Grecian Eggs

The idea for this dish came to me while enjoying a bowl of Spanish eggs - instead of using cannellini beans I could use those coloured gigantes and to replace the chorizo, why feta of course!

Baked Gigantes Beans

Rachel from The Crispy Cook is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I feel as if I'm part of a fairytale with these giant coloured beans

Minestrone of Summer Fruits

I've finally decided to spend some time with my long neglected magazine collection - turning piles of magazines hidden in corners into well ordered arrays on my shelves (Memo to self - must get more shelves).

As I surveyed my accomplishment I glanced at the dates - wow, these go back to 2000. I know it's not that long ago but it seems like a lifetime and 2000 was a year that had so much emphasis placed upon it. As I slipped the January 2000 Australian Gourmet Traveller from its spot and started flicking through the pages, it started to dawn on me how all these recipes and all these dishes at one point were cutting edge and things we aspired to make and yet, I don't think I've opened this magazine since I first got it. It seems a shame that they sit there unloved.

So I've resolved to go back in time and cook the food of 2000 - I'll be flicking through the magazines coinciding to the correct month and choosing things that attract my eye.

The first dish I've made is from Liam Tomlin who was at the time the much lauded chef of Banc Restaurant in Sydney. A lot has happened to both the chef and the restaurant (you can read more about it here) but this dish spoke to me, first through its name and secondly, the clean flavours and presentation.

Minestrone of Fresh Fruits, does make you stop and think please don't be something too wacky but when you see it, the name makes sense. It is a dolled up fruit salad but I like the care behind it.

In the original recipe, a strawberry consomme is made from a mix of strawberries, raspberries and sugar that is slowly heated to extract the natural juices from the fruit. It's then put through muslin to obtain a clear red "broth". Final touch is to add sparkling wine and then pour it around the fruit.

I've taken a different approach - I've pureed watermelon and then strained it through muslin, making sure it drains naturally so no solids pass through. This gives me that lovely clear red broth found in the original. I then add a touch of vanilla vodka for a bit of body and warmth.

Weekend Herb Blogging #218 Hosting

Many thanks to Anna for hosting - be sure to check out her lovely recap, there's a dish for every occasion and I'm sure there's more than an ingredient or two that you wouldn't have heard of before.

This week Rachel from The Crispy Cook returns to be our host.

The rules are simple - post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Entries must be submitted by:

* 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
* 10pm Sunday - London Time
* 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
* 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time

Send your posts to oldsaratogabooks AT gmail DOT com
with WHB#218 in the subject line and the following details:

• Your name
• Your Blog/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• Attach a Photo: 250px wide

Coconut and Pineapple Steamed Pudding

Anna from Anna's Cool Finds is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I've looked to the pantry for inspiration and found desiccated coconut

Four!

Cook (almost) Anything turns 4 and gets a new look!


These unbaked cookies are quite symbolic - I've overshot my blogiversary by a few days by the scrouge known as real life. It manages to get in the way of even your best laid plans.

I haven't quite finished with the tinkering to the site, that will come in a day or two, work load permitting.

I know there are all these silent people that visit this site, perhaps for this belated blogiversary you might like to just pop in and say hi - after all I've been doing most of the talking for the last 4 years I'd be most interested to hear what you have to say.

Thanks again for your continued visits - I do appreciate the many lovely emails and comments that you are kind enough to send me and I hope to continue on in the years to come.

Weekend Herb Blogging #217 - Hosting

This week the lovely Anna from Anna's Cool Finds is our host.

The rules are simple - post about any herb, fruit, vegetable, flower or plant. Your post can be informative, spotlight a particular ingredient and/or include a recipe where your chosen ingredient is one of the primary ingredients in the recipe.

Entries must be submitted by:

* 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
* 10pm Sunday - London Time
* 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
* 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time

Send your posts to anna AT annalou DOT com
with WHB#217 in the subject line and the following details:

• Your name
• Your Blog/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• Attach a Photo: 328px wide

Watercress Pesto

Maninas from Maninas: Food Matters is hosting this edition of Weekend Herb Blogging and this week I've found myself a pleasant bed of Watercress

Weekend Herb Blogging #215 Recap

We're slowly getting back into the swing of things and this weeks recap presents a bit of an insight on how we're all progressing. There's comfort food, sweet but healthy treats, marmalade and chutney, celebratory dishes - dishes to warm up us and to cool us down. As always there's something new and unusual so I hope you enjoy this presentation.

The entries have been listed in order of main ingredient.

Banana Coconut Ice Cream

We may still be getting into the swing of 2010 but Weekend Herb Blogging continues and this week I'm hosting and featuring that fruit that is really a herb, banana

Boulangère potatoes

You don't need to be a baker or have a bakers oven to make the traditional French dish of Boulangère potatoes - originally it would be cooked overnight in the Bakers oven. A mix of sautéed onion and thinly sliced potato cooked in stock it makes for a healthier option especially when compared to to its creamy cousin Dauphinoise potatoes.

For this dish I've used Nicola potatoes which have a nice oblong shape that helps achieve a more consistent look.

Weekend Herb Blogging #215 Hosting

It's the start of a new year and the start of another season of Weekend Herb Blogging.

If you are new to the concept or aren't quite sure what Weekend Herb Blogging is about, then here are few details to help you.

While it is called Weekend Herb Blogging, it isn't just confined to posts dealing with herbs - you can write about vegetables, fruit, flowers, nuts, grains, in fact, if it is plant based then it's eligible.

Does that mean my posting has to be vegetarian?
Not at all - we just ask that your featured ingredient be the main ingredient of your dish.

For further details you can always take a look at the rules.

Send your posts to whb AT cookalmostanything DOT com
with WHB#215 in the subject line and the following details:

• Your Name
• Your Blog Name/URL
• Your Post URL
• Your Location
• A photo: 300px wide

Entries should be received by the following times:

• 3pm Sunday - Utah Time
• 10pm Sunday - London Time
• 11pm Sunday - Rome Time
• 9am Monday - Melbourne (Aus) DS Time

French Toast

It's the first day of a new year and you might well be looking for a breakfast or brunch item that's a little different, a little special, then perhaps French toast might be the solution you're looking for.

New Year Fireworks

We had a hint of what was to come as we watched the front roll over us - then came the rain, the wind, thunder and lightning but none of that could put a damper on the main event, the midnight fireworks.