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Monday, May 20, 2013

Meatloaf

Ingredients

·         750 g (1.5 lb.) lean ground beef

·         3 slices bread

·         1 large egg

·         1 c. milk

·         ¼ c. onion, chopped

·         1 tsp. salt

·         ½ tsp. dry mustard

·         ¼ tsp. pepper

·         ¼ tsp. sage

·         tsp. garlic powder

·         ½ c. sweet chilli sauce

·         1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Preparation
1.       Heat the oven to 180C (350⁰F).

2.       Mix all the ingredients except the sweet chilli sauce together.

3.       Spread the meat mixture into an ungreased loaf pan, or shape into a loaf in an ungreased baking pan.

4.       Spoon sweet chilli sauce onto the loaf and bake, uncovered, for 1 to 1¼ hours or until done.

5.       Drain off the excess fat and serve sliced on a heated platter.

Danie the freelancer

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Olive Bread

Ingredients
·         750 ml cake flour

·         5 ml salt

·         5 ml sugar

·         10 g instant yeast

·         30 ml olive oil

·         1 egg, beaten

·         150 ml lukewarm water
Filling
·         100 g black olives, pitted and halved

·         200 g grated mozzarella cheese

·         Oil to brush

·         Corn flour to sprinkle
Preparation
1.       Mix all dry  ingredients together.

2.       Add the yeast and mix.

3.       Add oil, beaten egg and enough lukewarm water to form soft dough. Knead the dough well until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

4.       Place the dough on a lightly floured surface, cover with greased plastic and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

5.       Knock the dough down, divide in half and roll each piece into an oval shape, one slightly larger than the other, 5 mm thick.

6.       Place the smaller oval onto a greased baking tray and sprinkle with olives, reserving some halves for garnishing.

7.       Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cover with the large oval, folding the edge of the larger oval under the edge of the smaller oval.

8.       Brush with oil, cut the top with a sharp knife and garnish with olives.

9.       Cover with greased plastic and allow rising in a warm place for about 15 – 20 minutes.

10.   Dust with corn flour and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Crispy Fried Chicken


Ingredients

·         1 cup cake flour

·         ½ tsp. paprika

·         2½ tsp. dried mixed herbs

·         ¼ tsp. nutmeg

·         1½ tsp. salt

·         ½ tsp. ground black pepper

·         1 tsp. baking powder

·         ½ cup dried bread crumbs

·         1 chicken cut up into various pieces

·         ½ cup milk

·         Cooking oil for deep frying. This is optional as the chicken pieces can also be baked.
Preparation
1.       Mix all the dry ingredients together: flour, baking powder, paprika, herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper and bread crumbs.

2.       Soak or dip chicken pieces in milk and then take out of the milk and then dip or coat them in the dry mixture.

3.       Set each piece aside and when finished, recoat by doing a second dip (not soak this time) in the milk and then into the mixture.

4.       Gently dip batter coated chicken into the hot oil until golden brown and drain on paper towel or wire rack.

5.       If you prefer not to deep fry, you can place the chicken on a wire rack within a roasting pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until ready at 180C (350F) turning each piece after 10 minutes.
Serve immediately.

The Freelancer

Friday, May 17, 2013

Warm Beef and Potato Salad

Ingredients

·         500 g (1 lb.) beef fillet in one piece

·         2 tbsp. crushed black peppercorns

·         Vegetable oil

·         4 potatoes, very thinly sliced

·         1 large sweet potato, very thinly sliced

·         Salt

·         Assorted lettuce leaves

·         Balsamic or red wine vinegar
Preparation
1.       Roll beef in black peppercorns.

2.       Heat 1 tbsp. oil in frying pan over medium heat, add beef and cook for 10-15 minutes, turning frequently until well browned on all sides – continue cooking until it is cooked to your liking. Remove beef from pan, cover, set aside and keep warm. (When the beef is browned it will be rare-to-medium. If this how you like your meat, remove it from the pan. To test the degree of doneness of the meat, press it with a pair of blunt tongs. Rare meat will feel springy to the touch, medium meat slightly springy and well-done meat will feel firm).

3.       Wipe pan clean. Add 5 cm oil and heat to hot. Cook potato slices and sweet potato slices in batches for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from pan, drain on absorbent kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.

4.       To serve, slice beef thinly. Divide potato and sweet potato crisps and lettuce leaves between serving plates. Place beef slices on top of lettuce, sprinkle with vinegar and serve immediately.

Serves 4

The Estate Agent

Freelance Writer

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Seafood Barbeque

Ingredients

·         ¼ cup soy sauce

·         2 tbsp. honey

·         2 tbsp. tomato sauce

·         2 tbsp. sesame seeds

·         1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

·         375 g uncooked large prawns; shelled and deveined but tails left intact

·         250 g calamari (squid) rings

·         250 g boneless fish fillets; cut into thick strips

·         4 potatoes; thinly sliced

·         4 small tomatoes; halved

·         2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

·         Freshly ground black pepper

·         Lemon wedges
Preparation

1.       Place soy sauce, honey, tomato sauce, sesame seeds and lemon rind in a shallow glass dish; add prawns, calamari and fish; toss to coat and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.

2.       Sprinkle potatoes and tomatoes with thyme and black pepper to taste.

3.       Cook potatoes and tomatoes on a well-greased pre-heated hot barbeque plate (griddle) for 10 minutes or until potatoes are crisp and tomatoes soft. Push vegetables to the side of the barbeque to keep warm.

4.       Add seafood mixture to barbeque and cook, turning frequently for 5 minutes or until cooked. As seafood cooks push it to the side to keep warm.

5.       To serve divide potatoes, tomatoes and seafood between serving plates and accompany with wedges of lemon.
Serves 4

Danie de Villiers - Freelance writer

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Pumpkin Pie

This is also a traditional recipe, dating back to the 19th century (see the recipe: Potato dessert)

Recipe
Slice very thinly some nice floury pumpkin. Cut some slices of white bread, and butter them on both sides.
Put a layer of sliced pumpkin into a pie-dish, sprinkle with sugar and very little pounded [ground] cinnamon, then a layer of buttered bread slices, and repeat the process until the dish is full. The last layer will be bread slices and finish off with sprinkled sugar and cinnamon.
Pour over some melted tail fat (sheep tail fat) [melted butter] and cover the dish to keep in the steam.
Bake in a moderate oven.

Danie de Villiers - Freelance writer and foodexpert

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Vegetable Curry Dish

Ingredients

·         1 tablespoon cooking oil

·         3 onions, chopped

·         2 cloves garlic, crushed

·         1 small piece of ginger, crushed

·         2 tablespoons curry powder

·         1 teaspoon cumin seeds

·         2 teaspoons turmeric

·         ½ teaspoon ground coriander

·         1 bay leaf

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         2 tablespoons flour

·         5 medium sized carrots

·         2 medium sized sweet potatoes

·         2 medium sized potatoes

·         1 small cauliflower

·         4 baby marrows

·         2 tomatoes, skinned and chopped

·         1 medium sized green pepper

·         2 cups beef stock

·         Salt and pepper to taste

·         1 can tomato paste dissolved in a cup water

·         Handful of cashew nuts 
Preparation
1.       In a large saucepan fry onion, garlic and ginger for 10 minutes in oil.

2.       Add curry, cumin, turmeric, coriander, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and flour. Fry for 5 minutes.

3.       Boil all the vegetables in water (with exception of tomatoes and green pepper) together for 10 minutes. Drain and add to pan.

4.       Add tomatoes, green pepper, beef stock, salt, pepper and diluted tomato paste.

5.       Bring back to boil for 10 minutes. Place in oven dish with lid and bake in preheated oven for 1½ hour at 160°C (320°F) until vegetables are cooked.

6.       Sprinkle with nuts and enjoy!
Serves 6-8.

Danie de Villiers – Freelance writer

Monday, May 13, 2013

Spaghetti Alla Matriciana


Ingredients
8 medium sized fresh, ripe tomatoes
½ cup  diced bacon
1 medium- sized onion, peeled and chopped
Cayenne pepper to taste
500 g (1 lb.) spaghetti
 ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Method
1.       Drop tomatoes into boiling water. Quickly remove them and slip off their skins. Cut the tomatoes into small pieces and puree.

2.       Cook bacon until fat is rendered. Add onion and sauté gently until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.       Cook spaghetti in salted water until firm but cocked through. Drain and serve with sauce and grated cheese.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Bacon and Banana Open Sandwich



Ingredients

·         6 rashers rindless streaky bacon
·         1 banana, sliced
·         15 ml butter
·         30-45 ml peanut butter
·         2 slices whole wheat seeded bread
·         Drizzle of golden syrup

Preparation

1.       Grill the bacon rashers until crisp.
2.       In a non-stick frying pan, melt the butter and fry the banana slices until browned.
3.       Spread a generous tbsp. of peanut butter on each slice of bread.
4.       Add the fried bananas and drizzle with golden syrup.
5.       Top off with the crispy bacon rashers.

Serves 1 

Danie de Villiers - Freelance writer and food expert