My easy cooking by Nina Timm.

Pumpkin recipe - Fritters, everyone's favorite!

Best steak I have ever had, really!

Onion Bhaji - A delightful Indian Snack!

Cooking Roast Beef and Creamed Horseradish and another great Sandwich!

Spanish Recipe - Fritata with Exotic Mushrooms

Jamie Oliver's Chicken - Simple Food, just the way I like it!

Thai Event - The Winners!!

This Panini Steak Sandwich could easily be my best ever!

Fairview Bloggers Competition - let the voting begin!

Event #1 - Thai - Roundup

Chicken En Papillote - Surprisingly good chicken!

Verlaque Contest - I chose not to cook at all!

Sticky Chicken - only 3 ingredients, I promise!

Thai Corn Fritters, A review of a Thai restaurant and my first event!

ClemenGold Tarte Tatin - my bribe for your VOTE!

Rissotto has only one "s" - Risotto!

Coconut Chicken and Noodle Broth

Bread Pudding with Berries in Winter?

Chunky Basil Tomato Soup!

Chocolate, Easy, Sauce and hot - great combination when making dessert!

Potato rosti - Ich liebe es!!!!

A Lemon Tart inspired by FBC 2010

BBQ Plans for the weekend? Let's make Spicy Chicken Kebabs

Fish Cakes or Crab Cakes - you choose!

Spicy Butternut soup to easy off the cold - Revised

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:31:00 +0000

Ask my sister for a pumpkin recipe and she will most probably roll her eyes in a 360º fashion. You see, pumpkin is not her thing. I don't blame her, poor thing! I hail from an era where you were forced to eat whatever was put on your plate. Sometimes my mom would sit and wait until you finally gave in, scoffed down the food just so that you could go and play. With my mom and my sister it was a battle of the wills, I swear neither of them would give in. If only she took my advice and ate her pumpkin with her other food, but no she kept it until last and ....cold. As far as I am concerned, cold pumpkin is only good for one thing.......
Pumpkin fritters. Golden brown, soft in the center and covered with cinnamon sugar, yum! My memory with pumpkin is a lot more pleasant than that of my sister. I remember going to my Gran's house on Fridays and in winter, there was always the possibility that she had some pumpkin fritters. Her house would be filled with the smell of cinnamon and vanilla, because with her pumpkin fritters she always made this "vanilla sauce".

I only figured out later in my life that it was a creme anglaise that she made. I want to create the same kind of memories for my children, hopefully not the cold pumpkin ones, but rather warm and fuzzy feeling memories. Yesterday it was a a wee bit cold here in Cape Town. There was this chilling breeze the whole day and I thought it was the right kind of day for a memory.... a pumpkin fritter memory. We are enjoying the last oranges of the season so I tweaked my Gran's creme anglaise somewhat....

Pumpkin Fritters with Orange Creme Anglaise

Creme Anglaise

2 cups whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 tsp orange zest
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp orange liqueur - optional

In a medium pot, bring the milk, vanilla bean and vanilla seeds, and orange zest to a simmer over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and discard the vanilla bean and zest.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until thick and ribbons form, about 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in about 3/4 cup of the hot milk, and whisk until well incorporated. Add the egg mixture to the pot with the remaining milk and cook, stirring, until it forms a thick custard, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain into a clean bowl to cool. Add the orange liqueur if you wish.Cover with plastic wrap, to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours, or overnight.

Pumpkin Fritters

500gr pumpkin - weigh after it has been peeled (even butternut will do)
120g flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
vegetable oil for frying
cinnamon sugar for dusting

Cut the pumpkin into chunks and cook in water until very soft. Drain and allow to cool. Place all the ingredients, including the pumpkin into a blender and blend. Heat the oil in a saucepan and when the oil is hot, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil. When golden brown on both sides, take out of the oil and drain. Dust with cinnamon sugar and serve with the Orange Creme Anglaise.

Nerina Timm September 1 at 1:06pm

Hello all my Facebook followers

I am at your mercy once again. I made it to the SA Blog Awards nomination list with the help of all you guys. Now the voting poles are open and if you can vote for me I will be so grateful.

Just follow the above link or the badge in my sidebar and My Easy Cooking is under the category The Best Food and Wine Blog.
This is what you do:
1.Click the little circle next to My Easy Cooking
2.Fill in your email and security code at the bottom of the page.
3. Click the confirmation link once you receive your email.Very Important!

Thank you

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:15:00 +0000

My family thinks I cook the best steak and I have always thought I CAN cook a mean steak, but let me tell you, on Friday I was knocked right off the podium for "The best steak ever!". It is very seldom that a meal leaves me speechless, but all I could muster in between bites, were "Mmmmmm, ohhhhh, ahhh"! Wow, it was really the juiciest, tastiest and most flavorsome piece of meat that I have had in a long time and that says a lot about fillet....
As you will remember, I did a post on Grilling the Perfect Steak not so long ago and I mentioned in that post that fillet was not my favorite cut of beef for grilling. I prefer rump by far. On Friday though, we were invited to the Goatshed on Fairview farm and I ordered the beef fillet which later turned out to be the best choice.( I was not the only one aah-ing and ooo-ing!) The meat was done to perfection. Tender, rare, juicy and perfected by a most flavorful jus and some roasted vegetables.
If you are by now dying to try out that delicious steak or any of the other recipes, please visit the Goatshed on Fairview Farm.
If however you want to try to grill the perfect steak in the comfort of your own home, try my easy marinade or dry spice rub recipes.

Fillet Steak, topped with Goat's Cheese and Bacon, served with roasted Vegetables and a fruity jus

Other choices on the Goatshed menu

Greek Salad

Springbok Stirfry

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 21:26:00 +0000

Onion Bahji has as many spellings as it has recipes. It varies from "bhajees" to "Bhajias" to what is accepted as the correct spelling "Bhajis". When it comes to the recipe, it is a whole different story.Every full-blooded Indian swears by his/her recipe. I have to admit that my knowledge of the Indian cuisine is not so good that I would know a good from a bad recipe, but I tasted these delightful snacks at a function the other night and I just had to find the parent who supplied this plate of eats to the school and then try to bribe her for the recipe.......
When I finally tracked the mommy down who brought these bhajis, she was quite pleased that I liked her snacks and was most eager to share the recipe with me. If one can call it a recipe... She told me with much delight that she uses a premix from Spice Mecca. Horror upon horror, how can it be true? Well the proof was definitely in the tasting. I ate bhaji after bhaji until my mouth was on fire. It was so darn tasty! So for the idiot version you need:

Onion Bhaji - Idiot version

1 packet Spice Mecca Bhaji Mix
250-300 ml water
about 4 onions
a handful fresh coriander - chopped

Slice the onions in thin rings and place in a bowl. Shake the bowl so that all the rings can come apart. In another bowl, combine the bhaji mix and the water and toss all the onion rings in the batter. Mix until all onion rings are coated with the batter. Follow the steps as for the recipe below.

Onion Bhaji - Indian version

1 cup Chick-Pea Flour or Gram Flour
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Baking Powder
Salt
1 tsp Ground Cumin
4 Large Onions, halved and thinly sliced
25g / 1oz finely chopped Fresh Coriander
Cold water to mix
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Sift the flour, chili, turmeric, cumin, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the water and mix well. Now add the chopped coriander and onions and mix well until all onion rings are coated with batter.

Preheat the deep fryer to 180ºC / 350ºF. Very carefully drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil and fry until the bhajis are golden brown and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper and serve while still piping hot.

Serve with Onion bhajis with plain yogurt mixed with chopped mint and a few drops of chili oil!

-Last few days to get nominations in for the 2010 South African Blog Awards . Would you please be so kind as to click on the badge in my sidebar or the link above and nominate me in the category Best Food and Wine Blog. Only the blogs with the most nominations will be going through so I NEED YOUR NOMINATIONS! I promise a big piece of cake and a coffee next time you visit. When you click on the badge or the link, you will see that My-Easy-Cooking has been nominated already. All you have to do then is to just type in the security code and your email address. You will then receive a confirmation email with a link in your mailbox. Please click on the link to finalize this process. Do not miss this last step, otherwise your vote is worth nothing, nadas!!!

For those of you who have nominated already, a huge thank you!!!!I am grateful for your time and if you could pass this message to friends and family I will be even more happy!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:55:00 +0000

British people eat roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, gravy and roast potatoes for lunch!At least that is what I have always believed about British people. Just like, I am sure, foreigners to our country think that we eat game everyday(game we shot ourselves by the way! . Life is so fast these days, that I think Sunday roasts are a rare treat, even for the British. I think that the British can do a Sunday roast better than anyone else, but the truth is, in my home I often make roast beef and I'll tell you why in a second........
Cooking roast beef is really quite simple. There are just a few guidelines to follow...

1. The cut of beef that you are going to roast is of vital importance. Buy the best you can afford and half your battle is won. To me, the best cuts for roasting is: chuck eye, prime rib, sirloin and tenderloin. Make sure you buy a well-matured piece of meat or order in advance and ask your butcher to mature it for you.
2. For 6-8 people you will need a chunk of meat of about 6lbs ( 2.75kg). I prefer to keep the bone on the meat as it adds flavor to the roast.

Now for the cooking.

Roast Beef

Ingredients

2.75kg beef prime rib or sirloin
1 tbsp flour
1 Tbsp English mustard
salt/pepper
1 onion peeled - halved

1. Preheat oven to 475F (240C)

2. It depends on what cut you have chosen, but I like to use a joint with a fat layer as it provides basting juices to keep the meat succulent and moist. Mix the mustard and flour and rub all over the piece of meat. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Place the piece of meat on the onions halves in a roasting tin. During roasting time, the onions will caramelize and impart a fantastic flavor to the meat. For about 30 minutes cook the meat on the set temperature. Then turn the heat down to 375F(190C) and cook the meat to your liking. Delia Smith has the following guide:

15minutes per 450g - rare
Add 15 minutes to total cooking time for medium rare
Add 30 minutes for well done.

4. Baste the meat every now and then to keep it moist.

5. To see if the meat is cooked to your like, insert a skewer in the thickest part of the meat. The juices will indicate how well the meat is cooked.

6. Once the meat is cooked to your liking, remove it from the heat and let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes. Cover loosely with tin foil.

Apart from all the trimmings that normally come with roast beef, I wan to focus your attention to a sideshow that to me, makes the difference between mediocre and fantastic.....Creamed horseradish! Hee-ha, just the kick this meal needs.

To make your own horseradish is so much better. To get fresh horseradish is not the easiest thing, so I planted my own. It takes quite a while to grow, but boy, oh boy, it is so worth it!.

Creamed Horseradish

Mix all the ingredients in a ceramic bowl about 1 hour before serving.

To assemble the sandwich. Cut a thick slice of rye bread, butter and layer with thin slices of roast beef, peppery rocket or watercress, avocado,capers and finish off with a big dollop of creamed horseradish.....delicious!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:18:00 +0000

I thought a Spanish recipe would be just the thing to give my hubby a bit of a melancholy trip down memory lane of his work/vacation trip to Spain a few years ago. "Let's move to Spain" has become a phrase we jokingly use to let each other know when we see or hear something upsetting in the news. It is our emergency code to each other for "I am having a tough day!". I have been hearing this code quite often in the last few weeks so I thought it was time to treat hubby to a Spanish meal, but .....
After my little stint to the hospital about two weeks ago, I had to make a few lifestyle adjustments. Nothing major, just little changes that will have huge benefits for my health. I drink coffee only when I really want it, not pour a cup every five minutes, just 'cause it is there. I walk about 3-4k everyday and I try and incorporate as much fresh fruit and vegetables in my diet. Now, my family are not picky eaters at all, but too much greenery on their plates and they become a little skeptic. With this Fritata with Exotic Mushrooms, I chopped up just about every vegetable I could lay my hands on. I had mushrooms, red, yellow and green peppers, courgettes and spring onions. Still, the children loved it and they did not even know that they were eating all these vegetables.he thing with a fritata is that you must never overcook the eggs. The eggs must be soft, still wet and wobbly when you take the pan off the heat. the residual heat will cook the eggs further, once you have taken it off the heat.You do not have to limit yourself to my specific flavors, use you favorite vegetables and chop and change to your taste. These are just the basic ingredients.

Fritata with Exotic Mushrooms

1/2 yellow pepper - diced
1/2 red pepper - diced
1/2 green pepper - diced
3 smallish courgettes 0 sliced thinly
a selection of Porcine an Oyster Mushrooms - about 100gr
8 eggs - slightly beaten
100ml milk
1 piece of feta cheese
250 ml mature cheddar

Heat some oil in a skillet and saute the peppers, and mushrooms for about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Once your vegetables are slightly softer, add the beaten egg and pour over the vegetables. Turn the stove to the lowest setting. Place a lid on the pan and for about 5-8 minutes, let the egg just set, it can even e wobbly in the middle. Crumble the 2 cheeses over the top and keep the lid on again until it is time to present the food. Cut in slices and serve with some patatas bravas and a side salad. Needless to say, hubby loved his Spanish meal and I loved the fact that we all got a healthy portion of fresh vegetables.

- You can also vote for the 2010 South African Blog Awards now. Would you please be so kind as to click on the badge in my sidebar or the link above and nominate me in the category Best Food and Wine Blog. Only the blogs with the most nominations will be going through so I NEED YOUR NOMINATIONS! I promise a big piece of cake and a coffee next time you visit. When you click on the badge or the link, you will see that My-Easy-Cooking has been nominated already. All you have to do then is to just type in the security code and your email address. You will then receive a confirmation email with a link in your mailbox. Please click on the link to finalize this process. Do not miss this last step, otherwise your vote is worth nothing, nadas!!!

I am grateful for your time and if you could pass this message to friends and family I will be even more happy!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:56:00 +0000

Jamie Oliver cooks simple food, period! I am sure at his restaurants he will dolly up the plates, 'cause that is the cheffie thing to do, but what I love about Jamie, is that he has made home cooking popular again. I dare anybody to sit and watch a Jamie programme and not get inspired to the point where you just want to get up and start cooking something.......
For me, Jamie has come a long way. In the beginning of BBC Food and similar programmes, I thought he was a bit of a big mouth, but I think he has matured into an icon in the food world and in my opinion he will still be influential for many more years to come. Part of his success, is that he has never lost touch with the man on the street. He will cook with anybody, eat with anybody and I know it is all to make a good programme, but you can only fake enjoying that for so long. Anyway, by now you should know that I am a Jamie Oliver fan! I have made many of his recipes and have yet to find one that does not work.
I have made his Picnic Bread and another one of his Chicken Casseroles and both these recipes are still popular in my house!

His series, Jamie At Home, to me is his best work ever. The format of the programme and his innovative use of ingredients are just awe-inspiring. Not to mention the garden he cooks from and sometimes in... I have watched it over and over again and every time I learn something new. This easy Chicken recipe is a perfect example of how Jamie can take the humblest of ingredients and come up with something so tasty and spectacular.

As you all know by now, I have had to make some changes to my lifestyle due to a slight medical hick up and one of the changes I had to make was to cut down on spicy food! Gosh, what a tall order. I hate bland food, I might as well not eat it! When I saw this recipe, I knew it could work for me, because herbs is so good to up flavor in food without the "bad" spices.

Jamie's Chicken - adapted my me

8 Chicken Pieces
1 small punnet cocktail tomatoes
fresh oregano
2 cloves of garlic
olive oil
salt/pepper
lemon zest

Preheat oven to 180 C. Use a pestle and mortar and bash the garlic until it becomes a puree. Add a big handful or fresh oregano and bash until the oregano is completely fine. Add the lemon zest and a few glugs of olive oil and mix to make a lovely fragrant oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and place in a oven proof casserole. Pour the fragrant oil over the top and toss and turn the chicken to coat with the oil. Make a small crisscross with a sharp knife on each tomato. Place all the tomatoes in a small bowl and pour over some boiling water. Leave for about 2 minutes. The skins of the tomatoes will come off easily. Pop the tomatoes in and about the chicken and bake uncovered for about 1 hour.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes or polenta and a side salad. The fragrant oil also works for fish and pork.

Other bits and bobs..

-For those of you who voted for my recipe in the Fairview Bloggers Competition, thank you so much! My recipe was one of the Top 3 that will now be cooked by the chefs in the Goatshed at Fairview and the winner will be announced on the 27th August. The other recipes are from Add to Taste and The Squashed Tomato.

-You can also vote for the 2010 South African Blog Awards now. Would you please be so kind as to click on the badge in my sidebar or the link above and nominate me in the category Best Food and Wine Blog. Only the blogs with the most nominations will be going through so I NEED YOUR NOMINATIONS! I promise a big piece of cake and a coffee next time you visit. When you click on the badge or the link, you will see that My-Easy-Cooking has been nominated already. All you have to do then is to just type in the security code and your email address. You will then receive a confirmation email with a link in your mailbox. Please click on the link to finalize this process. Do not miss this last step, otherwise your vote is worth nothing, nadas!!!

I am grateful for your time and if you could pass this message to friends and family I will be even more happy!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:10:00 +0000

Finally we are ready to announce the winners of the Thai Blog Event. It was my first blog event and I have to be honest I did not even expect to get 1 entry, but I got 8 entries and they were all so good that I refused to make the final decision by myself. I called in the help of some experts and we sat drooling over all these delicious entries. I wish everyone could be winners but sadly that is not how life works. So, (drum roll please) .......
Our first place goes to Jan Tripepi who prepared a wonderful Thai feast for us. The judges agreed that she used her Thai ingredients well, but also ventured into the unknown with her twist on the rice pudding. Well done Jan, you did well. I will contact you shortly to get your meal vouchers to you. Enjoy your meal at Wang Thai Milnerton!

Our second place goes to Leaine from Leaine's Kitchen. She also went all the way with a three course Thai meal. What we loved about her recipes, was that she proved to people with allergies that you can still have a very interesting meal and it does not have to be bland. Well done Leaine, your Thai recipe book will soon be on it's way!!!

Thank you to all of you who participated. I am so blessed and honoured to "know" all of you!!! Watch this space for the next event!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:18:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a good sandwich! What do you mean "it can't be" Of course it can, I mean really, it has all my favorite ingredients....bread(in whatever form or shape), butter, fresh lettuce and whatever else I fancy to slap on. Have you, fellow foodies also experienced that friends and family are reluctant to invite us for a meal and their excuse most of the time is that they feel threatened or intimidated by us in the kitchen. I have always said that even buttered toast tastes better if it was made by someone else.....This sandwich, I am sure might seem intimidating, but I can assure you it is sooo easy!
A Panini Steak Sandwich sounds quite pretentious doesn't it? Ok, non-foodies, it is a good piece of bread with a good piece of steak and some green stuff. Simple enough for you? Oh, enough with the teasing. For me a sandwich really has 4 important elements..

- good bread
- fresh ingredients
- something "wet" to keep all the elements together - cream cheese, chutney, relish etc.
- a good sandwich has texture - soft, crunchy, creamy and slightly chewy

I have used some interesting combinations in sandwiches, so do play around with different breads and different fillings. Fancy a Salami and Beetroot Chutney Sandwich? Or maybe a Beetroot and Cottage Cheese is more your thing! Why not grill a simple Cheese and Tomato Sandwich and change it into something totally different? Try something really unusual with this Caramelized Onion and Goat's Cheese Ciabatta! So you see, it does not have to be so difficult, just be creative even if you fail sometimes, who knows, you might invent the next winning combo!

If however you are looking for a real substantial sandwich, something that will stick to the ribs for a good couple of hours, look no further. This Steak Sandwich is filling, healthy, ready in a flash and really, really delicious.

Panini Steak Sandwich - for 1

1 panini
1 sirloin steak - about 150-200gr
juice of half a lemon
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt/pepper

about 1/4 of each red, yellow and green peppers - diced
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
pinch of sugar
salt/pepper

rocket
butter

To cook your steak to perfection, follow these simple steps or marinade your steak for 1/2 hour in the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Heat a griddle pan and when it is smoking hot, place the steak into the hot pan and sear on each side for about 2 minutes a side. In the meantime, heat some olive oil in another pan and add the peppers. Saute for a minute or so and add the other ingredients. When the peppers are softer, but still has a bite to them and caramelized, remove from the pan and keep one side.
When the steak is cooked, remove from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice open the panini and butter both halves. Place a layer of rocket leaves on the one half. Top with the sirloin and then with the roasted peppers. Spoon the pan juices over the sandwich. Serve immediately.

If you like this recipe and all the others on my blog, will you please take a moment and read this. Nominations are now open for the 2010 South African Blog Awards. Would you be so kind to take a few moments of your time to click on the above link or the badge in my sidebar and nominate me in the category Best Food and Wine Blog. Only the blogs with the most nominations go through to be finalists, so I need your nominations. I promise a big piece of chocolate cake and a cuppa when you visit. When you click the link below, you will see that My-Easy-Cooking has been nominated already so all you have to do is to enter the security code and a valid email address. When you receive the confirmation email, click on the link to finalize your nomination. This last step is really really important. I am grateful for the time you have taken to do this!

I have been chosen as one of the bloggers to participate in the Fairview Camembert Competition. I need you o vote for me, please. All you have to do is to vote for recipe No.5 on this site.
Fairview Bloggers Competition

Dead Easy! Thank you!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:29:00 +0000

Fairview Bloggers Competition, sounds easy doesn't it? Recipe has to include Fairview Camembert, still no problem right? Wait until you see the food gurus I am up against and you will know that I am stress beyond belief, because no longer am I the cook with the one I in the land of the blind bloggers. Oh no, I am finding myself totally out of my own comfort zone.....this is going to be one tough competition.....

Let me just get this off my chest...I LOVE Fairview. Last year my husband flew to PE and he brought me a Fairview Cheese Platter from the plane( like so many times before). This time however, the cheese were not to my satisfaction, some were dried out and some a lot smaller than what I was used to... I called Fairview and within a couple of hours they delivered a brand new Cheese platter to my doorstep in Pinelands, even thanked me for my observation because it helped them with quality issues. THAT is good service! Needless to say, when I buy soft cheeses, I buy Fairview so when they announced a Bloggers Competition I did not need two invites...

I decided to keep it simple by using the cheese almost in it's original form. I have made Baked Camembert before and served it with bread sticks and prosciutto, This time I wanted to try it in a pasta dish using a different kind of pasta.....so here goes!!

Butternut Fettuccine with Baked Camembert, biltong and Fried Sage
Serves 2-4

250gr Butternut Fettuccine
1 Small Fairview Camembert
fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic - cut in thin strips
1 chili
beef biltong - slightly on the pink side
fresh sage leaves
oil
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 160C. Take cheese from their wrappers and take the tip of a sharp knife and cut out a circle smaller than the cheese. Do NOT cut all the way through, work carefully and remove the "lid"! Drizzle the cheese with olive oil and press pieces of garlic, rosemary and chili into the cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 5-10 minutes. Watch all the time, you want a soft runny cheese, do not let the cheese melt completely. In the meantime cook the pasta until it reaches "al dente" phase. Drain and place in a bowl. Take the cheeses from the oven and serve it at the table, holding the cheese so the gooey inside can just run into the pasta. For sure a show stopping moment. Top with shavings of the wet biltong, fried sage leaves, sea salt and pepper.

For the fried sage leaves - heat some oil in a pan and when it is sizzling, add the individual sage leaves and let them fry for a few seconds, Remove and drain on kitchen toweling.

To vote for this recipe, please click on this link and vote for Recipe N0.5

You can also vote for the 2010 South African Blog Awards now. Would you please be so kind as to click on the badge in my sidebar or the link above and nominate me in the category Best Food and Wine Blog. Only the blogs with the most nominations will be going through so I NEED YOUR NOMINATIONS! I promise a big piece of cake and a coffee next time you visit. When you click on the badge or the link, you will see that My-Easy-Cooking has been nominated already. All you have to do then is to just type in the security code and your email address. You will then receive a confirmation email with a link in your mailbox. Pls click on the link to finalize this process. Do not miss this last step, otherwise your vote is worth nothing, nadas!!!

I am grateful for your time and if you could pass this message to friends and family I will be even more happy!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:42:00 +0000

I was so excited to host my first blog event, My Easy Cooking Event #1 - Thai. For those who do it on a regular basis, I am sure your first event was also nerve racking. What if no one bothers to take part. Well I am ecstatic with all the entries I received. I have the next event all ready and planned, but before I announce it, let me share a few Thai recipes with you!

The first entry that I received came form Marisa over at The Creative Pot. Wow, this girl can cook and she is so adventurous, always trying new recipes, not scared to step(cook) outside her comfort zone. This recipe for Thai Inspired Zucchini and Waterblommetjie Soup is evidence that Marisa is always willing to venture into the unknown when cooking.

Rose over at Homemade Heaven was next in line. She made these Thai Inspired Spring Rolls for her Cheese-and-bread-loving husband to try and take him out of his comfort zone. I am sure he had no problem devouring a whole plate of these Spring Rolls. Rose blog over at Homemade Heaven and I am amazed at how her blog has grown over the past few months. Well done Rose!

I met Jan Tripepi last year some time for the first time. She was a new blogger on Food24, but boy did she come in with a bang. Jan's cooking is as vibrant and intense as she is and with every post I read, I feel I am joining the Tripepe clan for a family dinner. Jan entered two recipes. The first one was Prawn Spring Rolls and I just love the glass noodles and lemon Zest in these babies.

Jan's 2nd recipe was Thai Fish Cakes. As I read this recipe, I could smell those Thai flavors. This is a recipe I will definitely try soon!

Then last but not least Jan sent her last entry which had 3 recipes,Peanut Chicken Satay, Egg Fried Rice and Coconut Rice Pudding! Wow, what a feast ! I bet those Tripepe boys loved this meal!

Egg Fried Rice

Chicken Satay

Coconut Rice Pudding

Our next entry came from Tandy over at Lavender and Lime. I have yet to meet a more dedicated blogger. Jeez, this lady has energy and zest and LOTS of it. She posts practically everyday, she launched her second recipe booklet this year and in between all this she is living through housebuilding. Tandy has an unlimited source of crayfish and it was no surprise then that she posted this divine Crayfish Curry. Boy, would I like to tuck into that!!

Nicola blogs over at Wots for lunch Blog and she inspires me to pack proper lunches for my family. This blogger has taken Bento boxes to a whole new level for me and soggy cheese and tomato sandwiches are no more. She has the most amazing collection of Bento boxes and her attention to detail is truly remarkable. Nicola made Pad Thai with chopped peanuts and what I wouldn't give to open my lunchbox to find that lunch inside.

Leaine over at Leaine's Kitchen is one of my new finds here in the blogger sphere. She has an interesting take on cooking, because she had to learn how cook with so many ingredients as she found that she is allergic to so many ingredients. I love the fact that her cooking did not become boring and bland. So if you are looking for a healthier take on your favorite recipes, hop on over to her site. She entered a delicious Chicken and Coconut Broth, spicy beef with Mint and Thai Basil as well as a yummee Chocolate Pudding with Ginger, Lime and Coconut. I can hear you all say "What a feast!"

My first ever event where I met Fellow food bloggers was at a Simonsberg Cheese Cooking Demo. At the time I was so delighted to meet all these fellow foodies and amongst them was Hila Jonker from Add to Taste. Hila is always busy with something interesting. if it is not pickling, she is hosting her own events of which that next one is Ready Steady Cook! Sounds like fun! When I did my review of Wang Thai, I posted that my favorite item on their menu had to be the Sweet Corn Fritters. I think she is trying to bribe a judge with her entry, but you be the judge....

The last entry came from my very good friend Colly over at Browniegirlblog. Colly is famous on Facebook and Twitter, but more than that she is a great friend and a fantastic cook. Where she found the time, I don't know, but she sent this recipe literally minutes before the deadline.... She made a heartwarming Thai Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice and Nam Prik Pao and trust me this girl likes all things hot, so beware this one will bite you!

Gosh I hope I did not leave anyone out. This was an absolute pleasure for me to host this event. I will, together with the chef at Wang Thai choose a winner and will announce the winners shortly. Seeing that we do not have entries from abroad, I have decided to have a 2nd place who will win the Thai cookbook.
Thank you for taking part and watch this space for my next event!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 21:11:00 +0000

En Papillote literally means to cook "in parchment". It is a French term for something that the Italians call al Cartoccio. Cooking en papillote is a method in which you seal the food in a pouch and bake. The food essentially steams in the oven in its own juices. Even in Indonesia they use a similar cooking method, but the food is wrapped in banana or cassava leaves not parchment paper. This cooking method is very easy and is a low fat method of cooking and the best part is that it is so easy to clean up. This method is perfect for cooking chicken, fish, vegetables and even fruits.
Cooking en papillote has another added benefit and that is the element of surprise and excitement it brings to the table.Once the meal is cooked, each guest has his or her own , surprise packet to open at the table. I have yet to see a unhappy face as guests open their packets to watch the aromatic steam escapes.
I have used this method before on a whole chicken and the result was extraordinary. This time however, I wanted to use whole chicken breasts and with chicken breasts there is always the fear of over cooking it, resulting in dry tasteless meat. Cooking "en papillote" is therefore ideal because the meat cooks in the steam created by the liquid that you've added, in this case white wine.

I have created two recipes, using the same ingredients. The one being Chicken En Papillote with Potatoes, capers and olives. The other being Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, capers and olives. You chose the method that suites your needs.

Chicken En Papillote
Ingredients

4 organic chicken breasts - skin and bone on
1 medium potato per person
fresh or dry thyme
8 tbsp white wine
a selection of pitted olives - use green, black, dried and even tapenade.
caper berries
salt/pepper to taste
olive oil

Slice the potatoes thinly with skin on. Keep in a bowl of water to keep the potatoes from going brown. Once you have cut out your paper pouch, lay the potatoes in a single layer at the bottom. Season well. Lay a chicken breast on top of the potatoes and season with salt/pepper and thyme. Drizzle with some olive oil and close the pouch, leaving a small opening in the one corner. Pour the wine through this opening.
Close the pouch properly and place on a baking try. Bake for about 30 minutes. The meat should be soft and succulent. Serve with black and green olives and some tapenade.
For a video on how to fold the paper, click here!

Roast chicken with potatoes and olives

For the other method, simply lay the potatoes in a single layer at the bottom of a baking dish. Place the chicken breast on top and season with salt/pepper and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and wine and bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Serve with chopped olives and some tapenade.

You might also like these chicken recipes:

Lemon Chicken breasts

Spatchcock Chicken

Smoked Chicken Salad

Thai Chicken burgers

En Papillote

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:20:00 +0000

My first taste of Verlaque products I had at the Food and Wine Show of 2007. I was fascinated with all the different flavors, splashes and infused balsamic reductions. At the time, my favorite without a doubt was the Lemon Olive Oil & Gooseberry Balsamic Splash. In my household we love our salad dressings and sauces slightly sweet and when I tasted the Verlaque products, I knew that whoever made this, had my palate in mind.
My next encounter with the product or shall I rather say the person behind the name Verlaque, was at the South African Food Bloggers Conference. I met Adrienne Verlaque briefly and I remember being in awe of this lady who could think up all these different flavors and combinations. We were also lucky enough to receive some Verlaque products in our hampers.

I must say however, that although there are some awesome recipes on their blog, I have kept cooking with these products to a minimum, simply because I enjoy them in their "virgin" state. I love using them in salads or even on fresh fruit, but for me a chunk of fresh ciabatta to dip in these awesome reductions and splashes, is a sheer luxury.

For my entry to the Verlaque Recipe Challenge, I chose to show how I like to enjoy these amazing products and just to proof that I did switch on my oven, I will post a cooked version of this recipe too.

Mission figs roasted(or not) with Sun dried Turkish Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients

fresh mission figs
Sun dried Turkish Figs Balsamic Reduction

Make a cross on the stem side of the fig and squeeze with your fingers to open up the fig. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and enjoy as is with fresh bread, Jamon ham and strong matured cheddar. If you feel the need to cook something you can roast the figs in the balsamic reduction. Just pop the drenched figs in the oven and bake until it is soft and bubbling hot.

How easy is that!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:31:00 +0000

I have various recipes for sticky chicken because on Fridays we eat finger food and for my children finger food would not be the same without Sticky chicken. Many years ago there was a big craze for cooking chicken in all kinds of liquid. Fruit juice and Coke are the ones I remember vividly. I think I tried the Coke version once, but it was nothing to jump up and down about. When a friend told me a while ago about this crazy recipe to cook chicken in Coke, I was not impressed at all. She did tell me the secret though.......
Last year some time, I tried cooking chicken in fruit juice again and it was quite a hit around my table. My family named it Sweet and Sour Chicken and since then that is the version of Sweet and Sour Chicken that we use even though I will score 0 for authenticity. No sign of soy, ginger, garlic or any typical Chinese spice, but it works for my family. Cooking Chicken in Coke and expect to get sticky chicken..... No Ways! I was not convinced, but I am a sucker for not giving up so I gave it one last shot!
What makes this recipe even more amazing is that the recipe calls for 3 ingredients people 1.....2.....3! How easy is that? Are you daring enough to try? I guarantee you sticky chicken!

Sticky Chicken

Ingredients

8 pieces of chicken - thighs and drumsticks
2 tins of Coke
1/2 cup soy sauce

Place the chicken pieces in a heavy based pot. Pour the Coke and soy over the top, cover with a lid and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove the lid and lower the heat. Cook the chicken slowly, turning the pieces every now and then. The sauce will reduce down to a stick consistency. Serve with Mashed potatoes and some greens.
If you want to add some salt, you are most welcome, but we do not. The soy provides enough salt to this dish.

PLEASE WATCH THE POT ONCE THE SAUCE IS REDUCING. IT BURNS VERY QUICKLY.

Just a reminder about my first blog event. My Easy Cooking Event #1 - Thai. There are some great prizes up for grabs, so get those aprons on. I am eagerly awaiting your entries!
My first formal restaurant review is also up and you can read all about Wang Thai and how it inspired my first blog event!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 06:53:00 +0000

How do I combine Thai Corn Fritters, a Thai restaurant and my first event into one post, you might ask. Well, it is actually quite simple. My recent visit to a very good Thai restaurant inspired me to try out their recipe for corn fritters that had me totally puzzled the first time I tried it...
I have tried so many recipes for corn fritters before and some was better than others, but the results were always too cakey, too doughy or too eggy for my taste. My philosophy is quite simple if I make corn fritters, I want to taste corn....... not flour, not eggs or any other taste that dominates the taste of the corn. So, I could not believe my good fortune the first time I tasted these Corn fritters at Wang Thai. I just knew I had to go and introduce myself to Mr Chef, but how? My prayers were answered last week when I was asked to do a review for this restaurant. More about this later though.

I think regular visitors to this blog, will know that I love corn or mealies as we, here in South Africa refer to them. My favorite way of enjoying corn (other than fritters of course) is Grilled on the cob with basil and Chili butter. For a light vegetarian meal, why not try this easy Cheese and Corn Bake, delicious with just a small green salad. Next time when you invite friends over for drinks, whip up this delicious Mango, Avo and Corn Salsa to serve with some chips or tortilla.
I am delighted to tell you that the chef at Wang Thai was most eager to part with his recipe so that I can add it to my Corn Recipe repertoire.

My knowledge of Thai is very poor and Chef's knowledge of English was even worse so it was difficult to get exact measurements, but this is what I could figure out and it worked....

Thai Corn Fritters

1 kg corn - either cut from the cob or frozen this makes quite a few corn fritters - halve the recipe if needed
a couple of tablespoons of corn flour
1-2 tbsp sugar
vegetable oil for frying
sweet chili dipping sauce.

Place the corn in a bowl(if frozen is used, thaw and drain). Add the flour and the sugar and mix through. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the corn fritters until they are cooked. Drain on kitchen toweling and serve with a sweet chili dipping sauce.

As I went through my recipes tonight, preparing this post, I realized just how many Thai inspired recipes I have tried on this site.

Thai Crab Cakes

Coconut Chicken and Noodle Broth

Pan fried Hake with Satay Sauce

Thai Seafood Stew

I have therefore decided to host my first event and because my passion for Thai food states so obvious My first event will be called My Easy Cooking Event #1 - Thai. I hope you will join in the fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 04:30:00 +0000

When I received my box of ClemenGold Eesy Peelers last week, the ideas just kept coming and coming. Luckily for me, there were more than enough naartjies to sustain my creativity. My favorite recipe from the batch had to be the Risotto With Maple and ClemenGold Honeycomb and it was the recipe I chose to enter in the competition. If you want to vote for me,(AND PLEASE I NEED YOUR VOTE)
just click on the image below. Once you are on the Face book page, click on the food image that you like(hopefully it is mine) and click on the "like" below it o cast your vote. You have to be a fan of Woolworths SA's page to do this.

In return, I will give you a recipe for this decadent ClemenGold Tarte Tatin. This was the second recipe I invented with the ClemenGold Eesy Peelers( I promise you, the only bad thing I have to say about these naartjies, is the fact that there are NONE left, the children and I loved them!)
Now who does not like a classic Tarte Tatin. I mean, what;s not to like.....lots of apples, sticky sauce and puff pastry..sounds like a winning combination to me! I have even made a savory Tarte Tatin that was as successful and delicious. This time however, I wanted to use the ClemenGold Eesy Peelers. The fruit has no pips and the peels are so soft, that I simply sliced it thinly and it proved to be the right decision not only did it look amazing, bu the peels became almost toffee like, something like a marmalade toffee!!!

ClemenGold Tarte Tatin

Ingredients

1 roll good quality puff pastry
2 ClemenGold Eesy Peelers
125ml sugar
100gr butter
3 star anise
milk for brushing

Preheat oven to 180C

Roll out the puff pastry and cut a circle slightly bigger than the skillet you are using. In an oven-proof skillet, melt the butter and sugar and let it caramelize, add the star anise. In the meantime, cut the fruit in thin slices. Once the caramel reaches a lovely golden brown color, lay the slices of fruit in an overlapping fashion in the caramel until the whole base of the pan is covered.Allow to cool. Place the puff pastry circle on top of the caramelized fruit and tuck it in slightly on the sides, Brush with milk and bake until the pastry is golden brown and all puffed up. Take a heatproof plate that is generously larger than the skillet and place over the skillet. Protect your hands with a tea towel and while holding the pan and the plate, quickly flip over the pan to release the tart onto the plate. Serve with lots of cream and ice-cream. Delish!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 04:46:00 +0000

Rissoto/risotto, I am ashamed to say, only crept into my foodie repertoire a few years back. I can't tell you why I was is intimidated to try this Italian classic, but the truth of the matter is, I was too afraid to even try. I don't remember what inspired me to try for the first time, but I tell you, when I took my first spoonful of that creamy, salty and cheesy risotto, I was hooked for life. For me, however, to choose risotto as my entry to the Clemengold Easy Peelers Bloggers Challenge, is somewhat daring, but I am actually quite chuffed!
As a food blogger I am fortunate enough to live my passion each and every day and as I have said before, cooking for friends and family is such a pleasure, but it is always a good thing to be challenged, right? A challenge this was indeed! On Monday morning, a courier delivered a HUGE box of naartjies(tangerines) to my doorstep......ClemenGold Eesy Peelers to be exact! First of all, I was honored to be one of only 5 that was chosen for this challenge, but the reality of it all, soon kicked in when I started to ponder on "what to cook".
Before I go any further with the recipes, I have to tell you, these ClemenGold Eesy Peelers are without a doubt the most delicious citrus fruit that I have ever tasted. I quote directly from ClemenGold's site...

"ClemenGold is a lovely soft citrus fruit, the deep orange colour of sunset. The silky rind peels easily to reveal the juicy flesh and delightful aroma. And when you eat it, you can taste sun-drenched sweetness and freshness. ClemenGold is a healthy little package of quality, taste and convenience – everything you enjoy about citrus!"

With a heap of juicy citrus fruit in front of me on the table, my first thought went to "desserts", but still I wanted to challenge myself more...I wanted to bring something savory to the table...something different and that my dear readers, is how I ended up making rissotto/risotto! I had to work really carefully to combine the sweet of the fruit with a classic savory dish such as risotto, but the end result was truly amazing ! You be the judge, try it and let me know!

So here it is then, my entry to the Clemengold Easy Peelers Bloggers Challenge.....

Blue Cheese Risotto with Maple and ClemenGold Honeycomb

First you have to make the honeycomb!

Ingredients

375ml sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup ClemenGold juice
1/3 cup water
Zest of 1 ClemenGold Easy Peeler
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pour all ingredients in a pot and allow the sugar to melt. When it starts to boil, stop stirring and allow to come up to a temperature of 132 C. In the meantime, find a flat surface (glass or metal) and oil it slightly. When the caramel reaches the desired temperature, quickly add the bicarb and beat vigorously. Pour out onto the oil surface and wait for it to cool. Keep in an airtight container.

For the Blue Cheese Risotto

3 cups weak chicken stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion – very finely chopped
1 clove of garlic - crushed
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
a knob of butter
Maple and ClemenGold Honeycomb

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Keep liquid hot. In a large, heavy saucepan over low heat, heat oil. Add the onion and garlic and saute about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until white spots appear in the center of the grains, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Add one ladleful of the hot stock, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Continue adding the stock, one ladleful at a time and stirring constantly, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, 20-25 minutes longer. Now add the crumbled Blue cheese and allow to melt into the risotto!
Crumble some Maple and ClemenGold Honeycomb over the risotto and serve immediately.

Thank you Taste Magazine and Woolworths for this opportunity to think a little wild, outside the box! I had great fun!

Stay tuned for more ClemenGold Eesy Peeler Recipes!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:17:00 +0000

Vietnamese Coconut Chicken and Noodle Broth! Just imagine the flavor and textures in this easy soup or broth if you prefer. Creamy coconut milk, the intense heat from the curry paste and the chillies and not to mention the different textures that awaits you in a bowl of this delicious broth. For this country girl from South Africa who grew up with hearty bean and vegetable soups, I am beginning to like the flavors of the Orient more and more.....
Thai and Vietnamese cooking are very similar because both cuisines are greatly admired for the freshness of the ingredients and for the healthy eating styles.
In Vietnamese cuisine, the most popular meats are pork, chicken, fish, and a vast variety of seafood. The Vietnamese also have a strong vegetarian tradition influenced by Buddhist values.
Other than fish sauce, soy sauce, rice, herbs, fruits and vegetables, Vietnamese recipes use a diverse range of herbs, including mint, lemongrass Vietnamese mint,coriander and Thai basil leaves. It took me a while to get used to not cooking with salt, pepper and other typical Western condiments and spices, but once you get the hang of it, Vietnamese and Thai dishes will find their way to your table more and more regularly!

You can use raw chicken as this recipe stipulates, but if you are pressed for time, left-over cooked chicken breasts worked just as well, in which case this recipe takes about 15 minutes from prep to plate. Come one, you try it. I cannot think of a more delicious way to get my family to eat so many vegetables in one sitting!

Vietnamese Coconut Chicken and Noodle Broth

4 chicken breasts - raw or cooked
vegetable oil
1 packet sugar snap peas - about 150gr
300gr rice noodles
1 small packet baby spinach - about 80gr
1 packet bean sprouts - 125gr
125ml coriander or basil - chopped

Broth

1 packet red spring onions - chopped
1 clove of garlic - crushed
2cm piece fresh ginger - cut in thin strips
1-2 tbs red curry paste
4 cups chicken stock
1 can coconut cream
3-4 tbs fish sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 piece of lemon grass - crushed to release flavor
a few enoki mushrooms
1 red chili - sliced

If using raw chicken breasts, rub the chicken with vegetable oil and season well. Sear the breasts in a hot pan, about 2 minutes each side. When the chicken is cooked, slice in very this strips. When using cooked chicken, just slice the chicken in thin strips. Heat up your wok, add some oil and fry the salad onions and curry paste. Add the other broth ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Now add the sugar snaps and cook for another minute. Toss in the rice noodles, spinach, mushrooms and chicken and and just allow to reheat. Spoon into bowls and serve with the bean sprouts, sliced chili and chopped coriander.

Some more Thai recipes?

Thai Noodles

Pan-fried hake with Spicy Satay Salad

Seafood poached in a Thai broth

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:55:00 +0000

Bread pudding with........jam, chocolate, fruit or just about anything you fancy is one of those desserts that feel like a hug-in-a-bowl. Something so comforting and satisfying, you cannot help yourself for wanting a second "hug". Bread and butter pudding, like mac-n-cheese was intended to be a cost saving recipe, but these days mac-n-cheese is made with three cheeses and bread and butter pudding is anything but a cost saving dessert....
Let's just go back to the original bread and butter dessert recipe. Bread and butter pudding is a classic British dessert and originally was nothing else but layers of buttered bread and a few raisins, smothered in an egg and milk custard and baked to golden bubbly perfection. For many this dessert is associated with school dinners or hostel food and although it may have been the cook's signature dish, for many it meant nothing but a dry, sticky "mess" in a bowl. If this is your memory, I will endeavour to change that! I think, bread pudding should be...

- light and almost "souffle-like"
- golden brown, with sweet crunchy bits dusted with sugar prior to baking
- not too sweet
- accompanied by a little fruit, jam or chocolate

the puddings prior to baking

We took a trip out to Franchoek last week and stopped at the Hillcrest Berry Farm. This is a bad time of the year to be visiting a berry farm, because we are in the middle of winter and berries are summer fruits, but that farm is so picturesque, nestled in between the snow-capped mountains that it is very hard to drive past. They sell frozen berries and when I saw the bag of mixed frozen berries, I knew they were destined to be part of a hug-in-a-bowl bread and butter pudding.

Bread and Butter Pudding with Berries

Ingredients

12 slices of white bread, crusts removed
125ml soft butter
2 cups frozen berries

For the custard

2 cups of milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 jumbo eggs
125ml caster sugar
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 160C. Butter bread and cut in quarters(triangles). Layer slices in a medium-sized ovenproof dish or 4 individual ramekins. Scatter some of the frozen berries on the puddings, allowing the berries to drop in between the slices of bread. Mix all the ingredients for the custard and pour over the bread. Allow the puddings to stand for about 10-15 minutes before baking. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with drizzles of fresh cream. A hug-in-a-bowl!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:40:00 +0000

A Chunky Basil Tomato soup that you can have on the table in less than an hour sounds like a good idea doesn't it? This soup delivers big on taste, nutrition, color and not to mention the little effort it takes to make. As many of you know, I have two very adventurous eaters as children. An ordinary sandwich or instant noodles just do not cut it for them. With 5 weeks of holiday, because of the Fifa World Cup Soccer, keeping these two fed is quite a daunting task.....
My daughter, like her mom, loves a good tomato soup, but because I do all the cooking at night, I seldom feel like making another meal for lunchtime. My friend Jan made this divine Tomato soup the other day and it really had me grabbing for a pen and paper and although I will most definitely try her soup some time, I wanted to make a quick and hearty basil tomato soup. The chunky texture of this soup comes from using red lentils. I am ashamed to say that this is my first cooking experience with red lentils and they soften so easy that I cannot wait for other recipes to try them in. The red lentils however, gives a lovely think and creamy consistency to this soup!Ready to cook? Let someone set the table so long, this is gonna to be quick!

Chunky Basil Tomato Soup - 4 servings

1 medium onion finely chopped
half of each - red, green and yellow peppers
1-2 cloves of garlic
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 sachet tomato paste
1 cup red lentils
3-4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
a big handful of basil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
salt/pepper to taste
1-2 tsp sugar
vegetable oil

optional extras
basil pesto
chopped coriander
round farm loaf - hollowed out

Heat a heavy based pot on the stove and add the oil. Sweat the onions, garlic and peppers and paprika until it becomes soft . Add all the other ingredients and let the soup cook for 30 minutes. Add a little water if it becomes to thick. Taste and season accordingly. I serve my soup in a bread bowl with lots of chopped coriander or a dollop of basil pesto!!.

Before I cast off, please hop over the The Love of Wine where I am featuring as one of their ambassadors. Leave a comment and pop in over the next few weeks. We will be put through various challenges so it promises to be most interesting!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:50:00 +0000

Chocolate, easy, sauce and hot are all words that comes to mind when I dream of desserts. If all those words are combined into the same dessert, I am a one happy cook!I can also tell you which words I do not think about when planning to make desserts and those are low-fat, wholewheat, no-sugar and dairy free. Maybe that is why I keep desserts for special occasions, times when I can justify puddings with descriptive words like decadent, delicious, over-the-top and down-right irresistible......Such a pudding is this Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding. Never in your wildest dreams can you imagine that such simple ingredients can become such a delicious treat. I had self-saucing chocolate pudding before but it lacked that intense dark chocolate flavor. I needed to change the recipe somewhat. I was after more chocolate and dark chocolate specifically. The recipe that I tried previously, just asked for ordinary cocoa powder so I knew for that dark chocolate flavor, I needed to use a better quality cocoa powder. I got that taste from Nomu Cocoa and I was right, it made the world of difference in the taste and consistency of the sauce. I also increased the amount of cocoa powder. The result was a dark, thick chocolate sauce that satisfied my worst winter chocolate craving .......Try it, you will not be disappointed!

Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding

250ml (1 cup) flour, sifted
5ml (1teaspoon) baking powder
185ml (¾ cup) Brown Sugar
75ml (5 Tablespoons) cocoa, sifted
125ml milk
30g (2 Tablespoons) butter or brick margarine, melted
165ml (⅔ cup)Brown Sugar or Treacle Sugar for a richer sauce
60ml (4 Tablespoons) cocoa, sifted (extra)
300ml hot water

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl.Slowly stir in the milk and butter and beat with a wooden spoon until it is smooth.Spread the mixture evenly into a greased 1½ litre ovenproof pudding dish or make individual puddings in smaller ramekins. Combine the sugar and cocoa in a jug and gradually add the hot water, stir till smooth, then gently pour over the top of the pudding. Place the dish on an oven tray.Bake at 180ºC for 30 - 35 minutes or until the pudding has risen and is firm to the touch. When ready to serve, make a small hole in the middle of the pudding and let the cream just flow!!. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar just before serving. Chocolate heaven!!

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 12:28:00 +0000

Potato rosti, Ich liebe es! Yes, it is a recipe so good, it almost inspires me to learn a new language. Potatoes on the menu in any form or shape and I am definitely excited. It is so amazing how versatile potatoes are and every method of cooking potatoes have a match made in heaven. Just think Bangers and Mash, Leg of lamb and roasties, Fried potato chips and Tomato sauce, Potato Gnocchi and Blue Cheese, everyone of these combinations makes your mouth water doesn't it! Of all of the above combinations, Fried Potato Chips have always been my weakness, but I think I have found a new favorite.....
Potato Rosti, gosh I am salivating just saying the word! Crunchy and golden brown on the outside and soft and moist on the inside, flavored with nothing but a few spring onions and salt and pepper. Heaven! Because I have always had a passion for potatoes, I have tried many rosti or potato cake recipes only to be disappointed with the result. Add eggs people would say, only to leave me with an eggy, mushy fritter-like thing. Another piece of advise that I was given, is to boil the potatoes first. Nope, also not worked out for me....in the end I gave up..until I saw this picture on one of my favorite sites....Taste like Home. Cynthia, darling, this is the rosti I have been yearning after for so long....Fried Potato chips is but a distant memory since I have tried this recipe...
I have made this a couple of times already and every time I can enjoy the crunchy outside, mushy inside and just the unadulterated taste of potatoes. When I did a bit of Google-investigation, I saw that this recipe is slightly different to the normal rosti recipe, but for me, this one works! Once you have made the rosti, it becomes an open canvas where you can taste and create to your heart's content. I have shown you just two ways of eating this new-found favorite of mine!

Potato Rosti

Ingredients

3 lbs/ about 1,5kg Potatoes
5 Spring onions or Scallions - chopped½ Cup Cornstarch
Vegetable Oil
Salt/Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Peel the potatoes and grate them. Immediately transfer the grated potatoes to large bowl of cold water and swirl and rinse the potatoes to get rid of the excess starch. Lift them from the water and dry in a salad spinner and when they are dry, our into another large bowl. Add the cornstarch and toss the potatoes in the bowl to ensure that each and every piece of potato is coated with corn starch.Add the scallions and mix quickly. Do not let the potatoes sit for too long though, or they will release their starch and the centers of the potatoes can become sticky.
Heat a 10in/25 cm skillet and add the oil. When the oil is hot add the potatoes to the pan. Flatten, but work lightly not to compress the potatoes. Turn the heat down and let the pancake just brown slowly on the one side for 6 to 7 minutes. You should hear the potatoes sizzling in the oil; if the potatoes get quiet and are not sizzling, or the pan looks dry, add a bit more oil. When the one side is golden brown and crunchy, take the pan from the heat, place a suitably large plate on top of the rosti and turn the pan upside down so the browned side is facing upwards. Return the pan to the heat, add more oil and butter and slide the rosti back into the pan to cook the other side. Patience is a virtue, your rosti should be crisp and not greasy.

For toppings, the possibilities are endless. I tried it with Pastrami and Hollandaise sauce, but the meal de resistance was Rosti topped with steamed Spinach and a soft Poached Egg and lashes of Hollandaise Sauce.....Glorious!!

I am sending this recipe over to Weekend Herb Blogging # 238.

This week Rachel from The Crispy Cook is hosting Weekend Herb Blogging.

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 10:12:00 +0000

Lemon Tart and FBC 2010! How on earth do I bring these two things together? This becomes even more of a puzzle if you take into consideration that I did not even attend the FBC 2010. Well, let me tell you I may not have been there in person, but I got to read all about this event here, here and here and it just reminded me of our own South African Food Bloggers Conference....... What caught my attention reading all these posts with all these amazing photos, was that delicious lemon tart.....
Those of you who visit my blog on a regular basis, will know that I LOVE lemons. I will sneak lemon juice and zest into just about any recipe. If I taste something for seasoning and it tastes "flat", lemon is the first thing I add and let me tell you, it almost always does the trick! So when I spotted that delicious lemon tart that was served at the FBC 2010, I knew I had to make it and soon!! When looking for a dessert, cake or tart recipe, James Martin is always my first port of call. I just LOVE the man! Let me tell you, his Lemon Tart Recipe did not disappoint me one bit!

Lemon Tart - Adapted from James Martin's recipe

For the crust

250gr butter - softened
125gr icing/confectioner sugar
375gr self raising flour

Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
Cream the butter and sugar until is is light in color and fluffy. Add the flour and mix with your hands until the dough comes together. Shape into a flat round disc, cover with cling film and let it rest for a couple of hours. When ready to start, roll out the pastry on a floured surface until you have a big enough piece to line a 23cm/9in loose-bottom tart ring. Butter the flan ring with butter, making sure you have covered every nook and cranny!!. Line the tart ring with the pastry. Work gently, do not stretch the pastry.Allow the pastry to overhang the edges of the ring slightly. Line with a circle of greaseproof paper and fill with rice or baking beans.
Transfer to the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the beans and greaseproof paper, then return to the oven for five minutes, or until the tart case is lightly browned.

For the filling

8 free range eggs
200 gr caster sugar
500 ml double cream
5 lemons - juice and zest

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk to break up the yolks. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the cream and the lemon juice and stir. Pour the mixture through a sieve, then add the lemon zest and set aside.
Reduce oven temperature to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and pour the lemon mixture into the tart case. Bake in the oven for about an hour, or until the filling is just set and the pastry is golden-brown.

Remove the tart from the oven and trim the excess pastry off the edges. Leave to cool completely, place in the fridge to chill for another couple of hours.

For an extraordinary treat, slice a round of goat's cheese into slices and place all over the lemon tart. Dust lavishly with icing sugar and pop under the hot grill until golden and bubbly. Delicious!!

I am sending this Delicious tart over to The Monthly Mingle, inspired by our very famous spice girl, Meeta. This month it is hosted by Erin of The Apartment Kitchen.

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:47:00 +0000

BBQ plans for this weekend? I sure hope so. With soccer fever at an all time high here in South Africa, there is just so much to celebrate and when we here in South African have some celebrating to do, nothing works better than a good old fashioned BBQ. Although from a distance, we did celebrate here at home with a BBQ and these delicious Spicy Chicken Kebabs.
Last night, after the 2010 World Cup Kick-Off Celebration Concert, I went to bed with vuvuzelas blowing in the distance and this morning I woke up with the vuvuzelas still going strong. Soccer fever is here for sure and in the next month there will be so many reasons to invite friends and family for a BBQ or "braai" to share in these exciting moments.

Now back to the Spicy Chicken Kebabs. Sosaties (so-sar-tee) are our own version of a kebab and traditionally it is made with lamb, My good friend Juno from Scrumptious South Africa made some mini Sosaties as part of her Football Snack Series. The trick is really in marinading the meat, which ever meat you choose. I opted for chicken as we are really trying to cut down on red meat. I made Chicken Kebabs before using a Cape Malay Marinade and they were delicious. I needed buttermilk for this recipe and because I have been in bed with flu this whole week, there was no buttermilk in the fridge. I had to make another plan and it was then that I remembered the Sosatie Marinade I made for my Lamb Chops with a Malay Twist. This marinade is awesome! The blend or spices comes together beautifully and the vinegar and wine tenderises the meat to perfection.

Like with Steak there are various ways to cook these kebabs, but to get that true South Africa Smoky flavor, grilling over an open fire is best. I have found that, because chicken dries out so quickly, the heat must be intense, but your grid must be high above the coals. The chicken kebabs will be ready in no time. I served it on a bed of warm couscous with roasted veggies for some Lekka African fusion.

Spicy Chicken Kebabs

1 kg chicken breasts - skin and boneless
12-15 pickling onions - peeled and halved
250gr dried Turkish apricots

For the Marinade

1 big onions - halved and sliced
2 cm piece ginger - grated
2 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp black mustard seeds
2 cardamom pods - crushed
1 tsp garamasala
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbs sugar
125ml water
100ml vinegar
salt/pepper
vegetable oil

Crush all the dry seeds in your pestle and mortar. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the dry seeds. Fry the seeds for a few seconds just to release all the volatile oils and then add the onion, ginger, garlic, curry and garamasala. Fry the onions until they are soft. Add the water, vinegar and sugar and let the marinade cook for about 3-4 minutes. Taste and season accordingly. What you want is a sweet, tangy, spicy marinade. Let the marinade cool down completely .
Cut the chicken in bite size pieces and as soon as the marinade has cooled down, add the chicken, pickling onions and apricots to the marinade. BTW use a plastic or earthenware bowl for this. Keep refrigerated for at least a couple of ours...overnight is best. When using wooden skewers, also soak them overnight in water to prevent them from burning. When ready to grill, skewer the chicken onto the wooden sticks with pieces of onion and apricots in between. Grill and serve immediately.

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:38:00 +0000

I have posted many fish cake recipes on this site, because you see, fish cakes go down really well in this house. Let me see, first there was Fish Cakes with Mushy Peas, then Fish Cakes made with Healthy Sardines and last but not least Thai Fish Cakes. The latest addition to my Fish Cake "Collection" is in my opinion the best one, but I implore you to give them all a try and let me know which one you prefer.

What makes this fish cake recipe even more amazing, is that you can use crab meat in stead of fish or even use a combination of the two. It is the easiest thing to prepare as you just whip all the ingredients in the food processor and voila, supper is ready! These fish cakes (if made smaller) is also ideal for a starter or snack at your next cocktail party. So, let's cook!

Fish Cakes or Crab Cakes

Ingredients

2lbs fresh hake or crab meat or a combination
1 small bunch of scallions or spring onions - chopped
1-2 large chilies - finely chopped
2 big handfuls of fresh coriander - chopped
1 stick lemon grass - chopped
salt/pepper
zest and juice of 1 lime
2 jumbo eggs
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
vegetable oil for frying

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all the ingredients have mixed properly. Dip your hands in water and start making patties - mine is the size of a thickkish Oreo. If you want to use this as part of a snack platter, make the patties even smaller. Shallow fry in hot oil until it is golden brown. Drain on kitchen toweling and bake the rest of the fish cakes. Serve with steaming hot Sweet and Sour Noodles or use this Sweet and Sour Sauce as a dipping sauce.

1/4 to 1/2 cup grated horseradish

2 cups sour cream

2 Tbs lemon juice

noreply@blogger.com (Nina Timm) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 09:08:00 +0000

I get so many requests for my Spicy Butternut Soup recipe that I carry copies of it in my handbag and online, it is one of my best performing pages, so I guess I have a winner here. Why would I want to post an old recipe again, I hear you ask. Well first of all, my previous pictures were somewhat outdated and this time round I added the smallest of changes, and I think it made the soup even better....
I grew up in a quaint little village called, Ceres(the goddess of growing plants), and fruit and vegetables were always in abundance. I don't remember fruit or vegetables ever arriving at our house in plastic, polystyrene or boxes measured in lbs, kg's or whatever measurement you can think of. Apples and pears came in wooden crates, peaches,plums and apricots came in baskets and pumpkins and sweet potatoes in truck loads. Friends and families would share truckloads and if someone found a bargain of some sorts, it would be shared by everyone. These days, when I walk into the food market and I see these huge bags of butternut, it is almost as if instinct kicks in.... I have two choices, I can share the butternuts with my friends and family or I can make a big o'l pot of Spicy Butternut Soup and invite them all over to share in this joy!! That is exactly what I did.....

Spicy Butternut Soup

5 medium sized butternuts (When they are huge, I only use 1-2)
1 medium onion
1 heaped Tsp curry powder
2cm piece ginger - grated on your microplaner
1 peeled and grated green apple
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 liter of milk
250 ml cream
125ml orange juice
zest of the orange
salt and pepper
grated nutmeg
zest of the orange
zest and juice of i lemon

Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and apple in big soup pot with some oil. Add curry powder.
When translucent, add butternut and stock.
Close lid and cook until butternut is soft.Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor.
Add milk and orange juice. If you have a lot of pumpkin puree, use all the milk, otherwise add until you have a smooth runny, soup.
Pour back into pot and add all seasoning, such as salt, pepper,orange zest and nutmeg.
Stir in 200ml of the cream, keep the rest for decoration.
Please taste your soup and add, maybe a little lemon juice to tart it up, let your own taste buds lead you.

If you are making this soup for a fancy dinner party, try this version. It looks very impressive and you will definitely be the talk-of-the-table!

Lastly I want to share with you the slight alteration I made to the recipe..(if you promise not to tell hubby, he hates change) I followed the recipe as per normal, but I served it with smoked paprika oil, leeks and some of the pumpkin seeds that I fried in the smoked paprika oil. Not only does it taste divine, I think it looks rather pretty too. What do you think? To make the smoked paprika oil, simply take a tsp of smoked paprika and mix it with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Drizzle over the soup before serving.