Vegetable & Ricotta Torte

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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.

An Elegant and Easy Tart or Dessert

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Apricot and Almond Jam Dartois

This easy recipe is named after a well-known French vaudeville artist François-Victor-Armand Dartois de Bourneville who lived in the 1700s. It is made from 2 layers of puff pastry which have either a sweet or savoury filling. This jam and apricot Dartois is quick to make and ideal for unexpected guests.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 packet frozen puff pastry – defrosted

400g apricot jam

200g sliced almonds

Icing sugar

250 ml double Cream

Half a lemon

Method

Defrost the pastry

Preheat the oven to 200C degrees

Mix the sliced almonds into the jam. Open the pastry and gently roll on a floured surface to provide two equal portions of either round or rectangle shape pastry. Place one portion of pastry on a non-stick baking tray and spread the surface with the jam and almond mixture leaving a thumb’s width border all round.

Lightly wet the pastry border and place the other rectangle of pastry over the jam and almond mixture, seal the 2 portions of pastry carefully together.

Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Remove Dartois from oven and dust lightly with icing sugar put back in oven and cook a further 5 minutes until sugar has lightly caramelised. Serve with lemon cream.

Lemon cream

Squeeze the juice from half a lemon. Add the juice slowly to the cream and beat in well. Put in a serving bowl and place in fridge to chill until ready to serve.

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

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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/

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

Cooking with Wine & Spirits

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baking, Chefs & Cooks, Clifton Kitchen, Cook Books, Cooking thorugh the seasons, Desserts, food and drink, Food Blogs, Lifestyle, liqueurs, Photography, raisins, recipes, Ricotta, Travel, wine

Article first published in SHOWCOOK http://www.showcook.com/2012/in-the-news/cooking-with-wine-spirits-kate-abbott/

There are many wines, domestic and imported, which are both a pleasure to drink and reasonably priced for cooking. The wine used for cooking may be either white or red and for savoury food should be dry rather than sweet. There are in my opinion only a few instances when a touch of sweetness is not out of place in meat cookery, for example the Madeira sauce served with ham and tongue.

If you are not sure how to buy wine and spirits for cooking, the best step would be to find a good, trustworthy wine merchant. Beware of bargains in wine, and never use wine in cooking that you would not drink. Of course this does not mean marinating a shoulder of venison in a precious expensive vintage Burgundy which deserves rather to be enjoyed in a glass, where it can be fully appreciated.

Wine is added to foods to enhance natural flavour. Colour too is a factor. White wine is usual for fish and poultry dishes. Red wine will add dark colour to meat, gravy, or to coq au vin. When wine is cooked the alcohol evaporates, leaving only the flavour of the fruit, and provides subtleties and nuances of flavour, aroma and bouquet to a dish. However moderation is important in order not to overwhelm the food. It is best not to use more wine than specified in a recipe on the assumption that if a little wine is good, more will be better. Too much wine can spoil a dish irreparably.

Other than its use in dessert, wine has three major uses in cooking. First, it is used with herbs and spices as a marinade, to season and to tenderize meat before braising or long slow cooking. The marinade is used in the cooking as well and becomes part of the sauce. When cooking fish, wine often forms part of the liquid for poaching, and also becomes part of the sauce. In both cases the wine is subjected to considerable cooking and thus reduced. In this instance it need not be of the highest quality, although it should still be good enough to drink.

The second use of wine in cooking is to make pan sauces. In this instance the wine is used to deglaze the pan in which meat, fish or poultry was roasted or sautéed, to dissolve the tasty bits that cling to the pan, and incorporate any juices. The pan should be very hot when the wine is added as this hastens the deglazing and the evaporation of the alcohol. The sauce is then reduced and poured over the food. The quick cooking approach of deglazing does not cause the wine to lose its bouquet which is why when deglazing it is preferable to select a wine of a slightly better quality than what you would use for marinades.

The third use of wine in cooking is as a final flavouring agent, in which case it is added at the very end of the cooking process, or just before serving. The sauce is not brought to the boil after the wine is added. Wines for this purpose are usually fortified, that is, strengthened with brandy such as Sherry, Madeira, or Port. When used in this fashion they provide excellent flavour to the dish.

The remainder of a bottle of wine used in cooking can be served with the meal, or the bottle can be tightly corked and laid on its side in the refrigerator until it is needed again for cooking, but should be used within a few days as wine tends to turn to vinegar rather quickly once exposed to air. Should this happen do not worry, the ‘turned’ wine need not go to waist, instead use it for making salad dressings.

When using wine and spirits in cooking, certain ones are indispensable; it would be good to have these on hand. You will need two kinds of wine, reds for cooking dark meats and game and white wine for fish and poultry dishes. Both kinds should be dry wines. For flaming you should have Cognac or another brandy. A Sherry and Madeira of excellent quality are useful for flavouring everything from soups to desserts. Good options to have on hand for desserts are dark rum, kirsch, and one of the liqueurs, such as Grand Marnier, Cointreau or Curaçao.

Wines are less important than liqueurs in flavouring desserts because the small amounts that can be added as flavouring would have little effect compared with the intensity of flavour that can be derived from an equal amount of rum, brandy, or a liqueur. The simplest way to of using liqueurs to flavour desserts is to add them to puddings, sauces, or whipped cream, or sprinkle over fresh or cooked fruit or over ice cream or sorbets.

Too much liqueur added to an ice cream or ice mixture will prevent it from freezing; too much liqueur added to anything can make a dish taste of nothing but liqueur. Use liqueurs in cooking as you do wine, discreetly.

The French and the Italians are skilled users of wine and spirits in many of their dishes, from the simplest to the most elaborate, often combining the flavouring agents of wine or spirits together with citrus peel, citrus juice and fragrant flower waters.

This typical Mediterranean Ricotta cake is airy, soft, and at the same time a little moist. Grand Marnier, orange flower water, and citrus zest intensify and perfume the cake with gorgeous flavour. It can be served as is, or with soft fruits, or with a dash of yoghurt flavoured with citrus juice, and or flower water and a little icing sugar to taste.

Sicilian Ricotta cake

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon castor sugar for dusting the baking pan

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 table spoon Grand Marnier

1 tablespoon orange- flower water

55g seedless raisins

75 g unsalted butter

130 g caster sugar

2 large eggs

Orange zest from 1 orange

Lemon zest from I lemon

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

Pinch of salt

450 g Ricotta, drained and lightly mashed using a fork

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C

Lightly butter a 20cm spring form tin and dust bottom and sides with some castor sugar, discarding any excess.

Place the orange juice, Grand Marnier, and flower water in a small pan and heat to just warm. Add the raisins and leave to soak soften and absorb the liquid.

In a bowl cream the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk till combined. Add the zest, flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Add the ricotta and whisk to incorporate. Fold in the raisins and their soaking liquid.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking pan and place in the middle of the oven, bake for about 60 minutes. Test for doneness after about 55 minutes by inserting a skewer in the middle of the cake. It is ready when the skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Turn out onto a plate. At this point the cake may be dusted lightly with some icing sugar.

Tip: if the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with some aluminium foil for the rest of the baking period

Options: the raisins may be replaced with peeled and finely chopped apple or pear, cinnamon.

Autumn’s Rich Colours Flood the Kitchen

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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

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.

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

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

Farewell To Summer …..

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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

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

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.

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

Tags

Bread, Bread Rolls, Chefs, Cook Books, Cooks, Food Blogs, Food Writing, Life, Photography, Portuguese, Potato Bread, recipe, Travel, Yeast

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.