy cream into 1 cup of the pesto, then drain the pasta into a colander and return it to the hot pan. Stir in the pesto and toss well to combine. Serve immediately into warm pasta bowls, with a sprig of basil and additional cheese on the side if desired. 

David Wood Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

David Wood was a legend on the gourmet food front in Toronto in the mid eighties to 1990. He founded three specialty food stores, ran a bustling catering business, and was a bestselling cookbook author penning two classic Canadian cookbooks: The David Wood Food Book and the The David Wood Dessert Book, before moving to British Columbia and sharing his passion for cheese by starting the highly successful Salt Spring Island Cheese Company in 1996. A fan of his artisanal goat cheese artfully packaged with hand placed edible flowers, many of the recipes from his David Wood Food Book are also culinary treasures, like his sweet and delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookies — my go-to recipe from now on!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 25 large or 50 small cookies
Recipe courtesy of David Wood Food Book

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 large egg
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 cup raisins


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and set aside. Cream the butter with both sugars in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well, then add the water and vanilla, and beat again. Turn the mixer speed to low and add the sifted flour. Finally, mix in the oats and raisins by hand. The batter will be quite sticky, but don't worry. 

For large cookies, roll the batter into 2-oz balls, about the size of a golf ball, or roll 1-oz balls for smaller cookies. Set on the prepared cookie sheet and press flat with the palm of your hand — the cookies should be spaced at least 1-inch apart as they will spread during baking. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centres are still soft. Cool on a rack. 

Roast Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic & Anchovy Rub

There are few meals as impressive as roast lamb. Studded with garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and anchovies, this simple and delicious roast makes a succulent dinner. Puréed into a coarse paste, the marinade is stuffed into small incisions around the boneless leg of lamb, then rubbed with olive oil and generously seasoned with salt and pepper. Roasted on high at 450°F for 15 minutes, then slow roasted at 325°F for about an hour, and the results are pink perfection. Lamb, like beef, doesn’t need to be cooked all the way, and is best at a rosy medium-rare — 135°F to 140°F when finished. Whether served as part of a traditional Easter dinner or quiet Sunday lunch, this recipe is easy to prepare, absolutely delicious, and goes especially well with my husbands superbly crispy roast potatoes that he cooks in duck fat.

Studded with garlic, rosemary, lemon zest and anchovies

Roasted on high at 450°F for 15 minutes, then slow roasted at 325°F for about an hour

Perfectly pink and sensationally succulent

My husbands roast potatoes cooked in duck fat are a real treat

Roast Lamb with Rosemary, Garlic, Lemon & Anchovy Marinade
Serves 2-4

1 lb leg of lamb, boneless and tied
1 clove garlic
2 anchovies
2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves only
1/4 lemon, zest only
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper, to taste


Using a small food processor, blend together the garlic, anchovies, rosemary leaves, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of olive or anchovy oil until a coarse paste. Then using a sharp knife, make small incisions in the thickest portions of the lamb and fill the pockets with the garlic-herb paste, pressing the mixture in deep with your fingers. Rub any remaining paste over the top of the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Rub 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil over the whole boneless leg, then arrange on a roasting pan and preheat the oven to 450°F. 

Roast the lamb at 450°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and continue cooking for 90 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the middle of lamb reads 135° for medium rare. Once the lamb is ready, remove from the oven and tent with foil for 15-20 minutes, allowing the juices to retract and make the roast lovely and moist. To serve, slice the leg of lamb onto a decorative platter and serve with Roast Potatoes and Sautéed Rapini, for a sensational Easter feast.

Saag Gosht: Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry

Saag Gosht is a well-loved dish from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, a diverse cuisine best known for its rich and buttery flavours and also being the birth place of the Tandoori style of cooking. Punjabi cuisine varies region to region, largely due to the agricultural lifestyle that's been common through the area for centuries, where farmers get their ingredients fresh from the fields. 'Saag' generally refers to mustard greens, and 'Gosht' tends to mean goat meat, however many recipes also feature leafy green spinach and boneless leg or shoulder of lamb cut up into large bite-size pieces. Browned with onions, an aromatic mixture of whole and ground spices, chopped ginger, garlic and dollops of plain yogurt, the lamb is slowly simmered for up to 2 hours then combined with chopped blanched leaves of fresh spinach and finished with a spoonful of ghee. A wonderful dish with a mild and subtle flavour, it's not surprising that this luscious Lamb and Spinach Curry is considered one of the great curries of India.



Saag Gosht: Indian Lamb & Spinach Curry
Serves 2

1 tsp coriander seeds
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
3/4 lb boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 small onions, finely chopped
5 cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
5 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp garam masala 
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
1 2-inch piece of ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 tbsp thick plain yogurt
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 lb fresh spinach, washed, trimmed and roughly chopped


Place a small frying pan over low heat and dry roast the coriander seeds until aromatic, then remove and dry roast the cumin seeds. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the roasted seeds into a fine powder and set aside.  

Pat the pieces of lamb thoroughly with paper towel and trim off any excess fat or tissue. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-low heat and fry a few pieces of lamb at a time until browned on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pot and fry the onions, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, peppercorn and bay leaves, until the onion is lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Add the roasted cumin and coriander, garam masala, turmeric and paprika and fry for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, garlic and yogurt and stir until well combined, then add the lamb with 3/4 cups of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. At this stage, most of the water should have evaporated. If it hasn't, remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and ghee, to taste.

Cook the spinach briefly in a little simmering water until it has just wilted, then refresh with cold water. Drain thoroughly, squeezing out any excess water, then finely chop and add to the lamb. Cook for another 10-15 minutes uncovered, or until the lamb and spinach are well mixed and any extra liquid has evaporated. To serve, transfer the curry to a warm dish with enjoy with basmati rice and warm chapatis if you like.



Note: We sliced off the end of a boneless leg of lamb before roasting it a few nights before, so we would have some lamb to make this lovely curry. 

Beef, Sausage, Mushroom & Three Cheese Lasagna

A foolproof lasagna recipe is like a good friend arriving to give you a big warm hug during these challenging days of self isolation. All it takes is noodles, sauce and cheese, but like every fabulous dish, the devil is in the details. I have been making this recipe for years but tweak it every now and then with different ingredients, and this time it was absolutely delicious. To start, a combination of ground beef and Italian sweet pork sausage provide the flavourful backdrop for the meaty sauce; a handful of finely diced vegetables are sautéed and added to quality tinned San Marzano tomatoes and cooked for about half and hour, at which point sautéed mushrooms are then added to the sauce. Meanwhile, fresh eggs and grated nutmeg are blended with creamy cottage cheese, grated mozzarella and tangy Parmigiana-Reggiano to create a rich and delicious layer for the lasagna. Then the layering begins: a cup meat sauce along the bottom of a large greased baking dish, followed by no-boil noodles, 1/3 of the remaining meat filling, followed by half of the cottage cheese mixture, alternating the direction of the noodles from one layer to the next. The lasagna is then topped with the remaining noodles, then spread with the remaining meat filling and sprinkled generously with mounds of grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Covered loosely with aluminum foil and baked for 25 minutes, the lasagna is finally uncovered and baked for another 25-35 minutes until it's bubbly, golden and heated right through. Absolute heaven!

Beef, Sausage, Mushroom & Three Cheese Lasagna
Serves 4-6

1/2 lb oven ready no-boil lasagna noodles
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Meat Filling:
1 lb ground beef or lean ground steak
1/2 lb sweet Italian pork sausage, casings removed
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
3 tsp vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
1 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, undrained
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Cheese Filling:
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg
2 cups cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 375°F. In a Dutch oven or large pan, cook the beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up with the back of wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a plate, and discard the fat. Then add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat until browned, about 6-8 minutes then transfer to the plate with the beef, and discard the fat.

Pour 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic, oregano, basil, hot pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and stir until they become softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a small skillet with another teaspoon of oil over medium heat, and cook until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and browned meats to the vegetables, and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, breaking up tomatoes while stirring frequently, for 20 to 25 minutes or until thickened. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, mix the eggs, pepper and nutmeg, then blend in the cottage cheese, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, stirring well then set aside.

Spread 1 cup of the meat filling on the bottom of a greased 13"x 9" baking dish. Top with one-third of the noodles in a single layer, then spread with 1/3 of the remaining meat filling, followed by half of the cheese mixture. Alternating the direction of the noodles from one layer to the next, repeat the layering process one more time.

Finish by topping with the remaining noodles, then spread with the remaining meat filling. Sprinkle generously with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 25-35 minutes, until bubbly and heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Short Rib Rendang: A Symphony of Flavours

This extravagantly rich and fragrant, dry-braised beef curry is a signature dish of the Minangkabau highlands of West Sumatra in Indonesia, and is also popular throughout Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Sri Lanka and beyond. Traditionally served for special ceremonial occasions or to honour guests, Beef Rendang is ranked among the 'World's 50 Most Delicious Foods', and considered by many to be the 'King of all Curries'. There are three recognized forms of rendang, each depending on the specific cooking time: a pale, lightly cooked curry known as 'gulai'; a browned but still liquid curry called 'kalio'; and a rich, dry, dark brown dish called 'rendang', the version featured in this recipe. The browned short ribs are slowly simmered in a spiced coconut milk broth for up to four hours until the liquid evaporates and the beef caramelizes in the intensely flavoured rendered coconut and beef oils remaining in the pot. A symphony of intoxicating flavours and aromas, Rendang is a time-consuming dish, but the slow cooking process yields an exquisitely tender, rich dish of delicious complexity. 

Warm Crisp Papadam

Indonesian Coconut Turmeric Rice with Cilantro

Beef Short Rib Rendang
Serves 8

4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 lb beef bone-in short ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 stalks lemongrass, white portion only, smashed
8 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
2-inch pice of ginger, sliced into fine coins 
2 cans of coconut milk
2 tbsp palm sugar

Spice paste:
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-inch piece ginger, roughly chopped
8 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
8 large shallots, roughly chopped
4 tbsp chili pepper flakes, to taste
2 tsp salt


Add the spice mixture to a food processor and blend to a smooth paste, scraping down the bowl when necessary, then set aside. Add the vegetable oil to a heavy shallow, wide skillet or pan such as a Le Creuset cast iron casserole, and place over medium high heat until shimmering. Fry the short ribs in batches, allowing each surface to brown before turning. Using tongs, transfer the browned beef from the pan to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining short ribs, then set aside.

Add the lemongrass, lime leaves and ginger to the hot oil in the same pot and fry until fragrant. Transfer to the bowl with the browned beef, leaving the remaining oil in the pot. Turn down the heat to medium low, and add the spice paste. Fry, stirring constantly for about 15-20 minutes, until the mixture becomes fragrant and much of the moisture has evaporated — if the paste begins to stick or burn, reduce the heat slightly and add a splash of cold water. Add the coconut milk and palm sugar to the pot along with the beef and lemongrass mixture and stir well to combine. Turn the heat down to medium low and loosely cover with a lid, allowing some steam to escape. Simmer for 3-4 hours until the meat becomes very tender, stirring every 20-30 minutes. 

Towards the last hour of cooking time, you'll notice that the sauce will become darker and the oil will separate and rise to the top. Once the meat is tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, remove the lid and increase the heat. Stir the mixture constantly to prevent it from burning, but cook off as much liquid as possible, keeping in mind that oil does not evaporate, so there will still be a little oil at the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, spoon off a much oil from the pan and serve the fork tender short ribs with the remaining sauce, which is the path I chose. 

The rendang is done when there is almost no sauce left and the meat is dark brown. Ideally you'll let this sit overnight for the flavours to evenly distribute into the meat. During this time, the meat will turn chocolate colored and the flavours will deepen. Serve the beef rendang with steamed or fragrant coconut rice.

Indonesian Coconut Turmeric Rice with Cilantro
Serves 4

1 cup Basmati rice
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
cilantro for garnish


In a saucepan heat oil on medium heat, and saute shallots until translucent. Add in the rice and stir to combine. Then, add the water, coconut milk, salt and turmeric and stir. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to medium and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes. Fluff rice, transfer to a bowl and top with cilantro.

The Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie with Flaky Crust

A delicious way to use up leftover roast chicken is to make a hot and comforting Chicken Pot Pie. The filling can be prepared in advance with any vegetables you have on hand, but I like to use carrots, celery, shiitake mushrooms, fresh thyme, a handful of green peas and sliced leeks sautéed in butter until soft and tender. A rich thick creamy sauce brings the whole dish together, so it's important to taste for seasoning as you go along, adjusting the flavour to suit your palate. The final flourish is laying a rolled out sheet of thyme-spiked homemade buttery pastry on top of the casserole and brushing it with a little milk, using any extra pastry to decorate the top. Baked for about an hour at 400°F and you have a bubbling homemade chicken pot pie capped with a handsome crown of golden pastry.

Decorated with leaves, berries and little flowers using leftover dough

Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 8

2 lb cooked chicken
1 tsp salt
2 cups finely sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups finely sliced celery
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 leek, washed and finely sliced, white part only
4 tbsp butter, divided
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 tsp white or black pepper and kosher salt

Pastry: makes one 9-inch crust
1 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/4 cup ice water
1/2 tbsp white vinegar
Milk, for brushing


Remove the skin from the chicken and separate the meat from the bones and tear into bite-size pieces then place in a large bowl along with the frozen peas and finely chopped celery. Place the carrots in a small pot of boiling water and cook over medium-high heat, covered for 3 minutes. Drain the carrots and add to the chicken. Place half the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the leeks until soft, about 5-6 minutes, than add to the chicken mixture.

In a saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat, and cook the flour and pepper, stirring, for one minute. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock, bring to a boil and cook stirring often, until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour over the chicken mixture, season with salt and pepper, then allow to cool for 30 minutes. 

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water and vinegar, and pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add more water, if needed. Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a discs with your hands. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

With the rack in the lowest position, preheat the oven to 400°F, and spoon the chicken filling into a 9-inch pie dish. On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled disc of dough large enough to cover the pie, about 10 to 11-inches, and lay it over the pie, then crimp the edges. With any leftover dough, it's rather festive to create leaves, berries and fanciful shapes to decorate the top. Just wet the backs before affixing to the crown of the pie, then brush the whole top with a little milk. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Classic Cheese Soufflé with Cheddar & Parmesan

A lot of people don’t like to make soufflés because they have a reputation for being difficult. Somehow, this classic egg dish has acquired a fiendish reputation for failure that quite belies its simplicity. Rich yet simple, light yet undeniably decadent-tasting, they always please – even when they fail. In Julia Child’s own words, "the soufflé is undoubtedly the egg at its most magnificent, the egg in all its puffing power." My husband's Cheddar Soufflé is really quite straightforward. The key, he says, "is knowing how to make a good white sauce. If you can make that, the rest is pretty straight forward." 



Guy's Classic Cheddar Cheese Soufflé
Serves 4

2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup whole milk, at room temperature 
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 pinch of ground nutmeg
3 grinds white pepper
4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
5 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese


Position rack the in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and tilt dish, coating the bottom and sides. 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the milk, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of white pepper. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for one minute, until smooth and thick.

Off the heat, but while still hot, mix in the egg yolks. Stir in the Cheddar, the Parmesan, and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Put the egg whites and a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on low speed for one minute, on medium speed for one minute, then finally on high speed until firm, glossy peaks are formed.

Whisk one-quarter of the egg whites into the cheese sauce to lighten, and then carefully fold in the rest. Pour into the prepared soufflé dish, then run your finger around the inside rim of the dish to create a groove, which gives the soufflés a more restaurant-like 'top hat' look, and place in the middle of the oven. Turn the temperature down to 375°F and bake for 35 to 40 minutes — don't peek! — until perfectly puffed and brown. Serve immediately with a nice green salad.

Classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies: Food for the Soul

Cookies are good for the soul. My Mom used to make her ever popular Oatmeal Cookies when as I was a little girl, and I absolutely adored them. The sweet smell as they baked in the oven, Mom knew just how much time they needed to be absolutely perfect. Warm and chewy straight from the oven, they were too good to resist. She sometimes made them with raisins but more often with chocolate chips, which my brother preferred, so naturally, he got his way. However, I prefer my oatmeal cookies with raisins, and this yummy recipe is so good, it should be added to any serious cookie lovers culinary repertoire. 



Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Makes 4 dozen

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups large rolled oats
2/3 cup raisins


Cream the butter and sugars together well. Add egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda.
Fold into the creamed mixture. When the dry ingredients are almost incorporated, add the rolled oats and raisins. Spoon 1 tablespoon mounds onto a parchment lined aluminum cookie sheet about 2 1/2-inches apart, then bake at 375°F for about 8-9 minutes. Don't over bake or the cookies will lose their chewy texture. They may even look a little under baked when you take them from the oven. Rest assured, they'll be absolutely yummy.

The Ultimate Chicken Curry: Time-Life's Murgh Kari

One of my favourite Chicken Curry recipes, a classic Punjabi dish from Northern India — Murgh Kari — was inspired by a small spiral-bound copy of Time-Life 'Foods of the World: The Cooking of India' cookbook that I permanently borrowed from my Mom's food library many years ago. A popular series of 27 cookbooks published by Time-Life from 1968 through to the early 70s, the cookbooks provided a broad survey of many of the world's major cuisines, and quite possibly lit the first spark that ignited my lifetime love affair with food history. The individual volumes were written by well-known experts on the various cuisines, including renowned food writers such as Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey, James Beard, Julia Child, M.F.K. Fisher and Santha Rama Rau, the Indian author and journalist to wrote 'Cooking of India'. The series combined recipes with wonderful food-themed travelogues to show the cultural context from which each recipe sprang, with each volume coming in two parts: the main book was a large hardcover book with lots of lovely photos, while the recipes were presented in small spiral-bound booklets.

My treasured and well worn 'The Cooking of India' cookbook from the 'Time-Life' Foods of the World series which was published in the late 60s and early 70s

Quick, easy and delicious, this Chicken Curry recipe is also light, flavourful and can be made an hour or two before dinner, then allow to simmer on low heat until you're ready. I often use chicken breasts as a lower fat option, but chicken thighs work equally well. Browned briefly in a little oil, the chicken pieces are cooked for just a few minutes then set aside while the sauce is prepared. Chopped onion, ginger and garlic are sautéed over high heat for about 8 minutes until the onions are golden brown, the heat is reduced to low and the spices are added: cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, fennel and 1 tablespoon of water, then cooked for a minute or so, stirring constantly. A can of drained chopped tomatoes, plain yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro and the browned chicken pieces are added to the sauce, then covered and simmered for at least 20-30 minutes, although I often let it cook up to 60-90 minutes will excellent results — the chicken just ends up breaking up into the sauce a little more. Served with basmati rice, papadam and a few mini samosas, this Chicken Curry is one of my favourite 'go-to' recipes. Foolproof and guaranteed delicious.

Murgh Kari Chicken Curry

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Time-Life 'The Cooking of India'

1 1/2 lb chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

2 1/2 tsp salt

6 tbsp vegetable, or olive oil

6 oz finely chopped onion, about 1 medium onion

2 1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1 1/2 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground fennel seeds

6 tbsp water

1 lb can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish

6 tbsp plain Greek yogurt

Cut up the chicken breasts into quaters, pat dry and sprinkle with salt. Heat the oil over high heat in a large skillet, until water flicked into it splutters instantly. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until each piece is white and fairly firm. Transfer the chicken to plate. When cool enough to handle, tear up into smaller pieces.

Add the onions, garlic and ginger to the oil remaining in the pan and sauté for about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and golden brown. Reduce the heat to low, add the cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, fennel and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of fresh cilantro, the yogurt and the remaining teaspoon of salt.

Increase the heat to medium and add the chicken plus any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Pour in the rest of the water. Bring to a boil, turning the chicken over in the sauce to coat the pieces evenly. Sprinkle the top with garam masala and the rest of the fresh cilantro. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender but not falling apart. I often extend the cooking time up to 60-90 minutes with great results. The chicken just ends up breaking up a bit more.

To serve, arrange the chicken attractively on a heated dish, pour the remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. I usually accompany the Chicken Curry with steamed basmati rice, crisp papadum and warm naan.