Ilaria's Kitchenette - Shared Kitchen

Golden ‘n Fluffy Cornbread

Easy peasy cornbread made with polenta and oil. Light, fluffy, yes, AND with gorgeously crunchy edges.

Roll ‘em up and roll ‘em out!

Ilaria’s found her happy place – though I’m not sure she is going to share.

Greek-style Vegetables with Feta

…because it’s summer and we still need cheese!

Despite a few splotches of rain and cloud here and there the weather in Auckland has been mostly hot, and heavy and rich dishes that are invariably laden with carbs are not so appealing. Point in case, after our big family Christmas I had lots of mince pies, cakes, Panettone, and sticky date pudding left over but oddly enough, come Boxing Day, I couldn’t go there. I couldn’t even look at the stuff! Instead, I went for the tropical fruit and left-over garden veg. Very puzzling (for me!), though not surprising – it’s just that time of year.
And this dish sums it up perfectly. It’s obviously veggie-based and fresh (think fresh NZ garlic that leaves a tingle on your tongue and jewel pomegranate seeds that burst with juice), but still allows a generous portion of decadence; cheese, in the form of feta! It’s relatively low-fat and when rolled in oregano and baked alongside a tray of juicy seasonal vegetables, it’s deliciously summer in a bite.

Crusty-topped Roast Lamb is hard to resist

Honey Spiced Vege with Burghul Wheat

I must admit that the whole week-day lunchtime situation is a bit of a never-ending challenge. Honey Spiced Vege with Burghul Wheat to the rescue.

Quick Orzo Salad

You can whip this up in the blink of an eye, leaving more time to fiddle around with a main dish whether that’s a succulent piece of lamb, a traybake of stuffed vegetables for an all-veggie meal, or something of the like.

Ilaria’s Easter Lamb

This dish is warming, aromatic and takes zilch time to prepare.

Autumn ‘Shrooms with Feta

Go easy with the chilli flakes (read below!).

Rainy Day Pasta

Here's the answer to summer rainy day blues.

Ilaria’s back

It’s hard to believe that February is already upon us. Seriously, how did that happen? Mum’s delicious Christmas dinner, the escape up north to the top of Mount Manaia, a house move … all seem like they happened yesterday. Well they didn’t. Time ticking is as simple as that (it ticks!) so for us ‘Southern […]

Roasted Pepper & Chickpea Dip

It's hard to believe that February is already upon us. Seriously, how did that happen? Mum's delicious Christmas dinner, the escape up north to the top of Mount Manaia, a house move ... all seem like they happened yesterday. Well they didn't. Time ticking is as simple as that (it ticks!) so for us ‘Southern Hemispherers’, we ought to make the most of our summer. Outdoor living to me means snacks. Lots of snacks, at all times of the day. This particular snack, though, is better suited to the afternoon, ideally under a spot of summer sun with a bunch of your favourites and a collection of refreshing beverages. The dip is easy to make and due to the chickpeas, quite substantial – especially when mounded high on a piece of crispy flatbread. If you're in the more wintery north try it as a midnight snack and think of us down here in New Zealand, chomping away, spilling crumbs and possibly getting burnt. Time zones aside, a snack for all occasions and all seasons. And give it a try with fried white fish. It is seriously good.