“Eating is spiritual. And eating food with loved ones is truly communion with God. Do your best to eat the food you love with people you love :) it makes it taste better.” ~ Munachi Abii

ROOIBOS INFUSED BOBOTIE SAMOOSAS

FILLING:
1 onion, finely chopped
15 ml curry powder
2 ml cumin
3 ml tumeric
500 g beef mince
40 ml chutney
40 ml raisins
250 ml strongly brewed Rooibos tea
1 egg

SAMOOSAS:
15 sheets spring roll pastry
15 ml maïzena paste
Sunflower oil, for frying

Heat oil in a saucepan. Sauté onions till transparent. Add curry powder, cumin and tumeric. Fry for 1 minute.
Add the mince and cook till browned.
Add the Chutney, raisins and tea.
Cook for about 10-15 minutes till the sauce thickens.
Adjust seasoning.
Cool slightly, then add the egg.
Place 1 pastry sheet in a diamond shape in from of you. Place about 2 Tbls of filling in a line on the corner closest to you. Fold over to enclose the filling.
Bring the two side corners in over the filling and roll up tightly.
*You could either fold them like a spring roll or samosa.
Brush the end piece of the pastry with maïzena paste to seal it.
Fry patty in medium hot oil for about 5 minutes till golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Serve with extra Chutney.

 

WILD CHERRY & CRANBERRY ROOIBOS MALIBU SUNSET

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Rooibos ice cubes
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup Malibu coconut rum
Grenadine, drizzled
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Pomegranate rubies, for garnish

To make ice cubes, brew your tea normally, cook it down completely and pour into ice cube moulds and freeze till ready to use.
Add ice to glass, add the juices, the Malibu rum and stir.
Pour into glasses. Drizzle in the grenadine. Garnish.
Serve immediately. Drink is intended for only those who consume alcohol.

ROOIBOS INFUSED VANILLA ICE-CREAM

INGREDIENTS:
11/4 cup milk
5 Tbls Rooibos loose tea leaves
2 eggs
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 Tbls vanilla paste
2 cups cream

In a saucepan, bring the milk to the boil and turn off heat. Add the tea leaves and allow to infuse for about 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
Beat the eggs and sugar till fluffy, add the vanilla paste and beat till well combined. Add just one cup of the cooled milk tea to the egg mixture as well as the cream and briefly mix.
Run mixture through an ice-cream maker according to instructions.

**if you don’t have an ice-cream maker, beat the cream until stiff, fold in the egg mixture and the milk. Make sure to not beat the air out.
Pour mixture into a plastic freezer bowl and freeze for about 6-8 hours. Mix the ice-cream every 11/2 hours.

Zucchini Bolognaise

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 20-25 mins

we really love turning our favorite dishes into low calorie dishes without going on a “cardboard” or “ice” diet. You can’t even tell that it’s not real pasta. Remember, don’t boil the zucchini pasta at all, it will become zucchini pap. If you like fresh vegetables like us, put raw zucchini pasta on your plate, pour hot Bolognaise sauce over and voila.

Ingredients:
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs Minced Garlic
1 Red Chili, chopped
500g Beef Mince
1/4C Curry Paste
1 Red Pepper, chopped
500g Napoletana Pasta Sauce
500g Zucchini Pasta
1/4C Grated Parmesan Cheese

Method:
Heat oil on medium heat in a frying pan. Sauté onion and garlic till soft. Add in the chili and stir. Add mince, cook for 5-7 mins or until browned.
Add curry paste and cook for another 2 mins. Add the red pepper and pasta sauce. Simmer for 5 mins. Add the Zuchini pasta into the mince sauce.
Cook and stir for 1-2 mins.
Zuchini must still be a little crunchy.
Serve with Parmesan cheese.

PepperDew and Mackerel Risotto

Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 35-40 mins

The Italians knocked it out of the park with this amazing invention because wow babes; Rice, wine and Parmesan in one dish? We are sold. This has to be the fanciest dish ever and it’s so easy to make. Always use good quality wine for this dish because if you’re gonna make risotto, please do it properly.

Ingredients:
2 Small Shallots, finely chopped
45g Butter
1 tsp Crushed Garlic
300g Risotto Rice
150g Pepperdews, chopped
150g Mackerel Fish, cooked and flaked
1L Vegetable Stock, warmed up
80ml White Wine
150g Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Method:
In a non-stick pan melt butter on medium heat, sauté shallots until soft. Add garlic and sauté for about 2-3 mins. Add the rice until well coated in butter and shallots.
Add the wine and stir, add in the Pepperdews, reserve some for garnish.
Add the vegetable stock, a little at a time. Allow the rice to absorb the liquid with every addition. Simmer for about 30 mins, keep stirring.
Add the flaked mackerel and Parmesan cheese and stir. Adjust seasoning.
Serve warm and top with Pepperdews and Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Chicken Livers

Serves: 6
Prep time: 25-30 mins

I (Lebo) am not really a fan of chicken livers, so this recipe is all Tebo. When they have chicken livers for dinner at home I opt for pap and sour milk. But my sister and the rest of the family are obsessed, so enjoy.

Ingredients:
1Kg Chicken Livers
3 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 Tbs Garlic and Ginger Paste
5ml Chili Flakes
2 Tbs Dried Thyme
3 Tbs Olive Oil
Zest of 1 Lemon
100ml Sherry
200g Cream
50g Cream Cheese
Grated Parmesan, optional

Method:
In a hot pan, add oil, fry the onion, garlic and ginger paste until soft, add the chili flakes, thyme and stir.
Add the chicken livers, fry until cooked, add the zest and sherry. Adjust seasoning.
Add the cream and cream cheese and cook until the sauce has reduced a little.
Meanwhile, prepare the sourdough toast, grilled on pone fire or in a toaster.
Serve the lives on toasted crusty sourdough.
Sprinkle over some Parmesan.

Skillet Salt and Rosemary Focaccia

Serves: 4
Prep time: 1h 20 mins

making focaccia is very fun and very “handsy”, prepare to get a little flour all over you. Use your fingers to make dents in your bread and brush it will with the olive oil and herbs once it’s baked and …voila!!!

Ingredients:
3/4 C Warm Water
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Yeast
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 C Flour
2 tsp Rosemary, chopped

Topping:
3 Tbs Butter, melted
Rosemary Sprigs
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Sea Salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Mix all the dry ingredients and chopped rosemary together.
Add in yeast, mix well and create a well in the center.
Pour in the water and oil, mix and knead the dough for 10 mins, leave to rise for an hour. Grease the skillet, roll out the dough to the size of the skillet.
Make indentations in the dough with your fingers.
Brush the dough with butter, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, Rosemary sprigs and sea salt. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until golden brown.
Brush with more butter when it comes out of the oven.

 

Smokey Chicken and Avo Quesadilla with Sundried Tomato a Mayo

Serves: 6

we didn’t know what a quesadilla was until about 4 years ago but we like the idea. Lots of cheese on a tortilla wrap with whatever topping you prefer? It sounds like a very good idea to us. Here’s our quesadilla, we hope you like it.

Ingredients:
6 Wraps (store bought)
6 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
100g barbecue sauce
2 Tbls liquid smoke
Salt and pepper
150g guacamole
3 avocados, sliced
Lemon juice

Sun-Dried Tomato Mayo:
100g Sundried tomatoes,sliced
200g mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
1 Tbls White wine vinegar

Method:
Warm up the wraps in the oven or on the stove-top until just heated.
Mix the barbecue and liquid smoke together. Coat the chicken breasts. Season with salt and vinegar.
Grill chicken in the oven for 14-20 minutes at 180 degrees celcius.
Slice avocados and drizzle with lemon juice so it doesn’t brown.
To make mayo: mix all the ingredients together
To serve: slice chicken breast. Spread guacamole onto the wrap. Top with chicken and avocado slices. Season and serve with mayo on the side

Pork and Taco Pizza

Serves: 6
Prep time: 25-30 mins

it’s Taco Tuesday!! … Or pizza Tuesday!! Or both maybe? Serve it any day of the week actually, it’s fantastic. Imagine a big crunch on your pizza (if you guys think it’s ok to add pineapple to pizza then it’s definitely ok to make a pork and taco pizza, just saying).

No-yeast Pizza Crust:
2 cups of flour
1 and a half tsp of baking powder
Half tsp of salt
1/3 cup milk/lukewarm water
2 Tbls olive oil

Toppings:
300g left-overs cooked pork,cubed or shredded
150g pasta sauce
200g cheddar cheese,grated
1 mango,cubed
2 tomatoes,cubed
200g corn chips,slightly crushed
150g guacamole
Handful coriander

Method:
Mix flour,baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the milk and olive until dough forms. Kneed on a lightly floured surface for 5-7 minutes. Shape into a ball. Cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Bake crust at 200 degrees celsius for 8 minutes. Top with your favorite ingredients and bake till golden brown (15 minutes).
Spread pasta on the base of the pre-baked pizza. Top with pork. Sprinkle with crushed chips and cheese. Bake for 15 for 15 minutes till crust is golden brown.
Meanwhile, mix the mango and tomatoes together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Once pizza is out of the oven,top with mango salsa,drizzled with guacamole and fresh coriander.

Brie, Basil and Pomegranate Crostini

Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 10-15 mins

this is always a fantastic starter to any meal. We always serve crostinis when we host people, it’s a great distraction for when you’re preparing the main meal. Honestly, pomegranate makes everything better, we know you might be a bit skeptical to try this but trust, you’ll love and then you can thank us later.

Ingredients:
2 Fresh Baguettes, thickly sliced
Olive Oil
400g Brie Cheese, thinly sliced
250g Basil, roughly chopped
250g Pomegranate Rubies
100ml Honey
250g Sour Cream
Black Pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
Prepare two baking sheets.
Layer the bread slices flat on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil. Toast in the oven for 7-10 mins or until golden brown and crispy.
Spread sour cream on the crostini, sprinkle with black pepper.
Layer slices of the Brie cheese on the crostini.
Top with basil and pomegranate.
Drizzle with a bit of honey and serve.