HOMECOOKING WITH TERESA

I have never cooked quails before because they are hard to get when you live in country Australia. I use to eat them often when I was little because my father had a quail farm in Catalonia. Children loved the quail eggs: fried, boiled, in an omelette... There are many traditional Catalan recipes to cook quails. This recipe, pickled with vinegar and spices was a very traditional way to keep game birds without the need to be refrigerated. The taste improves with the time, so it's better if you can cook the recipe the day before. INGREDIENTS 4 quails, butterflied Sea salt and pepper, for seasoning 6 garlic cloves, peeled 1 onion, thinly sliced 2 fresh bay leaves 1 sprig fresh rosemary 3 sprigs fresh thyme 15 black peppercorns 10 red peppercorns a pinch of both sweet paprika and saffron 200ml sherry vinegar 200ml extra virgin olive oil 200ml dry white wine METHOD Butterfly the quails and season with salt and pepper. In a big frypan, put a bit of olive oil and fry the quail...

One of our favourite pasta recipes. It's easy to make and is delightful. The saltiness of some ingredients together with the piquant tomato sauce, makes it very appetizing. From the cookbook 'Food of Italy'. INGREDIENTS 4 Tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 1-2 small red chillies 6 anchovy fillets, finely chopped 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves 100g pitted black olives, chopped roughly 1 Tbsp capers, chopped if large 400g spaghetti grated parmesan cheese (optional) I used our own olives from last year's harvest. METHOD: Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until  al dente .  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic and chilli. Fry gently for about 6 minutes, or until the onion is soft. Add the anchovies and cook, stirring, until well mixed. Add the tomatoes, oregano, olives and capers and bring to the...

The best thing about this salad is the dressing. I sometimes substitute the goat cheese for the double baked ricotta - see recipe in blog. However, it is an amazing salad to serve next to any kind of meat dish. A favourite is Saltimbocca a la romana! - see recipe here .  INGREDIENTS 250g thick bacon rashers 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 small, round, soft goat's cheeses, about 100g each 100g rocket or rocket and baby spinach leaves Dressing 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tsp wholegrain mustard 3 tsp white wine vinegar 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt and black pepper METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the bacon rashers in thin slices, discarding the rind. Put in a frypan with a little oil and fry the bacon pieces until crisp. Drain on paper towels. To make the dressing, peel the garlic, crush it into a small bowl, then whisk in the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. ( I put all dressing ingredients in a small glass jar...

Tira mi su means 'pick me up', 'cheer me up' or 'lift me up' in Italian. Its origins are often disputed among Italian regions of Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Piedmont, and others.  This recipe is one of the best I have eaten, and some of my friends agree with me. I made it for dessert for Christmas and it was scrumptious. 😍 From the cookbook 'The Food of Italy'. INGREDIENTS 5 eggs, separated 180 g caster sugar 300 g mascarpone 250 ml cold strong coffee 3 Tbsp sweet Marsala or brandy 36 small sponge fingers 80 g dark chocolate, finely grated METHOD Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy and leaves a ribbon trail when dropped from the whisk. Add the mascarpone and beat until the mixture is smooth. ( I used a stand up mixer. ) Whisk the egg whites in a clean dry glass bowl, using a wire whisk or hand beaters, until soft peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixt...

I love to glaze the Christmas ham. Every year I try a different glaze. This year I have tried the cranberry glaze. I hope it is nice. Haven't tried it yet but the smell is wonderful. Merry Christmas to everyone.   💝🎄🎇🎅 INGREDIENTS Half a leg or full leg ham 2 Tbsp whole cloves For the glaze 275 g jar cranberry sauce 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1/2 cup (110 g) caster sugar zest and juice of 1 orange 1 tsp ground allspice 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar METHOD: To make the glaze combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the cranberry sauce melts and mixture thickens slightly. Brush over prepared ham. Cook following the instructions below. Preheat oven to 180C. Cut through the ham rind in a zigzag pattern 8 cm from the shank. Run your thumb under the rind to separate it from the fat. Peel back, sliding your fingers underneath the rind to remove. Use a sharp knife to score the fat dia...

This recipe is perfect for cooking big calamari tubes. It is very easy, fast and really tasty. The calamari turn out soft and the sauce is just delicious!! From the cookbook 'Two Greedy Italians - Eat Italy'. INGREDIENTS 1 kg big calamari tubes 8 Tbsp olive oil 6 anchovy fillets 10 g capers 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 2 small red chillies salt and pepper 100 ml white wine 250 gr chopped tin tomatoes a handful of Italian parsley, chopped roughly METHOD: Preheat oven to 170C. Heat the oil in an ovenproof dish (I use a cast iron casserole) and add the chopped anchovy fillets and capers. Cook over a medium heat, stirring until the anchovies dissolve. Add the garlic and chilli, stir and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the calamari, and stir fry for a further couple of minutes. Add the wine and boil until it reduces by half. Add the tomatoes and parsley and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cover. T...

This is a very traditional Catalan recipe that is very easy to make and it comes out really yummy. There are many versions to the recipe, and it is more traditional to do it with cuttlefish than calamari. However, because we live in the country, and we do not have access to big fish co-ops or markets like the ones in Australian big cities, I have adapted the same recipe using calamari. It's still sooo good, you want to make it for a special day when you feel like having the ultimate comfort food.  INGREDIENTS: For the meatballs 500 g pork and veal mince 300 g green prawns, peeled and chopped ( keep the prawn heads )  1 egg 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 bread slice, without the crust, soaked in milk 1 handful of parsley, chopped a pinch of ground cinnamon olive oil salt and pepper flour For the calamari 600 g calamari or cuttlefish, cut into 5 cm squares 250 ml red wine For the sauce 1 onion, chopped very finely 250 gr chopped tin tomatoes 250 ml chick...

What else do you really need to have a great dinner? - Roast chicken, potatoes and a good glass of red wine - or two!!  This is one of our favourite recipes. You add the spices to the chicken, you put it in the oven, and that's it!! And it's sooo delicious you will be making it over and over again. From the cookbook 'The New Classics'. INGREDIENTS 1 tsp dried chilli flakes 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (pimentón) 1 tsp dried oregano leaves Zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 x 1.6 kg whole chicken, butterflied METHOD: Preheat oven to 200C. Position the chicken, breast-side down, so the back is facing up and the drumsticks are pointing towards you. Using sharp kitchen scissors or chicken shears, cut closely along either side of the backbone and remove. Turn the chicken, breast-side up, and press down firmly on the breastbone to flatten t...

This recipe is from an incredible book that was recommended to me quite a few years ago by a French friend and chef - 'Bistro cooking'. There are some extremely good recipes collected by this writer, over the years, while going around France and eating at French Bistros. There are so many different ways of making a potato gratin.... I find that sometimes it is very hard to get the potatoes cooked well, even though I have cut them very thinly.  This recipe is different for the fact that you parboil the potatoes with milk, garlic and bay leaves, and then you put them in the oven to make the gratin.  It is just so beautiful that you have to stop yourself from eating the whole lot!!! INGREDIENTS 1.5 kg baking potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced 2 cups full milk 3 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 tsp salt 3 fresh bay leaves ground nutmeg freshly ground black pepper 1 cup creme fraiche or double cream 2 cups grated Gruyere or Cheddar METHOD: Preheat ov...