We were invited to a holiday Shabbat celebration last Friday by our dear friends Joshua & Eva and I was asked to make Latkes. ‘Absolutely!’ I said. ‘Not a problem’ I thought. I can, after all, make anything with the help of Google and buckets of courage. I was so excited to be included in my first ever Jewish celebration and I’m always keen to cook something new. I mean, how hard can it be, right? It’s only a potato pancake…
See full Recipe...Pea and Smoked Ham Soup
It’s the time of year when all we seem to do is eat. There are year end work functions, Christmas parties, family gatherings and seeing good friends one last time before everybody scatters across the globe on vacation. So much great food is consumed and very often there are tons of left-overs that sits in the fridge. Here is a simple recipe to rework your smoked ham into an incredibly tasty soup that can be frozen for some other lazy evening, or eaten as a starter at your next dinner party.
See full Recipe...Charred Trout with Rosemary Potatoes and a Roasted Cherry Tomato, Crispy Red Onion and Rocket Salad
Being from South Africa I have been raised on BBQ’d meat, fish and vegetables. That charred flavor remind me of Sunday lunches, holidays by the beach and camping trips with my family.
Later in life I learned that roasting (or caramelizing as they say in restaurants) is equally important when adding flavor to a dish. It’s when the sugars start to ‘burn’ that beautiful flavor is born and that all meals can be turned into spectacularly delicious creations when you learn the art of caramelizing.
Chicken, Broccoli and Toasted Sesame Soup
Soup is probably the easiest thing to make for those lazy evenings. The best thing about it is that it can be done in advance, in bulk, and frozen. This one is the most popular in our house, but you can adjust the recipe to suit your taste, and you can use whatever leftovers you have in the fridge.
We eat soup all year round, not just in the winter months, and it’s great for lunch, dinner or as a starter when you have a dinner party.
Spinach and Basil Frittata
It’s weekend and you have friends coming over for brunch. It’s been a crazy week and you think: Why can we not just go out for something to eat?!
Here is a recipe that takes minutes, is very delicious and can be customized to whatever you have in the fridge. It works beautifully with left-overs too and you can easily make it kiddie friendly.
Spicy Chorizo and Vegetable Stuffed Peppers
You know when your body is craving a very specific taste sensation but you can’t quite put your finger on it? That was me today. I had a smoothy. Nope. Then eggs on toast. Not that either. I nibbled on some toasted nuts. Urgh!
Then it hit me around 5pm: I would feel like a punch in the face by a fist full of spices dipped in lemon juice. And so I came up with this little gem. The great thing about this dish is that can be done way in advance, which makes it perfect for a large dinner party so that you can spend the evening with your guests. Yay!!!
See full Recipe...White fish and vegetable noodles in a Chardonnay sauce
After a week on holiday and constantly eating out we felt like something homemade, clean and uncomplicated for dinner tonight. That, of course, doesn’t mean it has to be boring, or lacking flavor.
There are always ways to make a dish come to life however healthy and simple it may be.
And, after an incredibly busy first day back I certainly didn’t want to be cooking for too long. Pasta and noodles are my go-to options after a long day and can be done in minutes.
However: if you feel like zushing the whole thing up, by all means incorporate whatever it is you feel like. Green beans, salmon, capers, dill, lime juice or even something spicy like cayenne pepper or chili. Whatever you and your family feel like.
Venison and mushroom Bolognese with zesty lime gnocci
The secret to a fabulous Bolognese is time. And lots of it. But these days who has time to hover around a stewing pot for 6 hours, right? Kids, partners, work, family, all wanting a little piece of you.
This recipe saves you time without compromising on flavor. Let’s call it a cheeky cheat (in the most positive sense), shall we?
Seared Tuna Salad
A friend of mine once told me that putting a raw carrot in the earth will make it grow, but steaming it for 30 seconds will not. Now I’m not sure how accurate this is since I haven’t tried it, but the point was that even a short cooking time removes the ‘life’ from it. This stuck with me. Eating raw produce is the single best thing you can possibly do for your body.
Now don’t get me wrong. I love all food both cooked and raw. There’s nothing quite like slow roasted lamb shoulder with mashed potatoes and wilted spinach and your body really does need both, but it is essential to incorporate fresh, crunchy veggies regularly. The benefits are countless.
But what about flavor? How do we make these meals equally yummy?
There are many ways. Dressings, toasted nuts and seeds, flavored olive oils, fresh herbs and berries. That’s how.
Seared Teriyaki Tuna, Green Beans & Tomato
Asian flavors are sometimes tricky to get right, but with a few basic staple ingredients in your cupboard you too can create an astonishing dish.
Toasted sesame, soy sauce and coriander are three of my favorites and can easily be combined with ingredients from other parts the world. Don’t be afraid to experiment.