Wild about Salad

June 30, 2014 by TSJC 1 Comment

This earthy meaty vegetarian salad has loads of flavour and punch and will leave you feeling like you have eaten a real meal.

Wild Musrhoom, Halloumi & Cashew Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients
– 150gms assorted wild mushrooms
– 200gms Gourmet Greek Garlic Halloumi, cut into 0,5 x 0,5 cm cubes
– 8 small salad onions, cut into fine strips
– 40gms baby rocket
– 100gms raw cashew nuts
– 1/2 red pepper cut into fine strips
– 1cm piece fresh tumeric (optional) finely grated

To assemble the salad, pick through the mushrooms and wipe clean. If there are any bigger shitake or shimeji mushrooms that are too big just slice them into smaller pieces, now in a bowl big enough to fit the mushrooms, add 2tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil and 1tbsp black balsamic. Add the mushrooms to this mixture and toss to coat.

Heat a heavy based frying pan over high heat, add 1tbsp olive oil. When it is smoking hot add the tiny halloumi chunks, don’t move them once you have added them, allow them to caramelise as quickly as possible, then flip them so the brown on the other side. Don’t fuss too much about trying to brown all sides, as long as you allow the halloumi to get a nice crust on one side it will taste amazing. As soon as it is caramelised tip it onto a board and allow it too cool. If the little chunks have stuck together allow the mixture to cool for a minute or two and then just cut it into cubes again – its molten cheese doesn’t matter how it looks it tastes good!

Now finish assembling the salad. Drain the mushroom from any extra marinade and top the rocket. Sprinkle the now warm cubes of halloumi over, add the spring onions, cashew nuts and red pepper strips. If you are using the fresh tumeric grate it over the top at this stage, use a microplane type grater or the pieces could be bitter! Dress with balsamic and De Rustica Olive oil to your taste.

Spicy Thai Tuna Cakes (Carb & Fat Free)

June 25, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

I was in the supermarket last night getting sole groceries and I overheard two guys talking after gym. The conversation revolved around how the one guy thought that tuna eaten straight out the can with some scrambled egg whites was the best meal for his gym program — why because it is quick easy protein.

The idea is pretty revolting to me so I gave it some thought and here is my response, fat free, carb free, super high protein Spicey Thai Fish Cakes, made in less than 10-minutes, and they taste much better than tuna out of a can with scrambled egg whites! Diet is a way of life, and trust me you will happily make these a part of your life!

Spicey Thai Tuna Cakes

Makes 4

Ingredients

– 1 can solid tuna drained

– 1 spring onion, finely chopped

– 2 tsp coriander, finely chopped

– 1 red eye chili, finely chopped

– 2 egg whites

– 1/4tsp ginger, finely chopped

– 1 tsp soya sauce

– 1 tsp red curry paste

In a large bowl add all the ingredients and stir till just combined. In a separate clean bowl whisk the egg whites till stiff. Heat a frying pan that has been brushed with olive oil. Fold the tuna mixture into the egg whites and combine lightly. Scoop four mounds into the hot pan and let them brown. At least 2-3 minutes before you try and turn the fish cake over, it doesn’t have any binding agents so the cake will break apart if you don’t let it set first. Eat with a little soya sauce as a dipping sauce.

Grilled Halloumi & Chicken Stack

May 29, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

As you all know I am a big fan of The Gourmet Greek, their Greek Yoghurt has become a major part in my cooking. And of course their halloumi is no different, with a delicious creamy flavour and light salty tang made from only the best milk what could be wrong with it.

Grilled Halloumi & Chicken Stack
Serves 4

Ingredients
– 4 large free range chicken breasts
– 2tbsp olive oil
– 1 tsp fresh crushed garlic
– 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
– salt & pepper
– 100gms sun dried tomato, in oil
– 80gms baby spinach leaves
– 20gms English parsley, roughly torn
– 250gms halloumi, cut into 0.5cm thin slices

Start by cutting your chicken breasts in half length ways and then under a sheet of cling wrap flatten them a meat mallet or rolling pin, be careful not to tear them. Once they are all flattened add the garlic and olive oil and let stand while you prepare everything else. Heat a non-stick frying pan and then add the halloumi, make sure its nice a hot or else it will melt before it browns. Once it has caramelised, flip it, remove and set aside. Add the chicken breasts to the pan, don’t overcrowd the pan you want the breasts to brown. Because you have flattened them they cook in about 2-3 minutes maximum per side. Once you turn the breast add the balsamic to the pan, it will caremelise and add a great sweet acidity to the dish. When the breasts are cooked you can assemble the dish.

Start with a layer of baby spinach, then chicken, sun dried tomato, halloumi some of the parsley and then repeat. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

A Visual feast

May 24, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

I said yesterday that great ingredients do a lot of the hard work of being a great chef for you, and this incredible salad is the perfect example. With basically five ingredients on the plate and minimum fuss you can create something visually spectacular and the flavours are incredible.

Warm honey candied candy stripe beetroot, roasted hazelnuts, grilled goats cheese, an organic baby salad leaves, capers and an earthy dressing made with lemon juice and finely sliced fresh turmeric. The entire salad is made up of organic and free range ingredients and took about 25 minutes to assemble and would make any cook look like a skilled chef. Either you love or hate goats cheese, if its flavours don’t work for you swop it for grilled Brie or Camembert but don’t miss out on all the other great ingredients.

Candied Candy Stripe Salad with Goats Cheese
Serves 4

Ingredients

– 1 piece Buchette [A soft rinded aged goats milk cheese] – I used the Pepe Charlot it was great
– 60gms organic baby leaf salad
– 4 candy striped beetroot
– 1 tbsp clear honey
– 2tbsp lemon juice

– 4tbsp olive oil
– 2,5 cm piece fresh tumeric, peeled and finely sliced
– 60gms roasted blanched hazelnuts
– 3 tsp capers

To start peel and boil your beet root. The beet root should be tender but not soft. Remove from water and slice into thick slices whislt still hot. Add to a bowl, then add the honey and a squirt of lemon juice. Allow the hot beet root to be coated by the honey, set aside. Pre-heat your grill till red hot, place an oven rack on the highest level possible. Then on a baking sheet place a silicone matt or piece of greasproof paper. Place 12 slices of goats cheese onto the tray, bake the cheese from cold to help it caramelise but still keep its shape. Place in the oven under the grill for about 2-minutes or until just bubbling and lightly golden, remove and set aside.

To make the dressing, add the finely chopped tumeric the lemon juice and olive oil mix add some salt.

To assemble the salad place somesalad leaves on a plate, top them with some of the warm beet root, a few more salad leaves and then the goats cheese. Sprinkle this with a few capers, roasted hazelnuts and a few teaspoons of the lemony dressing. I also drizzled a little of the pink honey juices from the beetroot for a little extra sweetness.

Zesty Tuna Wraps

May 19, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Later this week I am posting my recipe for a truly wicked but ever so simple Bread & Butter pudding so I figured I should balance it out with a carb free, high protein lunch. The Thai people make a dish called Meang-Kum which are little spinach parcels filled with fragrant, sweet, sour, spicey ingredients, it is completely vegetarian. I’ve taken the basic concept of this dish and added the tuna to bulk up on lean protein, but I have kept all the flavours so that the humble tuna is given a real kick, because of the spinach leaves high fibre content you will feel full even though it doesn’t include a carb. If you intend making this for work and wraps are too much hassle, just shred your spinach and make a salad, also it is easier to eat at work, no one wants fishy fingers and a keyboard!

Tuna & Spinach Wraps
Makes 4

Ingredients
– 8 spinach leaves
– 2 cans tuna, drained
– 2 spring onions, finely chopped
– 15gms coriander leaves, rough chopped
– 1/2 red pepper, seeded and sliced
– 2 hot red chili’s, seeded and finely chopped
– 2tbsp lemon juice
– 2tbsp olive oil
– 1tsp honey
– 1cm x 2cm strip of lemon, including the peel (cut the lemon into tiny cubes, leaves the skin on)
– 1cm strip ginger, finely shredded, match sticks

To assemble, rinse the spinach leaves and pat them dry, set them aside. Now drain the tuna and add all the other ingredients, and stir lightly to combine. Place two spinach leaves in an overlapping pattern and then place 1/4 the tuna mixture into the centre of the spinach leaves and gently roll the wraps up.

Ants in a tree!?

May 14, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

When I was a kid growing up in Malawi there was a small Chinese restaurant that we loved, because they used to make a dish called Ants in a Tree. Seriously! You will be pleased to know the dish, in fact, has nothing to do with ants or trees, its only called that because of the way it looks. But as all kids will, we first ordered it because of its weird name, the South African equivalent of a weird name is probably Monkey Gland Sauce (explain that to a tourist). I would suggest using a good quality of coarse ground grass fed beef for this dish. It is perfect if you are on a low carb diet, and if you are on the Banting program whilst the dish is low in fat, you could swop the lean mince for one with more fat. The mince has very few ingredients added to it, but each of them delivers an immense amount of flavour. The original dish that I have tried to remember this from also had finely sliced bamboo shoots, contributing to the tree portion of the name, you can add this for some fresh crunch if you want, I’m not a fan.

Ants In a Tree
Serves 4 (As a starter or 2 as a light meal)

Ingredients
– 500gms (grass fed)beef mince
– 1 onion finely chopped
– 2,5cm piece of fresh garlic (peeled and finely sliced match sticks)
– 3 cloves garlic
– 3 red chili (adjust accodringly, I use 6)
– 1/4 cup light soya sauce
– 2,5 tbsp rough chopped coriander
– 4 tbsp raw peanuts
– 3 tbsp oil
– 1tbsp tomato paste (optional)
– 1 spring onion finely chopped (optional)
– 1 whole lettuce, washed and leaves seperated

In a heavy based frying pan, heat the oil, add the onions, 2 of the chili, the crushed garlic and cook over a medium-high heat until the onions have begun to soften, now add the ginger (reserve some of the pieces to use later), cook till onions are completely soft. Increase the heat to high, add the mince – loosen the mince up and scatter it into the pan so that it can brown). Don’t be temped to stir the mince allow it to begin to brown and caramelise before you stir it, and again once you have stirred it leave it to fry. If you keep mixing the mince it will cool too much and begin to broil, you want the mince to develop a golden colour not grey! After about 8 minutes add the soya sauce and the tomato paste if you are using it. If the mince is dry you can add some water, but do so in batches. You are frying this mince, not boiling it, so add just enough liquid to stop it from sticking. Cook for about 25 minutes in total, till the mince is done. Now add the chopped coriander, peanuts, more fresh chopped chili and the reserved ginger sticks. By adding the same ingredients in two stages, you get two different flavours from the same thing, making this simple dish really punchy. Serve the mince with more fresh ingredients sprinkled over the top with lettuce leaves. If you are using the spring onion sprinkle those on right at the end, you could also serve them on the side, personally I don’t like the strong flavour of onion, it covers the amame of the meat and soya sauce.

This makes a great dinner party starter, serve the mince in one bowl and a platter of lettuce leaves and your guests can make their own parcels, serve extra little bowls of chili, ginger, coriander, peanuts and lemon on the side for your guest to use as garnish to create their own flavours.

For a great variation try this dish with good quality ground pork, the texture is finer, but it is also really good.

Capers

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Capers are the unripened flower buds of capparis spinosa a plant indigenous to the Mediterranean. The buds are plucked, dried and then soaked in brine to brine the capers green olive flavour out. A little goes a long way in salads, their acidic flavour cuts well through rich dishes and they go well with fish like salmon and tuna. I always add them to a simple tuna sandwich for extra pop.

Home Grown Herbs

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

If you have a little space in a sunny spot plant your own herbs, then they are always fresh. Forget dinky single plant pots, one harvest and you need a replacement plant or three weeks to let the first one recover. I grow flat leaf parsley, parsley, chives, basil, bay leaf, Thai basil, mint, thyme, origanum, sage, rosemary and the odd chilli.

Gorgonzola and Fig Bruschetta

April 27, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Sweet figs & gorgonzola

This is my kind of starter (or with a small salad a great light meal), it takes about 5 minutes to prepare and it makes the most of fresh seasonal ingredients.
Fig & Gorgonzola Crostini with Roasted nuts
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
– 4 slices of ciabatta loaf
– 6-8 sweet figs depending on the size
– 240gms gorgonzola cheese
– 80gms mixed roasted nuts
– Fig infused balsamic

Toast the ciabatta lightly, drizzle with small amount of olive oil. Divide the gorgonzola in 4 portions and top the crostini, slice your figs into thick slices place on top, sprinkle with roasted nuts and dress with balsamic.

The Secret Jozi Chef

Home of The Cookery

Wild about Salad

Spicy Thai Tuna Cakes (Carb & Fat Free)

Grilled Halloumi & Chicken Stack

A Visual feast

Zesty Tuna Wraps

Ants in a tree!?

Capers

Home Grown Herbs

Gorgonzola and Fig Bruschetta

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