Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Homemade potato gnocchi

March 27th, 2012 Blog · Recipes
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homemade potato gnocchi

homemade potato gnocchi

Here’s a great easy recipe for soft, light and fluffy gnocchi. It isn’t nearly as difficult as it may seem and is definitely worth the effort!

  • 500g peeled potatoes
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 clove crushed  garlic
  • 100g plain flour
  • 25g parmesan or pecorino cheese

Boil potatoes until very soft and mash finely (use a ricer or mouli for best results). Stir in milk, garlic, eggs and parmesan. Mix in enough of the flour to form a firm dough.

Knead on a floured surface for 3 minutes. Divide into six portions and roll into ‘sausages’ about 2cm in diameter. Cut into 2cm lengths and form into oval gnocchi shapes with the tines of the back of a fork. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water for 3 minutes or until they float to the surface. Serve with your favourite Italian sauce! We really like bolognaise, Arribiata or just a simple butter and sage sauce. Delicious!

Gemsbok BOERguignonne

March 18th, 2012 Recipes
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Gemsbok BOERguinonne

Gemsbok BOERguinonne

We got a nice cut of Gemsbok rump from a friend of ours and decided to make this potjie. You don’t have to use game as this dish is traditionally made with beef.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg topside (slice these about 1cm thick and about 12cm square)
  • 100g streaky bacon (double this if you are using game)
  • Half a bottle of good red wine
  • 1 sliced onion
  • 3 sprigs of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves crushed garlic
  • 12 baby onions
  • 250g button mushrooms
  • 250ml beef stock
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Flour for dusting the meat


Marinade the meat in the wine and half the oil, herbs, sliced onion and garlic for a minimum of 4 hours.

Fry bacon in your pot untill translucent. Remove from heat. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Dust with the flour and brown in batches in your pot.

Season with salt and pepper, add the marinade, stock and bacon. Simmer for 2 hours.

Add the baby onions and mushrooms. Simmer for another 30 minutes.

Serve with boiled potatoes to about 6 people.

Italian bean, herb & tomato stew

October 17th, 2011 Recipes
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Italian bean, herb & tomato stew

Italian bean, herb & tomato stew

This is a family favourite, best eaten warm rather than piping hot from the stove. It’s an excellent main course for vegetarians, or just an accompaniment to any other comfort food.

Ingredients

1 x cans red kidney beans
1 x can cannellini beans
boquet garni: 1 sprig or 1/2 teaspoon various dried herbs/spices
125ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 bottle Passata or 2 cans of italian variety chopped and peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 x can red kidney beans
  • 1 x can cannellini beans
  • boquet garni: 1 sprig or 1/2 teaspoon various dried herbs/spices
  • 125ml olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 bottle Passata or 2 cans of italian variety chopped and peeled tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar


There is no generic recipe for bouquet garni, but most recipes include parsley, thyme and bay leaf, and a combination of other herbs and spices such as rosemary, basil and peppercorns. Vegetables such as celery, onion and leeks can also be used. Bind them together in a bunch with string or in a net or tea strainer. I usually use whatever I have available in the veggie patch such as rosemary, thyme, sage and parsley (bound together), as well as some dried herbs tied in cloth.

Wash canned beans thoroughly and set aside. Cut the garlic cloves in half and put in a large saucepan with fresh boquet garni and the oil. Gently heat to infuse the flavours, but not to fry. Add the tomato and the dried boquet garni and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the beans, season well and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add a little boiling water at first to keep the pan moist, but then let the liquid evaporate towards the end of cooking. Discard the boquet garni. Stir the vinegar through just before serving. Serves 2.

Rustic chicken liver pate

September 26th, 2011 Recipes
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Rustic chicken liver pâté

Rustic chicken liver pâté

The best way to celebrate spring? By eating something delicious on the stoep, of course. Preferably something really easy to make and eat so you can spend most of your time outdoors. Chicken liver paté ticks all right boxes.

Ingredients

  • 500g cleaned and trimmed chicken livers (cut in half)
  • 60ml double cream
  • 220g butter
  • 1 chopped onion
  • 1 crushed clove of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme
  • 60ml brandy
  • 20ml port
  • A few sprigs of thyme for garnish
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper


 Method

Melt half the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the onion and sauté. Add the garlic, chicken livers and thyme. Fry livers until golden-brown and cooked through.

Add the brandy and port, season well with salt and pepper. Place the liver mixture and cream into a food processor and pulse. Blend until slightly smooth and season to taste.

Transfer the paté into a serving ramekins or small dish, set aside and allow to cool. Melt the remaining butter in a clean saucepan. Skim off the froth and pour the melted butter over the pâté. Place in the fridge to chill and set. Serve with fresh Ciabatta!

Winter tomato soup

July 5th, 2011 Recipes
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Tomato soup

Tomato soup

It’s winter, and it’s damn cold…so, perfect weather for an old and trusted Italian soup. We ate while watching Masterchef, and honestly, nothing they made tasted better than this did.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 large brown onions (400g), finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2kg tomatoes, peeled, chopped coarsely
  • 2 litres chicken or vegetable stock (8 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed, coarsely chopped basil or parsley leaves


Cut bread into 2cm slices, place on oven tray; bake uncovered in a hot oven for about 10 minutes or until crisp.

Heat oil in a large saucepan and cook onion and garlic whilst stirring, cook until the onion is soft. Add the tomato and stir occasionally, cook for about 10 minutes or until the tomato is pulpy.

Add stock, paste and sugar and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the soup has thickened slightly. Just before serving, stir in the basil or parsley.

Clear sweet & sour chicken

September 11th, 2010 Recipes
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clear sweet and sour chicken

Clear sweet and sour chicken

Stefan made the most amazing sweet and sour chicken last night. Just like the real thing, except with a clear sauce and from your own stove. Delicious.

Ingredients

  • 1kg skinned and de-boned chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Fresh ground black pepper, ground ginger and garlic powder to season flour (you don’t need a lot)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 green bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 large onion cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal
  • 1 400g can pineapple chunks in juice (no added sweeteners)
  • 1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice (from the can of pineapple chunks)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 rounded tablespoons corn starch mixed in enough cold water to make a slurry


Directions for the chicken

When cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, remove any fat, gristle or connective tissue. If the chicken is soft-frozen or almost thawed it is easier to cut. In small frying pan, add vegetable oil until +/- 10mm deep. Heat to deep-frying temperature.
Mix eggs and milk in a bowl. Beat until well combined. Place the flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl and mix. Dunk the pieces of chicken in the egg and milk mixture and allow the excess to drain. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour, coating thoroughly. Drop pieces into the hot oil and fry until a deep golden brown. Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides. Remove to paper towel covered plate to drain. Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked and set aside until assembly.

Directions for the sweet and sour sauce

Place the pineapple and water in sauce pan, heat over a low flame. Slowly add the sugar while stirring. When the sugar has dissolved slowly add first the vinegar, then the lemon juice whilst stirring. Add corn starch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly until thickened and almost syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside.

Note: You will be judging the thickness of the sauce while it is hot. It will thicken considerably when it is set aside and cools. When added to the vegetables the moisture will thin the sauce up a bit. Set aside some reserve pineapple juice from the can to adjust the thickness of the sauce to your liking.

Assembling the dish

Add a little vegetable oil to a large frying pan or wok. Bring to frying temperature over medium heat. Add vegetables (but not the pineapple) and cook. Stir frequently until onions begin to caramelize. Add the sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetables are tender and sauce has re-thickened (should cling to the vegetables). Finally add the pineapple and chicken, folding into the vegetables and sauce. Simmer until heated through. Serve to a hungry family!