Ratatouille
A Provencal classic, Ratatouille is the perfect vehicle for a mound of late summer produce. Tomatoes, summer squash,...
Squid Ink Linguine with Seafood
After discovering the Bains de Mer 19th-century French faience plates, I searched for a suitable dish to accompany the...
Beef & Mushroom Raised Pie
We are big fans of hot, savoury pies in our house. There is something deeply comforting about a gravy-laden pastry and...
White Lasagne with Swiss Chard, Spinach and Gruyere
Who could resist such a gorgeous display of Swiss rainbow chard? Not me! It was in my grocery basket before I had time...
Cavatappi with Italian Sausage, Pumpkin and Kale
This savoury pasta punches above its weight for flavour. Chockful of vegetables, it's quickly prepared and enjoyed by...
Roasted Buttercup Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Chestnuts and Cranberries
Fall brings us a wonderful variety of gourds in every shape and size. Visiting one of our local farm shops, I was...
Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Living so close to our various family members, impromptu mid-week meals are fairly common. I usually have a few pounds...
Chèvre Soufflés with Mushrooms and Red Peppers
Soufflés sometimes get a bad rap—fussy, intimidating and altogether too much work. Nothing could be further from the...
Black Cod with Olives, Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
As summer's heat begins to abate, light but substantial meals are welcome. Rich, hearty and tasty, this healthful fish...
Chicken Club Pita
When it's too hot to even contemplate turning on the oven, a rotisserie chicken is a chef's best friend. Sliced and...
Lamb Ragu and Mint with Pappardelle
Lamb shanks are the intended cut of meat for this dish, but I had purchased a partial leg of lamb from Whole Foods for...
Roasted Tomato Tart with Shrimp
I adapted this from a recipe I came across many years ago (20??) in an issue of Victoria Magazine. Don’t be daunted by...
Phyllo Tart with Chicken, Spinach, Feta and Pine Nuts
Spanakopita was a mainstay at neighbourhood get-togethers back in the day, and the offerings ran the gamut from soggy...
Chicken Pot Pie
Claridge's Hotel has been providing luxury accommodation in the heart of Mayfair since the 1850s; Martyn Nail,...
Winter Vegetable Chili
The weeks leading up to Christmas are fraught with opportunities for overindulgence. This vegetable-packed chili is a...
Asparagus, Tomato and Goat Cheese Frittata
This is one of our favourite weekend breakfasts. It comes together in minutes and uses up whatever leftovers we...
Spinach, Fennel, Leek and Pine Nut Pinwheels
These pinwheels make a wonderful canapé for a dinner party or one of the savoury pieces of a hearty afternoon tea....
Mushroom Strudel
The humble, earthy mushroom takes on a deeply savoury flavour and meaty texture when sauteed in olive oil and butter....
Chicken and Pork Kebabs
Kebabs are a colourful and flavourful member of the grilling menu. Easy to throw together, they're infinitely...
Greek Salad
Colourful bell peppers and heirloom tomatoes jostle an English cucumber, Kalamata olives and Feta cheese in a lemony...
Lancashire Beef Hot Pot
This hearty one-pot stew is traditionally made with lamb, but is every bit as good with beef. The layer of potatoes...
Beef Stew Braised With Guinness
Meltingly tender chunks of beef with toothsome potatoes, turnips, carrots and peas in a deep, rich gravy. Yum! Just...
Mac and Cheese with Ham and Red Pepper
Is there anything more comforting than a dish of hot Mac & Cheese on a cold, wet night? Or at anytime, really......
Braised Vegetables with Pan Roasted Pork Chops
Braised vegetables are among my very favourite, especially when they're done on the stovetop while quickly searing a...
Basil Pesto
It's that time of year when basil plants are at their fragrant peak and visions of pasta ribbons festooned with pesto...
Artichoke Puffs
Flaky, savoury and delicious. Just what the doctor ordered for an appetizer. These puffs melt in your mouth, and...
Tagliatelle with Artichokes and Prosciutto
There is something decadent about the humble artichoke. Combined with thin slices of salty prosciutto, tossed in...
Spiced Beef Brisket with Dried Apricots and Cherries
When the weather turns nippy, my thoughts greedily shift in happy anticipation of braised dishes. Osso bucco,...
Fusilli with Ricotta and Spinach
I'm always on the lookout for simple pastas for weekday meals. This dish is essentially a deconstructed version of a...
Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb with Heirloom Carrots and Snow Peas
This dish was inspired by one we enjoyed at Les Papilles, a very small restaurant in the Latin Quarter of...
Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Fresh Peas
We got the last of this season's fresh English peas from Picone's, our local family-owned green grocer. I'd used most...
Lamb Chops with Eggplant and Indian Spices
We were lucky enough to find some lamb chops whilst in the Cape, which is no small feat. They're not much into lamb in...
Summer Squash Carbonara
While my son Adam and I very much enjoy exploring multi-step, complex recipes during our vacation time, we are also on...
Pork Chops with Peaches
When Adam and their family visit us in Cape Cod, it's our tradition to try a bunch of new recipes and this year was no...
Quinoa Salad with Pears and Dried Cherries
Grain salads are quick, easy to make and very nutritious. They're perfect to take to the beach whilst on...
Cassoulet
Cassoulet is an incredibly rich and flavourful dish, and one of my favourites when we go to Le Select Bistro in...
Duck Legs Braised in Red Wine and Dried Fruit
Duck confit is probably my favourite preparation of le canard, but it involves a lot of fiddling around with copious...
Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Butter
Son Adam and I enjoy making pasta from scratch and have got it down to something of a smooth process. We don't make it...
Rosemary and Orange Slow Roast Duck
Winter arrived with a bang this week and I was scrounging around for a slowly cooked meal that would wreath the house...
Braised Lamb with Roasted Provençal Vegetables
We've been incredibly lucky with a fairly mild winter so far here in Ontario, but the desire for...
Clams with White Beans, Fennel & Rapini
Once in a while our local grocery store has "pasta clams", the discovery of which immediately jettisons whatever has...
Dinner In The Cape
We have been in our Cape house for most of November, enjoying the brisk fall breezes and extended autumn of the...
Ginger Roast Chicken and Elbow Macaroni With Tomatoes and Pan Sauce
All About Roasting by Molly Stevens is a wonderful cookbook, chockfull of helpful advice and wonderful recipes....
Butternut Squash Risotto
Risotto is a favourite in our house. We make it throughout the year, especially in the fall when the weather just...
Lobster Risotto
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish made with starchy Arborio or Carnaroli rice, that give the dish a soft,...
Braising and Baking the Best of Summer Fresh Ingredients
An almost imperceptible shift in weather, light and appetite begins in early August. As the farm stands overflow with...
Ricotta and Basil Ravioli
Is there anything more delectable than homemade pasta? Probably not, we concluded over dinner last night as we...
Shrimp Salad with Potatoes and Green Beans
Another Cape Cod weekend was upon us, and guests were arriving Friday night after a long, hot drive on the interstate...
Linguine with Clams
I'd always loved this dish, and then I had it in Venice and became spoiled for life. Linguine con Vongole, as it's...
Pasta with Roasted Broccoli, White Beans and Tomatoes
This is a recipe I found years ago in The Nantucket Table by Susan Simon and Tom Eckerle. The broccoli takes on a rich...
Osso Bucco
A traditional, much loved Italian dish, "Osso Buco" means "hole of bone" because the marrow provides the rich flavour...
Trout with Smashed Fingerling Potatoes, Peas, Prosciutto & Pistachios
I had a version of this dish at Mercatto in Toronto and attempted to recreate it, substituting crisp prosciutto for...
Chicken Pot Pie – With A Twist
Last Sunday we had the family around for dinner. The weather was "brisk" to put it kindly, so I wanted to serve...
Turkey Stew
We recently enjoyed an Apple-Brined and Hickory-Smoked Turkey on the BBQ. Not only is the cooking process fast and...
Pappardelle with Chicken, Rosemary and Green Olives
This dish is exceptionally flavourful. Perfect for a chilly evening, the sauce reheats beautifully and is even...
Lamb Shanks
This hearty braised dish is a family favourite. This recipe is a compilation of many I’ve tried over the years. Still,...
Pumpkins, Squashes and Other Fall Vegetables
Many years ago I came across these large and small pumpkin tureens by Fitz & Floyd. Beautifully made and elegantly...
Cinghiale in Umido (Braised Wild Boar)
Not only is Tuscany one of the most beautiful places in the world, it has some of the most flavourful food, freshly...
Apple-Brined and Hickory-Smoked Turkey
Turkey is a heart-warming meal, conjuring up images of festive holidays with family and friends. It's also a snap to...
Making Fresh Pasta
I had always been intrigued and somewhat intimidated at the thought of making fresh pasta. Then, visiting the Williams...
Succotash
We’re suckers for succotash in our house. As a kid, I loathed lima beans and anything that resembled them, so was...
Release Your Inner Squirrel
Every August I’m overcome with the urge to store food for the winter. Clearly some holdover from an ancient...
Paella
Paella is a gorgeous dish, the rice beautifully coloured with saffron and studded with delicious seafood, chorizo rice...
Pasta with Sausage, Leeks & Rapini
This is an incredibly tasty meal, perfect for those nights when you need to get dinner on the table with as little...
Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Sugar Snap Peas
Making risotto is really a matter of employing a method and using consistent proportions, rather than following a...
Tigger’s Pasta
Our marmalade cat, Tigger, considers himself to be human, although if asked, I’d bet he’d shudder at the thought of...
White Bean & Shrimp Salad
This wonderful salad makes a tasty starter course for dinner and works equally well as a main course for lunch....
