Some pictures taken at the Good Food and Wine Show in Cape Town.

Hair Bikers!

Brian Turner

Happy Days

Last Friday I had more fun than I have had in many years! I very reluctantly went to the Good Food and Wine. I say reluctantly, because I had to go alone, and I hate going to things by myself.

I arrived at 10:15am and went straight to the Celebrity Chefs Theater and watched the Hairy Bikers in action! What great guys, they are so funny and down to earth!

I then roamed around, went to a few demos, won an apron at the Stork Kitchen, from Ideas Magazine, ate everything I saw that took my fancy and then at 1pm took myself to find Jenny Morris.

I would like to say that Jenny Morris is the nicest person I have ever met! She is warm, funny, grounded and someone who I would be proud to call my friend - FOREVER! She took me under her wing and then the fun really started. Jenny introduced me to Dave and Si (Hairy Bikers) and Sir Brian Turner! I was like a teenager at a Justin Timberlake concert!

After watching a few more shows and meeting Ilza from Food 24, I eventually had to go home at 4:30pm! Keith then took me out for a fantastic supper at Col'Cacchio Pizzeria! What a perfect end to a perfect day!

I have a quick recipe for Eggs in Tomato Sauce, which I made for supper on Saturday night.

Eggs and Tomato Sauce

1 Onion thinly sliced
5 Mushrooms chopped
1 Tin of tomatoes
1 Tin (or packet) Tomato paste
1 Chilli chopped
Garlic
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Dried Origanum
Salt and Black Pepper

I had a small piece of left over cooked Rump steak in the fridge which I added too, but this is totally optional 4 Eggs Fry the onions and mushrooms, add all the other ingredients except the eggs. Cook for about 15 mins , until the flavours are mixed and the sauce has thickened. Break the eggs into a cup and then make a well in the sauce and add the egg. Do this for all the eggs. Place them in the for "corners" of your pan. Place the lid on the pan, and let the eggs poach. Serve with either toast or fresh crispy rolls! It is very fulling and quick and easy!

Food Dreaming

Sometimes I sit and think about world peace and ways to save the planet, but most of the time I think about food! I think of things to make and new ways to re-invent old favourites. I even dream about food!

One of the dreams I had was about crumpets. In this dream I made chocolate crumpets topped with jam and cream. The next weekend I made them, and boy were they good!

Dreamy Chocolate Crumpets

450ml Cake Flour
50ml Cocoa

75ml Sugar

2 eggs

25ml melted butter (please use butter)

290ml milk

20ml baking powder

2.5ml Bi-carb (optional - but it makes them really rise well)

2ml Salt

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bi-carb and salt in a bowl.

Beat the eggs and sugar together in another bowl.

Add the melted butter to the eggs.

Stir the milk into the butter/egg mixture.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour and beat until smooth.

Heat a non-stick pan, spray with non-stick spray (just in case).

Drop spoonfuls into the pan, when they bubble, flip over and cook on the other side too.
Serve with your favourite berry jam and lots of cream.

They may forget what you said,
but they will never forget
how you made them feel.

Family Food

My poor Mom lived under the huge shadow of her mother-in-law in the kitchen, lucky for me my mother-in-law is so skinny she doesn't cast a shadow when she stands side-ways!

She does however have huge shoes to fill in the patience department (about a size 50!)! She never gets upset, she is the most composed person I have ever met. I can't imagine staying calm with 4 sons, none of which have a calm bone in their bodies, but she never misses a beat.

One thing my mother did make, that I think even my Ouma would have been jealous of was her frikadels! I used to sit in the kitchen while she fried them, with my most 'hang-dog" look on, waiting for her to give me a tester!

My son is much the same, except he doesn't do "hang-dog", he waits for me to turn my back, then
steals one and runs and hides in his room! I guess that's the difference between girls and boys!

I always make a huge batch, they freeze very well, and are perfect lunch box snacks.

I don't stick to my Mom's recipe, but the basics are there, I hope you go and treat your family with this one.



Frikadels

1kg Beef Mince
1 Large Onion grated
3 Garlic cloves minced
15ml dried Origanum
15ml dried Thyme
1 teaspoon fresh Ginger minced
1 Chilli chopped fine
1 teaspoon smoked Paprika
45ml Bread crumbs
1 egg
Salt and white pepper
Flour for dusting (I use Rice flour because it is lighter, but you can use regular)
Oil for frying

Preheat your oven to 160°C.
Mix all the ingredients except the flour in a large bowl. You have to use your hands to really mush it together!
I make my balls about 4cm diameter, but you can make them whatever size suits your taste. Roll in the flour.
Heat your pan to medium hot, add a little oil and fry the balls in batches until browned. Don't worry if they are not cooked through, you are going to finish them in the oven.
Place each batch in a baking tray in the oven and once they are all done bake for about 15 -20 mins.
The best way to check is to break one open and have a cook's privilege!

I serve mine with cabbage.
Place the 1 cup if finely shredded cabbage per person in the pot. Add 10ml of olive oil for each cup and about 5ml of water. Then add caraway seeds (a teaspoon per cup) and sultanas (a small hand full per 2 cups). Put on a low heat, covered and cook until soft and glossy.

Creamy Beef Stroganoff

I've shared before how there are certain foods which I only make when Hubby is out being Ernie Els (without coming home with the big pay cheque). One of the dishes is Beef Stroganoff. Markwin and I love the thin beef strips, covered in a spicy creamy sauce. It is comfort food at it's best!

This recipe is based on a Good Food Magazine recipe.

Beef Stroganoff

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large green pepper, sliced in strips about 2cm long.
500g/1lb 2oz tenderised steak
2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp paprika (I only use the smoked Spanish paprika)
an extra 1 teaspoon of Paprika if you want a little more bite
250g button mushrooms
200ml beef stock
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
250ml sour cream

In large frying pan with the oil, cook the sliced green pepper for 2 minutes until just softened. Meanwhile cut the beef into thin strips. Season the flour with salt, pepper and paprika, then toss in the beef to coat lightly, shaking off any excess.
Add the beef to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to brown.
Halve the mushrooms, add to the pan and stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Pour in the stock, vinegar and the extra teaspoon of paprika and bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes.
Stir the sour cream into the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes, do not let it boil but letting it thicken.
Then season to taste.
Spoon the stroganoff on to a bed of rice or noodles.

TEACHER: George, why do you always get so dirty?

GEORGE: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.