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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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by bitsofcarey

Courgette, mint and feta tarts

September 17, 2012 in Crush mag recipes, Meatless meals, Pastry, tarts

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Wow! It’s been a while since I posted a recipe. Happy Spring peeps! I am loving this weather, I never thought I’d say this, but I’m quite looking forward to salad suppers and generally the lighter side of food. With that in mind, here are my Courgette, mint and feta tarts – so fresh and flavourful. The hint of mint and lemon zest marries beautifully with the courgettes and feta. I use buttery puff pastry for mine, but feel free to use phyllo to lighten them up even more. They are delicious straight from the oven or at room temperature. Perfect for a meat free meal with a crisp salad and a yummy treat for the lunch box too!

Courgette, mint and feta tarts
Serves: 6 –8

1 T (15 ml)
1 onion, chopped
250 g courgettes, sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ c (125 ml) chopped mint
200 g feta cheese, cut into small cubes
400 g ready-rolled butter puff pastry
3 large eggs
½ c (125 ml) cream
½ c (125 ml) milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 200˚C.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions until soft and golden.
Add the courgettes and sauté until tender but still al dente.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest, garlic, mint and feta. Mix until well combined. Season to taste.
Cut the pastry into 6 squares.
Grease 6 quiche tins (12cm) or a jumbo muffin tray and line with the pastry squares.
Fill the pastry lined tin with the courgette filling.
Beat the eggs and cream together and season. Pour over the filling.
Bake for +- 20 minutes.
TIP: for a large tart (+- 28cm), bake for 30 minutes at 190˚C.

This recipe was published in Crush! Online magazine Issue 17.

 

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by bitsofcarey

Lemon and Blueberry Tart

November 19, 2010 in Baking, Sweet treats, tarts

12 Comments »

I must be honest, I don’t really have a sweet tooth, however when it comes to lemon tart, I cannot resist! My first encounter with this delectable eye-watering, jaw-locking creation was at Olympia Café in Kalk Bay a few years ago, and to this day, I still go for my fix every month! I made my version of a perfect lemon tart recently (with the help of my boss, colleague and friend, Kelly. Thanks for the recipe K! I know you are reading this! Ha ha!). I added some blue berries to the mixture, it just added another dimension to the tart and we all know lemon and blueberries are a match made in heaven!

 

 

I love this recipe, the pastry is so quick and easy and by whipping the cream, the tart filling is as light as air!

 

You will need:

 

Pastry:

250 ml cake flour

Pinch salt

45 ml castor sugar

50 g butter

Zest of 1 lemon

1 egg yolk

30 ml iced water

 

Place all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until the dough forms a ball. Wrap up and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease a 24 cm quiche tin. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and line the tin.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and nutty brown.

Reduce oven temp to 160 °C

 

Filling:

3 eggs, lightly beaten

200 ml castor sugar

Zest and juice of 4 lemons (or 3 large lemons)

250 ml cream

250 ml blue berries

Icing sugar for dusting

Some blueberries to serve

 

Whisk the eggs, sugar and zest together until thick and foamy. Stir in the lemon juice.

Whip cream to soft peaks and fold in together with the blueberries. Pour the cold filling into the hot pastry and bake for +- 35 minutes or until set.

Serve chilled and even better the next day!

When ready to serve, dust with icing sugar caramelize the sugar with a blow torch or pop under the grill briefly.

I just dusted with icing sugar and topped with fresh blueberries. YUM!

Serve with whipped cream( unsweetened)

 

OR try my quick filling:

4 egg yolks

150 ml castor sugar

Zest and juice of 3 lemons

250 ml reduced fat cream

 

Whisk all the above ingredients together and pour over hot pastry.

 

Thanks to  Aletta at Food 24 and Kalahari.net, I was given the opportunity to review Bill Granger’s new book, ”Bill’s Basics”. I have been lapping up every word and pic since I received it and will be cooking and photographing some of the recipes over the weekend! So watch this space on Monday!

 

Have a great weekend all!

 

Here’s to cooking and eating and a bit of drinking!

C xx

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Citrus Inspired Desserts

July 28, 2010 in Sweet treats, tarts

4 Comments »

Since it is winter, gone are the weird and wonderful tropical fruits. However, one does forget about good old faithful citrus fruit that only flourishes in winter really.  In summer, I long for winter when you can buy a pocket of oranges for R 10 and look forward to making a huge batch of freshly squeezed OJ (however, you never actually manage to do it and you are stuck with 30 + oranges!).

We had the family around on Sunday for my mom’s birthday, and I decided to make one of her favourite desserts – Lemon Meringue Pie, and while I was at it, why not milk tart too! To my disappointment, I had no vanilla essence in the cupboard!! NO!! What to do? I glanced at my pile of oranges and thought an orange infused Milk tart would suffice. So that is what I did. We had Citrus inspired desserts.  Lemon Meringue pie and Citrus Milk tart.

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

This dessert reminds me of my childhood, my gran would walk through the front door like a ray of sunshine every Sunday with a Lemon meringue in her hands… we never grew tired of it!

A few years before she passed away, I watched her make one and she said with her bubbly voice (almost like Meryl Streep as Julia Child), ”…the trick is to stir the condensed milk mixture gently, never whisk and it will come out smooth and velvety everytime!”. And it is so true, so everytime I make lemon meringue I think of my beloved Oma Pat.

 

What you will need:

 

1 packet tennis biscuits or digestive (if you do not like coconut)

50 g melted butter

a bit of hot water

 

3 eggs yolks

1 can full cream condensed milk

juice and zest of 2 lemons

 

3 egg whites

3 T castor sugar

1 t lemon juice or vinegar

1 t vanilla essence or 1 T lemon zest

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees

In a food processor, blits the biscuits, then add the butter, blend until the crumbs clump together, add some hot water if it does not. Press into a greased pie dish.

Gently stir the yolks, condensed milk, juice and zest until well combined. Pour over the crumb base.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, Beat the egg whites, castor sugar and lemon juice until soft peaks form. fold in some extra lemon zest or vanilla essence.

Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees.

Gently spread onto the cooled filling and bake for a further 10 – 15 minutes or until golden.

 

Citrus milk tart

 

 

I used the Milk tart recipe I posted last month, just replaced the vanilla essence with the zest of 2 oranges.

 

Go to http://blogs.food24.com/BITSOFCAREY/ol-fashioned-milk-tart for the recipe.

 

 

These went down well with freshly brewed coffee!

 

 

So don’t you just love citrus fruit?

 

What would we do without oranges and lemons?

 

C xx

 

 

 

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by bitsofcarey

Ol’ Fashioned Milk Tart

June 23, 2010 in Pies, Sweet treats, tarts

21 Comments »

 This baked milk tart is a classic SA favourite! Homemade melt your mouth pastry, smooth and velvety filling with a generous sprinkle of heart warming cinnamon… Picture this with a freshly brewed pot of coffee…mmm…heaven!

 

 

What you’ll need:

 

For the pastry

2 T butter – please not margerine!

2 T sugar

1 egg

3/4 cup self raising flour

pinch of salt

 

Blitz all the ingredients together in a food processor or with an electric beater until it all clumps together to form a dough.

Press into a lightly greased 24 cm tart dish. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.

 

For the Filling

2 cups milk

2 eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cake flour

1/4 cup corn flour

pinch of salt

2 T butter

1 t vanilla essence

Ground cinnamon

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Heat the milk in a medium pot(do not boil).

Beat the yolks and sugar until creamy and light then add the flours and salt – the mixture will be quite thick.

Add some warm milk to the egg mixture and then return all of it to the pot. Bring to the boil and whisk constantly until thickened.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until soft peaks form and fold into the custard.

Pour into the chilled pastry case and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for +- 30 minutes.

 

*Try with frozen puff pastry

 

Well done to Bafana last night, although we didn’t get through, we played with heart and that’s all that matters!

 

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