♥ a food, travel and lifestyle blog ♥
I first made these vodka pickled cucumbers in 2024. They were served together with sardine rillettes, a recipe I got from Mimi. Since then, I have ensured that there is always a jar of them in my fridge. They go perfectly well with a cheese platter, and can be served with any charcuterie board you … Continue reading Vodka Pickled Cucumbers
In her recipe book, Simple Suppers, Sarah suggests to make a double batch of this recipe for chilli con carne. I did just that and we had a great meal with friends using half of what I made. The rest was divided into two containers which I froze, making for simple meals during the week … Continue reading Chilli Con Carne
This recipe for chicken and leek pie comes from Sarah Graham's Simple Suppers. It is super simple as you use chicken that has already been cooked. That you can buy or be like us and braai a chicken so we can get several meals from it. And it calls for store bought puff pastry. This … Continue reading Chicken And Leek Pie
When I left home, my aunt gave me her recipe for tzimmes. It never tasted as good as she made it, but I am sure that had to do with memory as much as anything else. I have made this numerous times over the years, adjusting it as I went along, so that what I … Continue reading Tzimmes
In Simple Suppers, Sarah Graham serves her lemon and herb spatchcock chicken with a chargrilled corn and chickpea salad. Dave prefers to do the butchering himself and so I buy a whole chicken. All you need to do is cut the backbone out of the chicken and the press it down firmly to flatten it. … Continue reading Lemon And Herb Spatchcock Chicken
This purple sweet potato soup was made from a local varietal of sweet potatoes that have a purple skin and white flesh. I did not peel the skin, to retain all the health benefits, and so the colour is quite dark. The recipe is simple to make and you can bulk this up to freeze … Continue reading Purple Sweet Potato Soup
My version of serundeng is made with ingredients I could source in South Africa. Despite having a large East Indian community, we do not grow everything the original recipe called for. I have used this to add as a topping for a hot and sour prawn curry. And I have made flatbreads using the condiment … Continue reading Serundeng
This recipe for ravioli con burrata looks complicated. But it comes together quite easily, and the results are worth the effort. The colour of the pasta comes from the black garlic that I used to make the ravioli. Skip ahead to the recipe for Ravioli Con Burrata Getting things right When we were in Italy … Continue reading Ravioli Con Burrata
Jamie Oliver described this carrot gazpacho as being refreshing, surprising and vivacious in his recipe book, Eat Yourself Healthy. I decided to try it as Dave made such an amazing ajoblanco, which I loved. And, as promised, this was a beautiful cool soup. For someone who does not enjoy fruit in savoury dishes, the grapes … Continue reading Carrot Gazpacho
In The Big Tasty Bite, Lila says that this Tuscan chicken bake is packed with flavour. And she is right! It is easy to prepare ahead of time, and I am going to make this for when we are on the barge in France in September. You can serve this with pasta, rice, mash or … Continue reading Tuscan Chicken Bake
In The Big Tasty Bite, Lila calls the recipe for one-tray Mediterranean roast vegetables one that just works. This will make enough to feed four as a side bite. But for me, it was perfect to have extra cooked vegetables ready for the next time I did not feel like cooking. Skip ahead to the … Continue reading Mediterranean Roast Vegetables
Karl is very correct when he says that this lamb and onion pie is so tasty! Despite the pastry not completely cooking on the bottom in the middle, I am sharing it with you. The filling is delicious and the pastry is easier to make than you think. Skip ahead to the recipe for Lamb … Continue reading Lamb And Onion Pie
Using a mayonnaise base made with Dijon mustard and sherry vinegar, I made a simple remoulade sauce. This is a great recipe to add to, depending on your taste buds, and what you are serving it with. Skip ahead to the recipe for Remoulade Sauce Variations of a remoulade sauce A remoulade sauce is used … Continue reading Remoulade Sauce
Having seen okonomiyaki being made on MasterChef Australia I was really excited to find a recipe for this in Upwards. I made these Japanese pancakes for lunch and both Dave and I really enjoyed them. Skip ahead to the recipe for Okonomiyaki What is okonomiyaki? Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake which originated in Japan. A … Continue reading Okonomiyaki
I had this caper mocha butter at the launch of Upwards, and came straight home to make it. Because I did that, I had to use what was in my kitchen, rather than what was in the recipe. I switched out Tabasco for my homemade sriracha, and used a freshly made espresso instead of instant coffee. … Continue reading Caper Mocha Butter
Packed full of fresh coriander, flat leaf parsley, and a little bit of chives and lemon zest, these hake fish cakes will make for a perfectly simple meal any day of the week. Skip ahead to the recipe for Hake Fish Cakes Hake fishing in South Africa Merluccius capensis is one of our greatest exports, and … Continue reading Hake Fish Cakes
The key to making the perfect Maître d'Hotel Butter is to use the finest butter you can find. Once all the ingredients are blitzed together you can shape it into a log and wrap it tightly to use when you need a little oomph on a dish. Perfect to use on any steak, a beautifully … Continue reading Maître d’Hotel Butter
These polpette in salsa al limone are baked in the oven for 2 and a half hours. That sounds like an impossibly long time for a meatball, but trust me, they will be perfectly moist. Make a double batch and freeze half for a quick weekday meal. Skip ahead to the recipe for Polpette In … Continue reading Polpette In Salsa Al Limone
Chicken korma (kozhy kuruma) is a South Indian dish that is simple to make and balanced in flavour. This is a dish typically made with home grown chickens and is served in Christian communities for celebrations and special occasions. Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Chicken Korma ♥ Korma When we go out … Continue reading Chicken Korma
When Warren posed the question about turning a samoosa into a pie I had to agree with his thoughts. This lamb samoosa pie uses a cheat's puff pastry recipe that is so easy. If you don't want to make your own, buy a good quality puff pastry to use. Head straight on to the Recipe … Continue reading Lamb Samoosa Pie