Woolworths Taste magazine

How To - Make a quick all-round salad dressing

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:13:21 GMT

Nothing beats the taste of homemade salad dressing. To make yours, combine 1 cup or organic olive oil, 2 T Balsamic vinegar, 2 T lemon juice, sea salt, fresh garlic, peeled and roasted, chopped fresh thyme, freshly ground rainbow peppers and chopped chilli and pour into a salad dressing decanter. Shake before use.

Recipe: Litchi-and-avocado salad

Allan's corker - Chenin Blanc

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:51:04 GMT

Woolworths' wine selector Allan Mullins sings the praises of a stellar Chenin Blanc.

The wonderful world of wine consists of so much more than pulling a cork out of a bottle, pouring it into a glass and drinking it.

Join Allan Mullins as he breaks down the what, where and how of the Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc, a proudly South African cultivar.

WHAT: Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc Barrel Fermented 2010.

WHERE: An impressive wine, housing and golf estate a chip and a putt outside Stellenbosch. Johan Joubert is the soft-spoken cellarmaster whose magic wand has turned out a remarkable number of awards in recent years.

HOW: Grapes: low-yielding old vines from the Helderberg. Soils: deep red and granite. Cellar: tank and barrel fermentation (20% new oak).

NOSE: Ripe white peach, vanilla and almond.

TASTE: Layered flavours of tropical fruit, light honey and judicious oaking. Creamy texture, uplifting acidity and lingering finish.

FOOD: Poultry with creamy sauces or light- to mediumspiced Asian dishes.

WHEN: Enjoyable now but with a structure that will improve for up to five years.

PRICE: R62 from the cellar.

MORE WITH ALAN:

Yoghurt pannacotta

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:11:48 GMT

Recipe by: Abigail Donnelly
Serves: 4
Category: Easy / Kid-friendly
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours’ setting time
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 t gelatine
1/4 cup water
1 cup reduced fat cream
1/2 cup sugar

Cooking instructions:

Pannacotta is a favourite Italian dessert. It literally means ‘‘cooked cream’’. Substituting yoghurt and reduced fat cream for the cream turns a rich pudding into a healthy and delicious treat.

Sprinkle the gelatine over 1/4 cup water and leave to soften for a few minutes.

Gently heat the reduced fat cream with the sugar, stirring, but do not boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine. Strain into a jug or bowl and allow to cool.

Once cooled, stir in 1 cup low fat yoghurt until smooth. Pour into 4 glasses or small bowls. Refrigerate for a few hours until set.

For our simple slideshow on how to make yoghurt pannacotta click the link: Yoghurt pannacotta slideshow

How To - Make yoghurt pannacotta

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:08:36 GMT

HINTS AND TIPS

Top the pannacotta with fresh berries
Serve with fresh figs
Spoon fresh granadilla pulp over the pannacotta
To make a classic pannacotta use 2 cups fresh cream

Follow the steps in our slideshow and most of all, enjoy! For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Yoghurt pannacotta.

Recipe: Yoghurt pannacotta

Asian ginger and pork broth

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:10:53 GMT

Recipe by: Abigail Donnelly
Serves: 4
Dietary considerations: Low carb / Dairy free
Category: Easy / Great value
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
1–2 T soya sauce
1 x 5 cm ginger, thinly sliced
6 cups chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 chilli, thinly sliced
400 g pork fillet
1 T olive oil
Handfuls baby spinach, washed

Cooking instructions:

Place the chicken stock in a saucepan over a medium to low heat. Add the soya sauce, ginger, garlic and fresh chilli. Simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes.

Place a pan over a medium to high heat and rub the pork fillet with olive oil. Sear on both sides for 4 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.

Remove from the heat and slice, then add to the broth, along with handfuls of washed baby spinach.

Chinese New Year Feast

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:18:22 GMT

2012 is the Chinese Year of the Dragon. It started with a thousand bangs at the stroke of midnight on 23 January, heralding in two weeks of festivities culminating in the glorious Lantern Festival.

Chinese tradition shows us there is no better way to welcome in the New Year than with family, friends and food. So we thought we would put together the ultimate guide to hosting your own Chinese New Years feast this year.

USE YOUR CHOPSTICKS

Chinese eating is all about sharing, so start with a few plates of dumplings , dim sum and wontons with cherry dipping sauce and add small bowls of soya sauce, grated ginger and spring onions on the side.

Most Chinese meals come to the table ready sliced and diced, making easy work of eating even the trickiest dishes, while using chopsticks allows you to pick at a range of aromatic flavours all at once.

DID YOU KNOW?

Most chopsticks are made in China but a company in Georgia in the USA have caught on to the demand of chopsticks and now make at least 2 million pairs daily?

SAYING CHEERS AT THE CHINESE TABLE

The drink of choice in China is first and foremost tea and there are three main varieties to choose from: black, green and oolong, each drunk with care and time to stay true to the ceremonial tradition.

You could try our iced green tea with sweet green pepper jelly.

But if the thought of serving tea doesn’t go down well at your dinner party, then bottles of chilled Chinese beer certainly will. Chinese beer is a dark beer made with barley, rice and hops. If you can’t find some at your local Chinese shop, simply opt for local dark beers and place them in your Chinese-decorated New Year’s ice bucket.

MIND YOUR MANNERS

It’s considered bad form to fill your own glass before topping up others’ around you and it is tradition to gently tap your middle finger on the table to give thanks to the pourer. Toasting is an essential part of the celebration and carries on right through mealtime. (Look out for my Food Smarts feature on Tea in the April issue of TASTE.)

Tea-stained eggs are a staple during Chinese New Year and often served at the start of the meal. Try our Rooibos-marbled eggs.

DID YOU KNOW?

The number of side dishes a family eats depends on their household income: poor people, who reside in villages, can afford about 2 - 3 side dishes per meal per family; most middle class families in big cities can afford 3 - 4 dishes, and upper middle class or affluent families can afford 1 side dish per family member.

LEGACY OF TASTE

The regions of China are a big influence on the flavours: North is salty (try Mongolian lamb), South is Sweet (try Cantonese-style fish and with a local spin: sweet and sour ostrich stir-fry). The Chinese like to prepare the whole fish steamed, with the head and tail still intact. The word fish in Chinese (yu) is a homophone for "abundance".

The West is Sour (try Yunnan steamed pot chicken) and East is hot (or try the traditional Shanghai soy duck).

All these cuisines come together to create signature Chinese dishes, such as the popular streetfood, spicy Sichuan noodles, that all share a harnmonious balance of flavours, colours and textures and a long tradition of excellence.

Most dishes can be prepared a head of time and cooked when ready to be served.

Meat is seen as a status symbol in China so don’t be shy to bulk up your dishes with pork, like this gorgeous pork neck roast with peachy salsa.

The Chinese believe a meal is never complete without a soup, and soups are often taylored to maintain the family's health. They'll have vegetable soups for cleansing the digestive system, the lungs from heavy pollution, to cleanse the liver, clearing teenage acne or for treating colds and flu. Try our Chinese noodles in vegetable broth with crispy tofu.

BRING OUT THE FRUIT

The Chinese love fruits and they like them big and beautiful. Fresh fruit at the New Year symbolises life and a new beginning while sugared ones are a wish for a sweet year.

Traditionally, grapefruit, mandarins or what we call the naartjie or clementine, as well as limes, bananas, pineapple and water- or winter melon are seen as auspicious fruits. Mandarins are considered a sign of abundance and good fortune and are displayed as decoration or presented as gifts during the two-week New Year celebrations.

End the evening off with a big bowl of fortune cookies and hand out red envelopes sealed with a few coins inside for good luck.

Happy year of the Dragon and Gong Xi Fa Ca! (wishing you prosperity)

Hannah

email: hannah.lewry@newmediapub.co.za

Assistant Food Editor, TASTE

All you need to know about Chinese ingredients

How to cook with tofu

How to cook traditional Peking duck

Know your noodles, from Chinese to instant Ramen and Udon

All about Japanese cooking

COOK MORE

How To - Make couscous

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:53:30 GMT

Traditionally, couscous is cooked in a special steamer called a couscoussier, which has a perforated bottom.

When placed uncovered above a bubbling stew, the steam will swell the grains until soft, light and separate.

Instant couscous, which requires only a brief soaking in hot liquid, works well for the contemporary kitchen

To make instant couscous, pour over the same amount of boiling liquid, water or broth, as cups of couscous. Stir in some butter or olive oil and some salt.

Cover and leave for 5 - 10 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed.

Fluff up with a fork to separate the grains.

It can be kept warm in a low oven for 10 -15 minutes. Spread it out on a baking dish, dot with butter and cover with a sheet of oiled greaseproof paper.

Alternatively, bring the measured liquid to a boil in a saucepan, stir in the couscous and turn off the heat. Leave, covered, for 5 - 1- minutes.

RECIPES USING COUSCOUS

Recipe: Tomato and salmon curry with rooibos-infused couscous

How To - Make a basic three-cheese soufflé

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:53:36 GMT

It may strike fear into the hearts of most first-time cooks, but making a soufflé is not the daunting task it seems.

By sticking to a few key principles and working quickly, your soufflé will rise to the occasion every time – puffed up and golden brown, with a slight wobble.

For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Basic three-cheese soufflé

TASTE's take: You might come across recipes specifying that the egg whites be beaten in a copper bowl. The egg whites react with the copper ions, also resulting in slightly stiffer whites. Egg whites should be at room temperature and beaten in a clean, dry bowl. Any trace of grease will result in the whites not fluffing up adequately.

MORE SOUFFLÈ RECIPES

Baby marrow souffle served with tomato cream

Rolled souffle with taramasalata

Tomato and cheese souffle

Cheese soufflés

Recipe: Basic three-cheese soufflé

Meet Mandie Kruger

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:55:40 GMT

The 24-year-old South African sous chef is the reigning Spanish Young Chef of the Year – not bad for someone who’d never been to Spain.

“As a child, I loved watching the parents of a friend who had a small catering business,” says Mandie Kruger of the time when the seeds of her culinary journey were planted.

The young South African chef currently lays claim to the title “best young Spanish chef in Britain” and cooked her way to a three-star experience in Spain. Held each year, the UK-run competition offers a prize of work experience in one of the best restaurant kitchens in Spain. In Mandie’s case, a week at Pedro Subijana’s 35-year-old, three-Michelin-starred Akelare in San Sebastian.

TASTE chatted to Mandie, who works at the The Salt Yard tapas restaurant in London, about her time in sunny España.

Tell us about the meal that clinched you the title Young Spanish Chef of the Year

I did a starter of pan-fried mackerel with a salad of fresh persimmon, semi-dried tomatoes and a garlic dressing; a main course of chargrilled spiced Iberico ham loin with lentil stew, marinated baby carrots and piquillo sauce, and baked almond cheesecake with strawberry and amontillado sherry ice cream for dessert.

Describe your first impression of Akelare

The first thing I thought was “Wow, this place is enormous!”. I was amazed that, despite its size, the kitchen functioned so seamlessly.

What was it like working in an authentic Spanish kitchen? Any scary moments?

Well, in my first week there I did manage to drop a blowtorch into the fryer – yes, the fryer! But, apart from that, I loved the food and the passion the Spanish have for using only the best, freshest ingredients.

What’s your favourite comfort food?

I am absolutely addicted to salad. I have one every day.

MEET OTHER STAR CHEFS:

The Family Meal: Home cooking by Ferran Adrià

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:52:53 GMT

Heaven sent tabular measurements for caterers plus step-by-step images make it all look so easy.

For many, The Family Meal: Home cooking by Ferran Adrià was a surprise. Some love its accuracy, exacting cooking times and precise instructions with measurements for 2, 6, 20 or 75.

This is a wonderful book to keep forever, always reliable, and set to become a favourite in many kitchens.

(R335, Phaidon)

TRY OUR PERFECT STEP-BY-STEP RECIPES:

MORE READS:

Easy Meals by Rachel Allen

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:50:48 GMT

The book makes a great gift for new students who are now cooking for themselves.

A weekday cooking companion: Rachel Allen’s Very Fast Prawn Curry, Lamb and Chickpea Tagine or healthy ‘no cook’ options are sometimes just the thing for the end of a busy day.

Mashed chickpeas on toast get a lift with lemon zest, garlic, mint and some smoked paprika; pan-fried chicken is served with a Thai mango salsa, and her Piandine (thin Italian flatbreads) take just 15 minutes to prepare before cooking.

(R365, Collins)

QUICK AND EASY MEALS:

MORE READS:

Sugar, Sugar by Kimberly Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:47:22 GMT

Sugar, Sugar will appeal to everyone who loves baking.

Its generous, indulgent recipes are prepared with love, and sometimes pictured, sometimes not.

Plenty of Sugar Mommas tips and names like Grasshopper Pie and Ooey-Gooey Butter Tarts proliferate throughout.

But Kimberly and Jenna are on a mission to preserve America’s most memorable sweet treats and the quaint stories behind them.

(R310, Simon & Schuster)

TRY THESE BAKING RECIPES:

MORE READS:

Made in Sicily by Giorgio Locatelli

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:46:08 GMT

For the serious Italian cook, Made in Sicily is a joy to own.

Giorgio’s voice comes through clearly as he describes each dish and its roots, giving you a deeper understanding into the passed-down traditions and methods of cooking than most books do.

There aren’t many photographs but there’s so much that’s great to read, that it doesn’t matter. Nigel Slater claims it’s ‘nothing short of a masterpiece’ but Giorgio sticks by his modest mantra, ‘what grows together, goes together’.

His Sicilian dishes are ‘not about clever transformations’ he insists, but about ‘expressing the taste of the ingredients to the maximum, in the simplest way’.

(R390, HarperCollins)

TRY THESE ITALIAN DISHES:

MORE READS:

5 Clever ways with sweetcorn

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:14:42 GMT

Remove the fibrous outer leaves and silken threads of the corncob to reveal the sweet golden nuggets within. Then try one of these gorgeous little recipes.

For a fresh salad with an Asian spin, combine cooked sweetcorn kernels, vermicelli noodles, crushed ginger, garlic, chilli and chopped coriander.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a few drops of sesame oil, and combine with shredded chicken. Top with chunks of juicy mango.
Pan-fry corn kernels and baby marrow, and serve with lime and parsley salt and a dip made of spring onions and chives, as an appetiser with drinks.
Smother whole cobs in fresh herbs, chilli and butter, before wrapping in tinfoil and grilling over smouldering coals.
Partner corn with flavoured butter. Mix chopped apricot and chive, and lemon zest, into softened butter (or try chopped coriander, chilli and ginger or crushed peppercorns, parsley and garlic). Spoon onto a sheet of clingfilm and roll to form a log. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Place corn coblets (whole corn cut in half) in a saucepan just large enough to take them in a single layer. Pour in enough water to cover (don’t add salt as this will toughen the corn).

Bring to a boil then simmer for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain and spike with short skewers. Brush with melted butter and dab with a sauce made with 100 g organic low-fat cream cheese mixed with 6 T organic cream . Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.

MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES USING CORN

Thai coconut and corn soup

Plump corn fritters

Crisp corn flatbread slathered in basil pesto

Char-grilled corn parcels stuffed with soft garlic and ginger chicken (pictured above)

What would you do with corn?

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5 Quick side orders using carrots

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:00:24 GMT

Easy to pack and perfect as crudites for that favourite dip, sweet carrots are popular with adults and kids alike.

Melt 2 T of butter in a saucepan and add 1/4 cup sugar and 2 T of your favourite mustard and a pinch of salt.

Add 3 cups of sliced, cooked carrots and stir until nicely glazed. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
Roast carrots with maple syrup, butter, sea salt and bay leaves in a hot oven for 40 minutes.

Discard the bay leaves, add a splash of cream and blend until smooth. Serve with pork chops or roast chicken.
Add crushed peppercorns, chopped coriander, dried chilli and chopped garlic to softened butter and roll into a log between sheets of cling wrap.
Chill until set. Serve with roast baby carrots.
Chop a few peeled carrots and 2 potatoes and fry in 1 T olive oil with ground cumin, mustard seeds, dried chilli and curry powder.
Spoon onto puff-pastry squares and fold to form triangles. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes. Serve with a yoghurt dipping sauce.

MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES USING CARROTS

Remember to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) in 2012!

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:26:52 GMT

Woolworths is committed to reducing plastic bags to save our environment and help customers save money. The sale of reusable bags also helps provide employment for over 100 people.

Join us on this journey and help save the planet…one bag at a time. Here are some tips to help you remember to BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) in 2012:

MAKE A NOTE

Write ‘reusable bags’ at the top of your shopping list to remind yourself to take them with you.

LEAVE THEM BY THE DOOR

Once you have unpacked your groceries, leave them by the front door or on top of your handbag.

PUT THEM ON THE FRONT SEAT

It’s no good putting them in the car if you forget them in the boot! Leave them on the passenger seat so that they catch your attention when you jump out the car.

Woolworths reusable bags are produced by two suppliers that have been identified as part of our enterprise development programme – Isikhwama, based in Maitland, Cape Town, and Gusco, based in Uitenhague, Eastern Cape. Together they employ over 100 semi-skilled and unskilled people who were previously out of work.

Watch the film “Inside Our Reusable Bags” to learn more about Isikhwama.

Woolworths reusable fabric bags are R8.95 each.

READ MORE:

Quick ideas with goat's milk cheese

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:55:32 GMT

Ranging in texture from soft and creamy to dry and sliceable, goat's milk cheeses all share a dry, piquant aftertaste.

MOST POPULAR GOAT'S MILK CHEESES

Crottin, sharply flavoured and semi-hard with a blue-grey mould
Pecorino, a hard cheese with lots of tangy flavour
Chavroux, a citrus-flavoured cheese with a distinct pyramid shape
Chevin, a mild log-shaped fresh curd cheese
Gouda and Camembert-style cheeses can also be made with goat's milk

QUICK FIXES

Cook sliced apples in caramelised verjuice. Add toasted hazelnuts and toss over watercress and slices of goat's milk cheese.
Marinate lamb chops in lemon juice and olive oil. Grill until just cooked, top with slices of crotin and grill until the cheese is soft.
Lay goat's milk gouda on rye bread and top with prosciutto and chopped, bottled sour cherries.
Toss asparagus in olive oil, garlic and chilli. Grill and top with goat's milk cheese.
Serve a Chavroux with warm raspberries
Roll goat's milk cheese in dukkah and chopped black olives. Serve slices with couscous and roasted butternut.

RECIPES USING GOAT'S MILK CHEESE

Crottin stuffed with figs and honey

Roast vine tomatoes with oozing goat's-milk cheese

Fennel and goat's cheese fritters

Two cheese open pie with grilled tomatoes

Film on Camino de Santiago at the Labia in aid of StreetSmart SA

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:04:26 GMT

The Labia on Orange will be showing the intimate drama, The Way, starring Martin Sheen at 13h45 on Saturday, 18 February and at 16h00 on Sunday 19 February 2012 in aid of StreetSmart SA.

StreetSmart SA is a non-profit organisation that raises funds towards the social and educational upliftment projects for street children with the support of a network of restaurants throughout Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Franschhoek and Paarl.

Margi Biggs, Chairperson of StreetSmart SA, has undertaken a pilgrimage along the Camino Francés in Spain twice to raise awareness and funds for the organisation. This trek saw her walk 800km unaided and alone for 7 weeks, with all proceeds dedicated to homeless children in the Mother City.

Street Smart South Africa: Helping Street Children

Take a look at the amazing trailer for The Way, starring Martin Sheen:

Tickets to watch “The Way” cost R40 per person and are available from the Labia on Orange by calling Tel: 021 424 5927. Booking is essential and all proceeds will go to StreetSmart SA.

For more information on StreetSmart SA, visit their website: StreetSmart SA

Hannah says: there's nothing like homemade pasta (machines)

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 11:19:37 GMT

Last night I met up with one of my oldest friends for dinner at Il Leone in Green Point. Fresh out of my yoga class I couldn’t think of anything better than a big bowl of gorgeous pasta. After all balance is everything.

Il Leone* is one of my favourite restaurants. You're always greeted with a warm smile and I have yet to have a bad meal there.

As much as I would like to think of myself as being adventurous, I have to come to terms with the fact that I am a creature of habit.

So whenever I eat at Il Leone I am torn between the incredibly light (well light for gnocchi that is) gnocchi smothered in a mouthwatering Arrabiata sauce or the tagliatelle ragu made from real slow-cooked beef. Lip smackingly good.

Last night, with a beautiful glass of De Wetshof Chardonnay (wooded) in hand, I surrendered to the ragu. Bliss. I cannot wait to have the leftovers for lunch.

Some time ago my BF Callan got a pasta machine for his birthday. I don't know who was more excited, him or me! So without further ado we set about making our first batch of homemade pasta. Does it sound corny that we cook together? I hope not, but I promise you life is a whole lot easier (or making pasta is a lot less chaotic) when you don't have to do it on your own.

Nothing could have prepared us for the result. Lesson learnt: never, ever try to make pasta without a pasta machine again!

My recipe, per person, is 100g of cake flour to 1 free-range egg. Lightly beat the egg before pouring into the well of flour with 1 T olive oil and ½ t salt, and gently pull it all together with a fork to form a dough.

Tip: Italians use 00 flour, which is really fine, and you should find it at Italian delis. For me, cake flour works perfectly.

Knead it to within an inch of life – this is where it helps to have a bit of male muscle in the kitchen. Let it rest, covered, for 1 hour. Then simply follow the instructions on the pasta machine's box and once cut, boil in lots of salted water for 2 - 3 minutes.

On the topic, read our tips and tricks for working with pasta, especially spaghetti, with some saucy inspiration.

We enjoyed our pasta with Callan's homemade Italian tomato and basil sauce. The sauce clings wonderfully to every strand of pasta, something I've not really seen happen to cooked dried pasta.

We've promised each other never to create a dish using pasta that wasn’t made by ourselves. Hmmm. We'll have to see how long that lasts, but we haven’t broken the promise yet.

Any tips or hints to help us on our pasta journey are welcome; we have yet to venture towards cannelloni and tortellini. So let us know what you think!

Hannah x

email me @ hannah.lewry@newmediapub.co.za

PS, using 'my' new pasta machine, I created some gluten-free pasta recipes for TASTE magazine. They worked out really well and are a fab option if gluten is not your friend. Gluten-free flour is available from Wellness Warehouse and health shops.

*Il Leone Mastrantonio,021 421 0071

Picture credits: Gerda Genis for Woolworths TASTE

How To - Make edible Christmas decorations

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:04:46 GMT

Vanilla butter biscuit candy glass centered decorations are great to make with the kids the day before Christmas. They will keep them busy and are delicious to eat with a glass of chilled milk too!

Follow the steps and most of all, enjoy! For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Edible Christmas decorations

CREDITS:

Photographs: Jan Ras
Production: Hannah Lewry

Recipe: Edible Christmas decorations

5 Deliciously easy ways to cook meat

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:33:52 GMT

Getting tired of your same-old repertoire when it comes to cooking meat? Here are a couple of no-fuss, quick and easy ideas.

Combine Harissa, lemon zest, lemon rind and olive oil, spoon over lamb chops and cook over hot coals.

Or try our baked, marinated lamb chops
Quickly pan-fry thin slices of chorizo in a little oil and toss through baby spinach, basil leaves and chopped tomatoes. Top with marinated artichokes and green olives.

Or try our pizza with blue cheese, chorizo and caramelised onions
Rub chicken fillets with a little salt and dry-chargrill in a ridge pan until cooked through. Leave to rest and slice. Place on a tortilla with a dollop of mayo, spring onions, baby gem lettuce and avo, wrap up and enjoy.

Or try our chicken wontons
Rub soy sauce, garlic, ginger, olive oil and Dijon mustard over a juicy matured sirloin steak, leave to marinade and braai until slightly charred and tender.

Or try our chargrilled sirloin steak with crisp greens
Add crushed garlic, chilli, peanut butter, 1 cup of coconut milk and a T of soy sauce to a warm saucepan and cook for about three minutes until slightly thick and fragrant. Use as a dip for cooked chicken on skewers or drizzle over lamb pitas.

Or try our chicken skewers with hummus-yoghurt sauce

READ MORE

Read TASTE users' tips for cooking with meat
Great ideas for steak and chips
TASTE's collection of good value meals

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Pasella home cook, Roelien Parkin

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:30:14 GMT

Roelien Parkin is a Pasella viewer from Gonubie, near East London. She shares her spicy tramezzini recipe with TASTE, seasoned with a hint of the exotic.

Roelien will be making her spicy pork tramezzini live on Pasella on Wednesday, 11 January on SABC2 at 7:30pm.

She is just one of the home cooks taking part in the exciting Pasella Home Cook competition in which viewers get to vote for their favourite new TV foodie. The winning home cook stands to win a R20 000 Woolworths gift card.

ROELIEN'S SPICY PORK TRAMEZZINI WITH COCONUT MILK

Ingredients:

300G pork fillet, cubed
4 tramezzini, toasted
3 cardamom seeds
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1 t tumeric
2 t garam masala
2 t curry powder
1 t chilli flakes
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
chedder or feta, to serve

For the sauce:

1 leek, chopped
1 t lemon grass, chopped
1 t fresh garlic, chopped
1 t fresh ginger, chopped
100 g mushrooms, sliced
2 T soya sauce
1 tin coconut milk
1 T sugar

Method:

Heat a little bit of oil in a frying pan and fry together the cardomom seeds, cumin, coriander, tumeric, garam masala, curry powder and chilli flakes for 1 minute.

Add the pork and fry until brown. Remove the pork from the pan.

Add more oil and then add the leek, lemon grass, garlic and ginger.

Once the leeks are soft, add the mushrooms.

Fry for about 2 minutes, then add the soya sauce, coconut milk and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.

Return pork to the pan and allow to simmer (covered) for 15-20 minutes, or until meat is tender.

Remove the lid and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens to your liking.

Stir through the lemon juice and spoon sauce into the toasted tramezzinis.

Garnish with cheese and serve with a green salad.

Cook’s note: Sauce can be thickened further using corn flour.

MORE PASELLA HOME COOKS:

7 Delicious things to do with ricotta

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:20:31 GMT

Ricotta is a deliciously low-fat, soft cheese. Here are 7 great ways to incorporate it in your cooking.

Ricotta literally means recooked. During the first heating, the curds are separated from the whey. The curds are used to make other cheeses, but the whey is reheated until the granules of white ricotta rise to the surface.

They are skimmed off and turned into a basket or a perforated plastic bowl to allow it to drain and firm.

This white cheese is best when fresh. Store in the refrigerator, for not more than a few days.

• Enjoy absolutely fresh with milled cinnamon and sugar. Cut into wedges and serve with strawberries.

• Drench with best olive oil, season with milled sea salt and crushed chillies.

• Blend with a handful of fresh herbs, any mix of Italian parsley, chives, basil, oregano, olive oil, milled sea salt and black pepper, to spread on crusty ciabatta.

• Stuff the herbed ricotta under the skin of chicken breasts before roasting.

• Cut in half, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, milled black pepper and fresh thyme. Bake at 200°C for about 30 minutes or until golden. Serve with lots of fresh rocket and oven-toasted baguette.

• Use in savoury tarts instead of thick cream. • Use in your favourite cheesecake recipe instead of cream cheese. If you like, stir in a few tablespoons of seedless raisins soaked in brandy, or chopped candied fruits.

Buy your ricotta from Woolworths. Look out for their fresh ricotta, made from Ayrshire milk (100% free range).

RECIPES USING RICOTTA

Quick and easy seafood snack meals

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 13:55:32 GMT

Seafood, whether it's prawns, snoek or mussels, are not only healthy for you, they're without exception quick and easy to prepare.

All the seafood and shellfish mentioned below are available from Woolworths stores - just a quick flash in the pan and a touch of dressing up and you're done.

MUSSELS AND FRIES

Place a large pan over a medium to high heat, add 2 T olive oil and, when hot, gently fry one chopped onion and 3 cloves crushed garlic until softened and fragrant.

Add 500 g defrosted half-shelled mussels and a glass of white wine, then turn up the heat and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes.

Serve warm with shoestring fries, good-quality mayo or homemade aioli and a scattering of course of sea salt.

Or try Steamed mussels in pesto-flavoured broth

QUICK TROUT LUNCH

For the ultimate light-and-lovely lunch, drape slivers of lightly smoked Royal Highlands trout over slices of toasted French baguette and top with wedges of creamy avocado, spring onion curls, a good squeeze of lemon juice and a crack of black pepper.

Or try Crispy potato cakes draped with salmon trout and red onion slivers

PILES OF PRAWNS

Combine ½ cup soya sauce with 1 T sesame oil, a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, 1 chopped fresh chilli, grated ginger and 2 cloves crushed garlic.

Drizzle over 800 g cooked prawns, tossed with cucumber ribbons and fresh coriander, and serve with slices of toasted baguette, scattered with a little lime zest and sea salt.

Or try Marinated, roasted prawns

MEDITERRANEAN PRAWNS

Place a pan over a medium to high heat and add 1 T olive oil and a small knob of butter.

When warm, add 800 g raw prawns, along with 3 cloves crushed garlic and 1 chopped chilli and season to taste.

Fry briefly until opaque, then serve straight from the pan with blistered vine-ripened tomatoes, torn buffalo mozzarella and grilled Parma ham slices.

Or try Prawns with Chilean salsa verde

ALSO READ

5 easy ways with seafood - more quick and easy inspiration using a variety of seafood.

NOTE: Woolworths' extensive range of seafood and shellfish - everything from lightly smoked trout to mussels on the half shell - is guaranteed by their Fishing for the Future initiative, which means it's responsibly sourced, legally caught and fully traceable.

Perk up parsnips

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:12:15 GMT

Parsnips make a fantastic alternative to potatoes, but they are an often forgotten about vegetable.

Which is a pity because they are rich in potassium and a good source of dietary fibre and come into season over the winter months in South Africa.

In order to help you make the most of this versatile root vegetable, we’ve put together six ways to prepare parsnips.

SIX PARSNIP PERK-UPS

1. Cook parsnips in a soup or stew then remove just before serving – they will leave a subtle flavour and their starch will help thicken the dish.

2. Shred parsnips and carrots then add to a warm chicken stock with some ginger. Simmer for 25 minutes then, just before serving, add fresh cream and lemon juice. Season to taste and garnish with chopped fresh herbs.

3. Boil scrubbed parsnips until tender. Once cooked, leave to cool then chop and place in a large bowl with a generous helping of borlotti beans. Smash with chopped parsley and smoked paprika then serve with a squeeze of lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and warm, crusty bread.

4. Rub baby parsnips in olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then flash-fry in a hot pan. Toss with wild rocket leaves, toasted almonds and creamy feta and serve with a drizzle of vinaigrette and a thick slice of grilled garlic bruschetta.

5. Slice parsnips into medium rounds then fry in a saucepan of hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove and drain on a paper towel then, while still hot, dust with ground cumin, sea salt and a crack of black pepper. Serve with harissa mayo and fresh lemon wedges.

6. Cook chopped parsnip in a beef and red wine stew, allowing the dish to simmer and thicken for 2 to 3 hours. Then place the stew in a deep dish and cover with a thick sheet of puff pastry. Place in a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is crisp and golden. Serve warm with a good dollop of mashed potato.

MORE RECIPES USING PARSNIPS

Autumn vegetable stew with grilled cheese

Beef knuckle stew on creamed parsnip, sprinkled with crisp horseradish

Chargrilled parsnip with handmade pasta tossed in burnt sage butter

Chunky root vegetable and barley broth with herbed dumplings

Grilled lamb steaks with braised vegetables

Moist chocolate sponge topped with candied parsnip curls

Orange chicken with ginger, cinnamon, cumin, parsnips and pears on barley pilau

Parsnip and gorgonzola soup

Root vegetable crisps with ovenroasted garlic aioli

Succulent roasted thyme chicken with sweet maple parsnips and wilted rocket

Mediterranean magic

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:30:13 GMT

On a food-and-wine-pairing journey, Allan Mullins cruises the Mediterranean menu for dishes, from starters to sweets, that are best complemented by our sun-soaked South African wines.

As much as the magic of the Mediterranean lies in its azure waters and sparkling sunshine, it lies equally in a passion for delectable food and traditional wine.

Eating and drinking is a way of life and as most dishes are prepared from home-grown ingredients, they are an ideal foil for the wines of the particular region from which they come.

With the surge in popularity in Mediterranean cooking, it is time to look at what local wines best accompany these sun-drenched meals on our tables.

SALAD DAYS

Green bean and chabis goat’s-milk cheese salad

Pair it with: De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc 2009

The harmony between Sauvignon Blanc and goat’s-milk cheese is commonplace in France’s Loire Valley, the birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc, and works equally well here. The wine has herb, lemon grass and tropical fruit to mingle with the tang of the cheese.

PERFECTLY PASTA

Chilli-garlic linguine with seared tuna

Pair it with: Jordan Riesling 2009

An off-dry Riesling in which the slight sweetness and floral tones blend with the chilli and garlic in the pasta, while the lemon-lime flavours of the wine are a perfect foil for the slices of tuna. Avoid wood-matured wines as they will clash with the bite of the chilli.

IN THE MAIN

Lamb chops with olive orange anchovy sauce

Pair it with: Tokara Zondernaam Syrah Grenache 2007

A challenging dish for wine as it combines red meat, herbs and citrus. Choose a robust red wine with a versatile range of flavours, such as Myles Mossop’s blend of Shiraz and Grenache, which displays black pepper, ripe cherry, plum, clove and cinnamon on both the nose and palate.

SWEET FINALE

Yoghurt panna cotta with orange blossom and nectarine jelly

Pair it with: Danie De Wet Cape Muscadel 2007

The warming mouthfeel of this fortified Muscadel is a delightful contrast to the cool soft panna cotta. The bouquet of the wine adds nuts and floral flavours as well as a sweet grapiness and together with the dessert leaves a long, lingering farewell.

ALLAN 'S FOOD-AND-WINE PAIRING TIPS:

The strongest flavour in the dish is the most important, whether it is the basic ingredient (eg. a fillet steak) or the sauce (eg. a pepper sauce).
Intensity and weight are vital – a strong, creamy sauce would overpower a light crisp wine in the same way as a delicate dish would not stand up to a full-bodied wine.
The food and the wine should match the occasion. Serving crayfish with cheap plonk is as out of place as opening your very best bottle to drink with a hamburger. Having said this, wine and food are for enjoyment and rules are made to be broken. Wine and food exist for enjoyment and one of my greatest memories is drinking Dom Pérignon Champagne out of a paper cup at midnight… with fish and chips, nogal.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PAIRING:

Baked asparagus and ham frittata

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:38:38 GMT

Recipe by: Phillippa Cheifitz
Serves: 4
Allergens: Wheat free / Gluten free
Category: Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
400 g asparagus
125 g smoked or baked ham, thinly sliced
Butter for greasing
12 extra-large free-range eggs
1/2 cup fresh cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 – 3/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Cooking instructions:

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Trim the asparagus and simmer in water for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender. Wrap one or two asparagus spears in a slice of ham and place in a greased baking dish or ovenproof pan, about 25 cm in diameter.

Beat the eggs with ¼ cup cream and seasoning. Pour over the ham and asparagus. Sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan and drizzle over the rest of the cream. Bake for 20 minutes or until browned and just set.

Cook’s notes: Use grated Gruyère instead of Parmesan, and chicken or turkey instead of ham.

Wine: Jordan The Outlier Sauvignon Blanc 2009

What the chef would serve for Valentine's Day

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:53:32 GMT

Hannah Lewry asked some of her favourite restaurateurs and chefs from across South Africa what they would do with chocolate, figs, oysters and Champagne. Here's what they said.

Angie Batis Durrant and Shane Durrant of Wolves Café in Illovo Johannesburg

Get a bucket full of oysters. Buy the best Champagne, Methode or bubbles you can lay your hands on.

Shuck the oysters. Pour some Champagne into each oyster to create a "Champagne oyster cocktail".

Drink it down.

Repeat.

Try our drunken oysters

4 Corlett Drive, Illovo, Johannesburg, 011 447 2360, www.wolves.co.za

Jackie Cameron of Hartford House in the KZN Midlands (Eat Out Award Winning Chef)

Seduction ...mmm and food. I love it!

Fresh 'naked' oysters served just as they are (with maybe a splash of red wine vinegar and chives) with many glasses of Champagne.

Round off with an oozing caramelised camembert topped with juicy figs,hot roasted almonds and melted chocolate. So seductive!

Try our caramalised figs with brie

Hlatikulu Road, Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, 033 263 2713, http://www.hartford.co.za

John Van Zyl, Chef at Liam Tomlin Chefs' Warehouse and Liam Tomlin Culinary Studio at Leopard's Leap Vineyards. Drummer for LA.VI.

For starters freshly shucked oysters with spicy chorizo and a shallot dressing.

Followed by a strawberry and Champagne consommé with seasonal fruit and mascarpone sorbet.

Finish off with macerated, spiced figs with mascarpone sorbet.

Try our strawberry Champagne soup

50 New Church Stree,t Cape Town, 021 422 01 28, www.chefswarehouse.co.za

HOT TIP: Look out for our story on Leapard's Leap in the April issue of TASTE

Thandi Maphai is a lecturer at the HTA School of Culinary Art

The best aphrodisiac dessert would be “Chilli Chocolate Pots”.

Both these ingredients release endorphins which get you on a natural high - perfect for a Valentine's date.

And who doesn’t like chocolate! Serve this with a bottle of bubbly and let nature take its course.

Try our spicy Asian ice cream with white chocolate shavings

HTA, 128 Bram Fischer Drive, Ferndal,e Randburg, 011 285 0937, www.htatrain.co.za

Gina and Graham of 9th Avenue Bistro in Durban

Careful not to eat too much, it can ruin the night!

Our choice of tipple would be Krone Brut Rosé that's served throughout the meal You must start with oysters served with a Grey Goose bloody Mary vinaigrette and lots of fresh lemon.

Follow this with fresh figs sliced into a salad of Prosciutto, toasted pinenuts, rocket and Manchego cheese dressed with balsamic fig vinegar.

Finish with a Lindt chocolate fondant balls.

2 Avonmore Centre, 9th Avenue, Morningside Durban, 031 312 9134, www.9thavenuebistro.co.za

Try our lettuce hearts with gorgonzola, Prosciutto and fresh figs

Claudia Giannoccaro of Salvation Café in Johannesburg

Start with a good cup of coffee and serve it with homemade buttermilk pancakes with caramelised figs, roasted almonds and a cinnamon caramel ice cream.

Pop a nice bubbly like the imported Billecart-Salmon and serve with freshly squeezed peach juice.

Try our walnut pancakes

44 Stanley Avenue, Milpark, Johannesburg, 011 482 7795, www.salvationcafe.co.za

Pasella home cook, Linda Ras

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:53:15 GMT

Linda Ras is a finalist in the Pasella home cook competition. She will be cooking live on Wednesday, 8 February on SABC2.

Linda will be making her coconut peri-peri chicken live on Pasella and recommends that when you are making her delicious dish, replace the coconut cream with coconut milk if you are watching your weight.

LINDA'S COCONUT PERI-PERI CHICKEN

Ingredients:

8 chicken portions, skin on
1 t salt
1 t paprika
½ t pepper
2-4 T olive oil
1 T chopped garlic
1 T chopped ginger
1 tin coconut cream
1 T peri-peri sauce
1 T sweet chili sauce or chutney
2 T chopped fresh coriander

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Rub the chicken pieces with the salt, paprika, pepper and half of the olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, turn and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In the meantime, heat the remaining oil and quickly sauté the garlic and ginger until it smells fragrant. Add the peri-peri and sweet chili sauces, as well as the coconut cream. Simmer until it thickens. Stir in half of the coriander.

Spoon any excess oil out of the chicken pan, pour half of the coconut cream mixture over the chicken and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with the remaining coriander.

Serve with jasmine rice and a green salad on the side.

Cook’s note: Although the traditional rice to use is the Thai one, she also likes the dish unconventionally with pasta rice.

MEET THE PASELLA HOME COOKS:

How To - Work with phyllo pastry

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 09:12:32 GMT

The most important thing to remember when working with phyllo pastry is to keep the paper-thin sheets from drying out. Best is to keep them covered with a damp towel while working.

The sheets are sandwiched together, four or more, with melted butter or, in the case of savoury pies, with olive oil.

For small pies, cut the pastry into strips, spread with butter or oil and place a teaspoon of filling in one corner. Fold over and over to form a triangle as though making a samoosa.

RECIPES USING PHYLLO PASTRY

Tip: ready-made phyllo pastry is available from Woolworths. Always keep a roll in your freezer to create bite-sized tarts or snacks for unexpected guests.

Recipe: Lamb shanks in patterned phyllo blankets

10 Quick and easy ways with berries

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 08:44:38 GMT

Berries and cherries make great desserts and drinks. Here are a couple of easy ideas to make the most of the seasonal abundance.

Serve a bowl of fresh or frozen berries with ice cream and a sweet sauce. Garnish with apple stars made by slicing apples thinly and cutting out star shapes with your cookie cutter. Remember to sprinkle the apple slices with lemon juice to prevent discolouring.
Frozen berries can be quite sour on their own, so serve with a sweet syrup. Try liquorice, white chocolate, caramel or a whisky dark chocolate sauce.
Make a St Joseph's lily ice cream cone by removing everying on the inside of the flower and place in a champagne glass. Fill with blackberries or any other berries and drizzle with rooibos-infused syrup.
Blackberries are great with apples, cinnamon, cream, custard, honey, maple syrup, muesli, oranges, peaches, raspberries, rose geranium and strawberries.
Make an apple-and-strawberry sparkler by threading fresh strawberries onto a wooden skewer. Pop it in a glass. Pourin a little strawberry juice and top with sparkling apple juice or Champagne.
To make a liquorice, blueberry and blackberry cooler, pour 1 tot Pernod over crushed ice in a Martini glass. Fill with blueberry juice and garnish with frozen blackberries. Top with a skewer threaded with blueberries.
Serve Woolworths low-fat yoghurt with strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry and other fruits, garnished with frozen fresh cherries.
Add ice to a glass. Fill with cranberry juice and garnish with slices of fresh melon.
Pour a glass of 100% pressed fresh berry juice and garnish with fresh basil instead of mint.
Top Woolworths ready-made ice-cream bombe with 300g frozen raspberries and serve with Cognac, Grand Marnier or Kirsch on the side or drizzled over.

MORE ON BERRIES

Don't miss this year's FIcksburg Cherry Festival!

Strawberries are in season during the summer months. Here's how to pick and store then, and recipes to use them in.

The different types of berries sold in SA, their health properties and how to use them in recipes

Blueberries are so healthy and you can use them in a myriad ways. Here are our tips on choosing and storing, and inspirational new ways to incorporate them in dishes.

Something different: Fresh summer fruitcake

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:55:32 GMT

If you don't have time to make a traditional fruitcake this Christmas, or yearn for something different, try our fresh summer fruitcake.

Peel and slice assorted fruits such as papino, watermelon, mango, guava, kiwi fruit, pineapple, plums, nectarines, grapefruit, strawberries, blackberries and pears.

Use four 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins and tightly pack layouers of neatly sliced fruit, alternating with berries, to the top.

Place a small plate on top, pressing down the fruit slightly.

Refrigerate for at last an hour, to settle.

Carefully remove the slides of the cake tins.

Slide the layered fruit of the first cake tin onto a flat platter.

Carefully slide the second onto the first fruit layer.

Continue with the third and fourth, stacking the 'fruitcake'.

Top with blackberries and garnish with ribbon or liquorice strands.

Serve with a serving spoon, but allow the cake to break down - don't slice.

Serve with petitie meringues or meringue rounds on the side.

The big scoop on homemade (artisinal) ice creams

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:35:29 GMT

Assistant Food Editor Hannah Lewry takes an inspired look at the latest hot summer trend: homemade artisinal ice creams.

Last week while food blog-hopping, I found a weird and wonderful recipe for ‘buttered popcorn ice cream’. How great does that sound! Promising to taste just like the movies, with just the right sweet and savoury flavour combination, it reminded me of an insanely delicious ice cream, the burnt sugar and salt ice cream we made for a TASTE Trend shoot a few years back. It's an explosion of flavours in your mouth and dangerously addictive.

After a touch of reminiscing and a little more research, I discovered just how simple a beautiful ice cream is to make. Without further ado I logged onto the Yuppie Chef website first thing this morning and purchased my very own little Krups ice-cream maker! (R745)

I am now eagerly awaiting its delivery so we can start our many adventures together. To be honest, being such a self-proclaimed ice cream freak I’m ashamed it took me this long to get one.

HAND-CHURNED VS MACHINE-CHURNED - WHICH IS THE BEST?

For the best ice cream you really have to invest in an ice cream maker. Making it by hand is tedious work and the results are never quite the same.

With a machine you pour in the custard and let it churn for half an hour, freeze and voila, you have ice cream. Doing it by hand is a laborious to-ing and fro-ing between freezer and hand churning and the results are not always guaranteed. But prove me wrong if you like!

ICE CREAMS I'M GOING TO TRY

The first ice cream I'm going to attempt is the granadilla ice cream in handmade tuile cones. The cones are surprisingly easy and great value to make. They also look gorgeous dusted with icing sugar before serving.

Being the sucker for coffee-flavoured ice cream that I am, next on my list has to be the espresso ice cream sunday with crushed nuts and chocolate curls. I think I’ll be trying mine with toasted hazelnuts.

The vanilla-soya milk ice and rose-water-pomegranate sorbet is a fabulous dessert to make for any of your lactose intolerant friends. It still gives you that rich, sweet texture that you expect from an ice cream, but without any of the dairy.

For a fresher, zesty alternative try the clementine-and-lemon sorbet with balsamic cream which ticks all the right boxes for vegetarians and vegans.

Classic condensed milk Eskimo pies will get you yelps of delight from little ones who'll be more than happy to help pour over melted dark chocolate to make those moreish frosted chocolate caps.

SCIENTIFIC ICE CREAM

Another interesting fact I came across was the making of Liquid nitrogen ice cream. This is more for experimental purposes and is hugely popular in the school science labs of America. Believe it or not, it's perfectly edible and creamy too.

All you need is a basic vanilla bean gelato custard base, an ice-cream maker and the right balance of skill and nitrogen liquid. Having said that, it’s not the kind of thing to try at home without sufficient research and the necessary safety precautions. It makes for an interesting science lesson no doubt, but is best left to the foodie geeks.

TOO BUSY TO MAKE?

Woolies has a fab new range of ripple ice-creams on its way to a freezer near you.

My favourites are the caramel fudge ripple flecked with real fudge bits and the beautiful Greek yoghurt and honey ripple. Read more about them in the March issue of TASTE on shelf 22 February 2012.

Happy churning and good scooping!

Hannah

PS, what's your fave new ice cream flavour? Email me @ hannah.lewry@newmediapub.co.za

MORE ICE CREAM DELICIOUSNESS

A real cheat's way to flavour up ice cream: avocado and green olive ice cream and chocolate and black olive ice cream
Chef Luke Dale-Roberts' chocolate and Guinness cake with beer-and-vanilla ice cream
TASTE reader Varsha Naidu's orange sorbet and easy French vanilla ice cream
Phillippa Cheifitz' lemon meringue ice creams (Read Phillippa's blog)

The Creamery ice cream club

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:26:56 GMT

TASTE’s Assistant Food Editor, Hannah Lewry pops in at The Creamery and comes out covered in the most delicious, seasonal ice cream flavours.

An ice cream club? Yes, that’s right! This fabulous ice cream factory shop ‘The Creamery’, has their very own club. And it’s the kind of club that one gets excited about being a member of; with rare peeks into their new creations and exclusive access to limited edition flavours. It’s definitely my kind of club.

The creamery is the brain child of the talented Capetonian Kate Schrire who, as she puts it, ‘cut her teeth’ in the food industry with her involvement in the SI (sustainability Institute) where she set up and ran the farm-to-fork programme before trying her hand at ice cream.

And lucky for us she did. It all started in her humble kitchen at home using the very same little Krups ice cream maker that I am awaiting delivery on from Yuppiechef. Kate describes this machine as indestructible, which is good news to me!

The Creamery in Mowbray in the Cape only started churning 12 weeks ago. Marianne Visser left behind a life in the film industry to become Kate’s partner in ice cream, not a bad trade at all! The team is supported by the lovely Progress and Harmony who crack up to 800 organic eggs a week.

Feeding off of each other’s energy and inspirations, they come up with the most sensational flavour combinations and each one of their ice creams is crammed with only natural ingredients

ALL NATURAL AND 100% SEASONAL

Natural ingredients? We’ve all heard that before so what makes The Creamery’s ice creams different?

The creamery works on the basic philosophy that all ingredients for their ice creams must be sourced locally from family run farms in the Western Cape. All produce must be seasonal and every single ice cream is made by hand.

The strawberry season ended just two weeks ago, so now it’s a long wait until you can taste their sublime strawberry-and-basil ice cream again. I think it makes ice cream eating all the more exciting.

Jasmine is another of their exciting flavours. The jasmine blossom season last all of three weeks and they handpick the fresh petals from friends’ before infusing them in a cool, basic custard to make a mere 3 litres of ice cream. And that’s if they’re lucky.

The chocolate-peppermint leaf is one of my favourite. The flavour is created entirely from a variety of mint leaf, which gives the illusion of a chocolate taste but there is actually no added chocolate at all. Mind-boggling!

The peanut butter ice cream is ever so luxurious and smooth in texture and coats the taste buds in a rich buttery peanut flavour, utterly divine!

Go online to The Creamery to order ahead. Your ice cream can either be collected at one of the markets they supply or at their offices in Mowbray. Unfortunately The Creamery are only supplying the Cape Town area for now but please go onto their website to see a list of markets where you can buy their beautiful ice cream and to sample all of their weird and wonderful flavours.

What struck me most about the girls at The Creamery is the heaps and piles of passion they put into creating each flavourful pint of ice cream. It’s infectious and spurs me on inject as much va va voom into the way I view food and flavour creation.

By Hannah Lewry, TASTE Assistant Food Editor
Email Hannah your feedback and most-loved ice cream flavour

THE CREAMERY'S TOP ICE CREAM TIPS

Our biggest tip for storing ice cream is to never let it defrost, melt, and then refreeze. When you take it out again, it will be icy and frosty! And never, ever put ice cream in the microwave to soften it!

As for making ice cream, our best advice is to use the best possible ingredients you can get your hands on. Ice cream is an amazing platform for different flavours, but that also means you can't hide any inferior ingredients.

Like most joyful things, ice cream is best shared. Our 500ml tubs can easily be shared among four friends, but, if you ever find yourself heartbroken, sitting on the couch in your underwear, it is most definitely a single portion.

We also love pairing our ice creams with fresh fruit or fruit desserts: our fresh ginger ice cream goes beautifully with some cut melon, and the lemon flavour is even better when combined with a berry tart.

For trends and inspiration we often look to the States, where micro-ice-cream-making has taken off in a big way. We've tried out the beer ice cream trend with a range of Darling Brew beers to great success, but our rule is always that we'll never sell anything as a gimmick - our number one priority is that the final product tastes amazing.

We've also seen a lot of bacon in ice cream; we're not convinced yet, but we'll try anything once!

CONTACT THE CREAMERY

Physical address: Unit 22A Waverley Business Park, Corner of Wyecroft and Weymouth Roads, Mowbray, Cape Town, 7700
Email: hello@thecreamery.co.za
www.thecreamery.co.za

SATISFY YOUR ICE CREAM CRAVING WITH THESE RECIPES:

How To - Make rose and pink Champagne jelly

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 12:57:08 GMT

While jelly may not be considered the most convoluted of creations, the wobbly wonder can be temperamental.

Dissolve powdered gelatine by sprinkling it over a little cold water and allowing the molecules to separate to prevent clumps forming.

Once the mixture resembles runny apple sauce, add it to the liquid in the recipe, then place the bowl over simmering water to dissolve completely – don’t let it boil, though, as this will prevent setting.

Dip a spoon into the jelly to check if it’s ready to set – there should be no undissolved granules on the spoon.

Remember that the more sugar you add to the gelatine mix, the softer your jelly will be. Also, if you’re adding the gelatine to milk or cream, it will take twice as long to dissolve.

Finally, never add papaya, kiwis, guavas, figs or ginger to jelly as they contain bromelain, an enzyme that prevents setting.

Follow the steps below to ensure you get it right the first time. For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Rose and pink Champagne jelly

You'll need: 6 gelatine leaves, 3 cups pink Champagne or sparkling wine, 1/2 cup rose-water, 2/3 cups icing sugar, 6 cardamom pods, crushed, husks discarded, sunflower oil to grease, 100 g strawberries, sliced, 2 T basil or sabja seeds, soaked in water.

MORE GREAT JELLY RECIPES:

Recipe: Rose and pink sparkling wine jelly

Pasella home cook, Jon Hey

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:55:40 GMT

Pasella viewer Jon Hey from Gordon’s Bay in the Western Cape sent in this quick and easy recipe that takes the very essence of the South African boerie and puts it on a plate.

Jon will be making his baked boerie rolls live on Pasella on Wednesday, 25 January on SABC2 at 7:30pm.

He is just one of the home cooks taking part in the exciting Pasella Home Cook competition in which viewers get to vote for their favourite new TV foodie. The winning home cook stands to win a R20 000 Woolworths gift card.

JON HEY'S BAKED BOERIE ROLLS

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 t salt
1 packet instant dried yeast
1 t sugar
1 cup water
1 T butter
400g good quality boerewors, cooked Woolworths tomato sauce*
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

Start by making your dough. Sift the flour and salt together, add the yeast, sugar, water and butter. Knead for 10 minutes. Cover and allow to double in size. Knock back and roll out into thin rectangles for your baked boerewors rolls.

Slice the boerewors to fit your dough rectangles. Spread some tomato sauce on the centre of the dough rectangles, place slices of boerewors on top and enclose in the dough.

Place boerie rolls in a baking tray, brush the top with the beaten egg and bake for about 10-12 minutes at 180°C till evenly browned.

Serve with condiments and cold beer.

*Or make your own by browning 2 chopped onions in a little olive oil adding garlic if you like. Mix in a can of whole tomatoes with herbs of your liking like oregano and/or basil (herbs optional). Allow the sauce to thicken over low heat. Add chopped fresh parsley if you like and season with salt and pepper.

MORE PASELLA HOME COOKS:

JON HEY'S TASTE BLOG:

The Weekendwizzard

Pasella home cook, Petro Lotz

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:38:41 GMT

Petro Lotz from the Eastern Cape, a strong contender in the Pasella Home Cook competition shares her delectable green fig ice cream with toffee sauce recipe with TASTE.

GREEN FIG ICE CREAM WITH TOFFEE SAUCE BY PETRO LOTZ (makes 2 liters)

Ingredients:

750ml cream
1 bottle preserved green figs, in syrup
8 free-range eggs, separated
750ml smooth cottage cheese toffee sauce, to serve*

Method:

Heat the cream to just under boiling point, then add the syrup from the figs.

Whip the egg yolks and add a little of the cream mixture to acclimatize the eggs, then add all the cream. Return to the heat and keep whisking over low heat till the mixture thickens to form a custard. Remove from the heat and mix in the cottage cheese. Chop the figs and add to the custard. Allow the mixture to cool completely.

If you have an ice cream maker, churn according to the instructions. If not, pour into a plastic bowl and place in the freezer, whisking every 2 hours, until frozen to your liking. When you serve it, allow 10 minutes outside the fridge for the ice cream to soften. Serve with toffee sauce.

*Heat 125ml cream and add 1 packet Wilson toffees (or other toffees of your choice). Stir to melt.

MORE PASELLA HOME COOKS:

Bao (steamed buns) with barbecued pork and Hoisin sauce

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:41:29 GMT

Recipe by: Maranda Engelbrecht
Serves: 4 - 6
Dietary considerations: Health conscious
Category: A little effort
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
10 g yeast, dried
530 g cake flour, sifted
50 g sugar
375 ml lukewarm water
30 ml vegetable oil
500 g shredded chicken, pork or beef
10 ml black- or red-bean sauce
4 - 6 spring onion, chopped
Sesame oil, for brushing

Cooking instructions:

To make the dough: Combine the yeast, sifted cake flour and sugar. Add lukewarm water and vegetable oil. Mix to form a soft dough then knead on a lightly floured surface, until soft and smooth.

Transfer to a lightly oiled container, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 2 hours,or until the dough has doubled in size.

Halve the dough and knead each half for 2 minutes before rolling into a 5cm x 25cm sausage. Divide into 12 equal portions. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, flatten each portion into a circle, 7cm in diameter.

To make the filled buns: Mix shredded chicken, pork or beef with a drizzle of blackor red-bean sauce, or oyster sauce and chopped spring onion.

Place 15–30ml of the meat mixture in the centre of each dough disc.

Lift the outer edges and pleat to close at the top, ending with a pinch. Brush each bun with a little sesame oil then cover with a damp cloth and place in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Transfer to a steamer and steam, tightly covered over briskly boiling water, for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the plain buns: Brush each dough disc with a little sesame oil then indent the middle using the end of a chopstick. Fold down the middle to form a half moon. Crimp the edges tightly shut using a fork. Proceed as with the filled buns.

Cook’s tip: Serve this Chinese delicacy with barbecued pork and hoisin sauce.

Wine: Springfield Wild Yeast Chardonnay 2007

New wine tasting experience at Spier

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:27:55 GMT

A stylish new wine tasting experience has been created at Spier, offering innovative food pairings with award-winning Spier wine.

The new venue overlooking the popular Spier dam and picnic lawns, has stunning views of the Helderberg mountains. The building combines contemporary décor with the heritage for which the farm is renowned.

“Spier is one of the oldest wine farms in the Cape, and the new venue celebrates this heritage while offering guests an informative wine experience in a beautiful setting,” says Andrew Milne, Spier CEO.

The double-volume building is light and open, and maximises the views. Inside and outside seating on the deck is available, with a lounge section next to the fireplace, ideal for winter tastings. Natural reclaimed wood and stone finishes create an environment that is inviting, chic and contemporary without losing the old-world, heritage charm of the estate.

TASTINGS INCLUDE:

Spier Tasting of the two premium wine ranges: 21 Gables and Spier Creative Block.
Heritage Tasting: a food and wine pairing of Spier’s heritage wines (21 Gables) and traditional South African fare.
Frans K Smit Tasting of the two premium wine ranges plus Spier’s flagship wine, Frans K Smit Special food options were developed to pair with the wines and will also be available at the venue.

A slick collection of new and recycled furniture in wood – including John Vogel’s Nguni chairs and parquet tables by Allan Lutge – provide seated tasting arrangements for guests. A magnificent chandelier – made by renowned artist Heath Nash from 334 recycled Spier wine bottles and weighing 370kgs – hangs above the state-of-the-art tasting counter. In fact, recycling is a major theme in the centre, in line with Spier’s sustainable ethos.

Conscious building practices include the fact that the venue was built on the existing footprint of the old Spier Deli, meaning lower energy consumption, and less concrete used for construction.

Rainwater falling on the roof is harvested to refill the dam, and aerated taps save up to 60% water. Much of the furniture was reused from elsewhere on the estate, and the polished concrete and gravel floor contains no resins or harmful glues, no tiles or grouting.

CONTACT SPIER:

Web: www.spier.co.za
Email: info@spier.co.za
Tel : 021 809 1100
Physical Address: R310, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa

VISIT MORE PLACES:

How To - Cut and serve melons

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:58:31 GMT

Sticky-sweet juice running down your chin, a volley of pips and a song on your lips – such are the essential ingredients of a memorable summer.

Choose firm watermelons that feel heavy for their size and don’t have any bruises, dents or cuts. Sweet melons, on the other hand, should have a yellowish hue and melony smell. A ripe melon’s rind will yield slightly when pressed lightly with the thumb.

Store whole watermelons and melons in a cool spot in the kitchen and cubes of melon flesh in a closed container in the fridge.

Use cut melon within three days of purchasing – whole melons will keep for at least a week.

DID YOU KNOW?

Sweet melons and watermelons are both part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which means they’re related to cucumbers and squashes.
Sweet melons or cantaloupes, as they’re called in America, are reportedly named after Cantalou, a former Papal garden near Rome where the varietal was said to originated. • Watermelons are believed to have originated in the Kalahari Desert.
Every part of a watermelon is edible: the seeds can be roasted and the rinds pickled.
Sweet melons make great dessert bowls: simply halve a chilled melon, scoop out its seeds and fill with home-made ice cream.

Recipe: Grilled halloumi and watermelon salad

Grilled halloumi and watermelon salad

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:55:12 GMT

Recipe by: Abigail Donnelly
Serves: 4
Category: Vegetarian / Easy
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
12 red chillies, roughly chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
400 g ripe watermelon, cubed
8 radishes, grated
16 black olives, crushed
2 T flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 T red wine vinegar
4 T extra virgin olive oil
lemon juice, a squeeze
200 g halloumi, sliced
Flour, for dusting
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking instructions:

For a few melon cutting techniques and serving ideas, watch our How To video here: How to cut and serve melons.

Place a small pan over a high heat, add the chillies to the dry pan and allow them to smoke. Shake around the pan a few times until the chillies become darker in colour and fragrant, but not burnt or blackened.

Transfer to a cool pan and pour over the canola oil to just cover the chillies. Place over a medium heat until they begin to simmer slightly, then remove from the heat.

Combine the watermelon, radish, olives, parsley, red wine vinegar, 1 T olive oil and lemon juice.

Add the remaining olive oil to a hot pan. Dust the halloumi in flour, then fry in batches for 25 to 30 seconds on each side, or until golden and slightly crisp.

Arrange the salad on a platter, top with the halloumi and drizzle with the chilli oil.

Cook’s note: Add sweet smoked paprika or whole garlic and ginger to the chilli oil.

Wine: Ridgeback Shiraz Rosé 2011

Take it outside! Al fresco entertaining ideas

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:02:13 GMT

When the weather turns good, shake out the chequered tablecloths and try our fresh ideas for easy outdoor entertaining.

The southern Europeans, think Italians, Spaniards and Greeks, are masters at outdoor entertaining.

Always a relaxed, yet lavish affair, they lay their tables with simple, seasonal fare, with plenty condiments and snacks, and of course ample bottles of cheap but cheerful wine.

HOW TO PUT IT TOGETHER

Choose a array of crowd-pleasing dishes that use really good ingredients and are effortless to put together. The idea is having enough food for guests to pick on as the afternoon wears on.

For mains offer seafood, meat and vegetarian options, some smaller salads and side dishes, plenty of crusty loaves (let each guest slices or tear off pieces as they like), some dips, a selection of sauces and bottles of olive oil and different vinegars.

MY BIG FAT GREEK TABLE

Lemony-garlick tzatziki, hummus, kofta, falafels, eight-hour melt-in-the mouth lamb, dolmades (buy ready-made from Woolworths) and lots of flatbread.

For desserts we recommend sticky sugar-and-spice infused satsuma with Greek yoghurt served with biscuits for dunking.

Remember, Lebanese food shares many similarities with Greek food - mix and match if you like!

TALKING ITALIAN

For starters, read up on how to entertain like a true Italian or put out plates of delicious, unpretentious risotto.

A great vegetarian option is panzanella white bean salad with tomato dressing, caperberries and anchovies.

A really easy recipe that makes a great starter is Parma ham lemons served with citrus bubbly. You can make it ahead, and pop in the oven until golden and bubbly just before serving.

For dessert try our deliciously crumbly orange and ricotta polenta cake with lime labneh (use mascarpone to stay true to the Italian feel) that's fragrant but rustic at the same time. Serve with coffee affogato.

Don't forget gnocchi, pizza or an easy open lasagne are always great centre pieces.

SPANISH TAPAS AND MORE

Follow our guidelines for creating an easy Spanish tapas spread.

Seafood works well on a Spanish table, and we love zesty Skordalia-mash with seared yellowtail or go for the fab vegetarian option: Skordalia with fried baby marrow and lemon.

A lovely seafood dish is seared calamari and chorizo, or spicy stuffed calamari.

Another crowd-pleasee is a chicken paella served with a tomato salad with lots of olives and caperberries.

For dessert, adapt our fool-proof doughnut recipe by making smaller balls that are a little rough around the edges. Coat them generously in spiced sugar and dunk into your hot chocolate or coffee.

MORE AL FRESCO DINING IDEAS

Entertain like the TASTE food editors do
Pick and choose from a variety of seafood and shellfish dishes that require just a quick flash in the pan and a touch of dressing up and you're done.
Take a bag of marinara mix and make one of these three lovely meals
Quick and easy things to do with avocado
Easy ways with ricotta cheese

How To - Remove wine stains from a crystal decanter

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:04:46 GMT

Red wine and other dark-coloured drinks can often stain a beloved crystal decanter. To remove the stains safely without harming your decanter, fill it half way with warm water, then add a small amount of mild cleaning agent and 2 T white vinegar. Swirl the mixture around in the decanter, then leave it for a few minutes to soak. Finally, rinse it thoroughly with more warm water and leave to dry completely.

Recipe: Hibiscus perfumed gin

How To - Make the perfect gammon

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:44:44 GMT

Avoid Christmas cooking disasters and learn how to make the perfect gammon with our step-by-step slideshow.

Follow the steps and most of all, have fun! For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Glazed gammon with a pineapple, fig and ginger salsa

We also have some great gammon tips and tricks here!

Recipe: Glazed gammon with a pineapple, fig and ginger salsa

How To - Make the perfect roast potatoes

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:37:57 GMT

Crisp on the outside, fluffy within - flawless roasties are a cook's ultimate coup.

There are as many opinions on how to achieve faultless results as there are types of potato. Some insist that olive oil is the best roasting agent, while others extol the virtues of duck fat.

So follow the steps and most of all, enjoy! For the text version of this recipe (which you can add to your online recipe book), click the link: Perfect roast potatoes

“If you get your roast potatoes right, your family and friends will love you forever.” This from Nigella Lawson, the patron saint of the perfectly cooked spud.

Recipe: Perfect roast potatoes

Untouched wilderness of Singita Grumeti Reserves

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:40:53 GMT

The Serengeti is distilled Africa at its untouched best. And, as TASTE's Jocelyn Warrington discovers, Singita Grumeti Reserves offers the ultimate vantage point from which to drink in its spectacular beauty.

For sure, life is cruel.

It takes a good stretch of the imagination, however, to remember this fact when enshrined in the luxury of Sasakwa Lodge, one of four Singita lodges and camps in north-west Tanzania’s Singita Grumeti Reserves.

Located in the western corridor of the Serengeti National Park, the award-winning reserve offers front-of-house seats to one of nature’s most spellbinding performances. Singita Grumeti encompasses 350 000 acres of unrivalled wilderness slap-bang on the famous migration route of nearly two million ungulates, including bearded wildebeest and brindled gnu.

A hilltop location grants Singita Sasakwa Lodge jaw-dropping views over the plains, irrefutable proof that “heaven on Earth” does exist. Taking a design cue from the East African houses of colonial times, the lodge calls to mind the fearless explorers, tribal princesses and well-heeled heirs of the time in history when Africa and Europe first met.

Indian textiles, Chinese porcelain and European furnishings consort happily with the white linens and ebony leathers, bone, horn and grasses of Africa … and floor-toceiling glass doors allow the Serengeti to shine through as a living backdrop.

Driven by genetic coding and charted by the seasons, the herds’ annual trek, a journey of up to 1200 km, takes in the entire Serengeti-Maasai Mara ecosystem, and Singita’s exclusivity means that visitors have this pristine stretch of Africa to themselves (there are never more than 76 guests in the reserve at one time).

Brian Harris, managing director of the Grumeti Community and Wildlife Fund, recounts the remarkable conservation and community-upliftment story that repeatedly secures Singita top marks for low-impact, high-value safari tourism.

Since 2002, when the Fund took on management of the reserve, game population numbers have increased by up to 600 percent. Add to its wildlife programme a working community job-creation and education strategy, and Singita offers a tangible example of the new African eco-philanthropy. Says Harris: “Our core purpose is to be highly instrumental in procuring a world in which people and wildlife live together sustainably forever.”

Built on a gently sloping hill, Singita Faru Faru Lodge is inspired by rock ruins found in the area – ancestral remnants built by local tribesmen – and is kitted out in the manner of a 1950s botanical research camp. The inspired use of sand and stone brings the river to the lodge, while two rim-flow pools reflect the watering holes below it.

With all public areas exposed to the elements (and outdoor showers that are a hedonist’s joy), this is open-air living at its best. Frequent sightings of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, elephant, rare Colobus monkeys and countless birds, ensure that Faru Faru leaves a footprint on the heart.

Even as our plane bumps along the gravel airstrip, an acute homesickness for the African bush is taking grip. Soaring over the salt marshes that skirt the Great Rift Valley, I watch a flock of Lesser Flamingo skimming the water to catch updrafts that lift from its warm surface. Resolutely ignoring thoughts of traffic chaos, domestic drudgery and a teetering in-tray, I’m inclined to admit: yes, life is cruel.

For more information, visit the Singita Game Reserves website here: Singita Game Reserves

VISIT MORE PLACES:

Hannah's quick bean-and-brinjal vegetarian dinners

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:05:05 GMT

In the spirit of Meat Free Mondays I always make a point of eating a vegetarian meal on a Monday. These brinjal-based dishes are quick to throw together and kind on the pocket too.

Also read my quick meal ideas using fish

Typical quick recipes I'd make using chicken

QUICK CHILLI TOMATO-AND-BEAN STEW GRILLED BRINJALS

I simply can't resist adding any kind of bean or pulse to most of my weekday dinners. They are so good for you and during the days just before payday they can stretch a meal with lots of healthy protein.

When simmered in this simple tomato sauce they absorb the flavours beautifully and the brinjal slices are perfect for scooping up all of the lovely beans.

Drain a can of butter beans and leave aside. Add a splash of olive oil to a pan over a medium to high heat and quickly fry 3 cloves of crushed garlic. Add 1 chopped chilli and ½ t Spanish smoked paprika for a few seconds until fragrant.

Add a can of tomatoes and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes before adding the butter beans. Toss through chopped parsley with a crack of black pepper and sea salt.

Slice1 or 2 brinjals lengthways and chargrill in a hot pan with a little olive oil, then serve with your bean-and-tomato stew.

BRINJALS WITH FRESH MINT ON BUTTER BEAN MASH

The fresh mint really picks up this dish. If you aren’t a big fan of mint substitute it for freshly chopped coriander or flat leaf parsley.

The butter bean mash is silky smooth and mops up the flavours of the smokey, charred brinjals and thick tomato sauce. Use wet Parmesan polenta instead of butter bean mash if you like.

Fry a finely chopped onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in 1 T olive oil for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add 1 T tomato paste, 1 can of tomatoes, 2 sprigs of chopped thyme and some rosemary and leave to simmer with 1 cup stock until reduced, for about 25 – 30minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place a pan over a medium to high heat and add 2 T olive oil. Pan-fry thick brinjals rounds until golden.

To make the butter bean mash, fry some garlic (optional) in olive oil, add a tin of butter beans and when warm and soft, mash them with a potato masher or push them through a ricer.

Top your brinjals with freshly chopped mint and serve with garlic butter bean mash and tomato sauce.

WHOLE BAKED BRINJAL AND BUTTER BEAN DIP

This budget beating dip is such a crowd pleaser and is perfect served with warm pita breads when friends come over on a Saturday afternoon.

Feel free to use cannellini beans or chickpeas as an alternative and add loads of lemon and garlic before serving.

Drain 2 cans of butter beans and pulse in a blender with the juice of half a lemon, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 chopped green chilli and 2 T olive oil. Season to taste. Add the soft inside of two whole, roasted brinjals and whizz into the butter beans to make a smooth dip.

Remove from the blender and mix in 1\2 cup roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley. Drizzle with a little more good olive oil and serve with crusty bread and reduced, basic tomato sauce. For a final touch, top with loads of caramelised onions.

Enjoy!

Hannah

I'd love to hear your ideas for midweek life-saver recipes. Email me at hannah@lewry@newmediapub.co.za

MORE VEGETARIAN DISHES WE LOVE

Vegetarian meal ideas for meat lovers

Vegetarian gnocchi

Three-bean macaroni bake

Spinach and mozzarella lasagne

Pasella home cook, Lynn Coetzee

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:42:24 GMT

Lynn Coetzee, a Pasella viewer from Kuilsriver developed this recipe after her daughter was diagnosed as ‘wheat-intolerant’.

Lynn will be making her chocolate cake for the ‘wheat-intolerant’ recipe live on Pasella on Wednesday, 22 February on SABC2 at 7:30pm.

LYNN'S CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR THE ‘WHEAT-INTOLERANT’

Ingredients

For the cake:

5 large eggs
375ml sugar
375ml rye flour
125ml corn flour
83ml cacao
15ml baking powder
125ml oil
75ml milk
175ml boiling water

For the filling:

250ml cream
100g block of chocolate (your favourite)

For the icing:

62g medium fat margarine, melted
83ml cacao
375ml icing sugar
Boiling water

Method

To make the cake:

Whip the eggs and sugar till thick and creamy – it will take about 5 - 8 minutes. Sift the dry ingredients together – at least 3 times to ensure a light mixture. Finally sift the dry ingredients in with the egg mixture. Mix the oil, milk and water and mix in as well. Transfer to two buttered cake tins. Bake 30 minutes at 180°C.

To make the filling:

Melt the chocolate and mix with the cream. Use to coat the bottom layer of the cooled cake. Place the top layer on the filling. (If you like reserve some of the filling to make the cute tower decorations).

For the icing:

Mix the margarine, cocoa and 1T of boiling water. Add the icing sugar and stir to ensure a smooth texture. If too stiff, add more water, if too runny add more icing sugar. It needs to have the consistency of fudge. Use to decorate the cake.

MORE PASELLA HOME COOKS:

Hannah's quick and easy seafood suppers

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:38:20 GMT

I absolutely love fish. It's so quick to cook and besides being super healthy for you (brain food!), it's easy to mix and match with other ingredients. These easy fish recipes are what I make at home.

Also try my easy chicken suppers and quick vegetarian mains

And my quick and easy vegetarians suppers using beans, tomato and brinjals

CHEDDAR-GRILLED FISH-AND-POTATO PIE

I grew up with this fish pie that may seem bland but is so delicious and comforting, especially after a long day at the school or office.

Prepare a large bowl of freshly steamed vegetables, like tenderstem broccoli, sugarsnap peas(aka snow peas or mangetout) and green beans to serve along side it.

To make, preheat the oven to 200C°. Thinly slice 3 baby leeks or a large onion and 3 cloves crushed garlic. Add to a pan over a medium to low heat with 30g butter and 1 T olive oil.

Fry for 3 minutes until softened before adding 6 chopped baby carrots. Fry for a further 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of cream and 1 cup of fish stock and simmer down for 10 minutes. Spoon the whole lot into an ovenproof dish.

Slice four defrosted hake fillets into bite-sized chunks and add to the dish with 3 halved, boiled eggs. Top with mashed potato and grated Cheddar (Woolies' new The Big Cheese is perfect).

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until bubbling and golden. Yum!

THINLY SLICED POTATO-AND-CHEESE BAKE WITH PAN-FRIED HAKE

Who can say no to a good potato bake and when topped with good old Cheddar cheese! Its simply sublime. Make sure that you cook your potatoes all the way through so that they melt in your mouth, but if you're short on time simply parboil your potatoes, peeled and whole, before slicing them and baking.

Preheat the oven to 200C°. Peel and slice 6 – 8 potatoes thinly into sheets.

Grease an oven dish with a little butter before you begin to layer the potatoes sheets at the base of the dish. Top with a drizzle of warm cream and stock between each layer, season to taste and repeat until the dish is packed to the top.

Grate over Cheddar and place in a hot oven and bake for about 40 minutes until tender and brown in colour.

Serve with hake fillets pan-fried in garlic butter topped with a soft-poached egg.

PAN-BAKED EGG FRITTATA WITH GOLDEN POTATOES AND ROASTED FISH

The secret to ensuring this dish is cooked just right is to cook it a little less time than you normally would to keep the flesh firm and succulent. It will carry on cooking out of the baking tray so don’t be shy.

Frittata is also a great side for a crowd - it's cheap and really cheerful. If you don't have fish, simply add slices of chorizo (or any other) sausage to the frittata mix.

Preheat the oven to 200C°. Wash and dry 500g baby potatoes before cutting them up into 3cm chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 20 minutes until tender.

Beat 6 free range eggs with sea salt and black pepper to taste and a dash of cream, for luxury, but milk will also do. Arrange the potatoes in an ovenproof frying pan and pour over the egg mixture.

Grate over Cheddar cheese and bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes until set and firm.

Serve either in the pan or unmould and turn out.

Place hake fillets with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs on a baking tray and roast in the oven at the same time as your frittata and serve together.

Enjoy!

Hanna

I'd love to hear your ideas for midweek life-saver recipes. Email me at hannah@lewry@newmediapub.co.za

MORE QUICK AND EASY FISH RECIPES

5 easy fish recipes

Angelfish with smashed peas

Pan-roasted fish with smashed tomatoes and green olives

Great ideas with Woolies' new range of boerewors

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 10:12:25 GMT

In their quest to develop the best boerewors, Woolworths listened to you and developed a new recipe makes their famous boerewors even juicier, and packed with the flavour SA loves.

TIPS FOR COOKING YOUR BOEREWORS

Arrange your coals in a pyramid shape with firelighters nestled in-between to get the most out of your heat. Light the coals 30 minutes or so before you plan on cooking your boerewors.

Spread out the coals to distribute the heat so your boerewors cooks evenly at a constant medium heat.

Turning your boerewors is essential for even browning and to keep it from catching. Boerewors cooks fairly quickly and, if over done, can dry out and lose its succulence. Braai for 4 minutes on each side before cooking for a further minute per side again, about 10 minutes overall.

The best way to test if it’s done to your liking is to twist off a piece. If it does not break off, then it is not ready yet.

This cooking method works in the same way, as when being cooked under the grill or in a frying pan. If under the grill, it should be 10cm away from direct heat on a rack over a roasting pan. The same goes for the braai grid; it should be 10cm above the smouldering coals.

Pan fry on a hot griddle pan with 1 T canola oil. Resist the urge to add water to the pan as this may cause the outer casing of your boerewors to become tough.

FLAVOUR PROFILES OF WOOLWORTHS' BOEREWORS

Classic beef boerewors

Made with ground beef according to a traditional South African recipe. Spiced with nutmeg and cloves, it contains no pork.

Hannah's tip:

Arrange the boerewors into a coil and pierce with two strong sprigs of rosemary at the base, criss crossing over one another to make a Catherine wheel.

This makes it easier to handle the boerewors when cooking and adds extra flavour.

Get it online from Woolworths: Classic beef boerewors

Drakensberg boerewors

Made with ground beef and pork using a traditional South African recipe, it is spiced with coriander and cloves.

Hannah's tip:

Fasten ready-made basic bread or pizza dough onto a greased clean stick or large skewer and cook over the fire while cooking your boerewors, until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.

Get your guests to make them and eat with a spoonful of good quality apricot jam, mango atchar or fruit chutney.

Get it online from Woolworths: Drakensberg boerewors

Farmstyle braaiwors

Made with ground beef and pork following a traditional South African recipe, it is spiced with coriander and nutmeg.

Hannah's tip:

Try folding in English mustard into whipped cream for a fluffy mustard sauce and serve alongside your boerewors.

Get it online from Woolworths: Farm style braaiwors

Free-range beef boerewors

Made with ground free-range beef to a traditional South African recipe. It is spiced with nutmeg and clove and contains no pork.

Hannah's tip:

Make Vegetable chips. Using a vegetable peeler, run the blade down the side of cleaned root vegetables.

Fry in hot oil until crisp and slightly golden, drain on kitchen paper and serve with spring onion, coriander and sour cream dip.

Get it online from Woolworths: Free-range beef boerewors

Free range beef and pork boerewors

Made with ground free-range beef and pork to a traditional South African recipe, it is spiced with nutmeg and clove.

Hannah's tip:

Serve with garlic and coriander potato salad – halve and boil baby potatoes until just tender but not too soft, drain and, while hot, mix with ¼ cup chopped coriander, 2 cloves crushed garlic, ¼ cup olive oil, 4 spring onions, chopped.

Serve with a bowl of sour cream if desired.

Get it online from Woolworths: Free range beef and pork boerewors

Grabouw boerewors

Made with ground beef and pork according to a traditional South African recipe, it is spiced with roasted coriander.

Hannah's tip:

For a home made tomato relish, add 250g of cherry tomatoes to a medium hot pan with 1 T olive oil and gently fry with half a red onion roughly chopped for a minute or so.

Add 1 T caster sugar and 1 T red wine vinegar and continue to cook until the tomatoes have softened. Serve hot with your boerewors rolls or boerewors with sweet potato mash.

Get it online from Woolworths: Grabouw boerewors

Lamb boerewors

Made with ground lamb to a traditional South African recipe and spiced with clove and coriander. Contains no pork.

Hannah's tip:

Make Roast butternut couscous. Roast chunks of butternut with thyme, whole garlic cloves and olive oil until tender.

Add to cooked couscous with creamy chunks of feta and fresh chopped flat leaf parsley.

Get it online from Woolworths: Lamb boerewors

Halaal traditional boerewors

Made with ground beef following a traditional South Africa recipe, it is spiced with roasted coriander and clove and contains no pork.

Hannah's tip:

Serve with summer tomato salad. Slice sun-ripened tomatoes and arrange on a platter.

Add chopped red onion, coriander, chilli, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to a bowl and mix together.

Traditional boerewors

Made with ground beef and pork using a traditional South African recipe, it is spiced with roasted coriander and clove

Hannah's tip:

Make a Potato bake. Parboil potatoes until just tender but not soft, drain and slice.

Place one layer in the bottom of a roasting dish, top with a drizzle of cream and stock between each layer with a dusting of nutmeg and seasoning.

Repeat until you have used all potatoes and the dish is full. Place in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbling

Get it online from Woolworths: Traditional boerewors

Jan Braai, the man behind National Braai Day shares his tips on making the perfect boerewors:

'Boerewors is a true rainbow nation creation; a culmination of the local culinary skills with those from the european and eastern arrivals. Sausage making skills by the europeans, spices and knowledge in how to use them from the east, and good South African meat, fire and braai knowledge from the locals'.

'Boerewors can be successfully braaied over anything from very hot to mildcoals, the braai time will just differ. Do not make the common mistake of over-braaing your boerewors and remember the golden rule, if you think it's ready, it probably is' - Jan Braai

Visit Jan's offical website: www.braai.com
Follow Jan on Twitter: @janbraai

Any tips or hints on cooking the perfect boerewors are welcome!

Email Hannah @ hannah.lewry@newmediapub.co.za