A Zephyr of Wind & an Awesome Sunset

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Blogging, Cape Town, Chefs, Cook Books, Cooks, flavoured butters, Food Blogs, Food Writing, greens, Life, News, Organic food, Organic meat, Photography, recipes, steak, Travel

A zephyr of wind rustles through the trees and gently blows my hair across my eyes. The sun is on the brink of setting over the ocean and the colours in the sky are quite magnificent. Sitting around the outside fire, glass of wine in hand the evening is blissfully perfect.

It is one of those lovely slow evenings and not to distract from the relaxed ambiance I decide to cook something quick and simple; a couple of steaks will do just nicely, drizzled with some herb flavoured butter and served with wilted greens, is just the thing I want for now. Here is the recipe.

Steak Served with Herb Butter

Ingredients

6 steaks about 4 cm thick, at room temperature (fillet, rump, or rib-eye)

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients

For the herb butter

90 g unsalted butter, at cool room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs; rosemary, tarragon, thyme, marjoram, chives, flat leaf parsley, either singly or select a combination of the ones you like best.

1 anchovy fillet in oil, drained and finely chopped

Sea salt and ground pepper

Method for herb butter

To make the butter, in a small bowl, cream the butter with a wooden spoon. Stir in the herbs the anchovy and salt to taste and ½ teaspoon pepper.

Place the mixture on a sheet of cling film, roll up like a sausage and refrigerate.

Method for steak

Pre-heat a cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium high heat.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the meat; brush both sides with olive oil.

Add steaks to the pan and cook until little droplets of juice form on the surface, about 4 minutes. Turn the steaks over and continue cooking until droplets of juice form on top again, another 3-4 minutes, about 6-8 minutes total cooking time for rare, and 10-12 minutes for medium. Transfer the steaks to a platter, cover with aluminium foil, and let rest for about 5 minutes.

To serve

Place each steak on individual warmed plates, top with 1 tablespoon of herb butter. Serve at once.

Accompaniment

Serve with wilted greens

Succulent Gourmet Burgers

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Cape Town, Chefs, Cook Books, Cooks, food blog, Food styling, gluten free, Hamburger, meat patties, Photography, Quick meals, recipe, Travel, Writing

This evening’s un-planned meal is for three people, of which one is gluten Intolerant. Although I’m making hamburgers, I will serve them without the usual bun. Instead I opt to serve the burger on a bed of chilli and garlic peas.

Succulent Gourmet Burgers – Served on a bed of Chilli & Garlic Peas

For these burgers I have selected equal quantities of lamb, pork and beef, which I asked the butcher to mince for me. The texture I prefer is a coarse rather than fine mince.

serves 6

Ingredients

1 kg ground mince of your choice

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced

3 onions sliced

2 table spoons olive oil

500 g peas

1 chilli finely diced

1 clove of garlic finely diced

15ml butter

Method

Prepare the dressing

Place the mince in a bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Using your hands work the mince and seasoning together until combined. Form into 6 patties of about 2cm thick.

Heat a large skillet, add the olive oil and when hot add the sliced onions. Cook until golden and slightly charred on the edges. Remove from the pan and keep warm.

Wipe the skillet with a paper towel and place back on the heat, when hot add the hamburgers. Cook them, turning once, pressing down with a spatula until done to the way you like them.

While the meat is cooking start the peas. Melt the butter in a pan; add the garlic and chilli and sauté for about ½ a minute. Add the peas and gently cook together for about 4-5 minutes.

Dressing Ingredients

185 ml good quality mayonnaise

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons milk

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

To make the dressing: put the mayonnaise in a bowl, whisk in the Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper. Then gradually whisk in the milk to make a thin sauce that just coats the back of the spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve

Place the peas in the centre of the plate, top with the burger, some onion and a few slices of tomato. Drizzle over some dressing.

Optional

Instead of serving the peas whole they can be roughly mashed.

Ancient & Noble Fruits are In Season

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Blogs, Books, Cape Town, Chefs, Cook Books, Cooks, figs, food, Food Writing, Fruit and vegetables, Grapes, Herbs, In Season, Life, Photography, Sardines, Spices, Travel, travel Writing, Veal

In Season for February

Delicate and sweetly sensual, the fig is now in season; its arrival is one of the great pleasures of the long hot summer. Figs and grapes are considered to be ancient noble fruits. Most of the varieties grown locally in most gardens including my own, are the common green skinned variety, but there are also purple skinned varieties.

Once ripened the fig is extremely perishable and best consumed straight away or stored at the most for two to three days in the fridge.

Figs make a great salad when teamed with rocket leaves, torn basil and buffalo mozzarella, drizzled with a little aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. They also make wonderful accompaniments to many cheeses, poultry, and cured pork. They are also beautiful served as a dessert.

But today I am using the noble fruit in a beautiful salad.

Salad of Fig, Manchego Cheese & Walnuts, served with a Grape Dressing

Serves 6

Ingredients

110 g walnuts lightly roasted

100 g rocket

6 figs torn into chunks

120 g Manchego cheese, shaved

Dressing

½ tablespoons honey

1½ tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

2 shallots finely chopped

80 ml walnut or olive oil

200 g red or black grapes cut in half

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method

For the dressing; whisk the honey, vinegar, chopped shallots and oil in a bowl to combine, then add the grapes and season to taste.

To assemble; toss the figs, rocket and walnuts together, then divide among the plates, and drizzle with the grape dressing, then scatter the Manchego cheese shavings over the top of each salad.

Also in season:

Fruits:

Avocado, bananas, Blackberries, figs, grapes, guavas, kiwifruit, lychees, mangoes, honeydew melons, rock melons, nectarines, oranges, passion fruit, peaches, plums, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries, watermelon

Vegetables:

Beans, Borlotti beans, butter beans, capsicum, celery, chillies, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, radishes, squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini

Herbs & Spices:

Basil, Chervil, Rocket,  Tarragon, Young ginger,

Fish & Meat:

Calamari, Sardines, Veal

Potato Bread Rolls ~ I just love the smell of bread baking

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There are too many potatoes in the larder so I am using some to make potato bread rolls. I usually use this recipe to make bread loaves but today I am in the mood for making bread rolls instead, some of the rolls will go to a friend who I am expecting to arrive later today.

The recipe is Portuguese in origin, just one of the many cultural influences in our cuisine.

Potato Bread Rolls

Makes 24 rolls

Ingredients

500 g cooked mashed potatoes

900 ml lukewarm water

1.5 kg plain flour

20 ml salt

15 g instant yeast

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C and grease two baking sheets.

Start by blending together the mashed potato and warm water until smooth.

Place the flour salt and yeast in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the blended potato mixture and work it into the dry ingredients until everything comes together, then turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until double in size. Knock the dough back and divide into four equal portions, then pinch off pieces of dough roughly equal in size and form into plump sausage shapes. Arrange on baking sheets, leaving enough room for the rolls to rise during baking.

Leave to rise again until nicely plumped up, dust with flour, pop into the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 220C then reduce oven temperature to 180 C and continue to bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. He rolls should have a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

My Favourite…. Confit of Summer fresh Sweet Peppers

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Cape Town, Cape Town Cooks, capsicum, Chefs, Confit, Cook Books, cooking, Cooks, food, Food Blogs, Life, Lifestyle, Olive oil, Photography, recipes, summer produce, Sweet peppers, Travel, travel Writing, Writing

Shelves are overflowing with wonderful summer produce and the array of capsicums at the moment is a cornucopia of delight. I love them raw in salads, grilled, baked with various fillings or as I am doing today, confit of sweet peppers. The peppers taste superb if they are grilled on a barbecue, but as I don’t have the barbecue fired up,  instead I am grilling them over the gas flame.

Confit vegetables are so wonderfully versatile. You can serve them as tapas, or as a topping on toasted country bread, they are absolutely gorgeous in pasta dishes, or serve them in salads. Today I eat them warm, stuffed into pita bread and topped with feta cheese.

The confit of peppers can be kept in their preserving oil in the fridge for about two weeks, presuming they last that long. To serve them warm, simply heat them under a grill or in a saucepan with a splash of the preserving oil.

Confit of summer fresh sweet peppers

Ingredients

500 g red peppers (or mixed colours if you wish)

600 ml light olive oil

2-3 sprigs of thyme

1 bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary, about 6 cm in length

2 garlic cloves sliced

1 tsp. peppercorns, lightly crushed

Method

Rub the pepper all over with a light film of oil, and then grill them turning frequently until the skin is blackened and blistered all over. Then plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Remove and peel. Cut the peppers lengthways, remove the membrane and seeds and cut each half into two.

Heat the oil in a saucepan until very hot, but not smoking. Add the peppers, thyme, bay leaf, rosemary, garlic and peppercorns. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the peppers to cool in the saucepan. Transfer the cooled peppers to a jar; pour in oil to cover, then seal. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

The Christmas Cake I Bake the Most Often

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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.

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.

Linger a Little Longer with Fresh Ricotta & Spinach Crêpes

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Books, Cape Town, Cape Town Cooks, Chefs, Cooks, Crêpes, Food Blogs, Light meals, News, Photography, recipes, Ricotta, spinach, starter, Travel, Writing

The spinach in my garden is still producing new leaves, just the thing I want for what I am planning. The spinach together with the gorgeous fresh ricotta, herbs and seasoning, will make a rather nice filling for some posh crêpes

Fresh Ricotta & Spinach Crêpes

Serves 4 as a main meal or 8 as a starter

Crêpe batter

500 ml milk

170 g plain flour

4 eggs

100 g butter

Filling

1½ tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

400 g baby spinach

200 g ricotta

60 g parmesan cheese finely grated, a bit extra for scattering

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Prepare the batter: I find a food processor works well for this purpose. Put milk, flour, eggs and a pinch of salt in a food processor, mix until well combined.

In an 18cm non-stick pan, heat about 5 g of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, place 2 tablespoons of the batter in the middle of the pan, swirling to spread batter thinly and evenly. Cook crêpe until just set which should take about 1 ½ minutes, turn and cook the other side for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Transfer crêpe to a plate and repeat the process with the rest of the batter. You should end up with about 20 crêpes.

For the filling: heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat, add garlic and sauté for a few seconds then add the spinach, and a pinch of salt, stir until the spinach has wilted. Transfer spinach to a bowl, leave to cool slightly then add the ricotta, parmesan, thyme, season to taste. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200C

Working one crêpes at a time, fill with 2 tablespoons of ricotta and spinach filling. Fold crêpes in half, then in half again to form a cone shape. Place the crepe on a paper lined oven tray and repeat the process with the remaining crêpes and filling. Bake until heated through and the edges start to crisp; this should take about 10-15 minutes.

Serve scattered with parmesan and an accompaniment of well seasoned and finely diced ripe tomatoes tossed in olive oil.

Something Warm & Comforting to Soothe a Sad Moment

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Basil, Blogging News, Books, Cape Town, Cape Town Cooks, Chefs, Cooks, Easy Meals, Food Blogs, Life, Mozzarella, News, Pancetta, Photography, Quick meals, recipes, Rocket, Sandwiches, Travel, Writing

The noticeable absence of summer weather, and the overcast and wintery conditions of the day somehow suite the sadness I feel inside. Friends are in the process of a bitter divorce and another has departed this planet.

So with all this unwanted gloomy news I head for the kitchen, I want something to soothe the soul, it will not be the usual savoir faire, but instead I think I will have a warm oozy Mozzarella Pancetta Sandwich.

Mozzarella Pancetta Sandwiches

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 slices of good quality bread; sour dough or ciabata

Butter

1/2 tsp. Lemon zest

A squeeze of lemon juice

100g Buffalo mozzarella or bocconcini

4–6 Basil leaves, torn

4-6 rocket leaves, tossed in olive oil

8 slices Pancetta

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Cook the pancetta until crispy either in a pan or under the grill, then set aside on kitchen paper to drain.

Slice the mozzarella into about  1 cm discs and marinate for a few minutes with the lemon zest, lemon juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Butter each slice of bread. Place 2 of the slices, butter side down on top of a chopping board and divide the marinated mozzarella between them. Add the torn basil leaves, rocket, salt and pepper to taste and the crispy pancetta. Top with the other slice of bread, butter side facing up and gently fry the sandwiches in a heavy based frying pan over a moderate heat until they are golden on both sides. Remove and slice into fingers and serve