firststreet denisse

I'm a huge fan of Masterchef. Particularly the Aussie version. It's a total guilty pleasure of mine to wile away a few hours watching regular people battle it out in the kitchen to create delicious dishes, with the addition of plenty of drama of course. Being the foodie that I am, I was especially chuffed when Qatar Airways invited me to a cooking event with celebrity chef Theo Randall. I was ready. I donned my apron feeling just like a Masterchef contestant myself. In honour of Qatar's authentic cuisine, we were to prepare a national dish with a modern twist. Qashid sea bream and rice. Theo led the way, then it was our turn to recreate it, filleting a fish and everything! (I'll admit I needed a little help with this bit. Ok a lot.) It's a delightfully fragrant dish, packed full of flavour that is sure to have your taste buds tingling! What you'll need  - (serves 1, increase as required) 1 fillet sea bream 1 cup basmatic rice 1 onion, sliced 1 green chilli, cho...

Just a very quick one for you today because I know we're all in festive moods with plenty of last-minute shopping to do whilst humming carols and planning menus. This fresh, easy and healthy dish is a great option if you're looking for something quick to whip up over the Christmas period. The recipe comes to you via my lovely friend Soph . What you'll need 1 packet of your favourite pasta (shells or spirals will do well) 1 large sweet potato, cubed 2 carrots, cubed 1 red onion, sliced 2 gloves garlic, crushed Baby spinach Feta, crumbled Balsamic glaze What to do Preheat you're oven to 200 degrees Celsius and grease a baking tray. Toss the sweet potato, carrots, onion and garlic in olive oil and roast until tender. Meanwhile cook you pasta. When al dente, drain. In a large bowl, combine the pasta and roasted vegetables, as well as adding in the spinach and the feta. Toss together and finish with a luscious swirl of balsamic glaze. Delightful. See, told you it was easy. S...

I’ve been a busy little Christmas elf these past few weeks, browsing the stores, buying goodies online and even making some presents myself. If you’re short of gift ideas for your nearest and dearest then might I suggest this little hamper of jar recipes . Jar recipes you ask? Yes, the ingredients for something delicious are all in jars and then you simply attach little instructions for your gift-receiver to make themselves. Great for those who love to cook; it’s thoughtful, shows effort, and most importantly, is utterly delicious. For my little hamper I’ve opted for mulled wine , gingerbread , hot chocolate and fried chicken , but the possibilities are endless – have a Google and you’ll see what I mean! What you’ll need Craft: 4 assorted screw-top jars (I like these ones ) A box Some filler Paper tags Ribbon Mulled wine: 4-6 cinnamon sticks 6 star anise 2 tablespoons cloves 1 tablespoon cardamom pods 2 tablespoons all spice A crack of pepper Gingerbread: 100g soft brown sugar 1 teas...

I've done a lot of food posts lately which only means one thing - it's getting cold here. When the weather is blustery, raining and freezing, you'll usually find me in the kitchen, because a warm oven and, in this case, the scent of cinnamon apples baking is a much nicer alternative to getting drenched outside. My mum has always loved apple turnovers, in fact she loves anything with cooked apple. I was a little slower to the party, it never seemed to take my fancy when I was young, something about the mushy fruit texture. Now however, I love baked apple things just as much as her. This little recipe is the perfect thing to whip up for morning or afternoon tea. It will have guests smiling and, well if it's just you eating them, then you'll be grinning from ear to ear. What you'll need 1 sheet puff pastry 1 apple 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 tablespoon demerara sugar 1/2 lime Caramels Rock salt 1 egg, beaten What to do Preheat your oven to 180degrees Celsius. Roll out y...