Thai Pork Stirfry with Basil & Chillies

This is a Thai recipe that is supposed to be made with pork mince - however I had already bought some pork loin to make tried and trusted Pork with Beans & Green Peppercorns when I decided to ring the changes and remembered that I’d made notes from various recipes for a spicy pork with basil.It was only on closer inspection that I remembered that it needed mince, not pork bits! Oh well -...

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Chicken Teriyaki & Miso Soup

So these are two of the recipes from the cookery class I took in Tokyo: both quite simple, I have made my own version of Teriyaki Chicken loads of times and am quite partial to a bit of miso but in either case I have never really known how to make properly authentic versions. Especially in the case of the miso where I have only used the ready to go powder or paste stuff. You could of course...

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Tokyo Cooking Class

When I went to Tokyo with the bf last year he had to work for a couple of days so on one of the mornings I had to myself I had pre-booked a cooking class with a local instructor named Mari Nameshida. I honestly can’t remember how I had first found about Mari but what attracted me to her class was that it would be carried out in her home: so not only would I be learning to cook some traditional...

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Beef & Pea Tagine

I do love tagines: not least of all as I love the fact that you chuck it all in, forget about it and come back to something deliciously fragrant and warming. It’s just a shame that I don’t have my tagine at the moment (as naturally it is still in storage somewhere or other) but a cast iron lidded casserole can work just as well. I’ve used culinary Argan oil here as I picked some up (as well...

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Slow Roast Lamb, Spiced Cauliflower & Creamy Potato Gratin

I’ve mentioned before the half lambs purchased from bf’s boss, well we were onto half lamb number 2 and at this point all we had left was shoulder. As the bf’s offspring was with us for the weekend it seemed a good time as any to have it. Well, that and the fact that for once we actually remembered to take the lamb out of the oven to defrost ready for use for a Sunday lunch feast. Slow-cooking...

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