In My Kitchen, April 2025, and looking back on March

Dear Friends,  Hooray it's Autumn and April, at last. Consequently, there's a transition happening In My kitchen. As the Autumnal humidity lowers and the temperatures cool down, the Southern Hemisphere is pressing the fast-forward button toward Autumn, and I am loving it. The Autumn showers are also disappearing and the sun is shining enticing us toward Easter.

Oven-Baked Ratatouille

 

Oven-baked Ratatouille is a modern interpretation of the classic stove top Niçoise dish, Ratatouille. It's roots are very firmly planted in the Provençal region of France. By baking the vegetables, and roasting the ripe tomatoes into a rich, garlicky tomato sauce, a delicious and caramelised flavour is imparted to the dish. I make this French vegetarian dish often.

Lemon Sago Dessert with a Sour Cream and Lemon Curd Topping

This edition of Lemon Sago dessert was the best I have ever made, and I've made it often, and I'm sure that's because the flavour of our home grown lemons shone through. I used fully ripened and golden organic lemons from our backyard lemon tree. The lemons on our tree often don't make it to this stage of ripening, poor things, as when I need a lemon, I pluck it from the tree and use it. 

Tropical Chinese Chicken Traybake

 

Chinese Chicken traybake with a Mango Chutney flavoured sauce, is a subtle taste of the tropics which works, and won't break the budget. This one is a simple Asian style traybake meal you can cook at home. Traybakes are such an easy weekend dinner and will make your life easy during the week as well. My family has always loved this dish.

Hope's Date Rollettes, a classic delicious biscuit

Imagine a delicious, oval shaped biscuit rolled in coconut, and surprisingly encasing a sweet, chewy, and caramelly edible date, and you have Date Rollettes, a confection which my Mother used to bake for us on a regular basis. We loved them.

In My Kitchen, March 2025

 

Hello, welcome to In My Kitchen from HRK, which is about my cooking and kitchen antics based on what is fresh and in season, what is available and healthy if possible, and always delicious. I am excited it's the beginning of Autumn, bringing cooler temperatures to the tropics and the promise of more beautiful fresh produce. It's almost soup weather.

Duck Breast, Red Cabbage and Soba Noodle Salad with White Miso Dressing

Succulent Duck Breast served with a Japanese inspired Red Cabbage and Soba Noodle Salad, enriched with delicious umami flavours, is one of my favourite meals to cook at home.