Garithes Yiouvetsi (Prawns with Tomatoes & Feta)

Remember that movie Wedding Crashers? You know, the one where Owen Wilson and Vince Vaugh teams up (again - really, how many movies have they made together?) and, well, crashes a wedding? The duo are smooth-talking bachelors, out to have a good time on someone else's tab and  hopefully get lucky. Because, let's face it, if getting lucky is your aim, a wedding is the perfect backdrop. All that romance in the air? It's like taking candy from a kid.

Want to know a dirty secret from the archives of the Creative Pot family tree? Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn has nothing on my dad. He was the original wedding crasher. For real.

As child my brother and I would delight in grand tales of how my dad and his best friend at the time used to crash weddings in their youth. They almost always got away with it and knew all the popular wedding reception venues in their hometown intimately. Unlike the characters in Wedding Crashers though, they didn't have a different back story for each wedding they went to. No, my dad and his buddy kicked it old school, sticking to a story that worked. For my dad, that was pretending to be Greek.

Now, if you've met my dad, you'll know that he does not look Greek at all. But he claims they got away with it every time. Either he's just bragging or there were some pretty gullible people around in the 70's. Either way though whenever I see something Greek or eat Greek food, I think fondly of those legendary stories.

And so I couldn't help but giggle when Joanne issued the Regional Recipes challenge for June - we were going on a virtual tour of Greece! Land of my wedding crashing forefathers! And what could be more Greek than seafood? The name (yiouvetsi) initally puzzled me as I've come to associate it with a slow cooked lamb dish featuring sun-ripened tomatoes. Yiouvetsi, incidentally, refers to the dish in which the dish is traditionally cooked & served in. (Much like the Moroccan tagine.) So technically anything can be a yiouvetsi.

When I started plotting this prawn rendition, TheHusband eyed me with slight mistrust. You see, he is not a seafood lover. But he is also a very patient man and so he indulged me and even rooted from the sidelines. It paid off. The tomato and bellpepper stew formed the perfect backdrop for the man-sized prawns and together with some flat bread and simply sauteed babymarrows, this was a lick-your-fingers off kind of meal. After all, good things come to those who trust their wives.

Prawns with Tomatoes & Feta
(Garithes Yiouvetsi) 
Adapted from The Complete Book of Greek Cooking
Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-size squares
500g cherry (baby) tomatoes, halved
1/4 tsp peri-peri*
1/4 cup dry white wine
salt & pepper to taste
500g king-size prawns, deveined, but with tails attached 
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped oregano
75g feta cheese, cubed

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C (350F). Heat oilve oil in a large frying pan over medium to high heat. Add onion and fry for 2 minutes, then add bell pepper and fry another 2 - 3 minutes or until starting to soften.
2. Add tomatoes, peri-peri and wine and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to boiling point, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove lid and cook another 5 minutes over medium heat to evaporate most of the liquid and allow the sauce to thicken.
3. Toss prawns and herbs through, then spoon into an oven dish. Dot with feta and bake at 180C (350F) for 25 - 30 minutes.

Serve with orzo or crusty bread, and simply sauteed veggies or a fresh salad.

*or use chopped dried chillies.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 186.1, Total fat 5.3 g, Saturated fat 1.2 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.6 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 295.5 mg, Potassium 386.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 11.7 g, Dietary fiber 2.9 g, Sugars 0.4 g, Protein 23.0 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 122.1 %, Vitamin A 66.7 %,

Pascualina

The games have begun and soccer fever has taken South Africa by storm! I never thought I'd say this (after all I am probably the most un-sporty person on the planet), but I've been caught up in the excitement too and found myself shedding a tear during the opening ceremony and screaming like a banshee during the opening game (SA vs Mexico). For the past few nights I've gone to sleep with the drone of a distant vuvuzela and the same sound has greeted me when I wake up in the mornings. To say that the atmosphere in South Africa is electric would be a severe understatement. We last had this kind of vibey atmosphere during the Rugby World Cup in '95 - how privileged am I to experience both in my lifetime!

But first let me get on my soapbox regarding the much-maligned vuvuzela. Yes, the noise can be irritating at times, but it represents so much more than that. Like it or not, the vuvuzela is a huge part of our national identity. Something that we desperately need to nurture, a unifying symbol if you will. For the overseas visitors - I am truly sorry if your eardrums are affected by the noise, but this is Africa baby! You've got to accept a foreign country warts and all and unfortunately this wart is here to stay.

Now that I've got that out of the way, I decided to delve into the food of Uruguay in honour of South Africa's next game against them on Wednesday. Okay, perhaps the good looking Uruguayan team had a leeetle something to do with it too... Boy, there's some talent in that team!

But I digress. This spinach tart is one of Uruguay's most popular dishes and is a tried-and-tested way for Uruguayan moms to get their kids to eat spinach (apparently that's a universal problem). The tart is also actually a pie as the filling is usually encased in pastry, but the sunny eggs looked so pretty on top I couldn't bear to cover it up. You can make the dough from scratch, but I believe that puff pastry is regarded as an acceptable substitute. One bite into this tart and it's clear why it's such a classic - buttery puff pastry and creamy spinach topped by golden eggs - what's not to love?

Pascualina
Adapted from Food of South America 
Serves 6 - 8 (as side-dish)

1 tbsp olive oil 
1 tsp minced garlic
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 bunches of spinach, washed, stalks removed and roughly chopped
salt & pepper to taste
5 eggs
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
400g (approx 1 lb) ready-rolled puff pastry


1. Pre-heat oven to 180C (350F). Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and fry until soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Add spinach to the pan along with a little water, then cover and allow to steam until soft - this will take about 5 minutes.
3. Remove spinach from heat, drain and season to taste with salt and pepper. Beat one egg and add to the spinach mixture along with breadcrumbs and cheese. Mix to combine.
4. Line the bottom of a greased ovenproof casserole dish with the puff pastry dough. Spread spinach mixture evenly on top, making 4 indentations in the filling. Using the four remaining eggs, break one egg into each indentation. Sprinkle with salt and a little bit of pepper, then place in oven and bake for

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 439.4 , Total fat 29.4 g, Saturated fat 6.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 12.9 g, Monounsaturated fat 8.3 g, Cholesterol 160.3 mg, Sodium 309.2 mg, Potassium 661.9 mg, Total carbohydrate 30.7 g, Dietary fiber 3.3 g, Sugars 0.8 g, Protein 13.5 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 188.4 %, Folate 60.1 %, Manganese 59.2 %, Vitamin C 48.0 %, Selenium 37.9 %

Roast Potato, Emmenthal & Rosemary Pizza

Let's talk potatoes. Thin slivers of soft carby goodness on the inside and golden-brown almost-crispiness on the outside. With the occasional crunch of some fleur de sel. You in? Now let's add some gently caramelised onions, a smattering of rosemary and pile it on top of a pillowy, crusty pizza base. You still in?

Because if you're not, that's totally cool with me. You know, in a totally grown-up not at all great!-more-for-me way. I've been toying with the potato pizza idea for quite some time now, but it has been rejected over and over in favour of more bold, out-there toppings. Ah... the folly of youth. I couldn't see what was right in front of me. 

Down-to-earth ingredients, lovingly prepared in the best way possible, glazed with olive oil and pared with cheese. Carb overload in the best possible way. And perfect for Meat Free Mondays.

Roast Potato, Emmenthal & Rosemary Pizza
Makes 8 slices

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 small potatoes, scrubbed & thinly sliced
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
1/2 pizza base recipe 
3 tbsp tomato paste
100g mozzarella cheese, grated
emmenthal, sliced
1 sprig rosemary 

1. Heat half the oil in a frying pan and saute the onion over low heat with balsamic vinegar until caramelised. This will take around 20 - 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile place the potato slices onto a baking tray, drizzle with the remainder of the olive oil, salt and pepper and bake at 180C for 20 minutes or until cooked through and slightly crisp on top. Leave oven on and increase heat to 220C.
3. Roll dough out, place on a pizza stone (or oiled piece of heavy duty foil) spread with tomato paste and scatter with mozzarella cheese. Top with caramelised onions, potatoes, emmenthal and rosemary.
4. Sprinkle with coarse salt and bake in oven at 220C for 12 minutes.

Nutritional info (per slice): Calories 230.3 , Total fat 8.8 g, Saturated fat 3.0 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.6 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.1 g, Cholesterol 6.9 mg, Sodium 202.7 mg, Potassium 242.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 28.9 g, Dietary fiber 1.7 g, Sugars 1.9 g, Protein 8.9 g

Good source of: Selenium 17.5 %, Thiamin 16.9 %, Manganese 15.0 %, Niacin 12.9 %, Folate 11.8 %, Vitamin C 10.5 %

Orange and Goat's Cheese Tart

I am Marisa and I'm addicted to cheese.

There I've said it.

No surprises then that me and Sigrid (from Cooking and Eating with Polkadot Cupcake) unwittingly managed to engineer a cheese slut confessional via twitter on Friday. And in the process a few more renegade cheesists 'fessed up too. However it was Nina from My Easy Cooking who suggested that we participate in a quest for cheese domination. And even our most famous SA blogger export, Jeanne from Cook Sister, jumped on the bandwagon.


So I had a mission: Cheese Domination
I also had a vision: Cheesy Goodness. With a twist. Mac & Cheese wasn't going to cut it in the ultimate cheese-off.

So I uhm'ed and I aaah'ed. Slept late and snuggled under the covers a bit. (Hey it was cold!) Paged through a few old magazines - part of my never ending quest to clear out my magazine stack. And there I saw it. In the glossy pages of Marie Claire. The countdown to the 100 best-dressed celebrities of 2007! Oh, and inspiration for my entry to the Grand Cheese Off. The version in Marie Claire was meant more as a dessert or tea time favourite, featuring cinnamony toasted nuts, ricotta, orange slices and a sugar syrup.

But I was in the middle of a week without sugar (another story altogether and one which I miserably failed subsequently). So it was out with the sugar syrup and my mind started drifting to a savoury version of this macical creation. My Orange and Goat's Cheese Tart had been born. With a whole log of chevin as the base, it also features the star ingredient orange, as well as sesame seeds, onion sprouts and an artful smattering of rocket (aragula) as the grand finale.

Don't forget to have a look at what my fellow cheese sluts cooked up for the Grand Cheese Off - here's to Colleen (Brownie Girl), Sigrid (Cooking and Eating with Polkadot Cupcake), Nina (My Easy Cooking), Nina (@luna_pixie), Nicola (Wot's For Lunch) and Jeanne (Cook Sister). Cheese sluts unite!

Orange and Goat's Cheese Tart
Inspired by Marie Claire (September 2007)

Makes 8 slices

For the dough: 

10g instant yeast

2 cups white bread flour

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar

pinch salt

For the topping:

100g soft goat's cheese

2 - 3 oranges, peeled and cut into rounds

1/4 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

3 tbsp onion sprouts

1/3 cup rocket (aragula)

1. For the dough, mix the yeast, water, oil, sugar, salt and 1 1/4 cups of the flour in a bowl until it comes together. Gradually add the rest of the flour, kneading until elastic. 

2. Form dough into a ball, lightly smear with olive oil and cover with plastic wrap. Leave to rise for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place.

3. Preheat oven to 220C and roll dough out thinly on a floured surface. 

4. Transfer to a oiled baking plate and spread with goat's cheese. Add a little milk to the goat's cheese to make it more spreadable if you're finding it difficult to spread. Arrange orange slices on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until cooked through and golden.

5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and top with onion sprouts and rocket.

L'Africana Pizza

When Meeta from What's for Lunch Honey announced the Monthly Mingle's theme for May, I know quite a few South African foodies were very excited to share our unique cuisine with the rest of the world. I was no exception. Enthusiasm - check. The choice of what to make that would best showcase our diverse country was a bit more difficult.

South African cuisine is a melting pot of different cultural influences - among them Malay (as is evident in something like Bobotie), Indian (see the many curries of Natal), British, French and Dutch. Of course there is also quite a big influence from the indiginous tribes - Xhosa and Zulu being only two of many. The Putu Pap I shared last week is an example of that influence and forms part of the staple diet of quite a large portion of the population.. South African food tends to be unfussy with a strong emphasis on home and comfort cooking - just take a look at our wide range of stews, or bredies (say: brrea-dees) as they are known here.

Having said all that, it wasn't possible to choose only one dish to represent the entire country. Instead I  decided to focus on some of our unique ingredients to add a South African twist to a global favourite - pizza. From greasy takeaways to lovingly home prepared bases to the many gourmet options, there is hardly a soul on this planet who doesn't enjoy pizza. And this pizza, I am sure will be no exception.

My L'Africana pizza is salty from the biltong  - arguably South Africa's favourite snack -, sweet and spicy from the peppadews (sweet piquante peppers) with added crunch and flavour from the sweetcorn kernels. In a way it represents the attitudes and mindset of our people - feisty like the peppadews, a little bit eccentric like the biltong (It's dried raw meat -you've got to admit that's a little bit weird), but underneath it all we've got a heart of gold like the corn. Proudly South African!

I'm submitting this to the Monthly Mingle - South Africa created by the fabulous Meeta from What's For Lunch Honey.

L'Africana Pizza

Makes 8 slices

1/2 pizza base recipe

1 tbsp oil

1 small onion, sliced into rings

2 tbsp sun dried tomato pesto (or tomato paste)

150g (1 1/2 cups) grated mozzarella

2/3 corn on the cob

7 peppadews*, cut in half

30g (approx 2 handfuls) sliced beef biltong

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1. Prepare dough for base, letting rest for 30 - 45 minutes to double in size. Also pre-heat oven to 220C.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a small frying pan and saute onion over medium-low heat until soft.

3. Roll dough out thinly, transfer to an oiled baking tray (or pizza stone if you're lucky) and spread with tomato pesto or paste.

4. Sprinkle with rouighly one cup of the mozzarella, then add the toppings: onion, corn, peppadews and biltong.

5. Add the remainder of the cheese and sprinkle lightly with salt and ground black pepper.

6. Place pizza in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes until base is cooked through and cheese melted. 

* Peppadews are a South African product, grown in the northern parts of the country. The taste is a mix of sweet, spicy and sour (as they are normally sold pickled). Peppadews can be ordered online for delivery to a select few countries (including the USA and the UK).

** You should be able to find biltong (dried, cured meat) at any South African deli or butchery worth their salt.

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Try saying that five times fast: 

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

.... 

Okay, you get the idea. Quite a mouthful eh? In more ways than one too. These ciabattas are simply fabulous and the perfect weekend food. Besides being tremendously easy to make, they pack a powerful flavour punch that, if you're anything like me, will leave you very, very satisfied. The best way I can describe it, is that it feels like taking a bite of Italy with all that basil, tomato and mozzarella action. Hey, it's even in the Italian flag's colours. Bellissimo!

Verlaque's** fruit infused olive oil really shines in this dish, rendering the aubergine both beautifully soft and with a wonderful mix of sweetness and tartness. It definitely have my vote for favourite new South African product. Even if you use regular olive oil though, the smoky aubergine, loud & assertive basil, garlicky sundried tomato pesto and strings of gooey white mozzarella will ensure that the memory of these ciabattas stay with you for some time.

Cheat's Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana Ciabattas

Adapted from Epicurious

Serves 4

The cheat's version uses bought sundried tomato pesto instead of requiring you to make a tomato sauce from scratch. If you buy a good quality pesto I think it tastes even better this way. It goes without saying that an extra-garlicky pesto is almost a requirement...

If you must you can sub the Verlaque Splash with a good quality extra-virgin olive oil, but do try and get hold of it, the flavour is quite extraordinary.

1 large aubergine, cut into thickish round slices 

3 - 4 tbsp (45 - 60 ml) Verlaque Lemon Infused Olive Oil with Cranberry Splash Balsamic Reduction & Pomegranate

1/2 tsp  (2.5 ml) salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) sundried tomato pesto

4 individual sized ciabattas (or buy 2 and cut in half or 3rds)

12 fresh basil leaves

100g sliced mozzarella

freshly ground black pepper

1. Place aubergine slices in an oventray, sprinkling with the olive oil and salt. The aubergine should be generously coated on both sides with the oil. Place in the oven at 180C and bake for approx 15 minutes until soft.

2. At this point you can let your aubergines rest in the sauce for a while to intensify the flavours (I left mine overnight and they were amazing!) or you can proceed directly to the next step.

3. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat on a stovetop. Place the aubergine slices onto the griddle (if you've left them overnight they will be very soft, so handle with care). Grill for a minute or two each side to firm up and impart delicious smoky flavour (and attractive griddle marks).

4. Meanwhile, halve your ciabatta and toast in the oven (you can also use the griddle pan for this). Also, switch your oven back on (180C).

5. Spread one half of the ciabatta with the sundried tomato pesto, then top with basil leaves. You'll want to cover the whole surface with basil leaves. Lay some aubergine slices on top and follow that with mozzarella slices. Cover with the other half of the ciabatta. Repeat with the other three ciabattas. 

6.  Place in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and serve warm.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 549.4 , Total fat 15.4 g, Saturated fat 4.1 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.0 g, Monounsaturated fat 8.6 g, Cholesterol 14.5 mg, Sodium 564.7 mg, Potassium 28.0 mg, Total carbohydrate 11.0 g, Dietary fiber 0.3 g, Sugars 1.3 g, Protein 8.8 g

Good source of: Calcium 16.4 %, Phosphorus 11.7 %

** Full disclaimer: Verlaque's product was included in the goodie bags at the 2010 SA Food Blogger's conference, so I received it for free. However I was neither asked nor paid to endorse them. I simply love the product and will definitely go on to buy it once I've used up the last little bit.

Grilled Green Chef's Salad

Summer seems to have made a brief comeback as we're approaching May. Hey I'm not complaining. Okay I am, but just a little bit. You know how I feel about summer, but I'll admit it's nice to have an excuse to whip up a deliciously crunchy meal in the midst of all the soups and stews we've been having.

I encountered this salad on fellow South African blogger's site, Jamie Who. And it looked absolutely fantastic. So when the sun shone down in what was surely the sensory equivalent of surround sound yesterday, I knew this would be the perfect foil to the warmth.  Layers of crunchy fresh leaves, salty cheese, nutty seeds, char-grilled babymarrow (zucchini) and lightly steamed broccoli was just the ticket. The best part? Feeling incredibly sophisticated as we ate this beauty of a salad, even while we were barely out of our pj's and lounging on the couch. Yes, that's how we roll and let me tell you, it is highly recommended. Fancy salad + Couch potato style = Pure awesomeness.

Grilled Green Chef's Salad 

Adapted from Jamie Who

Serves 3

1 tbsp olive oil

200g babymarrow (zucchini), sliced lengthways

1/2 head broccoli, broken into florets

1 pillow bag herb salad

1 handful rocket (aragula)

a few basil leaves, roughly chopped

a few mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup blanched almond slivers

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp shaved pecorino

salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

mixture of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil, to dress

1. Toss babymarrow with one tablespoon of olive oil. Heat a griddle pan over high heat, then place the babymarrow slices onto the griddle. Grill for a few minutes, turning once, until cooked through but not soft, and with clear griddle marks on both sides. 

2. Steam broccoli briefly, until just cooked, then quickly place under cold running water to stop the cooking process and fix the colour.

3. Mix leaves and herbs in a large bowl, then divide evenly among the plates. Arrange broccoli and babymarrows on top and scatter with almonds, pumpkin seeds and slivers of shaved pecorino cheese. 

4. Sprinkle with salt and grind some black pepper on top, then dress lightly with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and olive oil. Serve immediately.

Pear & Camembert Quiche

I need your help. Yes you, sitting in front of the computer browsing through some blogs. Could you please tell me why it took almost 28 years before I discovered the joys of proper homemade quiche?

I've had quiche before. If you can call it that. The quiches I've grown used to have always been rather omelet-like and dry. Not a winner. So I went through life thinking that I just wasn't a quiche fan. Sure I would eat it if it was offered to me, but really enjoy it? Or even make it myself? Eh, I wasn't feeling it.

But. That all changed on the 21st of March 2010. For suddenly I was faced with not one, not two, but four (yes you read that right) different quiches. 

The event: The first (and hopefully annual) SA Foodbloggers Conference. 

The chef: Jenny Morris & her team

The meal: A jampacked buffet including four delicious quiches brimming with flavours from butternut to spinach and feta to cherry tomatoes. 

But one quiche stood out from the rest. One quiche changed everything. The caramelised pear and Camembert (or was it Brie? I can never tell the difference) one. It was soft and luscious and the flavour combination was simply outstanding. This was what quiche was supposed to taste like.

And why tamper with a masterpiece? Here, then, my rendition of the Quiche That Trumped All Other Quiches.

Pear & Camembert Quiche

Inspired by Jenny Morris & Homemade Heaven

Makes 8 slices

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

2 tsp (10 ml) butter

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) salt

400g shortcrust pastry (I used storebought, but you can make it at home)

2 smallish pears, cut into eighths

70g Camembert cheese, sliced

4 eggs

1 cup (250 ml) reduced-fat cream

1 tsp dried thyme (if using fresh you'll need about 1 tbsp)

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions, vinegar and a pinch of salt, cover and allow to caramelise. This usually takes about 30 minutes. 

3. Meanwhile, place the pears in a separate saucepan with a little bit of water and cook, covered over low heat until soft.

4. Grease a round pastry tin, then line with a greased piece of wax paper, trimming the edges as needed. Press the dough into the pastry tin, covering the sides as well and removing extra dough where necessary.

5. Spread the caramelised onions onto the pastry and top with camembert. Arrange the cooked pear slices on top of the onions and cheese.

6. Whisk together eggs and cream, then add thyme and the remainder of the salt. Pour into pastry shell and bake for 40 minutes.

Note: If you prefer a slightly more oozy quiche, use 1 less egg and an extra 1/2 cup cream.

Nutritional info (per slice): Calories 365.0, Total fat 22.8 g, Saturated fat 10.5 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.8 g, Monounsaturated fat 4.3 g, Cholesterol 128.2 mg, Sodium 410.7 mg, Potassium 190.6 mg, Total carbohydrate 31.5 g, Dietary fiber 1.5 g, Sugars 0.7 g, Protein 8.8 g

Greek Green Bean Stew

(Updated from the archives) 

It has been Hot with a capital H for the past few days in Cape Town and surrounds. So hot in fact, that I have avoided my kitchen at all costs, preferring to eat cold fruit directly from the fridge, soak in cold baths and lounge in front of the fan. This morning we woke up to a slight reprieve from the heat. As someone so eloquently stated on Twitter: "Dear Cape Town...after much debate, Hell would like to thank you for returning its weather...have an awesome day now." 

Unfortunately  my menu plan for the week did not take the weather into account and so I had a choice between Greek Green Bean Stew or homemade Turkish dumplings last night. *Note to self: check 7 day weather forecast when planning meals.* Needless to say the stew won. I just could not face folding little pieces of dough around mince last night. No sirree, not happening. 

Instead, I chopped up some aubergines, greenpepper, beans, tomatoes and onions, threw it in my wok with some olive oil and relaxed on the balcony with the wind (from the fan) in my hair and an ice cold G&T in my hand. Okay it wasn't a G&T, but soda with triple sec does not sound half as glamorous, does it?

The stew was not heavy at all, but rather like a ratatouille. In fact it's pretty perfect for the slightly overcast weather today. See I braved the elements so you can have weather appropriate meals. It's a tough job...**

Greek Green Bean Stew

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 medium onion, cubed
1 green bellpepper,cubed
2 medium aubergine, cubed
300g green beans, topped, tailed & halved
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
a few capers (optional)

1. Sprinkle aubergine with salt and leave to rest in a colander for about 30 minutes. Wipe dry and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in a tablespoon of oil until soft, but not browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and saute the aubergines over medium heat until just cooked.
4. Add the beans, tomatoes and onion & greenpepper mix to the aubergines. Sprinkle with herbs, cinnamon and sugar and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover and let simmer until the beans are tender and the tomatoes have thickened into a sauce.
5. Serve while hot, scattered with feta and capers if using.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 219.2 Total Fat 9.9 g Saturated Fat 2.5 g Polyunsaturated Fat 1.1 g Monounsaturated Fat 5.6 g Cholesterol 8.8 mg Sodium 298.0 mg Potassium 993.8 mg Total Carbohydrate 31.0 g Dietary Fiber 9.2 g Sugars 1.3 g Protein 6.4 g

** Donations for G&T gladly accepted
***PS: Excuse the crappy picture quality - I blame it on bad lighting.

Stuffed Aubergines on Tomato Sauce Tagliatelle

Say you need to impress the future in-laws with your cooking skills.

"My what?" "I don't have those."

Of course you do. Or at least you can pretend that you do. *Cue sneaky smile.* Trust me on this one, when you place this dish in front of the in-laws they'll think you're the next Nigella. Or Jamie. Or {insert name of your favourite celebrity chef here}. Even though you just mixed a few things together out of some packets and tins. Your secret's safe with me. Leaving you free to go forth and multiply schmooze.  

Oh! And don't forget to buy a bottle of good wine. It tends to smooth over those awkward moments. Another one you can trust me on.

Stuffed Aubergines on Fresh Tomato Tagliatelle

Serves 4

2 medium aubergines

salt & pepper to taste

150g low fat chunky cottage cheese
3 tbsp red pepper chutney

10 almonds, chopped
250g fresh tagliatelle

1/2 cup tinned italian tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp tomato paste

fresh coriander or parsley, chopped (optional)

1. Cut aubergine in half, salt lightly and steam in a bamboo or conventional steamer until soft. Scoop the inner flesh out, leaving a rim around the edges in tact. 

2. Mix the scooped out aubergine flesh with cottage cheese and chutney, season to taste and scoop back into the aubergine shells. 

3. Place aubergine halves on a baking tray and grill in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

4. Meanwhile, cook the tagliatelle until al dente (5 - 7 minutes). Warm tinned tomatoes in a small pan and mix with tomato paste. Drain the pasta, then toss with the tomato sauce.

5. Divide the pasta between two serving plates, place half an aubergine on top of each serving of pasta and scatter with herbs.

Serve immediately.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 376.9 , Total fat 5.1 g, Saturated fat 1.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.8 g, Cholesterol 3.0 mg, Sodium 261.0 mg, Potassium 788.5 mg, Total carbohydrate 66.2 g, Dietary fiber 9.5 g, Sugars 6.4 g, Protein 17.9 g

Good source of: Manganese 24.0 %, Folate 15.3 % Vitamin B6 15.3 %

Parmesan Mushrooms with Cherry Tomatoes

"Love is in the air... everywhere you look around.... " {du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum dum}  "Love is in the air... every sight and every sound..." {du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum du-dum dum dum dum}

Huh? Oh sorry, didn't see you there. Okay I'll stop singing now.

"And I don't know if I've been foolish..." Aaah there I go again. Sorry, I can't help it. I'm still stuck in February mode. You know what with Valentine's day and the anniversary of our meeting, first kiss and wedding, I couldn't help but have love on the brain for the whole of last month.

And why should it stop now? I'm a firm believer in celebrating the ordinary days too. Which is why I roasted a chicken for myself and TheHusband last night, added some roasted potatoes to the mix and made these sexy mushrooms as starter. Well okay, it was intended as a side-dish, but man that chicken took long to roast! Either way though, it was delicious. Tender meaty mushrooms, contrasted beautifully by tart cherry tomatoes and my old friend parmesan. What better way to add a sense of ocassion to a weeknight?

Parmesan Mushrooms with Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

10 (approx 250g) portabella mushrooms

1/4 tsp minced garlic

25 cherry tomatoes

1/2 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

30g grated parmesan cheese

few sprigs of oregano, to garnish (optional)

1. Place mushrooms cap side down in a non-stick frying pan. Add garlic and little bit of water, then cook over medium heat until starting to soften (5 - 7 minutes)

2. Scatter cherry tomatoes amongst the mushrooms, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook further until mushrooms are tender (another 5 or so minutes).

3. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve warm, garnished with oregano.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 87.9 , Total fat 4.4 g, Saturated fat 1.7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 2.0 g, Cholesterol 5.9 mg, Sodium 153.0 mg, Potassium 547.1 mg, Total carbohydrate 8.4 g, Dietary fiber 2.1 g, Sugars 1.1 g, Protein 5.6 g

Good source of: Riboflavin 22.4 %, Vitamin C 17.8 %, Niacin 17.5 %, Phosphorus 16.8 %, Copper 16.6 %

Rosemary, Grape and Blue Cheese Focaccia

I actually made this a while ago, but then the photo got "lost" in my archives and I somehow never got around to posting it. Unlike my organisational system though, this focaccia is truly excellent! Soft and chewy, with a great flavour hit from the grapes and blue cheese. It is gooooooooooooood. 

Let me repeat that, because you need to believe it: It.Is.GOOD. 




If you've ever doubted this combo, do yourself a favour and give it a try. You will not look back. And if you phone now... well, since this is not an infomercial you won't get an extra hunk of cheese, but you will get some pretty awesome compliments from whomever gets to taste this. And that's a moneyback guarantee.

(For my fellow South Africans: This would make a kickass substitute for the usual braaibroodjies on a lazy summer day)

Rosemary, Grape and Blue Cheese Focaccia
Adapted from Food & Wine

Makes 1 x 25cm diameter focaccia
Serves 2 - 4 as snack or light lunch

1 1/2 - 2 cups white bread flour
10g instant dry yeast
3/4 cup luke warm water
1 tbsp rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
a bunch of seedless red grapes, halved
70g blue cheese
1 tsp olive oil, to drizzle
a handful of fresh chives, chopped

1. In a large bowl, mix 1 cup of flour together with the yeast, water, rosemary, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. Turn out onto a floured surface, and, adding the rest of the flour gradually, knead until smoothForm dough into a ball, grease with olive oil and transfer back into a clean bowl. Cover bowl with clingwrap and allow to rise for 1 - 2 hours. Dough should be double in volume.
2. Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 220C. Grease a 25cm diameter round pie dish, then pull and stretch the dough to fit snugly into the dish. Make indentations haphazardly all over the surface of the dough with your fingers, then place the grapes into the indentations. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt.
3. Place focaccia into the oven and bake for 12 minutes, or until it is golden. Sprinkle blue cheese on top, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Return to the oven for 2 or 3 minutes to melt the cheese.
4. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chives and cut into wedges. Serve while still warm.

Nutritional info (for the whole focaccia): Calories 421.3, Total fat 9.6 g, Saturated fat 4.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.0 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.0 g, Cholesterol 17.5 mg, Sodium 327.9 mg, Potassium 198.2 mg, Total carbohydrate 68.4 g, Dietary fiber 2.0 g, Sugars 9.0 g, Protein 14.8 g


Good source of: Selenium 50.4 %, Thiamin 43.9 %, Folate 33.3 %, Manganese 33.0 %, Niacin 31.5 %, Riboflavin 29.5 %, Iron 20.4 %,Calcium 14.0 %

Zhooszhed up Tabbouleh

The perfect solution for when you want an effortlessly tasty meal, full of robust flavours and a hint of the exotic: Tabbouleh. But this is (to borrow Jeremy Mansfield's phrase) a zhooszhed up rendition of the classic. And I must say I quite like this version. Feel free to add some black olives as well - they would complement the flavours beautifully.


 

I'm submitting this to Regional Recipes (February's theme is the Middle East), newly hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others (one of my favourite bloggers - go and visit if you haven't been yet!) and originally created by Darlene from Blazing Hot Wok. Watch this space for more Middle-Eastern treats for the month of February - this is one cuisine I cannot get enough of!

Zhooszhed up Tabbouleh

Adapted from Taste Magazine

Serves 4 (as main dish)
Would also be delicious as a side-dish (serving 6 - 8)

1 cup couscous 

salt & pepper, to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup cooked chickpeas

2 plums, sliced

2/3 cucumber, pips scooped out & sliced

2 small spring onions, finely chopped

100g feta cheese

1/4 cup fresh mint, torn

1/4 cup fresh coriander, torn

1. Soak couscous in 2 cups of water for about 6 - 8 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Fluff up with a fork, dressing with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Season to taste with salt, being careful not to over salt.

2. Add chickpeas, plums, cucumber and spring onions to the couscous, stirring gently to combine. 

3. Crumble the feta cheese over, and add the herbs to the mix. Toss again, to ensure even distribution.

4. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice and add salt & pepper to taste.

5. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold.

Nutritional info (per main dish serving): Calories 373.0, Total fat 13.1 g, Saturated fat 4.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 1.1 g, Monounsaturated fat 6.4 g, Cholesterol 22.3 mg, Sodium 466.8 mg, Potassium 338.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 52.0 g, Dietary fiber 5.5 g, Sugars 3.8 g, Protein 12.2 g

Good source of: Selenium 59.6 %, Manganese 26.8 %, Vitamin C 26.3 %, Vitamin B6 24.8 %, Folate 19.6 %

Roast Aubergine Tart with Caramelised Red Onions

Now doesn't that look festive? A great contender for all those relaxed lunches that lie ahead in the next few days of celebrations. Let the countdown to Christmas begin! And let me tell you, it tastes just as good eaten straight out of the fridge. Not that I would ever... um... do that.

Roast Aubergine Tart with Caramelised Red Onions

Serves 6

1 large aubergine, sliced thinly

1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil

3 medium red onions, sliced thinly

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 x quantity pizza dough

2 tbsp basil pesto

100g creamcheese log, sliced into rounds

salt, to taste

balsamic reduction, to taste

1. Toss aubergine with 1 tbsp olive oil, spread out onto a baking tray and roast at 180C for 15 - 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a medium sized frying pan, add onions and cook over medium high heat until starting to soften slightlyTurn heat down. add sugar and balsamic, cover with lid and cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove lid, turn heat up again and cook another 5 - 10 minutes to gently caramelize the onions. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Roll dough out into a rectangle large enough to fill a casserole dish - dough should not be too thin. Transfer dough to a greased casserole dish, smoothing into all the corners and up the sides of the dish. Spread the bottom with pesto, then scatter with onions and top with aubergines. Finish off by seasoning to taste with salt and finally add creamcheese rounds on top.

4. Bake for 15 minutes at 180C, then adjust heat for grilling and return to oven for another 5 minutes until gently browned on top.

5. Drizzle with balsamic reduction, cut into slices and serve while still warm or lukewarm.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 338.8, Total fat 11.3 g, Saturated fat 4.4 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.7 g, Monounsaturated 3.4 g, Cholesterol 19.5 mg, Sodium 97.3 mg, Potassium 332.7 mg, Total carbohydrate 51.2 g, Dietary fiber 4.4 g, Sugars 0.2 g, Protein 8.5 g

Good source of: Thiamin 31.6 %, Folate 30.6 %, Manganese 26.8 %, Selenium 26.6 %, Iron 16.7 %

Daring Cooks - Salmon En Croute

I'm not a big pastry person. Chocolate - yes, bring it on. But pastry? Meh. I can take it or leave it. Most often I abandon the pastry in favour of the filling. So when I saw this:

"The December 2009 Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Simone of Junglefrog Cooking. Simone chose Salmon en Croute (or alternative recipes for Beef Wellington or Vegetable en Croute) from Good Food Online."

I kind of quivered in my boots a little bit. Because see, not only am I not a big pastry eater, I'm also not a big pastry maker. But, I reasoned, that's exactly the point of the Daring Kitchen. To step out of our comfort zones. To go boldly where no (wo)man has gone before! Or so it felt.

My experience in making this was quite positive though. It was fairly straightforward to make (and also a lot quicker than anticipated - bonus!) and I must say it did look quite impressive. Just the thing I needed for our 2  3/4 year wedding anniversary!

It tasted good too - the salmon really shined and the watercress puree was the perfect partner to the dish. The only downside was that the pastry was super rich. Both myself and TheHusband couldn't finish more than half of our servings. Next time I make this, I would probably use filo pastry. If you're a big pastry person though, I guarantee you'll be all over this like a bad rash.

 

Shortcrust pastry

Adapted from  Good Food online

Makes 500g dough

450g all purpose flour
200g cold butter
a pinch of salt

1. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Rub butter into flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. 2. Add salt and 2 - 3 tbsp of water, mixing to form a firm but pliable dough.

3. Knead briefly on a floured surface, then wrap in clingfilm and chill while filling is prepared.

Salmon en croute
Adapted from Good Food online

Serves 4

150g smooth cottage cheese

3/4 cup watercress

1/2 cup mixed greens (rocket and spinach)

salt & pepper to taste

500g shortcrust pastry (see recipe above, or use store bought)

500g salmon fillet (skinless), cut into 4 pieces
1 egg

1.Heat the oven to 200°C. Puree cottage cheese, watercress, rocket and spinach in a food processor to form a smooth sauce. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

2. Using a 1/4 of the dough, roll the pastry out  approx 2 - 3 mm thick and large enough to cover one salmon fillet in it. Transfer pastry to a greased baking tray, put one piece of salmon in the middle, spoon some watercress puree onto the salmon, then fold the pastry over to form a neat parcel. Repeat with the rest of the dough and salmon. There will be some watercress puree left over - reserve that for serving.

3. Make 3 neat cuts in each salmon parcel to allow steam to escape and make some decorations with the off-cuts to disguise the join if you like. Brush with the egg glaze.
4. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and browned. Serve with the reserved watercress puree as a sauce.

Greek Fennel & Potato Salad

Gutsy isn't a word I'd normally use to describe a salad. That's just because I've never had a fennel salad before. Fennel is another one of those ingredients I've seen lurking in the grocery store, but haven't really explored properly. I've tried it in cooked form before, but I found the flavour to be slightly... lacking. I was expecting a stronger flavour and that is not what you get from cooked fennel. Raw fennel is a completely different story though.

A word of warning - this salad takes some time to grow on you. The first few bites attacked my tastebuds, but it grew on me with each subsequent bite and I'll tell ya, by the time my last forkfull rolled along I was wishing for seconds. The flavours are bold and at first glance you might think they will overwhelm each other, but this is not the case. Instead, they work together beautifully to create a sophisticated side-dish or light lunch.

 I'm submitting this to the Beet 'n Squash YOU! challenge hosted by Bouchon For Two and She Simmers. The chosen vegetable for December is fennel.

Greek Fennel & Potato Salad

Serves 6

500g baby potatoes, cooked and halved

3 small fennel bulbs (including leaves), thinly sliced

100g black olives, pitted and halved

100g feta cheese

4 tbsp light mayonaisse

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

baby salad leaves, to serve (optional)

1. Toss potatoes, fennel and olives together.

2. Crumble feta into the salad, then add mayo and lemon juice and mix lightly to combine, taking care not to mash the potatoes.

3. Season with salt and pepper and serve atop crisp salad leaves.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 178.2 , Total fat 7.2 g, Saturated fat 2,7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.3 g, Monounsaturated fat 1.6 g, Cholesterol 14.8 mg, Sodium 579.0 mg, Potassium 394.8 mg, Total carbohydrate 25.2 g, Dietary fiber 2.3 g, Sugars 0.1 g, Protein 4.7 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 24.5 %, Vitamin B-6 19.7 %

Tri-Colore Pepper and Lentil Salad

(Update: I'm submitting this salad to Weekend Herb Blogging #211 hosted by Lynne from Cafe LynnyLu)


When you're feeling all blah about life (which is common for most people around this time of the year), what better way to cheer you up than by injecting some colour into your life? And how could you possibly resist a salad that is both colourful and super-healthy? Bellpeppers are known for their exceptionally high vitamin C content, even though oranges normally steal their thunder. Yes people, a bell pepper has twice the amount of vitamin C that an orange has. How's that for stealing thunder!




Another little-known fact about bell peppers is that they are technically fruit (who knew, right?). Although I do think most people would think you're a wee bit insane crazy if you tried to fob a lentil-laden fruit salad off on them...

The fruit/veg debate aside however, this salad will make your Meat-free Mondays POP. And there's no craziness there. 

Tri-Colore Pepper & Lentil Salad

Serves 6 - 8 (as side-dish)

1 cup uncooked lentils (or about 3 cups cooked)

2 tbsp olive oil 

 1/2 large onion, finely chopped

1 tin (410g) red kidney beans

1/2 large green bellpepper, julienned

1/2 large red bellpepper, julienned

1/2 large yellow bellpepper, julienned

1/3 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 round feta, crumbled

1. Bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add lentils and a dash of salt, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked. The lentils should be soft but not mushy.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp oil in a smallish frying pan. Add onions and saute over medium heat until glossy and starting to soften. Remove from heat. 

3. Allow lentils to cool down slightly, then toss with onions, kidney beans peppers in a large salad bowl. Add the rest of the olive oil, as well as the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir to distribute the flavours evenly, then top with feta and serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 231.7, Total fat 6.0 g, Saturated fat 1.8 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.5 g, Monounsaturated fat 3.3 g, Cholesterol 7.2 mg, Sodium 366.6 mg, Potassium 437.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 32.6 g, Dietary fiber 11.5 g, Sugars 2.2 g, Protein 13.3 g

Good source of: Vitamin C 132.9 %, Folate 43.3 %, Iron 26.6 %, Manganese 24.4 %, Phosphorus 19.5 %

Spicy Spinach & Corn Enchiladas

Guess who's finally participating in Meat-free Mondays again? Okay, that wasn't a very difficult guess. Okay, how about this one: guess who likes Mexican food?

Again, maybe not the most difficult one to guess. Okay you got me, I don't have much to say about this, except that it was pretty damn tasty and the spinach sauce on top (if I do have to say so myself) turned out to be an inspired choice. 



The reason why I don't have much to say isn't because this dish is blah (FYI - it.is.not.blah.), but rather because I just have a lot of other stuff on my mind at the moment. Such as my super-cool new computer at work. Super-fast, NOT crashing every 5 minutes (like my previous computer) and wrapped up in a sleek black package. And did I mention that I'm now using Windows 7?

No wait, come back!!! I promise I won't be a weirdo, geek, computerN3RD. Okay I can't promise that. You'll have to put up with any future nerdiness that creeps into my posts. 

<< Mwuhahahahahaha!>>

Seriously though, I'll cut the geek quotient of this post by just summarising with - Windows 7 is awesome. Try it, and let me know what you think. Oh, and make some enchiladas to go with your new snazzy computer. The two make a winning combo!

Spicy Spinach & Corn Enchiladas

Makes 7 enchiladas

1 bunch spinach, stems removed
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 teaspoon cajun spice
2 cups cooked sugar beans (or use red kidney beans)
2 corn on the cob, cob part removed
7 whole-wheat tortillas
1 tin (400g) mexican salsa
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar

1. Cook spinach in a little bit of water until just wilted. Remove from heat, drain and puree to a pulp in a food processor. Add yoghurt, salt and pepper to taste, stir through and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft. Add cajun spice and corn, fry another 3 or so minutes, then stir through the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste, then set aside.
3. Now get your tortillas ready and spoon some of the corn/bean mixture onto each one. Top with mexican salsa and a little bit of grated cheese (will use about 1 1/4 cups here) and roll into long sausages.
4. Transfer the rolls to a casserole dish. Spoon the spinach sauce on top and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese.
5. Bake at 180C for about 20 - 30 minutes, until golden brown with cheese melted & bubbling on top.

Nutritional info (per serving): Calories 284.6 , Total fat 13.4 g, Saturated fat 4.7 g, Polyunsaturated fat 0.4 g, Monounsaturated fat 0.7 g, Cholesterol 26.8 mg, Sodium 493.2 mg, Potassium 634.4 mg, Total carbohydrate 29.0 g, Dietary fiber 6.8 g, Sugars3.0  g, Protein 17.3 g

Good source of: Vitamin A 98.1 %, Folate 37.2 %, Manganese 34.7 %, Vitamin C 32.4 %, Calcium 28.0 %