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Clifton Kitchen – Cooking Through The Seasons

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Hong Kong–The Dinning & Shopping Capital of the World.

20 Sunday May 2012

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Desserts, Fish, Showcook, Travel, Vegetables

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Blogging, Books for Cooks, Buddha, Cape Town Cantonese style steamed fish, Clifton Kitchen, Disneyland, Entertaining, food and drink, Food Blogs, Food Writing, Four Seasons, Hong Kong, Hullet House, JW Marriot Hong Kong, Lifestyle, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, News, Orange mouse, Photography, recipes, Repulse Bay, Sevva Hong Kong, Shopping, Showcook, Singapore, South African Airways, Symphony of Lights, The Peninsula Hong Kong, Travel, travel Writing, Upper House Hotel, Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak

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Kate Abbott visits Hong Kong, the dining and shopping capital of the world, tells us where to have the most fashionable four o’clock cuppa in great style and explores fascinating ‘must go’ places.  First Published on Show Cook.Com  http://www.showcook.com/2012/travel-culture/hong-kong-on-a-plate-with-kate-abbott/

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My taste buds were once again in need of some food adventure, the plan being to revisit Singapore. Unfortunately South African Airways no longer fly directly to Singapore, routing via Hong Kong instead. The short time available for this particular excursion therefor brought about a new set of travel plans… so it was goodbye to Singapore for now and hello to Hong Kong.

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Hong Kong has it all, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

Hong Kong is everything other than what I expected; full of delightful surprises, friendly, clean, and a shopping and gastronomic paradise. As one of Chinas most vibrant cities it proudly boasts the title Culinary Capital of Asia. If fine dining in a bustling city is your idea of a brilliant holiday, then Hong Kong is where you need to be. Locals and visitors alike can indulge in a wide range of culinary experiences; savour some truly spectacular food, and enjoy the impressive combination of the finest ingredients, the dazzling range of international cuisines and some of the world’s best wines that are on offer. It has it all.

Eating is certainly one of the cities favourite pastimes, indulge in a simple snack, or an extravagant meal at an exclusive restaurant, or immerse yourself in the Asian culture, do as the locals do and dine in any of the abundant noodle houses and open food stalls; there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

Soho is definitely one of the cities popular locations; a trendy dinning districts in the heart of Hong Kong known for its exotic range of cuisine, chic bars, and upscale boutiques. It is upmarket and specialises in many different cuisines including French, Nepalese, Italian, Mexican and Indian.

But Hong Kong offers far more than just great food. Its rich culture, colourful history, fabulous shopping and breath taking scenery all make this city a must visit, with so much to do, see and eat, not to mention shop.

Hong Kong is a free port and showcases commodities from all over the world, catering to every taste and budget.

Shopping areas are divided roughly into Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The highlights are Central, North Point, Admiralty and Causeway Bay, Repulse Bay, Soho, on Hong Kong Island and Tsim Sha Tsui, Yau Ma Tei, Jordan and Mong Kok situated in Kowloon.

Malls and department stores are widely distributed in Hong Kong. All of the world’s designer shops, boutiques, and signature brands are everywhere to be seen, goods ranging from dresses, leather ware, home ware, antiques, watches to jewellery. The atmosphere in the malls is one of relaxed luxury, dotted cafes and a wide variety of restaurants. If you are looking for designer labels and luxury brands other than in the malls, visit Canton Road which has a high concentration of designer shops and goods situated around the Harbour City shopping centre.

Touristy shopping places include Repulse Bay, Stanley market, Jade market, and Ladies market, and are consider must go places when visiting Hong Kong. Here you will find an interesting array of little shops selling anything from souvenirs, garments, bags, art, pearls, silk and silk fabrics and costume jewellery. After browsing and shopping you can by a good lunch at any one of the many restaurants, which are frequented by locals and tourists.

Take a walk around Sheung Wan District to view shops and buildings that have retained a trace of the old Hong Kong, this area is also home to lots of traditional Chinese foods, herbal medicine and sadly lots of shark fins too.

Apart from shopping and eating there are of course other things to do. Victoria harbour is considered one of Hong Kong’s greatest assets, admired by everyone no matter how many times they visit the city; it bustles with activity day and night. To experience the energy take a ride on the star Ferry, a harbour cruise, or a ride on a traditional Chinese Junk. It is a lot of fun.

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There is no better way to capture the magic of the harbour than by taking a night time cruise aboard a ferry where you will be able to enjoy the Symphony of Lights

The stunning multimedia show featuring more than 40 Hong Kong skyscrapers in a dazzling extravaganza. The show is displayed every night, weather permitting, at 8pm. It is an orchestration of music, decoration lights, laser light displays and pyrotechnic fireworks, all lasting about 15 minutes.

Some of the great vantage points from which to view the Symphony of lights include the Avenue of Stars, on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront Kowloon side, on sight-seeing ferries where one can enjoy the sights on both sides of Victoria Harbour, or from open deck bars such as Sevva’s in Chater road, Hong Kong.

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Take the peak tram to Victoria Peak for spectacular views of Hong Kong, the surrounding area, the city, the harbour, and the views across the harbour to Kowloon. Afterwards enjoy lunch at The Peak Lookout Restaurant with its rustic interior and spacious terrace. It is another of Hong Kong’s landmarks, situated in a stunning location high above the city. The building is said to be one of the city’s oldest buildings. The restaurant has an extensive menu featuring Western and Asian flavours, it is also where I enjoyed a memorable plate of wonderful Hainan Chicken.

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Hong Kong afternoon tea is quite a celebration in the City too, enjoyed by locals and tourists alike and worth planning into your afternoon of things to do. It is an extravagant spread of dainty sandwiches, plump scones with clotted cream, melt-in-the-mouth pastries and milky teas. The English introduced the traditional pre-dinner snacking-cum-social hour to Hong Kong, and the city’s hoteliers have since perfected the experience in atmosphere, service, and deliciousness.

Many venues indulge in the practice of Hi Tea; a few suggestions would be the iconic Peninsula Hotel situated in Kowloon. This very grand hotel opened in 1928, underwent refurbishment in 1994 and has tastefully combined colonial and modern elements in the finished product. It remains the definitive spot for English afternoon tea just as it was over 80 years ago. It’s all about the crumbly scones, string quartet, classic Indian and Chinese tea blends, served with a sense of style and ceremony in the grand colonial lobby.

The Four Seasons may not have the Peninsula’s history, but its afternoon tea is distinctly traditional, with finger sandwiches, scones, Devonshire clotted cream and homemade jams. The surroundings are modern, and very elegant.

Other recommendable places to enjoy afternoon tea are; Sevva’s, in Chater road Hong Kong, described as the very best in town. Timeless in décor, oozes warmth, and exudes an air of sophistication. Or try The Cosy Clipper lounge at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, or the historical Hullett house, Tsim Sha Tsui; this boutique hotel’s parlour is all about English afternoon tea in the grand tradition, served under the imposing arches of the hotel terrace. For elevated vistas over Victoria Harbour, Cafe Gray on the 49th floor of The Upper House hotel is the place to be. Here afternoon tea is a versatile affair; you can order anything from a cup of Valhrona hot chocolate with an apple crostada on the side to a selection of sandwiches, pastries and scones. Then there is The Verandah restaurant located in scenic Repulse Bay, which is about as close to a tropical vacation as one can get without leaving Hong Kong Island. Run by the Peninsula and similarly housed in a gorgeous old colonial structure.

Site seeing: Break-a-way from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong and head for the nearby islands, where there is lots more to discover. Lantau Island is famous for its beaches, fishing village, Disneyland and big Buddha, and is rich in nature and wildlife. Lamma Island is well known for its seafood and also its eclectic lifestyle. Here you will find Herboland where swathes of summer and winter herbs are cultivated by two entrepreneurial people. Their herbs are supplied to the hotel and catering industry; to some local markets and also cultivated for medicinal use.

There really is so much one can do and experience when visiting this amazing city and its islands, from eating, to nature walks and all that is in between, the choice is yours.

Where to stay; Hong Kong has literally hundreds of hotels from which to choose, so there is something to suit every budget. Popular and well located hotels are The JW Marriot, The Four Seasons, and The Oriental situated on Hong Kong Island and The Peninsula Situated in Kowloon. Hullett House Boutique Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, The Upper House, Pacific Place, Hong Kong, and The Repulse Bay Hotel, in Repulse Bay.

Memorable meals; there is just so much to choose from, and one is really spoilt for choice, having said that there were a few dishes of which the simplicity and flavour, left a lasting impression and urge to recreate back home. Some complicated and some fuss free and easy. Here I share something that is fragrant and delicious and easy to prepare.

Cantonese-style steamed fish

This simple but gentle technique is a favourite Chinese cooking method. With steaming the fish remains moist and tender and you can savour the aromatics and flavours of the combination of ingredients.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

450g firm white fish such as cob

1 tsp. coarse sea salt

1 ½ tablespoons finely shredded fresh ginger

3 tablespoons finely shredded spring onions

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Garnish with fresh coriander sprigs

Method

Rinse and pat the fish dry and rub evenly with salt. Place the fish on a plate and scatter the finely shredded ginger evenly over the top.

Prepare a steamer or place a rack into a wok or deep pan, fill the pan with about 5cm of water and bring to the boil. Place the plate with the fish on the rack (or in the steamer), cover tightly and steam the fish until just cooked; this should take about 5 minutes. The fish should be opaque and the flesh should flake slightly when tested.

Remove the plate with the fish from the steamer and pour off any liquid that may have accumulated during the steaming process. Scatter the spring onions on the fish, and then drizzle over the light and dark soy sauces.

In a small pan heat the ground nut and sesame oil together until the oils start to smoke, remove from the heat and immediately pour over the fish.

Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice and stir fried spinach with garlic.

Quick stir fried spinach with garlic

Simple to prepare and a good accompaniment for the Cantonese-style steamed fish.

Serves 4

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Ingredients

700 g fresh spinach

1 tablespoon groundnut oil

2 tablespoons garlic coarsely chopped

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

Method

Wash the spinach in several rinses of water. Remove the spinach stems, retaining just the leaves.

Heat a wok or pan over high heat. Add the oil and when hot and slightly smoking, add the garlic and salt and stir fry for about 10 seconds.

Add the spinach and stir fry for about 2 minutes, make sure the leaves are thoroughly coated with the oil, garlic and salt.

When the spinach has wilted and reduced to about one third of its original size, add the sugar and stir fry for a further 3-4 minutes. Pour off any excess liquid and transfer to a bowl to serve.

Steamed Rice

The Chinese way of cooking perfect rice without it becoming sticky is simple. Cook the rice uncovered in a pan of water at high heat until most of the water has evaporated. Then turn the heat down low, cover the pan and leave the rice to cook slowly in the remaining steam. Don’t uncover the pan once the steaming process has begun.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Long grain rice to fill a glass measuring jug to 400 ml

600 ml water

Method

Place the rice in a large bowl and wash it in several changes of water, until the water becomes clean, about 3- 4 washes. Drain the rice.

Place the rice in a pan with 600 ml water and bring to the boil. Boil for about 5 minutes until most of the surface liquid has evaporated; at this stage the rice will have lots of small indentations on the surface.

Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid; turn the heat down as low as possible. Cook the rice undisturbed for about 15 minutes; switch off the heat and leave to rest for about 5 more minutes.

Serve.

I like to follow the above meal with an orange mousse dessert, which is equally easy to prepare.

Orange Mousse

This light and refreshing orange mousse is a perfect ending to a meal and is quick and easy to prepare.

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Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 eggs separated and chilled

Salt

1 tablespoon icing sugar

2 tablespoons castor sugar

1 tsp. corn flour

Juice of 4 oranges, strained

Juice of 1 lemon, strained

Method

Place the chilled egg whites in a bowl with a dash of salt and whisk until stiff. The whites are ready when the whisk leaves a clear trail in the mixture. Add icing sugar and beat gently for about 1 minute. Set aside.

Place the yolks, castor sugar and corn flour in another bowl. Whisk together until homogeneously combined. Then whisk in the orange and lemon juice bit by bit. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and while whisking, cook over low heat for about 12 minutes. By this time the mixture should resemble thin custard. Pour the warmed egg yolk and juice mixture into the whipped whites, folding gently with a wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into a serving bowl or individual little dishes, leave to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve chilled.

Autumn’s Rich Colours Flood the Kitchen

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Autumn foods, In Season

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Autumn, Books, Books for Cooks, Egg Recipes, eggs, food and drink, Food Blogs, French Tarragon, Fruit, In Season, Life, Mushrooms, olives, pears, Photography, Travel, Vegetables

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In season for April

Autumn’s rich colours flood the kitchen and in my organic box are pears, shallots, silver beet, freshly foraged mushrooms and farm fresh organic eggs.

Shallots are small delicious morsels of the allium family. Their flavour is more subtle than common onions. They are quite delicious when caramelised and served as a shallot tarte tatin with goats cheese or as a caramelized shallot and pear salad.

The elegant fragrant sweet pears are wonderful baked with honey, butter, cinnamon and a vanilla pod until they are soft and lightly caramelised, served with a dollop of double cream or poached in red wine syrup flavoured with orange zest and star anise.

Enjoy a simple sauté of silver beet with garlic and a splash of oil from a jar or tin of anchovies. Don’t discard the thick crisp stems. Instead blanch them in salty water, drain and place in a baking dish, add a little cream or a béchamel sauce, some cheese such as Gruyere and a sprinkle of nutmeg and you have a delicious gratin to serve as a side dish.

Enjoy the last of the French tarragon before it goes dormant during the cold months ahead. It is wonderful in most savoury dishes and sauces such as béarnaise and of course tarragon chicken, a perfect meal for when evenings start to cool.

For a simple yet beautiful dish for breakfast or light lunch, there is little to beat the sublime combination of a soft boiled organic egg, homemade aioli, a sprinkle of celery salt and smoked paprika and finished off with fried celery leaves, then garnish with some capers.

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Also in season

Fruit

Apples, bananas, figs,, grapes, guavas. Kiwi fruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, oranges, papaya, passion fruit, plums, pomegranate, quince, rhubarb, olives, tomatoes

Vegetables

Asian greens, avocado, beans, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, capsicum, carrots, celeriac, celery, daikon, eggplant, fennel, garlic, ginger, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, swedes, turnips, witlof, zucchini

Herbs and seasonings

Garlic, ginger, last of the French tarragon, horseradish

Farewell To Summer …..

05 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in In Season

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Autumn, Blogging News, Books, Books for Cooks, Bread, Food Blogs, Food styling, Food writer, Foods in season, Fruit, Life, Mayonnaise, nuts and seeds, organic, Photography, recipe, stews, Travel, Vegetables, Writing

In Season For March

autumn vegetables March

With the month of March comes the dancing in of autumn, the days are cooling and the mornings are noticeably darker. It is time to welcome back stews and other autumnal treats.

Apples continue to be in season and make wonderful warm desserts or can simply be cut into quarters, sautéed in butter until softened and slightly caramelized, to serve with roast pork or with game birds such as pheasant. The classic Waldorf salad becomes one of my favourite light lunches or side dishes at this time of the year; all the ingredients required to make it of which apple is just one component, are of course in season, providing a perfect end result.

Enjoy the last of the blackberries; and spoil your family with this easy tart. Blind bake a short crust pastry case and when cooled fill with following mixture. For the filling you will need seeds from 1 vanilla pod, 250 ml Mascarpone, and 100 ml pouring cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, 40 ml Vin Santo. Whip all the ingredients together until nice and shiny. Fill the cooked and cooled pastry case with the mixture and top with blackberries. Drizzle over the top with a little blackberry jam, gently heated and thinned with a little water or Vin Santo, cooled before drizzling over the tart.

Capsicums are at their peak from summer to autumn, make the most of them while in season. I love them simply roasted then sprinkled with herbs, salt and olive oil and eaten with sourdough or ciabatta bread; wonderful served either hot or cold and goes well with lamb, chicken, or grilled beef.

Eggplant with its alluring shinny purple black skin is a wonderful carrier of flavours and as such can completely transform a dish. Dusted with flour, fried and layered with a freshly made tomato sauce, basil leaves, parmesan and buffalo mozzarella, then baked, provides an unctuous simple dish to serve either as a starter or a main meal together with some bread; I usually choose a sourdough loaf.

Tomatoes; picking them fresh from my garden, still warm from the sun, served on toasted bruschetta or sourdough, sprinkled with salt flakes and drizzled with peppery olive oil is another one of my favourite light lunches.

Super markets although convenient, I have to say don’t sell the bright flavoured tomatoes I am seeking. Instead and sadly to say, I find the tomatoes they offer to be lacklustre, hard and rather devoid of flavour. If you want great tomatoes, seek out the organic growers at your nearest farmers market, or try growing your own, it is a lot of fun and extremely rewarding.

Also in Season:

Fruit

Apples, avocado, bananas, berries, figs, grapes, lemons, limes, melon, nectarines, oranges, papaya, passion fruit, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries

Vegetables

Asian greens, beans, capsicum, celery, chillies, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, shallots, silver beet, squash, sweet corn, sweet potato, tomatoes, zucchini

Other

Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, Olives

Classical Waldorf Salad

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This is an iconic and classical recipe and one with a long pedigree. For best results use the tender stalks from the inner part of the celery

Ingredients

75 g walnuts toasted and a few extra to garnish

2 red apples

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tender celery stalks, finely sliced

1 radicchio leaves torn into bite size pieces

2 Witlof leaves separated

200 g red seedless grapes

1 cup parsley leaves, use flat leaf parsley

Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp. red wine or chardonnay vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

130 ml olive oil

25 ml walnut oil

Lemon juice to taste

Makes about 200ml

Garnish

A few leaves from the heart of the celery

A few extra walnuts toasted

Method

To make the mayonnaise: place the egg yolks, vinegar and mustard in a food processor and process for a few seconds. Combine the two oils and with motor running add the oils in a thin steady stream. The mixture should come together in a nice thick emulsion. Add lemon juice, to taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cut the apple into julienne (small strips) place in a bowl and combine with half the lemon juice. Add walnuts, celery, radicchio, witlof, grapes and parsley. Add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and remaining lemon juice. Toss to combine and season to taste. Scatter with a few celery leaves from the heart of the celery and a few extra walnuts and serve.

The Christmas Cake I Bake the Most Often

30 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Baking, Christmas Food Gifts

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Alomonds, baking, Books, Books for Cooks, Brandy, Candied orange peel, Cape Town, Chefs, Christmas, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, Cooks, Currants, Food Blogs, Food Writing, Life, Photography, raisins, recipes, Sultanas, Travel, Writing

Of the many Christmas cake recipes under my sleeve, this one I enjoy making the most often. It is moist, not too dark or overly rich and always a pleaser at family gatherings. For me it also doubles as a perfectly lovely Christmas dessert.  An added bonus is that it is also very easy to make. The cake is delicious served with coffee, tea or sweet wine.

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Christmas Cake

Serves 12

Prep time 30 minutes. Cooking time 5 hours plus cooling

Ingredients

Part 1

500 gm. sultanas

500 gm. raisins

250 gm. currants

250 gm. chopped candied orange or dried orange peel

180 ml brandy

Part 2

200 gm. blanched almonds

400 gm. butter

450 gm. brown sugar

9 eggs, lightly beaten

450 gm. plain flour

½ tsp. baking powder

Method

Start the first part of this recipe the day before. Combine the dried fruit, candied orange and brandy in a large bowl, cover and leave to macerate overnight.

You will need a 23cm square cake tin for this recipe. Line the base with a double layer of brown paper, and then line the sides with four layers of brown paper. Cut a further layer for the top of the cake. Lightly grease and snip a few holes in it and set aside while you mix your ingredients for the cake.

Preheat the oven to 130C.

Finely chop about 150gm of the almonds, reserving about 100gm to decorate the top of the cake.

Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy; add the egg mixture a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Then stir in the fruit and chopped almonds, add the flour and baking powder, stir until well combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and decorate with the reserved almonds.

Cover the cake with prepared brown paper and bake on lowest oven shelf for 5 hours. Turn off the heat and cool in the oven overnight.

This cake makes a lovely Christmas gift.

Olive, Onion & Thyme Quiche served with Marinated Tomatoes

15 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Savoury Pies, Tarts, Quiches, Galettes

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Blogging, Books, Books for Cooks, Cape Town, Cape Town Cooks, Emmenthal, Entertaining, Entertainment, Food Blogs, Food Writing, Gruyère, Life, Marinated Tomatoes, News, olives, onions, Photography, Quiche, recipes, Thyme, Travel

There is an ancient pleasing flavour to olives, a flavour as old as God. There will be three of us for supper this evening and I’m making a quiche with an olive twist, serving with it the marinated tomatoes that I made yesterday.

As I prepare the final touches to the table, the smell of roses, mingled with Jasmine, light, fruity and romantic, wafts in through the open doors. Although a lovely evening, its chilly breeze makes it impossible to eat among all this billowing, fragrant chaos as I would have liked to. It’s time to close the doors against the chill and bring warmth into the room before everyone arrives.

For this recipe you can use bought, pre-made pastry which makes the quiche quick and easy to do. For accompaniments serve a nice mixed salad or a mixture of steamed broccoli and spinach dressed with vinaigrette, or just sliced tomatoes with onions.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Short crust Pastry:

225 g plain white flour

Tiny pinch of salt

110 g butter

Water or beaten organic egg mixed with a little water

Ingredients

For the filling:

150 g olives, pitted and chopped half

200 ml cream

3 eggs

2 onions, sliced

15 ml finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

80 g grated Gruyère or Emmenthal cheese

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp. olive oil

Method for pastry

Start with the pastry. Sift the flour into a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Cut the butter into cubes and rub into the flour with your fingertips, until mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add just enough water or egg and water mix to bring the pastry together. Do this using a fork or a knife.

Collect the pastry into a ball with your hands. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Roll pastry to fit a suitable baking container, cover with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake blind in a preheated  oven at 180C for about 12 minutes, the pastry should be a light golden colour. Remove and leave to cool while you prepare the filling.

Method for filling

Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté onions gently until golden in colour.

In a bowl gently mix together the onion, olives, thyme, grated cheese, lemon zest, the beaten eggs, cream, and seasoning.

Pour the mixture into pastry case. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C until the filling sets , approximately 35-40 minutes.

Serve with salad of choice.

It’s Almost Time to Bring the Patio Umbrellas out of Storage

11 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Fish, Seafood, Quick meals

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Basmati Rice, Blogging, Books, Books for Cooks, Cape Town, Chillies, Cooks, Eggs Soy sauce, Entertaining, Entertainment, farm fresh eggs, food and drink, Food Blogs, Food Writing, In Season, News, organic, Peanut oil, PhotographyLife, Prawns, recipes, Sesame oil, Spring, Spring onions, Travel, Writing

I wake an hour earlier than usual, to a light filled bedroom, not the usual overcast, dark days of the past few weeks. It’s going to be a sunny, breezy day, but temperature wise still cold enough to warrant warm clothing.

I cannot help but welcome the change in weather with open arms; I notice the lizard sprawled on the sunlit flagstones and wonder if it’s almost time to bring the patio umbrellas out of storage.

The afternoon cools dramatically and a chilly breeze blows in through the kitchen where I sip aromatic coffee while planning the evening meal. There will be three of us for supper and I want something that is quick to prepare yet feels like a special treat. I have some lovely fresh prawns, chillies, fresh coriander and farm fresh organic eggs, perfect for a dish of spicy prawn and scrambled eggs, dressed with soy and sesame infused sauce, served together with a bowl of basmati rice.

This is a delightful main course, simple yet full on flavour, perfect for a lunch or supper dish. It’s one I enjoy and so too the friends I have shared it with. To ring the changes I sometimes replace the prawns with firm fish, scallops or pork.

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Spicy Prawn Scrambled Eggs Dressed with Soy & Sesame infused Sauce

Serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

4 – 5 eggs

60 ml peanut or other vegetable oil

600 g prawns, peeled and cleaned

3-4 spring onions finely chopped with some of the green part included

Dried chilli flakes

Sprinkle of salt 

Sauce Dressing

80 ml light soy sauce

2 tsp. white sugar

4-6 drops sesame oil

80 ml water

Accompaniment

Basmati Rice

Garnish

Chopped green parts of spring onion

Method

While the rice is almost cooked start making the sauce. Put all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to the boil then remove from the heat.

Break eggs in a bowl and whisk lightly for a few seconds, add the tiniest bit of salt and pepper. Season the prawns with chilli flakes. 

Heat a wok or a frying pan until almost smoking then add half the oil, leave to heat through for a few seconds then add the prawns and cook until almost done. Remove prawns and wipe wok with some paper towels. Put wok back on the heat, add the balance of the oil, add the egg mixture and stir fry until just beginning to set. At this point add the prawns and the chopped spring onions and gently toss together for a few more seconds to combine.

Remove from the heat and transfer the egg and prawns to a plate and pour over the warm sauce sprinkle over some chopped green parts of spring onion and serve with Basmati rice.

Note: when adding salt to season the ingredients prior to cooking, do so sparingly and  keep in mind the saltiness of the soy sauce in the dressing.

A New Cook Book On the Way

25 Thursday Aug 2011

Posted by Kate Abbott - Clifton Kitchen in Cook Books

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Amazone.com, Books for Cooks, Cook Books, Food Blogs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, recipes, River Cottage, Vegetarian

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River Cottage Veg Every Day!

 

If you fancy a sneak preview of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s latest book ‘River Cottage Veg Every Day!’ (due for release mid-September) make sure you get your hands on a copy of this Saturday’s Guardian. You will find a selection of his favourite vegetarian recipes, tips and a little about his philosophy behind the book.

River Cottage Veg Every Day! is, as the title suggests, a vegetable cookbook. Whether or not it’s a vegetarian cookbook depends perhaps on your point of view, and your food politics. It’s not written by a vegetarian, or with the intention of persuading you or anyone else to become a vegetarian. But in the sense that not one of the recipes contains a scrap of meat or fish, then it is indeed quite strictly vegetarian.

Intrigued?
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Click here to find out more  http://www.rivercottage.net//

 

River Cottage Veg Every Day! is also available to pre-order from our River Cottage shop on Amazon.

 

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