​Well it was my mother's birthday and we couldn't go over on her birthday, as my son was sitting his HSC exams. So when my son called her to wish her a happy birthday, she promised my son we would celebrate another day, when his exams were over. Now, one would think she'd invite us over, but no, not my mother.

A few weeks later Croatia was playing football and my mother said she was coming over to watch the game with us. As the game started at 6:45am (Australia time) it was an early start. So she decided this would be her 'party' day. She said she'd bring all the ingredients for dinner and cook dinner for her 'party' that she promised my son, all I had to do was make the cake.

So now I had to think of what cake to make, so I went with two this Lemon Curd and Poppy Seed Crepe Cake and I made a Tiramisu style Crepe Cake.

This was delicious. I already have a lemon curd crepe on my website which is intensely lemony. With this one, the mascarpone tones down the lemon and makes it deliciously creamy and lemony.

​The poppy seeds are optional really, but I love them as they add a delicious pop to the crepes, it makes them look interesting, 

So the soft crepes with the delicious lemon curd and the creamy mascarpone. Topped with a delicious vanilla blueberry syrup. This is one deliciously beautiful dessert. You may see I added blackberries, this was only because one of my kids decided to use the blueberries I bought for this recipe in a smoothie. But the blackberries worked also.

Crêpes and lemon curd can be made a day ahead. Stack crêpes, layered with pieces of baking paper; place curd in an airtight container. Refrigerate both until ready to assemble.

So if you are looking for something different, that tastes amazing, give this crepe cake a try.

​Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook 'Indulgent Cakes'

Serves 8-10

Lemon curd
1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf (5g)
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1/2 (125ml) lemon juice
1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
250 gram butter, chopped

Vanilla blueberries1 vanilla bean
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
5 centimetre strip lemon rind
250 gram blueberries

Poppy seed crepes
1 cup (150g) plain (all-purpose) flour4 eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cup (500ml) milk
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

500 gram mascarpone cheese
50 gram store-bought meringues, crushed coarsely
​
First, make the lemon curd: Soften gelatine in a bowl of cold water 3 minutes; squeeze out excess water. Combine eggs, egg yolks, rind, juice and sugar in a medium heatproof bowl.
Place bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water (don't let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir mixture 10 minutes or until it thickens and thickly coats the back of a spoon. Whisk in butter, a piece at a time, until smooth between additions. Stir in gelatine until dissolved. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

To make vanilla blueberries, split vanilla bean lengthways; scrape seeds into a small saucepan, then add bean. Add sugar, the water and rind; stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in blueberries. Cool.

To make the crepes, place flour in a medium bowl; make a well in the centre. Gradually whisk combined eggs, oil and milk into flour until smooth. Strain mixture into a large jug; stir in poppy seeds. Stand for 30 minutes.
Stir batter. Heat an oiled 20cm based frying pan; pour 1/4 cup of the batter into pan, tilting the pan to coat base. Cook over low heat, loosening around edge with a spatula until browned lightly. Turn crepe; brown other side. Repeat with remaining batter to make 15 crepes; you need 14 for the stack.

To assemble the cake: place 1 crepe on a rimmed plate; spread with 1/3 cup lemon curd. Top with another crepe; spread with 1/3 cup mascarpone. Repeat layering with 12 more crepes, remaining lemon curd and mascarpone, finishing with a crepe. As you layer use pieces of meringue to prop up the edges of the crepe.

Serve crepe cake topped with vanilla blueberries. Dust with icing sugar, if you like.

To save the recipe to your favourites go www.whatscookingella.com/lemon-curd-and-poppy-seed-crepe-cake.html 
​Pin it: www.pinterest.com.au/pin/399413060704363569/

​If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram or Twitter with #whatscookingella

​The 10th country in our Eating Around the World Adventure is Switzerland.

Now after I went through my Swiss cookbook (I only really had one proper cookbook and one mini cookbook that I could find online), I realised one week will not be enough time to get all the recipes I want to try made, so Swiss week has turned into Swiss month.

There is just so much food I want to try, so much delicious food I have to share. Before I started really looking into Swiss food, I didn't know much about it. But I soon realised Swiss food is delicious, it is different from region to region, the food is influenced by their bordering countries France, Germany, Austria and Italy. The food I wanted to try was home style cooking, I enjoyed finding recipes from different regions and villages. 
​

Recently I was fortunate enough to visit Switzerland and I loved it. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, the grass is the perfect green, the lakes the perfect blue, the houses simply beautiful, the most picturesque mountains. On my bucket list was to visit Lauterbrunnen, it is amazing to tick something off a bucket list, and it didn't disappoint, it was beautiful, to walk through the village, sit in the local restaurant and just enjoy some quality family time, priceless. But once we were there we found a place called Murren, a Swiss mountain village which is accessible only by cable car and it was amazing, this place was perfect. High up in the mountains you find this gorgeous little village. This is where we first got to try wine soaked bread, something that I will never forget. We also spent a few days in Zurich, it was beautiful to, Switzerland's public transport system is amazing, it's easy to move from place to place and then you spend hours walking around enjoying the day. 

​Here are a few photos of my family in Switzerland

Switzerland is a place I will never forget. Now onto the food that I cooked.
​

Here is the Swiss food I made this month:

My Swiss Sandwich 
Bernese Plaited Loaf 
Cheese Fondue 
Easter Salad 
Swiss Beef and Mushroom Stew 
Vaud Leek and Potato Soup 
​Bernese Beef Stew 
Grison Beef Stew 
Rosti 
Spatzle
Homemade Focaccia Pizza 
Sausage Rolls
Croutes au Fromage: Ham and Egg Cheese Slices on Wine Soaked Bread​​​​
​Mushrooms on Toast
Zurich Sliced Veal
​Sauteed Chicken from the Ticino
Green Bean Salad
​Kartoffelsalat-Swiss Potato Salad
Mashed Potatoes Baked with Bacon 
Chocolate Fondue
Vin Chaud du Carnaval 
Hot Chocolate 
​

My Swiss Sandwich: This is a great sandwich that I first got to enjoy in Switzerland. I know it's a sandwich, but my goodness, it's a really good sandwich. Since we returned home my husband and son ask me to make this for work and school lunches regularly.
Use a french baguet, cut it to the size you would like, then halve lengthwise.
Spread butter on the bottom half, spread mayonnaise on the top half.
Top the bottom half with some ham, then salami, sliced gherkins, salad leaves, slices of cheese like jarlsberg, some hard boiled eggs, season with salt and pepper. Place on the top half of the baguette. 

Bernese Plaited Loaf: Although originally from the Bernese valleys, this golden plaited bread is found all over Switzerland and is delicious for breakfast. This was great toasted with butter.

Here is how I made it:

Bernese Plaited Loaf

​Makes 1 loaf

75g butter
15g yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
600g plain flour
pinch of salt
2 egg yolks

Melt butter gently in a small saucepan and remove from heat to cool. 

Mix yeast with a little milk until liquid. Add the sugar and 1 beaten egg yolk, the remainder of the milk and the cooled melted butter and mix well.

Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Turn onto a clean, floured board and knead until smooth (you can do this in a freestanding mixer with a hook attachment). Cover with plastic wrap and a teatowel, leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape into lengths of about 25cm long. Lightly twist ends together, making a plaited loaf shape.

Brush with remaining beaten egg yolk.

Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan forced.

Bake on greased baking tray for about 30-35 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
​

Cheese Fondue: Fondue is Switzerland's greatest contribution to party food, it's been around forever. There are many different recipes for fondue, this is a basic one, but it is delicious. You will need a fondue dish called a caquelon and a spirit lamp to keep the fondue hot.
There’s no fancy technique required for making cheese fondue, just a bit of patience. Take your time between each addition of cheese to allow it to completely melt into the wine before adding more.

​Here is how I made it:

Cheese Fondue

​Serves 1

1-2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon cornflour
200g cubed Gruyere cheese (or 100g Gruyere and 100g Emmenthal)
black pepper
Fresh bread, cut into bite sized cubes

First, rub the inside of the caquelon with one or two cloves of peeled and crushed garlic and leave them all at the bottom of the dish.

Pour in the wine, but retain about 1 tablespoon and mix it with the cornflour. Heat the wine gently. When hot, but not boiling, put in the cheese gradually, stirring constantly, melting the cheese before adding more cheese. Lower the heat and add the cornflour in wine. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted, the mixture well blended and creamy and beginning to simmer. It must not boil. 

Meanwhile, light the spirit lamp and settle your guests round it, armed with long forks, piles of cubed bread, and a bottle of the same wine used to make the fondue.

When your fondue is creamy place it immediately on your spirit lamp and keep it bubbling gently. Four to six people share a caquelon, each in turn dipping the speared bread cubes into the cheese.

If you drop your bread into the dish you must buy a fresh bottle of wine for the company!
​

Easter Salad: This is one of my favourite salads to eat, it can be served as a meal on its own or as a side salad. The flavours are delicious together, and I know I'll be making this for years to come.

Swiss Beef and Mushroom Stew: Flicking through a Swiss cookbook, I came across a recipe for Pot Roast with Mushrooms (Gedampfter Rindsbraten mit Pilzen), but I felt like a stew. So here is my little twist on a Swiss Pot Roast recipe that I turned into a stew and it turned out amazing. This stew was so simple but packed full of flavour. This is going to be made again and again in my house, we truly loved this.

Vaud Leek and Potato Soup: About this soup, leeks are said to have originated in Switzerland. This soup brings out the flavour of the leeks with potatoes in a creamy combination. This is simple and delicious, my family enjoyed it. I did not add nutmeg, I didn't feel like it, and if I thought of it, I would have added chopped chives on top. Raclette is a Swiss cheese, it has a strong smell, but tastes delicious. But you can use any cheese you like.

Here is how I made it:

Vaud Leek and Potato Soup

​Serves 6-8

​3 leeks, about 1kg
1 litre (4 cups) water
50g butter
1 litre (4 cups) milk
750g potatoes, peeled, cut into a large dice
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons chicken stock powder
1 egg
1/2 cup cream
grated nutmeg (optional)
3 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 baguette
200g raclette, sliced

Wash and clean the leeks carefully. Cut off all of the green leaves. Bring the green portion of the leeks to the boil in the water. Remove from heat and strain. Reserve the liquid and discard the leaves.

Slice the white part of the leeks and fry lightly in the butter in a large saucepan. Do not allow to brown. Once the leeks have softened, add the water in which the greens were boiled, the milk, and the potatoes. Add the chicken stock powder, season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

Chop up the bacon and fry in a little oil until crispy., Drain over paper towels to remove excess oil.

Just before you blitz the soup: Slice the baguette into 1/2-1cm slices. Top with sliced raclette. Place in a 200C/180C fan forced preheated oven until the cheese has melted. 

Use a stick blender and blitz until smooth. Return to the saucepan. 

​Beat together until combined the egg and the cream. While stirring the soup add the cream and egg to the soup. If using nutmeg grate it in now.

Serve hot with cheesy croutons and fried bacon. Chopped chives would be great to.
​

Bernese Beef Stew: This was a nice stew, but by no means the greatest stew I have ever made. I most likely would not repeat it, so I won't post the recipe here, but we still enjoyed it, there is just far better stews I prefer to eat.

Grison Beef Stew: Now this stew we loved. My family love cabbage and this stew even though really simple, had a lovely robust flavour. This I would definitely make again. I know it doesn't look amazing, if you love the combination of beef and cabbage you will love this.

Here is how I made it: 

Grison Beef Stew

Serves 4

750g chuck steak
1 large white cabbage
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
100g bacon, rind removed, diced
1 brown onion, sliced
3 bay leaves
Salt and Pepper
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock

Cut out the main stem of the cabbage and discard the thick stems of the outer leaves. Cut up cabbage into large chunks. Wash well. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the cabbage in chunks, boil for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve the cabbage, until needed.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon and onions and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add bay leaves, season with a little salt and pepper.

Cut the meat into a large dice and add to bacon and onion mixture. Add wine and stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour covered.

Now add the cabbage, breaking up the large chunks as you add them to the saucepan, give it a quick stir, cover with a lid and simmer gently for a further 1 hour. serve with crusty bread or with some mashed potatoes.

Rosti: This is the national potato dish of German-speaking Switzerland, where it is eaten daily. It is sometimes called a potato pancake. This can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Here is how I made it:

Rosti

​Serves 4-5

Start the recipe the day before you want to eat it.

900g potatoes, preferably waxy, not floury ones
55g butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons hot water

The day before, place the whole potatoes in their skins in a pot of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are cooked through, 20-30 minutes. I test with a skewer to see if cooked through. Allow to cool. Refrigerate overnight.

The following day, remove the potato skins and coarsely grate the potatoes on a grater.

Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Gradually add the potatoes and salt. Cook over a low heat, mixing frequently, with a spatula, until the potatoes are soft and yellow.

Press the potatoes with a spatula into a flat cake. Sprinkle with hot water. Cover, and cook over a low heat until the potatoes are crusty and golden at the bottom, about 15-20 minutes. Shake the pan frequently to prevent scorching, and if necessary add more butter to prevent sticking.

Turn into a hot serving dish crusty side up and serve immediately.

Variations: Bacon Rosti: add chopped onion and bacon to the rosti
Cheese Rosti: Add grated cheese to the rosti

Serving suggestions for breakfast and lunch I like it with fried eggs, you can serve it for dinner with Zurich Veal.
​

Spatzle: Oh, how I love spatzle. This is something I always wanted to try but never got around to it, but now that I have, I can't wait to make it again. This made a firm dough and although a little hard to push through the potato ricer, my husband helped, it was well worth the effort. Spatzle are delicious eaten by themselves, but you can use them as you would normally serve pasta or mashed potatoes. The consistency is a little denser than pasta. This is something you have to try.

Here is how I made it: 

Spatzle

​Serves 6

700g plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 eggs
150ml water
20g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
150g unsalted butter
1 Spanish onion
50g breadcrumbs
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper

Put the Spatzle ingredients except the butter in a large bowl. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it is smooth and some air bubbles have formed. It will take about 10 to 15 minutes, so you will need a bit of elbow grease. Alternatively, use a mixer with a dough hook.

Let the dough rest for about 1 hour, beating it from time to time.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Put 2-3 tablespoons of the dough into a Spatzle press or ricer, and over the water push the 'little worms' of dough through, cutting them off with a sharp knife. They should be about 4cm long. As soon as they float to the surface of the water, they are cooked. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a heated dish. Dot the cooked Spatzle with small pieces of the butter so they don't stick to each other, and keep them warm in a low oven while you continue cooking the rest.

In a frying pan, heat the oil and 25g of the butter. Saute the onion until softened. Add the rest of the butter and the breadcrumbs and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are starting to become crisp. 

Add the spatzle and cook for a few more minutes. Serve topped with grated parmesan cheese and pepper.
​

Homemade Focaccia Pizza: This pizza is delicious. This pizza is easy to make. 
The dough is so good. It is a no knead dough, which is fabulous. The dough is the fluffiest, softest dough/bread you will ever eat. It is amazing. The sauce is delicious to, and very easy to make. And as you spread the sauce on the unbaked dough, as it bakes, it seeps into the dough to create this soft pizza.
This was one of my greatest recipe finds and I know this recipe will be made again and again for my family.

Sausage Rolls: Now these did not turn out perfectly, although still very good, I would make some changes next time I make them. The pastry was nice but didn't colour very well, so I would probably brush the dough with egg yolks next time before baking. My kids loved these.

Here is how I made them:

Sausage Rolls

​Makes 24

320g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
113g butter
1/4 cup iced water
24 cocktail frankfurters
Grated cheese (optional)

Sift the flour and salt together. Cut in the butter until the particles are the size of small peas. Add ice water gradually, stirring with a fork until the dough cleans the bowl. Knead lightly. Roll out on a lightly floured board to 3mm thickness. Cut into squares large enough to roll around the cocktail frankfurters. (You can add a little grated cheese on each square if you like, then top with frankfurter). Wrap the frankfurters in the dough. Pinch the ends together. Prick with a fork. Bake in a preheated hot oven (205C/185C fan forced) for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Croutes au Fromage: Ham and Egg Cheese Slices on Wine Soaked Bread: When we visited Switzerland my husband ordered this in Murren and it was one of the most delicious things we had ever tried. Actually this is a dish you can find on the menu all over Switzerland. After trialing this dish a few times I am finally happy with this recipe. Serve this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I love it with a salad as it is rich with the cheese, ham and egg, so a salad is the perfect accompaniment.

Here is how I made it:

Croutes au Fromage: Ham and Egg Cheese Slices on Wine Soaked Bread

1 slice of bread, one day old at least
2-3 tablespoons white wine
Butter, for frying
Mild French Mustard, to taste (optional)
1-2 slices ham
2-3 slices Swiss Cheese, preferably Gruyere
1 egg
Salad, to serve

Pour the wine into a soup plate. Dip one side of bread into the wine. Lightly spread the top side of the bread now with mustard, if using.

Place around a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan. Turn the heat onto medium. Once the butter has melted, place the bread, wine side down into the frying pan.

Place ham to cover the bread slice, then top with the cheese.

Fry, covered, until the bread is golden and crisp underneath and the cheese has melted.

Meanwhile, fry your egg.

​Once the croutes is ready, top with your fried egg before serving. Serve with a simple green salad or some pickles.

Croutes aux Champignons-Mushrooms on Toast: I love mushrooms on toast, I find this absolutely delicious. It's quick to make and makes for a great breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Here is how I made it:

Croutes aux Champignons-Mushrooms on Toast

4 slices bread
100g butter
250g cleaned mushrooms (any sort you prefer or a mixture of several sorts), sliced
1 small onion, diced
25g plain flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup thickened cream
Chopped parsley

Fry the bread lightly on both sides in half the butter. Set aside. Chop onion and fry in rest of butter. Add mushrooms to pan, and fry until all liquid is evaporated. Stir in flour. Gradually blend in stock and wine. Season to taste. Add the thickened cream. Pour the mushroom sauce onto the bread, sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and serve at once.

Zurich Sliced Veal: This is a classic dish, considered one of the great dishes of European cooking. It is not difficult, but you must work swiftly. In Zurich it would be served with rosti, but plain boiled rice or pasta may be substituted. Now with my dish I didn't use veal (which was a mistake), I used rump steak instead, but although the meat choice was wrong, the flavours of the dish were amazing. So next time I would definitely use veal and I know it will be delicious.

Here is how I made it:

Zurich Sliced Veal

750g thinly sliced, bite sized pieces of veal
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion or 2 shallots, chopped
250g mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup cream
1/4 small lemon, zested
Salt and Pepper
Parsley, chopped

Fry veal quickly in butter until golden. Reserve on hot dish. Fry the onion and mushrooms lightly. Season well. Add wine and simmer until sauce reduces at about half, stirring constantly. Add cream and heat, but do not boil. Add meat and lemon zest. Mix ingredients, heat through and serve at once, garnished with chopped parsley.
​

Sauteed Chicken from the Ticino: This was a lovely mid week meal, simple with lovely flavours.

Here is how I made it:

Sauteed Chicken from the Ticino

​Serves 6

1.2kg chicken pieces, I like to use thighs and drumsticks
225g bacon, diced
6 shallots
1 tomato, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
2 teaspoons oil
Pappardelle or rice, to serve

Put the oil in a heavy casserole pot, heat, then add the chicken pieces and bacon. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chicken pieces are golden.

Add all the other ingredients. Simmer, covered, for about 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cook through. 

Put the chicken on a heated dish. Skim any excess oil from the sauce. 

Place the cooked pasta or rice on a serving dish, place chicken on top. Pour the sauce over the top. Serve with a simple green salad.

Green Bean Salad: This green bean salad is traditional and very popular all over Switzerland, and it is delicious. I chose to use snow peas for this salad but I use normal green beans also. The dressing is delicious. This is something I will be making for years to come.

This is how I made it:

Green Bean Salad

​700g green beans
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or more, to taste
Salt and Pepper
1 teaspoon mustard
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley (optional)

Cook the beans in boiling salted water until they are tender but still crisp. 

Make a dressing with the oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, onion and parsley.

Drain the cooked beans and put them in a bowl. While they are still hot, toss with the dressing. (If the beans are allowed to cool, the salad will not be as flavourful). Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Do not chill.
​

​Kartoffelsalat-Swiss Potato Salad: A simple yet lovely potato salad, something I would happily eat again.

Here is how I made it:

​Kartoffelsalat-Swiss Potato Salad

900g potatoes, peeled and sliced into 5-6mm slices
1/2 cup chicken stock

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried or fresh dill

Place potato slices in cold salted water in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat, simmer until just cooked, about 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock until just boiling.

When potatoes are cooked, drain and place the potatoes in a bowl, pour over the chicken stock. Leave for 45 minutes for the stock to absorb into the potatoes.

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, whisk to combine. Pour over potatoes, gently mix it through.
​

Mashed Potatoes Baked with Bacon: This is delicious. Every bite is just the perfect bite, delicious mash with butter, eggs, cream, onion and bacon. Have this as a meal on it's own with a green salad or serve it as a side dish, but just know, this is one seriously good mashed potato dish.

Chocolate Fondue: Although this is not truly a Swiss invention it is so good I had to include it here. My kids absolutely go nuts for this and I've made it for a few of their friends also and it goes so quickly. This is something I know I'll be making for years to come. And to make it Swiss I use Toblerone.

This is how I made it:

Chocolate Fondue: 

255g toblerone
1/2 cup thick cream

For dunking:
Angelfood cake or ladyfingers
Orange slices, strawberries, bananas, pineapple chunks-fruit should be well drained
Marshmallows
Pretzels 

Break the toblerone into seperate triangular pieces. Combine with the cream in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Serve in a chafing dish over low heat.

Spear the dunkables on fondue forks or skewers and dunk into the chocolate.
​

Vin Chaud du Carnaval: We loved this mulled wine, the flavours were delicious, you could taste the lemon and the orange and the cinnamon. The longer it was leave it on the heat, the better the flavours get. This is a great winters drink to have sitting in front of a fire pit. You can reduce the sugar amount if you like.

Hot Chocolate: Who doesn't love hot chocolate, and with Swiss Chocolate this one is truly delicious. My kids loved this and I hope you do to. The original recipe uses one vanilla pod, but as they are expensive and I felt it wasn't truly needed, I substituted vanilla bean paste, you could add vanilla extract.

Here is how I made it:

Hot Chocolate

Serves 2

2 cups full cream milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Sugar, to taste
100g unsweetened cooking chocolate (preferably Swiss)

Heat milk with vanilla bean paste and sugar in a small saucepan until almost boiling.

Melt chocolate in a double saucepan. Pour milk mixture onto melted chocolate, whisking well. 

Pour it all back into the milk saucepan and bring to the boil, whisking to form a good froth on top.

Serve piping hot.
​

As Swiss recipes are hard to find online and even finding cookbooks was a challenge, I did eventually buy two Swiss cookbooks which I used mostly for these recipes. One was A Little Swiss Cookbook by Jacqueline Martinet, the other was The Swiss Cookbook by Nika Standen Hazelton.

Now there was so much more I would have liked to try, but I ran out of time. I'll do a Part 2 for Switzerland one day.

​Now to add another sticker to my world map.

Next Stop: Barbados

​I already have a wickedly spicy fish taco recipe on my website, but when I saw this recipe in a cookbook, with crumbed fish and a little less spice I had to try it. Sometimes I just feel like some fried fish with a few sides and a little spice.

This was delicious. The fish with the guacamole, the cabbage and the chilli sauce and sour cream, every single bite was amazing. This is something I can eat weekly, the flavours are so fresh and leave an amazing taste in your mouth.

With the fish, you can crumb whole fillets if you prefer, then slice them up once they are cooked, this doesn't look as pretty, but it is quicker for a mid week meal, just cook the fish approximately 2 minutes per side. And use any white fish fillets that you love.

With regards to the chilli sauce I found a new brand that I love the Byron Bay Chilli Co, they have absolutely delicious chilli sauces, and I am not paid to say that. But you use any chilli sauce that you love.

If you are looking for a way to serve fish to your family that is easy to make, try these you won't be disappointed.

​Recipe adapted from Pete Evans' cookbook 'My Party Canapes and Cocktails'

Makes 20

500g red snapper fillets (or any firm, white-fleshed fish), skin removed
60g plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
150g panko breadcrumbs
Sea salt
Grape seed oil, for deep-frying
20 small flour tortillas
2 handfuls of shredded purple cabbage or any type of lettuce
8 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche
4 tablespoons good-quality Mexican chilli sauce
Lemon wedges, to serve

For guacamole:
1 avocado, finely diced
2 tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
1 bird's-eye chilli, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
​

​To make the guacamole, mix the avocado, tomato, chilli, lime juice, onion, garlic, coriander and olive oil together.

Cut the snapper fillets into 20 portions.

Put the flour in one shallow bowl, the egg in another and the breadcrumbs in a third.
Lightly season the fish with some sea salt, then dust lightly with flour, coat in the egg and then the breadcrumbs, patting the crumbs on firmly.

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Heat the grape seed oil in a wok or deep saucepan to 160°C. Fry the fish in batches for 30 seconds to 45 seconds until golden and crispy, then turn over and cook for a further 30 seconds or until cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
​
Warm the tortillas on a baking tray in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Fill tortillas with the purple cabbage, guacamole, fish pieces, sour cream and chilli sauce. Squeeze some lemon juice over the top, then put a skewer through the sides to help hold it all together. Serve immediately.

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​My family absolutely love this. 

The buns, soft and pillowy. The braised pork, so delicious, so much flavour. The pickled cucumber, it cuts right through the richness of the pork. Add on a hot chilli sauce and some fresh coriander and you have one truly delicious meal.

Each component is quite easy. The buns take a bit of practice, but are not difficult to make. If you have a strong cake mixer with a dough hook, that takes out any hard work out of the recipe.

With the pork neck the original recipe only used 400g of pork neck, but I like to double it as my family eat this as a meal not as a canape. To ensure cooking times don't vary I buy a 800g piece and cut it in half so it cooks as per the original recipe and it ensures the cooking liquid gets into every piece evenly. You can just use 400g only if you prefer.

​So if you love steamed buns, give these a try, they will not disappoint.

Recipe adapted from Pete Evans' cookbook 'My Party Canapes and Cocktails'

Makes 12-15

​Braised Pork:
325ml Shaoxing Rice Wine
150ml soy sauce
200g caster sugar
1 knob ginger, sliced
5 garlic cloves, bruised
3 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 star anise
2 x 400g pieces pork neck

​Pickled Cucumbers:
100ml rice vinegar
100g caster sugar
2-3 Lebanese cucumbers, finely sliced into rounds

Pork Bun Base:
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
300g bread flour
55g caster sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant skim milk powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
35ml vegetable oil

To serve: 
2 tablespoons hot chilli sauce, to taste
Fresh coriander leaves
2-3 long red chillies, seeded and finely sliced, optional
​
To braise the pork: in a medium to large saucepan add the shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, caster sugar, ginger, garlic, spring onions and star anise. Stir only until the sugar dissolves, bring to the boil. Add the pork neck and allow it to boil again, then turn down to a simmer. Cover the surface with baking paper and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until tender. (I turn it over at the halfway mark to ensure all the pork gets submerged in the liquid). Once the pork is cooked, remove it from the stock and shred the meat. Strain the liquid, reserving some masterstock to moisten the pork when reheating to serve.
​
To make the buns: combine the yeast and 170ml warm water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour, sugar, milk powder, sea salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and start the mixer on medium speed. Add the vegetable oil and mix until the dough comes together. Reduce speed to low and continue to mix for 8-10 minutes. Remove the dough, place in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and allow to rest in a warm place for about two hours or until the dough has doubled in size.
​ 
Make the pickled cucumbers: Bring the rice vinegar and sugar to the boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, in a small saucepan. Allow to cool. An hour before serving, combine the sliced cucumber with the vinegar mixture and set aside.
​
Back to the buns: Once risen, transfer the dough to a work surface, if the dough is sticky, dust a little flour on your dough. ‘Punch down’ the dough by kneading it for 5 minutes. The aim here is to remove as many air bubbles as possible. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to 1/2cm thick. Then use an 9cm diameter pastry cutter (or a plastic cup of the same diameter) to cut out rounds. Remove the excess dough. Dip your fingers in vegetable oil and lightly spread the oil over the surface of your rounds. Fold rounds in half and flatten slightly with the rolling pin, rolling from the fold to the edges. Place on a square of baking paper and place onto a tray. Repeat with remaining dough (excess dough can be re-rolled and used). Cover the folded rounds and set aside to prove for 30 minutes.
​
Meanwhile, reheat the pork in a small saucepan over low heat with some of the reserved masterstock.

Cook the buns: Pour about 4 cm water in a wok (steamer should not touch water) and bring to rapid simmer over medium-high heat.

Place 4 to 5 buns in your steamer basket, I do it in two steamers at a time, so I can cook 8-10 buns at a time, cover with steamer lid. Steam, in batches for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through, I steam them for 8 minutes.
​
Serve buns hot. To assemble, open up your bao buns gently, spread a thin layer of chilli sauce on top of the hot steamed bun, add the cucumber, top with the braised pork and finish with the coriander and chilli, if using. Serve warm.

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​This tastes so good. And how good does it look. 

I do love gin, it is one of my favourite things to drink on a hot summers day and this flavour combination is just divine.

For an alcohol-free version, replace the gin with 1 cup (250ml) lemonade, sparkling water or pomegranate juice.

This is something I will definitely be serving guests this summer and it is the perfect drink to serve around Christmas, so festive, so nice.

​Recipe adapted from a Coles magazine

4 limes, cut into wedges
⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
4 mint sprigs
½ cup (120g) fresh or frozen pomegranate seeds
240ml chilled gin
1 lime, extra, thinly sliced
1 litre berry-flavoured sparkling mineral water
Crushed ice, to serve
​

Place lime wedges, sugar, mint and half the pomegranate seeds in a medium bowl. Use the end of a rolling pin to crush until lime and pomegranate seeds release their juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a large jug.

Add gin and remaining pomegranate seeds to the lime mixture in the jug and stir to combine.

​Divide the pomegranate mixture among serving glasses or pour into a large jug. Add the lime slices. Top with mineral water and ice.

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​What is Bibimbap, it is a Korean Rice Bowl. You plate up this beautiful rice bowl with rice on the bottom, then the gorgeous colourful vegetables placed around the rice, you add on the marinated beef and top it with a perfectly fried egg. But there's more, don't forget to drizzle over the delicious bibimbap sauce and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Now that you have one beautiful rice bowl, you then mix it up into one delicious big mess and you enjoy every single bite.

Now you can use other vegetables you love, like broccoli for instance, and feel free to change the meat to chicken. The recipe can be changed and it will still be delicious. Also with the vegetables you can use a bunch of English spinach, I prefer baby spinach. The original recipe uses dried shitake mushrooms, I use fresh. If using dried, soak the dried mushrooms in a large bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes, or until rehydrated. Drain, squeeze out excess water, then slice. Also the quantities, I tend to add a little more meat for my family, everything is easily adjusted in this recipe.

Now this is not something you cook when you are busy, this is something you cook on the weekend as it does take a little time to make. There are a lot of components, but all are really easy. The vegetables are supposed to be served at room temperature, so you can take your time with each component, as you don't have to serve it hot. The only thing I like to serve hot is the rice, the egg and the beef. The rice I cook in a rice cooker and the beef and egg I cook just before serving.

Gochujang can be bought in most woolworths stores or Asian grocery stores.

​This is so easy to make, it does take some time, but it so worth it. Give this a try soon.

​Recipe adapted from www.recipetineats.com/ 

Serves 4

For the Beef:
250g rump steak, thinly sliced
1/4 green apple , grated
3 garlic cloves , minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil

BIBIMBAP SAUCE:
4 tablespoons gochujang paste
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 teaspoons white sugar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil 

For the carrots:
2 large carrots, cut into 5 x 0.5cm batons
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the zucchini:
​2 large zucchini, cut into 5 x 0.5cm batons
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

For the spinach:
1 bunch of English spinach, cut into 5cm lengths or use the equivalent amount of baby spinach
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Splash of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
salt, to taste

For the Shiitake Mushrooms:
8 large shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

For the Bean Sprouts:
​4 cups bean sprouts
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

To serve:
4 cups cooked white rice
4 eggs
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
​Extra drizzle of sesame oil, optional


Marinate the beef: Mix the marinade in a bowl, then add the beef. Marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.
​
Make the bibimbap sauce: Mix ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
​
Salting of carrots and zucchini: Place carrot and zucchini in two separate bowls, sprinkle each with 1/4 tsp salt, toss, leave for 20 minutes then drain excess liquid.
​
Cook the carrots: In a large frying pan, add 2 teaspoons of oil, cook carrot until just tender (5 to 8 minutes). Remove from pan and place on your serving plate.
​
Cook the zucchini: In the same frying pan, add 2 teaspoons oil, cook zucchini until just tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and place on your serving plate.
​
Cook the Shiitake Mushrooms: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in the same frying pan over medium high heat. Cook mushrooms for 2 minutes. Add 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic. Stir for 1 minute, then remove and place on your serving plate.
​
Cook the Spinach: Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil with a splash of sesame oil. Saute until starting to wilt. Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic, and salt to taste, stir, then remove, place in a colander. When cool, squeeze to drain out excess liquid. Place on your serving plate.

Cook the Beansprouts: Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add beansprouts, simmer for 5 minutes. Drain allow to cool. Place beansprouts in a bowl. Mix with 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 teaspoon garlic and 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce. Place on your serving plate.

Vegetables can cool, they are meant to be at room temp or slightly warm.​

Cook the beef: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Let excess marinade drip off, then add beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes until cooked to your liking and there's some caramelised bits, then remove from the pan. Keep warm until required, try to serve hot.
​
To Assemble: Fry eggs in a frying pan to your taste, I like mine with runny yolks.

Place warm rice in bowls.
Top with vegetables and beef, placing alternating colours just to make it look good, then lastly, the egg.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serve with Bibimbap Sauce. 

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​Recipe adapted from Laura Cassai's cookbook "My Italian Kitchen'

​Makes about 200ml

50g basil leaves, from about 1 bunch
40g pine nuts
25g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
125ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for storing
​1 garlic clove, chopped
​500g spaghetti or linguine


Place the pine nuts in a cold frying pan. Place pan over medium heat and lightly toast the pine nuts. Place in a bowl to cool, while you pick the basil leaves from the stems.

Place the basil leaves, cooled pine nuts, parmigiano reggiano, and garlic in a food processor. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil in a steady stream until it is all smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure it is all incorporated. Season with salt, to taste.

If not using the pesto right away, spoon the pesto into a jar, cover with extra virgin olive oil and seal with a lid. Refrigerate and use as required, it should last up to a week, if covered in oil.

If you are having it right away. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water following packet instructions, until al dente. Strain the pasta, discard cooking water. Place the pasta back in the saucepan you cooked the pasta in, add the pesto, mix it all together to combine.

Place the pasta in a serving bowl, drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil and grate over a little more parmigiano reggiano. Serve immediately.

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