The story of risotto began in the 14th century B.C., when the Arabs brought rice to Sicily and Spain during their rule. Italy was the ideal place to grow short-grain rice due to the humid weather and abundant flat land. As a result, rice became a main part of Italian food culture.Risotto is a northern Italian rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. The broth can be derived from meat, fish, or vegetables.
This week’s recipe is from Little and Friday, my favourite café.
It can be a wonderful afternoon tea or a dessert . I quite often just cook the pears on their own for dessert. Not only is it absolutely delicious it looks divine on the plate.
This beef stew recipe results in melt-in-the-mouth meat in a richly flavoured gravy. With the cooler weather upon us you will and your family will love this!
Send me your favourite recipe and the story behind it to : cindybakewell@hotmail.com
It may be an old family recipe and one that you have had fun mastering over time.
Recipe Corner has two recipes for you this week....
ANZAC BISCUITS
We celebrate ANZAC day this week with the traditional Anzac biscuit recipe form the Edmonds Cookbook. My Grandfather Robert Darnell Bakewell, fought in WW1. He left the family farm in Inglewood to enlist for WW1. He was underage and took his horse with him. We believe he was wounded in the Somme and was sent home. Undeterred and determined to serve he made his way to Australia and enlisted with the Australian Army. He was still underage.
When the war ended, he returned home to the family farm to find that he had been disinherited. His Mother believed that as the eldest son he should have stayed at home on the farm.
My brother, Commander Layamon Bakewell, DSD, RNZN, proudly wears our Grandfather's medals on Anzac
Day.
Slow Cooked Balsamic & Garlic Lamb – Serves 4
This recipe came from one of the girls I went to boarding school with who is great foodie and fabulous cook. Some of you may remember it as the dish both Catherine and I cooked for the Guess Who is Coming to Dinner Event last year.
This week’s recipe comes to you from Norman Brooks Norman was born in Ireland, in Dublin and lived there until his family emigrated to NZ when hewas ten. In 1977 he returned to Ireland and lived and worked in County Donegal for six months.
During his time there they purchased a tea towel which had the recipe for Irish Bannock on it. They still have the tea towel! I worked again in Ireland for the Irish Methodist Church from 2004 to 2006 and bought Bannock regularly from the grocery store.
Norman said” Bannock, or wheaten soda bread is sold in supermarkets right throughout Ireland. I particularly like it buttered with a good slice of tasty cheddar, or for breakfast with a tasty marmalade.”
Dad says his fondest memories of his Mother was when he sat his School C. She took his place in the cowshed so he would not have to milk the cows before going to school making sure he had plenty of sleep before his exams. Every day he arrived home from school there was a tin full of freshly baked shortbread.
I love the way Dad smiles when I hand over a tin full of Jessie's shortbread not to mention the cheeky grin on his face when he shakes the empty tin at me!
If you have a family recipe your would like to share please email with your story and the recipe: cindybakewell@hotmail.com