My favourite savoury chocolate recipes
Typically you would use 100% cacao not chocolate in savoury dishes, quite simply because it doesn’t contain sugar. Think of cacao as a condiment, you use it like salt and pepper as a building block of flavour. There are three ways to use cacao in savoury recipes: grated over the top of something like a risotto, cooked in something like a casserole, or added in at the end to something like gravy.
Cacao And Olive Bread
Venezuelan Carenero cacao’s nuttiness is a perfect foil for the meatiness of the olives
Mole Negro
One of my favourite Mexican dishes. Typically prepared for festivals and special occasions.
Junkie Pig
Ginger grows in the shade of cacao, here they come together once again in a flavourful marinade.
Gazpacho With Cacao
A cool, refreshing tomato soup perfect for summer, especially with the El Tesoro twist: cacao.
Wild Watercress & Wild Garlic Soup
The wild flavours of these foraged ingredients will put some Spring in your step!
Crispy Chinese Five-Spice Belly Of Pork With Bitter Chocolate Gravy
Perfectly crispy pork drizzled with a bitter chocolate gravy creates an unforgettable flavour experience.
Chocolate & Orange Duck
One of Willie’s favourite ways of preparing duck. The cacao balances the flavour of the orange and the richness of the sauce perfectly.
Puy Lentil & Roast Tomato Salad
This fresh salad is the perfect summer side or lunch. Look for ripe vine tomatoes for this lovely salad – it makes a difference.
Mini-Focaccia Cacao Pesto & Cherry Tomato
These have been one of my staple party foods for years. The cacao adds subtle depth both to the bread and to the pesto.
Cacao Salt & Pepper Squid
This cacao-spice mix beautifully complements fresh squid. This simple recipe is packed with flavour.
Willie's Venezuelan Breakfast
I always surprise my friends with my Venezuelan breakfast: duck eggs, avocado, hot sauce and a heavy grating of cacao. The idea raises eyebrows, but everyone agrees it’s delicious.
Braised Lamb Shanks With Cacao Mash And Gremolata
This dish screams Spring and Easter. In this recipe, the cacao brings lamb shanks and potato mash to a whole other level.
Cacao, Roasted Pepper And Chilli Harissa
This is a must with your breakfast eggs, a great accompaniment to oily fish, lamb and pork, including sausages. You could also serve it with a Moroccan tagine.
