This recipe post was born out of the need to use excess bananas, which I accidentally ordered with my online shopping order! Instead of ordering one bag, I ordered four! So Banana Bread it was going to be! I love Banana Bread, it is one of those things, that brings back such wonderful childhood food-memories and it is so yummy with a cup of tea

Ingredients

• 4-5 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of plain flour

Preheat your oven to 170°c. Peel and mash your bananas and set aside. Then melt your butter. You could quite easily mix this by hand but prefer to use my Kitchenaid Mixer.

Place the mashed bananas and butter into the mixer and mix until combined. Lightly whisk the egg and add to the banana and butter mix while blending. Next add the sugar and vanilla paste and mix well. Lastly add the flour and mix until combined.

Grease a medium sized loaf tin with a bit of butter and pour in the mixture. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour or until done.

When the Banana Bread is ready turn out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool. Once cool slice and enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. YUM!

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Crumbed Chicken is one of those meals which seems much more convenient to just buy ready-made but there is nothing better than making it yourself, and in my opinion, homemade is much healthier! It is much easier than it looks to prepare and tastes utterly delicious! I add Parmesan cheese and thyme to the bread crumbs, for an extra punch of flavour. I usually serve my crumbed chicken with oven roasted potatoes and a green salad, but for a more substantial, wintry meal, you can also serve roasted veggies.

Ingredients:

Crumbed Chicken

• 6-8 Skinless Chicken Breasts (deboned)
• 2 Eggs
• 100g Plain Flour
• 150g Toasted Bread Crumbs (I use the Woolworths Toasted Bread Crumbs)
• ½ Cup Grated Parmesan(or similar) Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Fresh or freeze-dried Thyme
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
•  1 tsp Coriander Pesto
•  ½ Cup Mayonnaise
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Oven Roasted Potatoes:

• 8 Mediteranean potatoes
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Sprig of Rosemary
• Olive Oil
• Juice of Half a Lemon

Preheat you oven to 180°c. Butterfly the chicken breasts slightly to ensure even cooking. In a pestle and mortar mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and thyme, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Place each of the seasoned flour, beaten eggs and bread crumb mix into separate bowls.

Firstly coat your chicken breasts in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg – ensure an even coating of egg otherwise your bread crumbs will not adhere to the chicken properly. Lastly coat in the bread crumb mixture and set aside on kitchen towel. Continue until all the breasts are coated.

I place my crumbed chicken breasts in the fridge to rest for at least ½ an hour before cooking, as I find this helps the crumbs to stick properly and makes cooking the chicken much easier.

While your crumbed chicken breasts are resting in the fridge you can prepare your oven roasted potatoes. Cut the potatoes into quarters and place in an oven roasting dish with a splash of olive oil, rosemary sprigs, garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the potatoes thoroughly and bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until golden and crispy, stirring occasionally.

After the breasts have rested, you can place them directly onto an oiled baking tray and bake in the oven, but I prefer to shallow fry them in a pan, for a minute or two on either side, before placing in the oven, to ensure a crispy, golden crumb. Oven roast for 20 minutes until the chicken breasts are cooked through, turning once during cooking.

For a quick tasty sauce to drizzle over the chicken, combine mayonnaise with a teaspoon of Coriander Pesto and mix well. Serve the cooked chicken with your oven roasted potatoes, a green salad, lime wedges and the coriander mayonnaise. I paired this meal with a glass of crisp Leopard’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc.

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I recently attended a wonderful event at Groot Constantia Wine Farm and I thought I would share a few of the highlights and photographs from the event with you. You can see the full post here.

This event was being held to celebrate the new Groot Constantia Gouverneur’s Reserve label, as well as the official unveiling of the upgraded tasting room. This was definitely an event that I had really been looking forward to attending!

Upon arrival at the farm, we were greeted with a glass of Groot Constantia bubbly and delicious canapes, courtesy of Jonkerhuis Restaurant. The bobotie spring rolls were rather delish, even for someone like me who is not a lover of the dish!

After a few opening speeches we moved over to the new tasting room for the official opening and ribbon cutting of the newly revamped space, which epitomizes how Groot Constantia, successfully blends the old with the new. The tasting room is warm and inviting and beautifully decorated.

This was followed by a tasting of the newly labeled Gouverneurs Reserve range of wines. The “new” wine label is a celebration of the Groot Constantia heritage and is in fact an exact reproduction of one of the Estates historical labels, which has been brought back into use to distinguish and honour the Gouverneurs Reserve range of wines.

After a rather informative cellar tour we made our way to Simons restaurant to continue the festivities. We were greeted with a glass of Port, perfect considering the chilly weather and the treated to an array of delicious finger foods and yummy Groot Constantia wines. My personal favourite wine was the Shiraz – which was perfect as it was definitely red wine weather!

One truly has to experience Groot Constantia to feel Groot Constantia – it is about rich history, a beautiful setting, friendly people, memories to be made, fun to be had and, of course, wine to be savoured and enjoyed.

Thank you to Groot Constantia and the organisers for a wonderful day, enriched by good food, amazing wine and great people!

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Knowing how to make a fresh tomato sauce is a great basic recipe to have in your cooking repertoire  you can use it as the base for so many other recipes and it is something you could do in advance and either store in the fridge or freezer, for when you need it. If you blend this recipe after cooking you can also use it as an alternative to store-bought tomato sauce.

This recipe for my Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce will make quite a large quantity, which is perfect to store for later use, which you can use on your homemade pizza base or when preparing a quick easy weekday pasta dish. I have used chilli’s in this recipe if you would like to make it suitable for small children simply leave them out.

Ingredients for the Fresh Tomato Sauce

• 1 tin large plumb tomatoes in their juice (or 2 smaller tins)
• 15ml tomato paste
• 2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh or dried oregano (If fresh then chop finely)
• 1 Tbsp. fresh or dried basil (If fresh then chop finely)
• 2 tsp. chilli paste or 2 small chilli’s (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A splash of balsamic vinegar

In a large saucepan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and then add your garlic, chilli and herbs; sauté over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tin of whole tomatoes to the pan and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. You can begin to break up the tomatoes now, then add the sugar, tomato paste, salt & pepper, balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Continue simmering for a further 20-30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and reduce the liquid. Once you are happy with the consistency remove from the heat and set aside.

Once the tomato sauce has cooled you can pour it into either glasses bottles or jars for storing in the fridge or into freezer proof containers and place in the freezer. This sauce will store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.

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This is one of my family’s favourite meals, which actually started out as a casserole recipe and evolved into a Chicken and Leek Pie! It is very simple but looks impressive if you are entertaining and want to impress your guests! It is not as heavy as a traditional pie in a pastry shell, as I use phyllo pastry as a topping.

Ingredients:

• 800g Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 400g Mushrooms (Combination of Portobello and Button)
• 4 Leeks (Finely sliced)
• 50g Butter
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp Plain Flour
• 250ml Chicken Stock
• 350ml Cream
• 150g Sliced Gypsy Ham (Optional)
• 1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 Box Phyllo Pastry
• Extra Butter (for brushing the pastry)

Preheat your oven to 180°c. Cut your chicken breasts into small pieces and season with cayenne pepper and set aside for cooking later. Melt half the butter in a deep pan and cook the finely sliced leeks on a low to medium heat stirring often, do not allow the leeks to brown. Once the leeks have softened add your sliced mushrooms to the pan and cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Remove the leeks and mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining butter and olive oil in the pan and brown your chicken pieces in batches, on a medium to high heat. Once browned return all the chicken to the pan and stir in your plain flour allowing it to coat the chicken. Cook for 1-2 minutes over a medium heat and then stir in your chicken stock.

Return your mushrooms and leeks to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take the pan off the heat and add your sliced ham pieces and cream, stir well and return to a low heat for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

Remove your pan from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in your chopped parsley. Pour your chicken mixture into individual ramekins or a large pie plate and top with phyllo pastry, brushed with lashings of melted butter. Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and lovely and crispy.

Serve immediately with sauted vegetables, a green salad and a glass of chilled white wine! ENJOY!

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~TASTE OF CAPE TOWN A CARNIVAL OF POP-UPS, BREWS, CULINARY HEIRLOOMS AND REBEL CHEFS~

I am so excited to be attending this gastronomic event later this week – it is a first for me and I am looking forward to many new experiences to wow my senses!

The Pick n Pay Taste of Cape Town is held in association with Orbit Sugarfree Chewing Gum and is heralded as the region’s most celebrated carnival of the senses will run from 11 to 14 April 2013, at the Green Point Cricket Club.

What Can You Expect at the Event?

XO, sea cucumber, sea truffle, kimchi, miso and tom yum butter.  Snotvis, tataki and a lucky star pie: the exotic and the indigenous, the trendy and the traditional will all be popping up at Pick n Pay Taste of Cape Town, along with rock star chefs and their dedicated followers, micro brewers and chocolatiers.

This year festival goers will also have a modern guide, the new Taste app for smart phones, so they can traipse between flavour hot spots dotted around the foodie playground without missing a beat.

“Part of the collection of Taste Festivals taking place in 18 world cities, the Cape leg of the international celebrations will once again enthral food lovers, flavour hunters and the city’s social set with its unique format of part-party, part trend-spotting, part gourmet-shopping and full-on feasting,” says Justine Drake, festival-organiser.

Drake also foresees that the pop-up restaurant concept added to the festival last year will have foodies in awe. “It brings with it a very adventurous way to enjoy the diversity of tastes Cape Town is known for.” Taste-hunters can try dishes as diverse as champagne poached oysters and seafood bredies, a dish named ‘Message in a Bottle’ and miso glazed short rib with fresh kimchi. The pop-up dining experience brings rebel with a food cause Bruce Robertson of The Boathouse, Luke Dale-Roberts of The Test Kitchen/The Pot Luck Club, La Colombe with Scot Kirton and Tanja Kruger of Makaron Restaurant at Majeka house.

In addition to the pop-ups, the eleven restaurants chosen to represent the spectrum of tastes of the Mother City dish up their signature creations in started sized bites. The Restaurants include: Henrico Grobbelaar of The Twelve Apostle’s Azure Restaurant, Natasha Wray of 96 Winery Road. De Grendel Restaurant debuts at the festival with Ian Bergh, Shaun Schoeman of Fyndraai Restaurant on Solms-Delta, Signal Restaurant at Cape Grace with Malika Van Reenen,  Sanel Esterhuyse from Savour at 15 on Orange, Jewel of India’s Dayanand Shankar Poojary , Beefcakes Burger Bar, represented by Wonderful Ndhlovu, Il Leone Mastrantonio and Daniel Toledo Dash Restaurant and Bar at the Queen Victoria Hotel  with Craig Paterson and Stefan Marais of The Brasserie.

A brand new initiative at the festival - Taste Craft Beer Project – will showcase more than 18 of the country’s best quality craft beer on tap. This collection of micro-breweries will be on hand to quench the thirst for craft beer, with each brew paired with dishes featured at the festival.

“With so much to enjoy, guests simply can’t let go, returning several times over the four days to savour it all,” says Drake.

Other culinary highlights include:

Food Market hand-picked artisan producers, premium drink brands and award-winning wineries in the laid back atmosphere of a boutique food market. Sip on Bain’s Mountain Whiskey or the Fairtrade wines on offer while dipping into pesto, munching on gourmet cheese and stocking up on pantry stuffers to get you ready for Autumn entertaining.

For those looking for a 2013 dinner party wow-factor, the Pick n Pay Chef’s Theatre will feature live demos by top chefs. For the hands-on visitors, the Pick n Pay Wine and Canapé Experience will reveal the secrets to creative pairings of canapés and wine in an interactive area.

Cape Town Angels Benefit Stage: An eclectic group of performers the likes of, Janie and  The Beard, Natasha Meister, Philip Malan, and Silent Side are brought to Taste of Cape Town by the Cape Town Angels.

Lindt Al Fresco. Luxurious, with a hint of the forbidden – nothing stirs the senses quite like Swiss chocolate. Lindt’s Master Chocolatiers from the Cape Town Chocolate Studio create truffles and fresh pralines by hand to enjoy in the alfresco dining area. The Lindt shop will have decadent goodies from their Excellence and Creation ranges on sale, to satisfy the craving on the go. At the Chefs Theatre the Lindt Chocolatiers will do more sweetening up, demonstrating their master craft with amazing chocolate sculptures.

Royal Thai Embassy puts Thai chefs on show preparing popular dishes in cooking demonstrations throughout the festival. Savour the culture, traditions and lifestyle through authentic dishes and flavours. To add to the experience visitors will also get a chance to enter the lucky draw and win a round trip for two to Thailand.

Taste Fest App: Apple, Android and Blackberry users can enjoy an interactive map to navigate the show and stay up to date with the Pick n Pay Chef’s Theatre timetables with a ‘My Diary’ feature to make the most of the visit.  The app puts all the interesting facts on chefs, restaurants and festival exhibitors in the palm of the hand. It is available to download from 30 March from your device’s app store.

Do Good Feel Good by supporting The Chipembere Rhino Foundation. They are committed to on the ground assistance in the protection and conservation of Africa’s rhino. Show your support by stocking up on branded caps and shirts at the festival.

Cape Town Angels is a non-profit company driven by a group of young professionals operating in and around Cape Town. Through commitment, partnership and collaboration they share “The Magic of Compassion” by boosting other social responsibility initiatives and developing community based projects.

Green as you go “Taking the environment into account and ensuring best practice in terms of sustainability can only add to the flavour experience that epitomises Taste,” says Drake.

Culinary currency: Restaurants and special feature areas operate on the Festival Crown, the event’s official currency. Festival goers use these Crowns to purchase their pick of sample dishes and drinks from exhibitors and bars. Each Taste of Cape Town Crown is worth R5 and prices range from 4 to 8 Crowns per dish.

Standard R80 tickets include entrance to the festival and tasting glass. Premium R180 Tickets include entrance to the festival, a tasting glass and R100 Festival Crowns .Taste Clubhouse Experience by DStv R685 includes fast track entrance to the festival, tasting glass, R150 Festival Crowns and complimentary bar service (malt, wine and soft drinks) in a private clubhouse and a Taste of Cape Town gift.

All tickets can be bought online from www.itickets.co.za or by calling ITickets on 0861000291. For updates on the festival line-up, news on chefs and their dishes, stay in touch on Facebook or Twitter: @tasteofCT or visit their website.

Festival details:

Venue:  Green Point Cricket Club, Corner Vlei and Fritz Sonnenberg Roads

Dates and Time: 11-14 April 2013

Thursday 11^th: 18:30-22:30

Friday 12^th: 18:30-22:30

Saturday 13^th: 1^st session 13:00-1700 and the 2^nd session 18:30- 22:30

Sunday 14^th: 12:00-17:00

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Summer in Cape Town is a glorious thing: stunning beach weather, beautiful sunsets, dinning outside and the most important summer essential – Ice Cream! Ice Cream is one of those things that you can enjoy come rain or shine but it tastes particularly good on a hot summers day!

We all need a bit of indulgence in our lives! So I thought I would share my Top Ice Cream Shops in Cape Town, including a few recommendations from my readers.

• The Creamery

I had the pleasure of sampling their delicious ice cream, for the first time, at the Constantia Food & Wine Festival last year and all I can say is yum! My all-time favourite was the Lime Curd flavour! Their ice cream is handmade; most of the ingredients are sourced locally and organic. I actually got to meet Kate the lady behind the Ice Cream and was treated to my own private tasting.

Although The Creamery is in essence not a retail shop, you can pop into their kitchen to pick up a pint (cash only) from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, or even better you can order on the webshop if you have a specific flavour you would like them to keep aside for you. You can collect your order from; either their kitchen in Mowbray, or any one of the markets and pop up shops they stock.

Unit 22A | corner of Weymouth and Wyecroft Road | Mowbray | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 447 7690

• Häagen-Dazs

Häagen-Dazs is a family favourite! Whenever we visit the V&A Waterfront we pop in to their shop, the girls love the Raspberry Sorbet and I am quite particular to their Vanilla Caramel Brownie. Their ice cream has an incredibly rich flavour, smooth texture and creamy taste, because it contains less air, Häagen-Dazs is denser and richer than other luxury ice creams, creating its signature slow-melting creaminess.

Shop no. 129 | Lower Level | Victoria Wharf | +27 (0)21 421 0744

• Sinnful Ice Cream Emporium

We usually frequent the shop in Muizenberg but they also have an outlet in Camps Bay. Sinnful is a Cape Town favourite and very popular with my readers. They give new meaning to the term gourmet ice cream with their interesting blend of flavours like Heavenly Hash, a blend of marshmallow, chocolate chips, fudge and vanilla ice cream or Koeksusters and Amarula!

Shop 5 | The Promenade Centre | Victoria Road | Camps Bay | +27 (0)21 438 3541

• Gelato Mania

Gelato Mania, situated in Green Point Cape Town, is a unique gelateria, which specializes in Artisan gelato (traditional home-made Italian style ice cream).Using an age-old traditional recipe, Gelato Mania offers taste sensations, which are refreshing bursts of exceptional flavours, leaving you craving more!

Every scoop of Gelato Mania is a unique blend of quality, flavour and an unforgettable experience, bringing to life their promise of  ”memories you can taste.”

65 Main Road | Green Point | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 439 2074

• Ice Café

This was another reader recommendation and her favourite flavour is Blueberry and Fudge, two separate flavours that are combined and it must be in a served in a sugar cone!!

Situated in Kalk Bay, you can buy your ice cream and enjoy it while taking leisurely stroll, taking in the sights. Other delicious flavours you can try include blueberry and cream, rum and raisin or ginger and cinnamon.

Main Road | Kalk Bay | +27 (0)21 788 4816

• The Venezia Ice Cream Parlour

A quaint little Italian spot where you can indulge in gloriously creamy gelato. With an array of gorgeous flavours this ice cream parlour never fails to impress.
92 Main Road | Sea Point | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 930 2952

• Lecca il Gelato

Lecca il Gelato, situated in the picaresque town of Stellenbosch, was the first real Italian ice cream parlour in South Africa and opened its doors in February 2006. It is owned and managed by an enthusiastic team of Italians, who are committed to creating an authentic top quality ice cream. They only use fresh, individually selected ingredients from across the globe and do not add any preservatives, additives, vegetable fats or artificial colouring to our ice cream.

Their flavours include exotic taste experiences such as Champagne ice cream, Portofino (chocolate and whiskey) and they even have Soya gelato for those that are dairy intolerant.

15 Church Street | Stellenbosch | Cape Town | +27 (0)21  886 4694/5

• Marcel’s

Marcel’s is the home of delectable frozen yogurt, which is great, if like me you like to watch your calorie intake! It was established in 1989 and now has 12 outlets. A family favourite in our house is the English Toffee or you can try exciting new flavours like Lemony Cheesecake and Rich Espresso.

Lower level| Victoria and Alfred Waterfront| Cape Town | +27 (0)21425 2633

• Wakaberry

Wakaberry is the new kid on the block and is very quickly becoming uber popular! Wakaberry is the first South African frozen yoghurt brand to offer a unique self-serve concept that allows each customer to be the boss of their own creation.

The froyo flavours vary from store to store, but customers can expect a wide variety including classics like Strawberry, Vanilla, Mixed Berry and English Toffee and quirkier taste sensations like Green tea, Pomegranate, Kiwi and Watermelon. Toppings wise, for the fit and healthy we offer fresh fruit, nuts, and cereals, and for the downright wicked there are deliciously decadent desserts such as sweets, chocolates and sauces.

To find a store near you click over to their Store Locater or call the Head Office +27 (0)31 572 4971

Please a comment below if you think I have left any out or tell me what your favourite flavour combos are!

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This is for all you seafood lovers! This prawn dish is perfect for a light summer meal or a starter if you are entertaining. It is best enjoyed with a glass of bubbly in hand! It is quick and easy to prepare and simply delicious! I have used the Woolworths Pre-cooked prawns for this recipe but you can also cook your prawns from raw.

Ingredients:

• 800g Prawns
• 1-2 Small Chillis Finely Chopped
• 2 Cloves of Garlic Finely Chopped
• 50 ml Dry White Wine
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Lime
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• Coriander Pesto (click here for the recipe)

Finely chop your chillis and garlic. Clean your prawns, if they have not already been cleaned and set aside. You can remove the head and tail of the prawns before cooking – I prefer to cook my prawns with the tails on, I find that they remain more succulent this way.

In a fry pan heat your olive oil and a tablespoon of butter, add your chopped chilli and garlic and saute over a medium heat. Once the chilli and garlic have softened, add the prawns – cook over a medium heat for a few minutes(longer if your prawns are raw).

Now add your lemon juice, lime juice and white wine and allow to cook for another few minutes. Season with a grind of salt and pepper. Do not allow the prawns to boil as this tends to dry them out and make them tough.

Lastly add a two teaspoons of  Coriander Pesto (a recipe I shared previously) to the pan, coat the prawns in the pesto and remove from the heat.

Your prawns are now ready to serve, I love to serve them on a bed of couscous with a side salad. Remember to pour some of the delicious cooking juices over the prawns and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh coriander.

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Coriander and Chilli Prawns

This is for all you seafood lovers! This prawn dish is perfect for a light summer meal or a starter if you are entertaining. It is best enjoyed with a glass of bubbly in hand! It is quick and easy to prepare and simply delicious! I have used the Woolworths Pre-cooked prawns for this recipe but you can also cook your prawns from raw.

Author: Fiona Rossiter

Recipe type: Seafood Recipe

Serves: 4

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Total time:  15 mins

Ingredients

• 800g Prawns
• 1-2 Small Chillis Finely Chopped
• 2 Cloves of Garlic Finely Chopped
• 50 ml Dry White Wine
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Lime
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• Coriander Pesto

Instructions

1. Finely chop your chillis and garlic. Clean your prawns, if they have not already been cleaned and set aside. You can remove the head and tail of the prawns before cooking – I prefer to cook my prawns with the tails on, I find that they remain more succulent this way.
2. In a fry pan heat your olive oil and a tablespoon of butter, add your chopped chilli and garlic and saute over a medium heat. Once the chilli and garlic have softened, add the prawns – cook over a medium heat for a few minutes(longer if your prawns are raw).
3. Now add your lemon juice, lime juice and white wine and allow to cook for another few minutes. Do not allow the prawns to boil as this tends to dry them out and make them tough.
4. Lastly add two teaspoons of Coriander Pesto (a recipe I shared previously) to the pan, coat the prawns in the pesto and remove from the heat.
5. Your prawns are now ready to serve, I love to serve them on a bed of couscous. Pour some of the delicious cooking juices over the prawns and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh coriander.

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I absolutely love the salty smoky flavour of bacon – add mushrooms, garlic and cream I am in heaven! If these are flavours you like then this is a pasta recipe just for you! It is definitely not a low-fat meal but everything in moderation is acceptable.

A great tip I have for cooking bacon is to do it in your oven, instead of frying the bacon in a pan. You get rid of a great deal of the fat by cooking it in the oven, as it renders down really well and you get the most awesome, crispy bacon!

Ingredients 

• 500g Mixed Mushrooms
• 2 Packets Smoked Back Bacon
• 2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
• 1 Tbsp. Thyme
• 300ml Reduced Fat Fresh Cream
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 125ml White Wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 50g Butter
• Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 180ºc and lay your bacon pieces on 2 foiled backing sheets. Chop your garlic and Thyme and slice your mushrooms. Once your oven is preheated place your trays of bacon into the oven, turning during cooking. Cook until crispy and golden.

In a pan heat your olive and butter over a medium heat, until bubbling, add your garlic and Thyme and saute for a minute or two. Just before the butter starts to colour add your mushrooms and a generous grind of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat until the mushrooms start to colour.

Once your bacon is cooked remove from the oven and slice into small pieces, set aside to add to your sauce later. Place a pot of salted water on a high heat and bring to the boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil add a gulg of olive oil and add your penne pasta, cook for approximately 8-9 minutes.

Add your white wine and lemon juice to your mushrooms and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the wine to reduce. Remove the pan from the heat and add your fresh cream, return to a low heat and do not allow the cream to boil. After approximately 5 minutes add your bacon pieces and grated parmesan, stir to combine. Add your penne pasta to the pan and toss in your creamy sauce.

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese and thyme leaves. You can accompany your pasta dish with crispy ciabatta bread and a healthy summer salad.

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Bacon and Mushroom Pasta

I absolutely love the salty smoky flavour of bacon and combined with mushrooms, garlic and cream I am in heaven! If these are flavours you like then this is a pasta recipe just for you! It is definitely not low-fat meal but everything in moderation is acceptable.

Author: Fiona Rossiter

Cuisine: Italian

Recipe type: Pasta Recipe

Serves: 4-6

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Ingredients

• 500g Mixed Mushrooms
• 2 Packets Smoked Back Bacon
• 2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
• 1 Tbsp. Thyme
• 300ml Reduced Fat Fresh Cream
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 125ml White Wine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 50g Butter
• Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºc and lay your bacon pieces on 2 foiled backing sheets. Chop your garlic and Thyme and slice your mushrooms. Once your oven is preheated place your trays of bacon into the oven, turning during cooking. Cook until crispy and golden.
2. In a pan heat your olive and butter over a medium heat, until bubbling, add your garlic and Thyme and saute for a minute or two. Just before the butter starts to colour add your mushrooms and a generous grind of salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat until the mushrooms start to colour.
3. Once your bacon is cooked remove from the oven and slice into small pieces, set aside to add to your sauce later. Place a pot of salted water on a high heat and bring to the boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil add a gulg of olive oil and add your penne pasta, cook for approximately 8-9 minutes.
4. Add your white wine and lemon juice to your mushrooms and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow the wine to reduce. Remove the pan from the heat and add your fresh cream, return to a low heat and do not allow the cream to boil. After approximately 5 minutes add your bacon pieces and grated parmesan, stir to combine. Add your penne pasta to the pan and toss in your creamy sauce.
5. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of parmesan sauce and a few thyme leaves. Serve with crispy ciabatta bread and a healthy summer salad.

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I love cooking and always try to put a great tasting, nutritious meal on the table for dinner. I usually opt for simple, easy to prepare meals during the week but sometimes when I am feeling a bit adventurous, I can be known to whip up a gastronomic midweek-feast. One of my favourite feast type recipes is Lamb Rogan Josh Curry, an aromatic lamb dish of Persian origin. This gorgeous Kashmirian curry is a big hit with all my dinner guests and it tastes even better the next day!

You can use shop bought paste but I like to make my own, I have included a link to my recipe for Rogan Josh Curry Paste for you to try. If you do not have time to make your own curry paste, then Woolworths makes a great ready-made Rogan Josh paste.

 Ingredients:

• 800g Lamb leg cubes (You can also use lamb knuckles)
• 1 Large onion
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 100ml Tomato puree
• 15ml Tomato paste
• 2-3 Tbsp Rogan Josh curry paste
• 250ml Water
• 75ml Plain/Bulgarian yoghurt
• Olive Oil
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tsp sugar or palm sugar
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Fresh coriander for serving

Preheat your oven to a moderate heat, 160-180°c. If the lamb has not yet been trimmed, then trim off all the excess fat and connective tissue. This allows the meat to brown evenly and prevents the meat from becoming tough. Once you have trimmed the fat off the lamb, season with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven proof casserole (I highly recommend Le Creuset pots – a worthwhile investment) on the stove and brown the lamb in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Chop your onion and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until soft and lightly browned. I also add a bit of extra ginger and chilli at this stage but it is personal taste, if you would like a milder curry leave this part out. Once your onions are softened and lightly browned add 2-3 tablespoons or the Rogan Josh Curry paste that you have made or a sachet of the Woolworths paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat and then add your lamb back to the pot. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar and water, stir to combine and cover.

Place in a preheated oven at 160-180°c for 1-1½ hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes. I usually add 4 Medium sized potatoes, sliced into quarters, to the curry after it has had half an hour in the oven.  After the curry has been in the oven for 45 minutes add the yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and stir to combine. When the lamb is tender remove from the oven, if the sauce is too thick simply add a dash of water to the pot and stir. Season with a dash of salt and pepper if necessary and you are ready to serve.

I serve my Lamb Rogan Josh Curry with Basmati Rice, a tomato and onion salad and a lemon, coriander and yoghurt raita. Another popular accompaniment to this dish is naan bread.

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Delicious Lamb Rogan Josh Curry

I love cooking and always try to put a great tasting, nutritious meal on the table for dinner. Sometimes when I am feeling a bit adventurous, I can be known to whip up a gastronomic midweek-feast. One of my favourite feast type recipes is Lamb Rogan Josh Curry, an aromatic lamb dish of Persian origin. This gorgeous Kashmirian curry is a big hit with all my dinner guests and it tastes even better the next day!

Author: Fiona Rossiter

Cuisine: Persian

Recipe type: Lamb Curry

Serves: 4-6

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  1 hour 30 mins

Total time:  1 hour 40 mins

Ingredients

• 800g Lamb leg cubes (You can also use lamb knuckles)
• 1 Large onion
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• 100ml Tomato puree
• 15ml Tomato paste
• 2-3 Tbsp Rogan Josh curry paste
• 250ml Water
• 75ml Plain/Bulgarian yoghurt
• Olive Oil
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tsp sugar or palm sugar
• A squeeze of lemon juice
• Fresh coriander for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to a moderate heat, 160-180°c. If the lamb has not yet been trimmed, then trim off all the excess fat and connective tissue. This allows the meat to brown evenly and prevents the meat from becoming tough. Once you have trimmed the fat off the lamb, season with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven proof casserole (I highly recommend Le Creuset pots – a worthwhile investment) on the stove and brown the lamb in batches. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Chop your onion and garlic and sauté over a medium heat until soft and lightly browned. I also add a bit of extra ginger and chilli at this stage but it is personal taste, if you would like a milder curry leave this part out. Once your onions are softened and lightly browned add 2-3 tablespoons or the Rogan Josh Curry paste that you have made or a sachet of the Woolworths paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat and then add your lamb back to the pot. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste, sugar and water, stir to combine and cover.
3. Place in a preheated oven at 160-180°c for 1-1½ hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes. I usually add 4 Medium sized potatoes, sliced into quarters, to the curry after it has had half an hour in the oven. After the curry has been in the oven for 45 minutes add the yoghurt, a squeeze of lemon juice and stir to combine. When the lamb is tender remove from the oven, if the sauce is too thick simply add a dash of water to the pot and stir. Season with a dash of salt and pepper if necessary and you are ready to serve.
4. I serve my Lamb Rogan Josh Curry with Basmati Rice, a tomato and onion salad and a lemon, coriander and yoghurt raita. Another popular accompaniment to this dish is naan bread.

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