Chili chicken.

S4

600g chicken fillet
60ml soy
60ml hoisin
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 small red chilies, finely chopped
15ml brown sugar
80ml water

Mix the soy, hoisin, garlic, chili and sugar in a bowl. Then toss the chicken in the mix and let it marinate for 15 min.
Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium to high heat, shake the marinade of the chicken and fry for 5 min on each side, or till done. remove the chicken from the pan and place on a heated plate, cover with foil.
Combine the water and the marinade in the frying pan and reduce till syrupy.
Slice the chicken 1cm thick, serve with rice, spring onion and drizzle with sauce.

drink: terra del capo, 2004 sangiovese

Tomato soup.

If you are a vegetarian you can ofcourse substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock.

S4

1 liter chicken stock
1kg plum tomatoes, halved
250g rosa tomatoes on the vine
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 sun dried tomatoes, drained
3 cloves of garlic, slightly crushed
4 thyme sprigs
15ml caster sugar
15ml barbecue sauce
10 basil leaves
90ml olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 225c. Take 60ml of the olive oil and pour into a baking pan. Heat it in the oven till well hot then put the plum tomatoes, onion and garlic on the pan. Sprinkle with the caster sugar, season generously and throw on the thyme. Shake the pan then replace in the oven and bake for 20 min, stirring the tomatoes after 10 minutes and add half of the basil with 3 min to go.
Meanwhile bring the stock to the boil. Then tip the contents of the baking pan into a another sauce pan, removing the thyme. Pour over the stock and bring the tomatoes and stock to the boil. Add the sun dried tomatoes and the barbecue sauce then cook for five minutes.
remove from the heat then strain into a bowl. Place the tomato mix into a second bowl and using an immersion blender mixing it till smooth, adding the stock a bit at a time till all combined. The texture should now be creamy.
Pour through a fine sieve, use a wooden spoon to push the soup through. Taste and correct the seasoning if needed.
Meanwhile heat a saute pan, add the remaining oil and add the rosa tomatoes. Cook for one minute.
Serve with some sprinkled basil on top the tomatoes.

drink:

Stock: the chicken kind.

Not a meal per se, but since im making tomato soup later today i made the stock i wanted yesterday afternoon. All though it takes some time on the stove, the cooking in itself is very easy.


Makes 3 liters

2kg of chicken wings or carcasses
3 sticks of celery
2 leeks
2 onions
2 large carrots
1/2 garlic head
2 sprigs of thyme

Throw the chicken into a big pot and cover with 4 liters of water. Bring to a boil making sure to skim of any white foam.
In the meantime, roughly chop the celery, leeks, onions and carrots. Once the water is boiling throw in the vegetables.Wait for the water to come to a boil again, turn down the heat and let it simmer gently for 3 hours.
Strain in a chinois or a very fine sieve. Throw away the vegetables and chicken.
If you want, you can continue cooking the strained stock and reduce it further if you want it stronger.
If not, store what you don't use straight away in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Chili chicken stir-fry.

s4

600g chicken breast, sliced into 1cm sticks
150g green beans, chopped in to 3-4cm lengths
6 cloves of garlic
3 large red chilies
2ml sea salt
30ml fish sauce
15ml sugar
15 soy
half a cup of basil
vegetable oil to fry in, about 20ml

Chop garlic and one chili (with seeds), then mix in a mortar along with the salt and mash into a paste. Heat the oil in a big nonstick frying pan. Throw in the garlic/chili mix and fry for a few second before throwing in the chicken and beans. Cook for 5-6 min. Meanwhile deseed the remaining chilies and slice them lenghtways. Pour the soy and fish sauce into the pan and throw on the chilies and sugar. Let it cook for a minute then remove from heat. Mix in the basil and serve with jasmine rice.

drink: allesverloren cabernet sauvignon (vintage estate 2004)

Beetroot and potato bake with chops.

S4

800g large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
250g beetroot's, peeled and thinly sliced
500ml cheddar, grated
4 eggs
25oml cream
15 ml horseradish cream
4x200g pork chops, off the bone
bunch of rocket
s&p

Preheat the oven to 180c.
Mix cream, eggs, horseradish cream, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.
In a greased oven form, place half the potatoes on the bottom then a third of the cheddar. Follow with the beets, then another third of the cheddar. Then pour over half of the egg mix. On top of that place the rest of the potatoes, the last third of cheddar and finally the last piece of egg mix. Cover with foil and place in oven for 1 hour. After the time is up, remove the foil and continue in the oven for another 30 min.
When there is about ten min to go on the bake, heat a grill pan till real hot. Oil the chops and season. Fry them 3 min on each side. Serve with the rocket.

drink: raka, biography shiraz 2005

Grilled panini with prosciutto and mozzarella.

S1

4 slices of good bread (not to big)
2 slices of fine prosciutto
3 slices of mozzarella
1 tomato, finely sliced
2 leaves of basil, torn
olive oil
s&p

On two of the slices of bread, drizzle some olive oil, place the prosciutto, the mozzarella, the basil, the tomatoes and season with pepper and salt. Put the remaining bread slices on top.
Bring a grill pan up to high heat, then fry the panini's for about 2 min on each side, or until the mozzarella melts. Serve as is, as in no side salad.

drink: milk

Pork loin chops with berry sauce.

S4

4x250g pork loin chops (of the bone)
a bunch of green fresh beans
200g forest berries (frozen mix)
200ml red wine
200ml veal stock
25ml honey
40g butter, unsalted and chilled
olive oil
s&p

Start with the sauce. In a pan, combine the berries (bar 4 berries), the stock and the wine. Bring to the boil then simmer for about ten minutes. Pour the sauce through a chinois or a fine sieve and push the juice out of the berries. Discard the meat and seeds of the berries and return the sauce to the pan along with the honey and let it simmer for 3 minutes or reduced till half. Blanch the beans.
In the meantime, heat a griddle pan until very hot. Brush the chops with olive oil and season.
Fry the pork 3 minutes on each side.
return the sauce to the heat and stir in the butter 10g at a time. Season and add some demi glaze if you have it.
Serve with a side salad.

drink: durbanville hills, 2005 shiraz

Pasta with prosciutto and ricotta dumplings.

[This dish works wonderful without the dumplings if you are just looking for a quick pasta]

S4

2 cups of shell pasta
60ml olive oil
1 cup of frozen or fresh peas
1/2 onion, sliced thinly
60ml white wine
6 slices of prosciutto, sliced
parmesan to serve

dumplings:
250g ricotta
50g plain flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk
30ml flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 green or red chili, deseeded and sliced

Boil the pasta according to instructions, when 2 minutes remain throw in the peas.
Meanwhile combine all the ingredients for the dumplings in a processor and mix till smooth.
Once the pasta is done, drain then rinse in cold water then toss in 15ml olive oil, set aside.
Fill a pot with 3 liter water or there abouts plus some salt and bring to the boil.
Bring a saute pan to heat and pour in the remaining olive oil. Fry the onion for five min or until golden. The throw in the white wine, prosciutto and the pasta with beans. Let it simmer for 5 min and season to taste. In the meantime, using a tablespoon scoop up ricotta mix and drop in the water, 5-6 at a time, let it simmer for about 2 min. Place on a kitchen towel to dry.
Serve with shaved or grated parmesan and drizzle some olive oil over the pasta.

drink: water

Feldo's pasta.

S4

3 chorizos
5 strips of bacon
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 green queen olives, pitted
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 red chili, deseeded and chopped
2x400g canned plum tomatoes
a small bunch parsley, chopped
parmesan
500g pasta
s&p

Heat a large pan, chef pan or similiar, with a tsp or two of olive oil. Slice the chorizos diagonally, cut the bacon into shreds and throw into the pan along with the onion. Fry till the bacon gets nice and crispy, making sure the onion doesn't get burned (if you think this might be hard, then fry the bacon till almost done before hand), or about 6 minutes.
Add the garlic, chili and anchovy and fry for a couple minutes before adding the tomatoes and olives. Split the tomatoes with a spoon or fork, season to taste and turn down the heat. Let it simmer for about 15 min. Meanwhile cook the pasta . Just before taking the pan of the heat, add the parsley.
Serve while hot on top of the pasta with some shaved parmesan.

drink: danie de wet's "nature in concert" 2004 pinot noir

Chicken stew.

Sorry for the poor photo, but the food ran late so by the time it was done i only had patience to take two pictures, it is divine even though the picture might suggest its not.

S4

1500g of assorted chicken pieces (stay away from the fillets if possible as they tend to get dry)
400ml red wine, in this case L'ormarins Optima
6 Anchovy fillets
15 green olives, pit out
2x400g of canned whole rosa tomatoes
8 bay leaves
3 sprigs of rosemary
4 garlic cloves
s&p

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then marinate overnight in the wine along with the bay leaves, rosemary and two finely chopped garlic cloves.
Next day preheat the oven to 190c.
Pat the chicken dry then fry in olive oil using a chef pan or a big enough saute pan till lightly browned. Then remove from the pan and set aside.
Slice the remaining two garlics thinly and fry under gentle heat till golden, then add olives, anchovy, the canned tomatoes, the marinade and finally the chicken. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid then throw into the oven for one and a half hour.
Serve in the pan with fresh toasted white bread on the side.

drink: Haute Cabriere Pinot Noir 2004

Almost Teriyaki

Ok, didn't post this last night as i promised, but here it comes.
Serves 4 (surprise)

3x200g sirloin or porterhouse
250g green beans
1 onion, sliced
30ml peanut oil
1 chili, deseeded and sliced thinly

marinade:
100ml soy
45ml castor sugar
80ml red wine
3 cloves of garlic
20ml grated garlic

Mix the marinade and let the beef soak in it for 15 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, cook the beans for 2 min then immediately rinse in cold water, then set aside.
On a plate, pour out 15ml of the oil over the onions and season.
Bring a griddle pan up to high heat, then fry the onions till they get the golden ribbs on both sides, then remove the onions from the pan.
Pat down the beefs so they are mostly dry, then fry on high heat in the griddle pan for about 2 min on each side (medium-rare, it really needs to be pink). Set aside and let the meat rest while
you heat the beans and onions in the pan.
Strain the marinade in a sieve then bring to the boil in a saucier.
Slice up the beef into about 1.5 cm thick slices.
Serve with rice on the side and be generous with the sauce. Garnish with the chili.

drink: L'ormarins Optima 2003

Teaser.

Today's dinner will be up in a couple of hours.
In the meantime, here is a teaser of what's coming tomorrow. It will be left to marinate for about 20 hours now - will be succulent tomorrow.

Sorry for the lack of updates since last week.
I've been out cold with a stomach flu since a dinner last friday. At first i thought i might actually have poisoned myself and everyone else with my own cooking, luckily none of our guests or my wife got hit though, so must have been something else.
Anyways, I'm now on my feet again and will resume the cooking.

Tonight a simple teriyaki is on the menu, so check back later tonight for the recipe.

Simple beef and noodles.

S4

stir-fry
500g beef, sliced into strips
150g egg noodles
half a broccoli head, in florets
20ml sesame oil
2 spring onions, sliced

sauce
45 ml low salt soy
30ml oyster sauce
15ml ketchup
15ml white wine winegar
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2cm thick ginger, peeled and grated

Cook the noodles according to the package. When one min remains on the cooking time, throw in the broccoli. Once done, drain of the water and pour cold water on the noodles to make them not stick to each other.
Combine the sauce and set aside.
Place the oil in a big saucier or a wok. When really hot, start frying the beef strips a couple at a time to make sure they don't draw water. When each batch is done, place on a hot plate and cover with foil. Once all beef is done, combine the beef, sauce and noodles in the saucier and cook till the noodles are warm. Serve.

drink: Durbanville Hills, Shiraz 2003

'the' tuna sub.

S4

sub:
2 baguettes
170g canned tuna
10 black olives
some rocket
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
4 anchovies fillets, sliced
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
4 marinated artichoke hearts, sliced

dressing:
30ml olive oil
15ml red wine vinegar
15ml dijon
1 chopped garlic clove

Cut each baguettes into half. Brush the bread with some olive oil.
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and season. Toss the rocket leaves in dressing.
Pit the olives. Now, layer the leaves, tomatoes and onions on the bottom part.
On the top layer tuna, artichokes, egg, anchovies and olives.
Put the top back on and either eat directly or wrap in cling wrap if you gonna bring it to a picnic.

drink: whatever

Peppered beef fillet with parmesan sauce.

S4

meat:
1kg fillet
3tbs crushed black peppercorns
olive oil

sauce:
3 eggs
2 cloves of garlic
2 anchovy fillets
30ml dijon
15ml lemon juice
15ml red wine vinegar
about 45ml grated parmesan
125ml olive oil

potatoes:
500g small potatoes
30ml chopped chives
30ml chopped parsley
30g buttter

Preheat the oven to 220c.
Start with the sauce. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop in the eggs and cook for 4 minutes.
remove and crack into the bowl of a food processor. Process till smooth then poor in all the other ingredients bar the oil. Mix till smooth, then add the oil a bit at a time till the sauce is creamy. Set aside.
Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water till done. Meanwhile start with the meat.
Brush the beef with oil and roll in the crushed pepper. Sear the meat in a saute or chef pan on high heat till nicely browned on all sides. Place in the oven and cook till the meat is about 61-62c for a nice pink color (about 15 min in 220c). Let the meat rest for 5 min before serving.
When the potatoes are done, pour of the water and throw in the butter. Stir around then throw in the chives and parsley and toss.

drink: water

Herb rolled beef fillet.

S4

1kg beef fillet
60ml soy sauce
15ml sesame oil
15ml honey
15ml of freshly grated ginger
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
sunflower oil to sear in (about a tbs)
100ml of chopped coriander
60ml of chopped flat leaf parsley
60ml sweet chili sauce

Combine the soy, sesame oil, honey, ginger and garlic on a shallow dish. roll the beef in the marinade then chill for 5 hours, make sure to turn once in a while.
Preheat oven to 190c.
Take the meat out of the marinade and pat dry. In a oven proof frying or saute pan, sear the fillet on all sides before putting it in the oven for 20 -25 min or untill about 61c in the thicker parts. Let the fillet chill for 10 min, then brush with sweet chili sauce and roll in the chopped coriander and parsley.
Serve with a nice green salad with feta (no dressing).

drink: a nice shiraz or tinta barocca

"If the definition of poetry allowed that it could be composed with the products of the field as well as with words, pesto would be in every anthology." - Marcella Hazan, 1973

Salsa di pomodoro (del Grosso style).

S6-8

4 cans of whole plum tomatoes (400g each)
145ml good olive oil
5-6 med cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
12 leaves of fresh basil
Salt to taste or approx. 1/2 tsp
Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan, throw in the garlic and fry for a min or two without browning them.
Throw in the tomatoes. bring to the boil and the simmer for 10 min. Throw in the basil and salt.
Emulsify using a immersion blender.
Serve with pasta, a good amount of fresh ground pepper and parmesan.

Best tomato sauce I've had, thanks Bob.

drink: nothing

Hartford Vaktel

Excuse the swedish in this post, it's a one off.
S4

fågel:
4st vaktlar
50g chorizo, hackad
1/3 skiva ugnstorkat eller rostat fullkornsbröd
1 kronärtskocks hjärta
1 klyfta vitlök, hackad
40ml smör
5ml färsk timjan, hackad

glasering:
40ml smält smör
10ml citronskal
10ml timjan
10ml persilja
peppar

sauce:
125ml citronjuice
300ml vitt wine
2 fin hackade vitlöksklyftor
1 finhackad shallot
30ml grädde
150g osaltat smör
15ml fresh basilika

Sätt på ugnen på 180c.
Smält smöret till fyllningen och sautera vitlöken. Släng därefter i chorizon och stek i två minuter, sen läggs resterande ingredienser i och rör om. Täck med folie.
Kombinera ingredienserna i spadet och peppra efter behov.
Fyll vaktlarna och knyt ihop dom (sorry, vet inte vad det heter på svenska). Pensla glaseringen över fåglarna och ställ in i ugnen, kok tid 12 - 15 minuter. Efter ungefär 7 minuter ta ut och pensla på glaseringen en gång till.
Under tiden fågeln tillagas så kombinera citron juicen, vinet, shallots och vitlök i en saucier eller sautepanna. reducera till 1/4. Ta av värmen och häll på grädden under kontinuerlig omrörning.
Häll sedan i en matsked smör i taget och rör in i såsen, avsluta med basilikan. Håll varm tills fågeln är klar.
Servera med hemlagade frites.

drink: en god sydafrikansk shiraz