Recipes

Filet mignon is prized for its extreme tenderness, not for its rather bland flavour. It doesn’t have the rich beefy flavour of a well-marbled steak, but it’s still a rare treat and a great way to show off your kitchen’s best, especially when you add lots of flavour with an easy-to-make blue cheese crust.

This is one of Gabe’s favourite snacks. He loves fruit so we play around in the kitchen and see how many different kinds of citrus fruit, melons, tree fruit, grapes, berries and tropical fruit we can toss into one salad bowl. Our record is 32!

It’s easy to make your own personalized salad dressings. The basic ratio of sour, sweet and oil is easily modified and infinitely variable. This recipe makes enough for several salads because it’s just as easy to make a lot as a little and, once you taste your own dressings, you won’t be able to get enough.

This salad features one of my all-time favourite flavour combination: peppery, nutty arugula leaves tossed with sweet, fragrant strawberries, mellow balsamic and sweet pine nuts. Together these ingredients are far more than the sum of their parts.

This is one of my favourites because its flavours are exotic yet still very familiar and comforting.

Bean salads are excellent stick-to-the-ribs fare, especially when they’re jazzed up with the bright flavours of the Southwest, where beans have long been a staple food.

One of the best ways to add flavour to any ingredient is to roast it, especially the humble potato. That simple twist elevates this classic salad into something memorable. Add in the sharp flavours of capers, mustard and vinegar, and you’ll have a new family classic.

This salad really shows off why fennel is one of my favourite vegetables. It’s loaded with crisp sweetness and subtle licorice flavours. Try it. Its simplicity will blow you away! It’ll soon be one of your favourites too.

This is my all-time favourite summer salad. It’s amazing how much savoury flavour your grill can add to a simple pineapple and some red onion. Next time you fire up the works try this salad and you’ll have a new favourite for your repertoire too!

This classic salad has come a long way because its 1924 invention by Caesar Cardini at his Tijuana restaurant. It’s now found on virtually every menu in the country at home and in restaurants. Because there are as many ways to make it as there are cooks, I don’t spend a lot of time worrying about authenticity, just flavour. My version includes the wonderfully aromatic addition of whole basil leaves.

You found it! This is the single most requested recipe in my entire repertoire. Maybe its because the sweet, sour, spicy, salty and savoury flavours of Thailand are one of my favourite ways to fill a bowl. They’re seductively addictive, always well balanced and one of the world’s great cuisines. They’re also easy! This is a very simple dish to make.

Sweet potatoes are packed with flavour and nutritional goodness. They’re one of the healthiest ingredients in your kitchen. They also purée easily, smoothly thickening this brightly flavoured soup.