The Simple Dressing that Packs a Punch

Tags

asparagus, Cape Town, Clifton Kitchen, Cooking thorugh the seasons, dressings, fish, Kate Abbott, lemons, marinades, Olive oil, Parsley, Pasta, roast chicken, Vit C

I use this dressing a lot; it serves as a sauce, a dressing and equally well as a marinade. I love it with fish, roast chicken, over asparagus and I have even tossed it through some pasta.

With autumn flapping around our heals it is a good time to increase the intake of Vitamin C. This dressing goes a long way toward ensuring I do and becomes a firm staple in my kitchen throughout the winter season. The dressing keeps well for about a week in the fridge.

Ingredients

lukewarm water

250 ml fruity extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 large lemons

A good handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tsp. dried oregano

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Combine 70 ml lukewarm water and half the olive oil in a small saucepan. Whisk in the lemon juice, parsley, garlic and oregano; Season to taste.

Next, heat all the ingredients over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring gently and often; after about 5 minutes add the rest of the oil and combine until emulsified.

Place in a jar with a screw top lid and store in the fridge. Shake before use.

Options:

To change the flavour, you can add some of the following ingredients if you choose. Chilli fresh or dried, finely chopped sage, finely chopped mint, finely chopped basil, or finely chopped anchovy.

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Mini Ham & Rocket Omelettes served with Balsamic Fig Jam

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balsamic figs, Balsamic Vinegar, Blogs, Brunch, Cape Town, Chefs, Clifton Kitchen, Cooking thorugh the seasons, Cooks, dinner, Easy Entertaining, Easy Meals, figs, food, Food Writing, Gruyère, Ham, In Season, ingredients, Kate Abbott, Light Lunch, lunch, Omelettes, Photography, recipes, Rocket, salad leaves, Salads, Serrano Ham

The versatile egg once again becomes a platform for a delicious light lunch, brunch or dinner. In this recipe the omelette is used as a wrap, stuffed with beautiful Serrano Ham and peppery salad leaves. It works equally well using chopped cooked prawns in a mild curry dressing. The combinations are up to your imagination. 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 onion finely chopped (about 80g) or finely chopped spring onions white part only

Salt, a pinch

15ml olive oil

10g butter

2 extra-large eggs, gently beaten and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper

8 slices of Serrano Ham or the equivalent

A hand full of peppery salad leaves such as rocket or watercress gently tossed through a dressing of 15 ml of olive oil, a little lemon juice and a grinding of black pepper

4 thin slivers of gruyere cheese (optional)

Balsamic fig jam to serve (optional)

Method

Melt the olive oil and butter in a pan, add the chopped onion, season lightly with some salt and cook gently until softened and golden in colour. Set aside to cool slightly then add the softened onions to the beaten egg mixture.

Heat up the smallest frying pan you have, such as a one egg pan or a blini pan; add a drop or two of olive oil to the pan. Place a thin layer of the omelette mix in the pan and let cook over gentle heat until the egg mixture is almost set about 2 minutes, flip over and cook the other side for about 30 seconds. Remove and place the omelette on some grease proof paper while you continue to cook the rest.

To assemble

Place 2 slices of Serrano ham on one half side of the omelette cover with a thin slice of gruyere cheese and top with the salad leaves. Fold the other half of the omelette over the filling, giving a gentle squeeze to keep it together. Plate and serve with some balsamic fig jam.

Smoked Salmon & Potato Blinis served with Caper & Lemon vinaigrette

Tags

Blini, Cape Town, capers, Chefs, Clifton Kitchen, Cooking Through The Seasons, Cooks, Food Blogs, Food Writing, Healthy Meals, ingredients, Kate Abbott, lemon, Lifestyle, Light Lunch, Photography, potato blinis, recipe, smoked slamon, starter, vinaigrette

 

Smoked salmon is always useful to serve as either as a starter or light lunch and is one of the staples in my fridge. In this recipe I have paired smoked salmon with little potato blinis and drizzled with a refreshing caper and lemon vinaigrette.

Serves 4

For the blinis you will need the following:

230 g potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes

Sea salt for boiling the potatoes

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Salt to season, about a ¼ teaspoon

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons thick cream

1 egg, extra-large and lightly beaten

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Method:

Place the potatoes in a pot, add sufficient water to cover the potatoes by about 2 ½ cm. add the salt and boil until the potatoes are soft, about 12 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly.

Pass the potatoes through a food mill or use a potato masher to crush the potatoes. Sprinkle the potatoes with flour, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix together gently with a fork, then add the cream and mix until incorporated. Add the slightly beaten egg to the mixture and blend until incorporated.

Place a frying pan over high heat; when hot add one tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and once melted reduce the heat to medium. Next drop tablespoons of the potato mixture into the pan and cook the blinis for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Once the blinis are nicely cooked, transfer to a plate. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook them in batches.

To serve:

Place some rocket and lettuce on each plate; place a blinis, followed by some smoked salmon, then another blini, more smoked salmon and end with a blini.

Drizzle over the caper lemon vinaigrette and serve.

For the vinaigrette

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon capers

A pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper

Whisk all the ingredients together until well blended, drizzle over the smoked salmon and potato blinis.

Overindulgence eventually gets to all of us

Tags

baguette, Balsamic Vinegar, Brunches, Cape Town, Chefs, Clifton Kitchen, Clifton Kitchen - Cooking thorugh the seasons, Cook Books, Cooks, Easy Meals, feta cheese, Food Photography, Foodblogs, foodwriter, Goats cheese, Goats milk feta cheese, horseradish, ingredients, Kate Abbott, lemons, Lifestyle, limes, Rocket, Salads, Sweet Potatoes, Vegetarian, walnut oil

Overindulgence eventually gets to all of us and my limit has definitely been reached. All the festive season entertaining followed by a 40^th birthday celebration this week-end brought me to seeking something simple and more gentle on the constitution.

For lunch my focus was the lovely organic sweet potatoes that I picked up at the fresh produce market: these I baked in the oven, sliced into rounds and arranged on a plate with some rocket leaves, crumbled over some goat’s cheese feta and dressed with balsamic vinegar, walnut oil and a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice. Served with a zesty wine it was just perfect.

The left over sweet potato made an equally delicious breakfast, this time served on a toasted baguette, spread with horseradish paste followed by sliced sweet potatoes, crumbled feta, balsamic and walnut dressing, a sprinkle of fresh lime juice, seasoned with black pepper and salt flakes. Yummy!

Both of the following make lovely light lunches, brunches or in smaller portions could be served as a starter.

Sweet potato, goat’s cheese & Rocket Salad

Ingredients/Method:

Baked sweet potato slices, crumbled goat’s feta served on rocket leaves, dressed with balsamic and walnut oil, drizzle over fresh lemon juice and season with black pepper and salt flakes. 

A different way

Sweet Potato, Horseradish & Goats cheese Baguette

Ingredients/Method:

On half a toasted baguette, spread some horseradish paste, top with slices of baked sweet potato, crumble over some goats feta and drizzle with balsamic and walnut oil and a sprinkle of fresh lime juice. Season with black pepper and salt flakes.

Tomato & Green Bean Salad served with Basil & Olive oil infusion

Tags

Basil, Black Pepper, Cape Town, Cape Town Food Blogs, Chefs & Cooks, cherry tomatoes, Clifton Kitchen, Cooking Through The Seasons, Food writer, Food Writing, Green Beans, Healthy Meals, Kate Abbott, Lifestyle, Olive oil, Photography, Quick meals, Salads, Seas salt, South African Food Blogs, Tomato and Green bean salad, Vegetarian

With summer comes the wonderful abundance of fresh garden produce. Green beans, cherry tomatoes and beautiful sweet Basil are popped into my garden basket; with these few ingredients I will make a salad that is enormously satisfying. Infusing the basil in the olive oil brings out its wonderful aromatic flavour, and together with the tomatoes provides beautiful summery notes to this gorgeous salad.

The salad may be served as a starter or as a light lunch, the latter served with some nice French baguette and a glass of crisp white wine.

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a light lunch

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh green beans

½ cup fresh basil leaves

5 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cherry tomatoes cut into half or into quarters

Flaked sea salt & freshly ground black Pepper – season to taste

Method

Top and Tail the green beans then blanch them in boiling salted water; remove when they have turned bright green and are still slightly crisp (about 4-5 minutes), refresh in cold water. Cut the beans into three or four pieces and set aside.

Gently tear the basil leaves into small pieces; reserve a few leaves to use later as garnish.

Pour the olive oil in a pan, add the torn basil leaves and heat gently for about 1-2 minutes, until the basil begins to sizzle, change colour and crisp up slightly.

Place the chopped cherry tomatoes and cooked green beans in a bowl; pour over the basil infused oil with the gently sizzled basil leaves; season with flaked sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss together gently and leave for 15-30 minutes to allow all the flavours to infuse and for the basil infused olive oil to mingle with the tomato juices.

To serve: garnish with a few fresh basil leaves.

It’s Time To Light The Fires

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Bay leaf, Butter, Cape Town, Chefs, chicken, Chicken and Mushrooms with Sherry Cream Sauce., Clifton Kitchen, Cooks, cream, food and drink, food and travel writing, Food Blogs, Garlic Seasoning, Herbs, Kate Abbott, Lifestyle, Mushrooms, Olive oil, Parsley, Photography, rosemary, Sauce, Sherry, Shiitake, Thyme, Travel, travel Writing

The weather has turned and the chilled air flowing in off the Atlantic sea has everyone reaching for sweaters. The summer remains elusive as another cold front wafts in over the Cape. It is time to light the fires and to make dinner.

I want something warming and unctuous to feed my guests. In the fridge I have mushrooms, chicken, some good quality cream, garden fresh broccoli stems and in the pantry,the thin skinned potatoes which I picked up from the market. All of these items will produce a dinner that everyone will enjoy. It is also fuss free, easy, which leaves me with time to mingle before serving dinner.

Here is the recipe

Chicken & Mushrooms with Sherry Cream Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 packets of chicken portions

25 g butter

25 ml olive oil

2 onions finely diced

200 g shitake mushrooms sliced

250 ml dry sherry

250 ml chicken stock

4 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed

1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme finely chopped

1 Tablespoon fresh Parsley finely chopped

½ Tablespoon fresh Rosemary finely chopped

1 bay leaf

120 ml pouring cream

Salt and pepper

Method

Heat the butter and olive oil in pot or casserole dish a large enough to comfortably incorporate all the chicken pieces.

Sauté the chicken until golden brown, remove and set aside. Sauté the onions and mushrooms until softened, then add the chicken, the herbs and bay leaf, garlic and dry sherry. Let simmer until the alcohol smell has dissipated; about 5 minutes, then add the chicken stock.

Bring up to heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes and the liquid has reduced by half. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper and cook for another 14-20 minutes. Check the seasoning.

Serve with boiled potatoes or rice and broccoli or a green salad

Tip: if after the cooking process the sauce is too runny, slake 2 tsps. of cornflour in 2 tablespoons water and stir into the sauce to thicken. cook for another 5 minutes.

Unctuous & Delicious Autumnal Tart

Tags

Balsamic Vinegar, Books, Butternut, Cape Town, Clifton Kitchen, Cook Books, Cooking Through The Seasons, Cooks, Food Writing, Foodblogs, Kate Abbott, Lifestyle, Pastry, Peppery greens, Pgotography, recipes, Rocket, Savoury Tart, Tart, Travel, travel Writing, Vegetarian, Watercress

Roasted Butternut Tart Served With Salad

Its cold, rain clouds are mustering over the sea, pregnant with anticipation of what’s to come. The  mixture of slate coloured hues across the expanse of sea make me feel hungry,  I need something bright and unctuous to feed my guests. In the larder I have a good stock of butternut and in the fridge some peppery greens, perfect ingredients for a delicious flaky autumnal tart.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 6 – 8

· 1 quantity short crust pastry or pre-prepared puff pastry (recipe below)

· 5oo g roasted butternut chunks

· 20 fresh sage leaves

· 50 ml olive oil

· Salt and freshly ground pepper

· 100 g pecorino or mature cheddar

· 3 eggs

· 200 ml fresh cream

· Watercress or Rocket leaves

· Balsamic vinegar dressing

PREPARATION

Make the short crust pastry and refrigerate

Preheat the oven to 230C.

Peel and deseed the butternut and cut into chunks. Place into a roasting pan, scatter over 10 of the sage leaves torn into pieces, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, until nicely coloured and cooked through.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C

Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm loose bottom baking tin. Blind bake at 180C, for 10-15 minutes.

Sprinkle the grated cheese over the base of the bottom of the pastry, top with the roasted butternut chunks. Scatter over the remainder of sage leaves.

Beat the egg and cream together, season with salt and pepper and pour over the tart filling. Bake at 180C for about 35 minutes. The tart should feel firm in the middle when gently touched.

Serve with a side salad of either watercress or rocket leaves dressed with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Best served at room temperature

Short Crust Pastry

INGREDIENTS

· 225g plain flour

· 110g butter, cut into cubes

· 1 whole egg

· 1 pinch of salt

· 3 tbsp. of iced water

PREPARATION

Place the flour and butter (sprinkled around the flour) in a food processor.
Place the lid on top and briefly blitz the mixture using the pulse button. Be careful not to over mix it.
Add the egg, salt and iced water. Briefly pulse the mixture again, the moment it starts to become crumbly, stop.
Gather it into your hands and gently pat it together. Do not knead it. Wrap it in cling film and put into the fridge.

Vegetable & Ricotta Torte

Tags

Books, broccoli, Cape Town, Clifton Kitchen, Cook Books, Cooking thorugh the seasons, feta, food and drink, food and travel writing, Food Blogs, gluten free, Kate Abbott, Lifestyle, Mascarpone, News, onion, Parmesan, Photography, Pie, recipes, Ricotta, spinach, Torte, travel Writing, Vegetables, Writing

 

This torte is one I make often using my favourite seasonal vegetables. It is wonderfully adaptable; to be enjoyed in either winter or summer, using whatever vegetables are in season. I usually make my own Ricotta, which I prefer; recipe included.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

140g broccoli spears

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped,

2 courgettes (zucchini) finely sliced

2 garlic cloves finely chopped and bruised to release flavour

120 g baby spinach

1 tablespoon chopped lemon thyme or basil

80 g parmesan, grated

250 g ricotta

225 g mascarpone

25 g feta, finely crumbled

4-5 eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the broccoli, cook until stems are soft. Drain and plunge into cold water for a few seconds to stop the cooking process and to retain the colour of the broccoli. Chop into small chunks.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil, add the onion and cook over medium heat until soft. Turn up the heat and add the courgettes, cook until softened and golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two, then add the spinach, mix in and cook until the spinach has wilted.

Remove pan from heat, add the broccoli, the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set mixture aside to cool.

Lightly butter a 20 cm spring form tin and dust with some of the grated parmesan, about 1 tablespoon of cheese should do.

Mix together the ricotta, mascarpone, feta, eggs and about 50g of the parmesan. Add the mixture to the cooled vegetables, folding through to incorporate. Adjust seasoning.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and scatter over the remaining parmesan. Place the tin on a baking sheet which will catch any drips and place in the oven. Bake for about 40-50 minutes. When cooked the top should be golden brown and the mixture still slightly wobbly in the centre.

Remove and leave to rest and set for about 20 minutes before serving. At this point the torte may be cooled completely, then refrigerated and served chilled as a summer torte. Serve with a salad.

Home-made Ricotta

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk

½ tsp. sea salt

3 tablespoons of either distilled vinegar, fresh lemon or lime juice.

Method

Place the milk in a heavy bottom pot. Add salt and heat gently, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching until the milk reaches a temperature of about 80-90C, or if you don’t have a thermometer, heat until the milk starts to simmer and foam at sides. Do not boil.

Remove from heat and add vinegar or the lemon/lime juice. Give the mixture one or two stirs, and then leave alone for the curds to develop. This should take about 5 minutes.

Line a sieve with cheese cloth and place over a bowl. Gently pour the milk mixture into the cheesecloth, disturbing the curds as little as possible in the process. Leave to drain for 5 minutes then bring the ends of the cloth together and tie the bag to the tap over the sink and leave to continue draining for about 15 minutes. The ricotta is now ready to use. The longer it drains the drier the ricotta will be.