Thai Marinaded Chicken.

This is an old favourite (had the recipe for years), it works brilliantly with both oven roasted chicken thighs or wings or grill them over charcoal.

I used wings here (as you can see), oven roasted  with a Thai carrot and sweetcorn salad and sweet potato fries (made extra use of the oven there).  

The marinade is sweet (honey), sour (lime), salty, spicy and umami rich with soy and fish sauce.  Yes, spicy isn't a taste sensation unfortunately but I do love using some freshly minced chilli and chilli powder plus coriander powder for added depth.  Ginger and garlic get in too.  It's punchy, tasty and cooks brilliantly.

There's just enough honey to balance the lime, soy and fish sauces..perfect

Korean–Greek Fusion Lamb & Kimchi Noodles with Eggplant & Tzatziki

 A Fusion That Actually Makes Sense

Some fusion dishes feel forced. This one doesn’t.

Here, every element has a purpose:

The garlic and olive oil marinade gives the lamb a deep Mediterranean identity

Kimchi delivers spice, acidity, and fermentation — cutting through the fat

Eggplant bridges both cuisines, soaking up flavor like a sponge

Tzatziki cools everything down, adding freshness and creamy contrast

This is structured cooking: richness, acidity, heat, and freshness working together.

White Chocolate Mousse with Red Fruits & Raspberry Tuile – A Light, Elegant Dessert

 A Fresh and Elegant Dessert That Looks Restaurant-Quality

This white chocolate mousse with red fruits and raspberry tuile is the kind of dessert that feels luxurious without being heavy. It’s fresh, balanced, and visually striking — exactly the kind of plated dessert you’d expect in a fine dining setting.

The richness of the white chocolate mousse is cut beautifully by the acidity of fresh berries, while the raspberry tuile adds that essential crisp texture that elevates everything.

Ham, Mushroom and Leek Pie, Cheese Sauce

This pie is a classic Brit combination of cheese and leek that cheerfully gained ham and mushrooms in my kitchen.

In Britland a cheese, leek and potato pie is familiar, as is a ham, chicken and leek pie.  Mostly, the ham pie has a white sauce, however I was feeling the influence of cheese (and am a fan of mushrooms).  This culinary creation materialised.

Each individual pie dish was filled with ham, butter seared chunky mushrooms and sauteed leeks. 

The dark green part of the leek and 'hotter' white part are lightly pan fried and, of course, clean the leeks thoroughly beforehand (tips below).

We have a deliberately mild cheese sauce, think roux with a hint of cheesy goodness that's designed to compliment the ham.

Onion Gravy with Sausages and Mash

Onion gravy leads here. Sausages, peas and mash are a welcome side.

This onion gravy is the most commonly made gravy by me.  The gravy doesn't need juices from a Sunday roast, instead it's made in a pan from plenty of finely sliced onion, salted and piled up.  A little oil, low heat and flip the onion until all are golden brown and caramelised.

Then beef stock (I use part of a knorr simmered beef stock pot).  Dijon mustard, water or vegetable stock and thicken with a slurry of cornflour and dark ale or mild stout.

The gravy should be glossy and, for me, bubble like a little volcano when ready.

Tip: freeze any leftover gravy, ready to help a future batch.

Quadratto Pasta, Chilli, Garlic and Parsley

This vegetarian treat is based on the Italian classic (aglio e olio), dried pasta cooked with chilli, garlic and parsley.  Then, I heard of adding toasted crumbs (from a real Italian) and some tomato juice happened to be in the fridge.  The furtive culinary brain suddenly has a plan.

We have a chilli, garlic, tomato and parsley sauce (parmesan being optional and was most welcome).  The plated pasta was topped with toasted sundried tomato crumbs.

A meal fit for both a king and queen (and a classic with a few cheerful harmonious twists).  Furthermore, you can scratch cook it in 20 minutes.

Tip: good quality dried pasta is relatively inexpensive and holds up well when finished in the sauce.

Tteokbokki Reinvented: Spicy Korean Rice Cakes with Smoked Sausage, Bok Choy & Melted Cheese

 Why This Tteokbokki Recipe Works:

This isn’t your average tteokbokki. It’s a bold, indulgent twist on Korea’s iconic street food—where chewy rice cakes meet a fiery gochujang sauce, balanced with smoky sausage, fresh greens, and creamy melted cheese. The result? A deeply satisfying dish that hits spicy, savory, smoky, and umami all at once.