Monday, December 13, 2010

Broad- and Green Beans



Long before I knew I would make a career of my passion for food, my childhood summers were marked by warm evenings congregated around the kitchen table, top- and tailing beans. In winter, my brothers and I were asked to squeezed one litre of orange juice per day as part of our daily chores and together with the bean harvest, these were the rhythms that marked the seasons of my childhood.

As long as I can remember my father has been a keen vegetable gardener. He fought the odds in the harsh Namibian climate by building an elaborate shaded frame over his vegetable garden; and during one short summer spent in Canada, filled our basement with the sweetest sweet corn and buttery new potatoes.

My mother has had to become very creative with my father’s harvests, be it spinach, broad beans or rhubarb there is always more than needed! She’s had to come up with a number of ways to preserve and capture the deliciousness for another day or season and this broad bean and garlic spread is just one of those recipes.

This is an ode to my father and the love of gardening I’ve inherited from him.


Broad bean and garlic spread

Ingredients:
1 whole garlic head, cut horizontally
4 cups of beans (can be replaced with butter beans)
Salt and milled black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil, to drizzle
A small bunch parsley or thyme sprigs
Day old baguette to make bruchetta
Optional: 2 rashers of streaky bacon, this gives the dip a delicious, smokey flavor.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Drizzle a little olive oil on the garlic and roast until it is completely soft.
In a small pot, fry the onion. Add the bacon, if you are using bacon and render slowly on a low heat.
Add the beans and the soft garlic puree; slowly cook with the lid on for 20 minutes. Mash the beans slightly with a fork, but keep the dip chunky. Remove from the heat add the chopped parsley or the thyme leaves.
When serving drizzle generously with olive oil and salt and milled pepper. Serve with char grilled brushetta.

Bruchetta:
1 mini baguette, cut into 1.5 cm slices at a slant.
¼ cup olive oil
Heat a griddle pan until it’s smoking hot. Brush the brushetta with olive oil and griddle until toasted and slightly charred.


Green Beans Marinated in lemon, chili and coriander served with Quinoa

Quinoa is available in selected super markets, but can be found in health stores and specialist food stores.
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
250 ml quinoa
300g green beans, tossed in oil
60 ml olive oil
Juice and zest of a lemon
1 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 chili, seeded and finely chopped
A bunch of fresh coriander
50g toasted pine nuts
Salt and milled black pepper

Method:
Cook the quinoa in salted water, following the instruction on the packet.
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, chili and fresh coriander to make the marinade.
Char grill the beans very quickly on a hot griddle pan and while they are still hot, toss them in the marinade. Allow them to cool and marinade for 20-30 minutes.
Season the quinoa, and serve with the marinated beans and toasted pine nuts. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Couscous-filled Aubergine halves with roasted cherry tomato sauce




Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Ingredients for the sauce:
800 g cherry tomatoes
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
½ unrefined brown sugar
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground coriander
500g ripe tomatoes, plum tomatoes if possible
zest of half an orange
25g fresh mint (small bunch)
Salt and milled black pepper

Method:

Chop the cherry tomatoes in half. Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper and place them in a baking tray.
Roast in the oven until they are soft and caramelized, 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, the tomatoes must be skinned. Cut an X into the skin of each tomato. Place them in a bog bowl, pour boiling water over them. After about a minute, drain the water and remove the skins. Chop them in quarters.
Blend the skinned tomatoes, adding 100 ml of water.
Slowly brown the onion, garlic and the brown sugar in a large pot over a medium heat.
Cover with a lid and sweat for 10 minutes.
Add the spices and stir for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly. The heat will bring out the intense flavor of the dry spices.
Then, pour in the blended tomatoes, grated zest of an orange, add a little salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
When the roasted tomatoes are soft and sticky, add them and the pan juices.
Set this aside, the fresh mint will be added later.



Ingredients for the Aubergine:(makes 6-8 portions)

4 medium aubergines
250g couscous
100g flaked almonds, toasted1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400 g spinach, washed and drained
30 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
200g fresh or frozen peas
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and milled black pepper

Method:

Half the aubergines lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out the flesh. Keep the flesh for a delicious treat called baba ghanoush- roast aubergine dip.
Brush the whole aubergine, inside and out, with olive oil and roast in the oven until they are starting to soften.
When the aubergines are done, reduce your oven temperature to 180 degrees.
Place the dry couscous in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and add 300 ml of boiling water. Wrap with cling film and allow to stand for 10 minutes. When cooked, fluff with a fork and add a knob of butter.
Add 2 tbsp of olive oil into a big frying pan. Fry the garlic, onion on a low heat until translucent, then add the spinach leaves in two batches and quickly fry until they are wilted.
Combine all the ingredients of the stuffing in a large mixing bowl: the couscous, the toasted almonds, the wilted spinach, the frozen peas, onion and garlic.
Add the chopped coriander and season with salt and black pepper.
Fill each aubergine half with the couscous, cover the tray with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
When you’re ready to serve, reheat your sauce, add freshly chopped mint and generously spoon the sauce over each aubergine.





Babe Ghanoush (roast aubergine dip)

Ingredients:

500g aubergine flesh
2 cloves of garlic
5 sprigs of fresh parsley
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp tahini (Sesame seed paste)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp dukka (optional)

Method:

Toss the aubergine flesh in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven until soft.
Allow the aubergine to cool completely.
Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth and season with salt and pepper.
Before serving, drizzle with olive oil and a teaspoon of dukka.
Serve with warm pita bread or a selection of crudités: carrot, celery, florets of broccoli and cucumber – perfect for a picnic.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Beetroot Salads




My earliest childhood memory of beetroot is seeing the creamy pink, ring gelatine moulds that brought life to the tressle tables at the church bazaar. At four, I remember being captivated by this intensely pink vegetable and liking it instinctively. Many years have past and my love of beetroot hasn’t waned, so much so that I dreamt up this lentil and caramelised beetroot recipe as the starter on my wedding menu.


Bright pink beetroot pancakes, rich beetroot and chocolate cake… The colour and flavour of beetroot adds playfulness to any dish. It can be prepared in a variety of ways, making it enjoyable to experiment with. Apart from that, this sweet-tasting root is rich in folic acid and potassium, as well as having detoxifying properties. If you buy beetroot with the leaves on, chop them roughly and add them to your salad; they are as rich in iron and vitamin C as spinach leaves.


Here are two innovative beetroot salad recipes that are sure to give any lunch or dinner party that wow- factor.
Enjoy!

Lentil and Caramelised Beetroot Salad with crème fraiche dressing
(Makes 4 portions)

Ingredients:
2 cups of uncooked green/brown lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
4-6 beetroots
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
250 ml crème fraiche
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper
150-200g mixed lettuce leaves
Small bunch dill leaves/chives

Method:
Wash the beetroot well under running water. Bring salted water to the boil in a pot, add the beetroot and boil until they are tender. Drain and allow them to cool. Gently peel the outer skin off with your hands and slice the beetroots into wedges.
Cover the lentils with water in a small pot. Add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, adding water to cover the lentils, as needed. Boil until soft, and then drain. While hot, drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and ground black pepper.
To make the syrup, carefully melt the brown sugar on a medium heat. Add the balsamic vinegar and the spices. Toss the beetroot wedges in the syrup on a low heat until the beetroots are coated and sticky. Remove from the heat and allow them to cool in the syrup.
Wash the leaves and toss them in a light olive oil. Finely chop the dill or the chives and mix this and the lemon juice into the crème fraiche.
To assemble the salad, place a bed of lentil on each plate. Drizzle the remaining balsamic reduction over the lentils. Arrange the beetroots and lettuce leaves on top with dollops of crème fraiche to serve.

Variations: Serve this salad with flaked, hot smoked salmon as a dinner starter or add orange segments for a fresh summer lunch.

For an absolute treat: peel the beets and chop them in quarters. Toss them in extra-virgin olive oil, a drizzle of runny honey and a dash of good quality balsamic vinegar with a few sprigs of thyme. Slowly roast the beetroot for 20-30 minutes on 180 degrees Celsius or until soft and caramelized. The result is smokey, sweet beetroot wedges to use in a salad or serve as a side dish


Beetroot ‘Carpaccio’ with seasonal greens
(Makes 4-6 salad portions)


Ingredients:
4-6 medium sized beetroots
60 ml olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp basil pesto
Salt and milled black pepper
150-200 g mixed greens
Basil leaves for garnish
Onion sprouts

Method:

Boil the beetroot until tender but not soft, firm enough to thinly slice.
Allow them to cool and peel the outer skin off with your hands.
Thinly slice them on a mandolin or with a sharp knife and lay out on a plate.
To make the marinade, combine the vinegar, the olive oil and the pesto with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper.
Drizzle the marinade over the beetroot, cover and allow to infuse for a few hours in the fridge.
To serve, lay the beetroot out slightly overlapping on a plate and make a small salad in the middle. Drizzle the left over marinade over as a dressing.
Garnish with basil leaves and sprouts.











Mushroom Phyllo Parcels


This recipe is a celebration of wild mushrooms– a crispy phyllo pocket bursting with creamy leeks, delicate spinach and a variety of exotic mushrooms from your local market. Serve it as an evening apperitif or with a seasonal salad, as a light lunch.


I’ve only recently discovered the diverse variety of the mushrooms now farmed in South Africa. It seems our South African palate is growing an appreciation for the exotic edible fungi of the Far East. The flavours of Golden Chanterelle, with their fruity aroma of apricot, smokey Shiitake and the nutty, earthy flavours of Porcini mushrooms are so inspiring, I can’t help but conjure up adventurous combinations.


For a simple dish that really allows you to appreciate the unique textures and flavours of our locally grown mushrooms, fry your choice of wild mushrooms in a little butter, with a sprinkle of salt to bring out the delicate flavours. Toss the mushrooms with fresh egg tagliatelle, good quality olive oil and shavings of parmesan cheese for a simple, but delicious spring lunch.
Tips:
When storing mushrooms don’t keep them in plastic or a sealed bag. Store them uncovered in the fridge with as much airflow around them as possible – a brown paper bag or clean muslin cloth works well.
Before cooking simply wipe mushrooms with a damp cloth to avoid getting their spongy flesh absorbing too much water.
When frying mushrooms, make sure the pan is very hot, don’t add too much olive oil and fry small quantities as a time, to prevent them from getting soggy.
Fresh herbs that compliment mushrooms are parsley, thyme, rosemary and fresh or dry tarragon.

Mushroom, leek and Spinach Phyllo Parcels
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 leeks
300g mushrooms (Portobello and a variety of wild mushrooms)
400g spinach leaves
100-150 ml cream
2 bay leaves
Few sprigs of fresh thyme
25g fresh tarragon/Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
6 sheets of phyllo pastry
100 ml white wine
Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper


Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Slice the leaks lengthways, wash them very well and cut them finely.
Use a damp cloth or piece of kitchen towel to wipe the mushrooms clean, if necessary.
If using regular spinach, wash and remove the stalks.
Pour 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pot on a medium heat; add the onions, garlic, thyme and one bay leaf. Stir briefly, reduce the heat and cover with a lid until the onions are soft and translucent. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Cook the mushrooms in two batches in a large frying pan with not too much oil, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms to the onions in the bowl.
Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the pan and sauté the leeks with a little salt, a bay leaf and a grating of nutmeg. When the leeks are hot, add the white wine. Cook the leeks until they are soft and most of the wine has evaporated. Add the leeks to the mushrooms and the onions.
Wilt the spinach in a hot pan in two batches and add this to the vegetable mix.
Add the chopped tarragon and 100 ml of cream, give it a good mix, and if needed, add the extra 50 ml of cream.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.

To assemble the parcels, lay two sheets of phyllo pastry out on a working surface and cut into strips approximately 10 cm wide.
For each strip (parcel), brush the whole bottom layer with melted butter and place the other pastry layer on top. Spoon your filling on the bottom end of the strip. Fold the bottom corner diagonally over to the opposite edge. Then fold the triangularly shaped parcel again to the opposite side, continue to the end of the pastry strip. Brush the parcels with butter and bake for 20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Serve warm.

Pear and Raspberry Crumble


Growing up in a family who loves food, we have each developed our unique speciality in the kitchen. My father cooks fresh fish to perfection, my younger brother is the crayfish expert, my eldest brother is the coffee fanatic, I make the desserts, and my mother simply fills in all the gaps.

My mother involved me in the kitchen, grating cheese or peeling carrots and, before I can really recall, I was baking brownies, carrot cake and apple crumble - my claim to fame. Over the years my apple crumble has evolved to much more creative versions with added local blueberries, or rhubarb from my father’s garden. I also started experimenting with different ingredients in the crumble, substituting some of the flour with ground almonds or adding desiccated coconut, raw oats and muesli for a healthier version.

I was so excited to see the beautiful brown pears on the shelves this winter- they are more crispy and firm than their green cousins. I slowly simmered them in syrup with a touch of white wine, added frozen raspberries, for a touch of colour and made a crispy crust with almond flour.
Over the years, fruit crumble still remains one of my favourite desserts for a wintery evening, complimented by thick mascarpone cheese or slightly sweetened, soft whipped cream - delicious.

Enjoy this basic fruit crumble recipe and allow your imagination to run away with you!

Ingredients for Basic Fruit Crumble
(6 Servings)

6 cups of green apple/ brown pears/nectarines
¼ cup blueberries/raspberries/ gooseberries /rhubarb (optional)
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 cinnamon stick/ vanilla pod
1 cup plain flour
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup rolled oats
¾ cup coconut or ground almonds (optional)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup soft butter
Pinch of salt

Method:

· Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
· Cut the fruit into bite sized chunks or wedges.
· If using apples, peel them.
· Place fruit in a saucepan, add ¼ cup water, the castor sugar and the cinnamon stick or vanilla pod and boil on a low heat, without a lid, until the fruit is soft. Remove from the heat.
· Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, coconut, cinnamon and salt until well blended.
· The butter must be soft, but not melted, mix this into the flour mixture with your finger tips until it resembles crumbs.
· Place fruit and some of the sauce from the saucepan in a baking dish and sprinkle the crumble mix over the fruit evenly.
· Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes, or until the crumble layer is slightly brown.
· Serve when warm with double cream, mascarpone or ice-cream.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Indonesia

Indonesia was an after thought on the itinery for our four months of travelling through South East Asia. Landing in Kuta, Bali we had one week booked at a beautiful resort - a gift from my parents and a welcomed relief from sleeping on over night trains and back packing through India. We decided to spend a week exploring Bali island with a rental car and then head east experiencing more of rural Indonesia. I was enchanted the moment I arrived. Little grass woven offering baskets with burning incense and cerise pink flowers were place before all the entrances to buildings, including the airport. Airport staff eating from triangular folded paper bowls with throw away chop sticks…I was fascinated and excited to learn more about the Indonesian culture. Indonesians have simple eateries where a variety of prepared dishes (including chicken and fish) are displayed in the shop front window for everyone to see what’s on offer. You simply pay for the size of your plate and choose what you’d like to eat. I had to quickly over come my fear of the term cross- contamination, staphylococcus and his friends, and realise that if I was going to worry about getting food poisoning, I’d most definitely starve. A few hours later we were sipping on ‘Matzo’, a clear broth with what I think was pork meatballs, we had bought from a vendor on the side of the road. I had read about ‘the best authentic Indonesian restaurant’ in our Lonely Planet and I think my husband resigned himself to the fact that this was definitely on the itinery for the week. Driving there, along the narrow windy roads on Bali, was another adventure in itself… Colourful fruit stands line the roads with the most fascinating fruit I’d ever seen- huge jack fruit (the biggest fruit in the world), white mango’s, sweet little banana and red, spiky leechies.



We were relieved when we finally stumbled across the restaurant we were looking for and were welcomed with huge glasses of ice tea with mint and lemon grass. We did have the most memorable meal and were able to sample all the delicacies Indonesian cooking is famous for like satays, wilted water spinach, and tofu. Travelling east across Lombok island, we had another memorable food experience… We bought little banana leaf parcels that are made by compressing sticky rice around a young sweet banana wrapping and them tightly with a banana leaf. These little sweet delights are then kept for a few days until the banana infuses with the rice, and sold on the side of the road to hungry school children passing by. Looking back, Indonesia was definitely a highlight of our adventure. We fell in love with the beautiful nature of the people and the delicious fresh, simple food. Here are few easy recipes to try at home.
Nelleke’s Tips
  • When stir-frying large quantities, do it in batches to avoid ’stewing’ the food in it‘s own juices.
  • Maintain the high temperature of the wok to ensure the food is sealed, trapping all the flavour and juices inside.
  • Drain marinated food thoroughly before adding it to the wok.
  • When cooking noodle soups, cook the noodles before adding them to the broth. If the noodles are cooked in the soup, they will release starch and make the soup cloudy.


Nelleke’s Terms

Tofu
- Also known as bean curd, tofu is made from fermented yellow soya beans and pressed into blocks. There are a few different varieties. Silken tofu has a smooth texture and is usually added to soups. Firm tofu is soft and tender and suitable for steaming and frying.


Pak choi (bok choy) - Also known as Chinese chard, this member of the cabbage family has white , fleshy stems and green leaves. The whole vegetable can be used thickly slices in soups or stir-fries, or steamed gently until tender.

Jasmine rice
- Also known as fragrant rice, this medium grain rice is widely used in Thai and South-east Asian cooking. The grains become slightly sticky when cooked
and make an excellent accompaniment.


Jewelled Vegetable Rice with crispy fried eggs (serves 4)

Inspired by the traditional Indonesian dish, Nasi Goreng, this vibrant, colourful stir-fry make a tasty light meal. Alternatively serve it with grilled meat of fish.
Ingredients 2 tbsp sunflower oil 4 red Asian shallots (can be replaced with 1 red onion) 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 small red chilli, finely sliced 90g carrots cut into thin match sticks 90g fine green beans 90g fresh corn kernels 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 1 cm dice 90g baby button mushrooms 500g cooked, cooled long grain rice 3 tbsp of light soy sauce 2 tsp of green Thai curry paste 4 crispy fried eggs, to serve Fresh coriander and lime leaves to garnish Method:
  • Heat the sunflower oil in a wok over a high heat. When hot, add the shallots, garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.
  • Add the carrots, green beans, corn, red pepper and mushrooms and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes. Add the cooked, cooled rice and stir-fry for further 5 minutes.
  • Mix together the light soy sauce and the curry paste and add this to the wok. Toss to mix well and stir until piping hot. Dish the rice into four bowls, top with fried eggs and freshly chopped coriander. Serve with wedges of lime to squeeze over.
Tip: When making this dish, it is better to use cold cooked rice, rather than hot freshly cooked rice. Hot boiled rice tends to clump together, whereas the grains of cooled rice will remain separate.

Sesame and Banana Fritter
(serves 4)

Deep-fried banana’s are popular all over South-east Asia, and this version coated in coconut and sesame seeds is particularly good!
Ingredients: 50g desiccated coconut 50g castor sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp baking powder 1 cup rice flour 2 tbsp sesame seeds 600ml / 2 ½ cups cups coconut milk 6 baby bananas or 4 big bananas cut into half Sunflower oil for frying Icing sugar to dust Vanilla ice cream to serve Method:
  • Place the coconut, castor sugar, baking powder, rice flour, sesame seeds, cinnamon and coconut milk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to form a smooth batter.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator for one hour.
  • When ready, peel the bananas and carefully slice them lengthways and into halves if using big bananas.
  • Fill a wok 1/3 with sunflower oil and heat to 180 degrees. Working in batches, dip the halved bananas into the batter, drain off any access and gently lower into the oil. Deep-fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.
  • Remove the bananas using a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen towel. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream and dusted with icing sugar.

Olives and Olive Oil

This weekend I took the winding N7 up the West Coast to a small Town called Riebeek Kasteel, famous for it’s olives and olive oil. It’s name alone speaks of enchantment and adventure…this little town centred around a beautiful old church on a hill allows your mind, and your taste buds, to run away with your imagination. Famous for hosting the annual Olive Festival, when thousands of Capetonians flood the dusty streets, there are still many well hidden culinary delights.


My uncle owns a pizzeria along the main road where locals and tourists sit elbow to elbow savouring crisp wood fired pizza’s showcasing only the best local produce. The café culture and town square oozes Spanish country side… but it’s the cinnamon pancakes and the syrupy sweet koeksisters, South African favourites, that left me with a warm feeling in my heart.
Most of the farms sell a variety of olive products and are more than willing to tell you more about the olive oils they produce. As all successful food outings go, I returned home exhausted at the end of a long day with more olive delicacies than I could carry!

Nelleke’s Tips and Terms
Terms
Things to look out for on the label:
The words ‘Extra Virgin’ must be visible on the label of the olive oil bottle. This is an international term used to identify olive oil of the highest quality.
Look out for the word ’cold pressed’ meaning that no extra heat was used during the pressing process. The temperature must not exceed 30 degrees, as this can result in a bitter flavour.

Beware of a bottle that has the word ‘blend’, this often means that the oil has been blended with inferior olive or sunflower oils.
Tips:
Read the description on the back of the olive oil bottle to find out more about the flavour of the oil. Some labels will even recommend dishes to pair it with!
Olive oils differ in colour and flavour depending on when the olives were harvested. Light, fruity oils are best suited for salads or dishes where the oil is added after the cooking process, like oil based pastas.
Stronger, greener oils are used for cooking and will give a fried beef fillet great flavour.
Fill a small bowl with balsamic, oil and swirl a light olive oil into it. Serve this with fresh crusty bread and dukka for an easy pre-dinner snack!


Tapenade

Ingredients:

100g olives of your choice
60g black olives
60g anchovy fillets (optional)
30g capers
15g finely chopped garlic
Lemon juice, as needed
extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
Pepper
2 tbsp chopped oreganum or basil

Method:

Blend all the olives, the anchovies, capers and the garlic in a food processor until chunky and easy to spread. Slowly add olive oil and lemon juice to taste without over mixing. Your tapenade must have texture and identifiable bits of olive.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with pepper and more lemon juice, if needed.
Mix in the herbs and serve with pate’s, pesto’s and cheese for a lovely metze platter.

Olive and Rosemary Focaccia Bread
Fresh yeast gives this bread a lovely flavour. Ask the bakery section at your local supermarket for 50g fresh yeast and store the left over yeast well wrapped in your fridge. It can be replaced with dry yeast. (see the packet for instructions)
Ingredients:
500g white bread flour
7,5 ml salt
10g fresh yeast
275 ml warm water
75ml olive oil and a little extra to drizzle
3 rosemary sprigs
½ cup pitted olives of your choice
15ml coarse sea salt
15ml crushes garlic

Method:
  • Roughly chop ¾ of the olives and set aside.
  • Mix the yeast with 100ml of water and leave to dissolve.
  • Sift the flour and the salt together. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast and water mixture, olive oil and the left over water little by little. Mix with your fingertips to form a soft dough.
  • Knead on a clean and lightly floured surface for 5 minutes to from a smooth, elastic dough. Work in the olives and garlic.
  • Place the dough in an oiled bowl, covered with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for one hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 190 degrees celcius.
  • Grease two medium sized baking sheets. Once proved, knock the dough back by kneading it a little.
  • Divide the dough in half and shape into two flat oval breads. Make indents with the tips of your fingers to create dimples. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter the remaining olives, rosemary leaves and coarse salt on top.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden and hollow sounding if tapped underneath.

Sheeba’s Kerelan Chicken Curry

The smell of old frying oil, dust and bustling crowds, and the tastes of curries, rotis and atchars are still fresh in my memory... My husband and I recently spent four months travelling through South East Asia, spending two months experiencing the beauty of India – a richly diverse country. Every village seems to have its own customs, hundreds of gods are worshipped and every region has a unique food culture.

We spent a few nights in beautiful Fort Cochin, situated in the predominantly Catholic province of Kerala on the West coast of India where we stayed in a 'Home Stay’ with a very hospitable Keralan family. In Kerala, they often use fresh coconut in their curries and are known to be a lot more generous with chillis - adding roughly chopped green chilli's to almost everything, including omelettes. One of the typical Indian delicacies we miss most are the chilli omelettes, neatly packaged in newspaper, bought in the early hours of the morning on the train station platform.
When our host asked whether I would like to join the other guests for a cooking demonstration in her kitchen I, of course, jumped at the opportunity! With such grace and precision she went about cooking dish after dish of fragrant Keralan food while we sipped tiny glasses of sweet home-made wine ladled from a big pottery vat under the kitchen counter.
Plates of crab bisque, spicy prawns, fish curry and small flat breads deep fried in coconut oil soon filled the small and humble kitchen... This recipe is a chicken curry she demonstrated. I have made slight adjustments, replacing the fresh coconut milk and coconut oil, but if you are able to find a fresh coconut - she simply blended the soft flesh and the juice and strained it through a muslin cloth for that authentic Keralan flavour.

Sheeba's Keralan Chicken Curry (serves 6)Ingredients
• 1 kg of chicken pieces (with skin)• ¼ cup chopped coriander• 1 onion• 1 ½ cup Basmati rice (1/4 cup per person)• 1 tin coconut milk• 1 cinnamon stick• 6 cloves• 1 cardamom pod• 2 garlic cloves• 1 chilli• 2 cups of plain yogurt• 1 tsp chilli powder• 1 tsp turmeric powder• Salt and pepper to taste
Method:

  • To make the marinade, crush the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pod, garlic and chilli with a pestle and mortar. Add this to the yoghurt, chilli powder and tumeric powder.
  • Marinade the chicken pieces overnight in the fridge.
  • Scrape the excess marinade off the chicken.
  • Finely chop the onion.
  • Heat a deep frying pan or pot; add about 30 ml of olive oil and brown the onion until translucent.
  • Add the chicken pieces and fry with the skin-side down until brown.
  • When the chicken is browned, add one tin of coconut milk, cover the pot with a lid and simmer at a low heat until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove the lid once the chicken is cooked to reduce and thicken the sauce.
  • Add 125ml chopped coriander and serve with Basmati rice.