Winter Warmer Recipe: Finnish salmon and potato soup

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 17th January 2014:

Finnish salmon potato soup

When I was in Helsinki last year, I found it hard to describe Finnish cuisine beyond calling it “Nordic”. The reason, I discovered, was that Finnish cuisine takes influence from its neighbours in Scandinavia, Russia and the Baltic states.

To help me define what is Finnish, I asked a few of the foodies I met along the way to list what they thought were typical Finnish ingredients. The results were surprisingly similar.

Potatoes, berries, fish and mushrooms consistently came up top. Beyond that, there was also reindeer and liquorice.

Thinking back over some of the meals I had in Helsinki, these ingredients seem obvious now.

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Tunisian recipe: sticky, crunchy makroud

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 13th January 2014:

Tunisian makroud

On a recent trip to Tunisia, I discovered a deliciously addictive sweet pastry called makroud. The snack is found mainly in Tunisia and Algeria but has also spread to Morocco and other parts of Northern Africa.

It’s essentially date paste wrapped in semolina, deep fried and then doused in honey. It’s rich, like baklava but less sweet, with a nutty crunch like biscuits.

It’s not the easiest thing to make as the semolina can be quite crumbly but you’ll find yourself eating one after the other until they’re all gone.

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Delicious and easy recipe: Hot banana soufflé

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 30th December 2013:

Hot banana soufflé

I haven’t made a soufflé since the early days at culinary school but with a few bananas getting a bit too ripe, I decided to make a banana soufflé.

This is a simple recipe with store cupboard ingredients. If you’re quick, you can have it on the table in 30 minutes.

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How to use up leftover alcohol in cooking

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 24th December 2013:

Ristorante Al Metrò, Abruzzo

It’s the day after that big party, be it Christmas lunch, New Year’s drinks, birthday bash or wedding reception, and you’ve found yourself cleaning up. The last thing you’re thinking of is saving that odd glass of white wine or the untouched bottle of de-capped beer.

Intuitively, you might want to pour it straight down the drain but there’s definitely something better you can do – find a delicious recipe to cook with the leftover alcohol.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

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Making wine for food – the Beronia story

Published on Yahoo Lifestyle UK & Ireland on 18th December 2013:

Beronia, Rioja

When it comes to food and wine matching, the best of us know that sometimes it can be impossible. There are so many nuances in flavours, aromas and textures to consider for the perfect match.

In Rioja, a group of local men got together to solve that problem. They were members of a Gastronomic Society where men with a serious passion for food and wine met regularly to cook, eat and drink.

Collectively, the men created a new wine estate – Bodegas Beronia. The aim was to create fine Riojan wines, made in the traditional style, that would go perfectly with the food that they were eating.

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