Chicken with Pedro Ximenez sherry and vinegar

Growing up, my dad used cooking sherry in many dishes including my favourite honey soy chicken wings. Consequently I now adore the fragrance of sherry and love experimenting with using it in a variety of dishes. Pedro Ximenez is a type of grape traditionally used to make sweet, rich sherry. I recently also bought a vinegar made from the PX sherry. I absolutely love the flavour and use it whenever I can!

In The Spotlight: Beef Cheeks + Recipe: Beef Cheeks Mole Poblano

This week, I have been mostly eating beef cheeks.

Like the humble lamb shank, and osso buco before that, beef cheeks have suddenly experienced a revival. They’ve leapt onto the plates of diners who are paying top dollar for what was once considered an offcut.

Homemade paneer cheese

Recently four lovely ladies and I went to an Indian cooking class. It was hosted by Chef Ajay, the dude who makes all the delicious Yash chutneys, pickles and spice pastes at Marrickville Markets. To ensure our new culinary knowledge was put to good use, we organised an Indian Christmas in July dinner party for 20 of our closest friends!

Mushroom & chèvre ravioli with walnut & butter

Sometimes, just occasionally, I like to indulge myself. Today I brought home a very indulgent bounty from my local markets on Addison Road in Marrickville: a bag of beautiful mixed brown mushrooms, Pepe Saya butter and some delicious chèvre. Oh, the possibilities!

Lamb shanks braised with pomegranate, balsamic, tomato and bay

I got some lovely lamb shanks at the Addison Road Markets today and was feeling indecisive about how to flavour them. Preserved lemon? Red wine and bay leaves? Lemongrass and star anise?

Hope month dinner party dish: Banana flower salad

I’ve always adored the banana flower salad at Spice Market in Kirribilli. It’s fresh, yet creamy, packed full of delicious rich flavours and a tang of citrus, beautifully presented in the banana flower’s outer leaves.

May is Hope Month

During May, aka Hope Month, I encourage you all to host a meal for friends to raise awareness and funds for HopeStreet.Register your dinner party at http://www.hopemonth.com/ and invite guests to buy a seat at your table. You’ll be helping the homeless and those living in poverty in Sydney while enjoying a delicious meal with friends!

Anchovy and herb roasted vegetables

I LOVE anchovies! I recently discovered the joy of adding them to roast vegetables and haven’t looked back.

Moussagne

Sometimes when I go grocery shopping I get very confused. I have too many ideas for things I’d like to cook, and after a long day of teaching I often lack the mental capacity to decide on just one. Tonight I managed to get all the ingredients to make either moussaka or lasagne… But how to decide which one?

The Essential Ingredient, Rozelle

While gathering ingredients for our Tetsuya dinner the other week, I had to make a trip to The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle. And while there I had to take my mum for coffee. It was excellent coffee, as you’d expect from a place so dedicated to olfactory delights.