This is my adaptation of the Mozzarella Pizzaiola recipe in one of my all-time favourite cookbooks Polpo. I landed up using basil instead of oregano which makes up the classic Pizzaiola sauce. The tomatoes are roasted slowly in the oven until just before they fall apart and develop a delicious sweetness in their own sauce. This sauce becomes part of the dressing. I used a mix of whole and half rosa and cherry tomatoes, as well as larger tomatoes, cut into similar bite sizes. These spooned over-generous handfuls of wild rocket and torn up balls of soft curd mozzarella were stunningly delicious. That is the beauty of Italian food, simple beautiful ingredients and flavour combinations.
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A couple of weeks ago I enjoyed a stunning little staycation in the beachside village of Kommetjie in the Southern Peninsula. You don’t have to…
I’ve used the enriched brioche-style cinnamon swirl raisin bread which I posted recently to make this bread-and-butter pudding recipe. It was absolutely delicious. The bread…
I had the absolute pleasure of staying at Bartholomeus Klip over my birthday last month. It’s my favourite lodge in South Africa and I couldn’t…
Number 1: A picnic My idea of a romantic meal is a picnic in some remote but beautiful location. I never tire of a…
As I was testing this raisin bread recipe out for the second time, I decided at the last minute to add the cinnamon swirl. I…
My dad used to make Chelsea buns when I was a child so I’m rather obsessed with any kind of raisin sticky bread. This recipe…
I developed this fruitcake recipe for Pierre Jourdan Ratafia, a delicious sweet fortified dessert wine made from Chardonnay. Tasting very much like the wine equivalent…
This is my adaptation of the Mozzarella Pizzaiola recipe in one of my all-time favourite cookbooks Polpo. I landed up using basil instead of oregano which…
This egg and bacon salad with blue cheese and watercress is inspired by Ina Paarman and the deliciously simple recipe she produced for her February…
You know when you are looking for a versatile salad recipe for a braai (BBQ) that would pretty much go with anything, this spinach salad…
This is my adaptation of the Mozzarella Pizzaiola recipe in one of my all-time favourite cookbooks Polpo. I landed up using basil instead of oregano which…
This recipe for asparagus with anchovy butter and Parmesan is a very simple but utterly delicious dish from the cookbook Polpo and is a must-do…
I recently sent out a request on Instagram and Twitter for peoples favourite recipe using chicken breasts and I got so many suggestions. I prefer…
This crispy noodle slaw with a soy, honey & ginger dressing is a family favourite and I’ve given it an update with chilli and ginger…
This creamy pasta with artichokes, capers and spinach is a delicious and easy recipe to whip up using mainly pantry staples. It takes about 15…
You know when you are looking for a versatile salad recipe for a braai (BBQ) that would pretty much go with anything, this spinach salad…
The beauty of cooking chicken Sous Vide in advance of braaing/ barbequing is ensuring the chicken is one hundred percent cooked through without burning the…
I recently sent out a request on Instagram and Twitter for peoples favourite recipe using chicken breasts and I got so many suggestions. I prefer…
Le Creuset asked me to come up with a one-pot recipe in their signature buffet casserole recently and so this chicken and rice pilaf with…
This is my adaptation of the Mozzarella Pizzaiola recipe in one of my all-time favourite cookbooks Polpo. I landed up using basil instead of oregano which makes up the classic Pizzaiola sauce. The tomatoes are roasted slowly in the oven until just before they fall apart and develop a delicious sweetness in their own sauce. This sauce becomes part of the dressing. I used a mix of whole and half rosa and cherry tomatoes, as well as larger tomatoes, cut into similar bite sizes. These spooned over-generous handfuls of wild rocket and torn up balls of soft curd mozzarella were stunningly delicious. That is the beauty of Italian food, simple beautiful ingredients and flavour combinations.
A couple of weeks ago I enjoyed a stunning little staycation in the beachside village of Kommetjie in the Southern Peninsula. You don’t have to travel far to get totally away from it all and explore a neighbourhood like a local. I stayed at a gorgeous house called Waves right next to Long Beach and the relaxation kicked in from the moment I stepped inside and kicked off my flip flops.
I’ve used the enriched brioche-style cinnamon swirl raisin bread which I posted recently to make this bread-and-butter pudding recipe. It was absolutely delicious. The bread soaks in all the custard to bake into a pudding that is not overwhelmingly sweet. The brown sugar gives this dessert a crunchy topping along with the toasted almonds.
I had the absolute pleasure of staying at Bartholomeus Klip over my birthday last month. It’s my favourite lodge in South Africa and I couldn’t have hoped for a better place to spend the weekend. Located in the 4000-hectare Elandsberg Nature Reserve in Bo Hermon, you get a unique insight into the ebb and flow of a working African farm. On this visit, we stayed in their newish and very large self-catering Heron House which is close to but completely separate from the lodge. With 5 en suite bedrooms, it’s the perfect place to go with your family or friends for a breakaway into nature and escape people. Children of all ages are welcome here. Due to a variety of circumstances, the lodge was empty on our weekend, so we had the whole property to ourselves. A unique and once in a lifetime experience, I will never forget. Heron House has its own private pool, but we were able to have a few swims in the lodge pool too. A renovated farm dam, this circular pool was an exquisite respite from a hot summer’s day. As my family are big swimmers, we also loved our sunset and sunrise swims on the farm dam. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore at Bartholomeus Klip.
Number 1: A picnic My idea of a romantic meal is a picnic in some remote but beautiful location. I never tire of a cheesy sunset so I would plan my picnic around that. It would start off with a bottle of MCC or Champagne and involve lots of little nibbly things to share. Fresh berries and chocolate are the food of love so those would be in the mix too. I love the idea of sharing food. It makes the experience quite casual and intimate. If you are wanting to do a picnic and go the Covid-safe route you can check out my category of foods that are packed with ideas: Picnics, parties & dips. Otherwise, pop into Giovannis or your favourite local deli and pick up an array of goodies for your basket. You can check out my list of The best food shops in Cape Town for inspiration. Pizza Bianco with prosciutto, nectarines, thyme & honey Number 2: A catered picnic Go to a special location and get one of the picnics they make. If you live in and around Cape Town you are spoiled for choice. For a treat, I would opt for Chef…
This roasted salmon with a miso and orange glaze is inspired by the famous Nobu black cod den miso, arguably one of the greatest seafood dishes ever created. It was the dish that sprung to mind when Kanonkop tasked me to come up with a recipe to pair with their Kadette Pinotage Rosé. Not just because the wine is a soft blush colour and the pink in the salmon matches it beautifully, but the flavours of the fish and the miso and orange glaze stand up to the full-bodied dry style of rosé. Reinforcing my newly found and totally non-scientific theory that Pinotage makes great rosé.