Best Local Food Blog Nominee Takes A Day Off

Posted on February 22, 2012

I have had an emotional 26 hours, a myriad of things have happened since 6am yesterday morning, and I just don’t have the energy to type up my blog post. I did not have time to do it yesterday due to back to back meetings. I also have not been around reading many blogs, and if I have missed yours out then please accept my apologies. My wordpress reader is overwhelmed with blog love. I have just installed RSS Popper and will slowly start setting it up. I tried to do google reader but that was not working for me. So, please be patient with me, I will be back tomorrow

I have been nominated, together with 9 other amazing bloggers, for an award and I would so appreciate your vote. Follow the link – no registration is necessary.

http://www.eat-in.co.za/Awards/Blogger-Awards

Best Local Food Blog

No matter where I end up, to be counted as one of the top 10 is an honour. And the people who stand alongside me are all great bloggers (and great friends)!

With thanks and blog love

Tandy

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Three Cheese Chicken Alfredo Bake for The Secret Recipe Club

Posted on February 20, 2012

This month I have been assigned Plain Chicken for The Secret Recipe Club. I am in a new group as I wanted a later posting date, and so I am about to meet a whole lot of new bloggers, Steph being the first. Steph is from Alabama – a place I remember well from my trip to the South. Her one love is travelling, and we have that in common for sure. She loves New York City and it still ranks as one of my top cities in the world, even though I have not been there for over 20 years. Steph is hoping to visit Italy soon, and as you may know, Italy is my home away from home, il mio cuore vi appartiene Italia. For my recipe I chose a pasta dish – this is one meal we eat once a week, with Tandy Tuesday the inspiration behind this.

I did not read the ingredient list before choosing this dish, so I have changed it a bit due to the fact that I cannot buy ready made sauces. They all contain sucrose which I cannot eat. I changed the premade sauce for my own béchamel sauce and Dave gave this dish a resounding thumbs up. I made two dishes from the ingredients, and we shared one!

THREE CHEESE CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKE

ingredients:

200g pasta of your choice – I used gnocchi

1l béchamel sauce

15mls olive oil

2 chicken breasts, skinned and boned

salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

100g mushrooms, sliced

260g ricotta cheese

½ cup grated hard cheddar cheese

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

mozzarella cheese for topping

method:

preheat the oven to 180° Celsius

cook the pasta according to the packet instructions

make the béchamel sauce – this should take as long as your pasta

while your béchamel sauce is cooking heat the olive oil in a pan

season and cook the chicken and the mushrooms

let the chicken breasts rest once they are cooked

drain the pasta and put back into the pot

cover with the béchamel sauce – mix in well

add the ricotta, the cheese, the garlic, the parsley and the mushrooms

slice the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces

add to the mix, together with any juices and mix well

adjust the seasoning

place the pasta into lightly buttered baking dishes

cut thin slices of mozzarella cheese and place on top

bake for 20 minutes until nice and golden brown on top

THREE CHEESE CHICKEN ALFREDO BAKE PRINTABLE VERSION

I am submitting this recipe to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted this week by HoneyB at The Life & Loves of Grumpy’s HoneyBunch

Tandy

To see other recipes from the click the linky below:

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Restaurant Review: The Restaurant at Waterkloof Wines

Posted on February 20, 2012

The Restaurant at Waterkloof Wines is situated on Sir Lowry’s Pass Road, Somerset West and they can be contacted on 021 858 1491. They serve lunch and dinner, from Mondays to Saturdays and lunch only on Sundays. If for nothing else, take a drive (2.1km off the road) up to the estate, just for the view.

in this picture you can see the view over False Bay with the mountains we live on top left. Middle right are the candles I kicked when leaving, and now I have wax all over my skirt! The fire place is lit every night making the ambiance amazing, and an after dinner port a welcome choice. Bottom left is Grégory Czarnecki (on the right) hard at work with his staff.

I would highly recommend the six course degustation menu at R385/R490 wine pairing included. If this does not suit you, then on offer is a good selection of starters and main courses and the desserts include a cheese option for those watching their weight. If I have one nitpick complaint about the meal, then it is that if someone does not order a dessert, the chef does not send a pre dessert for that person to the table. Given that the restaurant is not cheap, this is something they should do for all diners, regardless of how many people are having dessert.

Dave and I went for a 6 course meal for Valentines Day and we chose the wine pairing option. We were greeted at the car by an attentive staff member, and were ushered into the venue where we were given a glass of champagne. We could stroll around, enjoying the strains of the violin before being seated at our table, which had an impressive view of the vineyards. The amuse bouche was an asparagus veloute with an almond foam. This was followed by a goats cheese mousse which was served with pickled beetroot and a walnut crisp. The wine paired with this course was the Circumstance Sauvignon Blanc 2007. The mousse was really light and tasty and Dave enjoyed the beetroot (not his favourite vegetable)

This was followed by rainbow trout gravlax with a watercress mayonnaise, vodka and dill crème fraîche and accompanied by a glass of Circumstance Chenin Blanc 2009. I loved the fact that the trout was less oily than the salmon we use at home and the vodka and dill crème fraîche complemented the dish perfectly.

Our next course was monkfish served with a crispy prawn, and ginger beer compressed apple and a smidgen of curry. The monkfish was a little bland for our palate but the apple helped sort that out. Dave and I loved the prawn and we are going to try and make something similar. We enjoyed the Circumstance Viognier 2010 with this course.

When we sat down, the waiter asked us how we would like our beef – he recommended medium but we chose medium rare, which might explain why it was cold. The karan beef fillet was served with a shallot tart tatin and root vegetables which included purple carrots. This course was accompanied by Circle of Life Red 2009.

The next course was served with Circumstance Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and we enjoyed two glasses of this with the lamb loin. The lamb itself was cold, but the braised leg pastille was hot and most appreciated. The aubergine sauce was more pleasant than it looks on the plate.

Before we could move on the dessert, the pre dessert was sent to the table with the chefs compliments. It was champagne heavy but a perfect break between the meat courses and the dessert course.

By far, the highlight of the texture of chocolate platter was the passion fruit sorbet. I even went to compliment the chef hoping he would send me home with a bucket. Sadly this was not so, but the Steenberg Brut Chardonnay made up for that.

The service from the wait staff and managers is impeccable, with our waiter being polite, and well spoken. He noticed the small details and could converse with us about the meal and the wine with ease. Dave ordered espresso and I skipped this part of the meal (I like my sleep) but I made sure I tucked in to the petit fours.

The ambiance here is serene, you have a view of the mountains and the sea and you are so high up, you feel like you are floating. This very modern building invites you to stay, just a little longer.

And … if you are not in the mood for a meal, pop in for a wine tasting. The staff are fantastic.

Tandy

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Friday Food Quiz Number 10

Posted on February 18, 2012

1. What is tortellini?

These are ring shaped pasta from the areas of Bologna and Modena and are usually stuffed with meat. The are served in a broth, or ragu (Bolognese sauce) or cream. I love this region of Italy – especially for the fact that both Ducati and Ferrari have their factories in this area.

2. What is the difference between a lassi and a smoothie?

Oh yay, a question relating to the food I have been cooking a lassi is a yoghurt based drink from the Punjab region. A lassi can be a savoury drink that has spices, salt and pepper mixed with the yoghurt, or blended with ground cumin, or a sweet drink made with sugar. A smoothie is a blend of fresh and frozen fruit or vegetables, either alone, or with ice, or with frozen yoghurt (or if you are my mom, icecream). Honey is added to the blend and it is mixed to a nice thick milkshake consistency. At the gym I go to they offer additives of whey powder or barley grass, but I like mine with my home made granola in it for a complete meal.

3. What does caramelised mean?

Like your wonderful onions – caramelization occurs when the natural sugars in food cooks out and colours what is being cooked. This can be helped along by adding sugar to the dish.

4. Give another name for lemongrass.

Citronella

5. What is a mirepoix?

A base for risotto, soups, stocks etc. made up of 2 parts onions, 1 part carrot and 1 part celery – all cut into even sized pieces.

6. The scientific name for cacao beans is theobroma cacao. What does it mean?

Have you been watching Willie’s Chocolate program on channel 180? From bean to bar – pity I did not know about it before we went to the UK this year as I would have got some pure cacao bars the answer is food of the gods if my memory is good

7. Mango is native to which country?

India

8. What will you get if your dish is served cordon bleu?

The literal translation is Blue Ribbon but I would prefer Michel Roux JNR!

9. What are the ingredients for Drambuie?

One of my favourites, heather honey and malt whisky with a blend of herbs and spices

10. What is molasses?

it is a by product of the process of turning sugar cane or sugar beets into sugar. it has a thick, honey like texture and is a sucrose based product (lesson learnt from a friend of mine who grew up on a sugar cane farm)

11. Name the method used to preserve food by salting, such as meat and fish.

if you use salt and water the method is pickling. if you use salt without water it is called curing. I just plain prefer biltong! (that is similar to beef jerky if you are American(

12. Name the four Indian breads.

There is Roti from the Rajasthan region; and Naan from the Delhi region (I got them confused when I started cooking from my curry book, and served the Naan with the first dish, and so used Roti with the Delhi dish); paratha. I have no clue about the fourth one.

13. What is arrowroot and what is it used for?

It is an edible starch that when made into a flour is gluten free. It can be used in the same way as corn flour (maizena) to thicken sauces. It will not colour the dish in the same way corn flour can make the sauce cloudy, so can be used to thicken gels (for terrines etc.) It has no flavour and you need less of it than corn flour or ordinary flour to thicken a sauce. It cannot be used with dairy products. In SA this is readily available at a good health shop but can be found as a common store item in the supermarkets in Australia.

14. Why do apples float when placed in water?

So you can bob for them. I suppose something floats in water when it is less dense than the water?

15. What is the key to making perfect muffins?

And now I want a blueberry muffin for breakfast to get a perfect muffin to not mix the mixture too much. it must still be lumpy and just mixed.

Tandy
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Rooibos and Lavender Tea Sorbet

Posted on February 17, 2012

When we were younger my parents would often treat us to a silver service dinner. This was always at the top of the Carlton Hotel in Johannesburg, and always to celebrate something special. I can remember that between the starters and the main course, we were given a spoonful of sorbet, to cleanse the palate. This sorbet cleanser has been served on many occasions, not only at silver service dinners. It somehow makes me feel ‘grown up’. A few year’s ago we went to Waterkloof for dinner and we got an amuse dessert to whet our appetites for the course we had ordered. It got me thinking, why not a sweet sorbet to cleanse the palate between the main course and dessert? This sorbet has a unique flavour of our local red bush tea, and whereas I could really taste the tea, Dave could really taste the honey. You can substitute any tea of your choice to make this sorbet – and you really only need a few spoonfuls as an amuse, or have a huge bowl for dessert itself.

ROOIBOS AND LAVENDER TEA SORBET

Adapted from Krups Ice Cream Maker Recipe Book page 29

ingredients:

500mls water

3 tablespoons rooibos and lavender tea

50g honey

150g caster sugar – I used fructose

method:

bring the water to the boil and allow the tea to infuse for 3 hours

add the honey and the sugar

chill the mixture in the fridge overnight

churn in your ice cream maker

ROOIBOS AND LAVENDER TEA SORBET PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy
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Bagels

Posted on February 16, 2012

I love the challenges set for us from Fresh From The Oven. I am baking breads I would never try otherwise. This month was no different with us having to bake bagels! Now, being of Jewish decent, bagels have formed part of my diet for a long time, usually served with cream cheese and lox. These bagels were given similar treatment – we had them with home made gravadlax, smooth cottage cheese and dill with friends for our Sunday afternoon wine tasting session. I also made a special breakfast and served them with scrambled eggs, dusted with chives. I will make these again without a doubt. The machine does all the hard work, they are easy to shape and even the poaching was not difficult. It is the poaching that gives the bagel its ‘hard’ outside texture and they feel quite odd when you take them out of the water. I used caraway seeds on mine as I am not a big fan of sesame seeds or poppy seeds. Use what ever topping you choose, and experiment with what you put in them – I think there are so many possibilities out there. Do take a look at Purely Food’s blogpost for her recipe, and watch out for all the bagels.

BAGELS

makes 7

ingredients:

450g bread flour
7g instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
250mls warm water
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg, beaten
caraway seeds for topping

method:

in a large bowl add the salt to the flour and then the yeast – keep the salt and the yeast separate

stir the oil and the honey into the water

using a stand mixer at a low speed, slowly add the liquid to the dry ingredients

knead for 10 minutes

add more flour is the dough is too wet – the dough is stiffer than normal bread dough but will still have elasticity

lightly oil the mixer bowl, return the dough to the bowl and turn to coat in the oil

cover with cling film and put in a warm place until doubled in size

lightly oil two baking trays

remove the dough from the bowl, punch it down to knock the air out and knead briefly

roll in to a sausage shape and divide into 7 pieces – I used my scale and each piece was just over 100g

as you work one, keep the others covered with a clean tea towel

shape the bagels by rolling each piece into a ball, pierce a hole in the centre with your finger, pull the dough open wide by twirling it round your index fingers (wider than you think you need as the hole will shrink when the dough proves, is poached and then baked)

place on the prepared baking tray and repeat with remaining dough

cover and allow to rise for a further 10-20 minutes

preheat the oven to 200° Celsius

fill a large sauce pan with boiling water and return to a simmer

gently place each bagel into the water to poach (do not try to put too many bagels in at once as they will expand slightly)

poach for 90 seconds on each side, turning gently with a slotted spoon

remove the bagels from the water, allowing them to drain first and place on the prepared baking trays spacing them about 3-4cm apart

brush with the egg and sprinkle with the topping

bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn upside down for a further 10 minutes to cook the bases

cool on a wire rack.

BAGELS PRINTABLE VERSION

Tandy

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Ginger

Posted on February 15, 2012

Native to tropical Asia, ginger is a rhizomatous perennial to about 90cm high, producing many fibrous leaf stalks sheathed in alternating lanceolate leaves. The plump rhizomes, known as ‘hands’ are pale yellow when freshly dug. The yellow flowers, with purple lips and green bracts, are arranged in dense, club like spikes. They are followed by fleshy, three valved capsules. The spring shoots and flower buds of myoga ginger are popular in Japanese cuisine, and cassumar ginger is used in South East Asia.

photograph sourced from Wikipedia

Ginger grows best in rich, moist well drained soil and requires warm temperature to sub tropical conditions. Grow ginger by seed or from rhizome segments, cut so that each segment contains one or two buds. Remember to keep the soil moist.

For fresh culinary use, dig up the rhizomes in late summer or early autumn. If drying, do so about 10 months after planting.

Young ginger is tender and sweet, with a spicy, tangy, warm to hot flavour. Older ginger is stronger, hotter and more fibrous. Japanese ginger is widely used as a sushi condiment. In Asian, Caribbean and African cuisine, ginger is an essential ingredient in curries, stews, soups, salads, pickles, chutneys, marinades, stir fries and meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Fresh ginger’s uses are mostly savoury; crystallized ginger is used in baked goods, or eaten on its own as confectionery, often sugar coated.

Dried ginger is hotter than fresh ginger. Ground dried ginger is used in baking and in commercial spice mixtures. Both ground dried ginger and ginger essential oil are used in commercial food flavouring, while ginger extracts are used in cordials, ginger beer and ginger ale.

If you are going to use essential oil in your kitchen, remember to make sure it is organic! I sell a lovely range of essential oils that I use in my kitchen.

information sourced from The Complete Book of Herbs

Tandy
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