Cooking for a crowd

You want to make an impression on some guests you’re having around for dinner.  Well I have to say this menu just says it all, it’s classy,  not very complex and will ensure that everyone remembers your dinner party!

The Menu:

STARTERS

Crostini with Tomatoes and Olives

French loaf sliced

Olive oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Basil leaves

Salt & Pepper

Dried Chillie

METHOD:

Slice the tomatoes in half and toss in the olive oil, balsamic, salt & pepper and dried chilli.

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the sliced bread and toast.  Then top with the tomato mixture and garnish with the fresh basil leaves.

MAINS

Rolled Shoulder of Lamb with Feta and Spinach Stuffing

2kg boned shoulder of lamb

STUFFING

1 small onion, chopped

50ml olive oil

1 bunch fresh spinach, chopped

250ml cooked brown rice

125g feta cheese, crumbled

5ml dried mint

5ml dried dill

salt and milled black pepper to taste

BASTING SAUCE

1 lemon, juice

50ml butter

50ml olive oil

METHOD:

Lay meat out flat. STUFFING: Sauté onion in olive oil until transparent. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add rice, feta cheese, herbs and seasoning and mix well. Spread stuffing over lamb, roll up and tie with string to secure. BASTING SAUCE: Mix all ingredients. Calculate roasting time for a medium-done roast, allow 20 minutes for every 500 g, plus 15 minutes extra. Place lamb on rack of a roasting pan and roast at 180 ºC, basting often.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Ginger Dressing

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced lengthwise

120g cherry tomatoes

45ml olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

125ml pine nuts

150g baby spinach leaves or mixed lettuce leaves

Half avocado sliced OR

6 baby avocados, halved

DRESSING

65ml ginger in syrup

30ml sherry wine vinegar

45ml olive oil

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 200 C.
Place sweet potatoes and cherry tomatoes in a baking dish lined with baking paper, toss with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are soft and golden.
Sprinkle pine nuts over and bake for a further two minutes or until pine nuts are golden.
TO MAKE DRESSING
Remove ginger from syrup and chop finely.
Whisk together ginger syrup, vinegar and oil and then add chopped ginger.
TO ASSEMBLE
Arrange spinach or lettuce leaves on individual plates or a large serving platter.
Top with avocado, sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes and pine nuts.
Pour over the dressing and serve.

Wild Savoury Rice

1 cup of wild rice cooked according to instructions

1 onion finely chopped

1sml green pepper chopped

1 carrot sliced into thin Julienne strips

METHOD:

Fry the chopped greens in a pan with some butter and combine with the cooked wild rice and serve.

DESSERT

Strawberries and Chantilly Cream

500g fresh strawberries

250ml fresh cream

45ml castor sugar

45ml Grand Marnier (or any other liqueur of your choice)

METHOD:

Hull and wash strawberries, slice in half and place in container.
Whip cream, gradually adding castor sugar and liqueur, until soft peaks form.

To serve:
Spoon over strawberries.

Menu 2:

STARTERS

Baby spinach leaves with Gorgonzola, pears and caramalized walnuts

1 Bag baby spinach leaves

125g Gorgonzola Cheese

250g Caramalised walnuts

125g tinned pears chopped

METHOD:

Arrange y our spinach leaves on a plate, then arrange your pear pieces, walnuts and Gorgonzola cheese.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar or cranberry infused vinegar.

MAINS

Grilled Fish with a sticky apricot marinade served with Julienne carrots, baby garlic potatoes and lightly fried green beans.

1 whole fish (snoek works well)

125ml Mayonnaise

125ml Apricot jam

10ml fresh thyme

1 onion finely chopped

1 green pepper finely chopped

Salt & Pepper

METHOD

Firstly combine all the ingredients mixing well.  Then open the fish and evenly pour in the mixture.  Wrap in tin foil and bake / braai for approximately 25min on 180 degrees, or until fish is tender and cooked.

Note:  Snoek works very well with this mix and has large bones that are removed easily.

For the vegetables –

Carrots: Slice into Julienne strips and steam.  Then add them to a pan of butter with freshly chopped large garlic cloves, onions and finely chopped fresh parsley.  Fry for about 3min.

Beans: Top and tail the beans and steam till done.  Then in a separate pan fry up some chopped bacon, onions, salt & pepper, garlic then add the beans and fry for a further 3min.

Baby Garlic potatoes: Boil baby potatoes in the jacket till done.  In a separate pan fry some freshly chopped garlic, some thyme, salt & pepper, butter.  Then combine the two and serve.

DESSERT

Lemon Cheesecake

250ml Cream

250ml Cream Cheese Plain

250ml Condensed Milk

1 sachet Gelatine

3 Lemons

1tsp Vanilla Essence

1Pkt Tennis Biscuits

100g Butter Melted

1Tbls Syrup

3 Eggs (separated)

METHOD

1. Crush biscuits finely, add melted butter and syrup and mix.  Then press into the base of your dish / cake tin.
2. Beat Cream till peak stage
3. Beat egg whites to peak stage
4. Grate the rind of the lemons, add egg yolks, cream cheese, condensed milk, vanilla essence, and lemon juice in a separate bowl and mix on med.
5. Fold in the egg whites and then cream into the above mixture.
6. Mix the gelatine and about 30ml of boiling water in a cup ensuring no lumps and gelatine has dissolved then add to mixture and fold in quickly to prevent lumps of gelatine.
7. Pour on top of biscuit base and refrigerate for approximately 2hrs.
8. When cutting to serve ensure the knife is sharp with no separated edges and is dipped in hot water for each slice. Serve with Coulis if desired.

Happy Cooking

An American Tradition with Pumpkin Pie!

When first asked a couple of years back to make a pumpkin pie, I thought my friend had finally lost the plot!  How GROSS!  However, let it be known…I was oh so wrong.

I did my homework, played with a few recipes that I came across but this is by far the yummiest of the lot!  Pumpkin Pie is a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition in the U.S.  and after tasting it this way, I have no doubt in my mind as to why.  :)

So this is what you need:

Short Crust Pastry:

1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.54 cm) pieces

1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 – 60 ml) ice water

Pecan and Gingersnap Layer: (optional)

1/4 cup (25 grams)pecans, toasted and ground

1/4 cup (25 grams) crushed gingersnap biscuits

Pumpkin Filling:

3 largeeggs

2 cups freshpumpkinpureeor 1 – 15 ounce can (425 grams) pure pumpkin

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy whippingcream

1/2 cup (110 grams) light brownsugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

Maple Whipped Cream:

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

To make:

Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined.  Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds).  Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream, through the feed tube until the dough just holds together when pinched.  If necessary, add more water.  Do not process more than 30 seconds.

Turn the dough onto your work surface and gather into a ball.   Flatten into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour before using. This will chill the butter and relax the gluten in the flour.

After the dough has chilled sufficiently, place on a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 13 inch (33 cm) circle. (To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll (always roll from the center of the pastry outwards).) Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch (23 cm) pie pan.  Brush off any excess flour and tuck the overhanging pastry under itself.  Use a fork to make a decorative border.  Alternatively, you can trim the pastry to the edge of the pie pan.  With the remaining pastry make decorative cut-outs (leaves, pumpkins, etc.) and with a little water, attach them around the lip of the pie pan.  Refrigerate the pastry, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes before pouring in the filling.

Pecan and Gingersnap Layer:

Toast pecans in a 180 degree C oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned and aromatic.  Cool and then place the pecans in a food processor and process until finely ground.  Combine the ground pecans with the crushed gingersnap cookies.  Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of the unbaked pie crust.  Cover and return the pastry to the refrigerator while you make the pumpkin filling.

Increase the oven temperature to190 degrees C and place rack in bottom third of the oven.

Make the Pumpkin Filling: In a large bowl lightly whisk the eggs.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell and place on a large baking pan to catch any spills.  Bake the pie for about 45 to 55 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust has browned (the center will still look wet).  (A knife inserted about 1 inch (2.54 cm) from side of pan will come out almost clean.)

Place the baked pie on a wire rack to cool.  Serve at room temperature with maple whipped cream.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Makes one 9 inch (23 cm) pie.

Make the Maple Whipped Cream:

Place the heavy whipping cream and maple syrup in bowl of your electric mixer.  With the whisk attachment, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Nothing left to do but serve!

Happy Cooking

Smoothies..Natural Blends that are sure to Inspire!

Today’s generation of smoothies and juices reflect a level of sophistication, typical of the twenty-first century lifestyle.  Contemporary tastes together with a concern for healthier options in the diet have resulted in innovative combinations of flavours plus the use of fresh ingredients.

Firstly their are a few tips for your smoothie success:

1)   Use the freshest possible ripe ingredients (using over ripe / damaged fruit will not improve by being made into a smoothie!)

2)   Use fruit and veg that are in season and preferably locally grown for the best flavour.

3)  Don’t prepare the fruit and veg in advance, they will start to dry out and lose their juiciness.

4)  Smoothies are best served chilled, but adding ice will dilute them.  Keep milk  and other dairy products in the fridge until required.  Chill the glasses before  you make the smoothie and if you like add broken ice to the blender (so not to damage the blades).

5)  Do not be afraid to experiment!

Now for a few awesome recipes I’ve tried!

My “Pick Me UP”

400g Grapefruit and orange

4Tbls Lemon Juice

3Tbls Lime Juice

425ml Ice cold Orange Juice

Energizing Kick-Start!

250ml Orange Juice

125ml Plain greek yoghurt

2 Eggs

2 Bananas

Berry Bonanaza

175g Blueberries

150ml Cranberry juice

150ml Plain yoghurt

Honey to taste

Carrot & Ginger Energizer

250ml Carrot juice

4 Tomatoes skinned and deseeded

1Tbls Lemon Juice

25g Fresh Parsley

1Tbls Grated fresh root ginger

6 Ice cubes

125ml Ice cold water

Decorate with fresh flat leaf parsley

Pear & Raspberry Delight

2 Large Ripe Pears

125g Frozen Raspberries

200ml Ice cold water

Honey to taste

Berry Booster

25g Blueberries

85g Raspberries

1Tsp Honey

200ml Plain Yoghurt

1Tbls Crushed ice

1Tbls sesame seeds

Apple Carrot and Cucumber Juice

(this is packed with antioxidants,  soluble fiber and the diuretic properties of cucumber and carrots help with fluid retention)

1 Apple

1 Carrot

1/2 cucumber

Tropical Smoothie

1 Papaya

1/2 Pineapple

150ml milk

300ml Yoghurt

Apple and Celery (hangover cure!)

1 apple

115g Celery

600ml milk

pinch of sugar

pinch of salt

Detox Special – (absolutely D-Vine)

1 Mango

4 Kiwi Fruit

350ml Pinapple juice

4 Fresh mint leaves

Peach Rum Smoothie ( a bit of a kick but oh so yummy)

• 2 cups peeled, pitted and sliced peaches
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 5 ice cubes

Mocha Cream D-Lish!

200ml Milk

50ml Cream

1Tbls Brown sugar

2tbls Cocoa Powder

1Tblsp Coffee

6 Ice cubes

Decorate with cream and grated chocolate

Breakfast Smoothie

• 1 banana
• 1/2 apple
• 1 kiwi, peeled
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup tofu
• 3 tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons aloe vera juice
• 2 tablespoons flaxseed oil
• 1 teaspoon barley grass powder (optional)

Well I’m sure that will get you blending away in no time at all!  Have fun, play with the ingredients see what goes!

Happy Blending!