Mid-Week Dinners: Lamb Stew

Pictures to follow...

Ingredients:
1x lamb neck fillet (cubed into 1½ inch squares)
½ pkt of baby carrots (about 8 to 10)
6 baby onions (peeled)
3x sticks of celery (in baby carrot size lengths)
½ pkt baby potatoes (peeled – about 8 to 10)
1x beef stock cube, dissolved in 2 cups of hot water.
3 cloves garlic (sliced)
Olive Oil
Small tin of tomato paste
2x sprigs of rosemary
Grinding of Black Pepper

Method:
1. Put the oven on 180 deg.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan and brown the meat. The browner, the more intense the flavor. Don’t burn it though!
3. While the meat is browning, put the carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary, onions and potatoes in an oven proof dish / casserole dish.
4. When the meat is brown, add the tomato paste and stir into the meat.
5. Add some of the stock to deglaze the pan, releasing all the flavor of the meat into the stew.
6. Pour the meat mixture from the saucepan into the casserole dish, mix it around and add the remaining stock. The ingredients should be half covered (add water if needed).
7. Grind over some black pepper.
8. Place in the oven, lid on, for 1½ to 2 hours.

Note: I don’t add additional salt. The beef stock is salty.

Serve with rice (the South African way) or just like that, in a bowl.
I would serve this with a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Enjoy!

I Love Cooking With Wine...

... Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Also, remember this:

RED MEAT IS NOT BAD FOR YOU...
Fuzzy green meat is bad for you!

LMAO!!!

--- Blog Updates Coming Soon ---

Event: Jack Daniels Mobile Experience

Trevor, my neighbour and long time Jack supporter, told me about a promotion running at Midmar at N1 City Value Centre - the Jack Daniels Mobile Experience. The promotion ran on 27, 28, 30 and 31 December 2008. I had to go take a look what all the fuss was about.

I arrived there pretty late in the afternoon and immediately saw the 'Mobile' part of a experience - a huge Jack Daniels truck, parked outside the bottlestore. Lots of loud music but a strange lack of crowds. Probably due to the late hour? Who knows... earlier, I believe it was pumping!

The jist of it: You buy a bottle of Jack Daniels at Midmar and then take your slip across to the Mobile Experience. You are then taken for a tour through the truck. The guide gives you some background on Jack Daniels, the man and also gives you information on Jack Daniels, the whiskey.

Did you know that no one really knows when Jack Daniels (the man) was born? A town fire destroyed the courthouse records, and conflicting dates on Mr. Jack's and his mother's headstones have left his date of birth in question. It’s customary to celebrate Mr. Jack’s birthday in September – so he gets a whole month. But for a man as unique as Jack Daniel, one day just wouldn’t seem proper, anyway (hey, Trevor?)

On leaving the truck, you present your till slip to the Chef manning the gas weber and he gives you the most amazing burger you have ever tasted - real home made patty lathered in Jack Daniels Secret Sauce. I sat at the tables that were provided and was brought a glass of freshly squeezed, homemade lemonade.

Well worth it, even though I really don't often drink Jack Daniels. I took my bottle to Boys Night on Thursday and we made short work of it there...

I'll leave you with this: Mr. Jack Daniel passed away due to an injury he sustained when kicking his safe early one morning at work. The moral of the story: Never go to work early!

p.s. Why not try your hand at cracking Jack's safe? Click here

Mid-Week Dinner: Stuffed Baby Marrow

Back to work for me it seems! I started work again on Monday, after 3 weeks leave. It was REALLY difficult, I must say. I really hated putting on a shirt with a collar... covering my amazing tan that took 3 weeks to propogate.
Well, I guess you noticed as I have not sent any blog updates for quite a while. Last Thursday at Boy's Night, I was raked over the coals for this... "Where have you been?" and "Where are all the Christmas recipes?". I did no cooking this Christmas - it was my year off - and it was bliss!

Walking around Fruit & Veg (Monte Vista) over the weekend, I see this amazingly oversized baby marrow / zucchini. I bought it and this is what I did with it:

Ingredients:
1x large baby marrow
1x pack of minced meat
1x tin tomato paste
1x small onion, finely chopped
1T Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Sprig of Rosemary
2x rings of feta cheese, crumbled
1 pkt shoulder bacon, diced and fried until crisp.
1.5 cups of Vegetable Stock
2T Brown Sugar

Method:

1. Put on the oven - 180 deg C.
2. Halve the baby marrow and remove the centre (pips, etc.). Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, fry the onions (in the olive oil), until translucent.
4. Add the mince and brown, adding the rosemary and salt & pepper to taste.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and vegetable stock, adding the sugar at the same time.
6. Reduce heat and simmer until done.
7. Spoon the mixture into the centre of the baby marrow.
8. Sprinkle the bacon bits and crumbled feta over the top.
9. Cover loosely with foil and place in the oven for around 1hr, or until marrow has softed.

Bon Appétit!

Humour: Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO what a ride!'"

Mid-Week Dinner: Chicken a la King, Brown Rice, Squash & Asparagus

As of very recently, the doctor has advised that we ensure that my daughter eats a balanced diet - vegetables and fruit. I always cook vegetables and there is always a bowl of fruit in the house. The problem is that I don't ENFORCE the eating of these items. This changed as of last night. I made Chicken a la King served on a bed of brown rice, accompanied by garlic buttered asparagus and gem squash. The latter items were from the wonderful organic produce I received from Rocketseed yesterday (thanks again guys!). My daughter ate asparagus for the first time last night - and it wasn't too much of a mission getting it down.

So here's what I did to make this easy meal:

Ingredients:

1x Pack of 4 Chicken Thighs

1x Pack of 8 Chicken Wings

1x Chicken a la King Cook-in-Sauce (260g)

3x Gem Squash, halved and pips removed

A few stems of Asparagus

Chopped Garlic
Butter
Salt, Pepper & Robertson's Chicken Spice

Method:

For the Chicken a la King

1. Spice the chicken (salt, pepper & chicken spice) and brown in a large saucepan on the stove.

2. Add the cook-in-sauce and a splash of milk (just to thin the mixture slightly).

3. Reduce heat and simmer for around 30min, or until chicken is cooked.

For the Brown Rice
1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add salt.
2. I used 125ml of rice (half a cup)

3. Simmer, covered for 35 to 40 minutes,

4. Drain

For the Asparagus
1. Melt a little butter in a saucepan.
2. Add garlic and asparagus.
3. Fry for a couple of minutes

For the Gem Squash
1. Microwave, covered with salted water, for 15 minutes

Plate and serve. No mess, no fuss!

News: Box of Organic Produce for Xmas!

A BIG thank you to Rocketseed for a really well thought out year end gift! Today, I received a box of Organic Produce from one of our 3rd party suppliers... I am so chuffed. Wow! This truly is in line with my blog - Fresh, organic produce - what more could you ask for?

Rocketseed is the company responsible for Coronation's email branding & auto-signatures. They also manage our bulk email distribution. Over the years, we have built up a very good relationship but never in my wildest dreams did I expect this...

The box comprises carrots, brocolli, asparagus, potatoes, corgettes (baby marrow), spinach, squash, oranges, apricots, plums! AND all organic.

Tonight, I cook up a storm! Thanks Rocketseed! I love the gift...

BTW: Boys Night is not happening tonight (for my avid blog readers)

Another BTW: I will try to find out where this was sourced and post details soonest - for those of you that are interested.

Reportback: Gourmet Evening at Cape Town Hotel School

I am subscribed to a brilliant weekly newletter that fills me in on the happenings in and around Cape Town. In Edition 108, dated 20 Nov, they referred to a Gourmet Evening at the Cape Town Hotel School. My interest was piqued: 5 Course meal, wine with every course for R185 per person. I booked for 4 (Chef Sam, her mum, my wife & I) and waited in anticipation for the evening to arrive...



The evening was centred around Buitenverwachting's wine offerings where each course was accompanied by a certain wine selection, perfectly paired. The owner of the farm introduced the wine selection for each course. He explained some of the history of the wine and gave us many interesting facts.



For the life of me, I cannot remember his name (how bad is that for a blog writer? Oops)! In saying that, I was truly impressed that the owner of a prestigious Cape Town wine farm would take time out to come and introduce his wine to a small group of people at an Hotel School. I take my hat off to him!


The Amuse Bouche, spicy chilled gazpacho with goats cheese and basil straws, was served with Blanc de Noir 2008. To be honest, I had no idea what an Amuse Bouche was so I did some homework: In short, it offers a glimpse into the chef's approach to cooking and is not an appetizer. The term is French, literally translated to "mouth amuser" [for bouche = mouth; amuser = to amuse, to please]. It did just that. Very tasty. And, Buitenverwachting's Blanc de Noir is fabulous! It is not as sweet as a Rosé and has much more of a punch.

The following course was a Salmon avocado and shrimp parcel, wild rocket and cucumber salad & lemon chive dressing. This was accompanied by a well chilled Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I really enjoyed this course...

This was followed by what the menu referred to as a sorbet, a Strawberry Shot. This was most definitely not a sorbet, in no sense of the word. Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from sweetened water, flavoured with iced fruit (typically juice or puree), chocolate, wine, and/or liqueur. I think that this was simply an oversight but the menu did create an expectation that was not met.

The main course was then served. This was a Kingklip incased with Kelp and smoked salmon, served with stuffed baby marrows, thyme in infused tomato fondue. The wine served was a Chardonnay 2007 and / or a Meifort 2005.

I truthfully would preferred a meat dish as the main course as the starter was fish. I personally would not have used salmon in both the starter and the main (just my opinion). The portion could have been a little larger as well and Chef Sam mentioned she could not get the flavour of the Kingklip. I tend to agree. Don't get me wrong: The food was amazing! Hot, tasty and well presented! I full into the ABC category, according to the owner of Buitenverwacht (once more, the name!!). Anything But Chardonnay! The Meifort was quite the treat though. Some advice that was given: For best drinking, decant the Meifort and let it stand for 1, 2 or 3 days. Who would have thought?

Dessert was a frozen Peach Melba parfait with lemon grass truffle and a vanilla macaroon. The wine was a Buitenverwachting Dessert 1769. The dessert was great but I must make special mention of the lemon grass truffle.... Mmmmmm! The wine too was lovely. As presented, it would be better suited to a more salty dish but it pretty much goes with any dessert.

Overall, our experience was a good one. Yes! We will most definitely frequent this establishment again. The service was impeccable, the food was devine and the atmosphere was social.

Contact details and bookings:

Heidi Janse van Rensburg
Restaurant Supervisor
Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant
GRANGER BAY
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
t: 021 440 5736

http://www.cput.ac.za/cthsrestaurant/

Reportback: Coronation Year End Function

On 29 November 2008, I attended my first Coronation Year End Function as a direct member of staff. I must say that it feels good to be included... The venue was the Vineyard Terrace at Constantia Uitsig (thank goodness for the GPS!). What a great venue. My wife and I pulled up, parked and were shuttled to the huge marquee tent - best described as a bedouin tent.

We were met with drinks, either alcoholic or non. Groups had gathered and were chatting, all very social... What a great atmosphere. Waitrons were circling with platters of mustard seared tuna, spring rolls with chilli dip and bree, tomato and olive tartlets while others cleared glasses, etc. All the waitrons were professional and well groomed.

There was a bar off to the bottom of the tent that proved to be quite the social gathering point, more for some than others (no names mentioned for fear of retribution - but you know who you are!). The evening kicked off with a speech by our CEO, Hugo Nelson. Hugo happens to look just like Lionel Richie so there were some photo opportunities for those who wanted pics with the star!

We then sat down for starters. The starter was smoked salmon salad on blini with rocket and sour cream dressing. For our table, we opened a bottle of Springfield Estate Sauvignon Blanc. This really complimented the salmon.

The main course was then brought out. This was a beef fillet topped with bordelaise sauce, potato disks and caramalized butternut & fresh asparagus. It was yummy! All compliments to the chef on this. It is really a task and a half cooking for around 120 people (my guess) - bringing the food out hot and all at once. One day, I may undertake something like this but I think, for now, I will leave this to the professionals! I accompanied my steak with a bottle of Neethlingshof Shiraz 2003.

Dessert followed the main course, as it normally does. This was a fresh plum and almond tart with armagnac & creme fraiche. I was not impressed with this at all. The only positive thing I can say is that the pastry was great (Sorry Chef!).

For the remainder of the evening, we boogied away to the sounds of the South African Hit Band Goldfish! My wife and I absolutely love their music.

My buddy Mark Chipps, the owner of Goosebump Productions filmed one of their promo video clips. Check out the video of Goldfish at Ignite in Camps Bay: Video. Great editing job on this one, Mark! Check Mark's slogan: "Envoking that privitive emotion-linked reflex of goosebumps through my video productions".

In a nutshell (Oi, I'm in a nutshell), the evening was a huge success. A BIG thank you to the Coronation Marketing Dept.

Keep them coming...

Reportback: Turning on of the Adderley Street Lights

I must say: What a Party!!! Usually, I don't do crowds but this was not too bad. People (besides the odd few) respected your personal space (this could also be due to my size and displeased look on my face when people came too close).

We arrived a little late and managed to find a good spot, just as Bongo Maffin finished off. Shortly after we arrived, Mayor Helen Zille arrived, dutifully escorted by her SAPS bodyguards. The MC announced her arrival and the crowds went wild! Truly, she has many local supporters!

We found a great spot, almost right in front of the massive stage, next to the Adderley Street Fountain. As we got settled, Jody Williams from Idols came on. Hot numbers! ... and her voice isn't half bad either. LOL! Celine (my daughter) was in her element! Dancing and singing along with her. The crowds again raised the roof ... ok! ok! It was out in the open and there was no roof. There were even people standing on the roofs of the adjacent buildings, watching the show.

I must comment on how well the show was organized! With the amount of people present - I am told in excess of 50 000, I don't believe that there were any incidents. This could be due to the fact that the entire SAPS and Metro Services were there! I am wondering if the crime picked up in the other areas???

Then, the crowds settled for a tribute to the late Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa. She suffered a heart attack after singing her hit song "Pata Pata" at a concert in Italy. She passed away on 10 November 2008. The tribute was really beautiful. To be honest, I am not really familiar with her music but the tribute was really moving.

Then it was Luyiso's turn. He drove the crowd wild. He is truly a very very good entertainer. Luyiso has a great stage presence - energetic, with a really good voice! The women all seemed to swoon over him... I also applaude Luyiso for giving thanks to our Saviour, Jesus Christ!

5 year old drummer, Daniel Petersen, took the stage. The 'Little Drummer Boy' doesn't come close to what this kid can do on a drum kit - just 5 years old and he Wow'ed a crowd of 50 000! Impressive.

At around 8:30pm, the Mayor led the countdown to the turning on of the lights (after the MC made an Eskom Load Shedding wisecrack!). The lights came on without a hitch and are truly stunning. We decided to leave and come back another night, to drive down Adderley Street.

I am busy uploading a video clip of the countdown. It will be available soon by clicking here: Video

As we left, the parade kicked off...

Right, so, where does the food come in to all of this? Well, to be honest, I expected loads of stalls selling boeries, hotdogs, candy floss, etc. To my dismay, nothing! Sorry guys! This event was a prequil to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. I hope they have some food stalls there...

EVENT: Switching on the Lights in Adderley Street, CPT

Ok, I have been truly sleg! Truth be told: I have been really really busy over the past 3 weeks... Between the Exchange Server crashing, having a tummy bug, crayfishing and playing BattleField 2 online... I haven't had time to update the blog. With the Festive Season fast approaching, I will see what I can do about posting some Christmas-y stuff.

Sunday is the official switching on of the Adderley Street lights... I found this great article online:

Festive Lights on Adderley Street One of Cape Town’s largest public open-air events is the official switch on of the festive lights in Adderley Street. This year boasts 12 brand new light installations offering a kaleidoscope of colour with a strong emphasis on the 2010 Soccer World Cup. It is the 42nd year that this switch-on event is taking place. Some 50 000 people are expected to gather to watch the colourful extravaganza of light and sound.

Over the past two years, the City has reduced the electricity consumption of its festive light displays by more than 50%, using energy efficient rope lighting. Roughly nine kilometres were used to create this year’s displays. A special team designed the new light crossings to incorporate a strong emphasis on 2010 soccer themes. Some of the more traditional elements will be retained, but the huge Christmas tree at the top end of Adderley Street will be replaced with an indigenous aloe plant.

The aim of the festive lights is to spread joy by lifting the spirits of local residents and welcoming tourists during the summer holidays. Cape Town is expecting an influx of over one million visitors and the municipality has devised a comprehensive festive season co-ordination plan to promote a safe, secure and clean holiday for residents and visitors.

The 2010 mascot, Zakumi, and other soccer icons will join Cape Town’s Executive Mayor Helen Zille in officially launching the City’s summer holiday season when the lights are switched on Sunday, 30th of November 2008 at 20h00.

The festivities will kick off at 16h00 with a star-studded stage concert at the Heerengracht Fountain; featuring local stars such as Loyiso, Idols winner Jody Williams, Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels, Dozi, Die Burger U-tune winner Alfredo Prins, Loading Zone, Maphello and Drum Café.

A 2 000 strong carnival parade which will move from the fountain up to Strand Street will include brass bands, a fire engine with Santa Claus, Cartoon Network characters, dancers, giant puppets, stilt walkers, unicyclists, acrobats, a horse and cart with Sasko Sam, Simba, Ronald Macdonald, Mr Pritt, as well as colourful floats, including a 2010 FIFA World Cup™ host city float. A special musical tribute to the late Miriam Makeba will be performed by the SA Youth Choir.

Two large LED screens will be strategically placed in Adderley Street to allow the expected 50 000 spectators to follow all the action on stage. The show will be complemented by a dazzling laser light display which will be bounced off mirrors and buildings along the street.

The Adderley Street lights will stay up until mid-January 2009.

Date: Sunday, 30th of November 2008.
Venue: Adderley Street, City Centre, Cape Town.

Source: http://cape.town.co.za

I hope to see you all there!

Mid-Week Dinner: Chicken a la King (ala Mike)

I really felt like cooking last night, don't ask me why! No idea. I had taken out a pack of chicken to defrost and got my cook on... Chicken a la King (a la Mike) served on a bed of rice with pumpkin and broccoli, drenched in a white sauce.
Sound good? Here's how simple it was making the chicken dish:

Ingredients:
1x Pack of Chicken (4x Thighs & 4x Drumsticks)
1x Packet Knorr Chicken ala King
1/2 Cup Wellington's Sweet Chilli (Hot)
2x Cups Milk (500ml)
1x Large Onion, diced
2t Garlic
1x Punnet of Mushrooms (sliced)

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, brown the Chicken, remove and set aside.
2. De-glaze the pan with white wine.
3. Add 2T Olive Oil and apply heat.
4. Add the Onions and fry until translucent, stirring ever so often.
5. Add the Garlic and Chilli Sauce, fry for a further minute or two, stirring
6. Add the Chicken, Mushrooms and Milk, bringing it up to a simmer.
7. Sprinkle the Knorr Chicken ala King spice into the pan, stir it well into the mixture.
8. Simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes, until the Chicken is cooked.
NOTE: You will need to stir quite often as this mix tends to burn to the bottom of the pan. Add more milk if liquid gets to thick.

Serve the Chicken on a bed of Rice, with a side of Broccoli and Pumpkin. Finger licking good! A quick and really tasty meal, in around 45 minutes.

Other Interests: Fishing at Zandvlei & Kalk Bay

At 5:45am, Gary and I were on the way to Zandvlei, the Rutter Road Pond in Muizenberg to attempt catching some bass. The plan was to be there for sunrise, hoping to catch a bass or two hunting in the shallows. I quickly tied up a bottom rig with a free running sinker, using a plastic worm and got my line wet. I have heard that if a fish stikes a plastic worm and the angler fails to hook him, he will come back for a second try as he would not have been shocked by an 'unnatural hardness' of other lures.
The only thing I caught was lots of grass and weeds. There was nothing doing. I changed to a frog... nothing! Gary, in the meantime, was messing around with his newly acquired fly rod. Also, I am sorry to say, nothing! One of the locals came out and we chatted to him. He pointed out a good spot for bass where he regularly catches, but you can only get their by dinghey (which we clearly didn't have). That was it! We decided to go to Kalk Bay (we were in the area anyways). Back to the ocean... It seems that fishing was bad all over today. All the fishermen on the pier were complaining... Nothing was biting! Then, Gary pulls up a tiny little hottentot! And then a rock fish and shortly after, another tiny little specimen. One of the sea-hardened fishermen came over to check out the hottentot... that is how bad the fishing was!


At around 11:30am, we called it a day! I have been craving fish this past week and I bought bought 3 from the Fresh Fish Market in Kalk Bay, right near the pier where we were fishing. Dinner tonight is thus fresh fish... I just realised I don't know what these fish are called! Oh my word!

While were were waiting for the ladies to scale and gut the fish, we were entertained by the seals. One of the locals showed off his 'seal training skills' by making a seal perform for him, coaxing him on with pieces of fish. I uploaded a video clip on YouTube - take a look.

I also noticed a guy selling freshly smoked snoek. He had whole snoek for R25 & R30, depending on the size. He also had some smaller packages for R12. I bought a small pack to give it a try... Absolutely amazing. Then again, I have always been a sucker for sea food.

All in all, the day was good. It would have been better if I had managed to land a bass at Zandvlei or a Hottentot or Elf at Kalk Bay. Well, you can't always have your cake, and eat it... LOL!

Mid-Week Dinner: Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake

The IT Manager at Coronation is also a Foodie... Can you Adam & Eve it? He shared a recipe with me yesterday and I had to give it a go. My family was overly impressed with this dish, asking me to add it to my repertoire. My dad also popped on and raved about my 'special recipe'. Here's how to do it...

Ingredients:
4x Chicken Breasts
2x heads of Broccoli, separated into small florets
1x cup of Wine
1x cup Water
Salt and Pepper
250ml Cream
1 cup Mayonnaise
1 cup of Chicken Soup (already made)
3t curry powder
3t lemon juice
1 and 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (for the liquid)
2 cups grated cheddar (for the topping)
3/4 packet of shell noodles (the 500g packet)

Method:
It is good to start with putting your oven on at the beginning. Set it to 180 deg.

1. Grease a oven proof dish and set aside.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a small saucepan, add the wine and the water (add more water if necessary to just cover the chicken).
3. Season with salt and pepper and apply the heat, simmering for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked but still tender.
4. In another saucepan, add a little water and add the broccoli. Season with salt, cover and steam for around 8-10 minutes.
5. Fill a large saucepan with water. Add salt and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 12-15 minutes, until el dente.
6. Drain the pasta. Drain the broccoli.
7. Remove the chicken from the liquid, retaining 1 cup of the stock.
8. Shred the chicken.
9. Mix the pasta, chicken and broccoli and place in the oven proof dish.

For the sauce:
1. In a large mixing bowl / jug, add the stock, chicken soup, mayonnaise, curry, lemon juice, cheese and cream. Mix well.
2. Pour over the pasta.
3. Cover with a layer of cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve piping hot, with a green salad and some garlic bread. Simply delicious!

Tx Philip!

News: Community Sponsored Agriculture Scheme

A fellow foodie sent me a link to an article titled 'Would you join a Community Sponsored Agriculture Scheme?'. I gave it a read and what really stuck in my mind was the sentence, in brackets, saying 'when last did you even know it was harvest time?'. This is so true. I have no idea when harvest time actually is. We are all so used to popping down to the local supermarket or Fruit 'n Veg where fresh fruit and vegetables are always available - we never even give it a thought. It just made me stop and think a little...

Slow Food Cape Town is currently exploring a summer organic box scheme with a small-scale, previously disadvantaged farmer. Under the scheme, scheme members would pay upfront for this farmer to grow us a selection of certified organics summer veggies, to be received over the course of the summer (probably January through April).

Slow Food Cape Town would arrange optional outings to the farm, to see the veggies growing, including a picnic celebration at the first summer harvest. Over the rest of the summer, scheme members would receive a box of summer veggies (such as mielies, cherry tomatoes, lettuce) every week.

As Pia writes in her blog: I love knowing where my food came from... I am starting to feel the same. If you are interested, email the following details to kateschrire@gmail.com:

- Name
- Contact Details
- Suburb
- Indicate whether you can collect your veggie box once a week from a local drop-off point.

To read more, click on this link.

Other Interests: Fishing at Hillcrest Wine Farm

A few friends and I have decided to take up a little fresh water fishing. The group currently comprises Lee, Gary, Philip, Clive & myself.

We went the whole nine yards last week: We bought rods, reels, lures (poppers, spinners, plastics, worms, frogs) and the likes.

Of course, Gary has to be brag-gat buy the R600 rod... After Saturday, his nickname is Mr. Birds Nest! More expensive is not always better... Gary thinks this is KNOT funny...

You have gotta love an over-wind... NOT!

Also, I am not sure if it is correct to include Clive in this as he didn't pitch to our first fishing extravaganza at the Hillcrest Wine Farm.

For those of you that are interested: Hillcrest is a wine farm in Durbanville that has opened it's quarry up for fishing. The dam has Carp, Bass and Trout. The site itself is very picturesque. Lovely green grass for the kids to play, a place to make a fire and do the family thing... Check the pictures out, they speak 1000 words.

The prices are as follows:
R75 per person fishing
R25 per child fishing
R25 per person not fishing

The hours are from 9am to 5pm. This is unfortunate as fish bite mostly in the early morning (6 - 8am) and late evening (4-6pm).

Lee managed to snag a small, small mouth bass. Unfortunately, I could not get there with the camera quick enough (Sorry Lee). Also, we chatted to one of the more professional fisherman and he said that there was too much contrast between shallow and deep water. This is apparently not so good for fishing.

Overall, we had fun. We are going again this weekend, but to another venue in Lakeside. I can't wait to blog about cooking a trout or a bass!

Mid-Week Dinner: Mince Curry & Basmati Rice

I only managed to leave the office at 6:30pm last night so I really wanted something simple and quick to make for dinner. Mince curry is all of those things. Here's what I did:

Ingredients:
1x Pack of Mince
2t Curry Powder
1 large Onion, chopped
1 pkt Baby Tomatoes (the really small ones, halved)
3/4 cup Mixed Frozen Veg.
1/2 cup Tomato Sauce
Salt & pepper
1/2t Sweet Basil
1T Olive Oil
1t (heaped) Chopped Garlic
1/2 cup water

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, cook onions & garlic until translucent.
2. Remove half the cooked onion and set aside. Add the Mince, Salt, Pepper & Sweet Basil to the saucepan. Brown the mince.
3. Remove the browned mince and set aside.
4. Add the onions back into the pan (from 2 above), add the tomatoes and half the tomato sauce.
5. Add the curry powder, moving the mixture around, roasting the spices (2-3 minutes)
6. Add back the mince, stirring it into the curry mixture.
7. Add the remaining tomato sauce and add the mix veg.
8. Add the water, stir and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve on a bed of Basmati Rice. Smaaklik!!! This is a very mild curry - my daughter ate everything... and loved it. Serve with a glass of milk.

Humour: Steve, Don't Eat It!

My friend emailed this link and said I must put on on my blog. It is hilarious! And, it has to do with FOOD! Check this out:

Steve, Don't Eat It!

LMAO!!! I cannot believe the things that people manufacture. Even worse: I can't believe people actually buy and eat this stuff.... 

Oooomygosh!!!!

Mid-Week Meals: Weber Roast Chicken & Potato Salad

Oh how I love my Weber! I could shout it from the hilltops. My Weber is the best gift my wife ever gave me... EVER (other than Celine, that is)! If you don't have one, you will never know how a roast chicken should really taste... Seriously. The simplicity of it is astounding.When I got home last night, the electricity was down again (I had to figure out how to open my garage door manually... LOL!). As it was a lovely evening, I sparked up the Weber - Indirect Method - and while waiting for the coals to grey, I mowed the back lawn. Yeah, the power was back on by then.

 

Ingredients:

1x Whole Chicken

Vegetable Oil

Salt

Cooking String

Method:

1. Remove and discard the neck, giblets and any excess fat from the chicken.

2. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Tie the drumsticks together with cooking cord (see picture). 

4. Lightly spray or brush the chicken with sunflower oil.

5. Salt the chicken all over.

6. Place in the middle of the grid and close the lid. Don't peek! Everytime you lift the lid of the weber, you drop the temperature inside the 'kettle', slowing your cooking time.

7. Resist the urge! Don't do it! The chicken cooks in about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the size. Use a meat thermometre to check that it is cooked.

8. Remove from grill, carve and serve.

For the potato salad:

Ingredients:

5x medium Potatoes, peeled & cut into chunks

Couple of sprigs of flat leaf Parsley, chopped

3x eggs, soft boiled and diced

1 cup Mayonnaise

3/4 cup Milk

3t sugar

Method:

1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add cold water, until just covering the potatoes.

2. Apply heat and cook until the potatoes are soft.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, mix the Mayo, Milk & Sugar in a bowl. Be sure to fully dissolve 

the sugar!

4. When the potatoes are cooked, drain them.

5. While still hot, pour over the Mayo mixture (As the potatoes start cooling, they will absorb more of the liquid).

6. Add the eggs and chopped parsley.and mix everything together gently.

7. Allow to cool.

Plate and serve with Beetroot Salad. Absolutely scrummy!