Dad's Cuisine

BEEF BOURGUIGNON The temperatures are dropping and the sky is grey, which is perfect weather for some warm and hearty beef bourguignon!  Beef bourguignon My parents are people who grabbed life by the horns. Shortly after they married, an opportunity arose that would see them leaving family and friends in London and starting over in Paris. They jumped at the chance and never looked back. My brother and I were born and raised here, and although we maintained close ties with the British community by joining a British sports club for expats on the outskirts of Paris, my parents threw themselves into French life with gusto, and French food inevitably found its way onto our table through fondues, boudin noir and beef bourguignon . Boeuf bourguignon evokes cosy family suppers, bringing comfort and warmth on cold and dark winter evenings. I love making it because you can just chuck everything into the pot and leave it to simmer while you get on with other things and enjoy the...

BROCCOLI AND PARMESAN MUFFINS Fancy some finger food? These gluten-free broccoli and parmesan muffins make a healthy vegetarian appetizer or side dish.  Gluten-free broccoli and parmesan muffins Neither Dad nor I follow a gluten-free diet (I enjoy bread, pasta and cakes far too much), but I know quite a few people who do, and I like being able to offer dishes that friends can enjoy whatever their dietary requirements.  I use the word 'muffin' loosely. It's a bit of a misnomer because these don't contain any flour, and I think everyone can agree that muffins - both the English and American kind - generally have flour in them. But whether we're calling them muffins, broccoli balls or vegetarian meatballs, the absence of flour also means they're really quick and easy to prepare. You can serve them as appetizers or as a side dish to a main meal, and they make a great addition to any picnic basket. Soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside, brocc...

SPICED PUMPKIN SEEDS Get the most out of your pumpkins this season by roasting and spicing pumpkin seeds, and enjoy all the health benefits they have to offer.  One of my abiding images of Dad is him sitting in his favourite armchair, eyes glued to the cricket or rugby match on TV, cold beer in hand, and surrounded by discarded packets of crisps or salted nuts (cashews are a particular favorite). Dad is a snacker extraordinaire. Of course, we're all guilty of snacking, and it's rarely on healthy, reasonable foods like fruit. During these colder months, there's nothing I enjoy more than snuggling up on the sofa under a warm blanket, watching a favourite movie or reading a good book, and enjoying a good old snack. And no matter how much I enjoy it, I always end up with a snack-induced guilt hangover. But these healthy  spiced pumpkin seeds are just the thing to satisfy my cravings and not feel too guilty about it afterwards. This Halloween I had a couple of pumpk...