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Through them I developed the knowledge and expertise to find the most flavoursome good quality ingredients at the right time of year from the best countries to create the tastiest meals.
Pennette pasta with baby plum tomatoes, aubergines, mozzarella di bufala and basil
I flipping love aubergines. Once grilled, baked or barbecued these purple beauties transform from a strange tasting sponge to...
Lydia Gerratt
May 9, 20163 min read
Porcini and chestnut mushroom pasta
I’ve been trying to recreate the classic Italian porcini mushroom pasta……but, I’ve encountered one huge problem, it’s impossible to buy...
Lydia Gerratt
Feb 12, 20162 min read
Tarragon, parsley and garlic butter
I love tarragon. I particularly love using it on salmon, as it seems to make the rich oiliness of salmon disappear and create a...
Lydia Gerratt
Oct 28, 20152 min read
Penne with broccoli and lemon zest
This pasta is simple; broccoli, lemon zest, garlic and olive oil. All these ingredients turn into a creamy tasting pasta dish even...
Lydia Gerratt
Sep 14, 20152 min read
Courgette (zucchini) summer soup
If you’ve been given a pile of courgettes from a friend’s allotment or bought a few packs from the supermarket because they are so cheap...
Lydia Gerratt
Aug 23, 20152 min read
Ratatouille Niçoise
There is only one time of year to make ratatouille and it’s NOW! The summer vegetables that make up this dish are in season, British...
Lydia Gerratt
Aug 11, 20152 min read
Garlic & parsley sauce
I love Lebanese food - which you might think a strange thing to say as most of the food on my website is British or Mediterranean. What I...
Lydia Gerratt
Jul 27, 20152 min read
Courgette and mint risotto
I love cooking dishes that are so in season that it makes me feel like one of those celeb chefs pulling newly ripened vegetables out of...
Lydia Gerratt
Jun 25, 20153 min read
Grilled peppers, courgettes and aubergines with new potatoes, garlic, olive oil & basil
This is my absolute favourite way of eating vegetables; grilled to a melting softness on the barbecue and steeped with your very best...
Lydia Gerratt
May 24, 20153 min read
Broccoli with garlic and extra virgin olive oil
I’ve dabbled with the different broccoli varieties over the years; tenderstem and purple sprouting, but I’ve come back to the original...
Lydia Gerratt
Mar 26, 20152 min read
Carottes Vichy
The one thing I’ve realised about making delicious tasting vegetables over the years is, it’s all in the cooking technique (plus one or...
Lydia Gerratt
Mar 23, 20151 min read
Endive (chicory) & avocado salad with a French dressing
This winter salad recipe discovery happened in Paris. I took my brand new shiny husband (we’d only been married a year) to stay with a...
Lydia Gerratt
Dec 29, 20142 min read
Raw fennel salad with lemon juice & extra virgin olive oil
The first time I visited my Italian friend, Patrizia, at her home on Italy’s Liguria coast, her mother made a beautiful winter meal of...
Lydia Gerratt
Dec 17, 20142 min read
Spaghetti with a fresh baby plum tomatoes and basil sauce
Have you ever come across a recipe that has been a revelation? One that has changed the way you cook and the type of meals you make...
Lydia Gerratt
Aug 29, 20143 min read
Pesto (a classic pasta sauce from Liguria)
I remember the first time I ate pesto - it was in Milan a very long time ago. I was sitting at the kitchen table watching with slight...
Lydia Gerratt
Aug 18, 20143 min read
Caponata (Sicilian slow cooked aubergines)
One dish that I just couldn’t get enough of on my recent holiday to Sicily was Caponata – it’s full on addictive. This is an aubergine...
Lydia Gerratt
Aug 7, 20143 min read
Piemonte peppers
I’m always on the lookout for seriously good vegetable recipes for my family, particularly ones that don’t look like a portion of veg...
Lydia Gerratt
Jun 17, 20142 min read
Fusilli with courgettes and mint
I do think that courgettes need some help from other ingredients to bring out their own distinctive taste. Creating a dish that brings...
Lydia Gerratt
Jun 3, 20142 min read
Spaghetti with chestnut mushrooms, cream & parsley
This recipe is a variation on the traditional Italian mushroom pasta - I've added a little single cream. Not so much that you feel...
Lydia Gerratt
May 7, 20142 min read
Chestnut mushroom and Porcini risotto
My recipe featured in the Waitrose Weekend magazine; This dish induces serious contentment. The mushrooms, stock and parmesan are...
Lydia Gerratt
Mar 18, 20142 min read
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