A quick and easy Honey & Mustard salad dressing.
Ingredients

* 500 ml mayonaise
* 4 t mustard (wholegrain / hot / your choice)
* 4 t honey
* 30 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Place all ingredients into glass bowl, and mix until all ingredients are blended and dressing is smooth.

This is such a easy broth, very popular in India as a starter. It’s got a very strong coriander flavor that comes through. Very nice indeed!
Ingredients

* 3 t coriander seeds
* 1 t cumin (ground)
* 1 t black pepper corns
* 3 t worcestershire sauce
* 3 t brown sugar
* 3 c finely chopped cilantro
* 3 t oil & tadka ingredients
* salt to taste

Instructions

Tadka ingredients: Curry leaves
Salt
Pinch mustard seeds

Dry fry coriander seeds, cumin and black peppercorns & grind into a find powder

Heat oil, add tadka ingredients, sauté for a few seconds until it starts to brown

Add Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and coriander powder

Salt to taste and add water

Bring to boil

Add cilantro leaves

Simmer until leaves wilt

saffron
water
butter
long grain rice
salt to taste

Instructions

Steep saffron in half cup water
Melt butter and stir in rice until it becomes opaque
Pour wine (or water) and saffron, cover, reduce to low heat, cook until liquid is absorbed (DO NOT LIFT LID! – about 20 mins)

I wish I could sleep late! I am only suppose to start work at 9am this morning, yet I am up by 5am and so ready for the day! I tried laying in a little, that didn’t work, I thought maybe watching a movie would help me go back to sleep, but that didn’t work either. So I figured I might as well get up and ready right?

It’s cold and rainy outside, its the perfect day for pancakes! However you like your pancakes, here are some great ideas. The secret of a great pancake, is the batter, you have to have it just right!

These pancakes are thin, light and luscious!

2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups Whole Milk
4 Eggs
2 tbsp. Butter (melted)
Pinch of Salt
Few Drops Vanilla Extract
Vegetable Oil (for cooking)

Sift flour and mix with salt in a bowl.
Make a well and pour in eggs. Stir well.
Slowly pour in milk while stirring. Keep stirring batter until small bubbles form on the surface.
Stir in Butter.

If it seems thicker than cream, add a little more water, and/or a little more milk

Pour a little vegetable oil on a folded paper towel, and wipe the pan evenly. Keep paper towel at hand while preparing crepes, in case you want to give it another wipe. (or just use spray & cook)
Pour in 2 – 3 tbsp. of batter and quickly move pan around, so that batter spreads evenly, covering the whole surface with a thin layer.
Let cook for about 1 minute. Then, flip with a metal spatula, and cook other side for about 30 seconds.

For the filling, wow, go wild!

You can keep it simple, I enjoy it with cinnamon sugar and a splash of lemon juice, or some other ideas are:

banana and caramel
apples and cinnamon,
fresh berries & cream, drizzled with melted chocolate
Chocolate cream

or for something more savoury:

scrambled eggs, salmon and cream cheese
spinach & feta,
chicken & mushrooms
ground beef

It’s just so versatile! Or, if you want to use it as a dessert for after dinner, I make a thick brandy & citrus sauce, and top it with fresh cream. You have to love it!

If you want to be healthy, use whole wheat flour, and skim milk, there are so many ways to enjoy pancakes!

Have a wonderful morning!!!

This is a great vegetarian dinner, I used this recipe for my Spanakopita on my Greek evening, and it was delicious! I find that reheating phyllo doesn’t work very well, but if you want to, place in an oven to reheat, not in the microwave.

Ingredients

dill
dried oregano
phyllo pastry
melted butter
onion, chopped
olive oil
spinach, rinsed and trimmed
feta cheese
full cream cream cheese
eggs, lightly whisked
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the onions in oil, until the onions become transparent
Blanch the spinach in boiling water, until the leaves turn lighter, remove from water and drain all excess water, chop finely (squeeze out all excess water again)
Add the fried onions, the feta and cream cheese, eggs, dill, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste
Grease the bottom and sides of oven pan
Line oven pan with a sheet of phyllo pastry.
Brush with the melted butter and place another half sheet of phyllo pastry on top. Repeat until you have five half sheets of phyllo pastry.
Spread the spinach mixture on top and cover with seven layers of phyllo pastry, each brushed with melted butter or olive oil, including the top of the last layer.
Bake at 190 °C for about 40 minutes or until light brown

Enjoy it

Strawberry Sorbet

Ingredients
3 cups strawberries
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
4T. lemon juice
1 T. vodka

In a blender, puree the strawberries with the cold water. (I didn’t strain it as I love the texture the seeds give, but feel free to do so)

In a bowl, combine the puree with the lemon juice and vodka, then stir in the sugar until entirely dissolved.

Cover mixture and place in freezer.

Every hour just mix the mixture with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Place back in freezer.

To make sure it sets properly, I would do this the day before, mine set in about 8 hours, but to be safe, give yourself some time!

Enjoy it!

Lemon & Basil Sorbet

3/4 cup water
About 1 cup sugar (or less for more of the tart taste)
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 & 3/4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
Basil – finely chopped (about10 leaves)
Egg white beaten
Lemon shells optional (to serve)

Boil water, sugar, and lemon zest in a pan
Stirring until the sugar has dissolved – (about 5 min).
Cool, chill, add the lemon juice. You can make without an ice cream machine – pour mixture into flat freezer tray, allow to partly freezing, beat to break up the ice crystals every now and then.
The more you break it up the smoother it will be.
When partially frozen mix in egg white thoroughly.
Scoop sorbet into lemon shells, decorate with basil leaves, and serve

It is such a stunning day outside today, I thought this would be delicious for a day like today, or a great recipe for summer that is on its way. When I was much younger, and watched way to much cooking channel, I saw Jamie do this once, and I have since then done this many times, just adapted the recipe to suit me, as I do not have an ice cream machine, and R wont buy me one…I tried begging and pleading my case, describing in great detail all the fun things I could be making with my ice cream machine, and how quick and easy it would be…he wouldn’t budge. Maybe if I am really sweet, R will give it to me for Christmas

Mediterranean Seafood Evening
Friday, 30 October 2009

Seafood Bisque

A thick, rich creamy seafood based soup served with lightly toasted baguette

Delicious Seafood Platter

Freshly battered line fish
Tender calamari deep fried and perfectly spiced
West Coast half shell mussels prepared in a garlic & white wine sauce
Grilled King Prawns done to perfection by the Chef
Crabsticks, grilled and served
Seafood Trinchado prepared LM style

Accompanied by spicy rice / home fried chips / special house salad / peri peri sauce / lemon butter / Garlic & parsley butter and chef made tartar sauce

Trio of Sorbets

A trio of Lemon & basil, Strawberry and Chocolate sorbets, served with a medley of fresh fruit in season and fresh cream

Complimentary Sangria

R 160.00 per person

These Keftedes came out amazing, the tomato sauce was brilliant, I will now use this sauce for most of my tomato based dishes. I used the same sauce for my moussaka. And that was to die for. I am not a huge fan of ground beef, but let me tell you, I was very very excited with this dish. And the nice thing is that with its leftovers, you can make meatball subs, or even make a spaghetti bolognaise and top it with these meatballs.

Meatballs
half beef mince
half pork
white bread, crusts removed, soaked in milk
egg
onion, chopped finely
garlic, chopped finely
dried oregano
salt and milled pepper

Tomato sauce
olive oil
onion, chopped finely
garlic, chopped finely
ripe tomatoes, chopped (I like to not peel them, but that’s a personal choice)
tomato puree
bicarbonate of soda
sugar
salt and milled pepper
fresh oregano

Meatballs
Mix all the ingredients together, using your hands. Pat into the size you require, and set aside. I left them over night in the fridge, but this is not necessary.

Tomato sauce
Heat oil and add onion
Sugar over the onions, sauté for a few minutes, add garlic.
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. (not the bicarb of soda)
Reduce the heat, cover & let simmer for about half an hour.
Add bicarb of soda, it will fizz a little, and let simmer for a further 15 minutes

Arrange meatballs in an ovenproof dish.
Pour over sauce and bake in a preheated 180 °C oven, uncovered

I don’t fry the meatballs first; I just place them in a large oven proof dish, pour the sauce over and put in the oven. Frying adds extra kilojoules to the meatballs, and is just not necessary. I find it also doesn’t make the meatballs dry.

I absolutely love Houmus! With pita, it’s the best drink snack ever! Made this for the Greek evening. Was absolutely yummy!!

Canned chick peas
Garlic, chopped
Lemon juice
White wine
Sultanas
Spring Onions
Paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Drain the liquid from the chick-peas, in a pan, place wine, paprika, lemon juice salt and pepper, and chick peas. Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. Leave to cool slightly then put mixture in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add the garlic sultanas, spring onions and a little more salt & pepper to taste.

I love this! You can cook your garlic first if you want more subtle taste of garlic, but I love the punch!