An Angel of A Fish

I have finally taken the plunge and decided to cook with fresh fish, well as fresh as it can be from a supermarket! (I was recently told that even fish sold as fresh can be frozen and then just defrosted.)

For Dre's birthday I surprised him with a trip to Dullstroom, which we will be going on this coming weekend. He just loves to fly fish, but hasn't been as often as he would like to, so I thought it would be the perfect gift. It is nerve wrecking trying to decide on a place to get away from it all, don't you think? The questions constantly play in your head: Do the rooms match expectations? Is there a nice ambiance? Are the owners friendly? How good is the food, really? Is the setting memorable? And no matter how many comments from ex guests you Google, there is still that flutter of uneasiness - especially when it's a surprise for the one you love. 

One of the last times Dre went fly fishing, he was so eager to catch his fish that his foot slipped and instead of catching his fish he landed up with the fishies instead... It was rather amusing, although he didn't think so. Hopefully this time he will catch a few trout and not just a cold :) Maybe I'll even have the guts to cook one.... time will tell :)

When I spotted angel fish at Woolies, I was eager to try it - at first I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but the cogs in my brain started working when I saw the cutest little brinjals and decided to pair them with baby potatoes.

Baby veggies not only look cute, they also taste so much sweeter.

Marinated Angel Fish with Roasted Baby Veggies:

(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

1 Whole Angel Fish Fillet

1 - 2 Onions, Cut into Chunks

6 - 8 Baby Potatoes, Cut in Half

1 Punnet Baby Brinjal, Cut in Half or Quarters (Depending on Size)

1 - 2 Teaspoons Dried Chilli

Zest of 1 Lemon

Juice of 1 Lemon

Handful Fresh Oreganum
Olive Oil

Herbal Salt

Paprika

Tin Foil

Directions:

Heat oven to 180 degrees

Marinade fish in chilli, lemon zest, olive oil, herbal salt and fresh oreganum - set aside until needed

Place veggies in an oven dish covered in tin foil

Season with paprika, herbal salt, fresh oreganum and drizzle with olive oil and add a squeeze of lemon juice

Roast in the oven for about 20 - 30 minutes or until tender, but slightly charred

Bake the fish in the same tin foil, for the flavour, for about 8 - 10 minutes depending on the thickness (be careful not to overcook, keep checking it)

Squeeze some lemon juice over the fish just before serving

There is one place that I do not have any worries about visiting and that is Laird's Lodge in Plett. It always surpasses my expectations - from the super efficient, friendly staff, to the gorgeous luxury suites and the mouth-watering food. I am so thrilled to be doing a workshop there on the 10th December - I get to give guests tips on cooking with allergies as well as providing fresh ideas with Chef Tjaart Walraven. To find out more on this special, the rates have been lowered significantly over December!Click this link. It is not just for allergy sufferers; this offer is for everyone and is not to be missed!

The new Cinnamon Sue Competition is in full swing for November. This one is for the kiddies - a cute cutlery set is up for grabs. To find out more click here.

Calamari Rings Fit for a King

This salad is a bit unusual - you would probably think the ingredients shouldn't go together, but oh they do!

Sichuan pepper, is not related to black pepper or chilli peppers - it takes its name from the Sichuan region of China and is the outer pod of a tiny fruit. It is known in Chinese as "flower pepper", but it is not hot or pungent like black or white pepper or chilli peppers, instead, it has slight lemony overtones and creates and tingly numbness in the mouth.

~Wikipedia~

Calamari Salad with Warm Pear and Sichuan Pepper:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

100 - 150g Calamari Rings (I bought mine frozen from Pick 'n Pay)
2/4 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 Cup Sparkling Water
1 - 2 Tsp Cumin
2 - 3 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Pear, Sliced (with skin on) for Frying
1 Pear, Sliced and Kept Raw
1 - 2 Tsp Sichuan Pepper
Canola Oil for Frying
Salad Leaves such as Rocket and Corn Salad/ Lamb's Lettuce
Half Punnet Baby Tomatoes, Halved
Handful Chives, Snipped
Handful Almond Slivers
Sliced Avo (Optional)
Parmesan Infused Olive Oil (such as Willowcreek) or any other oil of your choice - Light Sesame or Grape would work well
A Squeeze Lemon Juice
Herbal Salt to Taste

Directions:

Make a batter using the tapioca flour, sparkling water, cumin and sea salt (you may add Sichuan Pepper to the batter) The batter should not be too runny
Heat the canola oil
Dip the defrosted calamari rings into the batter and when the oil has reached boiling point, gently drop the rings into it, a few at a time - be careful as the oil splatters
Fry the rings for about 20 to 30 seconds - until the batter has become golden
Take out and lay onto paper toweling
Set the calamari rings aside
Drizzle some parmesan olive oil or any other oil of your choice into a pan
Sprinkle some Sichuan pepper over the pear slices and fry them in the oil for a few seconds on each side, until they have browned, but are still crunchy
Assemble the salad by layering the salad leaves, cooked pear and cook pear, chives, tomatoes, avo and almonds
Dress with a little lemon juice and herbal salt if you like
Dip the calamari rings in the batter again and quickly fry in the canola oil for a few seconds so that the batter becomes extra crispy
Top the salad with the crispy calamari rings

Remember to enter the October Cinnamon Sue Competition. Entries Close on 31 October 2010. Good luck :)

Sunshine Salad

With this super amazingly hot weather, my body has given me strict orders to eat salad, salad and more salad. Over the next few days, I will be sharing these salads with you.

The first salad makes use of broccoli. The word broccoli comes from the Italian plural of broccolo, which refers to the flowering top of a cabbage.

Broccoli is high in vitamins C, K and A as well as dietary fiber and also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer and has also shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease.

~Wikipedia~

Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds:
(Serves 1 as a main and 2 as a side)

Ingredients:

1 Head of Broccoli, Florets removed
Handful Sunflower Seeds
Handful Fresh Mint, Roughly Torn
Handful Dill, Roughly Torn
5 - 6 Radishes, Sliced
Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Cook the broccoli florets in boiling salted water for a few minutes
Refresh in ice cold water, to retain their colour
Make the dressing with the olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper
Tumble the broccoli into a bowl and sprinkle over the sunflower seeds, mint, dill and radish
Toss in the dressing

This salad would be scrumptious with a simply cooked piece of fish or chicken or could even work as a braai side.

Remember to enter the October Cinnamon Sue Competition. Entries close on 31 October 2010. Good luck :)

Asparagus Challenged

Inspiration's challenge for this week was to create a dish using asparagus.

Last week, I met Rob from Harrewyn Organics and he introduced me to King Soba noodles. I have seen them in Dischem before, but the price always put me off buying them - about R50 for 250g, which is much more than I would pay for noodles - but Rob convinced me to try them and I am so glad I did - they are definitely worth every cent! These noodles are wheat and gluten free and produced in a dedicated wheat free facility.

The noodles cook in about 3 - 5 minutes for al dente, which is awesome if you are rushed for time, but would still like a substantial meal.

Most gluten free noodles seem to break up once cooked and have a grainy texture, but these noodles have a nice bite and retain their shape. The wonderful thing is that the noodles come in many different flavours, which helps to keep meals exciting.

For this recipe I used the black rice noodles, "these unusual noodles are made with black rice, which turns deep purple on cooking. Also known as 'forbidden rice' it has a sticky texture and nutty flavour. Black rice is particularly nutritious containing five times more protein and minerals than ordinary white rice and are rich in iron, calcium, zinc, manganese, selenium and B vitamins."

Click here to find a stockist closest to you.

Creamy Chicken and Asparagus with Black Noodles:
(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

1 Onion, Sliced
1Tin Coconut Milk
1 - 2 tsp Paprika
Sprinkle Chilli Flakes
A Few Sprigs Dill
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 - 3 Chicken Breasts, Sliced
100 - 150g Fresh Asparagus Spears, Chopped in Half or Threes
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Herbal Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil for Frying
1 - 2 Bundles King Soba Black Rice Noodles

Directions:

Fry onion until golden
Add coconut milk, paprika, chilli flakes, dill and lemon zest and bring to a gentle boil
Add chicken and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 mins
Add in the asparagus
Cook the noodles in boiling, salted water for 3 - 5 minutes, until al dente
Drain and set aside
Just before serving, add the lemon juice to the sauce
Season with herbal salt and black pepper
Serve over the black rice noodles

Organic Veggie Box Series - Part 4

I was getting a bit worried about posting this recipe because it is more of an autumn/winter dish and we have been having scorching weather - but the rain has finally started - hip hip hooray! (You can all stop doing your rain dances - Murphy's law it might never stop raining... hee hee)

So this recipe sort of works for now :) As I said before I made this 3 weeks ago... and it was a brilliant way to use up some left over organic veggies - would be perfect for kiddies too - as they won't really even taste the veggies :) Dre seemed to like it a lot and he's a big kid (I also have to hide the veggies for him) - ha ha :)

Beef and Vegetable Lasagne:
(Serves 4 - 6)

Ingredients:

Mince:
500g Extra Lean Beef Mince
1 Onion, Diced
2 Carrots, Grated
1 Green Pepper, Diced
Bunch of Thyme
1 Tin of Tomatoes
2 tsp Tomato Paste
2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Fructose
Herbal Salt and Pepper to Taste

White Sauce:
1/4 Cup Maizena
1 Tsp Macadamia Nut Oil/ Olive Oil
2 Cups Rice Milk (You can use the powdered one and mix it up with water or use ready-made)
Sea Salt and Pepper

Layers:
6 - 8 Oregran Lasagne Sheets
2 Small Potatoes Sliced
Spinach Leaves
4 - 5 Sliced Baby Marrows

Directions:

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Fry onion until translucent
Add mince and spices and fry for a few mins
Add carrots, green pepper and thyme and keep frying
Add tinned tomatoes, tomato paste and fructose and bring to the boil
Season with herbal salt and pepper
Simmer for about 15 mins
For the white sauce mix the maizena and the oil together in a pot and cook out a little on a low heat
Slowly add the milk, adding more once the previous amount has been absorbed
Stir hard and fast as maizena gets lumpy very quickly
This should take about 10 - 15 mins
Season with salt and pepper
In an oven proof dish, place a small amount of the mince on the bottom and then layer the lasagne sheets (this is to stop the lasagne from sticking to the dish)
Add a layer of mince and a layer of white sauce on top
Add a layer of potatoes and a layer of spinach
Add another layer of mince and another of white sauce
Add a layer of baby marrow and the last layer of mince and a last layer of white sauce
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes on 180 and on 200 for the last 10 minutes to get the top delicious and bubbling and golden - yum!

Organic Veggie Box Series - Part 3

Wow, the chicken in this recipe still amazes me - the flavour was insane! I guess I was just super lucky with the flavour combination and plus chicken thighs have way more flavour than chicken breasts!

Chicken Thighs Stuffed with Leeks and Cashew Nuts:
(Serves 2 - 4)

Ingredients:

4 - 6 Deboned Chicken Thighs
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Leeks
1/2 Cup Cashew Nuts
Basil Leaves
1/8 Tsp Dried Mint
Light Sesame Oil (I buy mine from Dischem)
Herbal Salt and Pepper
Tin Foil

Directions:

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Fry leeks in sesame oil
Add to blender with cashew nuts
Drizzle sesame oil over, add a few torn basil leaves, herbal salt and pepper and dried mint
Whizz together until a paste has formed
Stuff deboned thighs with the mixture and top with a basil leaf
For each chicken thigh, drizzle a piece of tin foil with sesame oil and herbal salt
Lay thigh on top of tin foil and fold over onto itself to close in the stuffing
Wrap up the tin foil parcels
Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes
I served mine with sweet potato mash (seasoned with cinnamon and herbal salt) and broccoli flavoured with a little almond essence - beautiful!

Apologies for the poor photo quality - I was very eager to eat this! :)

Organic Veggie Box Series - Part 2

I enjoyed getting creative with spinach in this recipe. The flavours worked really well. I know haddock is an acquired taste, but for some reason, I just love it - I think it is another food that takes me back to childhood - we used to have fish pie often and maybe it helps me feel like a kid again - hee hee :)

Haddock and Spinach Pasta:
(Serves 1 - 2)

Ingredients:

3 Haddock Fillets
1 Onion, Diced
2 Cups Finely Chopped Spinach
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Sweet Peppers (Red, Yellow or Orange)
1 Cup Rice Milk
1 Tbs Corn Starch
1 tsp Cinnamon
Salt and Pepper
Grapeseed Oil
6 - 8 Gluten Free Lasagne Sheets

Directions:

Fry onion in grapeseed oil until translucent
Add one cup spinach and fry for a few minutes
Add corn starch and stir
Add rice milk a little at a time until a thickish sauce has been created
Add the cinnamon, salt and pepper
Add the sweet peppers and the rest of the spinach and stir into the sauce
Add in the haddock fillets and break them up gently with the wooden spoon 
Simmer for about 10 minutes
While the sauce is simmering, put the lasagne sheets onto boil and cook until al dente
Once the pasta is cooked and drained, spoon the haddock mixture over and enjoy

Organic Veggie Box Series - Part 1

About 3 weeks ago, I promised to share the recipes I created from my organic box of veggies. I don't know where the time went - it definitely got the better of me and I am already onto another box of veggies and some more recipes...

Without further ado - here is the first recipe in the "Organic Veggie Box Series".

Beetroot Risotto:
(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

4 - 5 Beetroot, Quartered
Juice of 1 Orange
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Cumin
Herbal Salt and Pepper to Taste
1 tsp Fructose
2 Cups Water
1 Large Leek, Sliced
1 Cup Risotto Rice
Olive Oil for Frying

Directions:

Combine beetroot, orange juice, cinnamon stick, cumin, herbal salt and pepper, fructose and water into a pot and put onto boil - this is your stock
Strain liquid once beetroot is tender - cook for about 10 minutes - you should have at least 3 cups of stock
Reserve the beetroot for later
Fry the leek in olive oil until tender
Add the rice and fry for a further few minutes
Ladle one spoon of beetroot liquid at a time into the rice until it has been absorbed - stirring continuously
Continue until all the liquid has been absorbed
Chop up about 2 cooked beetroots and add to the pot
Your risotto should be ready after 20 minutes
Serve with beetroot crisps and rocket

To make the beetroot crisps - thinly slice a beetroot, brush each slice with olive oil, chilli flakes, herbal salt, a little ground cinnamon and bake in the oven until crispy

With any leftover cooked beetroot - make a simple beetroot salad. Combine beetroot with a few spring onions, lemon, olive oil, herbs of your choice such as mint or basil, salt and pepper

I just love the colour on this - don't you? What a statement! I think this would go wonderfully with a tender chicken breast, calamari tubes or a simple piece of fish. It was wonderful on its own though - a perfect summer dish, eaten in the garden - heaven!

The Humble Hamburger

A patty can make or break a burger. It cannot be rubbery or tasteless. It must be moist and somewhat juicy, but still firm. The flavours must compliment the garnish and yet be strong enough to stand out. There is a lot to consider and a lot more to a hamburger than cooking a few store bought patties or buying a burger from your local Steers. Making a burger is an art - there should have been a painting dedicated to this humble handheld meaty morsel or at least an ode, or sonnet or song.

Early memories of homemade hamburgers have been cemented in my mind. Friday nights were always take away nights, but we preferred homemade patties - there was something grossly therapeutic about squishing minced beef between the fingers, adding onions, egg and bread crumbs and playing patty cake until a gorgeous round shape was formed - frying this in a little oil and stacking a roll as high as possible with lettuce, tomato, cheese, gherkins and tomato sauce and somehow maneuvering this monstrosity into the mouth, usually by unlocking the jaw. Dribbles of tomato sauce juices down the chin were the only tell-tale sign of a well enjoyed dinner.

No more cheese, or gherkins or tomato sauce for me. But now, new memories need to be created.

On Friday night, we felt like homemade hamburgers - which rocketed me straight back to childhood. It felt a little like paint by numbers as I recalled the steps from memory - although with tweaks to suit my new lifestyle.

Homemade Hamburger Patties:
(Makes +/- 6 Depending on Size)

Ingredients:

500g Lean Beef Mince
1.5 Onions, Finely Diced
A Handful of Fresh Thyme Leaves
A Teaspoon Chilli Flakes
Herbal Salt and Pepper
A Little Olive Oil for Frying

Step 1: Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Step 2: Fry onions until golden
Step 3: Add onions to mince along with thyme, chilli, herbal salt and pepper
Step 4: Squish between your fingers to mix well
Step 5: Shape mince into patties
Step 6: Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes on each side
Step 7: Turn the grill on and grill for about 5 minutes on each side until charred

Serve on a gluten free roll or bread with rocket, avo, tomato and a drizzle of basil oil and homemade chips with lots of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice

The bread in the picture is Mrs Bread Care's rice bread. It is delicious and tastes like ordinary bread! It is made from sourdough and is yeast fresh, dairy free, gluten free and egg free. You can find her at the Bryanston Organic Market and her products are also at Fruits and Roots and Fresh Earth.

Beef Stew with Marrow Bones

Lately I have been loving oven roasted tomatoes - they are so versatile: On pizza as a fabulous base sauce or even as an added topping to add that extra bit of zing (oven dried baby tomatoes are perfect for this and are equally as divine as an addition to savoury muffins) or even as a base for a stew, which is what I did in this beef stew recipe.

I learnt an amazing fact about tomatoes this week. Tomatoes by nature are actually alkaline - it is heating them that makes them acidic. If you are prone to heart burn, cooked tomatoes could be the source of it. Raw or sun dried tomatoes would therefore be more beneficial to you.

I am not a fan of fat, so even though I used beef shin in this recipe, I removed all the fat, chopped up the meat and used the shin bones, devoid of fat, but with the marrow still in - I am not too sure if I defeated the whole purpose of beef shin, but it still tasted very flavourful - so I am going to say, no I didn't :)

Beef Stew with Marrow Bones:

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 Onion, Diced
1 Packet Beef Shin, Approximately 500g, cut into bite size pieces and fat removed (Saving the marrow bones, I used 4 bones)
4 Tomatoes, Cut in Half
1 - 2 Teaspoons Oregano
2 - 3 Teaspoons Fructose
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil
1 - 2 Teaspoons Paprika

1 - 2 Teaspoons Za'tar Spice

2 - 3 Carrots, Chopped into Chunky Pieces

2 - 3 Celery Stalks, Chopped into Chunky Pieces

Water

A Few Bay Leaves
1 Potato, Chopped into Small Pieces (I left the skin on)
Half a Red Pepper, Chopped into Chunky Pieces
4 - 5 Baby Marrow, Chopped into Chunky Pieces
Fresh Mint and Basmati Rice for Serving

Directions:

Heat oven to 180 Degrees Celsius
Sprinkle oregano, fructose, and salt and pepper to taste over the tomato halves and drizzle with olive oil
Roast in the oven while you are preparing everything else
Fry onion until tender in a little olive oil with a sprinkle of salt
Add the beef shin meat and bones and fry on high until the meat browns
Add the paprika and Za'tar spice and fry for a few minutes

Add the carrots and celery and fry for a further few minutes, stirring all the time to prevent burning

Add just enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot
Add a few bay leaves and salt and pepper to taste
Add the potato
Simmer for about half an hour to 45 minutes
Half way through cooking add the red pepper and baby marrow
About 10 minutes before the end, add the roasted tomatoes
I added half a teaspoon more fructose at this stage
Taste for seasoning
Before serving sprinkle over some fresh mint and serve with basmati rice or any other rice of your choice

Please don't forget to nominate me for the SA Blog Awards, if you like this blog :) Thanks and have a super weekend xxx

A Little Piece of Thailand, My Way!

As I hope you know by now - I LOVE Thai food! So, when I saw Nina from My Easy Cooking's Event - I was more than ecstatic - I get to cook and eat my favourite food and also stand the chance to win some amazing prizes - how cool is that? Very cool, I'd say!

If you also love Thai food and the chance to win prizes - why not make your very own Thai inspired meal and enter Nina's competition - you still have a few days left - it ends on Saturday the 31st July?

The cornerstone of any successful Thai dish is the combination and balance of flavours - sweet, salty, sour spicy and sometimes bitter. Keeping this in mind I designed my three course meal to focus on this flavour combination.

The first dish in my Thai Inspired Menu is:

Chicken and Coconut Broth: Very Similar to Tom Kha Gai
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 Tin of Coconut Milk (400mls)
400mls Water
A Few Kaffir Lime Leaves
A Teaspoon Chilli Flakes or a Diced Red Chilli - Seeds Removed (Adjust the measurements if you prefer it less spicy)
1 Knob of Ginger, Finely Chopped
Lemon Grass (I used 2 x 5cm Sized Freeze Dried Pieces)
3 - 4 Teaspoons Fish Sauce
Juice of Half a Lime
A Squeeze of Soya Sauce, Gluten Free (Optional)
2 - 3 Teaspoons Palm Sugar or Fructose
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2 Chicken Breasts, Chopped into Small Pieces
1 *Punnet Sugar Snap Peas
1 *Green Pepper, Sliced

*Can be left out or replaced with veggies of your choice such as baby corn or mushrooms (contain yeast)

Directions:

Make the broth by adding the coconut milk, water, lime leaves, chilli, ginger, lemon grass, fish sauce, lime juice, soya sauce and palm sugar to the boil
Allow all flavours to infuse, by simmering for about 10 - 20 minutes
Taste the broth and adjust flavours if needed - making sure you have a balance of sweet, salty, sour and spicy
Add the chicken pieces, sugar snap peas and green pepper and cook until chicken is translucent and cooked through
Taste again
Season with salt and pepper if desired
Serve in bowls
* Can also be served as a main course with jasmine rice or rice noodles

 For the main I once again wanted intense flavours, but the idea of mint appealed to me as in my mind this would add an extra freshness and counter balance the heat from the chilli. The amazing thing about Thai cuisine is that it is influenced by other countries such as China, Cambodia and Malaysia, which sees the utilisation of other ingredients such as soya sauce, turmeric and tamarind.

Spicy Beef with Mint and Thai Basil:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 Teaspoons Tamarind Paste
Juice of Half a Lime
Squeeze of Soya Sauce (Gluten Free)
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
3 - 4 Teaspoons Palm Sugar or Fructose
1 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes or a Diced Red Chilli - Seeds Removed (Can Adjust the Measurements)
1 Knob Ginger, Grated
2 Teaspoons Fish Sauce
Sesame Oil (I used an unsmoked one from Dischem) - for marinating and frying
1/2kg Beef Strips or Beef Shin Cut into Strips
1 Onion Finely Sliced
1 Red Pepper, Sliced
1 Packet Baby Stem Broccoli
2 Handfuls Fresh Mint
2 Handfuls Fresh Thai Basil (or Normal Basil)
1 Handful Mung Bean Sprouts
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Jasmine Rice for Serving

Directions:

Marinade beef in tamarind paste, lime juice, soya sauce, turmeric, palm sugar, chilli, ginger, fish sauce and a glug of sesame oil for a minimum of 20 minutes (1 - 2 hours would be better)
Heat wok or frying pan
Fry onion in a drop of sesame oil until golden
Slowly add the beef, browning each piece as you go - you may need to add more oil
If you prefer a more saucy consistency - add a drop of water at this stage
Add a handful of mint and basil and mix through
Taste - you should have an equal balance of sweet, salty, sour, spicy and bitter - if not, adjust the flavours
Quickly add the red pepper and broccoli and cook through
Toss the mung bean sprouts through the beef mixture
Add salt and pepper if desired
Should be cooked in about 10 minutes
Serve with jasmine rice with an extra sprinkling of mint and basil

The perfect Thai meal needs the perfect dessert and seeing as though for the past week I have been experimenting with coconut and chocolate - I decided that I'd make a pudding using these two main ingredients. In fact, I am so impressed with how versatile these ingredients are - I have made a rice pudding, ice cream and now a chocolate pudding. Don't you just love it?

Chocolate Pudding with Ginger, Lime and Coconut:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 Tin Coconut Milk
1 Slab *Albany Smooth Dark Chocolate, Broken into Pieces
1 Teaspoon Good Quality Cocoa (I used Nomu Cocoa)
1/2 Cup Palm Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup Desiccated Coconut
Squeeze of Lime
A Knob of Ginger, Grated

*If you are highly allergic to dairy, you may want to avoid this chocolate because although dairy is not included in the ingredients, it is made in a factory that uses dairy

Directions:

Place coconut milk and chocolate into a pot on the stove and stir until chocolate has melted
Add the rest of the ingredients beating well until a smooth consistency has been reached
Boil the mixture so that all flavours infuse - but make sure not to burn
Cook until the mixture thickens - for about 10 - 15 minutes
Remove from stove and allow to cool
Serve in fancy glasses with a grating of ginger

*Can also be turned into ice cream by putting into the freezer for a minimum of 2 hours

And there you have it - an overdose of ginger, lime, chilli and coconut to boost your immune system for the sunny days ahead (cross fingers)

Inspiration from Inspiration

Last week I had one of those weeks where I struggled for inspiration on what to cook for dinner - it was one of the most helpless feelings I have experienced - how could I not come up with any inspiration when I live to cook? Wow, was I annoyed with myself!

Anyway, I remembered that Inspiration on Food24 had come up with a Cajun Spice Challenge (I am a bit late, but oh well - better late than never:))

Being as uninspired as I was, it was a huge effort to come up with a dish to use the cajun spice with and I eventually settled on a pasta dish with roasted veggies - very simple, very quick, but packed full of flavour.

Cajun Spiced Roast Veggie Pasta:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

Cajun Spice:

1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes or Chilli Powder
1 Teaspoon Paprika
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin

* Other options include Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, and Dried Thyme
* Please adjust the measurements to your taste - if you don't like it very spicy use less chilli, etc and feel free to experiment with different flavours

Other Ingredients:

A Selection of Roasting Vegetables (I bought a packet of Roasting Veggies from Woolies, which contained butternut, peppers, onions)
Olive Oil
Extra Cinnamon
Fructose
Lemon
Basil Infused Olive Oil (Optional)
Gluten Free Pasta of Your Choice - For Two

Directions:

Heat oven to 200 degrees Celsius
Create the cajun spice by combining all the ingredients together
Toss the veggies is a little olive oil and cover with as much of the cajun spice mix as you wish (make sure that each piece of veggie is covered in oil so that is doesn't burn and cooks through nicely)
Roast in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes
10 minutes towards the end of cooking I poured over a mixture of a squeeze of lemon juice, a teaspoon of fructose, teaspoon of cinnamon and a drop of water - not too much through - my thinking behind this was to add another dimension of flavour
You can turn the grill on towards the end of roasting to give the veggies crispy edges
Once the veggies are done - if desired squeeze over some more lemon juice and a drizzle of basil infused olive oil
Toss through the pasta (reserving some of the pasta liquid to make a bit of a sauce)

Death by Chocolate Part 2

Some of the best inventions are born from accidents and such is the case with my next recipe. You see, I was trying to make fudge, which went awry. Instead, what I created was a rather delicious ice cream. I have no regrets - I will tackle the fudge another day :)

Accidental Chocolate Ice Cream:
Serves 2 (increase quantities to cater for more people)

*This recipe is not recommended for people who are highly allergic to dairy - the chocolate I use does not list dairy as one of the ingredients, but is produced in a factory that uses dairy

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut Milk
*Half Slab Albany Smooth Dark Chocolate
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar/ Fructose/ Xylitol
1 Teaspoon Good Quality Cocoa (Dairy Free)

Optional Extra: Pecan Nuts/ Walnuts

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a pot on the stove
Slowly heat, while stirring, until the chocolate has melted
Bring mixture to a gentle boil for about 20 minutes
Add the crushed nuts (if using) and stir to combine
Transfer to a freezer container
Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours

Death by Chocolate

What is it about chocolate that has most women on the planet in awe of its perfection?

Is it the smooth, silky texture; the creamy sweetness; or the rich dark "cocoay" taste? Or something completely different... maybe the way it makes us feel - the sinfulness of being curled up on the couch with a soppy romcom on the tv and a slab of rich dark gold next to us - the thought of knowing that it's going to go straight to the hips, but just not caring because it tastes so damn good? Or just for an hour or two being able to forget all of our troubles and savour the feeling of the rich dark sweetness melting in the mouth - so enjoyable it makes the toes curl?! Yes, it's good to be a woman sometimes! :)

If I could package the feeling that chocolate gives us - I'm sure I'd be a millionaire!

This week I have been trying to recreate that feeling - being a bit "Heston Blumenthal" even :)
My first sinful offering is a

Decadent Chocolate Rice Pudding:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 Cup Coconut Milk
3 Teaspoons Good Quality Cocoa (Dairy Free)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Brown Sugar or Fructose or Xylitol (Add more or less to your own taste)
3 - 4 Blocks Nestle Albany Smooth Dark Chocolate*
1 Cup Cooked Rice

* Not if you are highly allergic to dairy (Dairy is not included in the ingredients, but the chocolate itself is made in a factory that uses dairy)

Directions:

Combine coconut milk, cocoa, vanilla extract and sugar in a pot on the stove - beat out the cocoa lumps and allow mixture to bubble
Add the chocolate (if using)
Add the rice, stir to combine and allow to bubble further for a few more minutes
Taste - add more sugar if you prefer more sweetness or more cocoa if you want a richer chocolaty flavour

Cook's Note 1: A nice idea is to transfer the rice pudding to an oven proof dish and sprinkle over some brown sugar. Grill in the oven until a crust has formed from the sugar
Cook's Note 2: For extra indulgence - make a sauce from a bit more of the chocolate or cocoa and sugar with some soya/rice or coconut milk - add a touch of brandy or orange liqueur if desired and then pour the sauce over the rice pudding just before serving
Cook's Note 3: Can also be served with soya cream

My World of Gnocchi is Expanding...

The world of gnocchi is an interesting place to visit - with skies of potatoes, dotted with clouds of pumpkin and beetroot; roads paved with pepper corns, cinnamon and paprika and flowing rivers of lemon infused olive oil.

This is my world of gnocchi. My first attempt at gluten free potato gnocchi inspired me to push even further and make pumpkin gnocchi.

This did prove to be a bit more difficult than the potato gnocchi. As with the potato gnocchi, I boiled the pumpkin, but this made it rather moist - so I would suggest steaming or even baking the pumpkin covered in tin foil.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Gnocchi:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

1 Packet Diced Pumpkin or Butternut
2 - 3 Cups Maizena
Ground Cinnamon
Paprika
Salt

Directions:

Boil, steam or bake the pumpkin
When cooked allow to stand until cool
If boiling try and remove as much moisture as possible from the pumpkin
Mash the cooled pumpkin
Add a generous amount of cinnamon, salt and paprika
Slowly start adding the maizena - mixing as you go along (don't over mix though)
Once you are happy with the consistency (mine was wetter than the potato gnocchi)
Shape the mixture into thinnish sausages and briskly cut off about 1cm pieces with a fork

You can press the pieces with the fork for decoration

Boil the gnocchi in salted water

Remove from the water with a slotted spoon when they bob to the surface

Bake in the oven covered with a sauce of your choice for about 15 minutes

I combined the tomato and creamy pesto sauce together before baking in the oven over the gnocchi (see previous post for recipes) and the flavour of the pumpkin came through nicely with a subtle sprinkling of cinnamon. Dre had two helpings, so it got the stamp of approval :)

I wonder what will be next - maybe beetroot gnocchi?

Gluten Free Gnocchi

Last week, Inspiration on Food24, challenged herself by making gnocchi for the first time. She had never eaten them before and therefore was unsure of how they should turn out, but none the less, from what I could see - she was successful :)

I have always wanted to try gnocchi myself, but because they contain gluten - I haven't tried them either! So when I attempted my own gluten free gnocchi I was very much in the dark - probably even more so than Inspiration.

I Googled a lot on what the end result should taste like and the consensus was light and fluffy.

So with much excitement and a little trepidation I set about making my gnocchi. This is quite a time consuming process so give yourself at least two hours or so if you are wanting to attempt this.

Gluten Free Potato Gnocchi:
(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

2 Large Potatoes, Peeled and Diced
1 Cup Maizena
1/2 Teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1.5 Tablespoons Olive Oil (I used Lemon Infused)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Boil potatoes - once cooked, drain the liquid and leave potato cubes to dry and cool
Finely mash cooled potatoes
Add the xanthan gum to the maizena
Slowly add the maizena to the mashed potatoes, kneading as you go
Add the olive oil a little at a time (you may not need the whole amount) and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper
You are looking for a dough like consistency - it mustn't be sticky
Once the correct consistency has been reached - roll the dough into thinnish sausages and briskly cut off about 1cm pieces with a fork
You can press the pieces with the fork for decoration
Boil the gnocchi in salted water
Remove from the water with a slotted spoon when they bob to the surface

I tried the gnocchi straight from the boiling water with a simple tomato sauce, but they still tasted raw to me (bearing in mind that I had no idea what the texture should be like - only what I had found on Google - that it should be light and fluffy)

I froze the rest of the gnocchi and on Saturday night was keen to try it again.

I made a lovely creamy pesto, which I baked the gnocchi in, after defrosting slightly. And oh my word I was in heaven when I tasted the gnocchi this time - yup, light and fluffy :)

Therefore, after boiling it is best to bake them with a sauce for about 15 minutes. (Add an extra 5 minutes if baking from frozen)

Simple Tomato Sauce:
(Serves 2)

3 Tomatoes, Cut in Half
A Few Sprigs Thyme
Paprika
Herbal Salt
Pepper
Xylitol

Directions:

Roast tomatoes with a sprinkle of paprika, herbal salt and xylitol
When cooked, remove skins and transfer to a pot on the stove
Add thyme and check seasoning
Allow sauce to reduce and for thyme to infuse - remove the thyme
Pour over gnocchi and bake in oven for about 15 - 20 minutes

Creamy Pesto:

Ingredients:

Bunch Rocket*
Bunch Flat Leaf Parsley*
1 Salad Onions, Chopped
Squeeze of Lemon Juice (Optional)
Handful of Pine Nuts
Herbal Salt
Cracked Black Pepper
Basil Infused Olive Oil (Or plain Olive Oil)
Cinnamon (Optional)
Paprika
1 - 1.5 Cups Soya/ Rice Milk
1/2 - 1 Cup Maizena/ Gluten Free Cake Flour

*You can make a simple basil pesto by replacing the rocket and parsley with basil

Directions:

Blend the rocket, parsley, salad onions, lemon juice, pine nuts, olive oil, herbal salt and pepper until you have reached a pesto consistency. Taste and add extra seasoning if needed
Place the flour or maizena in a pot on the stove and slowly add the milk, stirring continuously
The sauce will thicken when the flour cooks in the milk - it should take about 10 - 15 minutes
Add the pesto to the white sauce and stir through
I added about a teaspoon of cinnamon and some paprika for extra flavour

Pour over the gnocchi and bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes