Bar-One, Amarula & Tennis Biscuit Chocolate Torte

August 19, 2015 in baking, food styling

I have a love for all things Italian. This may be because I have a Nonna or am lucky enough to have an Italian passport, but I think it has to do with the humility of their food – the emphasis on simplicity and a few, really good ingredients.

This cake is no different. It is a local reinvention of a fool-proof dark chocolate torte I found in an old Italian recipe book. It combines all the local flavours we love – Bar-One, Amarula and good old-fashioned Tennis Biscuits. It’s gooey, crunchy and covered in chocolate sauce – what’s not to love?

Mieliepap Dhaltjies

August 05, 2015 in cooking, light meals, vegetarian

Dhaltjies, or chilli bites, are a Cape Malay speciality usually served at Ramadan. They are usually made with pea or lentil flour but I substituted the flour with mieliepap which gave the filling a lovely, soft, but more substantial and satisfying filling. They are delicious, spicy bites that pair perfectly with a tangy, mango dipping sauce and are lovely served as snacks around the braai or as a crunchy, light treat all by themselves.

Tomato Tart with Roast Garlic & Lemony-Basil Marscapone

June 18, 2015

I have voiced my feelings on tomatoes before (HERE) ,but for those of you that don't know; I am involved in a lifelong love-affair with them. They are hands-down my favourite ingredient. EVER. We are leaving for Italy in less than 2 weeks for our honeymoon & do you know what I am most excited about? Not Michelangelo's masterpieces, the enormous Parmesan wheels (although those are high on my list) or the Tuscan countryside (read: wine), but the TOMATOES. The fleshy, sweet, sun-ripened, in-season god-of-all-foods that awaits me. Clear enough?

Comforting Green Autumn Soup

June 10, 2015

Autumn is by far my favourite season. It has sprinklings of beautiful soft rain, gives us perfect mild sunshine & the trees start dotting the garden floor with all their magnificently, fiery leaves. There's also soup. Comforting, thick, delicious soup (which is ALWAYS an excuse for warm, crusty bread). This recipe is very simple, but packs a huge, green health-punch while maintaining the reassuring embrace that a good soup should.

Aromatic Moroccan Lamb with Roast Root Veg, Nutty Hummus & Crunchy, Chilli Chickpeas

May 27, 2015

Nothing says "Sunday lunch" quite like roast lamb. Instead of the traditional rosemary, garlic & lemon combination I decided to lean towards the warmer Moroccan flavours to ensure my lamb paired perfectly with the nutty hummus I have been craving. The sweetness of the meat couples perfectly with the honeyed flavours of exotic spice; cumin, clove, star anise, cinnamon, coriander seed, all spice, ground ginger, black peppercorns, fresh rosemary and lemon zest were all ground into a fragrant pulp. The lamb was coated in olive oil and rubbed with the spice mix. I then poured a glut of beautiful, raw honey all over the leg, squeezed two juicy lemons over it and popped it into a very hot oven.

The Tomato - Edible Summer

October 17, 2014

The tomato may just be my favorite thing about summer. The French often refer to the tomato as the “pomme d'amour” or "love apple" and I can think of no other vegetable (or fruit, botanically speaking) that incites more amorous excitement or that I eat with more relish than a sun-ripened tomato. It has no prickly edges or tough skin to peel - you just eat it up, letting its juices run down your chin. Summer bliss!

Tomato Bruschetta

October 17, 2014

This dish tastes of summer. Perfectly toasted, crunchy ciabatta rubbed with fresh garlic cloves, topped with sweet cherry tomatoes, torn basil leaves & a good glug of extra virgin olive oil. Simple, delicate and robust all at the same time!

Tomato, Aubergine, Anchovy & Pine Nut Tartlets

October 17, 2014

This recipe is so easy and is always perfectly delicious and impressive. Light layers of buttery puff pastry topped with creamy roasted aubergine, ripe red tomatoes, salty anchovies, toasted pine nuts and a sprinkling of fresh Italian parsley. Make it slightly larger, serve with a green salad and you have the perfect starter.

Sundried Tomato Fritters with a Basil Aioli

October 17, 2014

The tomato, in all its forms, is honestly my favourite addition or centre piece to any dish. These fritters, covered in a crispy, golden batter with a sweet, tangy centre, are perfectly complimented by a fresh basil aioli. Serve outside on a warm evening as a light snack or add these to a delicious mezze platter and enjoy with some crunchy bread!

One Recipe, Two Summer Focaccias

September 25, 2014

With the weather heating up and it being Heritage (read: BRAAI) month, us South Africans are all getting that wonderful, delirious, warm-summer-air, late-nights-outside-by-the-fire, weekends-away-at-the-sea kinda feeling. At the centre of this most delicious summer feeling is BRAAING – chops, steak, wors, chicken flatties, whole fish, crayfish, potjies, braaibroodjies - anything cooked on the fire and all the yummy sides we eat with it all!