Unlike other guacamole I have tasted before, this was not pureed (in to a consistency resembling baby food!) or an odd-shade of green, but chunky and fresh and has already received good reviews from friends during a picnic last week!

One ingredient used was a Mexican cheese, however, I have been unable to source this back home and so have removed it from the ingredients list below. I shall update this post when I locate a supplier!

Ingredients (makes a tub enough to serve 4 for a side salad, or 2 for a dip to much watching a film!):

• 2 Avocados (ripe)
• 4 or 5 small shallots, chopped finely
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic (dependent on your taste preference) – crushed or chopped finely
• 2 tomatoes – chopped, but not too finely
• 1 Green chilli, chopped finely
• A good handful of chopped coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice of a lime

Method:

If you had a large enough pestle and mortar, I would recommend mixing and smashing up the ingredients in this, as you will extract more flavour, however, the method below assumes you do not.

• Slice the avocado in half, remove the stone and scoop out the flesh
• Slice the flesh relatively finely, but leaving chunky rather than down to a smooth paste
• Place the avocado in to a bowl and add the garlic, tomatoes and chilli
• Mix together the ingredients and season with salt/pepper to taste
• Add the lime juice and mix once more
• Taste – adjust seasoning and add further ingredients if you feel the balance is not right

This can be placed in to a sealed container in the fridge and kept for a couple of days, however eat straight away for the ultimate fresh taste!

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The Island of Korcula has a thriving fishing industry serving local restaurants, guaranteeing the finest and freshest ingredients the surrounding seas have to offer every time you dine, including squid, cod, shrimp, sardines, mussels and cuttlefish (if you have a chance, try Cuttlefish Risotto, which is coloured black with its ink!). The local dishes have Italian and Greek influences using similar ingredients such as garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, basil, pasta and risotto rice.

We found a fantastic, family-run restaurant just off the centre square in Vela Luka, which served amazing home-cooked dishes, packed with flavour and generations of refinement as recipes have been passed down. A truly wonderful family – Mum is the Head Chef, Dad cooks on the grill and Son is the waiter. We ate here several times during our two-week stay, as the food was inspiring and the service was very friendly – we learnt much about local Dalmatian culture, general life and history during conversations with the waiter. On our final night in Vela Luka, I sat down with Mum and Son and they passed on a couple of recipes to me – Buzara with Langoustine (or shrimp as they called them!) and Seafood Risotto, both of which I have cooked back home. Buzara is a messy way to eat, however the flavours are just wonderful.

Ingredients:

• Langoustine – 4 or 5 per person (this could be substituted with large prawns, just adjust the quantity accordingly)
• 2 Cloves of garlic minced or chopped finely
• Skinned, deseeded and chopped tomatoes (you could use a tin of chopped tomatoes)
• 1 Onion, chopped finely
• Good handful of chopped parsley
• 1 Glass of white wine
• 50g of breadcrumbs (used to thicken the sauce, so you may alter to suit your preference)
• Olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon of Vegeta (powdered seasoning, like vegetable stock – I purchased some from a local Polish Deli)
• Ground black pepper to taste

And the fun bit:

• Heat the olive oil (not too hot, or you will burn the ingredients) and then tip in the breadcrumbs.
• Cook the breadcrumbs until they start to change colour and toast.
• Add the garlic and fry briefly until it starts to change colour, then add the tomatoes, wine and Vegeta and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add pepper to taste and place in the langoustine – cover and leave to simmer for 15 minutes (or until the langoustine has cooked)
• Remove the lid, add the parsley and stir in

Serve up with napkins, because you will need them! If you can find some, I recommend a bottle of Croatian Posip, a wonderfully crisp, dry white wine from Korcula.

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Every year, our trusted BBQ becomes my kitchen for the spring and summer. From straight forward, simple fish; mackerel, scallops, sea bass, river cobbler, tuna, bream or good old-fashioned meat; pork chops, steak, sausages, ribs, home-made burgers or chicken, whatever the ingredient, nothing in the culinary world gives me greater pleasure than chilling in the garden with a beer or glass of wine in my hand, cooking over the heat and aroma of charcoal. Whether cooking for just my wife and I, family or friends, I truly think this is one of the most sociable and enjoyable rituals of the summer months. What always makes me laugh is that every time we spark up the barbie, it’s always the males of the party that congregate around the embers….I suppose it’s a simple equation really; meat+flames+beer/wine+laughs=happy blokes!

Anyway, I’m rambling now so I’ll move on to the main course; this simple and straightforward recipe is a great compliment to any BBQ feast and is really straightforward to prepare and cook. Our greenhouse is now laden with fresh, home-grown fruit and vegetables and it’s time to take this fantastic array of produce and put it to good use. In and around the greenhouse, we’ve managed to grow (goodness knows how though, I can only put this down to beginners luck!) courgettes, spring onions, strawberries, pak choi, lettuce, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and amongst others, tomatoes….and an abundance of them!

So, simple, quick ‘n’ easy bruschetta; I take a couple of hand-fulls of cherry tomatoes (you can use any type, but these happened to be ripe and crying out to be eaten) and chop them in half. Place these in to a baking tray with some chopped garlic, pine nuts, drizzle with olive oil and tip in a good splash of balsamic vinegar. Place these in the oven at approximately 180 degrees and cook for about 10 minutes. Once cooked, garnish with some ripped basil leaves and spoon over the top of  some sliced, toasted/grilled fresh french stick (baguette)…..oh yes!

Enjoy!

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Equipment needed; Shallow Baking tray, Large Sauce Pan, Sharpe Knife, Tin opener and whisk.

Ingredients

• 600g Potato
• 300ml Olive Oil
• 1  Onion
• 1 Fresh Chilli
• 400g Tin chopped tomatoes
• ½ tsp Sugar
• 1 pinch Pimenton
• 2 tbsp Sherry vinegar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Clove garlic

Method

1. Heat oven to 200c, Put 100mls of oil in a baking tray and place into hot oven  Peel potatoes, cut into 2cm square pieces. Put potato into oil and shake around, leave for about 40 minutes whilst making the tomato sauce.
2. Put 50mls of oil into pan and heat, peel and finely chop onions, finely chop chilli place carefully in oil and  cook until onions are translucent and soft, add tomatoes, sugar and pimenton, simmer for 20 minutes at the end add the sherry vinegar
3. To make garlic mayonnaise you can either make your own by combing the garlic and egg with 1tbsp of oil by whisking together then a further 150mls of oil drizzled in whilst whisking, or cheating and buying a good quality shop bought maynoaise and adding crushed garlic.
4. Plate up tomato sauce place potatoes on top with a dollop of mayonnaise.
5. Enjoy!

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