Winter
Kabocha Squash & Cumin Soup
Friday, February 15th, 2008A few months ago I raved about Kabocha Squash and I’ll do it again. To my heart’s delight I saw this week while shopping that Waitrose has decided to stock up on Kabocha and Butternut Squashes that are both my favourites. Just maybe the Brits are catching up on the magnificence of the pumpkin. The […]
Haricot Bean & Parmesan Soup
Saturday, February 2nd, 2008The reason I love soups is because they are just so versatile. Almost any ingredient can be transformed into a soup and more often that not you hit the jackpot. If not, chances are you can save your creation most of the time, by diluting it, adding salt or cream, you get the idea. Haricot […]
Lamb and Leek Hotpot
Friday, February 1st, 2008The first time I came across a hotpot was when Marcus Wareing prepared it in the first Great British Menu series. Even though he took great care to research his subject and prepared it most lovingly I couldn’t help but turn up my nose at it. It’s as if the original cook thought it’s a […]
Beef, Prune & Guinness Stew
Thursday, January 3rd, 2008Nothing yells Irish more than Guinness. Two billion Euros’ worth of the dark, frothy stout gets poured in glasses around the world every year. Now that’s a lot of pints, people. Surprisingly, Guinness is healthier than the average beer like Corona, Samuel Adams, Budweiser, Heineken, you get the picture. Why? Guinness is lower in alcohol, […]
Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
Monday, November 26th, 2007As I mentioned earlier, our veg plot has suffered greatly this year because of our unintentional neglect. Other than the abundance of tomatoes in the summer, we have one consolation for the winter. Brussels sprouts. Just like chestnuts, sprouts remind us that winter is just around the corner. Do not despair! When Brussels sprouts are […]
Avocado, Pear and Bacon Salad
Monday, November 19th, 2007A lot of people I have met frowned at the idea of pairing meat with fruit. Yet year after year folks queue hungrily at the carvery for a coveted slice of turkey and dive into the cranberry jelly. Recently I prepared this salad for my dear friend Robyn. She successfully refrained from screwing up her […]
Roasted Chestnuts
Friday, November 16th, 2007The weather was foul. Steel grey clouds were threatening to send us even more pesky snow, and icy winds cut through us like sharp blades. You guessed it. We were in London. It was December 1997, my first trip to Europe. Outside the British Museum my father dragged my mother and me to a street […]
Potato & Onion Spanish Tortilla
Thursday, October 18th, 2007The Spanish Tortilla is not to be mixed up with the Mexican version. This omelette is one of the Spaniards’ staple foods. Stacks upon stacks of them are in the fridge compartments of supermarkets, ready to eat. In tapas bars they are cubed and speared on cocktail sticks, served with drinks. It can be eaten […]
Avocado, Grapefruit & Spinach Salad
Wednesday, October 10th, 2007Avocado and grapefruit is just one of those classic combinations in a salad. The seriously rich and green taste of the avo is extremely well complemented by the sweet and fruitiness of the grapefruit. There is no need for salad dressing either, because more than enough grapefruit juice would have accumulated while you were in […]
Butter Bean, Bacon & Thyme Soup
Friday, August 31st, 2007The butter bean didn’t get its name for no reason. When you taste this creamy soup you would have never guessed there is no dairy in it. Pulses are wonderful because they contain both starch and protein that make you feel satisfied for longer and they’re cheap. The bacon is just a little luxury in […]
Oxtail braised in Red Wine
Friday, July 13th, 2007This is where my cooking journey started. Miserable, bored and stuck in a rut with the food I was eating I missed home dearly and asked my mother for the family oxtail recipe. South African comfort food I call it, especially on those subzero evenings in winter. Yes, it does get cold there…
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