Green beans almondine (amandine) is a classic French dish of green beans with almonds. Almondine is a culinary term for an almond garnish.  This dish pairs very well with beef bourguignon and creamy mashed potatoes and is one of my guests’ favourite recipes at the Aald Harbour Hoose. It’s a green bean recipe for people who think they don’t like green beans and for those that know they do. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 15 minutes Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] What you’ll need How to make green beans almondine What do you serve with green beans almondine? G ..read more

Discover this delicious vegan twist on the classic mushroom bourguignon recipe, created as a vegan option for my Aald Harbour Hoose dinner guests. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] What you’ll need How to make green beans almondine What do you serve with green beans almondine? Green Beans Almondine Recipe Pin this recipe for later Other recipes you might like I must admit the vegan recipe offering on my website is decidedly lacking. I’m not a vegan; it’s not how I eat. Instead, I opt for a diet that includes a wide variety of ..read more

Elevate your brunch with a humble bacon jam with cheddar omelette, a culinary masterpiece that requires little more than a few simple ingredients and a dash of flair. Serve with a glass of Barefoot California Merlot. This is a sponsored recipe post made in collaboration with Barefoot Wines. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to do what I love: mess up my kitchen, feed people and share recipe stories. Prep Time: 2 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] The humble omelette ..read more

This traditional French yoghurt cake recipe is one of the easiest cakes to make, so much so that it’s often one of the first cake recipes French children learn how to make. This cake is light with a gorgeous crumb, and the lemon drizzle finish makes for a moist, zesty, lemony tea-time treat. This recipe is one of the cakes I bake for my Aald Harbour Hoose guests, and it’s always a favourite. All photographs by Misa Hay of Shetland Wool Adventures. Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] The easiest cake recipe ever What you’ll need t ..read more

This festive season, why not impress your dinner guests with a showstopping Turkey Wellington recipe? This recipe features a perfectly moist butterfly turkey breast wrapped in pork sausage stuffing flavoured with cranberries and toasted hazelnuts; all encased in a crispy, golden, mouthwatering puff pastry. Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 2 hours Difficulty: Moderate Table of Contents[Hide][Show] An alternative to a traditional roast turkey dinner Ingredients for Turkey Wellington How to make turkey Wellington How to toast hazelnuts What is a turkey butterfly? Turkey Wellington with ..read more

Huffsie (or hufsi) is a traditional Shetland tea loaf that originated on the island of Whalsay. The recipe I use is made with tea-soaked dried mixed fruit, brown sugar, and treacle, but there are many variations. Served ‘klined’ (Shetland dialect for ‘spread’) with butter, it’s a delicious teatime treat whether on land or at sea. Prep Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] The Island of Whalsay “What do folk on Whalsay eat?” I asked. Marian Armitage’s Huffsie Recipe Ingredients for Shetland huffsie How to make huffsie – recipe instructions M ..read more

A scramble up Helvellyn and Catstye Cam via Striding Edge and Swirral Edge, voted one of the most popular walks in the Lake District, England. Duration: 5 hours Difficulty: Moderate OS Explorer Map: OL5 Striding Edge Table of Contents[Hide][Show] Helvellyn Glenridding Mires Beck Birkhouse Moor Hole in the Wall Red Tarn Striding Edge Helvellyn Summit Swirral Edge Catstye Cam Greenside Mine Pin this adventure Other posts you might like Helvellyn Helvellyn is a mountain in the Lake District. At 3,117 feet (950 metres), it is the third largest peak in England and the highest point of t ..read more

MSC-certified sustainable king scallops and langoustines are the stars in this simple yet incredibly flavoursome recipe from Daniel Okroj, the head chef of the Busta House Hotel in Shetland. This article and recipe were originally published in 2014 in the online magazine Fish on Fridays, which no longer exists. In 2023, the article was updated and republished for Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary readers. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Difficulty: Moderate Table of Contents[Hide][Show] Here’s one I rescued earlier… Marea B, a Shetland-registered scallop dredger The world’s fir ..read more

This light and fluffy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting recipe is delicious, straightforward to make and keeps fresh for five days in the refrigerator. It has become a firm favourite with my walking tour guests at the Aald Harbour Hoose in Lerwick, Shetland (What? Where? Walking tour guests?! Subscribe to my newsletter to learn more!). This recipe is adapted from the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting found in What to Bake and How to Bake It (2014) by Jane Hornby. Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Difficulty: Easy Table of Contents[Hide][Show] Why are carrots us ..read more

In this series of cookery lessons from BBC Maestro, Pierre Koffmann teaches the fundamentals of French cuisine through 24 of his best-loved recipes. This post has been written in collaboration with BBC Maestro, although all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Table of Contents[Hide][Show] Who is Pierre Koffmann? Classic French Bistro Cookery Lessons The lessons… There’s always room to learn. What is BBC Maestro? It’s Friday night. For the first time in 23 years, I am home, alone, child-free, and I can do anything I want with my time. So here I am, post-extra-deep-bubble bath i ..read more