Janice Tripepi

I have been besieged by culinary demons this week – henceforth – they shall be known as the “gremolata’s” or should I say the *&*###ing GREMOLATAS! For fear of bringing on a case of narcolepsy, I won’t bore you will the details . These #$###@## G’s – seem to be working themselves out. Bottom line though – I haven’t been able to post any pictures which means that I have failed in my promise to post a recipe every day this week and also in providing much content for Nina’s (My Easy Cooking) Thai food competition - sorry sorry sorry. My ulcer is kind of settling and with aid of some fabulous medication my blood pressure is coming down sloooooooooooooooowwwwwwwlyyy …. I have been self medicating to deal with the trauma of all these GGGGremolata’s –  mostly, with plenty of Vino Bianco!

Let me stop w(h)ining !!! Oh, I could not resist that one …….. Thai meal – recipe no 2 ….. These fish cakes, aka Tod Man Pla are dead easy – ready in 10 minutes. I fried mine – but I reckon that they would be just as nice steamed in a basket. It was my intention to try this method this week, but every time I have passed my kitchen I have burst into floods of Diva tears.

So, as a result of my “blogless week” my family have had to suffer – meals out in restaurants and even the odd take away !!!!!! In my weakened Diva state I informed my hubby and spawn that should they have a problem with this foodless existence, they could phone LIFELINE and see if they cared!!! OooH, she can get her knickers in suuuuch a twist!!!!

I have invoked the Diva Electra in me and am back. On top of the world and able, to upload pics once again – permanently I hope! Ag, what’s life without a few hiccups!! 

Thai Fish Cakes

Ingredients

500g of white fish – such as hake or kingklip

3tbs cornflour

2 tbs fish sauce

1 egg beaten

1/2 cup of coriander leaves

3 – 4 tbs of thai red curry paste

1 – 2 tsp of chopped red chilli – for a little colour

100g finely chopped green beans

2 finely chopped spring onions

 

 

 

 

Roughly chop your fish and place in a blender

add the coriander, chilli, cornflour, fish sacue, egg, curry paste and blend to

a paste.  This really is as difficult as this gets – remove from the blender

and add the chopped spring onion and green beans and stir them in until they

are evenly distrubuted.

 

 

Wet your hands, grab enough to make a patty that will fit into the palm of your hand.

About 5cm in diameter – not too big or they will take too long to cook

in your fryingpan.

 

Heat some normal sunflower oil  or peanut oil to a moderate heat and

fry the fish cakes until they are nicely browned on both sides.

This takes about 4 minutes – but don’t overload your frying pan – 4 to 5 at a

time is better.  They are firm so you don’t need to worry about them

spreading like crumpets.

 

 

Drain any excess oil off by placing them on a piece of kitchen roll and serve with

lime wedges and thai dipping sauce – recipe here.

 

 

Monday I shall post the Chicken Satay in Peanut and Coconut milk sauce, the Thai fried rice

and the Coconut milk rice pudding.

 

Have an awesome weekend ….. my lot are running around Greyville Race Course chasing

that illusive July Handicap Winner!!!

 

Buon Appetito

xxxx

jan

 

 

 

The word Thai – means free and I would say that’s a fair description of this wonderful cuisine. Hubby and I spent a few weeks in Thailand over new year afew years ago and I just loved everything about Thailand. The people are tiny weeny little people with massive hearts. They are so generous with their smiles and spirits. I ate all manner of foods – and just adored the Thai street food. Between lapsing in and out of massage comas we could not resist the markets. 

We stayed in Krabi and feasted daily on seafood that was so fresh that it would climb out of the buckets it was being kept in.  Sizzling fresh crab dishes – whole fish deep fried and smothered in hot, sweet, salty and sour sauces, satay dripping in peanutbutter sauces and fruit platters that almost looked too pretty to eat ……. almost!!  Thai meals are served in true asian style – the whole meal is placed on the table at once like the Indian Thali.  My kind of eating – lots of different dishes to pick at.  The food is well balanced, light, colourful and extremely tasty.  Like Kobus – from Sardines on Toast – I too am bit – soup and stewed out, this coupled with Nina’s first cooking challenge http://www.my-easy-cooking.com/p/my-easy-cooking-event-1-thai.html has really gotten me in the mood for fresh crunchy food to restore some vitality and energy.  I have a whole meal for you and  I will post all four dishes over the next four days ……… the menu is as follows:

 

 

Fresh Prawn Spring Rolls

Thai Fish Cakes

Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce

Satay Chicken

Egg fried Rice

Spicey Coconut Milk Rice Pudding

 

I will start with the fresh spring rolls – what a win!!! No cooking involved – so a bit of chopping, slicing and dicing and Walla they are on the plate.

 

  

Ingredients for the fresh Spring Rolls

1 packet of Woolworths cooked and de-veined pink prawns (remove the tails)

1 carrot cut into fine battons

1 tbl spoon of lime zest

10 fresh basil leaves

1 tbls spoon of chopped coriander

50g of dried vermicelli rice noodles

10 dried rice paper wrappers

 

   

 

soak your vermicelli noodles in enough boiling water to cover them for about 20 minutes

Drain them and set them aside in a bowl.

     

Prepare a large bowl of luke warm water

Take a spring roll wrapper and submerge it in the water for about 2 minutes – until slightly

softened.  When you remove it – it will still be slightly firm – don’t worry because it will continue to softe

as you work with it.

 

 

 

 

 

Place the wet wrapper on a board and  place 3 prawns just below the centre.

 

 

Place a basil leaf on top of the prawns – you could substitute this with coriander if you

like or even use both.

 

 

Place some chopped carrot sticks on top of the basil

 

 

 

Sprinkle with the grated lemon zest

 

 

 

Top with some vermicelli rice noodles

 

Spoon over a little of the dipping sauce

To fold : Bring the bottom of the wrapper up first

Then fold in the two sided

Then roll up and place on your serving platter.

 

As you can see – this could not be easier and the filling combo’s are endless.

Many people don’t like the traditional Japanese Nori (seaweed) sheets – you could replace

them with a Thai Rice paper wrapper!!  I am busy cooking some pork today to try another

combination !!!

 

Now for the dipping sauce – which I guess is the authentic version of what we buy

in bottles known as sweet chilli sauce.  It’s uber tasty and again – takes just a few moments

to put together – it will last a few days too – so it improves with a wee

bit of age.

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup of water

2tbl spoons of caramel sugar – i used Demarerra sugar

2Tbl fish sauce

1 Tbl white wine vinegar

1 small red chilli – de-seeded and finely chopped

1Tbl chopped coriander.

 

 

 

 

Slice the chilli open and using the back of a spoon remove the seeds and chop finely

Chop the coriander

In a small bowl combine the sugar – water and fish sauce and mix until the sugar has dissolved.

Add the chopped coriander and chilli and you have a dipping sauce

 

 

 

Tomorrow i shall post the Fish Cake Recipe.

Buon Appetito

Jan

xx 

 

 

I should probably apologise to all South Africans in advance because the weather is going to take a drastic turn. It will snow in Durban and the waves will be lapping along the base of Table Mountain. As you well know – I am not exactly a dab hand at baking. In fact – I very rarely peek my head into the oven. Cath from Vinatics suggested that maybe I should have a go at their challenge this month, so off I sped to have a look at what I would be cooking.

 

 

My eyes ran down the list – Smoked Salmon and Goats’ Cheese Mousse – nah! Camembert Parcels with preserved Figs and Thyme – nah – Smoked Fish Pie sounded great but where would I purchase some decent smoked fish here in the Hinterland aka. Durban, Springbok Carpaccio with Strawberry drizzle would be a walk in the park as I could locate the Springbok easily from Wild Meats,   Lamb Knuckles in Tomatoes and Red Wine – now that sounds awesome, right up my street and then I stopped dead in my tracks at the next recipe on the list, Dark Chocolate Fondant with Warm Cinnamon Cherries – over my dead body I thought and had a quick internal chuckle at myself!! I don’t even own a scale and the recipe requires 200g of this and 200g of that.

 

I was having this internal dialogue but reading the recipe out aloud and – my eavesdropping, nosy parker – son of satan – child Max overheard my mumblings. “Chocolate Fondant Mum – YOU are making CHOCOLATE FONDANT!.” He laughed a mocking, more evil than Evil laugh!!!   The front door banged quite loudly as I left to go and buy a scale…….

 

 

 

Chocolate Fondant

50g melted butter for brushing

cocoa powder for dusting

200g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

200g butter, in small pieces

200ggolden caster sugar

5eggs

200g plain flour

2egg yolks

 

 

     

 

   

 

Note the uber sexy scale!!!

 

Using upward strokes, brush the melted butter all over the inside of the pudding mould.

Place the mould into the fridge or freezer.

Brush a second coating of melted butter over the chilled butter, and add a teaspoon of cocoa powder into the mould.

Tip the mould so the powder coats the butter.

Shake any excess cocoa back into the jar.

 

 

Place a bowl over a pan of simmering water and slowly melt the chocolate and butter.

Remove bowl from the heat and stir until smooth.

Leave to cool for 10 mins.

 

 

 

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and light yellow (to ribbon stage).

Then sift the flour into the eggs and beat together.

 

 

 

Add chocolate slowly into the egg mixture stirring until well combined.
   
Pour the fondant batter evenly into the moulds.

 

 

 

 

Chill for at least 30 mins before baking.

The fondants can be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen.

To bake from frozen,add an extra 5 mins to the cooking time.
   
Heat oven to 200º

Place the fondants on a baking tray and cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and are starting to come away from the sides of the moulds.

Remove from oven and leave to sit for 1 min before turning them out.
   
Loosen the fondants by gently moving the tops.

Place the fondant in the middle of the plate and serve with either vanilla pod whipped cream or ice cream.

 

 

  

  

Serving suggestion:

Take one tin of black cherries and place in a pot.

Add one teaspoon cinammon and one star anise and cook on medium for 10 minutes.

Serve on the side.

 

Note:  You will notice that I used 200g of Intense Orange dark chocolate!

I bought these by mistake (Max’s fault entirely) – so the black cherry sauce didn’t appeal to me

 with such a strong orange flavour.   I made some candied orange peel to garnish my Chocolate Fondants

with. 

 

 

 

 

To make candied orange peel:

 

Using a zester – remove the zest of one orange

Place on the stove in a pot of cold water and bring to the boil.

Allow to boil for one minute then remove and drain the water

Repeat this process three times.

 

Place 1/2 cup of sugar and about 3 tbl spoons of Cointreau – I only had Drambuie

to hand so used that – but Cointreau, being an orange liquer would be

much nicer.

 

Once the sugar has dissolved – add the orange peel and allow to boil

for about 10 minutes.

 

Remove the orange peel and cool on a piece of greaseproof paper – or a silicone

sheet if you have one.

 

Spoon a little of the syrup over the fondant and garnish

with some candied peel.  Serve with a good dollop of thick cream.

 

 

 

I tried desparately to get a bottle of Spier’s Private Collection 2007 Cabinet Sauvignon …

alas to no avail!!

 

I have managed to get hold of the rep who sells Spier wines – and hopefully

she will be able to locate a bottle in KZN for me.

 

I have 4 of these chocolate beauties waiting for the wine in my fridge.

I shall report my findings once I have had the pleasure of

tasting the two together!

 

The moral of the story is : When pi**ed off with offspring DO NOT SHOP !!!!!

 

 

Have a great weekend.

 

Buon appetito

 

xxxx

jan

 

 

When Max asked me what was for dinner and I responded brown onion soup – my menu was met with complete and utter silence. I could see his meningis working like an abacus and he was choosing his words very carefully. “Brown ONION soup???” he said with the diction of Richard Burton. Hubby’s response was not much different but did include some interesting facial distortions.   I had never made this soup before – but after Trish Deseine lovingly assembled the dish on her TV show – I was smitten. Who can resist the aroma of onions browning on the stove? To me, onions are not just onions – they are one third of the kitchen holy trinity – our lives would dull and shallow without them.   That sweet smell proffering the promise of taste bud perfection has often driven me to gluttony. Perhaps – I shall write an Ode to an Onion.

The Italian history books claim that Catherine of Medici – took the ancient Tuscan recipe for Zuppa di Cipolle to France in the year 1533 when she went to France to marry Enrico II d’Orleans!! I wonder what the French would say to that claim. Indeed what is certain is that this is a Renaissance recipe.  My research reveals that French legend would have it that Louis xv – late one night, found himself at his hunting lodge with only onions, butter and champagne. Et Voila – the first French rendition of this dish. Both the French and the Italians do seem to agree though –that this dish was more likely born out of poverty – a few onions, some bread and cheese – being the staple foods of the lower classes oft poverty stricken. No matter the origins of this humble soup, it’s a gastronomic giant in my book.

This soup “looked” great on the television – but when I made it – oh WOW!!! It’s not often that a recipe delivers such a punchy reward. I have altered her recipe just a wee bit – to suit my fancy and to yield more than two portions of soup.   This recipe is impossibly great – and as Trish says – the French reach for their onion bags when suffering from a hang-over. I haven’t put this theory to the test – but I will.   The Italian recipes that I researched are from the Renaissance – how fitting – when one’s head is bouncing around like the tennis ball at the end of a 70’s swing ball , the morning after the night before – a bowl of Onion soup is just the trigger for re-birth!!!

 

Ingredients

150g butter
8 – 10 nice big onions finely sliced
2 cloves of crushed garlic
200ml red wine – i used a 2007 Landskroon Cabernet Sauvignon
400ml beef stock
6 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 baguette or french loaf
150g grated gruyere cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

In a nice heavy bottomed pot melt your butter

Add the finely sliced onions and crushed garlic and fry them slowly on a moderate heat in the butter until they

Are nice and soft – whatever you do DON’T let them crisp – you are looking for

soft onions – this will take at least 15 minutes

so pour yourself a nice glass of red wine and put on your ‘fave’ music and gently stir away while you enjoy

your tipple.

 

 

 

 

Add the wine – the beef stock – the thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil.

As soon as it starts to boil reduce your heat – pour another glass of wine and relax for

About 40 minutes giving it a stir every now and then.

 

Taste for seasoning – i like to add freshly ground black pepper.

 

  

Cut some nice rustic chunky slices of bread and toast them on both sides – if you really like

Your garlic – as we do – rub a clove of garlic over one side of the toasted bread.

 

 

  

Top each slice of bread and grill until the cheese starts to bubble and brown slightly.

 

  

Serve your soup with a slice of cheesy bread.

 

 

Traditionally – you should put your soup into oven-proof bowls and top with the toasted bread – and grated

Gruyere cheese – and then place it under the grill. My soup plates are not oven proof so I had to

serve as stated above.

 

Monique – could not believe that this soup didn’t have meat in it!!

 

It’s meaty and sweet and oniony with a hint of sweetness you get from

It’s halo of bubbling gruyere cheese.

 

 

 

 

I would say that it would be well worth getting completely sozzled to put this recipe to the test!!!

 

Let me know if you do ……….. But – don’t drink and drive!!!!

 

Buon Appetito!

xxx

jan

 

 

 

© Janice Tripepi 2009 – 2010

 

Sakhithemba YMCA near Illovo is not a pretty place.  It seems that it’s been easy to forget that this family of around 79 youngsters even exists.  Being a YMCA – the ages are supposed to range from around 18 to 20 something.  Well we found little ones of around 4 and every other age inbetween.  Armed with, not one but TWO Garmins – we were lost!  We did so many u-turns that I am  not sure whether we were north or south of Durban.  Sizwe, the social worker / guardian angel of Sakhithemba eventually told us to stay put – and watch out for the gold golf!!!!  Along came the “gold golf” like a charging baby elephant with faces and arms hanging out of the windows – waving, hooting and flashing million dollar smiles.

  

I have a whole sheet of sad and scary statistics next to me – I keep typing them and erasing them.  Let’s just say that Sakhithemba needs lots of help.  Many of the children living there do not go to school – for one reason only – and that reason is that they just don’t have school uniforms.  The R6000-ish a month that they receive has to feed about 80 people a day! 

  

We chose to spend our 67 minutes working together as a family - this made the shopping, cooking and organising much easier.  Our mission started on Saturday morning when we “hit” everfresh – early bells!  Our sincere gratitude to Gilbert Rocha of Everfresh in Cowey Centre Durban for giving us a discount on our purchase.  Out we waddled – trolleys laden with – pasta, oranges, huuuuuuge tins of peeled tomatoes, onions, carrots, etc etc etc. 

  

  

   

 

 

 

With the aid of Thando – we managed to get two of the three stoves working!

 

 

 

 

Lilly, Casey and I turned the 8kg’s of mince into 3 humungous pots of tasty bolognaise sauce.

Pasta really does make our world turn around.  We bought 12 dozen rolls – and still added in some more loaves

to this yesterday.   

 

 

Is this not the most awesome pot in the world!!!

 

 

 We swapped pots around and sent Max and Sandro off to find some gas. 

While we got busy in the kitchen all the guys went off to play soccer – a mini Bafana Bafana vs. Italy tournament

left our new biiiiig family – mucho hungry!!!  We didn’t anticipate the nightmare in the kitchen so

it took us a while to get the whole meal cooked – all we had to do was heat the sauce and cook the pasta!!

Their rather fantastic pot – took 20 packets of pasta!!!!!!!!

It’s the bigges pot that I have ever seen!!!

 

 

 

 

We had just so much fun!!!!

 

   

 

Not the best football pitch – THE ONLY FOOTBALL PITCH!

 

 

 

 

We had the most wonderful day – eventually we managed to sort everything out!

Casey and Milanka armed with their serving  spoons – ready for the “never ending” line. 

 

 

 

 

Sizwe (their social worker) enjoying his plate of pasta.

 

 

Milanka & Lesley-Anne (Myburg) baked up a storm! Sakhithemba doesn’t have a hall – so church

services and meals are all conduted outside.  If anyone has a hall to spare out there

please contact me!  Everyone got a birthday candle – and we all sang a hearty

happy birthday to Madiba.  It would be hard to describe the excitement when the

cake came out – lots of little smiling faces and big wide eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

We are so grateful for the abundance we have as a family  and the opportunity such a day as this

gives us to share and enjoy it with those who don’t have quite as much.

It is my belief that we adults are the guardians of every single child on this earth.

and in the words of our beloved Madiba,

 

“The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children”

 

Happy Birthday Madiba.

 

We are eternally grateful for your lesson.

 

xxxx

 

jan

 

PS: should any of you require the recipe for bolognaise for 100 people – send me a message.  But here

is Riccardo’s very own – Spaghetti Bolognaise recipe – and it’s delish!!!!!

 

 

 

Sometimes fate smiles big cheesy grins down on one! Today is one such day. It’s a big cheesy grin day!!! Not only am I on an aeroplane bound for the inimitable Cape Town, but – my Kulula flight number … has been replaced by British Airways flight BA610. As always, my intention was to feed back to you the “food” situation on my flight as I did when Kulula changed their in-flight caterers to Woolworths – see here. Most of you are aware that I am tasked with the “job” (hahaha …. What a joke!) of reviewing restaurants in the warmest destination at the moment – KwaZulu-Natal. Now, anyone who knows me will understand that when I get my teeth into something – and this “something” involves food – I am deadly serious.

 

After takeoff – I enquired with Amelia, our Cabin Controller, as to what would happen with the food situation seeing as this flight was no longer a Kulula Airlines flight – what would happen now ……..with regards to the food???? With panic welling in my well trained and regularly fed tum- my query was swiftly swept up and  – with the elegance and professionalism that ONLY A FLIGHT ATTENDANT can waft over a situation – my world turned all pink and fluffy.

 

Eager to share her food knowledge – and seeing as there was no other passenger in business class – Amelia whisked me down the aisle to that “special place” – BUSINESS CLASS.  It’s 12hrs24 and lunch time. I have an ice cold glass of Pecan Stream Sauvignon Blanc….. And am going to taste the following wines with two different focaccia:

 

Deetlefs Chard 2007

Deetlefs Shiraz 2007

Pecan Stream Pebble Hill 2007 – a Red Blend

 

With the following:

 

 

A toasted focaccia of roasted zucchini, red peppers, green peppers and carrot beautifully swathed

 in sweet chili sauce

 

 

A toasted focaccia of pan fried filletsteak with whole grain mustard and caramelised onions

 

 

A Green salad and a Simonsberg cheese plate.

 

 

In the interests of the food Gods – I shall endeavour to pair the lunchtime menu with the wines on offer and give

you some constructive feedback.

 

 

The toasted focaccia of roasted zucchini, red peppers, green peppers and carrot in sweet chili sauce washed down with the Peacan Stream sauvignon blanc – absolutely delicious!!!! – the airline describes this as a foccacia – it’s not really a propper focaccia – the bread should have some woody herbs such as rosemary on the top and it lacks the oily texture of a foccacia!!! But delicious with the sauvignon blanc – which cuts through the roasted veggies very nicely. This is obviously the vegetarian option – and the one I would definately have gone for.  It’s on plate – visual appeal scores high.

 

The  toasted  pan fried steak focaccia with whole grain mustard and caramelised onions with a glass of Shiraz – hmmm … the meat is a bit dry, which is a pity as if it were cooked a little less the meat would still release some juices into the focaccia and it would probably be a bit easier to eat – but I will admit that the caramelised onions next to the whole grain mustard eats very nicely – but my overall impression is “dry” – I really need the glass of Shiraz to get it all down – which, (the shiraz) has really deep – caramel flavours – even the bouquet brings images of warm shards of caramelised sugar into my mind’s eye. Really delicious!!!

 

 

 

 

Call me old fashioned but I am of the Ilk that decrees that bread should either have butter on it or perhaps have been dipped into the meat PAN juices or even (yuck) margarine!!! The foccacia – is dry and bereft of moisture – NOW – I understand the logistics and difficulty of preparing food – packaging it – then transporting it to an airport – loading it onto an aeroplane – then taking off – and evennnnnnnnnnnnnnntually serving it – is a helluva long journey. So PEOPLE WHO PREPARE FOOD FOR PASSENGERS – put a little butter or margarine on the bread. I can hear AA Milne’s “The Kings’ Breakfast” poem ringing in the back of my head- “Could we have some butter for the royal slice of bread?”.

 

 If you are not going to butter the bread LSG Catering – at least toast the other side of the bread – the inside – in an attempt to retain SOME of the moisture. No – actually PUT BUTTER ON THE BREAD – SINCE WHEN do we serve ANY form of sandwich with no butter!!!!  It’s just not on!!

 

 

Right – now for the salad and cheese plate. What would normally happen is that said passenger would select one of the two focaccia above and this would be served with the salad and cheese plate on one tray i.e. One meal – focaccia, salad and cheese plate. So essentially the cheese plate is an after lunch – quite rightly so – and we so SHOULD BE SHOWCASING our wonderful South African cheeses. I am delighted to share the Simonsberg cheeses and some chardonnay with you.

 

We have Simonsberg Blue cheese – I loaded up a Pyotts digestive biscuit with blue cheese and the glace fig – oh choirs of angels!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

Chevin Pepper cheese – ok I need another biscuit – two biscuits in a packet – 3 cheeses!!! The requisite amount of cheese on a cheese board or platter is 3 – so people of Pyotts – give the passenger 3 biscuits please! Having said this – load up a digestive Pyotts with this chevin – some dried pear – and a “sip” of chardonnay to wash it down – pure heaven.The chevin was really delicious and creamy.

 

 

Wensdale (?) – Cranberry cheese – this I had on its own – creamy fruity lovely!!! A wee bit crumbly to manage on a plane perhaps?

 

 

 

Wow – the salad is AWESOME!! Thistlewood olive oil and Balsamic vinegar dressing is a total winner – my hubby Riccardo would be in heaven with this – and olives with no pips – AWESOME!  I enjoyed my little piece of dreamy Lindt chocolate

 

 

 

I MUST mention at this point – that I am mightily impressed at the initiative and poise of Amelia our Cabin Controller here.  Seeing as the business class cabin was empty I did not feel that my presence was disruptive or “unfair” –  I am not exactly Gordon Ramsey (well, I am definately not him) or Nigella Lawson – but at the mere mention of my mission and dilemma – I was whisked to the front of the plane and enjoyed my discussions with her regarding all aspects of the meal and wine on offer.  I feel as if Iam the only passenger that has flown business class on Khulula airlines!!!  I phoned British Airways to find our for you what the cost of a business class air ticket is from Durban to Cape Town – you have two options – R2086,00 one way with class restrictions and R2336.00 with no restrictions.  To Khulula Airlines  – I am sure that you appreciate the wonderful ambassadors that the in-flight staff of BA are for your airline.   Overall – a great lunch – all that I really would press for is the mere addition of a little butter on the focaccia and perhaps, maybe, get George Clooney to serve it to me!

 

The passengers seated in the economy class section were given a “Kulula Snack Pack” which is provided by Woolworths. 

 

This snack pack replaces the normal prepacked Woolies Sandwich – which would be on offer. They were unavailable due to a problem with the Woolworths factory!  I don’t mind telling you that this is not the first time

that I have flown – business class on British Airways – they are consistenly professional and make ALL of their

passengers feel special.

 

 

I was in little Janice heaven though!! Like I say – ONE BIG CHEESY GRIN OF A DAY!!!

  

 My madumbis – this is great!!! No – this is an elegant sufficiency!

 

Ciao For Now!!

 

I wrote this last wednesday 7 July 2010 – I am back in Durban – worked my little

A### off – had some awesome meals in Cape Town – hear all about Hassar’s in Seapoint – The Slug

and Lettuce and an UUUUUUUUUUUBER sexy spot in 15 on Orange ….. this is the gwachi of the hotel world people. Annnd i have a fab bacon and bean soup recipe – to share and loads more!!!!

 

Domani!!!

 

xxxx

jan

 

I have been making this dish for many years now and I believe that there are a few rules that, if followed, will ensure a tasty result that is packed with all the flavours you would expect from such a classic dish that should deliver high on the texture scale as well.   Steak Tartar is not for the feint hearted – let’s face it, them Tartars were roguish fiends combing the countryside eager to find villages to plunder ravage and massacre.   This is big boy food – that will set the wannabe gourmands aside from the bona fide – 100% – balls of steel Gourmands.

 

I first tasted this delicacy when I met my husband. The Tripepi family lived in the Belgian Congo for many years.   I suppose that it stands to reason that this is where they inherited many of their rather un-Italian dishes. French and Belgian traditional dishes got thrown in the melting pot of Italian food and I will share some more of the hybrids as we go along. They insist that “Fillet Americain” (as it resembles an American Burger when served) should be served with shoe string pommes frites (that’s tjips for the rest of us) and salad that is almost impossibly fresh, and I totally agree with this at least.   I followed their recipe for years but found that as my confidence and experience in the kitchen grew – so did my ability to adapt and improve (or so I like to think) their fabulous recipes.  There are many different adaptations of “tartare” that we encounter today – salmon tartare – lamb tartare and such and even the recipe I posted recently to celebrate the South Afrca vs. Mexico football match – namely my Mexican Ceviche recipe.

 

I don’t buy minced topside – or even minced fillet as I was taught. Instead I buy a whole fillet and allow it to age for at least four days before I use it. And when I do – it’s been left out of the fridge for a day – and is at room temperature. It must be hand chopped thus avoiding a paste like texture – not even a food processor can achieve this. So – pour yourself a great big fabulous glass of wine – assemble the ingredients, put on your favourite cd and get busy creating.

 

This is the very first time that I have managed to partake in another bloggers challenge!!

Tandy of Lavender & Lime fame –  darling I am useless at baking – so the Malva Pudding challengs – Haibo!!

But here’s my recipe using your three – ingredients, namely garlic

anchovy and capers -  Screams Steak Tartare to me!!!

 

Fillet Americain – Steak Tartare

 

 

Ingredients

 

2 Tbs parsley

2 Tbs Capers

2 tbs red onion

2 anchovy fillets

1 clove garlic

salt

pepper

Worcester Sauce

Lea  Perrins Pepper Sauce or Tobasco Sauce

1 large lemon

about 300 g beef fillet

1 Tbs Dijon mustard

1 egg yolk – per person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice your fillet into about 1cm slices.

Remove all visible sinew with a sharp knife.

Chop each slice up finely (this is where a good glass of your favourite wine

and the CD come in handy)

Set this aside in a bowl.

 

 

 

 

Finely chop your capers – garlic – parsley – red onion and anchovies.

 

 

 

 

In a separate bowl – add the 1 Tbs of Dijon mustard and the juice of the lemon and whisk.

Then add about 6 tbs of Worcester Sauce and 4 of Pepper Sauce

Add the salt and pepper – and all of your chopped ingredients ie.

the parsley, red onion, garlic, capers and anchovies.

 

Give this spicey and lemony mixture a taste and adjust for seasoning.

 

 

 

Add this mixture to your finely chopped beef fillet, give it a good stir

and leave it to rest for about 15 minutes.

 

Taste the Tartare and adjust your seasoning. 

 

Place a mound in the centre of each dinner plate and make a well

in the top of each one – into which – you pop a fresh organic egg yolk.

A good grinding of black pepper to garnish and you are in for a real treat!

 

 

 

Now remember – this dish is for bravehearts only – so I wouldn’t spring a

Steak Tartare surpise on unsuspecting dinner party guests.  

The Tripepi boys just love this dish but

go Gahle (zulu: pronounced gar – shley : slow) with guests!!

 

 I served crumbed veal chops for Claudio and Amber last night – couldn’t force raw

meat on the poor things could I?

 

Do serve nice hot thinly cut chips (real chips not those wannabee - wallpaper glue frozen  chips – thingys)

and a crunchy green salad.

 

 

Yumm!!!!

 

I may go a wee bit quiet (I can hear cheers from Tricky Ricky and Max!) for a week or so for

I am off to spend some time with Daniele my eldest son in Cape Town!!

 

I am on a mission to visit some foodie spots and seek out new and exciting restaurants and

food markets (The Biscuit Tin?) and such.  I seem to remember Big Joe

mentioning some very interesting spots!

 

 My trusty little camera and laptop are coming

with me so – watch this spot!!

 

 

Maybe a wine farm!! 

 

If any of you have any suggestions please let me know – I shall be “molto felice” –

40 happy !!!!!

 

Bubbles has been a floating Player NO 23 for many different football teams for the last month or so

and is frankly – quite exhausted.  The madam can be found – these days – LOLLING

in her basket – recharging her canine Batteries.

 

Most unladylike – But we do love our Bubbles!

 

     

 

 

So have a WONDERFUL week filled with laughter and cheesy grins!!!

 

Buon Appetito!!

 

xxx

jan

 

PS: goooooooooooooooooooOOOOOOO NEDERLANDS – I am delighted to say that the curse of

the Tokoloshe has been lifted and my team of the mo WON!!!!!!

 

HUP HUPHUUUUUUUUP NEDERLANDS!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun is shining brightly in Durban today and I can guarantee you that the Fan Park down on Durban’s Golden Mile will be overflowing with happy smiley football supporters – like champagne from a shaken magnum of Moet at a Formual 1 Grand Prix prize giving!!!   Argentina vs Germany is gonna rock!!!  I could cry for Ghana though – oh for heavens sake!!!!  Max has the right idea – football !!!(the beautiful game???) should have such a disciplinary action  as a penalty goal.  Uruguay pushes the ball out of the goal – Ghana gets a penalty – AND MISSES ……….. this is just ludicrous!!!  The original infringement should constitute a “penalty goal” to the opposition.  BASTA!!!! FINITO!!!!   Africa was the loser in that game – THE WHOLE CONTINENT LOST!!! ………… porca mizeria.  I do believe that the sale of Panado’s and such must have gone through the roof this world cup.

 

So – the William twins are being fined $4000,00  EACH – for missing the press conference after they lost the Wimbledon doubles quarter final !!! Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaa – naughty naughty!!!  They clearly don’t cope too well with losing do they!!!!  Paris Hilton  was allegedly escorted from the Nelson Mandela Stadium in PE – for either being in possession of or  smoking marijuana during the match and later released.    Now PARIS DARLING – stop making the ENTIRE BLONDE WORLD look like a bunch of dooses.  I guess we know what fills up at least 1 of your 13 Louis Vuitton cases that you drag around the world with you…. hehehe!!!  Check the full story here on News24

 

Today see’s the Ladies Final @ Wimbledon.  I just love this titanic tennis tournament!  The late Tripepi Nonni  eagerly awaited Wimbledon every single year.  They would ready themselves in the lounge – drinks ready  - lunch ready and waiting in the kitchen – strawberries (her simple  recipe for these ruby red beauties is AMA-ZING!!! I  promise to post it as soon as i can find some tasty juicy strawberries!) ready and  soaking up their boozy marinade. 

 

The Nonni didn’t move!!! Fow two whole weeks they plonked themselves in their lounge for a fiesta of tennis.  When they lived in the Belgian Congo they both donned their whites and played tennis at the local tennis club and enjoyed a whisky or two afterwards.  Ever the socialites and colonials.  They would regale us with fabulous stories about those wonderful days in the Belgian Congo.   I shall have to see if I can dig up some photographs and post them!!!  What a laugh!!

 

How sad is the news of poor Jennifer Capriati?  She was just too young when she shot (scuze the pun) to fame.  I hope that she gets a grip (oh stop Janice) on herself soon.  Rafael Nadal faces Tomas Berdych in the final on Sunday and Serena (the titanic) Williams faces the poor Vera Svonareva ………. Haibo!!!!! in the Ladies final this afternoon –  I would be scared if I were you, Vera!!  Go VEra Go VERAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA …….. give it you best shot!!!!

 

I searched Woolies and Everfresh etc. for some juicy strawberries to celebrate Wimbledon and show you Nonna’s recipe.  No luck I am afraid!!!!  So my second best – and just a tasty – is this recipe that celebrates another English icon, Rhubarb.  I really love rhubarb and bought this plump fresh bunch at the Shongweni Market last weekend.   I had intended it to be stewed in champagne for a rhubarb crumble but one can hardly serve that in the middle of the afternoon with a glass of champagne whilst watching Wimbledon.  These dainties will go down very well whilst watching a Wimbledon Final !!  So in memory of dear Nonna and Nonno – two of Wimbledon’s most devoted supporters  (they pronounced it – Wimbly – don) – I proffer this quick and easy Rhubarb & Ginger Dainties recipe. 

 

For all of the tennis match times, statistics  and goola around the Men’s and Women’s Wimbledon Finals check out Sport24 here.  If you are in need of some a lot more heart warming pop over here to get my recipe for a  hot crumble with rhubarb and berries poached in a fab Woolies Noble late harvest and ginger – slathered in hot custard or cream. 

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

1 large bunch of rhubarb washed and quartered

3 LARGE  ginger biscuits (bashed to make crumbs in a plastic bag)

 

I used Woolies ginger biscuits which are huge – so i would say 6 - 8 normal little ginger biscuits.

 

 

3 tbl Woolworths thick cream

3 tbl creme fraiche or marscarpone

3 tbls of icing sugar

 

 

 

 

 

Wash your rhubarb and cut into quarters (as you can see I cut mine into 1/3′s – quarters

will be much better)

lay them in an oven-proof dish and sprinkle them with vanilla or plain castor sugar

and bake at 180d for 30 minutes.  Don’t add any liquid – this way your rhubarb – which will leech out

some lovely juices will remain whole and not end up a bowl of stringy bits in juice.

 

 

 

 

 

When you remove the rhubarb from the oven – turn the rhubarb over with

a spatula and cover the dish with tin foil and leave to cool for about 30minutes.

 

This allows the rhubarb to rest and release all it’s pretty pink juices.

 

 

 

Voila!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line up your glasses – i used Turkish Coffee glasses, you could use wine glasses or brandy

bowls – just adjust your quantites accordingly as you will need more filling if you use

larger glasses.

 

In a plastic bag – bash 3 – 4 large ginger biscuits (6 small ones) until they are crumbs of varying sizes.

 

 

In a glass bowl – place 3 tbls of Creme Fraiche and 3tbls  of Double thick cream

and 3 tbls of icing sugar and combine – the mixture is going to go a bit runny when you do this

but put it back into the fridge for 20 minutes and it thickens up again nicely.

 

 

Now for the assembly of these little dainties

 

First – 1 tsp of ginger biscuits

 

 

Second – pipe in some of your cream mixture

 

 

 

 

 

Third – some rhubarb and some of the sweet pink juices

 

 

 

 

Four – pipe in another layer of cream

 

 

 

Lastly – garnish the top with a sprinkle of ginger dust!!!

 

This recipe makes 6.

 

Yummmmmm …..

 

 

Refrigerate and bring them out during the tennis or soccer for

a sweet treat!!!!

 

 

Enjoy Wimbly-don!!!

 

Buon Appetito!!!

 

xxxx

jan