“Chu Chi Pla” is a delicious Thai dish featuring fish (usually a firm white fish) in a rich and flavourful red curry sauce. This is one of my favourite Thai fish dishes, which also works very well with salmon.
All posts by schweboo
Photographer, writer and traveller
Bolognese sauce, also known as Ragu alla Bolognese, is a rich and hearty Italian meat sauce that hails from the city of Bologna in Northern Italy. It is a classic and beloved sauce often used to accompany pasta dishes. In 1982, the Bologna delegation of the Italian Academy of Cuisine officially registered the classic recipe for Ragu alla Bolognese with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. According to this official recipe, Bolognese sauce should include finely chopped onions, carrots, celery, minced meat, tomatoes (either fresh or in the form of tomato paste), wine, and milk.Bolognese sauce has a thick and […]
In the mid-80s, I arrived in Santiago del Compostella and was overwhelmed by the sight of a procession of men in long gowns wearing conical pointed hats covering their faces. These were the Confraternities, religious brotherhoods, and parishioners who actively participated in the Easter processions. They were wearing traditional robes and hoods, known as Capirotes, symbolising penance and humility. Not the KKK.One notable procession is “La Procesión del Encuentro,” which typically takes place on Good Friday. This event symbolises the encounter between the Virgin Mary and the resurrected Christ. Participants carry statues of the Virgin Mary and Christ, and […]
We spent 18 months living in Belgium and were based in a house in the village of Vossum near Brussels. One of the most popular and delicious Belgian dishes we enjoyed on a regular basis was Moules Frites, which consisted of mussels cooked in a flavorful broth and served with crispy fries. I have eaten Moules Frites in other countries, but the mussels are usually smaller and grittier. In Belgium, eating mussels is a national obsession and every year they consume over 30,000 tons of this tasty mollusc.The most prized mussels in Belgium come from the Schelde, a shallow […]
Here’s a Moroccan-inspired roast leg of lamb with harissa. I first encountered this dish on a visit that took us over the Atlas Mountains to Ouarzazate. As we prepared to eat our lunch, the sight of armed troops firing automatic weapons into the main square on the other side of the street was a bit of a surprise. They were American and making a lot of noise. A column of smoke arose from where they were shooting, making us think we were witnessing a covert operation by a US Special Forces unit. A closer look revealed that they were […]
Many years ago, one of my friends in Buckinghamshire gave me the basis for this recipe. In those days, we used ginger powder and would not have thought about using red chillis to give the pâté a bit of zing. Times have changed, so I have modified the original recipe accordingly.This chicken liver pâté is a delicious and flavorful appetiser that combines the rich taste of chicken livers with the warmth of ginger and red chilli: [my-map]
While visiting friends in Normandy in the 80s, I was served a local dish made with veal kidneys, cream and Calvados that was deliciously creamy, tasty and memorable. Many people are not keen on kidneys, but this dish could make even the most fainthearted change their minds.Here’s my version of a recipe for Rognons de veau au Calvados based on that meal.
A traditional tagine is a North African dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It’s a slow-cooked stew that typically includes a combination of meat, vegetables, dried fruits, and a mix of aromatic spices. I first ate this in Paris when I was a student. The accompanying sauce was the spiciest I had eaten at that point in my life.Since then, I have been to North Africa, with trips to Egypt, Somaliland, Tunisia and Morocco. It was in Morocco where I had my best tagines, which is why this recipe has a Morrocan flavour. We […]
Batu Ferringhi is a beach resort northwest of George Town on Malaysia’s Penang Island. It is known for water sports and seafood restaurants. We ate steamed fish in a seafood restaurant offering a choice of live seafood from its aquariums. After choosing a live fish from a tank, we waited for it to be cooked, knowing that it could not be fresher. After dinner, we visited the night market.This steamed fish dish is commonly known in Malaysia as “Ikan Siakap Tiga Rasa.” “Ikan” means fish, “Siakap” refers to the type of fish (often snapper or sea bass), and “Tiga […]
