Rancho is a dish typical of Portuguese cuisine and originates from the Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Province where “Trás-os-Montes” translates to “behind the mountains”. It is casserole-type of dish consisting mainly of beef, bacon, chorizo, garlic, chickpeas and pasta, although there are many variations on this. Rancho is a rich, hearty dish and should be enjoyed on cold, winter’s days with a good wine.
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This is a creamy and wholesome Italian dish which is very easy and quick to prepare. The dish is said to originate from western Sicily in the 19th century with English families, where Marsala wine is produced. A heavy French influence is also suspected together with American influence in the modern version. This will probably explain why Chicken Marsala is more popular in the Unites States than Italy these days. See this article.
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I got the inspiration for this dish by this Spanish recipe by Lauren Aloise, but I had to make quite a bit of changes as we are not so fortunate in South Africa to always get the produce our counterparts get in Europe – like Iberian pork cheeks for example. I also took the starch out of the dish and made a separate starchy dish to go with the main course.
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This recipe is based on the very famous Amatriciana dish, but because of the pasta purists out there, I’ll will refrain from calling it that. It contains all four the necessary ingredients for an authentic Amatriciana dish…and some more.
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This is a very easy dish which can be served as a main or a starter or a side dish.
Green beans or string beans, are at their best when picked young and tender for a fresh, crunchy texture. The guanciale can probably be replaced with pancetta or bacon, but it offers a much more complex and rich flavour.
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Arní me fasolákia is a Greek lamb stew with green beans and tomato sauce. Arní translates to lamb and fasolákia translates to green beans or string beans. As a twist I added baby onions, garlic and cumin which is not traditionally done.
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This is an old recipe of mine with a bit of a twist by adding various condiments like guacamole, gremolata and chimichurri. This is one of my best soup recipes and one which I make each winter.
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This chorizo and broccoli soup is one of my favourites because of the contrast between the spicy chorizo sausage and the smooth creaminess of the broccoli.
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Carbonara has a very long and interesting history. There are many variations, even in Italy, but most Italians will agree there is only one way to make the authentic version.
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