Ostrich is the new Beef

Well not really, but for my family it is. I've decided to cut down on red meat, ie, Beef, Pork and Lamb in favour of lighter meats such as Chicken, Fish and Seafood. And Ostrich. In my family we all like our red meat rare and ostrich can be cooked lightly and eaten rare, and served with a sauce as you would serve a beef steak. It is low in fat and tastes delicious. And it's MUCH cheaper than Beef. I paid the equivalent of $7 a kg.

Last night I made little steaks with a brown mushroom and cream sauce. I serves it with Rosti potatoes and Avocado on the side. OK the cream was not such a healthy option, but nobody's perfect.

Spicy Fish and Seafood Stew

INGREDIENTS

2 onions- chopped
1 red or yellow bell pepper- chopped
½ cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
some lime leaves
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
1/3 cup lemon juice (or lime juice if you have it)
1 tablespoon thai fish sauce
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
1 tablespoons grated ginger
2 teaspoons turmeric
500 ml fish stock (or chicken stock)

fish and seafood: I used hake, calamari rings and shelled prawns.

METHOD

fry onions and bell pepper for about 5 minutes on med heat
add all the other ingredients except the fish and seafood, mix well and bring to the boil.
simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the fish and seafood, put the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for another 10 mins or until all the fish and seafood is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Chicken Breast Fillets with a Spicy Mushroom Sauce

If like me you are always looking for interesting ways to prepare chicken fillets, and you like spicy food, then you will really enjoy this. Full of authentic Indian ingredients. Would make a good steak sauce too.

INGREDIENTS

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
250 g button mushrooms, sliced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 star anise crushed
1 teaspoon tamarind paste
½ cup chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
1 teaspoon palm sugar
300 ml chicken stock
125 ml cream
½ cup cold milk with a heaped teaspoon of corn starch dissolved into it.

METHOD

Fry the onion in some oil until translucent
Add the garlic and stir around for a minute or so
Now add all the spices to the pan and stir for about 2 minutes

Put all the sliced mushrooms into the pan and saute for a couple of minutes until they are coated with the spices.
Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the stock, tamarind paste, palm sugar and ¾ of the chopped coriander leaves.
Leave to simmer for about 5 mins.
Add the cream and heat to just on boiling point. Add the milk/corn starch mixture and mix through.

In a separate pan fry the chicken breast fillets which can be cut through horizontally. 3 minutes each side.
Add to the pan with the sauce and serve as soon as possible. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped coriander.

Easy Beef Curry

This is a delicious beef curry. Easy to make and as good as any Indian restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

800 g lean beef, cut into small cubes
2 medium onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons crushed garlic
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
1/3 cup cooking oil
2 bay leaves
1 ±6cm cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods
2 green chillies chopped up finely
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 cup tomato passata
1½ teaspoons salt
½ cup coriander leaves finely chopped
¼ cup red lentils

METHOD

• fry onions until translucent. About 10 mins
• Add garlic and ginger and stir around. Fry for another minute.
• Add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods and fry for a further 2 minutes.
• Now add all the powdered spices and stir until the onions are coated and your kitchen is filled with the wonderful aroma of the spices. About 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato passata and a cup of water and bring to boiling point.
• Turn the heat down to low and cover.
• Simmer for about an hour at least.
• Remove the lid after an hour and add the lentils. These will thicken the sauce. Simmer for 15 mins.
• Add half the coriander leaves and the rest as a garnish when you serve.

Serve with poppadums and rice or roti's, chutney and mango atchar.

Serves 4

Moroccan Tagine with Persian Style Jeweled Rice

One doesn't need to have a real Tagine to produce a really tasty Moroccan stew. If you have the time you can use a normal pot on the stove or a casserole in the oven. I used a pressure cooker for this one and it was superb. I wandered over to the middle east for the rice dish which went so well with it.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TAGINE

800 gm beef (or lamb)
2 med onions very finely chopped
5 large cloves of garlic finely chopped
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup canola oil
1 large cinnamon stick
small handful of coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, cut in half
3 tablespoons honey
1 litre beef stock
toasted almond flakes and sesame seeds for garnish
chopped coriander and parsley for garnish

METHOD

Fry the onions in a pressure cooker with some of the oil. Add spices and sesame oil. Brown the meat with the rest of the oil in a separate pan and then add to the onion and spices. Add the garlic, half the apricots, honey and coriander leaves and stock. Cook under pressure for 45 mins.

When pressure is released, remove lid, add the rest of the apricots and cook down to reduce the liquid, until thick.

Serve garnished with the toasted almond flakes and sesame seeds. Sprinkle with coriander and parsley.

INGREDIENTS FOR PERSIAN STYLE JEWELLED RICE

1 cup Basmati rice
1 orange
1 large carrot cut into Julienne strips of about 6cm long
2 tablespoons dried cranberries soaked in water for 30 mins
2 tablespoons raisins soaked in water for 30 mins
2 tablespoons flaked almonds-toasted
2 tablespoons chopped pistachio nuts
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
seeds of 10 cardamom pods crushed
10 g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
chopped mint and pomegranate seeds (if available) to garnish.

METHOD

• Cook the rice. Drain and place in a serving dish in a warm oven. 
• Clean the orange well and cut the skin (without the pith).
• Cut the skin of the orange into matchsticks. Place in a pot with enough water to cover, bring to the boil and cook for 3 mins. Drain and rinse.
• Saute the carrots for about 5 mins in the oil and butter. Add the sugar and orange peel and cook for a further minute. Add the turmeric, nuts, fruit (after draining) and spices. Season with salt and pepper, mix well together and set aside
• Remove rice from oven.
• Separate a quarter of the carrot and orange mixture and set aside. Mix the rest into the rice. Garnish the dish with the remainder and sprinkle with the mint and pomegranate seeds.
• Serve immediately. If you are not serving it immediately, keep the garnish to one side and only garnish just before serving.

Recipes adjusted from Diana Henry's book Crazy Water Pickled Lemon

Jam Omelette

This is great for breakfast or a healthy dessert. It was on the menu of our restaurant, The Red Sails Inn in Hout Bay. When I was a child I thought the idea of a sweet omelette gross, but once I tried it I got hooked. You can use any jam that you have available. I prefer smooth apricot.

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs
2 tablespoons cream or milk.
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Jam. Just as much as you want.
cinnamon for dusting

• Beat the eggs together with the cream/milk and the sugar and vanilla.
• Heat some butter in a pan and make an omelette in the usual way
• When it's still soft but nearly ready to flip over onto the plate, add the jam. As the jam starts to heat up from the omelette it oozes out the sides. 
• dust with cinnamon and serve

South African Pickled Fish

This is one of our specialties. In Cape Town it is especially popular around Easter time. You can use any fish as long as it's a white fish. Fish such as Tuna and Swordfish don't really work so well for this dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 kg filleted fish. I generally use hake. Cut into smallish portions.
oil for frying
flour for coating fish
3 large onions- sliced.
6 cloves of garlic - crushed.
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger.
1 red chilli - chopped
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
5 cloves
10 peppercorns
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon masala powder
110 ml sugar
1 cup white grape vinegar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon cornflour

METHOD

• season fish and coat in flour. Fry in oil until cooked through. Place to one side on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
• slice the onions and fry for about 3 mins. 
• add the garlic, ginger, chillies and mustard seeds and saute for a minute or 2.
• add the spices and combine with the onions. Now add the sugar, water and vinegar and bring to the boil. 
• simmer for about 5 minutes. Onions should still be a little crunchy.
• mix the cornflour with a little cold water and add, just to thicken slightly.
• layer the fish in a glass or ceramic dish. I normally use a corning-ware dish. Don't use a plastic dish as the spices will discolor it.
• cover each layer of fish with some sauce and then pour the rest of the sauce over the top.
• once cool, refridgerate. Allow to sit in the fridge for about 24 hours before eating to allow the flavours to meld. 
• should keep quite long in the fridge. About a week. Not that it would last that long in my house. Should be eaten cold.

Homemade Vanilla Almond Ice Cream with Caramel Ripple

This is one of the most delicious ice creams I've ever made. Ever.

INGREDIENTS

2 Cups full cream milk
1 Cup cream
170 gm caster sugar
2 X-Large egg yolks
1 X-Large egg
3 Vanilla Beans
2 Tablespoons Amaretto liquor

For the ripple:

200 g butter
400 g treacle sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cream

METHOD

• Combine the milk and cream in a pot. Split the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds. Put the seeds as well as the beans into the pot with the milk and cream. Heat to 75° C. Remove from heat and leave to cool and for the vanilla to infuse. 
• Blend eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Strain the milk/cream mixture to remove pods. Seeds should remain.
• Temper the egg/sugar mixture with some of the milk mixture and then combine.
• Add the Amaretto and mix thoroughly.
• When cool, cover and store in the fridge for at least 12 hours before churning.

For the caramel ripple, melt the butter in a pot. add the sugar, vanilla and cream until the sugar is dissolved and all is well mixed. Simmer for 5 minutes. When cool the consistency should be thick but still pour able.

Once the ice cream has been churned place half into the container you will use to store it in the freezer and pour the caramel on in a swirly motion. Swoosh it around a bit. Place the rest of the ice cream in and some more caramel and swoosh some more. Place into the freezer until the ice cream has set and is firm but still creamy. This is sooooooooooo yummy. Next time I'm going to toast some almond flakes and add them to the mix. 

Black Bun for a bit of Scottish Tradition

A couple of months ago I mentioned to my husband that I was going to attempt a Christmas cake this year.
"that's a good idea" he said, "when I was a child, my aunt used to make a special Scottish cake every year. It had a lot of pepper in it."
After some searching on the internet I was able to find out that there is a special Scottish cake, made for New Year, called a Black Bun. It is a rich fruit cake with spices, including quite a bit of pepper, and encased in shortcrust pastry.

So I decided to give it a go. This is the recipe. I found it on Epicurious from Christopher Trotter of The Scottish Kitchen and then just halved all the ingredients and made a few adjustments. I added more alcohol than the recipe called for and although the recipe uses Brandy I decided to add some whiskey as well. It is Scottish after all.  I made it 2 weeks before Christmas but you can actually make it even earlier. Instead of covering the whole cake with pastry I decided to only cover the top and bottom.

It is very rich and very fruity. The pepper adds a nice bit of heat. If you prefer your cake more "cakey" use less fruit and more flour.

INGREDIENTS

For the pastry:

112 g butter
225 g cake flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

For the filling

1.125 kg mixed fruit (raisins, saltanas, glace fruit, candied peel)
115 g chopped nuts
175 g cake flour
125 g soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon brandy
1 tablespoon whiskey
1 beaten egg
80 ml milk

METHOD

• To make the pastry, dice the butter and rub into the flour/baking powder. Add enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 150°C
• For the filling mix all the dry ingredients together.
• Mix in the brandy, about ¾ of the egg and the milk. Mix well with clean hands. 

• grease a 22cm loaf tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
• roll out the pastry and cut a piece of pastry to fit the bottom. Place on top of the paper.
• pack the fruit cake mixture into the loaf tin to the top.
• cover with pastry and trim with a sharp knife to cover the cake snugly.
• using a fork, poke little holes all over the top.
• add a little bit of milk to the rest of the egg mixture and brush over the top.

Bake in a 150°c oven for 1 hour. Reduce heat to 110° and bake for a further 2 hours. For the last hour cover with foil to protect the pastry and stop from over cooking. Once cool store in an airtight container or wrap in heavy duty foil. 

Chicken Breasts Marsala

I'm always looking for new ways to prepare chicken breasts. The skinless/boneless kind. They are so versatile and because they don't have any skin or bone aren't "fiddly" as my husband likes to say. Cooking for a fussy eater is always a challenge. However, because they are white meat they tend to become dry if overcooked, and for that reason I prefer to do this recipe with the whole breast, rather than cutting them into schnitzels.

INGREDIENTS

½ onion - finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb - diced
¼ red pepper - diced
250 g button mushrooms - sliced
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
80 ml thick cream. (I also like to use creme fraiche)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley.
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts.

METHOD

fry the onion, fennel and red pepper until soft.
add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until soft.
pour in the wine and marsala and reduce to a couple of tablespoons.
pour in the chicken stock and simmer on a low heat.

In another pan, add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.
On med heat fry the chicken breasts (seasoned with salt & pepper) for 3 minutes each side.

Transfer the chicken and juices to the pan with the sauce. Add the cream and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, stirring to combine the cream with the sauce.

Stir in the parsley and serve with pasta of your choice.

Sevruga at the Waterfront

My son and I both have a passion for sushi and dim sum. Every once in a while, mostly after he has completed exams, I take him for a "special sushi lunch". It's our special time together. This December we decided to go to Sevruga at the V&A Waterfront, one of our favourite sushi restaurants.

We were met at the door by two lovely young ladies, Aurora and Phillipa.

The service was good. Attentive, but not so that you felt stifled. The sun-dried tomato bread is delicious. So easy to just eat the whole basket.

Great wine list with a lot of choice. I settled for a glass of Pierre Jourdan Tranquille. A dry yet fruity wine with a pink tinge. Ice cold. Perfect for a hot afternoon.

We ordered 3 different kinds of dim sum. Served in bamboo steamers. Har Gau. Plump translucent dumplings stuffed with duck with honey and ginger. Deep fried wontons with beef, coriander and ginger. Pot stickers, my favourite. Crunchy yet soft. With lamb and XO sauce. The sauce that they serve with the dim sum is a combination of asian flavours and an absolute winner. I would love to get that recipe.  All were delicious and disappeared very fast.

We ordered a mixed sushi platter. All sushi is half price during the day at Sevruga and their sister restaurant Beluga. A great selection of very fresh, well prepared sushi. Salmon and Tuna tempura rolls, Salmon Roses, Salmon Nigiri, Tuna crunch rolls. Everything was delicious.

Best Little Pizza Place in Cape Town

I love this restaurant. Breugels. And it's not just that it's 3 minutes ride from my home. Totally unassuming, family orientated little place and if conversation dries up you can always keep yourself occupied drawing on the paper tablecloths with big fat wax crayons. Not only for the children. Their pizza's are the best I've ever eaten. Anywhere in the world. The base is thin and crusty and the ingredients are fresh and juicy. Like most pizza joints, crushed garlic, chilli and parmesan cheese are served on the side. Their menu also includes pasta, salads and a few wraps.

The pizzas are all named after famous artists. They are quite happy to give you a half and half. In fact, they encourage it. My favourite is ½ Chagall (basic margarita with blue cheese, pear and fresh rocket) and ½ da Vinci (basic margarita with mushrooms, bacon and fresh avo).

My son's favourite combo is ½ da Vinci and ½ Botticelli (basic margarita with brie cheese, bacon and peppadews

Ron just has da Vinci straight.

And to end it off? South Africa's favourite desert.

Ice Cream and Chocolate Sauce.

Cheesecake with caramel and chocolate drizzle

I don't bake a lot but when I find a recipe I like I get really excited. This cheesecake recipe is really 1st class. It's from Elize Bauer's site, Simply Recipes and I can't believe how simple it is to make. The directions are easy to follow and the result is outstanding. I made it for Christmas Eve and everyone loved it. I topped it with caramel and drizzled it with chocolate ganache. Because it was a festive occasion, I topped it with a fresh rose sprinkled with silver powder and dusted the whole cake with more silver powder. Went a bit overboard I think with the silver dust. It wasn't quite as high as the one in Simply Recipes, but that's because I used a big tin. I think it's actually better if you're making a desert to have smaller slices. I can really recommend this recipe.

Seared Tuna Salad

If you like your tuna raw then this is the salad for you. Perfect for low carb eating with a taste of Asia. This salad is inspired by a similar one that I always have when I go to JB Rivers at Cavendish Square, an up market shopping mall in the suburb of Claremont in Cape Town. Their sushi is very good but this salad is amazing. Especially in summer with a glass of crisp white wine.

INGREDIENTS for one

1 piece fresh Tuna. (about 150g per person)
a few pieces pickled ginger - chopped up
¼ fresh avocado - diced
cucumber - sliced
fresh salad leaves. (lettuce, rocket, watercress,etc.)
carrot, shaved.
spring onion, chopped.
red bell pepper, diced

DRESSING for one.

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
salt and black pepper

mix all the salad ingredients together in a bowl.
Mix all the dressing ingredients together and use as much as you like.

arrange in a dome on a large plate.

Sear the tuna on a very hot pan or griddle. 40 seconds on each side is enough.
Allow it to cool and then, using a very sharp knife, slice into thin slices and arrange over the salad.
Garnish with chopped, pickled ginger and toasted sesame seeds.