Shared Kitchen

Real food from scratch

Category: Cook’s notes

Allspice

Understand the magic of allspice … it can add layers of flavour to savoury and sweet dishes.

Asparagus

White & green asparagus in a puddle of browned butter with toasty crumbs and a poached egg on top … well, you can’t get much better than that for a fancy pants brunch or lunch.

Barley

Barley is a versatile grain and makes a pilaf that is damn near as good as risotto, except you don’t have to stir!

Bay leaves

Fresh bay, strongly aromatic, like pine needles, eucalypt and lemon all crushed together, with a scattering of floral blossoms on top.

Buffalo bliss

Mini buffalo mozzarella balls are so cute but treat them carefully because they are wondrously soft.

Burghul

Burghul is hulled wheat that has been partially cooked by steaming, then dried and ground.

Cardoons the new artichoke

Cardoons may be new to you, but they’re an ancient vegetable. Looking like a tatty bundle of celery, the taste, I tell you, is pure artichoke.

Cavolo nero

Cavolo nero is a bit different to other cabbages because it doesn’t form a head – you know, grow into a ball!

Celeriac

Celeriac is cultivated for the fleshy root which grows under the soil, although the green celery-like leaves sprouting out the top can be used to flavour soups and stocks. It’s hard work to peel off the thick skin as the roots are often imbedded in the flesh, but you’ll find a strong knife with a […]