BISCUIT MILL

I was in Cape Town over the weekend and went to the biscuit mill on saturday morning. I havnt been there in 2 years since I moved to joburg and was so pleased to see that it still attracts so many people that are all interested in amazing food, organic food, wine and coffee. There is no better way than to spend a morning there looking at all the passionate food stalls from fresh organic mushrooms, to honey to vegan food to organic chocolate and pastries to die for.

I couldnt resist buying a few things there as I was having family round for a dinner that evening. These are the fabulous mushrooms that I bought, organic south african proscuitto that was mouth watering. Just look at the freshness of it all.

I just scored then because I wanted to grill them

Pink oyseter mushrooms

PICTURES FROM HOTEL AND RESTAURANT

If you go onto www.hotelandrestaurant.co.za you will see the artical on the competition I won, but here are some of the pictures...

My winning dish

Concentrating on plating up

All the people that won in different categories, trying to smile with a mouth full of stiches after having a mouth op a few days earlier

IL LEONE

On wednesday night I went to Il leone and had the most amazing night, the food and wine was flowing til we literally rolled out of there.

We started with a bottle of processco that is absolutly the yummiest sparkling wine from Italy and a cold meat platter.

The rest of our friends joined and we went through to our table, we then all shared starters of amatriciana spaghetti and capreze salad with proper buffalo mozzarella.

My 3 other guests all had the special of beef fillet on the bone and vegetables while I tried the homemade gnocchi with bolognaise sauce, all was fantastic and was washed down by a delicious red.

We then finished the night with traditional tiramisu and homemade ice-cream and chocolate sauce and coffees.

Besides from the food being out of this world the atmosphere set the tone for a fantastic evening and staff were very professional and friendly, even the chef came to check we were alright and opened the kitchen early to make us a cured meat platter while we were waiting.

Everyone in cape town who hasnt been to IL Leone is missing out on a fabulous night.

INTERESTING WEEKEND

This was a very eventful weekend for me, on saturday morning I competed in the Hudson and Knights pastrex and mastercraft competition and I came 1st in the professional chefs section.

Then in the evening I was upgraded in the Chaine des Rotisseurs to Vice Conseuillier Culinaire, part of the joburg baillage commitee.

I will also be the inaugural chair for the young chefs club that is starting soon and will work along side Francis Krone as he heads up the young sommeliers club.

So a good weekend all round, being a chef really opens up a lot of oppertunities

COMPETITION DISH

I got through to the finals of the Mastercraft and Pastrex competition that is taking place this Saturday at SACA.

The dish im producing is a...

Caramelized onion and porcini mushroom mille- feuille with pan fried prawns, accompanied by a lightly curried cauliflower puree and a drunken grape vinaigrette.

This was the picture I entered for the competition but I'm going to change the plating for the final.

Hold thumbs everyone :)

RICE SOUP

Rice soup, for most people who have not tried rice soup they way my husband make it, they would think that it sounds horrible, tasteless and gluey, BUT when its flavoured up with soaked shitake mushrooms, chicken breasts and mushroom soy, its one of the most satisfying soup, especially in this cold weather.

He of course tops his bowl with freshly chopped chili and coriander which I'm sure just adds even more flavour and texture to the soup, I on the other hand like the subtle flavours of the mushroom and chicken.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice, soaked
1 handfull dried shitake mushrooms, soaked until soft
2 chicken breasts
500ml vegetable stock
45ml mushroom soy
salt
pepper
chopped coriander - optional
chopped chili - optional

Method:

• Place the rice, drained shitake mushrooms and whole chicken breast into a pot with the stock and cook until the rice is soft.
• Remove the chicken breast and roughly chop up, set aside.
• Blitz the soft rice and mushrooms so that its chunky then add the chicken back into the soup and on a low heat, season the soup to your taste, allow flavours to infuse for a while and if to thick add more stock to thin out.
• Serve with fresh chili and chopped coriander

PALAZZO WINE DINNER

On saturday night the Palazzo Hotel at Monte Casino held a shiraz wine dinner. We drank shiraz right the way through each course, even with the dessert and the pairing were fantastic. The food was simple yet elegant and every plate was hot and tasty.

The dessert was exeptionally interesting as nothing on the dish was actually sweet except the strawberry ice cream but that had a roasted spiced red pepper dust over and yet the whole dish with the wine worked so well.

You should all go the the southern sun wine pairing dinners, they are exceptionally informative from certified sommelier Miguel Chan, you can see when and where they are on the southern sun website.

SQUID INK PASTA

My husband recently came back from Italy and he brough me back squid ink spaghetti. Last night he cooked it and tossed it through a mixture of green olives, onions, olive oil, white wine, parsley and chives and we finished it off with some truffle oil.

It was the most amazing tasting pasta I have eaten in ages. Simple, sophisticated and elegant.