Sweet and Sour Pork

Out of nowhere, I suddenly had a craving for sweet and sour. I can't order this in a Chinese restaurant because it is packed full of delicious tasting, but very naughty yeast - but I do love it to bits!

And then just as suddenly, I realised that I had never attempted to make my own sweet and sour dish before - now I was super excited. I also didn't want to use chicken - I am all chickened out at the moment! So, I decided on pork, not a meat that I cook with regularly, but one that I know goes well with sweet and sour sauce.

This is my version of Sweet and Sour Pork:
(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

400 - 500g Pork Strips
1 Onion, Chopped into Chunks
1 Red Pepper, Chopped into Chunks
180g Fresh Pineapple, Chopped into Chunks
1 - 2 Tomatoes, Diced (Optional)
1/4 Cup Homemade Ketchup
1/2 - 1Tbs Soya Sauce
1Tbs Agave Nectar or Honey
Juice Half Lemon
Juice 1 Small Orange
A Few Sichuan Pepper Corns, Crushed
1tsp Fructose
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 - 2tsp Corn Starch in a Little Water

Directions:

Marinade the pork in the ketchup, soya sauce, agave nectar, lemon juice, orange juice, sichaun pepper, fructose, salt and pepper and corn starch mixture for at least half an hour
Transfer the pork, sans marinade, to a frying pan or wok and cook on high for about 5 minutes until cooked through
Remove from pan
Fry onions for a few minutes and then add the peppers and pineapple and marinade
Cook on high until sauce has thickened
Add the pork back in and stir around
I served mine with buckwheat noodles, but any rice or noodles will work well with this dish



Have a fab evening all xxx

P.S The Cinnamon Sue Competition, to win a gorgeous, yet oh so useful kiddies cutlery set, is entering its last week. Enter today!

Salmon for the Senses

This week I've been having some rather strange sensual experiences and I wondered if any of you had ever experienced the same...

My sister sent me a link to a music video we used to watch quite often when we were younger - she is coming to visit from the UK soon - for a month - I am soooooooooooooo excited! Anyway, I watched the music video and I was instantly reminded of eating Sweet and Sour Chicken from Woolies, while watching the video - in my mind the video tasted like sweet and sour chicken.

And today in a waiting room someone mentioned the words Alliance Francaise and I got the taste of chocolate covered waffles, which took me completely by surprise. While in Matric, we used to go here once a week to brush up on our French language - I hated it because the class was only in French and you had to respond in French too, which simply freaked me out. But, I remember looking forward to the yummy chocolate covered waffles, which they sold here - my reward :)

Has a word or photo or video triggered off taste explosions in your mouth? If so, I'd love to hear about them - hopefully I'm not the only one :)

We leave for Dullstroom tomorrow - yippie - I can't wait!

But before I go - I wanted to leave you with another fishy recipe (just so you won't feel too left out)... A lovely, luscious, creamy salmon and asparagus pasta - with no cream! Of course, you can use cream if you're "allowed". I have to tell you that I am really enjoying soya cream at the moment... It finishes off a dish so nicely, just like real cream :)

"Creamy" Salmon and Asparagus Pasta:
(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

1 Leek, Finely Sliced
2 Salmon Pieces (Fresh or Frozen)
1 Punnet Baby Asparagus, Washed Well to Remove the Grit
Juice of Half a Lemon
1 Tbs Lemon Zest
1/2 Cup Soya Milk
1 tsp Corn Starch, Dissolved in About 1/4 Cup Water
Handful Mustard Microherbs
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes
Drizzle Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Drizzle Parmesan Infused Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1/2 - 1 tsp Fructose
1 - 2 tsp Good Quality Whiskey
Soya Cream to Finish Off the Dish

Serve with Soba Rice Noodles

Directions:

Fry leek until tender on a high heat
Add whiskey and cook off the alcohol for a few minutes, so you are just left with the taste
Turn down the heat and add soya milk and a little of the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce
Add the lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, fructose, paprika and chilli flakes and stir
Add the salmon, asparagus and microherbs (reserving some for garnish - these little herbs are amazing - having a yeast allergy mustard is out, but these mustard herbs impart the same flavour - brilliant!)
Flavour with the oil and allow to simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes until the salmon and asparagus are just cooked
Taste the sauce and adjust flavourings if necessary
Finish off with the soya cream
Serve on soba rice noodles. I have also had this sauce on baby boiled potatoes - delicious!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend! xx

A Salad with an Angel

With the leftover marinated angel fish, from yesterday's post - I made a simple but tasty noodle salad.

I just love the name - Angel Fish - it makes it sound like you're eating something supremely healthy yet as light as a cloud and oh so heavenly. This is a very subtle tasting fish - but quite firm in texture, so it holds its shape very nicely and is lovely to flake. It takes on external flavours very well, which is great because I love my food packed full of flavour!

If you're looking for lunch on the run, this is perfect for you.

Marinated Angel Fish Pasta Salad:
(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

Left Over Angel Fish (marinated in chilli, lemon zest, olive oil, herbal salt and fresh oreganum before cooking)
Handful Rocket, Roughly Torn
Handful Basil, Roughly Torn
Handful Pea Shoots
Handful Baby Tomatoes, Cut in Half
1 - 2 Spring Onions, Sliced
Cooked and Cooled Soba Noodles, Ginger Flavour

Dressing (Optional):

Olive Oil
Lemon Juice
Herbal Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Gently flake the angel fish and layer it with the rest of the ingredients
You can squeeze the tomatoes gently to release some of the juices
Make the salad dressing and drizzle a small amount over (you still want to taste the flavours that the fish was marinated in)

And there you go; a very fresh and summery pasta salad... Dig in!

Have you entered the November Cinnamon Sue Competition yet? It is so easy; we are practically giving away the cutest set of kids cutlery. Go on, take a peek here.

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.

Opening of Pick 'n Pay on Nicol and a Celebratory Dinner

Hi Friend,

I thought I'd just let you know how impressed I am with the newly opened Pick 'n Pay in Hurlingham – the biggest Pick 'n Pay in South Africa!

As you drive in, the store towers over you like a giant, gleaming glass square of architectural design.

The array of fresh flowers that greet you on arrival instantly brightens your mood - the variety of which will not be out of place at the most successful flower show!

The bakery is the first section of foodie heaven with its scrumptious cupcakes and other baked sweet treats that will make you salivate throughout your visit. The selection of freshly baked breads will have your stomach rumbling - olive and sun dried tomato ciabatta are two tasty examples.

I am lost for words when it comes to the fresh fish section! Crab claws, crayfish, langoustines, prawns, oysters, tuna steaks, several varieties of salmon... in fact, you should be able to find any fish your heart desires.

The meat section is another tempting array of many different kinds of boerewors and marinated kebabs as well as exotics such as rolled pork stuffed with mango and sage, aged to perfection rump steak, kobe beef, venison, ostrich, the list can go on and on.

The jewel of the store no doubt has to be the chilled cheese room with its rows of wax sealed cheese rounds - the tastings are a real treat and you could get lost in thought over what to pair with the many cheeses - South African and imported - from plum preserve to figs in syrup, olive oils infused with garlic or chilli - my mouth is watering at the possibilities.

The wine selection is imposing in its diversity and another walk in chilled room holds many sparkling wine choices.

The fresh produce section is once again astounding. Unusual fruits such as Asian pears are right next to a striking Asian section of every kind of chilli you can think of, podded peas and beans by the dozen and fresh herbs such as mint overflowing in little pots. The mushrooms are impressive in their variety and size and lucky finds such as celeriac are dotted throughout.

Other sections include home-ware and braaiing and it even boasts its own pharmacy and bottle store. The abundantly stocked shelves seem to go on forever, with a smiling, helpful person dedicated to each section.

It is certainly a pleasure to shop here – I am so enthusiastic about it that I am in two minds whether to share my good fortune with the whole of Joburg or keep the treasure to myself. I have decided on the former – happy shopping! :)

Lea xxx

Pictures were taken with my phone - not the best quality!

This post would not be complete without a recipe to celebrate Pick 'n Pay's opening.

Pork Roulade Stuffed with Asian Pear and Lavender:
(Serves 2 - 3)

Ingredients:

2 - 3 Pork Loin Chops
1 Large Asian Pear, Finely Diced
1 Onion, Finely Diced
1 - 2 Tbs Dried Lavender*
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Sauce:
Left Over Asian Pear Stuffing
1tsp Corn Starch in a Few Teaspoons Water for Thickening
Dried Lavender to Taste
Soya Cream
Lemon Juice
Herbal Salt and Pepper
Paprika
1 - 2 Tsp Good Quality Whiskey
A Sprinkle of Fructose to Counterbalance Flavours

Serve with crushed baby potatoes or basmati rice and peas

*The lavender is from my mom's garden

Directions:

Remove bones and trim off excess fat on pork chops (keeping aside any excess pork)
Bash chops using a rolling pin/ mallet until thin
Season with salt and pepper
Fry onion until translucent
Add any finely diced excess pork
Add the finely diced Asian pear and cook on high for a few minutes
Add lavender to taste (this can be quite strong so start off with a small amount)
Season the stuffing
Stuff the pork chops with the Asian pear mixture and roll up - secure with a few tooth picks if desired
Fry on high for a few minutes, until golden brown
Transfer to an oven dish and roast in the oven until cooked through (about 10 - 15 minutes - Make sure they don't dry out)
Slice the rolled up chops into rounds - so that the stuffing is visible

Sauce:
Fry the left over stuffing
Deglaze the pan with a bit of whiskey and allow to cook out
Add some water to the pan and the corn starch to thicken the sauce - stir continuously so as not to form lumps
Season with herbal salt, pepper, paprika and lavender to taste
Add a sprinkle of fructose
Add a squeeze of lemon juice
Finish off with soya cream

As Sweet As... Strawberry Jam!

Yay, another victory for me - strawberry jam! I actually made the jam before I made the ketchup - that's how my ketchup epiphany occurred as I used exactly the same principles. Life is awesome sometimes :)

Last week, I walked into Woolies and there in front of me, glowing like glorious beacons of fantasticness were punnets and punnets of the most gorgeously plump and juicy strawberries. I was in business!
 Snatching up a bulk punnet, and cradling it protectively towards me, I hurried over to the cashier. "Quickly, quickly", I thought, "I wanna make me some jam!"

At home I googled Jamie Oliver's recipe for strawberry jam and set to work, staring at the red beauties in awe as I went.

Strawberries have many benefits for the body - they are high in vitamin C and K, manganese, folic acid, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B5 and B6, copper, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids.

They are also the only berry to have seeds on the outside and one strawberry has as many as 200 seeds! WOW!

Strawberries even have love connotations as some stories suggest that sharing a strawberry with someone may cause you to fall in love with him or her. Now that's what I call an easy love potion. :)

The strawberry plant belongs to the same family of roses, Fragraria, along with apples and plums. Fragraria comes from the Latin word for fragrant. Strawberries can be quite a common allergen and therefore allergies to apples and plums may occur too.

Strawberry Jam:

Ingredients:

400g Strawberries
120mls Fructose
1 Vanilla Pod, Slit in Half

Directions:

Mush up strawberries, keeping a few largish pieces
Combine with the fructose and vanilla pod in a pot on the stove
Boil on a medium heat for 5 minutes
Remove any scum from the surface
Allow to cool for about half an hour
The jam will thicken on standing

Our dinner on this night consisted of scone biscuits with strawberry jam and soya cream. Naughty but ooohhhh sooooo nice :) Scone biscuit recipe to follow in the next post.

There are 10 days left to enter the Cinnamon Sue Competition. Why not do it today?

Homemade Ketchup!

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?

I am seriously kicking myself - why oh why didn't I think of this sooner - if I think about all of those sauceless homemade burgers, naked homemade chips, and all other dishes eaten sans sauce that are not quite complete without tomatoey goodness...? Well not anymore I tell you - never again will I be without my stash of tommy sauce and do you know why?

It's cos I am so damn clever that's why! ;-)

Yeastless tomato sauce - I never imagined - sorry I am babbling, but I am just so H-A-P-P-Y! hAPPy, hApPy, HaPpY!

And if you want your very own stash of Homemade Ketchup:

This is what you do:

Ingredients:
(Makes about 100mls - double the quantities to make more)

5 Tomatoes
80grams Fructose
Juice Half Lemon
1Tbs Herbal Salt (To Counterbalance Sweetness)
Squeeze of Yeast Free and Gluten Free Soya Sauce, such as Bragg Liquid Aminos (can be found at health shops)
1tsp Dried Oreganum
1tsp Paprika
Crack or Two of Black Pepper

Directions:

Roughly chop tomatoes
Put all ingredients into a pot and boil on high for 5 - 10 minutes
Strain so that you are just left with the liquid
Boil again for a few more minutes to allow the sauce to thicken
And there you have it - homemade ketchup
So simple and soooooooooooooo yummy! :)

The amount of fructose may seem like a lot, you can try and use less if you like, but I think it is necessary to provide jam-like properties

I served my ketchup with homemade sweet potato chips and meatballs

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

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

On a Roll

A hamburger is not really a hamburger without a roll. For that reason, I attempted to make my own.

This recipe was adapted from Gluten-Free Goddess.

Having to eliminate yeast when making bread or rolls is a bit of a problem, therefore these buns have more of a savoury muffin texture - I believe that this recipe would work beautifully as a loaf though.

When baking gluten free, expect your dough to be a lot different to an original bread dough - it is more of a batter and for that reason I baked these buns in a muffin tin. These buns are also dairy and egg free.

Hamburger "Buns":
(Makes 5)

Dry Ingredients:

I had these flours on hand - you can experiment with your own flours or follow Gluten-Free Goddess' recipe directly. As long as you use a combination of starch and flour.

1 Cup Buckwheat Flour (Health Connection)
1/2 Cup Potato Flour (Health Connection)
1/2 Cup Maizena
1/4 Cup White Maize Meal (Earth Products)
1/4 Cup Quinoa Flour (Health Connection)
2 Teaspoons Xanthan Gum
1.5 Teaspoons Sea Salt
1tsp Royal Baking Powder
1tsp Royal Bicarbonate of Soda

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/4 Cup Warm Water
3 Tbs Canola Oil
2 Tbs Honey
2 Tsp Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Orgran Egg Replacer mixed into 2 Tbs Rice Milk

Sesame Seeds

Directions:

Sieve dry ingredients and set aside
Mix 1tbs honey, lemon juice, baking powder and bicarb together and slowly add the warm water
Stir quickly (it should be frothy at this stage) and add to the dry ingredients
Add the oil, remaining honey and mixed egg replacer
Stir thoroughly until a batter has formed
Spoon the batter into muffin tins and smooth evenly with wet fingers
Top with sesame seeds
Loosely cover the pan with a tea towel and allow to rest in a warm spot for 20 minutes
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius
Bake the buns for about 40 - 50 minutes
Remove buns from muffin pan and cool on a wired rack

A Quick Tomato Relish:

Ingredients:

1 Onion, Sliced
1 - 2 Tomatoes, Diced
Olive Oil for Frying
Herbal Salt and Pepper
Fructose
Squeeze Lemon Juice
Basil Leaves

Directions:

Fry onions until golden, add tomatoes, fructose, herbal salt, pepper and lemon juice

Simmer for a few minutes
Add basil leaves and stir
Serve dripping over the edges of the patty

See my previous post on how to make hamburger patties

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.