The cake to celebrate all moms! I don’t really know why it‘s called “Nougatina”. Maybe the Cypriot bakers of the 60’s got inspiration from the French word “nougatine” which is almonds and caramel or “nougat” which is almonds, egg whites and honey. Also, I don’t really know if this layer cake exists in any country other than Cyprus! What I do know is that these divine layers of deliciousness deserve a very high place in my hall of fame. Continue reading
Lemony Roasted Chicken with Dijon Mustard and Black Pepper
It was one of those days, that chicken was on the menu. Roasted chicken with potatoes is a weekly staple in my house. Kids like it, grown ups like it, dog likes it. This time I had to try something new. My kids are my worst nightmare when it comes to food, so I had to make something not too strange or new to their taste buds. So I squeezed lemons, I chopped onions, I mashed garlic, I poured in the wine, emptied the mustard jar and went overboard with the pepper mill. I also drank some of the wine. Continue reading
Mushroom Galette with Kale, Stilton and Nutty, Parmesan Crust
No time for quiche? Make a galette. An open face, rustic pie that you can make with almost anything that’s been sitting in your fridge. Use fruit like berries, apples or plums and make a quick, sweet pie that served with a dollop of cream is the most delicious dessert. Or use up veggies like courgettes, eggplants, asparagus and in this case mushrooms. Continue reading
Quiche with Cheesy Crust and Zucchini
This is dreamy. Which reminds me, I don’t make quiche often enough. It’s not a 30-minute meal for sure, but you can have your crust ready and pre-baked in advance, and fill it the day you mean to serve it. Being presented with such a beautiful dish, I can’t think of many people who wouldn’t appreciate it. Continue reading
Roasted Pork Shoulder with Peas
As most Cypriots, I grew up on vegetables in tomato sauce. Green beans, peas, taro root, potatoes, beans turned into rich casseroles with sweet tomato sauce, herbs and and olive oil. Sometimes these vegetables are cooked with pork. The pork slowly braises in the tomato sauce, becoming meltingly soft and delicious. My inspiration for this dish was one of these traditional dishes, “Bizelia me kreas” as my grandmother would say, which is translated to “Peas with Meat”. Continue reading
Raw Beet and Kale Salad
I’ve always wanted to use raw beets in a salad and this one is becoming one of my favourites. Slice them very thinly (that’s the key really) and the earthy flavor of this colourful root vegetable will shine through. A sharp knife will not help you slice them paper thin, you really need a mandolin for this. If you don’t have one, grate the beets on the large holes of the grater. Continue reading
Colourful Bulgur Wheat with Sweet Potatoes and Chickpeas
The thing I love about bulgur wheat is that as it cooks, it absorbs flavour, better than any other grain I know. Rice is great too, but bulgur wheat is nutty and tastes great eaten hot, at room temperature, or even straight out of the fridge. My passion for sweet potatoes urged me to cook these two together. The result is a colourful, flavourful vegetarian pilaf packed with goodness and taste. Continue reading
