We've made banana bread before (blondie version, with walnuts), but this time felt like chocolate. Because what could be better than banana bread? That's right, chocolate banana bread. Right on. And to make matters even more sinful, we've studded said decadent goody with white chocolate chips. And a touch of cinnamon and vanilla. Perfect for when you just can't decide what flavor you should choose and just want them all (in a combination which goes together wonderfully, I might add). Enjoy.
P.S: We've had some issues with our camera (a pic or two went missing, and what we managed to recover got rearranged quite funky, so bear with us). And have some cake while you're at it :)
This is basically a version of the famous French Dauphinoise potatoes enriched with some rosemary musrooms and Emmentaler cheese. It takes a while to cook but it's a feast once it's done. Perfect for a relaxed afternoon when you're in the mood for an impressive vegetarian main.
This is a rustic East-European way to enjoy a consistent yet refreshing snack during the day, provided you have real Buttermilk on hand (like we happened to have): serve it cold, seasoned with a little salt and pepper and fresh herbs.
Thanks to the Polish Saveur staff for the tip :)
We all know scones as the traditional English cookies served with tea (especially Devonshire tea, or cream tea as it's called). But the original scone was actually Scottish, and it was fried (on a griddle - or, in our case, a heavy-bottomed pan) rather than baked, and it also had the shaped we reproduced here: a large flat round cut into triangle squares. Don't worry about the frying part: it's dry-frying, without any fat whatsoever.
Considering that this is the British-Scottish (as in non-American) version of the famous tea cookies, they're only slightly sweetened, being meant to be served with clotted cream and jam on top. Or, in this case, the match we found (inspired from here) was even better: butter spread on top while they're hot and honey. You won't believe how well it all goes together, but trust us, you'll never want to have them any other way. And considering how fast they are to make you'll want to make them all the time :)
One of my major frustrations regarding the pregnancy-related culinary restrictions is the moldy cheeses. I could eat Brie everyday ever since I first discovered it, but must now restrain from anything like it because soft cheeses like that are made from non-pasteurized milk, which makes them not safe during pregnancy.
You can imagine my joy when I discovered this recipe from the lovely girls from Kiss the Cook (which I love by the way) incorporating moldy cheese in a heat-exposed sauce transforming all those nasty raw milk bacteria into something not only edible (as is safe) but also delicious.
My other source of major frustration is the ban on caviar and raw smoked salmon, but since there's no way around that one, let's NOT talk about it (murderous gaze).
Back to happy sunny stuff: here's the awesome recipe. Incredibly easy to make too. And a lovely way to domesticate the blue mold taste if you find it too strong in some cheeses when eaten raw (like I do sometimes). Enjoy :)
Ok, this isn't really much of a recipe but a nice idea for decorative way to serve your fruits and cream :). Still, if you prepare them before hand, it looks cute and impressive to any friends you might have down for tea and the texture combination with the rice chocolate-coated crispies give the classical strawberry-and-cream an interesting twist. You only need some pretty glasses and a few minutes to layer all the goodies :)
This starter was very easy to make and tasted very classy due to all the flavor contrast - the carrot and pumpkin like sweetness of the sweet potatoes with the fleshy smokiness of the ham and richness of mayonnaise with a strong citrus tang. It's really no big deal to make them but they look and taste very different than what you usually have as a starter. Enjoy :)
Recipe source here.
A fritata is basically an omelet with lots of filling, somewhat thicker, that comes from the Italian kitchens.
There's something similar in the Spanish cuisine, that also contains potato slices, and it's called a tortilla (not the same with the Mexican flatbread) - remember our herbal tortilla de patatas with parsley and fennel?
But enough theory - this is a simple and yummy lunch :)
If you're a fan of dark stout beer (that also happens to be great for cooking) and of lovely Irish things in general, like us, you'll love this home-made mustard which you can use for lots and lots of happy cooking adventures to come (like our mustard soup or salad dressings and so on). It's full of wintery spices, the dark stout flavor and of course, freshly soaked and ground brown mustard seeds. Can be diluted 1:1 with yogurt for a milder taste, but its strength will mellow with time none-the-less.
Recipe source: Saveur.
