Madras Rice with Grilled Lamb Chops, Labneh and Hot Chillies. Indian-lebanese fusion

 Bring together the warmth of Indian spices and the freshness of the Levant with this colourful Madras rice. Fragrant coconut rice with cauliflower, chickpeas and red peppers is paired with juicy grilled lamb chops, creamy labneh and fiery chillies for a dish that feels both comforting and exotic.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Rich Indian-inspired Madras flavours

Creamy coconut milk and tender chickpeas

Perfectly grilled lamb chops

Refreshing Lebanese labneh topping

Ready in under one hour

High in protein and naturally gluten-free

Belgian Pork Tartare with Proper Belgian Fries and Lamb’s Lettuce Salad with Chicons

 Rustic Belgian Bistro Food at Its Finest

Some dishes immediately feel Belgian the moment they arrive at the table. Golden fries served in abundance, creamy salads with chicons, rustic charcuterie-style preparations and a good bottle of Bordeaux nearby — this is classic Belgian comfort food.

This Belgian pork tartare is rich, creamy and deeply savory, paired with authentic double-fried Belgian fries and a fresh lamb’s lettuce and chicon salad. The combination perfectly captures the spirit of Belgian brasserie cuisine: simple ingredients elevated through balance, texture and tradition.

Belgian cuisine thrives on contrasts. Crisp fries meet creamy tartare. Bitter chicons cut through richness. Fresh greens lighten the plate. It is hearty without being heavy, rustic without losing elegance.

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.

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.

Milk Stout glazed Ham

Look how moist it is.

This is Wilshire cured ham, not gammon cured.  I haven't checked the difference in  brine/cure but correctly anticipated salt being cheerfully and plentifully involved.

The ham is served with roast potatoes (smaller than I usually cut them) but it made no difference,  twice the usual number were consumed.  Finally, a French classic of green beans and tomatoes added a naturally saucy side

Poulet à l’Écrevisse (Classic French Crayfish Chicken Recipe) – Creamy Tarragon Sauce & Chablis Pairing

 A Forgotten Jewel of French Cuisine

Poulet à l’écrevisse is one of those quietly luxurious dishes from traditional French gastronomy that deserves a proper comeback. Originating from regions rich in freshwater crayfish—especially Burgundy and the Rhône valley—this dish embodies the marriage of land and river.

Back in the day, crayfish were abundant and widely used in refined cooking. French chefs would enrich poultry dishes with their delicate, slightly sweet flavour, creating sauces that were both deeply savoury and elegantly perfumed.

This is not just a recipe—it’s a piece of culinary history.

Jollof Rice with Chicken and Kidney Beans

Let's start with a picture.

This Senegalese classic is a lot like a Biryani (yes, Basmati rice).  The Jollof is made with a reduced chilli and tomato paste (scotch bonnet chillies, ideally if you have them).  If you bought mixed chillies, and there's a red one that resembles a scotch bonnet, that's fine too.  Kidney beans may be considered an unusual add..the combination exists though and, moreover, I like it. 

Prepare the dish by poaching chicken in a stock (almost a home made stock, although with the help of bouillon) and there's added garlic, ginger and chilli.   The stock will be used to cook rice, later.

Make a reduced tomato paste, with more chilli.  The paste should be sticky and inexpensive tinned plum tomatoes work perfectly well.

Use the carefully nurtured tomato paste, poached chicken stock (from cooking the thighs) and vegetables to cook the rice.

This isn't the easiest recipe to capture simply, I've tried my best.

Iberico Pork with Morel Sauce & Asparagus

 A Luxurious Spring Dish with Deep, Earthy Flavours

Introduction

There are dishes that comfort… and then there are dishes that impress.

This Iberico pork with morel sauce sits firmly in the second category. Rich, earthy, and deeply aromatic, it combines the nutty sweetness of Iberico pork with the unmistakable forest intensity of morel mushrooms. Add fresh asparagus for brightness, and you have a plate worthy of a Michelin-level dining experience—made right in your kitchen.

A Thistle on My Scottish Mince Pie

Meal planning is mostly an afterthought (for me), maybe day ahead at best.  However, the decision to make extra Scottish 'scran' (minced beef mixture from a couple of days ago) was a conscious one.  A minced beef pie was aleady beckoning, not too far back, in the furtive culinary brain.

In honour of Scotland (and a pie filling already made) a few minutes were spent trying to make a thistle.  The song, often thought of as a Scottish anthem was playing in my head, "Flower O' Scotland..."

The flavoured mince and gravy (deliberate leftovers, carefully kept in a lidded tub in the fridge) were tipped into a pie dish and topped with bought puff pastry. 

Line the rim of the pie dish with a strip of pastry for an extra bubbly crust.  It's also easier to make the crimp (it's not really a proper crimp) use your first finger like a chopper to seal the lid on the pie.  Smiling is allowed.

Decorate in a creative manner (thistle today, pie's the limit...sorry).

Scottish Mince and Tatties

This Britlander has stepped over the border into Scotland.  We've had a chilly few days and this played perfectly to the contents of my fridge.  Mince and Tatties, cooked on the hob and served with mash.  A 30 minute dish and great weekday supper. 

The mash, here,  is 1/3rd parsnip and 2/3rds potato.  

We have a host of vegetables.  Onion and celery, lightly coloured and softened.  Then, beef mince, diced carrot and sweet potato.  Cooked flour and tomato puree add more umami and will thicken our sauce as it gently simmers with the liquids.  Beef stock, ale, worcestershire sauce and mustard finish the dish. 

Finally, some frozen peas can be added a couple of minutes before serving.  These will cook quickly.

Tip: make extra and there's a good pastry topped pie filling or even a cottage pie filling from this mixture.

Osso Buco in Umido – Slow-Braised Veal Shanks in Rich Tomato Sauce

 This evening’s dinner was osso buco in umido, a lesser-known but deeply comforting variation of the famous Milanese classic.

Most people know osso buco alla Milanese, the saffron-based version traditionally served with risotto. But across northern Italy you will also find osso buco in umido, where the veal shanks are slowly braised in a rich tomato sauce with vegetables, wine and herbs.

What is osso buco in umido?

Osso buco in umido is a traditional northern Italian dish of veal shanks slowly braised in tomato, wine and vegetables. Unlike the famous osso buco alla Milanese, which is served with saffron risotto, the “in umido” version cooks the meat in a rich tomato sauce until the marrow melts into the braise.

Ham Primavera with Summer Vegetables and Basil

 Sometimes the best dishes are the ones that come together almost by instinct. A few good vegetables, a piece of quality ham, and a handful of fresh herbs can turn into something colorful, fragrant and deeply satisfying.

This ham primavera is exactly that kind of plate. Thick slices of honey-glazed ham are cut into generous cubes and tossed with sautéed vegetables — zucchini, eggplant, sweet yellow peppers and peas — then brightened with cherry tomatoes and a small but punchy ingredient: pickled Chinese mustard greens.

Cotechino on Tagliatelle Verde with Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes and Fresh Basil

 A rustic Italian classic meets fresh green pasta in this comforting yet elegant plate: sliced cotechino laid over tagliatelle verde, sautéed mushrooms, sweet cherry tomatoes and vibrant fresh basil. Simple ingredients, bold character, pure Italy.

What Is Cotechino?

Cotechino is a traditional Italian fresh pork sausage originating from Modena in Emilia-Romagna. Unlike dry cured sausages, cotechino is raw and must be slowly simmered before serving.

Fregula Sarda with Herbs, Bacon and Courgette

Fregula is a pasta, like pearl cous cous (little balls).  Fregula can be used in a pasta salad but I prefer to cook it in a stock, finishing with cheese and herbs (like a fast and easy risotto).  Sarda simply means from Sardinia, a home of some unique pasta (gnocchetti Sardi is another favourite).  This fregula is toasted although I still like to toast it a little more.

Bacon and courgette first crossed my path in a risotto with fresh parsley, mint and parmesan/pecorino.

This pairing is fabulous.  Courgette loves both mint and parsley.  The pasta is quicker and easier to cook than a risotto.

Coarsley grating the courgette and wringing of juice in a cheesecloth (that you can later clean in the dishwasher- I should know) means it will cook super fast.  Keep the courgette juice for stock to use cooking the fregula.

Singapore Fried Beanthread Noodles

A noodle fry with beanthreads and nothing related to Singapore apart from in name.  These fried noodles appear in almost every Brit Chinese takeaway, the small ones in a parade of shops that might include a curry house and a laundrette.  I love them and hence a cooking foodie journey began.

 

Beanthreads are arguably more forgiving than rice noodles, both have been tried (and some beanthreads come in convenient individual packets...mentioning no names). 

Initial versions of the dish included a home made chilli oil, however chiu chow chilli oil from Lee Kum Kee is now the favourite.  Oops, names. 

This really is a true East meets West, generated from the East and made/enjoyed here.  All accomplished without erroneous claims of authenticity.

If you like spicy food, add more chilli oil, bear in mind the one recommended here is somewhat ferocious! 

Chicken Phad Thai

I hesitated posting Phad Thai, but it's so delicious and easy to make at home.  There are credentials too, after making it in Thai cooking school in Koh Samui.  Wide rice noodles (10 mm) are perfect for this.  The sauce is just smashing, spicy, salty, sour and a touch of sweet.

A Phad Thai can have all manner of proteins, today I chose egg (a staple for the dish if am being honest) and chicken.  Prawns, tofu, pork are all fair game.

The sauce truly makes it, pound chilli, spring onion, tamarind, sugar, dried shrimp paste and fish sauce in a pestle and mortar, ready to fry later.

I missed a trick, though, leftover beanshoots from those Lunar New Year longevity noodles could have cheerfully gone in.  Ohh well, next time!

East Coast Chicken Salad

I'm talking East Coast USA.  I thought naming the continent would be prudent.  The salad is along the lines of a classic Waldorf (as in the hotel, Waldorf Astoria).

I went close up on the pic.   There's cooked chicken, almonds, apple, celery, dill, spring onions and a mayonnaise based dressing.

Wait, what, no grapes?  Halved seedless grapes could absolutely go in.

Uh ho, I just thought, we're sharing another salad with meat.  Joking apart, I'm not sure what happens with this salad but somehow the ingredients and dressing combine beautifully.

My Spicy Spanish pork burger

 This one will whack your tastebuds and send them on a corrida.

I used Spanish Iberico pork which is arguably the world's best. It has great taste and just the right amount of fatiness. Don't be afraid to cook it rare if you want. 

Cheeses are chilli matured Manchego for utter Spanishness and dry heat and a slice of processed Emmenthal for that lovely moist melt.

I made a caramelized shallot and red chilli aioli for the sauce and garnished the completed burger with lambs lettuce which brought a touch of bitterness and that fresh crunch.