Savoury Archives - Page 5 of 16

Appetisers and Hors D'oeuvres, Fruit Inspired, Savoury

Red Wine Poached Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini

Have you ever poached pear, or for that matter, any other fruit? Until recently, I never had. But after tasting the wondrous results of humble home poached fruit, I am obsessed. I admit that I am showing symptoms of another obsession – crostinis! But they’re just so dam good, its kinda hard not to.

Since we are talking about obsessions, strawberry season is back! Over the weekend I experimented with some jalepeno infused strawberry margaritas from How Sweet It Is’s new book, Seriously Delish. And can I just say, it was just ah-mazaing! It was made up of pureed strawberries, fresh jalepeno, cointreau and of course, some good old rum. You could totally swap the rum for the originally called for tequila, but I found this incredibly delicious (yet not too sweet) cocktail to be am amazing spin on a bloody-mary meets a daiquiri meets a caprioska.

November 10, 2014 | 0 comment

Appetisers and Hors D'oeuvres, Savoury

Mushroom Hors d’oeuvres

A few weeks ago, I wanted to make an hors d’oeuvre which could be served both warm and room termperature, and had the ability to invoke the desire in anyone to lean over for one more! I find that mushrooms and parsley are one of those heavenly matches – like strawberry and balsamic, orange and dark chocolate. Puff pastry is an obvious and amazing choice. How can you go wrong with something that has 1000 layers, and rises butterfully (see what I did there – beautifully with butter).

On a free afternoon, I pre-thawed the puff pastry for a few hours in the fridge and then rolled it out, cut 2″ rounds using a cookie cutter, and pressed down the corners with the back of a fork – providing those pretty little ridges in the pastry. The indentations also allow the corners to rise more and get nice and golden, whereas the centre remains a little dented, paving way for filling of choice. After they were indented, I popped them back into a freezer layered with parchment paper between each circle, to prevent any scope of sticking. This method saved me a huge amount of time and effort on D-day, and is also a great way to utilise any excess pastry.

November 3, 2014 | 0 comment

Entree, Savoury

Potato Dauphinoise

Never underestimate the power of the potato. Not only because it gives us pretty little things like vodka and fries, which are ah-mazing. But also because their humility allows you to really work magic with them. Add eggs and they make an awesome frittata. Bake them and season, resulting and glorious potato wedges. Grate them onto a skillet for a quick and crispy potato roesti. You get the gist.

What I chose to do with (or rather, to) my potatoes was a little more luxurious. My mum was having her gaggle of friends over for a lunch soiree, and in addition to a bunch of salads and desserts, the main course was heralded by this version of potatoes – the Dauphinoise.

Lets rewind. The first time that I tried this spectacularly simple dish was at a restaurant in the city for a buffet lunch. I remember some friends of my parents going ga-ga over the preparation, which prompted them to call the chef out to the table to learn more about this new
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September 8, 2014 | 1 Comment

Appetisers and Hors D'oeuvres, Savoury

Peach & Ricotta Crostinis with Lavender Honey and Onion Microgreens

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am a big sucker for crostinis of any kind. Evidence includes my lip-smacking grilled pear, honey and brie crostinis with rosemary, strawberry crostinis and roasted mushroom and herb crostinis with parmesan. And honest to God – they are dead simple! Typically an essential to the crostini is the bread itself. Once you have that, all the fun begins with permutations and combinations of pantry goods, fresh produce and favourite staples.

The history behind the crostini (meaning “little toast” in Italian) and our need of the day are one and the same – bite size simple do ahead appetisers to be served at a get together or during Happy Hour.

August 12, 2014 | 0 comment

Appetisers and Hors D'oeuvres, Fruit Inspired, Savoury

Mexican Quick Fix: Mango Salsa & Guacamole

After reading this article, the opening words struct me:

“It won’t be surprising if cultural historians look back on the first two decades of this century as The Era of Crazed Oral Gratification. I’m speaking of the fetishization of food, of cooking and eating, of watching other people cooking and eating, that has become omnipresent across all platforms, all media, all screens and all palates in our great nation.”

It really is so true! And in light of the quest for ‘Oral Gratification’, the journey comes to a standstill with my favourite 2 bowls of goodness. Think about it – there are few things in this world as satisfying as a bowl of salsa, guacamole and a bag full of crispy corn nachos. The ultimate treat! Now while I am not the largest fan of the ‘fusion’ movement (although it has actually been with us for centuries), this combination of mango and Mexican flavours does some serious magic – and that just cannot be ignored. For the last year or two, pretty much ever since I made the first batch of it, mango salsa has become a staple party snack, and a regular on our dinner table whenever we have a Mexican meal.
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July 29, 2014 | 0 comment

Entree, Savoury, Soups & Sandwitches

Open Face Caprese Sandwich

I am in the process of researching an imaginary trip to Italy.

Rome, Milan, Florence, maybe the Tuscan countryside, and wine country.

From the crux of my initial research, lets call it Eataly. It is almost like a dream, to be able to eat and live life on the robust flavours of Tuscany, the gorgeous wines and the exceptional deserts. I think my version of a dream holiday in Eataly involves waking up early to beat the long queues spiralling alongside the museums and art galleries, with a mandatory quick stop at a local cafe for a double espresso. After the gallery/museum of the day, walk around one of the many quaint squares and their attached by lanes, poking around the local stores and boutiques, collecting pantry essentials (truffles, olive oils, cheeses, herbs, you get the gist!) and enjoying the local vibe. Next stop – a trattoria or deli

June 30, 2014 | 0 comment