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by bitsofcarey

Succulent lamb tagine with dates and apricots

May 22, 2013 in Crush mag recipes, Curries and casseroles, Meat

2 Comments »

I can’t believe we’re pretty much slap bang in the middle of the year. Where does the time go? I know just the thing to slow myself down, a lovingly slow cooked lamb tagine with fresh dates and turkish apricots. This is a dish that cannot be rushed. I prefer using lamb on the bone (stewing lamb, knuckles or neck) apposed to goulash. It permeates a lot more flavour into a stew or tagine and I just love sucking all the meat and marrow off the bones. I’m a big fan of tagines because they have a wonderful fragrant sweetness from the fruit and warming spices with an inviting texture. I serve this yumminess with citrus, coriander and pine nut couscous. Heaven in a bowl…
Lamb tagine with dates and apricots
Served with citrus, coriander and pine nut couscous

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Tagine:
2 t (10 ml) vegetable oil
1 kg lamb knuckles
2 onion, chopped
3 fat cloves garlic, crushed
1 T (15 ml) grated fresh ginger
1 t (5 ml) turmeric
2 t (10 ml) ground cinnamon or 2 cinnamon sticks
½ c (125 ml) chopped flat leaf parsley
3 T (45 ml) olive oil
¼ c (60 ml) prepared lamb, beef or vegetable stock
1 tin whole tomatoes
Juice of 1 large orange
Zest of 1 lemon
100 g fresh dates, halved and pips removed
100 g Turkish apricots
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
Handful of coriander
50 g pan toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

Citrus couscous:
2 c (500 ml) couscous (try wholewheat)
2 c (500 ml) cooled vegetable stock
Zest of 1 small orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
1 c (250 ml) chopped coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
50 g pan toasted pine nuts or slivered lamonds

Method:
Heat a pot with a little vegetable oil and brown the lamb in batches. Then return all the meat back to the pot together with the onions, garlic, ginger, spices, parsley, olive oil and stock. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for +- 60 minutes. Check on the meat occasionally, giving it a quick stir.

Add the tomatoes, juice, rind and fruit. Cover and simmer again for another +- 45 minutes or until the meat is tender and falls off the bone.

Alternatively, cook in a tagine pot at 160 degrees celcius in an oven for 2- 3 hours(or until the meat is tender).

Season with salt and pepper.

Couscous: In a large bowl, pour the cooled stock over the couscous and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Fluff up with a fork. When ready to serve, cover with cling film and microwave for 2 minutes. Add the coriander and toasted pine nuts. Season to taste.

Serve the lamb tagine immediately on a bed of couscous or serve in separate pots and bowls.

Remember to slow down and smell the onions… :-)

**This recipe appeared in my feature in Crush online magazine Issue 24 **

 

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by bitsofcarey

Mouthwatering “mean ass” moussaka

May 8, 2013 in Meat, vegetables

12 Comments »


I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for a while now. It came about after 3 days of shooting when I was left with bits and bobs of various ingredients, namely, chorizo, aubergine, peppadews , 1/2 a punnet of mushrooms etc. I was also in a “low carb” mood since I’ve been stuffing my face for days with carbs galore. Since I had mince in the freezer, I thought, “moussaka time!”.  And let me tell you, this was no ordinary moussaka, it was a “mean-ass” moussaka!  In other words, it’s pretty damn delish with all the added extras ;-)

My dear friend inspired me to post this because she happened to make hubby and I her version a few weeks ago when I was a bit worse for wear. You really get your 5-a-day when you eat Kirsten’s moussaka, it is utterly mouthwatering! She packs hers with loads of garlic(her favourite ingredient of all time) and grills the tradtional aubergine along with a myriad of other meditteranean veggies. Next time I make moussaka, I will definitely be trying her recipe…but in the meantime, here’s mine with a full on photo gallery because I love ya’ll so much xx





Mean ass Moussaka:
Serves: 4-6

2 medium aubergines, thinly sliced into rings
Olive oil, salt and pepper

500 g beef or lamb mince
200 g chorizo, diced – optional
2 onions, finely chopped
125-250 g button mushrooms, chopped – optional
2 fat cloves garlic, crushed
6 mild peppadews, chopped(adds some sweetness and a leeetle bite) – optional
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup prepared Nomu lamb or beef stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
3 T tomato paste
1 t cinnamon
1/2 ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (my secret ingredient)
1 t origanum
salt and pepper to taste

White sauce:
50 g butter
50 ml flour
500 ml milk
1 wheel of feta, crumbled
125 ml grated mature white cheddar cheese
salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
1 egg yolk

Topping:
1/4 c finely grated parmesan cheese
ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven grill and arrange the aubergine slices in a well greased baking tray, drizzle with a little more oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden, turning once. Set aside and set oven temperature to 180 degrees celcius.

In a large pot, heat 1 T olive oil and brown the mince then remove and set aside. Add the chorizo and saute until the fat has rendered, add the onions and gently saute until soft and translucent, now add the mushrooms and fry until softened.

Add the remaining ingredients including the mince, cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for +- 30 minutes. The mince mixture should be quite thick (not runny) and fragrant. Season to taste.

White sauce: in a medium pot, melt the butter and add the flour, whisking together to make a roux, add the milk, whisking all the while and continue until thickened(sauce must coat the back of a spoon). Stir in the feta and half of the parmesan cheese and season to taste. Whisk in the egg yolk.

Layer the aubergine slices and mince in a greased medium to large oven proof dish and finish off with a thick layer of cheese sauce. Top with remaining parmesan cheese and sprinkle with some nutmeg.

Bake for +- 40 minutes until goldena nd bubbling over the sides. YUM!
Serve with garlic bread and a Greek salad.





Moussaka anyone?

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by bitsofcarey

Butternut lovin’ – Rustic roasted butternut with bacon and sage

May 7, 2013 in Meatless meals, Pasta, salads, vegetables

5 Comments »



Rustic Roasted butternut with bacon and sage

Simply cut 1 small butternut into thin wedges – leaving the skin and pips intact (skin and pips are edible and a great source of fibre).
Wrap each wedge with 2 – 3 slices of streaky bacon and top with some sage leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and lightly season.
Roast for 50 minutes at 180°C until caramelized and crispy.
These are delicious torn up and added to a salad of preserved figs, rocket and maybe some blue cheese…oh my heavens, that’s pure deliciousness right there!

Anyone that reads my blog will know that I am obsessed with butternut.  I can’t get enough of this humble vegetable and when Women’s Health asked me to share a butternut recipe, I was quite happy to do so.  In this mag’s May issue, there’s a stunning feature with 4 of SA’s top chefs showcasing their mouthwatering dishes with butternut as the core ingredient.

It was interesting to see what the chefs came up with. I have to say,  Pete Goffe-Wood’s dish appealed to me the most – he did a caramelized butternut and goat’s cheese rotolo. I’ve always wanted to know how to make rotolo, by the looks of it, it’s pretty much a pasta roulade. Looks yum hey?
(Image by Russel Smith, Women’s Health May 2013 issue)
So now after all this butternut porn, I’m sure you’ll want to get into the kitchen and cook that butternut that’s been sitting in your vegetable basket for a while now. I suggest you go check out what Margot, Reuben and Luke did too!

In the meantime, here are some of my most popular butternut recipes:

Butternut soup infused with cumin and orange

Butternut, sage and pine nut penne

Lush winter salad

Butternut gnocchi with blue cheese sauce

 

 

 


 

 

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by bitsofcarey

A sneak peek into my kitchen

April 4, 2013 in Randoms

10 Comments »


We moved into our new home 3 months ago and I can finally say that I have a kitchen that epitomizes me and my style of cooking in every way. I promised that I would post some pics and here it is – better late that never right?

March marked my 3rd year of blogging on food24 and I must say it’s been such a blessing to get to know the team and fellow food bloggers over the years. I just love sharing my thoughts and recipes with like minded people.

I intend to cook , play with food and snap away beautiful pics for many years to come in this kitchen. A kitchen is such a personal thing (well for me it is), so I hope you enjoy checking mine out and in the process maybe even get to know “me” a little better ;-)

Above pic: That black door is the door to our garage.We painted with it chalk board paint. It’s the best thing ever. Perfect for my ramblings, recipe ideas, shopping and “to do’s”. 

We filled the space under the stairs with custom made shelves from Hollywood Furniture and I had this rad 8 seater table and bench set done by Play ventures. This table is already the heart of the home.  I do all my styling and photography here too.

So the shelving is purely for my photoshoot props and cook books. Yes, this makes me uber happy.
And how cute is this butcher block made by Hollywood furniture too. these dudes are awesome. I love that it’s mobile so I can do little cookery demos for my guests when ever the mood strikes! haha!

Anyhoo, thanks for stopping by!

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by bitsofcarey

Comforting chicken, mushroom and leek soup

April 2, 2013 in Chicken, Crush mag recipes, Soups, vegetables

10 Comments »

Oooh, it’s cold and rainy here in Cape Town and I am in my element. This soup will definitely be bubbling away in my kitchen tonight. I can smell it already! Rich creamy chicken soup with a sweetness that only leeks can provide with loads of “mushroomy” flavour – truly comfort in a bowl. Mop up with generously buttered crusty bread and be taken to a happy place.

Clearly, I’m a lover of soups and all things comforting so I just have to share my other 5 favourite soups of all time:

Creamy tomato soup – The best ever!
Roasted butternut soup – sweet and intense colour and flavour
Dr Chicken soup – for the flu-ish and overindulged
Creamy chicken soup with lemon – mouthwatering deliciousness
Thick ‘n creamy cauliflower and cheese soup with bacon bits – need I say more!

Creamy chicken, mushroom and leek soup
A family favourite of note. Hearty, flavourful and comforting.
Serves: 6- 8

3 chicken breasts on the bone
2 L water
2 T (30 ml) chicken stock powder
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
50 g butter
2 bunches leeks, trimmed and chopped
400 g brown mushrooms, chopped
¼ c (62 ml) cake flour
1.5 L reserved chicken stock
1 c (250 ml) cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Place the chicken in a large pot. Add the water, stock powder, carrot, celery, onion and bay leaves. Cover and bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from the stock and allow to cool. Strain the stock and discard the veggies. Set aside. When chicken is cooler, remove skin and bones and shred into small pieces.

In a medium pot, heat the butter and sauté the leeks until soft and glossy, then add the mushrooms and cook until softened and fragrant. Stir in the flour until veggies are well coated, then add 1.5L chicken stock, heat through and continue stirring until it starts to thicken. Add the shredded chicken and cream and heat through for 15 minutes to allow all the flavours to combine. Add some parsley and season to taste.

Serve with fresh crusty bread.

Enjoy and keep warm! xx

This recipe featured in Crush online magazine Issue 21.

 

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Two oceans carbo load: 3 quick and delish pastas

March 28, 2013 in Crush mag recipes, Pasta

1 Comment »

To the runners that are braving the Two oceans marathon this weekend, I have 3 quick and easy pasta dishes just for you (and for anyone else who could eat pasta all day everyday)!
The training is done, the mental preparation is taking place and now your carbo loading pasta dishes are sorted too.  Good luck peeps, may the pasta be with you! You can doooo it! xxx

Penne with crispy bacon, pea and feta (above pic)
Serves 2 – 4

250 g  penne pasta or whole-wheat pasta of your choice
Olive oil
250 g back bacon or smoked chicken rashers
2 spring onions, sliced
250 ml (1 cup) frozen baby peas/ petit pois
150 g soft Danish style feta or reduced fat feta cheese, cubed
A handful of mint leaves, torn
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
30 ml (2 T) olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and coat with a bit of oil.
For the bacon: Put your grill in your oven on and adjust the shelf to the highest level.
Place the slices of bacon onto a drip rack and grill under the element until slightly crispy, turning once.  Dab with paper towel and chop into bite size pieces.
Sauté the spring onions and peas for a minute and add to the pasta together with the bacon, feta, mint and olive oil. Season to taste.
Eat warm or at room temperature.

Penne with roasted butternut and sage
Serves 4

500 g butternut cubes ( 2cmX2cm)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
A large sprig of sage leaves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
250 g penne pasta (wholewheat)
A small handful of pine nuts
A small handful of pumpkin seeds
50 g salted butter
8 sage leaves
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Place the butternut cubes onto a baking tray with garlic, sage, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender with crispy, slightly charred edges. Set aside.
While the butternut is roasting, Boil the penne in salted water until al dente. Set aside.
In a large dry pan, toast the pinenuts and pumpkin seeds, then remove and set aside.  In the same pan, add the butter and sage.  Melt the butter until the colour changes to nutty brown (not burnt), turn off the heat but leave on the stove top to keep warm.
Add the pasta, pinenuts and pumpkin seeds, butternut to the sage butter pan and toss until well combined. Heat through if needed and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Check seasoning.

Linguini with lemon, basil, parmesan and toasted pine nuts
Serves: 2- 4

250 g linguini pasta
Salt
3 T (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of 1 large lemon
1 c (250 ml) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
50 g pine nut, toasted in a dry pan
+- 3 T (45 ml) grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta in well salted boiling water until al dente. Rinse immediately with cold water (or if you want to serve it hot, don’t rinse).
Toss the pasta with the remaining ingredients until well combined. Season to taste.
Serve with extra basil and grated parmesan if desired.

All these recipes featured in Crush online magazine

 

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by bitsofcarey

Baked butternut gnocchi with crispy sage and blue cheese sauce

March 27, 2013 in Crush mag recipes, Meatless meals, Pasta, vegetables

11 Comments »

Oooh, it’s chillers outside and all I can think about is this delcious dish of melt-in-your-mouth butternut gnocci with crispy sage smothered in creamy blue cheese sauce. Oh my life! If there ever was an IDEAL autumnal dish, this would be it!
It’s a match made in heaven. Sweet butternut, earthy sage and tangy blue cheese. Yum yum yum!
I did this recipe over two years ago for Crush online magazine but my oh my, it’s still a winner!  Try with crispy bacon bits ;-)

Baked Butternut gnocchi and sage with creamy blue cheese sauce

This gnocchi is par boiled and then baked with sage to golden perfection and drizzled with a classic blue cheese sauce. Need I say more?

Serves: 6
Difficulty: moderate
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 – 50 minutes

For the gnocchi:
500 g butternut, cut into cubes
30 ml ( 2 T) olive oil
Seasoning
250 g Ricotta cheese
500 ml (2 c) cake flour
7 ml( 1 ½ t) baking powder
125 ml ( ½ c) Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
2 ml ( ½ t) ground cinnamon
1 ml (pinch) nutmeg
5 ml ( 1 t) salt
Freshly ground pepper

Bake with:
40 ml olive oil
Sage leaves

For the sauce:
125 ml   cream
+- 100 g blue cheese, crumbled
30 ml (2 T) grated parmesan
Salt and pepper

To serve:
60 ml ( ¼ c) grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Put the butternut into a baking tray with a few sage leaves, drizzle with the olive oil and season. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool.

Blend the butternut into a puree with a food processor. Allow to cool slightly and then add the flour, baking powder, ricotta, Parmesan and seasonings, mix until the ingredients are well blended and form a doughy consistency. Add more flour if too sticky.

Turn the heat up to 220°C.

Remove the gnocchi mixture from the processor and knead onto a floured surface until it becomes more pliable. Divide mixture into 4 and roll each piece into finger width sausages, cut into 4 cm pieces and press lightly with a fork.

Place prepared gnocchi into salted boiling water for 3 – 5 minutes or until they float to the surface, remove with a slotted spoon and place into a baking dish (30 x 25).

Drizzle the gnocchi with some olive oil and top with sage leaves. Place in the oven for +-12 minutes.

For the sauce: Gently heat the cream and add the blue cheese bit by bit until it has all melted. Stir in the Parmesan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and black pepper.  Pour over the baked gnocchi.

Serve immediately with grated Parmesan.

Delicious with a salad of rocket, pine nuts, balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil.

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Barley risotto with mushrooms, bacon crumbs and roasted tomato

February 24, 2013 in grains and pulses

8 Comments »

My latest foodie obsession has to be barley, I just love the flavour and texture it brings to a dish. This humble grain is so nutritious and has a myriad of health benefits ( read up on it in an interesting article from Oprah magazine ). The only time I ever used barley was when I made a big pot of soup, although lately, I’ve been incorporating it into salads and even risotto! I find that by adding grains such as barley to my meals, it increases satiety and I find that I won’t be hungry for hours afterwards – which is a good thing when cooking or shooting tempting stuff all day!

So after feeling confident with barley as a base in salads, I became curious how it would turn out in a risotto. I must say, we really enjoyed it. The texture is different – you have to chew a bit more than you would with arborio rice. It does take on flavours well but does have that distinct, but pleasant barley taste. I find that I only need to have one helping of barley risotto and I am satisfied whereas I’d come back for more and more if it was an ordinary risotto. Oh, a big difference is that it does take up to 45 minutes to cook apposed to 20 minutes, but it is worth it :-)

My first barley risotto attempt went pretty well, I decided to do mine with mushrooms, crispy bacon crumbs and roasted tomatoes. Man, it was delish! And it tastes even better the next day! Whoop!

TIPS:
To give the risotto a “bacony” flavour, saute half of the packet(chopped) with the onion and mushroom mixture,
Make it meatless and leave the out the bacon.

Barley risotto with mushrooms, bacon crumbs and roasted tomatoes
Serves 4

50 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 sprig of rosemary or thyme, chopped
250 g diced mushrooms of your choice
1 c dry white wine
1 1/2 c pearl barley
+ – 1. 2 L boiling hot veg or chicken stock
1 c grated parmesan cheese
250 g shoulder bacon
+- 250 g mini Italian tomatoes
olive oil, salt and pepper

Risotto:
Heat the butter until bubbling. Add the onions, garlic and herbs and saute until soft and fragrant, then add the mushrooms and saute until they are softened also.

Add the wine and simmer uncovered until reduced, then add the barley and stir until all the grains are covered in the buttery onion mixture, then add the stock 1 cup at a time and cook gently for +- 45 minutes, adding stock all the while. Most of the liquid will cook away and you’ll be left with a “risotto” consistency (you may need to cover with a lid to allow barley to cook evenly).

Stir in 3/4 of the parmesan cheese and serve topped with crispy bacon crumbs, roasted tomatoes and left over parmesan.

Bacon crumbs:
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celcius.
Place slices of bacon into a greased baking tray and pop into the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until super crispy on both sides (turning half way through). Remove from tray and allow to cool. Use a sharp chopping knife to chop the bacon into small or big crumbs/bits. For a finer crumb, pulse in a food processor.

Roasted tomatoes:
Preheat oven to 220 degrees celcius.
Place tomatoes onto a baking tray, rub with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for + -15 minutes until bursting and blistered.

What dishes have you done with barley? Do share, I can’t get enough of the stuff!
xx

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by bitsofcarey

Parmesan and lemon crumbed hake goujons with garlic aioli

February 4, 2013 in Crush mag recipes, Fish, Snacks

8 Comments »

It’s my first day back at work after a lovely 2 weeks of moving and settling into our new home which is in a whole new suburb all together. We are enjoying the refreshing change and I just love my new kitchen *happy dance*! Will share some pics in another post.

For now, I just NEED to share this recipe with you because it’s all I can think about. I did these gorgeous goujons a few issues back in Crush magazine. These glorified fish nuggets are coated in a parmesan and lemon crumb mixture and deep fried to golden deliciousness. Enjoy with some homemade garlic aioli, zingy lemon wedges and a handful of root veggie crisps. Done! Fresh, simple and you don’t feel like a grease ball after preparing this. If you’re not keen on deep frying, simply bake in a baking sheet at 220 degrees celcius for +- 15 minutes. I know what I’ll be having for dinner ;-)

Lemon and parmesan crumbed hake goujons with garlic aioli

A fresh and simple take on “fish ‘n chips”

Serves: 6
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: +- 8 minutes

Goujons:
+- 750 g hake fillet, skin removed
1 c (250 ml) seasoned flour
2 eggs, beaten
2 c (500 ml) fresh breadcrumbs
¼ c (62 ml) grated parmesan
Zest of 1 lemon
3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Cooking oil for deep frying

Aioli:
1 room temperature egg yolk
3 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper
1 c (250 ml) canola oil

Cut the fish into bite sized cubes.
Combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, zest, parsley and seasoning
Coat with seasoned flour, egg and lastly lots of crumbs. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the aioli: Place the yolk, garlic, lemon juice and seasoning into a blender. Blitz together until well combined, then slowly add the oil through the funnel blending all the while until light in colour and thickened. Set aside.
Heat a pot of oil. When oil is hot enough, fry the goujons until golden and crispy – should take 4 minutes.
Place on paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Serve with garlic aioli, lemon wedges and root veggie crisps.

 

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by bitsofcarey

Happy holiday food

December 20, 2012 in Baking, Crush mag recipes, desserts, Roasts, tarts

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Balsamic roasted tomatoes and goats cheese tarts
Issue 25

Now, don’t these tarts look festive? Just looking at them make me so happy so I thought I’d share the recipe and a photo gallery of delicious dishes that are just perfect for the festive season. And best of all, they’re fuss free. Yay! To find the recipes for the gallery pics, go to Crush! Online magazine and find them in my Monday to Sunday feature, recently revamped to “What’s cooking with Carey” in the mentioned issues.

So first up, the recipe:

Rustic balsamic roasted tomatoes and goat’s cheese tarts

Crisp, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Top with some micro herbs or basil and you’re good to go!

Makes: 9
Difficulty: easy
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
1 roll puff pastry, thawed out in the fridge
250 g assorted baby tomatoes
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
2 T (30 ml) balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground salt and pepper
100 g chevin, cut into 9 slices
Micro herbs or basil leaves for garnishing

Method:
Preheat the oven to 220˚C.

Cut the pastry into 9 squares and press into a well greased muffin tin. Prick a few holes on the bases. Chill in the fridge while prepping the filling.

Place the tomatoes on a roasting tray (cut larger ones in half, leave smaller ones whole) and drizzle with oil and balsamic. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for +- 20 minutes until burst and blistered. Set aside to cool.

Turn oven temperature down to 190˚C.

Place a slice of cheese in each pastry case and top with tomatoes. Fold the corners of the pastry over the filling.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve immediately topped with micro herbs (Basil and rocket)

Easy ne?

Now, some teasers and inspiration for your holiday nosh:

For a simple lunch, picnic or light dinner…

Sticky chicken wings with chopped salad tossed in blue cheese dressing
Issue 23

Gammon burgers with coleslaw and grilled pineapple
Issue 23

Bacon, caramelised onion and brie quiche
Issue 24

And some roasts?

Slow roasted pork belly with fennel slaw
Issue 25

How can I not throw pork belly into the mix? And this is a quite a fresh take on the classic pork belly – served with an apple and fennel slaw and a zingy citrus dressing. YUM!

Roasted spatchcock chicken with lemon and sage
Issue 26

The most tender chicken you’ll ever make with serious flavour.

Italian style slow roasted lamb with spinach polenta
Issue 26

This lamb is melt-in-your-mouth tender and a rather awesome way serve lamb this Christmas if I do say so myself. This is damn tasty. Love!

And just when you thought I was done, if you haven’t spotted my feature on Food24 showcasing my 7 flop proof desserts for Christmas, go check it out! There are some cool step-by-step galleries too.

I can’t believe the last time I posted was in October!  Good gracious me, where has the time gone? I’m such a shite blogger! Hahaha! Honestly though, this chicka has been working freaken hard but hopefully it’ll all pay off in my 2 year plan! Holding thumbs.

Here’s wishing you all a happy and blessed Christmas.
xxx

Please note: Images and recipes are property of Carey Boucher Erasmus and Crush Online magazine

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