BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD

Visit this site to see NOMA, voted the best restaurant in the world
http://www.noma.dk/

THE RED CHAMBER

Last night for the first time I ate at The Red Chamber,its a Chinese restaurant in Hyde Park, the food was divine,atmosphere enjoyable and relaxing and the restaurant almost fully booked.

Apparently they have been around since Hyde Park shopping centre was built and any restaurant that can last that long should definitly be a hot spot to go for lunch or dinner.

We started with wonton soup which was not their strong point interms of authentic taste and flavour but good nontheless, we then had beef noodles which was one of the best things I have eaten in a while, sizzling prawns with a satay sauce which when they say sizzling thats what they mean, they were so tantalizing we could have ate bucket loads, we tried the pork dumplings and then to finish off we had the half peking duck with pancakes, plum sauce, cucumber and springonion, there were no words for that dish and little left on the plate after.

This is definitly a place to try, very well priced for both food and wine and just a fantastic restaurant all round.

EASTER HOT CROSS BUNS

An early Happy Easter wish to everyone and here with a simple recipe to fill your house with spicy, warming, mouth watering aromas and to make your own homemade hot cross buns.

Hot cross bun recipe

Homemade hot cross buns from a SMEG client in Ballito

Ingredients:

500g flour

10g dried yeast

80g castor sugar

5ml cinnamon

5ml mixed spice

Tepid water/milk -enough to make dough

150g cake mix

Glaze:

50g sugar

50ml water

2.5ml cinnamon

Cross:

Flour and water

Method:

•             In a bowl mix together the flour, yeast, sugar and spices together then add enough tepid water or warm milk until dough has formed that pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Leave to rise for 30 minutes.

•             Knock back the dough and fold through the mixed fruit, allow rising for another 20 minutes then shape into balls and place onto a greased baking tray.

•             Allow to rise for 15 minutes.

•             Mix the sugar and boiling water together, add the cinnamon and allow infusing, once cooled brush this over the buns as a glaze.

•             Mix together flour and water until a thick paste has formed, place into a piping bag and pipe a cross over the bun.

•             Bake at 180’C for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

WEDDING CAKE

This is the wedding cake I made on saturday



SMEG FUNCTION

These are simple vanilla sponge cupcakes that I iced with butter icing for a SMEG function. Its so simple and anyone can do these and just ice them differently for any occasion.

DEEEEEEELICIOUSSSSSSS

Wild mushroom and chive linguini deglazed with Madeira

                              Yield :4

Ingredients:

400g cooked linguini

500g mixed wild mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, chopped

50g butter

100ml madiera

45ml chopped chives

Seasoning

100ml cream

Method:

·         In a hot pan, melt the butter then add the mushroom and garlic and sauté until cooked.

·         Deglaze the mushrooms with Madeira and allow simmering until almost a glaze.

·         Season well then finish off with cream, allow thickening slightly, adding the chives and tossing through the cooked pasta.

·         Shave some parmesan on top as optional.

The picture is from http://www.stockfood.com/

FRESH FROM THE SEA

Fish lovers will adore this dish and there is nothing better than fresh mussels straight from the ocean

Saffron and white wine steamed mussels accompanied by crunchy baguette topped with anchovy aioli

Yield: 4

Ingredients:

28 mussels

1 onion, finely chopped

1 pinch saffron

250ml white wine

4 large baguette slices

60ml mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 anchovies, chopped

Seasoning

Method:

·         In a pot fry the chopped onion gently then add all the mussels, saffron and white wine, place a lid on the pot and allow steaming. Shake the pot every few minutes and cook until all the mussels have opened, if any don’t, throw them away. Season.

·         Place the baguettes under the grill to toast.

·         Mix the mayonnaise with the garlic and anchovies and season with black pepper.

·         Top the crunchy baguettes with the aioli and serve with the mussels.

The picture is from http://www.stockfood.com/

A WELL BALANCED MEAL



Almond and wild mushroom stuffed chicken breast on a bed of young creamy sautéed leeks, baby beetroot and herd gnocchi with a white wine jus.

Yield: 10

Portion size: 180g

Ingredients:

10 chicken breasts

100g porcini mushrooms

100g shitake mushrooms

50g brown mushrooms

20g butter

100ml white wine

150g ground almonds

100g whole grain mustard

Equipment:

Heavy based saucepan

Preparations:

1) Make a pocket in the chicken breasts by sliding your knife into the side making sure you don’t cut through on either side. Set to one side.

2) Slice all the mushrooms then heat up a saucepan with a bit of butter and sauté all the mushrooms. Once just about cooked add 100ml wine a simmer for 5 minutes. Allow cooling then add the ground almonds and seasoning. Stuff into the chicken breasts.

3) Heat the pan again and sear the chicken breasts on either side then rub on some whole grain mustard, place on in a roasting try and bake at 180’C for 20 minutes.

Preparation time and cooking time:

20 minutes and 45 minutes

Herb Gnocchi

Yield: 10

Portion size: 100g

Ingredients:

2kgs potatoes, mashed and kept warm

10 ml salt

Pinch of grated nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

750 ml cake flour, sifted

100g parsley and chives combined chopped finely

Equipment:

Potato masher

Preparations:

1) Peel potatoes and boil until cooked, mash and add salt and nutmeg. Add the 2 beaten eggs and mix together

2) Sift the flour then sift the flour into the mash and mix together to form dough. Add chopped herbs and mix.

3) Roll the dough into tiny oval shaped balls about 3cm in height. Bring a big pot of water to the boil and add the gnocchi in batches and when they come up floating allow cooking for a minute more then remove and drain.

4) In a hot pan with melted butter saute the gnocchi in batches so a golden crust is formed then serve.

Preparation time and cooking time:

30 minutes and 40 minutes

Creamy young leeks and baby beetroot

Yield: 10

Portion size: 50 g each =100g in total

Ingredients:

500g young leeks sliced into thin rings

50g butter

125ml cream

100ml white wine

Seasoning

500g baby beetroot, halved

125ml olive oil

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

Equipment:

Small roasting pan

Tin foil

Preparations:

1) Heat a pan with butter in and once melted add the sliced leeks and allow to sweat until softened, then add cream and wine and allow to reduce and thicken until they form a nice creamy consistency and leeks are cooked. Finely add seasoning taste.

2) Heat oil and garlic in a roasting pan in the oven at 180’C for 5 minutes. Peel then halve the baby beetroot, remove the hot oil and place the beetroot in the oil. Cover the roasting pan with tin foil and turn oven down to 150’C and allow cooking until a knife slides easily into the beetroot.

Preparation and cooking time:

20 minutes and 45 minutes

White wine jus

Yield: 10

Portion size: 50 ml

Ingredients:

200 ml white wine

500ml chicken stock

50g flour

Seasoning

Equipment:

Roasting pan used from baking the chicken

Whisk

Measuring cup

Sieve

Preparations:

1) Deglaze the hot pan with 100 ml wine that was used to bake the chicken in. Then add the rest of the chicken stock and wine and allow reducing.

2) Whisk in the flour making sure all the lumps are whisked out and then allow the raw flour taste to cook out. Sieve into another bowl then season to taste.

Preparation and cooking time:

5 minutes and 10-15 minutes

Plating:

Place leeks on the plate as base then add beetroot and gnocchi. Slice the chicken breast in half at an angle and served crisscrossed on to top obtain height.

A SIMPLE STARTER OR WAY TO JOOZH UP A BRAAI

Parma ham, pear, pine nut, Gorgonzola and crouton salad with truffle oil dressing.

Yield: 10

Portion size: 120g

       Ingredients:

150g croutons

150g toasted pine nuts

250g-coz lettuce, chiffonaded

5 pears cut into 8ths

200g Gorgonzola, crumbled

     Equipment:

Frying pan

       Preparations:

1) Cut the white bread into small blocks removing the crusts then place into a pot of hot oil and allow turning golden then removing and draining.

2) Toast pine nuts in a hot frying pan until they acquire a golden colour. Wash the lettuce; dry it off then chiffonade and place into a bowl.

3) Slice the pears into 8ths and add to the lettuce. Crumble the Gorgonzola into the lettuce and add the pine nuts and croutons. Toss all together.

Preparation time and cooking time:

30 minutes and 5 minutes

Truffle oil dressing

Yield: 10

Origin: Ellerman house

Portion size: 15-20 ml

Ingredients:

100ml truffle oil

100ml olive oil

10 ml sherry vinegar

Seasoning

Equipment:

Whisk

Preparations:

1) Pour truffle and olive oil, sherry vinegar and seasoning into a bowl and whisk together until all the flavours have combined. Drizzle the dressing over the salad.

Preparation time:

3-4 minutes

Plating:

Place the salad on the plate but plate it so that the salad has height then drizzle over the dressing and a little around the plate.

TASTING

I had a tasting at westcliff the otherday for an up coming event and this is pics of the food.

In order



ASIAN MEETS FRENCH

Braised duck with grilled mushrooms and zucchini strips on a bed of green tea infused pasta accompanied by a light lemongrass dressing.

Yield: 10

Origin:  Food and home magazine

Portion size: 180g

Ingredients:

10 duck legs with thigh attached

2 onions finely chopped

3 carrots finely chopped

3 leeks finely chopped

2 sticks of lemon grass roughly chopped

30g finely chopped ginger

50g tomato puree

500ml white wine

1 ½ litres chicken or duck stock

Equipment:

5-litre pot

Measuring cups

Preparation:

1) In a hot pan brown the duck legs until the skin is crispy and golden.

2) Finely chop the onions, carrots, lemon grass and ginger. In a 5-litre pot add the onions and the leeks and allow cooking until soft then adding the carrots, lemongrass and ginger and allowing cooking until they turn a light golden.

3) Then add the tomato paste and 100ml of white wine and allow simmering for 5 minutes. Add the duck legs into the pot with the rest of the wine and the chicken or duck stock.

4) Allow the liquid to simmer gently with a lid on for 1-1 ½ hours until the duck is tender and falling off the bone.

Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

2 hours

Plating:

Place the leg on a bed of green tea infused pasta with grilled tomatoes and zucchini strips and a lemongrass dressing over.

Grilled mushrooms and zucchini strips

Yield: 10

Origin: own idea

Portion size: 100g

Ingredients:

500g white button mushrooms

500g baby marrows

150 ml olive oil

Maldon salt and cracked black pepper

Equipment:

Roasting pan

Gravity slicer

Preparations:

1) Slice the zucchini length ways on the slicer into thin strips.

2) Turn all the button mushrooms with a paring knife.

3) Place the mushrooms into the roasting pan and drizzle with oil the season. Place into a pre-heated oven at 180’C and allow to cook for 10 minutes before adding the zucchini strips and allow cooking for a further 10 minutes. Then turn the grill on and let the vegetables take on colour before removing and plating.

Preparation time and cooking time:

20 minutes and 25 minutes

Plating:

Place the vegetables on the plate with the rest of the main course.

Green tea infused pasta

Yield: 10

Origin: Food and home magazine

Portion size: 120g

Ingredients:

1.2 kg of taglitelli

5 green tea bags

Equipment:

3-litre pot

Preparations:

1) Bring 2 ½ litres of water up to the boil, add 5 green tea bags to the water and allow the flavours to release before adding the pasta then cook till al dente.

Preparation time:

5 minutes

Cooking time:

20 minutes

Plating:

Place on a plate acting as a bed for the rest of the main course ingredients.

Lemon grass dressing

Yield: 10

Origin: Megan Williams – heavenly food

Portion size: 50 ml

Ingredients:

Juice of 6 lemons

4-tablespoon water

2 level tablespoon palm sugar

2-tablespoon fish sauce

2-tablespoon sweet chilli sauce

4 stems lemon grass finely sliced

4 cloves garlic finely chopped

4 mild red chillies, deseeded and cut into fine strips

8-tablespoon olive oil

Seasoning

Equipment:

Measuring spoons

Preparations:

1) In a saucepan bring the lemon juice, water, palm sugar, fish and chilli sauces to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute or until slightly syrupy. Add the lemon grass, chopped garlic and red chillies and simmer for a further minute. Allow cooling then whisk in the oil and seasoning.

Preparation time and cooking time:

10 minutes and 5 minutes

Plating:

Drizzle over the main course and serve

White chocolate mousse with poached strawberries and almond tuile

Yield: 10

Origin: The complete SA book of food and cookery

Portion size: 80g

Ingredients:

300g white chocolate

150g butter

5 eggs separated

500 ml cream

Equipment:

Whisk

Saucepan

Preparations:

1) In a double boiler melt the white chocolate and butter together. Allow cooling slightly then whisk in the egg yolks.

2) Beat the cream until thick then whisk up the egg whites in another bowl.

3) Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture then lightly fold in the egg white and set in a bowl over night.

Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

10 minutes

Poached strawberries

Yield: 10

Origin: the complete SA book of food and cookery

Portion size: 50 g

Ingredients:

500g strawberries, hulled

Juice of 1 lemon

375ml sugar

½ vanilla bean, split lengthways

250ml water

Equipment:

Measuring cups

Scale

Preparations:

1) Sprinkle the strawberries with lemon juice and 125ml sugar and leave to macerate for 30 minutes.

2) Make a syrup with the remaining sugar, water and vanilla been and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

3) Poach strawberries in the syrup over a very low heat for 5 minutes, strain then cool.

Preparation time:

30 minutes

Cooking time:

15 minutes

Plating:

On a plate with a dollop of white chocolate mousse.

Almond tuiles

Yield: 10

Origin: Silwood School of cookery

Portion size: 1 each

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

120g-castor sugar

60g cake flour

a few drops of almond essence

60g melted butter

60g flaked almonds.

Equipment:

1 Sheet stick stop on a baking slide

1 hard piece of card cut into any shape.

Spatula

Rolling pin

Preparations:

1) Pre heat oven to 190’C. Whisk egg whites until firm then gradually beat in sugar until peaks form and all sugar is added. Carefully fold in all the rest of the ingredients except the flaked almonds.

2) Place ½ a teaspoon of the mixture on a baking slide with the stencil on and smooth out. Remove the stencil and sprinkle on some flaked almonds. Place into the oven to bake for 5-8 minutes or until golden around the edge. Remove the tuile and place over a rolling pin to acquire shape.

Preparation time and cooking time:

25 minutes and 8 minutes