Legend has it that in 1574  there was a glassmaker’s assistant in Milan whose nickname was Zaffereno (Saffron).  He always mixed a bit of saffron into the colours for the stained glass to make it more vivid. The glassmaker used to joke that he’ll be putting it into risotto next.  When the  glassmaker’s daughter got married he did just that.  The steaming pots of golden rice was a huge success with the guests and it became a classic Milanese dish.

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Braciole (or involtini as it is known in Italy) are meat bundles with all kinds of delicious fillings.

Braciole is a beloved Sunday lunch in Italian American households. It is simmered for hours (often with meatballs and/or sausage) in a tomato sauce (called Sunday gravy).

All the recipes for fillings looked so delicious I could not pick just one. I decided to use 3 very different fillings – Braciole 3 Ways!

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I have not made nearly enough curries or South East Asian food lately, so  Beef Rendang was a good choice for this week’s date night.

Rendang originated in Indonesia and spread to Malaysia and Singapore when the Minangkabau settlers migrated to those countries.  This is a slow cooked dry curry, rich with spices and  full of flavour.

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People tend to associate ramen noodles with the dried noodles you zap in the microwave for a quick cheap meal.  This does not compare with freshly made Japanese ramen noodles.

Ramen also refers to the Japanese dish of noodles served in a broth and topped with meat and/or vegetables.  I decided to make ramen noodles with a miso broth and miso roasted pork belly for this week’s date night.

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