I am quite sure I have said this already, but just in case you have missed that specific post, I will repeat myself… 😉 I like fish, but I am not a HUGE fish lover. If I had to choose only one thing to have off a menu, fish would always be at the bottom…
Archives for January 2013
LAMB TAJINE WITH QUINCES
When I feel like having some comfort food, I often make stews. Just the aroma of a stew cooking on the stove (or in the oven) has a somewhat relaxing and almost therapeutic effect. When I make a stew on a rainy day, even the bad weather seems more bearable and from annoying, it becomes captivating and…
TRUFFLE HONEY & VANILLA CRÈME BRÛLÉE
A little while ago, my husband and I went out to have dinner at a delightful restaurant called Chophouse. We ate really well and I was particularly impressed by their Wagyu Tartare with truffle aioli, pear, pine nuts & white soy dressing and by their Wagyu Striploin with harissa… divine! Also, I was pleasantly surprised…
SAUSAGE AND FENNEL RISOTTO
I don’t think I have said this before, but when I was expecting my eldest daughter, I used to have very strong savoury cravings and risotto was always on the top of my list! The great thing about risotto is that it is like a white canvas that you can paint with any flavour you…
SWORDFISH INVOLTINI IN TOMATO SAUCE
Swordfish involtini are a very common dish in Sicily and they are also one of my favourite recipes for fish! A little while ago I already shared with you the recipe of how to make Baked Swordfish Involtini. Today I am going to show you an alternative way of cooking them. This is my mom’s…
SPLIT-SECOND COOKIES
It is time again for the “Secret recipe club” reveal! I am sure you all know what the club is about, but for the few of you who still don’t know about it, here goes a brief explanation. Each month you are assigned a participating food blogger to make a recipe from and in turn…
ADORA’S PORK WITH GARLIC, ONIONS AND CHILLI
I love this recipe! I have discovered this beauty on Adora’s Box a little over a year ago (thank you Adora!) and the whole family got hooked. Needless to say, I have made it many times already as it is the perfect midweek dinner: quick, but delicious! I have slightly modified Adora’s recipe as I…
RICOTTA, PEAR AND HAZELNUT VERRINES
I came across this recipe while looking for a new way to finish off some pears I had left over on my kitchen counter. I love all kinds of mousses and little servings… they are not completely “guilt-free”, but they surely are better than a huge slice of cake (not that there’s anything wrong with…
2 YEAR BLOGIVERSARY!
Today we are celebrating my site’s 2nd blogiversary! It feels like yesterday that I sat down at my computer and created Manu’s Menu! I still remember all the research I did and all the hard work I put into figuring out all the technicalities that are behind these pages! I have always cooked, but working…
BEEF SCHIACCIATINA
This is one of my “go to” recipes for a quick, yet delicious mid week meal. Schiacciatina means “something small that has been pressed”, and it is basically a very flat burger made with only ground beef, Parmigiano Reggiano, salt and pepper. My mum used to make this often for me as a child. I…
WHITE CHOCOLATE PANNA COTTA SHOOTERS WITH RASPBERRY COULIS
If you are not new on this site, you will know that I love all desserts that you can eat with a spoon: mousses, creams, trifles… and panna cotta! I also like individual servings and I have been making these panna cotta shooters for a while now. I often take them to friends’ houses for…
PINEAPPLE & COCONUT GLAZED PORK SPARE RIBS
Today’s post is a “fight-against-waste” recipe! I had a nice rack of pork spare ribs in the freezer, so I gathered all the left overs I had in my fridge and built up a recipe from there. I also did some research on the web and saw I could make something yummy out of these…
PASTEIS DE BACALHAU
When I was 18 I went on holiday to Portugal with my parents. It was one of the best trips I took as a child and one I will never forget. We flew to Lisbon, rented a car and drove around the country… in spring. The sun was shining and the sky was so blue! …
CHESTNUT GNOCCHI VALCHIAVENNA STYLE
Today’s Regional Italian recipe comes from the region I grew up in: Lombardy. To be precise, this recipe is from Valchiavenna, an Alpine valley to the north of Lake Como. It is a truly beautiful area and the food you can eat there is genuine and very much linked to the territory and local produce. …
HONEY CHICKEN
I must admit I had never eaten honey chicken before moving to Australia. I do not recall seeing it on the menu of any Chinese restaurants in Milano and I am not even sure whether it is an original Chinese dish. All I know is that I was hooked to it from the first time…
PENNE WITH SALAMI AND PROVOLONE
Today I want to share with you one of my husband’s favourite pasta recipes. He loves salami and provolone, so when he first tasted these penne, he told me “this is the best pasta I have ever eaten”. Now, that’s a complement! It is very tasty indeed: salami does not require any “introduction”, but what…
RADICCHIO AND GORGONZOLA RISOTTO
First of all… HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Today’s risotto is pure comfort food, a dish I often cook when I want to spoil myself… what better dish to start the new year with? It is very easy to make and it rewards you with great flavours. I truly believe that radicchio and gorgonzola were made to…