my-easy-cooking

Sweet Potato Gratin

2009-11-27T08:13:00.000+02:00

This easy Sweet Potato recipe is just the thing you need to serve with all the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. After all the cooking and cleaning you all have been doing in the last couple of weeks or days leading up to Thanksgiving, you want a recipe that will be effortless, easy and fairly cheap, right?

Before I get to the recipe....a little information about the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

It is a dicotyledonous plant(and after studying Science with my son, I know what that means, yeah!!)and the sweet tasting tuberous roots are what we know as sweet potato.

Interestingly enough, the sweet potato is just distantly related to the potato. Sweet potato is low-fat, low GI and it has high levels of Vitamin E and carotene. It is an excellent dietary antioxidant and helps with the regulating of blood pressure and anemia.

To get back to the recipe, it is dead-easy and what's best is that it needs only 4 ingredients!!!

Sweet Potato Gratin

Ingredients

1 kg sweet potato

salt

250ml sour cream

250ml mature cheddar cheese

fresh nutmeg

125ml grated parmesan - use fresh

Boil the sweet potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain and roughly mash with a potato masher. Grate some fresh nutmeg and mix in with the sweet potato. In the meantime, mix the 2 cheeses with the sour cream and keep aside. Take the mashed sweet potato and spoon into a pie dish. Spread the cheese mixture over the top, grate some more nutmeg over and bake in a hot oven until golden and bubbly!!!!

Chicken Burger - let's give it some Thai flavors!!

2009-11-23T08:37:00.000+02:00

A chicken burgers can be very bland some days...you have to do something really spectacular to that chicken by grilling, basting or crumbing it. A good chicken burger on the other hand, can be heavenly and can easily stand up to your favorite beef burger. For me, making a good chicken burger, always meant I had to crumb the burger, but recently I saw this idea of making a Thai Chicken Burger. I think it was a recipe by Bill Granger, but I have no idea of which magazine I saw this in. This burger is light, healthy and so, so fragrant. Served with a simple cucumber salad on the side, it is ideal for serving at a picnic, next to the pool or as a light supper outside in the garden. This is my take on what I remember from reading the recipe......

Thai Chicken Burger with a light cucumber salad!

700gr chicken breast fillet - skin and boneless
125gr fresh bread crumbs
1-2 chillies
1 stick of lemon grass - hard out leaves removes
a big handful of coriander
salt/pepper
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 egg
1 shallot
oil for frying
1 teaspoon green curry paste - optional

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blits until combined but not completely smooth, you want to retain a chunky consistency. Make fat and plump patties and shallow fry in hot oil. Serve on a fresh buns with sweet chili sauce and this delicious cucumber salad..

Cucumber Salad

!/2 English cucumber - peeled
1 red chili - seeds removed and chopped
1 small red onion - slices thinly
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
salt/pepper
zest and juice of a lime

Slice the cucumber very thinly using a mandolin or use your vegetable peeler and cut the cumcumber in long thin strips. Place in a bowl and add all the other ingredients. Taste!!!! What you want is a perfect combination of sweet and sour with a nice "bite" from the chili.

Chutney or relish? I am confused!

2009-11-20T07:48:00.004+02:00

Chutney or relish....what is the difference? Interesting question and I certainly have never even given it some thought.....that was until I wanted to write this post. I did a bit of research and this is the conclusion I came to.....Generally speaking, a relish is made with grated or cut up vegetables or fruit , while is chutney is almost always made with mainly fruit.

Chutney is from the East Indian word chatni. It is a spicy and aromatic condiment that contains fruit, sugar, vinegar and a whole array of spices. Chutneys can vary in texture from being smooth to rather chunky and coarse. Chutneys go particularly well with curried dishes, but for me, chutney is perfect with just about anything....cheese and crackers, sandwiches, cold meats or even grilled chicken or fish.

A relish is a chopped vegetable or fruit food item that is cooked and pickled. The fruit or vegetables are normally in a sauce, although the sauce is subordinate in character to the vegetable or fruit pieces.

All this information confused me even more, because the Beetroot, Pineapple and Currant condiment that I had in mind felt like a chutney to me. It also consists of fruit and vegetables, so in conclusion, I still don't know if this is a relish or a chutney, but please feel free to let me know what you think it should be.

Beetroot, Pineapple and Currant chutney(relish)

Ingredients

3 big raw beets - peeled and grated
250ml crushed pineapple
100ml currants
1ooml sugar
red wine vinegar - about 3 tbsp(adjust to taste)
salt
1-2 red chilies - keep whole(it gives a subtle heat)
1 star anise
3 cloves
1 all spice

Place all the ingredients in a stainless steel pot and bring it to the boil. Let it simmer on very low heat until the chutney(relish) has a thick chunky consistency!! About 1 hour. Spoon into sterilized jars or keep in the fridge for about 1 week(if it lasts that long).

I serve my beetroot chutney(relish) on a multi-grain roll with salami, cream cheese and fresh herbs from the garden......

Making Sorbet is just the easiest thing to do!!!

2009-11-18T08:50:00.003+02:00

Sorbet making is a skill and only the good chefs can make it. Or else, this is what I have always believed. Every summer, I get so inspired by all the fresh berries and fruit, but my enthusiasm is soon dampened by my fear of making a flop.... (character flaw, I know!) I even have an ice-cream maker so I really do not have a valid excuse for not trying to make sorbet sooner, but the good news is that .........I TRIED....and I CONQUERED....... I made my first batch of strawberry and basil sorbet!!! Now, I am hooked on sorbet and I cannot wait to try my hand at lemon, orange, pear and all the other lovely flavors that I see here in the bloggersphere.
According to Wikipedia, sorbet is a frozen dessert, made with sweetened water and iced fruit. Basically that is exactly what it is, but you can also add alcohol which lowers the freezing temperature, resulting in a softer texture. Whereas ice-cream is mostly made with dairy products, sorbet is mostly water-based and is therefor a better option to have when watching your fat intake.
In Italy a very similar product "granita" is made. It is crunchier in texture because of the freezing process. As it freezes, large ice crystals is formed and granita is also often scraped with a fork to give an even crunchier texture when served. These large crystals should however not be present in a good sorbet. If you do not have an ice-cream machine, just use a fork and lightly beat the sorbet every hour or so while it is busy freezing, that will break up the crystals...
I got this recipe from a fellow Food24 food blogger, Angeliqueca. The recipe sounded easy enough and it was just the inpiration I needed to get started. So without further ado, here then is my first ever sorbet.......

Strawberry and Basil sorbet

Ingredients

3 cups strawberries
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
4T. lemon juice
1 T. vodka
about 1 leaf of basil - you only want a subtle hint of basil!

Put the sugar, water and basil leaf in a pot and heat slowly to melt the sugar. Bring the syrup to a boil and boil for about 3 minutes. Remove the basil and cool the syrup. While the syrup is boiling, puree the strawberries in a blender and strain if you don't want the pips. I like the texture it gives to the end product. Combine the puree with the lemon juice and vodka, then stir in the sugar syrup. You can now transfer this mixture to your ice-cream maker and churn until ready or pour into a plactic container and freeze. Every hour just beat the mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Place back in freezer.
Serve this delicious sorbet as an in-between-courses palate cleanser or as part of a Trio of sorbets....I am going to do this for Christmas...pear, grannadilla and some kind of berry sorbet!!!

Boiled eggs - hard or soft...always a treat!

2009-11-16T07:41:00.005+02:00

Boiled eggs are a popular breakfast food around the world and here in Cape Town most street vendors sell them. It is cheap, very nutritious and the perfect breakie to have on the run. In my house however boiled eggs are equally welcome at the lunch or dinner table. Sunday nights are egg-and-tomato-sandwich nights, dippy eggs are one of my childrens' favorite lunchtime treats and I even have a savory tart recipe that has boiled eggs in it. I used boiled eggs extensively when I cater, it is divine with caviar, smoked salmon or served as a deviled egg.
In January I had a function for 1200 people and made deviled eggs. I had to boil 240 eggs and it was quite a daunting task. I bought myself a nifty egg boiling machine and ever since making boiled eggs is effortless and easy.
Most people find it difficult to get the eggs exactly to their liking and I am sure you all have "just the right way" to do it, but it is not easy to give exact times, because factors like, size of the eggs, salt in the water, ect does make a difference. I have taken the trouble to give you a few easy steps to help you along.

1.Place you eggs in an empty pot, be gentle. If you suspect that you have an cracked egg, add salt or vinegar to the water. It may help the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster to close the cracks in the shell.

2. Fill the post with enough cold water to cover the eggs and have the water level about 2 cm above the eggs.

3.Add salt to make the water "tasty". Adding salt to the water also helps to make peeling the eggs easier.

4. Place the lid on the pot and bring the water to boiling point and turn off the heat. Keep the lid on the pot and set your timer for 10-15 minutes. It is important you do not start the timer until the water starts boiling, and you turn off the heat. Too much time will make the eggs discolored and smelly, while too little time will cause them to be runny.

5. Stop the cooking process by cooling the eggs off under cold running water. Let the eggs sit for a while to cool completely.

6. Peel the eggs under cold running water so make it easier. Fresh egs are difficult to peel, o when making boiled eggs, go for eggs that are slightly older. Eat with salt and cracked black pepper or let you imagination run wild!!!

On Saturday I made this divine breakfast, my family was in a state of uforia and all I could get from them was : " Hummmmm, mmmmmmm, yummmm, ahhh this is so good....

So for my Boiled eggs and Asparagus Breakfast, this is what you will need.

Ingredients

2 eggs per person
about 4 spears of asparagus per person
2 rashers of bacon per person
black pepper
sea salt
toasted bread of your choice.

Cut the bacon in 2 lengthwise and wrap each piece around the asparagus. When all the asparagus are done, place on a baking tray and roast in the oven until the bacon is done. In the meantime, boil your eggs and when ready serve with freshly toasted bread, slat and pepper and a good cuppa java!!!

Orecchiette with Napoletana Sauce

2009-11-12T08:15:00.003+02:00

Orecchiette is one of the less popular pasta shapes, but since I've read Jamie Oliver's book Jamie's Italy and saw the Italian mamas and their children sitting around a table making these interesting pasta shapes, I've been keen to make it myself. In Italian orrechio means "ear" so Orecchiette in essence means "little ears". It is made with a basic pasta dough and all it requires is just patience and a little bit of skill and before you know it you can be turning out beautiful orecchiette just like a real Italina mama. If all this is too much work for you, simply go to you nearest Italian deli or market and buy a different pasta shape this time. Orecchiette is ideal for just about any kind of sauce. The "little scoops" are just perfect for a ragu, Napoletana or even a cream based sauce, just make sure you make ample sauce, those "little ears" can absorb quite a lot of sauce. I chose a Napoletana sauce, because it is an healthier option and we have an abundance of tomatoes at the moment. You can find the recipes for my Napoletana sauce here and here.(this one is for large quantities)

I served my Orecchiette with Napoletana Sauce with grated parmesan, shredded basil and toasted pine nuts!.

Amarula Tiramisu - An Italian classic with an African twist!

2009-11-09T08:33:00.003+02:00

Amarula is a liqueur made form sugar, cream and the fruit from the African Marula tree, also called the Elephant tree or the marriage tree around Africa. Amarula has a fruity, caramel taste and although it seems to be too sweet for some palates, Amarula is currently the second largest seller of creamy liqueurs after Bailey's Irish Cream.
Elephants eat the fruits from the Marula tree and there is a common belief that they get drunk from the fermented fruits, but that is far from the truth. The distillers have taken the elephant as their symbol and contributes generously to elephant conservation and even co-funds the Amarula Elephant Research Programme.

"The Marula tree is indigenous to sub-equatorial Africa and its fruit can only be harvested in the wild. Steeped in legend and tradition, this wild tree is revered by African tribes as the marriage tree under whose fertile branches many an African princess has been joined in wedded bliss. The Marula tree is one of the most highly valued indigenous trees on the African continent, with a variety of uses that differ from tribe to tribe. Only the female Marula tree bears the succulent and exotic flavoured fruit which ripens to a light yellow, filling the air with an intense tropical fragrance that floats on the warm summer breeze and which attracts Africa’s giants of the bush, the elephant whose desire for the fruit is unlimited".(info Wikipedia)

Enough with the research, wouldn't you say??

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert and although I love Italian ccoking, I have NEVER made this decadent dessert. I was looking at a Amarula advertisement in a magazine the other day and the idea started forming in my head....what if I made a classic Italian Dessert with an African twist... Traditionally, tiramisu is made with either brandy, coffee liqueur, marsala wine or cognac, so what was stopping me from using Amarula Liqueur....NOTHING!!!!

I got my original recipe from David Lebovitz' site, but I made a view changes....(my changes are in red) Please visit his site for lots more decadent seet treats!

Amarula Tiramisu recipe - (I also doubled the entire recipe)

1/2 cup (125ml) espresso, at room temperature
2 tablespoons dark rum - omitted the rum
1 tablespoon cognac - I used 3 tbsp brandy
2 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
pinch of salt
7 tablespoons (90g) sugar, divided - I used caster sugar
1 cup (250g) mascarpone
twelve 3½-inch ladyfingers (70g, or 3 ounces)
optional: 1 ounce (30g) bittersweet chocolate
125ml Amarula Liqueur.

unsweetened cocoa powder, for serving

1. Mix together the espresso, rum, and cognac. The mixture should taste strongly of alcohol. If not, add more until it does. (That flavor will tone down when mixed with the other ingredients, but feel free to adjust to taste.)

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to get stiff. Beat in half of the sugar until stiff. Scrape the egg whites into a small bowl.

3. In the same bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until stiff and light-colored, about three minutes. (If using a standing electric mixer, you may need to stop and scrape down the sides.) By hand, beat in the mascarpone with a spatula or whisk, until lump-free. Add the Amarula Liqueur and mix well.

4. Fold in half of the beaten egg whites, then the remaining half, just until fully incorporated.

5. Put a splat, a heaping soup spoon, of the mascarpone cream into each vessel.

6. Submerge each ladyfinger in the espresso mixture for 5-10 seconds, until completely, utterly soaked. (Dried ladyfingers will take longer to saturate than softer ones.) Break the ladyfinger in half to be sure; they should be dropping wet, and can't be saturated enough. Then layer them over the mascarpone cream in each vessel. Use two ladyfingers per.

7. Grate a generous amount of chocolate over each.

8. Top with remaining mascarpone cream, cover, and refrigerate at least four hours, but preferably overnight.

9. Right before serving, shake powdered cocoa generously on top.

Bread Salad ....or isn't it?????

2009-11-04T20:06:00.005+02:00

Bread salad or Tomato Salad......what shall we call it? A Bread Salad or Panzanella requires no cooking at all and is basically just stale Italian bread mixed in a salad with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and a very good olive oil. So I guess this is not a classic Panzanella then... because I made croutons and I slow roasted some tomatoes. According to Trish Deseine from Trish's Paris Kitchen, this is a take on a sandwich from the South of France, called a ‘pan bagnat’. As she said the name "pan bagnat", it sounded so exotic and classy, but in essence, it really is just a big bread roll, drenched in olive oil and stuffed with tomatoes and herbs.... This recipe caught my attention, because I love stuffing breads as you will remember from my Ground Beef in a bundle! I think it presents well on a table and the idea of edible containers fascinates me...
Not only did my inspiration for the bread salad come from Trish's programme, but my herb and vegetable garden inspires me so at the moment. The herbs are just fantastic and my tomatoes and rocket just keep yielding more and more produce... If you haven't got a herb garden yet, I urge you to try and make a plan...it will just take your cooking to a whole new level.

To get back to the .....

Bread Salad Recipe

Ingredients

1 round farm loaf
extra virgin olive oil - the best you have and lots of it.
fresh plum tomatoes - cut in big chunks
about 10 cocktail tomatoes - halved
sun-dried tomatoes
fresh mint and basil
fresh rocket
salt/pepper
pinch of sugar
2 cloves garlic - unpeeled

Method.

Placed the halved cocktail tomatoes on a pan, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and slow roast until done. Cut a lid off the bread and hollow it out, leaving a thin layer of bread on the crust. Use the centre of the bread and cut into big chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and together with the 2 cloves of garlic, roast the croutons in the oven until they are golden and grispy. You just want the hint of the garlic, so keep it whole. When the croutons and the slow-roasted tomatoes are ready, mix it with all the other ingredients and add more olive oil before you stuff the bread with the salad. Place the lid back on and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour for the flavors to mingle and develop and the bread to absorb lovely oilive oil "dressing."
This is a meal all on its own, but you can add a cheese board or even a piece grilled chicken or beef is you need something a little more substantial.....Delish!!!!

Tarts - Fruity and Petit!

2009-10-29T09:59:00.002+02:00

Tarts - savory or sweet are always winners on any tea table or for any meal, but I think sweet tarts are by far more popular than their savory "cousins"! It is just because the possibilities for fillings and crusts are endless and by just using one or two different ingredients every time you will soon have quite a repertoire of tasty tart recipes! A tart is essential a pastry case with some sort of filling, be it custard, fruit or the combination of the two. A tart does not have a pastry lid, I think then it becomes a "pie". I like to serve these dainty little fruit tarts at functions, simply because they are easy to prepare in advance, they are so beautiful and colorful and they are popular with young and old.

For me, the secret to a fantastic tart is the pastry. It has to be light, crumbly and almost "shortbread-like"! I found this easy recipe on Cook Almost Anything and because you can make this in a food processor, it was the recipe of choice for me! I do believe though, if you rub the butter and flour by hand, your result will be slightly lighter.

The other important element to my fruit tarts is the custard or Crème Pâtissière . It has to be homemade and it has to be creamy and thick. The recipe I followed was the following:

Confectioner's Custard or Crème Pâtissière

500ml thick cream
125ml whole milk
4 egg yolks
125ml caster sugar
80ml flour
a pinch of salt
vanilla extract or vanilla pod - cut open and inside scraped out.

Beat the egg yolks, vanilla and sugar until light and pale in color, add the flour and keep beating until it is combined well. Heat the milk, salt and cream in a pot with the empty vanilla pod until it starts to boil. Remove the pod from the cream and mix the hot cream into the sugar mixture bit by bit. Pour the whole mixture back into the pot and stir until it thickens. Keep the heat low and watch the pot, otherwise you will be left with scrambled eggs.... Let the custard cool down, covered with cling film to prevent a skin from forming on the top. Pipe the custard into the pastry cases and decorate with fresh fruit.
I "glazed" my tarts with some passion fruit coulis that I had available.

Easy Salad Recipes - Let's wrap it up!!

2009-10-26T08:09:00.005+02:00

Easy Salad Recipes! You all should know by now that my site is called "My Easy Cooking" for a reason. I like things easy, quick, effortless and if I could add cheap to the list, it will be even better. What can be easier than making a salad all wrapped up in more salad? In my book it means less washing up, a meal filled with only good things and a happy and healthy family. My garden is finally starting to produce and I have an abundance of lettuce leaves, tomatoes and fresh herbs to choose from each and every day.
For those of you who think that lettuce has very little nutritional value for the human body, I have news. Lettuce actually has very little calories, it takes your body more calories to metabolize it than to consume it which makes lettuce an ideal choice if you want to bulk up your salads, but limit your calories. Make sure you use the darker lettuce varieties for they just contain more vitamins and anti-oxidants than your normal ice-berg. For these wraps I used Romaine or Cos lettuce for it is by far superior in nutritional value to any other lettuce variety.

Romaine or Cos Lettuce (Info gained from Suite 101.com)

Romaine lettuce is also known as cos lettuce. Romaine lettuce has a slightly bitter flavor and has a crispy texture. Cos is the most common lettuce used in a Caesar salad. Like other common lettuce types, romaine lettuce is a popular main ingredient for all types of salads. Romaine lettuce forms tight and tall-upright heads.

Romaine Lettuce Nutritional Values – head, 626 grams

Romaine is very low in calories with 106 and low in total fat with 2 grams
There is no cholesterol and very little sodium (50mg)
An excellent source of dietary fiber with 13 grams
Romaine lettuce is an excellent source of vitamin K with 802% of the daily value (DV) in a 2,000-calorie diet. It is also an excellent source of vitamin A with 1,091% of the DV and vitamin C with 250% of the DV.
Romaine also has a good amount and balance of Omega 3 (707mg) to Omega 6 (294mg) fatty acids.

Of all the Easy Salad Recipes that I have, this one is surely the healthiest with all the goodness from the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado and other ingredients that I have added. For this easy meal I place all the ingredients on a big platter and everyone makes their own salad wrap with the ingredients of their choice.
In this case I made my own mayonnaise from a recipes that I found on Lavender and Lime - Recipes to inspire you!!

Easy Salad Recipes- Fish and Salad Wraps!

Ingredients

750gr white fish fillets
a little flour
salt/pepper
cocktail tomatoes
avocado
fresh pineapple strips
cucumber strips
cos or romaine lettuce leaves - washed
chives to tie the wrap together.

Cut the fish a thumb-sized strips. Season and dust them in flour and fry them in a pan with a little oil until done. This can be done the previous day or use leftover fish, chicken or cheese in case you are vegetarian. Make sure all the vegetables are washed and cut in thin strips. Place all the ingredients on a wooden board or platter and enjoy. Serve with a delicious basil mayo or use a good quality store-bought mayo to make this even easier on yourself. So, there you have it...another one of my Easy Salad Recipes to add to your collection.

Ground Beef Recipes - Meatballs with banana and onion relish

2009-10-21T21:39:00.007+02:00

Ground Beef recipes are in their millions on the internet and in magazines and with a few tweaks of spices and recipes here and there every household has their favorite ground beef recipe. Meatballs come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny little cocktail meatballs on your snack platter to the family size meatballs you serve with your spaghetti and homemade tomato sauce, they remain firm favorites with everyone. Just like bread, every country has their own version of meatballs too. Think Moroccan Keftas, Greek Keftedes, German Frikadelle, Belgian Ballekes and even the Chinese has a version that is served steamed as part of dim sum. You can read more about different varieties of meatballs over here.
Here in South Africa, meatballs are referred to as Frikadelle, due to German influences in our food culture. Meatballs has been on our menu all my life and we had a housekeeper who could make the most amazing meatballs, not because of some special ingredient that she used, but because she took time in making and braising them. Sadly, meatballs is not my hubby's favorite form of ground beef, so I have to always disguise it by making Mini meatloaves, Bobotie, Spagetthi with meatballs, lasagna etc. Sometimes I succeed in tricking him, but usually he would end his meal by saying: " Not bad for a meatball, thanks love!!" Darn, he is just too clever for me.

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My hubby loves curry so I thought, why not put curry in the meatballs, he will just have to like it then. Well, believe it or not, he did, so this recipe is a winner and will be on the menu again pretty soon. Another thing about South Africans that you might not know is that we like our curries on the sweet side, so this recipe was then developed around our tastes. Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Curried Meatballs with Banana and Onion relish

Ingredients

1 kg good quality ground beef
4 - 6 slices of white bread ( we have big slices, so I used 4)
1 medium onion grated
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
chopped coriander
zest and juice of a lemon
2 tsp curry powder
water
vegetable oil

Soak the bread in water. When the bread is completely drenched, squeeze out the water and mix with all the other ingredients. Form meatballs and fry in vegtable oil until cooked.

Banana and Onion Relish

2 large onions - peeled and sliced thinly
1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger - sliced in thin matchsticks
1-2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1-2 tbsp white wine vinegar - I used pineapple vinegar
vegetable oil
salt/pepper
2-3 bananas - peeled and sliced

Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onions and ginger with the curry powder and the turmeric. The onions must be soft, but still holds its texture. Add the sugar and the vinegar and let the relish cook until the liquid is all gone. Should take 1-2 minutes. Taste and season. Add the sliced bananas and let it just stand for a while so that the flavors can infuse the bananas. Do not cook the bananas.
I served my meatballs on a slice of Sweet potato Bread with fresh rocket and watercress and a helping of parsnip crisps on the side.

Seafood Pasta does not have to be so complicated!

2009-10-20T07:16:00.004+02:00

Seafood pasta really does not have to be all that elaborate and expensive. Yes, I know you can add lobster, crab, clams and whatever other expensive ingredients you can lay your hands on, but for a simple home cook like me, it has to be cheap, easy but yet packed with flavor. When making seafood pasta, it is also possible to stretch the more expensive ingredients, making your guests feel really spoiled. I have made a salmon pasta before, using very little salmon, but the result was a most flavorful dish. For this reason, I find it very handy to have small bags of calamari, clams, prawns and salmon in the freezer. When frozen in small quantities, it thaws in a minute and your can have supper ready in about 30 minutes if not less. The secret for my easy seafood pasta recipes is not necessarily in the seafood that I have used, but the flavor base of my tomato sauce. Make sure you pack enough flavors in your sauce and you are halfway to a very successful dish!!
Shall we make it????

Seafood pasta with Calamari

Ingredients

500gr spaghetti - cook according to packet instructions
2x 410gr tins chopped tomatoes
50gr tomato paste
1 large onion
3 medium courgettes - chopped finely(optional)
2 leeks - sliced finely
4 cloves garlic
4-5 anchovies + a little of the anchovy oil
fresh thyme
fresh mint
a sprig of rosemary
fresh basil
olive oil
salt/pepper
1 tbsp sugar
125ml white wine
the juice of 1 roasted lemon
zest of 1 lemon
300gr calamari rings
freshly grated Parmesan - (optional)

Start by placing the garlic, coarse salt, anchovies and the herbs in your pestle and mortar and make a paste. Keep one side. Dice the onion finely and sauté in the olive and anchovy oil. Add the courgettes and leeks and sauté until the vegetables are cooked but not mushy and soft. Add the anchovy paste, tomatoes, tomato paste and the wine. Season with sugar, lemon zest, salt and pepper and let the sauce cook for about 20 minutes. What you want is a thick intense tomato sauce, not watery at all. Add the clamari rings and place the lid of the pot on for about 5 minutes. This is enough the cook the calamari. Check again for seasoning, add some chopped basil, juice of the lemon and some grated parmesan of you so wish.
Serve with a chunky roasted garlic bread and a glass of whatever your favorite tipple is.

Herbs and Spices - I cannot imagine cooking without them.

2009-10-16T08:22:00.003+02:00

Who can imagine cooking without herbs and spices, even in Ancient times fragrant plants, berries and seeds were used to enhance the flavor of food. Different herbs and spices also give a specific flavor to food, therefor a simple ingredient like lamb would taste different in almost every country it is cooked. Now, not all of us have the luxury of a herb garden or even a potted herb garden, but there is no excuse for not using spices. Most spices are relatively cheap and can be kept in glass jars for months.
As I have said, each country has its own unique use of spices, for instance in Mexico it is cumin, coriander, chili and oregano that gives Mexican food its authentic flavor. In the Mediterranean the use of garlic, rosemary, thyme and other fresh herbs are more predominantly used. Not to speak of India...we have all been to an Indian market where the smell of the different curries are so intoxicating that you just end up buying and buying..... and so I can go on and on, but you get the point I am trying to make. Cooking without herbs and spices is like having an awesome house but no furniture.....just like furniture, it changes a basic ingredient into something special and something fragrant.

In South Africa, we have influences from many countries so I have a whole array of spices that I can use from, but if I have to single out one spice, then it would be dry coriander or coriander seeds as some people would like to call it.. I love the earthy taste it gives to food and our proudly South African Boerewors, would not be the same without it. Wikipedia describes coriander seeds as "warm, nutty, spicy, and orange-flavored."
When using coriander seeds, it is essential to dry roast the seeds before crushing them to ensure that all the volatile oils are released.
I had a de-boned pork neck that I wanted to use and I wanted the coriander to be the star of the show, so this is what I came up with.

Pork neck braised with coriander and beer

Ingredients

1,5kg de-boned neck of pork
125ml dry coriander seeds - dry roasted and crushed in mortar and pestle
crushed black pepper
salt
1 tbsp dry oregano
olive oil
500ml beer
250ml cream
fresh thyme

You can ask your butcher to trim and roll the pork for you ar you can simply season the pork with salt and roll it up and tie it with kitchen twine about 5cm apart. Now mix all the dry spices and pour out on a wooden board. Roll the pork in the spices until all the spices are used up and the pork is evenly coated. Now slice the meat in thick slices about 5cm thick, make sure that each piece has a piece if twine in the middle holding the meat together in a nice "round".

You need an oven-proof skillet with a lid for this dish. On the stove top, heat the olive oil in the skillet and brown the meat on both sides. Add the beer and with the lid on braise in the oven for about 1 hour. Take the skillet out of the oven, remove the pork , add the cream and let the sauce reduce somewhat. Add the fresh thyme and serve the pork with this flavorful sauce on a warm bean and pea salad.

Sardines/pilchards - they make the healthiest fish cakes ...I think!

2009-10-14T08:46:00.006+02:00

Sardines or pilchards must be the humblest of all seafood and yet it is packed with vital nutrients like Omega 3 - fatty acids as well as vit D, Calcium and B12. Taking all this into consideration, sardines or pilchards must be one of the best proteins to consume. Omega 3-fatty acids is essential in maintaining a healthy heart and it also helps to control blood sugar levels. What makes these little fish even healthier for you is that fact that their mercury levels are very low compared to the bigger fish like tuna.
Here in South Africa we can buy sardines or pilchards in cans which makes it most convenient to keep as a stock item in your cupboard and it is also very cheap, thus making it ideal for low budget meals. It sells under the brand Lucky Star and you can read more about all the nutritional benefits here.
My husband will eat sardines out of the tin on toast, but I like to make fish cakes with it. A tin of fish goes a long way and with mash and a salad, you not only fill tummies, but you give your family food that is good for them too. To keep the fish cakes healthy, I also wanted to up the fiber and lower the GI levels. Oats is the best way to do this so here is what you need.

Fish Cakes with a Mexican Twist

1 425gr tin of pilchards in tomato
125ml oats
2 eggs
1 onion finely chopped
a big handful of chopped coriander
1 tin Mexican salsa
sour cream

Mix the pilchards, oats, onion, coriander and eggs together and form small patties. Fry in shallow oil and drain when ready. Serve with the Mexican salsa and some sour cream.

Easy Pasta recipes - Penne with Summer Vegetables

2009-10-12T11:37:00.003+02:00

Easy pasta recipes are plenty, but it is not always so easy to find healthy pasta recipes. Given the choice my family will also opt for a creamy carbonara, lasagnas and or a 3 cheese mac 'n cheese. We are however trying to eat slightly more healthy in this family, by just cutting out unnecessary fats, sauces and sugars. The vegetables that I chose for this recipe are all at their peak now, so they are sweet and the colors are just too beautiful. I also wanted each vegetable to still be prominent in this recipe, so I chose not to have a tomato base sauce, but rather to add the roasted, halved cocktail tomatoes right at the end. The result was a flavorful pasta,packed with the goodness from the vegetables, but without the calories from a creamy sauce.

Penne with Summer vegetables

Ingredients

500gr penne - cooked to packet instructions
1 big onion - finely chopped
4-5 courgettes - diced finely
250gr mushrooms finely chopped
150gr asparagus - cut in chunks
500 gr cocktail tomatoes - halved
fresh thyme
good quality extra virgin olive oil
salt/freshly grounded pepper
juice and zest of a lemon
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 220C and roast the tomatoes with some olive oil and a dash of balsamic vinegar. When they start to color, remove from the oven and keep aside.
Heat a skillet and a generous glug of the olive oil. Saute the onions for a while and add the other ingredients, except the tomatoes and the asparagus. Keep the heat high and sauté rather than cook the vegetables. When just about ready add the asparagus and the tomatoes. The heat from the other vegetables is enough to cook the asparagus. Just before serving, add another glug of the olive oil and season. Drain the pasta and serve with this delicious "sauce" and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
If you like a bit of heat, feel free to add some chili or some chili flakes.

Beetroot - An Energy Booster of note!!!

2009-10-08T07:21:00.005+02:00

Beetroot has so many benefits for your health and I will highlight but a few.
- very rich in potassium
- contains Vit C
- it is an excellent source of folate
- the leafy tops are rich in beta-carotene, iron and calcium

As far as nutrition goes, freshly boiled beetroot is a good , maybe even, better source of nutrients than the raw beetroot.. The levels of most minerals, including potassium (which regulates the heartbeat, and maintains normal blood pressure and nerve function), are notably higher. When cooked, most of the vitamin levels stay the same, including vitamin C, and there is only a slight loss of folate. So when I make a vegetable drink, I prefer to use the beetroot raw, but for all other purposes I will cook or roast it.
The edible leaf tops, which contain beta carotene, calcium and iron can be cooked in exactly the same way as spinach. Beetroot has one of the highest sugar contents of any vegetable, it contains the equivalent of a teaspoonful of natural sugars per 1OOg portion.( Info sourced from: Whyweight)

I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately, nothing serious, just run down with very low energy levels. I don't like to take tablets( battle the swallow) in any form, so supplements are often bought with good intentions and then just left after a while. I do know from previous experience that nothing gives me a "lift" quite like beetroot does, so off to the market I went and came back with plenty of beetroot. We love it in any form...pickled, roasted, just cooked and yes, in my juice..raw!!!! My daughter walks around with a permanent red ring around her mouth, she absolutely loves it...... So needles to say, beetroot appears on our menu often and I took the liberty of selecting a few of our favorites....

Yogurt Cheese and Beetroot with Orange blossom Honey.

Fresh Beetroot Juice

Blue Cheese, Avocado and Beetroot salad

Today I want to share with you a delicious sandwich I made yesterday.

Wild Yeast baguette with beetroot, cottage cheese and leafy greens.

Ingredients

1 wild yeast baguette
2-3 cooked beetroots
chunky cottage cheese
pomegranate pips
leafy greens of your choice
salt/pepper

I am not going to bore you with a method, just look at the picture and you can assemble it yourself.

I feel better already so beetroot has once again given me the lift I needed. I added some pomegranate seeds to my sandwich , not only for color, but pomegranate seeds are also packed with all kinds of nutrients...

Coulis - Unbelievably delicious!!!!

2009-10-05T20:47:00.003+02:00

Coulis is the French word for "strained liquid" and that is exactly what it is.The base of a coulis can be from a fruit or a vegetable and it is used in a variety of dishes ranging from roasts to the most decadent desserts. When making a fruit coulis you can used the fruit either fresh or cook it, but when making a vegetable coulis, the veggies normally have to be roasted or cooked first.
I love making a berry coulis, simply because the colors of the berries are just so beautiful and intense and it can brighten up any old dessert even a simple bowl of ice-cream.

I have been following Donal Skehan's blog, The Good Mood Food Blog, for some time now and when I read his post on how to make your own Blackberry Coulis this morning, I was all inspired to make use of the abundance of strawberries that we are having now. I always try and make large quantities of the stuff in summer when we have so many different kinds of fruit available. Coulis really freeze well and sometimes it is just wonderful to eat over a stack of steaming hot waffles during winter. So for my strawberry coulis, I used the following!

Strawberry Coulis

500gr strawberries - stems removed and sliced
125ml caster sugar
100ml water
1 vanilla pod - whole

Place all the ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then remove the vanilla pod. Pour the contents of the pot into a blender and blitz until you have a purée. Strain the purée through a sieve, using the back of a wooden spoon. Keep chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in plastic containers.

I used my coulis to make a delicious, super-easy Strawberry ice-cream. What you need is this:

2 liters good quality vanilla ice-cream
all the purée that you have just made, except about 125ml for drizzling over the top..

Here's how....

Spoon ice-cream into a big bowl and let it thaw slightly. Add the coulis and with your spoon or spatula, work the coulis into the ice-cream. Freeze it in the same ice-cream tub or make individual servings like I did. Serve with more berries and a drizzle some more of the coulis over the top.

Thank you Donal, You inspired me today and for that I am grateful!!!

Smoked Chicken Salad with a South African Twist

2009-10-02T08:28:00.008+02:00

Smoked Chicken is one of those versatile ingredients that can make a great sandwich, give flavor to a pasta dish, is perfect for a fritata or make a wonderful salad. As you all know by know, we are on a bit of a detox after a meat-binging-holiday. However with hubby putting in a hard days work, he feels like something a little more substantial than just lettuce leaves and a few prawns when he comes home at night. So, to add a little more oompf to his salad, I wanted to add some smoked chicken.

I have always bought my smoked chicken from a reputable supplier, but have never tried making my own. I did not have any smoked chicken in the fridge last night so I decided..."It is now or never, I'll give smoking a go!!" I also did not have any wood chips nor did I feel like making a fire, so like a true foodie, an idea started to take form in my head...... Why not use tea to smoke and why not do it in the wok???? Voila, |I set off to work. I had 3 organic chicken breasts, plump and delicious. I seasoned them well with salt and pepper and then squeezed some lemon juice over them and left it for about 30 minutes.

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts - I used with skin and bone
salt/pepper
lemon juice
2 teabags
olive oil a pinch of sugar.
salad leaves
tomatoes, sprouts, garden peas, celery, cucumber, avocado ........

Salad dressing

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fynbos vinegar
1 tbsp tarragon mustard
1 pinch of sugar
salt/pepper

Mix the ingredients for the salad dressing and serve over the smoked chicken salad.

How to smoke chicken in a wok?

First you place a small sheet of foil in the bottom of the wok and place the contents of two teabags on the foil. Place a wire rack( if you have a round one, perfect) over the foil and the tea leaves and place the chicken on the rack. Cover the entire wok with foil ( or use the wok's lid), make sure there are no gaps for the smoke to escape. Place the wok on the stove top ( I have a gas stove, but I am sure a normal stove will also work) and smoke the chicken for about 20 minutes. When done, I drizzled some olive oil over the chicken and a pinch of sugar and then just browned the skin on a griddle pan. The result was phenomenal, I was so impressed, but now for the South African twist...

I did not use any old tea, I used Rooibos tea which is a proud South African product.

Rooibos is a kind of "fynbos" that grows only in a small part of the Western Cape ( which is where I live) near the Cederberg. Generally, they oxidize the leaves, a process that produces the distinctive reddish-brown colour of rooibos and enhances the flavour.
South Africans commonly drink rooibos with milk and sugar, but elsewhere it is usually served without. The flavour of rooibos tea is sweet (without sugar added) and slightly nutty.
Rooibos tea is extremely good for you. It is pack with anti-oxidants, has no caffeine and the tannin levels are very low. Rooibos is purported to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. Many South African mommies have used Rooibos to alleviate colic, allergies, asthma and dermatological problems with their children.
Because of the health properties of this drink, you can now go into many coffee shops in South Africa and order a red cappuccino or a red espresso., and you will be served something looking like this....

So while you go and order some lovely South African Rooibos(red bush) products, I'll go and make myself a nice cup of rooibos tea!!!!

Fresh Salad with Prawns, Pineapple and Pomegranate!

2009-10-01T07:57:00.007+02:00

"A fresh salad is what I desperately need, " declared my husband on our way back from a few glorious days at our house in Colchester on the Sundays River. I have to say that I don't blame him, we were on a complete meat binge and our systems are in urgent need of fresh salads and healthier meals. With summer finally here and markets overflowing with all the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables, this shouldn't be too difficult, right?
While away on holiday I made all my meaty favorites, such as my soft-as-marrow steaks, rumps steaks on the grill and spatchcock chickens to mention but a few. So for the next couple of weeks I think we will concentrate on salads, whole foods, fish and white meats.
My children are with granny and grandpa for the last few days of the holiday, so last night hubby and I each had a delicious prawn salad. "What is so fantastic about a prawn salad?" I hear you ask. Well, let me not keep you in suspense any longer! The salad dressing I made, transformed this salad from a bland everyday prawn salad to a gourmet salad that you could have ordered in a fine dining restaurant. Now, I can take credit for putting this salad together, but the real star here is the Pineapple vinegar that I bought yesterday. It made all the difference and complemented the different elements of this fresh salad beautifully. So let's make this dressing.

Pineapple and Sweet Chili Salad dressing

3 tbsp lemon-infused olive oil
1 tbsp pineapple vinegar
juice and zest of a lemon
1 tsp sugar
1-2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
a small pinch of salt
chopped fresh chili - optional

Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bottle and shake well or use your whisk to make the dressing.

Fresh salad with Prawns, Pineapple and Pomegranate - serves 2

Salad leaves of your choice
2 radishes - washed and sliced finely
1 cucumber - peeled and sliced
cocktail tomatoes - halved
1 spring onion or scallion - finely sliced
1 stick celery - finely sliced
pomegranate pips
¼ pineapple - cored and diced
10 prawns peeled and grilled in a little olive oil.

Assemble the salad and add the prawns. Pour over the dressing and enjoy!!! If you feel adventurous, you can make your own Pineapple vinegar, it is fairly simple.

colchester.co.za

Explore Colchester South Africa. Jewel of the Eastern Cape.

Nina Timm turns 4..something today.Happy Birthday

2009-09-26T11:11:00.010+02:00

Hallo Ma Nina Timm- "I don't know how to blog...yet but I thought Des can just say on the Copiyuta...Happy Birth Day...you have changed my life...you are my friend forever! All our Love, Zuki and the girls!!

Nina Timm, Nerina, or Johanna Hendrika Brandt (as on her birth certificate)was given to us in the 60's and We are happy to have her in our life. You are the greatest Mom and teach us that a person can only risk saying Yuk! after the second taste.-Love Chloe, Christopher Graham and cousin Tristan Timm

To Everyone reading the site today...
I know that you don't come to this site to hear me rambling on but if I dont tell you, then Nina (noem naam/family name) won't even mention today is her special day!

The dream team as she refers to us have love and are excited and happy to cater anywhere in Cape Town or Caledon (a small cape town)not only because we love people, but because Nina is passionate about leaving a "food print" in your heart. Zuki your assistant, Roland, Lillian and the children, Willie and Wilana and all of us just wanted to say thanks, we love you and Happy! Birthday!!
We are in the Eastern Cape with my folks at Sundays River- Gateway to the Addo Elephant Park. We "suprised" Nina this morning with Birthday songs, pets, children and parents. She is followed by up to 4000 hits per day on this site and the Food24 site and I know that at least the 63 followers she has would love to receive a comment, e mail or a call. You can call her on my cell at 0829001767.

Sorry to mess around with your blog baby...but I am sure you know how to delete it all once the dust has settled.THE HUSBAND

Grilling Recipes - Braai4heritage Day

2009-09-23T05:24:00.008+02:00

Pack out your grilling recipes, summer is here and what better way to celebrate this than to have a whole day dedicated to this age old South African tradition. On Thursday 24 September, it is Braai4 heritage Day here in South Africa....and this is what their website says:

" Braai4heritage" is an initiative that calls all South Africans to actively celebrate their common heritage by braaing on Heritage Day, 24 September. After all, braaing is a deep-rooted tradition in South Africa that cuts across all demographic groups."

The word "braai" (pronounced - Afrikaans pronunciation: [ˈbrɑe.flæɪs], English: /ˈbraɪfleɪs/) is Afrikaans for barbecue, grilling, outdoor roasting generally cooking that is done on an open fire. Grilling, braaing or having a barbecue is a social event and although I have had many grilling sessions on my own before I married, sharing this tradition with friends and family is just the best. Here in South Africa you are often invited to a "bring-and-braai" which means everyone brings what they want to eat and we share a lovely meal.
We will be traveling on Thursday so I prepared our Braai4heritage meal last night and this is what we had!

Grilled lamb chops and boerewors

For my lamb chops I use a simple marinade of lemon, olive oil, mint and garlic. The "Boerewors" you might remember from previous posts.

.
Pork twisters

...and never forget the ultimate "braai broodjie" or Grilled sandwich.

A grilled sandwich in our house means good bread ( in this case potato bread), tomato, onion and cheese...and just because I can, I added some rocket. If you need any more recipes, just drop me a line and I will be happy to assist.

Lamb recipes - Slow Roasted Lamb Loin with Red wine and Mint Infused Jous

2009-09-21T08:28:00.004+02:00

Of all the lamb recipes, roast leg of lamb must surely be the most popular, but once you have tasted this de-boned loin, slow-roasted with a red wine jous, I think you will change your mind somewhat. You can ask your butcher to de-bone the loin for you, but it is very expensive. Instead, why not try and make your own, all you need is a really sharp knife and a few hints and tips and you can do this yourself.

Ingredients for the Lamb Loin

2 kg de-boned lamb loin - trimmed and tied
olive oil
sprigs of rosemary
2-3 cloves of garlic- cut into slivers
salt/pepper
lemon juice
a few sprigs of mint.
125ml red wine
a few knobs of butter

Make incisions into the lamb and place a sprig of rosemary and garlic in each hole. Rub with olive oil and season well. Drizzle with lemon juice and keep in fridge for at least 3-4 hours, overnite is best.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Heat a frying pan to high heat and add the oil. Sear the lamb for 2 to 3 minutes , browning all sides.

Then place the lamb onto the bones that you kept from the de-boning and place into the oven with the mint, cover with foil and slow roast for approximately 90 minutes minutes, or if you like your meat rare, 20-25 minutes. The cooking time of course will depend on the size of the lamb loin too.

Once ready, cover loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Now take the meat sauce, bones and mint that was left in the bottom of the roasting pan and pour in a pot and start reducing the sauce. Add some water if there is too little liquid. Add the red wine and keep on reducing. When the sauce is the right consistency, beat the butter in a knob at a time. You want a glossy dark brown jous.

When ready to serve, remove the string from the lamb and slice. You can cut it in thin slices and present it on a meat platter or for nicer presentation, slice off the very ends and then cut the loin into four, six or eight equal pieces, depending on how big your loin is.

If you still feel that Roast leg of Lamb is one of your favourite lamb recipes, feel free to try my

Roast leg of lamb Recipe......or maybe

Lamb Shanks served on a bed of creamy polenta?

Risotto recipes- Spring Risotto with peas and goat's cheese!

2009-09-17T07:46:00.004+02:00

Risotto is my ultimate comfort food and I am always willing to try another risotto recipe - and I already have quite a large selection!!! My first risotto that I tried was a simple Roasted Leek Risotto and was so divine, that I was hooked for life. I have also tried other grains, such as Millet and even made a sweet risotto to serve as a dessert.

Risotto is traditionally made with Arborio rice and the idea is to cook it until it reaches al dente stage or until the rice still gives a bit of resistance when biting it. A basic Risotto is like an open canvas, the possibilities are endless. You can serve it as a side dish, main course and as I have said, even as a dessert. It can be a vegetarian meal or not, but what ever you make it to be, it will be delicious and comforting.

September marks the beginning of Spring here in South Africa, but we are still having rain every other day, so although I am eager to use the spring vegetables, we are just not ready for salads.... but rather want something warm and comforting and that means.....Risotto!!

Spring Risotto with Peas, Beans and Goat's Cheese.

Ingredients

500gr Arborio rice
about 4 cups chicken stock - homemade or store bought
olive oil
2 leeks
2 cup fresh or frozen peas
a handful of mint
zest and juic of a lemon
250 gr young green beans - steamed and chopped diagonally.
1 log goat's cheese
salt and black pepper
freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp sour cream
a knob of butter

Cook the peas in some water with the mint. When cooked, drain and process the peas until you have a green chunky consistency. Keep the peas warm. Heat your chicken stock and keep hot in s seperate pot.
In a large, heavy saucepan over low heat, heat oil. Add the leeks and saute about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains, about 1 minute.Add the wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.Add one ladleful of the hot stock, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the stock, one ladleful at a time and stirring constantly, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes.
Now add the mushy peas, parmesan, butter and sour cream and stir in quickly. Taste and season if needed. It is at this stage that I add the lemon juice and zest. Serve with crumbled goat's cheese and the steamed green beans. More parmesan can be addded if so preferred.

Sausage recipes - Patatas Bravas with aromatic Boerewors!

2009-09-15T08:42:00.005+02:00

Sausage can mean so many different things to so many different people. In Germany it means, bratwurst, knackwurst, Bierschinken, Blutwurst, Bockwurst to mention but a few. In France we can enjoy Saucisson a l'Ail, Saucisse de Toulouse or for me a strange Saucisse aux Fruits de Mer.
These are just two countries, but you can literally travel the globe, by just visiting your butcher and cooking with different kinds of sausage. If you ever visit South Africa however, your stay will not be complete without a true South African delicassy, a Boerewors Roll. Boerewors is a South African sausage and it is made with minced beef or sometimes even pork or lamb. The secret to a good boerewors is in the mixture of spices used.
I have posted about a Boerewors Roll before, but this time I wanted to use this wonderful sausage in a typically Spanish dish that I have also made before and liked very much. Patatas Bravas is a spicy potato dish that is traditionally served as part of a tapas menu. I wanted the comfort of a potato dish, paired with the lovely spicy-ness of our own boerewors. This dish was everything that I had hoped for......belly warming, spicy and cheap!!!

So for my Sausage Patatas Bravas, this is what you will need.

Ingredients

500 gr good quality sausage
about 1 large potato per person - peeled and cut into big chunks
1 large onion - peeled, but keep it whole
1 onion - sliced
5 whole cloves
olive oil
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
1 chopped chili - optional.
little water if needed.
1 tsp sugar

Press the cloves into 1 onion and place the onion, potatoes and salt in a pot with some water. Cook the potatoes until soft, but not mushy. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the sausage until browned on both sides, remove from pan and keep warm. Now add the onion,garlic and paprika to the same pan and fry onion until it is soft. When the potatoes are cooked but not mushy, drain and add potatoes to the pan with the onion. Lower the heat and let the potatoes caramelize. Add a little water if needed. Finally add the tomato paste and sugar and season well. Cut the sausage in smaller pieces and add to the pan. Let the flavors just marry for a while and then sprinkle with fresh herbs and enjoy as a light meal.

Grilling Chicken - Spicy Spatchcock Chicken that is!

2009-09-11T12:37:00.004+02:00

Grilling chicken can be tricky and trust me I have eaten a few disasters in my time. I cannot stand undercooked chicken. When there is the slightest hint of pink or bloodiness near the bones, I push my plate back! So the perfect grilled chicken for me should be crispy and golden brown on the outside and the white meat must be juicy and tender and well-cooked.
When grilling chicken pieces, it is easier to get to that state of "perfection", but with a whole bird it is just not possible to cook all the pieces of the chicken evenly, unless of course you.......
Spatchcock or Butterfly the Chicken.
To butterfly a chicken you ensure that:
- your chicken cooks evenly
- your chicken cooks faster
- and the marinade gets to all the areas of the chicken.

How to butterfly a chicken?

Lay you chicken flat, breast-side down on a wooden board and cut out the backbone with a sharp kitchen scissors. Remove the back bone and turn the chicken so that the breast side is up. Press firmly on the chicken to flatten it.
I do mine somewhat different, because my husband likes the pope's nose and with the first method, you lose that delicacy. So I simply place my chicken on a wooden board, breast side up and with a sharp knife, cut down the middle of the chicken. Now turn the chicken over and flatten .Tie the legs together with some string.

For my Spicy marinade, I use...

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic
1-2 chillies
zest of 2 lemons
2cm piece ginger- peeled
1-2tbsp fennel seeds
1 heaped tbsp brown sugar
fresh thyme

olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper( don't be shy here)

Preheat oven to 200C
Season the chicken well inside and out and give it a good massage with some olive oil. In a mortar and pestle add all marinade ingredients, except the olive oil and the lemon juice. Bash until everything is fine enough to rub all over the chicken. Inside and out. Drizzle some more oil and lemon juice over the top and place on a roasting rack in the BBQ outside or in the oven.
The other important thing when grilling is to constantly baste the chicken with the dripping sauces. After about 45 min, the chicken is cooked, but I turn the oven down to 170C and then let the chicken just slowly cook right through. Served with boiled new potatoes, a salad, potato bake...really anything you fancy, because all attention will be on this perfectly grilled chicken!