Baked Lemon Cheesecake
The history of cheesecake Cheesecake was already well-known in ancient Greece. It was served to athletes during the first Olympic games on the Isle of Delos. The recipe fell into Roman hands with the Roman conquest of Greece. They introduced cheesecake to Great Britain and Western Europe. Cream cheese saw the light in 1872 and that was the start of the Modern Age cheesecake. Today, whichever cheese is used, we … Continue reading →
Bobotie
Today bobotie – spicy mince with a custard topping – is a typical South African dish. According to Wikipedia, the first bobotie was prepared by Apicius, a Roman, some 2 000 years ago. South African writer, C. Louis Leipoldt, wrote that bobotie was known in Europe in the 17th century. Some people think that it originated from an Indonesian dish called bobotok Whatever the origin, we know it as a Cape … Continue reading →
Tiramisu Cake
If you are a fan of tiramisu, Italian for cheer me up, this decadent cake is for you. With ingredients like chocolate, Amaretto liqueur, cocoa, mascarpone cheese and espresso, it will certainly cheer you up. It was Friday again, but as we had an exhausting week, we decided to have an at home day. I have always wanted to make a tiramisu cake, and this was the perfect day for … Continue reading →
Naartjie and Cardamom Cake
Ingredients 4 naartjies, unpealed 1 vanilla pod 350 g self raising flour 6 extra large eggs 250 g caster sugar Seeds from 5 cardamom pods, pods discarded Icing sugar for dusting Syrup Simmer together 175 ml caster sugar, 175 ml water and the juice of 2 naartjies. Remove from heat when it starts to boil. Method Place naartjies in a saucepan, cover with water and cook for an hour, then … Continue reading →
Lemon Cheesecake Soufflé
An easy recipe for a quick but delicious dessert – that is always my goal. These little soufflés are light and fluffy, tasty and easy to make. Ingredients 1 cup double thick Greek yogurt 3 large eggs, whites and yolks seperated, at room temperature 3 tbsp flour A pinch of salt 1 tsp lemon essence A pinch of cream of tartar 125 ml sugar A mixture of lemon curd … Continue reading →
Iced cauliflower and potato soup
This is a delicious soup, perfect for hot summer days as it is served cold. Prepare it the day before you serve it, as it has to be refrigerated for at least four hours before serving. It is a perfect starter when you are having guests over for dinner in summer. It is from one of Rachel Koo’s recipe books. Ingredients 1 Packet of cauliflower florets (about 650 g) 4 … Continue reading →
Chocolate Cake
This is a Nigella Lawson old fashioned chocolate cake recipe which I have adapted slightly. It is quick and easy to make. Ingredients 1 cup plain flour 1 cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ⅓ cup best-quality cocoa powder 175 grams soft unsalted butter 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 150 ml crème fraiche Method Heat the oven to 180⁰C. Butter a … Continue reading →
Apple Tart with Rum Sauce
This is the apple tart we all know, but with a slight difference. A splash of rum to the sauce elevates the tart to a new level. Ingredients 200 ml sugar 37, 5 ml butter 3 extra large eggs 250 ml self-raising flour 2 ml baking powder 2 ml salt 60 ml milk 1 tin of tart apples Sauce 250 ml cream 200 ml sugar 100 ml butter 10 ml … Continue reading →
Yoghurt Cheese Cake
Deon follows Dave Pepler on Face Book and this is where he found this unbelievably easy recipe for cheese cake, called Lulu Ferreira’s Cheese Cake. I did not really think that it would be successful, but decided to give it a try. I adapted it slightly, as I had berry yoghurt in the fridge. (We buy delicious, double thick yoghurt from Dairy Exchange in Durbanville). This is actually a yoghurt … Continue reading →
Sticky Pork Neck
Deon is always seeking the best pork recipe ever. This time he tried the recipe of Errieda du Toit, author of the recipe book Huiskok, Glanskok. Although I am not very keen on eating pork, I have to admit that the aromas that escaped from the oven were really aromatic enough to convince me to taste this dish. It was rather delicious. Ingredients (serves 4 – 6) One deboned pork … Continue reading →
West Coast Bean Smoor
Despite traveling to many countries and enjoying different cuisines, especially adoring Mediterranean food, my last meal on earth would preferably be something like the following dish – extreme comfort food. During our visit to the West Coast in July, we had lunch at Beulah’s Deli, close to Yzerfontein. Deon’s choice for lunch was a Ploughman’s Platter, but I chose the West Coast Smoor, which was actually on their breakfast menu, … Continue reading →
Minestrone Soup
Today, 16 June 2015, officially Youth Day and a public holiday, we are hibernating in the study. It is extremely cold outside, so the only option is to stay at home in front of our computers. Leica, our dearly beloved cat, is sleeping soundly on his heated little carpet, especially manufactured for cats. Suddenly the thought dawned upon me – what would be for lunch? It did not take minutes … Continue reading →
Preserved Lemons
Many dishes require preserved lemon, which is not always easy to find at our local shops. When the neighbour decided to trim her lemon tree which flows over our boundary wall, she gave us a box full of lovely lemons. We then decided to preserve the lemons. It is really easy to do this, much easier than finding it at a shop, especially when in a hurry. First of all … Continue reading →
Banting Friendly Moussaka
This is a perfect dish for banting, the new buzz word we were introduced to by Professor Tim Noakes. Try my delicious substitute for the traditional white sauce. Ingredients 750 g lamb mince 1 onion 2 aubergines, trimmed and sliced 6 baby marrows, trimmed and sliced 12 ml psyllium husks 1 tin diced tomatoes in juice 150 ml red wine A cube of chicken stock, dissolved in 50 ml boiling … Continue reading →
Semolina Cake
Deon and I recently went to the quaint Greek restaurant Maria’s on Dunkley Square where we shared this delicious Halva cake for dessert. For Mother’s Day I tried a similar cake, simply called Semolina Cake. Ingredients 115 g butter, softened 125 ml caster sugar 1 cup semolina 10 ml baking powder 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind 2 tablespoons orange juice Crème fraîche to serve Syrup … Continue reading →
Mother-in-Law’s Very Good Chicken Pie
My mother-in-law makes a very good chicken pie and I am usually lucky enough to get a freshly baked pie to take home when we visit her. I asked her to write the recipe down for me. This was the result: Step 1 750 g Chicken breasts – diced 5 ml salt 3 cups of water Cook in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Step 2 Add the juices from … Continue reading →
Jamie Oliver’s Lovely Lemon Curdy Pud
You can never make a mistake using one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes. He is really a genius. This pudding is super easy to make and super delicious. I made it in less than an hour and presented it to my mother-in-law who invited us for dinner on Easter Sunday. She thought that it was wonderful, so go ahead and make this spongy, meringuey, lemon curdy custardy pud. Delicious! Serves 4 … Continue reading →
Broccoli & Pear Soup
As there was no Friday afternoon outing today, I decided to make my favourite soup for a light lunch. This soup is really very easy to prepare and it takes only about half an hour before it is ready. I found the recipe many years ago in a magazine. I thought that I have lost it somehow, but when I was paging through one of my recipe books a time … Continue reading →
Suzi’s Spaghetti with Bay Leaves
Ingredients 400 g spaghetti, cooked 2 large onions, sliced 15 ml Canola oil 1 packet of diced bacon A can of diced tomatoes 2 tins of creamed mushrooms 6 bay leaves 1½ cup of grated cheese 1 tablespoon of flour, mixed with a little bit of cold water to make a paste Black pepper, lemon zest (use 1 lemon), 10 ml Italian Herbs 1 cube of chicken stock, dissolved in … Continue reading →
Sesame-Yogurt-Cardamom Cake
I found the recipe for this interesting cake in the February 2015 edition of the Tuis/Home Magazine. It was created for the magazine by Karen Dudley from The Kitchen in Woodstock. I served it instead of dessert on Sunday and it immediately became a new favourite in our home. The cake is not at all too sweet, as cakes usually tend to be. I served it with vanilla ice-cream and … Continue reading →
Very Easy Chicken Pie
Try this super easy chicken pie. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and after 45 minutes in the oven, your chicken pie is ready. Ingredients 1 already roasted chicken (buy one from your local supermarket) 15 ml olive oil 5ml crushed garlic 1 red onion, sliced 250 ml cream (I prefer 125 ml crème fraiche and 125 ml cream) One punnet of mushrooms, sliced Salt and ground black pepper … Continue reading →
Panzanella
We are into healthy eating this year, so I made delicious Panzanella or bread salad for lunch. It is a Tuscan salad of bread and tomatoes, lots of olive oil and basil and it is a very popular dish in Italy. It is easy to prepare with ingredients already in your kitchen. Easy to prepare recipe Ingredients fresh, red tomatoes; cucumber; red onion; basil; salt; ground black pepper; olive oil; … Continue reading →
Best Ever Chocolate Cake
Deon recently went to Somerset West for a Narrative Therapy Intensive and came back home with a chocolate cake recipe! Well, it is a perfect recipe for chocolate cake and it ticks all the right boxes for me – easy, delicious, not too sweet, but very chocolaty. It is originally from the “Huisgenoot Wenresepte 2” recipe book by author Annette Human. Ingredients Syrup 250ml (one cup) sugar 250 ml water … Continue reading →
Mussels and Chorizo in Spicy Tomato Sauce
For Christmas Day 2014 we had meze and everybody had to help to prepare the different dishes. I asked my brother Johan and sister-in-law Paula to prepare the mussels and chorizo in spicy tomato sauce. It was served with crusty bread and it was a very popular dish with the guests. Ingredients (serves 2) 600 g cleaned mussels in the shell (or without the shell if it is your choice) … Continue reading →
Smoorsnoek
Smoorsnoek is a traditional Western Cape dish and I prepared this dish today with some leftover snoek from the braai that we had for supper the previous evening. It is a very easy dish to prepare and you only need to open your fridge to find all the ingredients you will need. It is served on rice and it is a good idea to serve sweet potato with it. Wash … Continue reading →
Venison Paté
Deon made this paté. It goes well with meze which we adore, especially during the busy festive season. The paté is simple and very easy to make. Ingredients 250g cooked venison (Deon used Springbok) 200g pork mince 5 ml salt 3 chopped garlic cloves black pepper 10 ml olive oil Zest of 1 lemon 1 egg Method Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place … Continue reading →
Limoncello
In the beautiful movie Under the Tuscan Sun, Frances, the main character, buys and renovates a rural Tuscan villa after her divorce. She meets the handsome Marcello on a beach in Positano. He introduces her to limoncello. It is a lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy. Along the Amalfi coast it is served after dinner in small ceramic glasses that have been chilled. A visit to Positano and the … Continue reading →
Thai Coconut Chicken
A few years ago I bought a couple of recipe books from Woolworths. I still have them and they remain gems in my recipe book cupboard. The following recipe has been a winner since I bought the book called Quick Short Chicken Recipes (Murdoch Books, 1999) I certainly wish Woolworths would publish books like these again. Ingredients 1 tablespoon peanut oil 6 spring onions, chopped 2 tablespoons green curry paste … Continue reading →
Lemon Syrup Cake
This is a quick and easy cake if you need dessert in a hurry. Ingredients 1 cup plain flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 50g unsalted butter ½ cup castor sugar 2 eggs ⅓ cup milk 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind Syrup 100g caster sugar ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180⁰C. Grease and line a 20 cm springform tin. Sift … Continue reading →
Home-Made Ice-Cream
I tried my hand at making ice-cream after discovering a quick and easy recipe. It turned out quite good, but we found it a bit too sweet and too creamy. Next time I would rather substitute 250 ml cream with 250 ml Evaporated Milk and I would use less of the condensed milk. But if you like your ice-cream sweet and creamy, this is definitely something to try. I made … Continue reading →
Romany Cream Cups
I love to make quick and easy desserts. Today I made these Romany Cream Cups in less than five minutes. Use pretty cups to serve it in. Ingredients (per cup) 2 Romany Creams A drizzle of Hazelnut Liquor (or any other liquor) A tablespoon of Crème Fraiche Berry Medley Coulis (bought from Woollies) Toffee Dessert Sauce (also from Woollies) Custard (Ready Made) Method Pour the liquor over the Romany Creams … Continue reading →
Pancake Nidi with Tomato Sauce
Michela Chiappa made this dish on her food show, Simply Italian. Nidi in Italian are translated as “nests”. It is not only really tasty, but it also looks beautiful and it is a perfect dish to serve when you have guests. It could be a vegetarian dish if you do not use the ham. Saves 4 as a main. Ingredients: For the pancake batter 1 teacup plain flour 1 teacup … Continue reading →
Not So Sweet Potato
On Friday we had lunch at Café Orca in Melkbosstrand, an excellent restaurant situated almost on the beach. The restaurant specializes in seafood and the food is of the highest quality. With their main meal they serve the most delicious veggies. One of the veggies served is sweet potato, a dish which is traditionally overpowered by sugar. Café Orca’s sweet potato is perfect for all of us who are not … Continue reading →
Couscous With Roast Pumpkin, Raisins And Almonds
I made this couscous dish for Deon’s birthday dinner which comes from a recipe book called “Made in Morocco” by food writer Julie le Clerc and photographer John Bougen. It is a beautiful book which takes you on a journey to Morocco, one of the world’s most beautiful locations. Ingredients ½ large pumpkin or butternut, seeds and skin removed Olive oil Sea salt and freshly gound black pepper 1 onion, … Continue reading →
Tarte au Citron
I decided on something fresh for dessert after serving a lamb tagine to guests on Deon’s birthday. After a search I again found the perfect recipe in one of Marlene van der Westhuizen’s recipe books, called Sumptuous – Food from the heart of France to the Cape. Gerda Genis was responsible for the beautiful photography. I made her Tarte au Citron, a classic lemon tart. Ingredients 1 roll ready-made short … Continue reading →
Kashmiri Lamb Tagine
I made this tagine for Deon’s birthday guests. It is quick and easy to prepare and always a favourite with guests. Ingredients 12 ml olive oil 1 kg leg of lamb, diced 2 garlic cloves, crushed diced 2 onions, sliced A knob of fresh ginger, grated 5 ml ground coriander 5 ml turmeric 10 ml ground cumin 5 ml crushed cardamom seeds 5 ml curry powder 2 ml ground … Continue reading →
Mediterranean Pickled Seafood Salad
Deon discovered this gem of a recipe years ago in a recipe book by Marie Claire and it has been a favourite since then. We invited friends over for dinner and he prepared the salad as a starter. Ingredients 62,5 ml olive oil 125 ml white wine vinegar 165 ml dry white wine 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 500 g black mussels, cleaned and debearded 1 kg baby octopus, cleaned … Continue reading →
Japie’s Favourite Dessert
In South Africa we have our own version of Julia Child’s famous recipe book, The French Chef Cookbook, called Kook en Geniet (Cook and Enjoy). I am certain that most South African households have this classic somewhere on a bookshelf. There are more than 700 authentic South African recipes in the book. It was originally published by S.J.A. de Villiers in 1951. Although South African publishers were not interested in … Continue reading →
Banting Chicken with Herbs and Turnips
Yes, we are banting again, before summer kicks in. I want to try interesting recipes, so that it is all the way a win-win situation. Or is it supposed to be a lose-lose (the kilograms) situation? Anyway, here comes recipe number one, episode two of … Banting. Chicken with Herbs and Turnips 4 deboned, skinned chicken breasts, diced 4 turnips, trimmed and sliced 4 carrots; trimmed and julienned Chicken stock … Continue reading →
Waterblommetjies with Chicken
The Master of the House had to cook (again). This is becoming an abit (If it is erbs, why not abit?) I like a stew of waterblommetjies with lamb. When I brought home the waterblommetjies, I sensed that the Mistress was not in the mood for lamb. She suggested chicken. Clever husband that I am, I agreed. And what a surprise! Try this, we really enjoyed this one. It is … Continue reading →
Lemons or limes
We are lucky enough to have an abundance of limes in our garden, part of it due to the neighbour’s lime tree which overhangs our wall – the result is that the limes go straight into our kitchen. Luckily we have permission to pick the lovely limes, as there are too many for one family to use. On Sunday I decided to turn the lemons into dessert and I came … Continue reading →
Salade Niçoise
Today, on Women’s Day 2014, I pottered around in the garden and while I was trimming some hedges, I decided that on this perfect spring day (well, it is almost spring and the weather is fabulous) we would have Salade Niçoise for lunch. I remembered the day in the South of France, in a town called Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, where we had this famous French salad as a lunch under an enormous … Continue reading →
Irish Stew
While Sandra and I were on the topic of the food we remember from our childhood days, my thoughts turned to Irish Stew. It was one of my favourite favourites! When I phoned my mother last night while preparing the stew, she reminded me that our Spaniel, Luca, was also very fond of Irish stew. I had forgotten about that! With spring looming, I thought it a good time for … Continue reading →
Apple Tart With Cream Sauce
Apple tart has always been a favourite of mine. Deon does not like it too sweet, so I always halve the amount of sugar in the recipe. Serve the apple tart with cream and enjoy. Ingredients 4 tablespoons of butter 375 ml self-raising flour 125 ml milk 3 large eggs 375 ml sugar 410g tin of apples 2 ml salt 5 ml caramel essence Method Cream the butter and sugar … Continue reading →
Old Fashioned Flan Recipe
When I listen to Deon’s stories about the food his mother prepared when he was growing up, it is always interesting that it seems to be the same type of food I grew up with. Even the recipes our moms used seem to be similar – maybe they both used the famous Kook en Geniet recipe book. Today Deon spoilt me with a wonderful new recipe book – The French … Continue reading →
Butter Chicken Masala
This is a classic Indian dish. There are many versions of the recipe. Traditionally in India it is served off the bone, cooked in a tandoor. It can also be grilled or pan fried. Sometimes the chicken is marinated overnight in a yogurt and spice mixture. Different spices are used, including ginger, garlic, garam masala, coriander, turmeric and chilli. The sauce is made by heating tomato, garlic, dried fenugreek leaves … Continue reading →
Traditional Milk Tart
My mother-in-law’s traditional milk tart recipe has always been a family secret, but she at last agreed to reveal the secret, especially for our blog. Deon and I drove all the way to Melkbosstrand today where she and her right hand, Truida, were waiting for us. As soon as we got there, we were off to the kitchen and the baking process began. The end result, as usual, was a … Continue reading →
Poppy Seed Citrus Cake
One of my favourite cakes is Poppy Seed Citrus Cake. It is a cake with an intense citrus flavour, beautiful when you present it with crème fraiche and always a party favourite. Ingredients 125 g Stork margarine zest of a one lemon 250 g castor sugar 2 extra-large eggs 125 ml milk 1 t vanilla essence 125 ml poppy seeds 375 ml self-raising flour Citrus syrup 250 ml castor sugar … Continue reading →
Lemon and Cardamom Crème Brûlèe
Crème Brûlèe (burnt cream), is a beautiful dessert, fresh and light in texture with a caramelized sugar topping – and just what you need to round off dinner on a crisp winter’s day. It serves 4 people. Ingredients 3 eggs 190 ml fresh cream 190 ml castor sugar 125 ml lemon juice Zest of 1 lemon Cardamom (I used 5 pods, shelled) Method Mix all the ingredients together, pour into … Continue reading →
French Onion Soup
It is cold and wet in Cape Town. That means only one thing – it is time for delicious, hearty soup. What could be better than a (not so classic) French onion soup? Served with baguette with melted Gruyere cheese, a glass of red wine and a fireplace, what do you need more? Oh yes, forgot about the kitty cat on the lap. Ingredients 4 large onions, peeled and sliced … Continue reading →
Chocolate desserts
Being a chocoholic, I decided to make these desserts for Sunday lunch. Deon thought that it was a bit too sweet, but I could live with the sweetness. However, I will not, when I use the last batch of the mix which is in the fridge, pop a Lindor Lindt chocolate ball into each ramekin. It makes it too runny and too chocolaty. And much too sweet. Ingredients 250 grams … Continue reading →
Quick And Easy Minestrone Soup
This soup is made in just 30 minutes. It is a hearty, real Italian minestrone soup. When the mountains in our surroundings are topped with a blanket of snow, this soup is a winner. I made it yesterday, so guess what? It is shivering cold and winter’s first snow is covering the mountains. Our kitty has decided that he would spend his winter on his little heated mat, especially made … Continue reading →
Perfect roast chicken (thanks to Jamie Oliver)
We had a few guests to celebrate the end of one of Deon’s grief share courses, and we decided to ask Jamie Oliver to help us with the menu. I had another commitment on Saturday morning and when I returned home, Deon had already prepared the roast chicken and veggies – ready for the oven. It was a perfectly roast chicken, but Deon thought that he would rather cook it … Continue reading →
Nougat cake
This is a superb dessert, easy to make, easy to assemble and best of all, delicious and not too sweet. We had dinner with friends a few weeks ago, and this is what the hostess, Francisca, served as dessert. I immediately had to have the recipe. We invited some guests over ourselves, and they were in awe when I presented the nougat cake. Nougat Cake 125 g cherries and preserved … Continue reading →
Bobotie for Banters
I bought a packet of psyllium husks recently and it was just sitting there on the shelf for about a month, before I decided to tackle the strange ingredient and to see what it is like. Because I like to know what I am eating, I first of all googled Wikipedia to read more about it. According to Wikipedia, psyllium seed husks are portions of the plant Planago ovate, a … Continue reading →
Turkish Apricot Dessert
When we were living in Port Elizabeth, we had a friend called Laetitia. She is a well-travelled lady and is well-known for organising tours to Istanbul and Egypt. When Laetitia asked us to come for dinner, it was a moment to look forward to because of all the interesting stories she would share with us and her cooking was always exotic. I remembered Leatitia today because I have decided to … Continue reading →
Cabbage Stew
Not a pleasant sounding name for a good stew. Maybe the cabbage word is the reason why many people dislike this veggie. But it is good for you. The following according to Wikipedia about cabbage (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabbage): Cabbage is a good source of vitamin K, vitamin C and fiber. Cabbage is also an excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6 and folate; and a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, potassium, vitamin … Continue reading →
Sage and Blue Cheese Roasted Gem Squash
Another recipe from Tim Noakes: 4 gem squash, cut in half, seeds removed • 150g blue cheese 1 handful sage leaves • 100g butter 1. Steam or boil the squash until it is soft and tender. 2. Remove from the water and place in a tray. 3. Crumble the blue cheese over each squash. 4. Melt the butter in a pan and gently fry the sage until it turns golden. … Continue reading →
Chicken Tikka Masala (Tim Noakes)
This recipe is from Tim Noakes’s new book: For the chicken: 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 1 cup extra-thick yoghurt 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated • 3 cloves garlic, minced • salt and black pepper 1. Mix the yoghurt, ginger and garlic and season to taste. 2. Add chicken and marinate for at least 30 minutes. For the sauce: 3 tbsp butter • 2 tsp olive oil • 2 … Continue reading →
Banting!
HFLC is a new acronym in our home. Thanks to William Banting, an undertaker who, in the year 1862, had excessive weight problems and whose doctor prescribed a diet of high-fat and low-carbs. We are back to our dietary roots as it was meant to be, according to sports and exercise scientist, Professor Tim Noakes, in his book, The Real Meal Revolution. Eating high-fat food has been a no go … Continue reading →
Cape Malay Seafood Curry Broth
This is a recipe from TASTE Magazine which I have adapted slightly: 1 T olive oil 4 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 large sweet potatoes 3 medium carrots 2 T Garam Masala 1 tin of tomatoes in juice (I used Italian whole cherry tomatoes in juice) 1 knob of ginger, grated 3 curry leaves 500 g fish, cut into chunks (e.g. hake, angelfish) 1 bunch of fresh parsley, … Continue reading →
Mother-in-Law’s Fiery Chicken Tikka Soup
My mother-in-law, who also lives in Cape Town, is known amongst her friends as a good cook. I love the home cooked soups at Woolworths, and my favourite is their Chicken Tikka Soup. But it has disappeared from their shelves, so I asked my mother-in-law to invent her own version of this glorious soup. My freezer is now stocked with home-made Chicken Tikka soup, thanks to her. And it is … Continue reading →
Grilled fresh fruit served with ginger mascarpone
One of my favourite desserts is a gem I found in a recipe book of Sharon Glass. It is called Grilled fresh fruit served with ginger Mascarpone. This dessert is easy to prepare and it is fresh and unusual, and it has that wow factor. I like to present it to guests on a beautiful plate. It could be served warm or at room temperature. Medley of assorted fresh fruit … Continue reading →
Green Bean Stew
Winter is (not so) slowly approaching the Western Cape and then it becomes time to cook hearty stews. Hilda lives close by and we travel together as we are colleagues at the same school. Driving to school in the dark while it is raining in the Western Cape is not my favourite thing, but fortunately that will be all over soon, as I will be exploring a new avenue in … Continue reading →
Bella’s cheesecake
I am fortunate to have three of Marlene van der Westhuizen’s recipe books on my bookshelf – Delectable; Sumptuous and Abundance. Delectable is about food from rural France to urban Cape. The beautiful photography has been done by Stephen Inggs. In the contents there are different chapters with headings such as Cooking at La Creuze; The Wednesday Market; Paris Vignettes, etc. My special chapter in the book is Brocante on … Continue reading →
Tomato Meatballs
In 2010 we visited the little town Garies in the Northern Cape briefly. We spent some time with one of the families and had tomato meatballs for dinner. It was the most perfect round meatballs I have ever seen. Luckily the host gave me the recipe, but unfortunately I misplaced it. To my astonishment I opened one of my recipe books a month ago and there it was – stuck … Continue reading →
Piquante Phyllo Fig and Mascarpone Tarts
I love easy, but glamorous desserts. I made this dessert within 10 minutes on a Sunday evening. A friend gave us wonderful fresh figs and I decided to combine them with Phyllo pastry and Mascarpone cheese. It turned out to be a quick and delicious dessert. Ingredients (enough to make 4 tarts) Two sheets of Phyllo pastry, lightly buttered, layered and cut into 4 pieces Fresh figs Mascarpone cheese Honey … Continue reading →
Valentine’s day 2014
Time flies. This was our fourth Valentine’s Day since we have been living in Cape Town. We do not like crowds during festivities like this, so we decided to spoil ourselves at home. Deon was responsible for dessert. The starter was my favourite watermelon, feta and basil salad. As a main course we had salmon in filo parcels with veggies and the dessert was baked Camembert with figs, berry coulis … Continue reading →
Country loaf with filling
My country loaf with a filling is a meal in one. Quick and easy to prepare and you can use whatever you have in the fridge for the filling. It could be served with a salad or as part of meze. This is a winner for lunchtime. Ingredients 1 small round, crusty country loaf 1 onion 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 green and 1 red pepper 150g mushrooms, sliced 1 … Continue reading →
Moussaka
Moussaka It is so strange that many people shrug when they hear the word eggplant, so the following recipe is for those who love eggplant. I suggest, however, that those who do not like eggplant also try this, especially as the eggplant is hardly noticeable in the dish. Jeffrey Steingarten wrote a book with the title “The Man Who Ate Everything”. When he had to answer the question “Do you … Continue reading →
Coq au Vin
One of our favourite French dishes is coq au vin, or chicken with wine. Today is Sunday, the last day of the lovely December holidays and I decided to spend the morning cooking. We will have guests next week and I have decided to make this dish for them. I also used some of the coq au vin to make individual pies. (I used bought pastry for the lids.) … Continue reading →
Jan Ellis Pudding
From next week onwards this family of two will be on a strict Mediterranean diet – that means we will engage in healthy eating habits. But on the last day of the school holidays, I decided to spoil us with an extremely unhealthy but delightful pudding. I paged through my oldest recipe books and found this version of the popular Jan Ellis pudding. As Deon is not fond of overly … Continue reading →
Yoghurt delights
If you need dessert in a hurry, my yoghurt delights are the perfect choice. Ingredients 75ml Bulgarian yoghurt 175ml vanilla custard 5ml brown sugar Method Spoon the yoghurt into a pretty glass. Top with the custard. Sprinkle the sugar on top and leave in the refrigerator for about half an hour until the sugar is syrupy. Decorate with fresh mint and serve.
Pickled Fish
In the Western Cape pickled fish is a tradition, a custom passed down by parents to the next generation. It is custom to have this dish on Good Friday, because in some religions it is considered as “unholy” to eat meat on Good Friday. I decided to follow my motto (quickly prepared but delicious food) and to prepare the dish quick and easy. So, off to the shop where I … Continue reading →
André’s crostini
We have a friend, André, who lives in France. Friends in France recently invited him to dinner and he told us about the interesting starter he was served – crostini with eggplant. Yes, many people do not eat eggplant, but we love it, whether it is served in Moussaka, Papoutsákia (little slippers in Greek), or in Melanzane Parmigiana (recipes to follow soon). When we were in Greece, our hosts cooked … Continue reading →
Open Apple Cappuccino Pancakes
This is a quick and easy recipe for a delicious dessert. We do not like desserts that are too sweet. This is perfect, because you can adapt the sweetness for each person. Ingredients (for 2 people) 1 Tablespoon butter apple slices (I used 3 small red apples) 30ml Illovo Smooth Cappuccino sauce 2ml ground cumin 5ml dried French Tarragon lemon zest and juice of half a small lemon 2 readymade … Continue reading →
Venison pies
I have never cooked venison before and browsed around on the Internet to find a recipe for my individual pies. I chose a recipe from Nina Timm’s blog, My Easy Cooking, but adapted it slightly. It turned out to be a favourite with my husband. 100ml vinegar mixed with about 2 cups of water 1 kg venison leg or shoulder 250g pancetta, diced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, … Continue reading →
Deon’s roast chicken on the Weber
My favourite recipe for chicken pie on the Weber, which featured in the September 2013 Woolworths Taste magazine, on page 121 to be precise, is available on my website. But now for The Master of the House’s roast chicken on the Weber – it is definitely also a winner. Maybe he will be the next person in this family to feature in Taste – just keep on trying, Deon! The … Continue reading →
Spicy pumpkin
I was never particularly fond of pumpkin, so one day I decided to add some spices to it and it has been a favourite ever since. Ingredients 500g pumpkin chunks 75 g brown sugar (more of you like sweet pumpkin) 10ml curry powder (I prefer it hot, but adapt the amount to suit your taste) half a teaspoon each of turmeric and cumin powder a touch of salt 125ml water … Continue reading →
Beef Canneloni
This is my easy way to make delicious beef cannelloni. It is quick and easy to use ready-made white/cheese sauce and pancakes (from my friend Woolworths) if you are in a hurry. Ingredients 2 large onions, chopped 1 tbsp olive oil 10ml Italian herbs 4 slices Salami 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 kg lean minced beef 1 sachet chicken stock (about 12ml) 500ml passata with basil to which you add … Continue reading →
Roasted vegetables
This is a perfect recipe for delicious and healthy vegetables. It is quick and easy to make, especially when you have to prepare a meal for many guests. Pop it in the oven and forget about it. Ingredients (serves about 6 people) 2 red peppers and 2 yellow peppers, chopped 1 red onion, sliced 1 butternut, chopped into small chunks 2 leeks, chopped 6 courgettes, chopped 6 yellow pattipans 10 … Continue reading →
Miniature ice-cream bombs
Miniature Ice-cream bombs For Christmas I made individual ice-cream bombs. To make a huge bomb is a waste, because we are a very small family. Ingredients Christmas pudding (two large spoons full) Ice-cream (vanilla flavour) Fresh cherries (chopped, for colour) Green fig preserve (half a fig is enough) Method Take the ice-cream out of the freezer an half an hour before you want to make your bombs. Line two small … Continue reading →
Sago pudding
This is the recipe for my mom’s famous sago pudding. She lives in Port Elizabeth. When she visits us twice a year, Deon insists that she makes this on Sundays. If you cannot find sago, you can also use tapioca, which is quite similar to sago. Both sago and tapioca have a botanical origin. Sago comes from the middle part of the trunk of the sago palm (Metroxylon sagu). Tapioca … Continue reading →
Penne al Pollo
This is one of our favourite recipes and so easy to prepare. I was introduced to this recipe for the first time in 1999 when we visited the Belvédère Hotel in Peille, France. 2 chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced Garlic A pinch of sea salt Black pepper 125ml Basil Pesto 125ml cream 1 small onion 1 packet of mushrooms Freshly shaved Parmesan Method Fry the onion in a bit of … Continue reading →
Pork belly
We spent Christmas day at Deon’s mother. We decided to take along a pork belly as part of the meal. I do not eat pork. Well, not included are frankfurters; bacon; chorizo; … But pork – it is definitely a no go area for me. Deon does not share this sentiment. And he has been searching for the perfect pork belly recipe. He cooked yet another pork belly on the … Continue reading →
Christmas Eton Mess
Deon’s mother invited us to have our Christmas dinner at her home and I was responsible for the desert. I decided on something light and easy, something I could assemble at her home, after the dinner. So, I decided on my own version of the popular Eton Mess. Ingredients 1 cup blueberries and a handful of fresh cherries 3 cups hulled strawberries macerated for a few hours in 10ml sugar … Continue reading →
Potato and sweetcorn bake
This is a dish familiar to most South-Africans. It is a dish most of us make when we have a typical braai. It is extremely unhealthy, but always popular. Ingredients 4 sliced potatoes a tin of sweetcorn 125ml cream 250ml grated cheddar cheese salt and ground black pepper Method Layer all the ingredients in a flat dash, flavour with salt and pepper and bake in an oven which has been … Continue reading →
Healthy Green Salad
The Master of the House would choose a salad if he has to choose a last meal before his last minutes on earth. It suits me, because I do not have to slave away in the kitchen during the holidays. A meal is always quick and easy in our home. The following salad is fresh and healthy. Serve it with dry white wine and crusty bread, and you have the … Continue reading →
Macaroni and two cheese dish
I added a few more ingredients than usual to add more flavour to Macaroni & Cheese: Ingredients 1 onion, chopped Five strips of bacon Florets of 1 cauliflower About 500ml of runny white sauce to which you add a small chunk of blue cheese Sea salt and ground black pepper A pinch of herbs, e.g. Italian herbs 5ml Dijon mustard Elbow macaroni, about 3 cups when cooked 200ml cheddar cheese … Continue reading →
Spicy fish soup
1 tin of Indian Style Diced Tomatoes (diced tomatoes with curry leaves and spices) One hake fillet, cut into chunks (or enough for 2 people) A pinch of sea salt Fresh coriander Bulgarian yoghurt Parmesan cheese Method: Add the tin of tomatoes; salt and coriander to a small casserole. Add the chunks of fish and cook until done. Add the coriander. Serve with grated Parmesan and yoghurt.
Zesty oil
This zesty oil is refreshing with any dish, hot or cold. Ingredients 125ml good olive oil Zest of 1 lemon 1 chilly (red or green) Garlic (as much as you prefer) Mint Easy to make: Mix everything together and chill until needed.
Holiday meat loaf
This is the recipe for a meatloaf that I made during the holidays. It is a perfect meal when served with a salad, or use it as part of a meze feast. Ingredients 4 eggs 2 onions, chopped A splash of olive oil for frying the onions Sea salt and freshly ground pepper 5ml Worcestershire sauce 20ml tomato and herb pasta sauce (or any other tomato sauce) 5ml Italian herbs … Continue reading →
Tuna and potato salad
I developed the following salad and it has become one of our favourite summer salads. It is easy and quick to make, as well as healthy. Tuna and potato salad Ingredients (serves 2 people) 1 tin of tuna (chunks) Crisp salad leaves and 1 spring onion A handful of caper berries Three or four anchovies Good quality mayonnaise 4 Mediterranean style potatoes Salad oil Pour 175 ml olive oil into … Continue reading →
Festive Chicken
Festive chicken This is a recipe I inherited from Deon’s bachelor days. It evolved over the years into my own variant. Ingredients (serves 3 people) 1 large onion, chopped 1 clove of garlic, crushed 4 chicken breast fillets cut into strips 250 ml cake mix 275 ml Beef Bolognese Pasta Sauce (from Woolworths Food) sweetened with 5ml brown sugar 1 sachet roast chicken stock concentrate (also from Woolworths Food) A … Continue reading →
My favourite recipe books
I have a cupboard in the living room which are full of wonderful recipe books. I love to collect these books. On the shelf you will find Julia Child’s My life in France; River Café Cook Book Easy written by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers; Jamie’s books (all of them); Gordon’s Healthy Eating; Confessions of a Hungry Woman by Sam Woulidge; Marlene van der Westhuizen’s books: Delectable; Abuncance and Sumptuous; … Continue reading →
Baked salad Caprese
We love all kinds of salads. Greek salad with green pepper; red onion; cucumber sliced into thick rounds; ripe tomato slices; soft feta; olives and olive oil drizzled over is a favourite. Salad Caprese is another winner. I simply put pitted olives in a baking dish, enough for two people; add some cherry tomatoes and whole anchovies to taste; add a few shredded basil leaves; season with black pepper; grate … Continue reading →
Lamb, chickpea and butternut stew
This is the recipe from TASTE magazine (July 2013) I used as the main course on Deon’s birthday Serves 4 to 6 3 T olive oil; 1kg diced lean lamb shoulder; 2 onions, sliced into wedges; 6 plum tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 t ground ginger; 2 T honey; chermoula; 3 cups hot fresh lamb or chicken stock; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to … Continue reading →
Waterblommetjie Bredie
After a very long and a very wet and cold winter I was so glad to see waterblommetjies for sale when I went to my favourite shop, Food Lover’s Market. If one can buy fresh waterblommetjies, then it has to be spring! It can be turned into a hearty stew suitable for a cold spring dinner! Waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyosis) is an Afrikaans word meaning small water flowers. The bredie is … Continue reading →
Berry Mascarpone Trifle (or spring Tiramisu)
As featured in Garden and Home October 2013) 250g mixed berries (defrost if frozen) 100g caster sugar zest of 1 lemon 250g mascarpone cheese 125 ml cream 100g sponge finger Boudoir biscuits, broken in half 50g Amaretti biscuits 80ml apple juice 45ml Frangelico or Amaretto (I used Amaretto) optional! Serve with 50g white chocolate shavings Place the berries, half the sugar and the lemon zest in a bowl and toss … Continue reading →
Dessert in a hurry
There are times when you have to entertain without having time to prepare elaborate dishes beforehand. So, these are a few ideas for pudding which you can make in the nick of time: Romany Cream Delight (Serves one person): Put a Romany Cream cookie (or any other) in a pretty bowl – I like to use small espresso cups. Splash some liqueur over the cookie and heat in the microwave … Continue reading →
