meatball subs with smoky barbecue sauce

  Helloooo – number 2 in my meatball surprise recipe line-up are these meatballs with home-made smokey barbecue sauce, coleslaw and melty cheese in soft rolls. I have often been asked if I eat the stuff I make and photograph (!??!) well yes indeed, but on occasion I am actually eating when there may be […]

slow roasted lamb shoulder on flatbreads with minty yoghurt sauce

Many years ago I used to be nervous of cooking large hunks of meat, always a bit panicky that I wouldn’t get the timing right and eat up with a tough result –  until I discovered the miracle of slow cooking. These days if I have 8 or more people coming for dinner I confess […]

summer loving all-in salad

OK, so my last two posts were a soup (albeit a very fresh and bright soup) and lasagne to warm up my northern hemisphere friends. Today we’re back in the southern hemisphere with a super summer salad that I made for Fairfax to share. This is pretty much summer on a plate, perfect for the […]

creamy chicken & leek lasagne

Good Monday morning – well I’m not sure if you have seen this on the blog before, I originally posted it waaaay back in May 2013. It has been a really popular recipe, but for a long time I have been perturbed (yes my family will tell you I actually do talk like this) by […]

fresh pea soup with chedddar & chive scones

We have just arrived back from a wonderful weekend at Waiheke, with incredibly beautiful, hot sunny weather, loads of swimming, bush walks and a pretty spectacular slow cooked pork shoulder on the barbecue. It seems so weird to think of my American friends enduring a really bitter winter – we’ve seen some coverage on TV […]

braised Italian lentils & eggs with pesto

Last Saturday Nick and I made dinner together (a rare occurrence indeed, but on the the ‘to-do more regularly’ list) delicious braised lentils with fish and salsa verde. It was so good I immediately became re-addicted to lentils, so much so that I made up this recipe as a way of being able to enjoy […]

basil pesto & caramelised onions – the holiday essentials

These are two things that you will almost always find in my fridge as both can instantly bring even the dullest meal to life – and they are perfect to pop in the packing pile to take camping – even a humble sausage is transformed! In winter I often swap out the basil/pinenut combo in […]

herbilicious nutty salad with feta & radish

You may be looking at this salad thinking well that’s a bit boring, but I urge you to look again…see that crumbled feta, the baby herb leaves, the crumbled walnuts, the drizzle of simple dressing, the thin slices of radish – now imagine a mouthful with everything – the salty soft feta, the bitter leaves, […]

roast salmon with fennel rocket & potato salad

Well congratulations, we have made it through the madness of Christmas, and are now out the other side and ready to  hit 2015 running  – woo hoooooooo!!!! I am so lucky to have had the most incredible year, having taken the risk of going freelance and then having the opportunity to work for Dish magazine, […]

penne with chicken, chorizo & chilli

OK now don’t laugh, but I rephotographed this three times until I was happy with it – I am such a dork but I can’t help myself. I literally can not bring myself to post anything unless I genuinely like the pic, even if the recipe is great. Ah well – my little freaky perfectionist […]

chicken, potato, brie & thyme tart with caramelised onions

Hello there! Today for your cooking and eating pleasure I have the most decadent way to use up left-over chicken and boiled potatoes! It is just my kind of tart, you only need a small slice as it is super-rich, but so unbelievably tasty and satisfying, perfect with a lightly dressed leafy green salad on […]