Gourmet Greek Tiramisu

August 21, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

I love tiramisu and frankly their is absolutely nothing wrong with the original recipe made using mascarpone, it is rich, luscious and always a winner. However, I am so in love with the Gourmet Greeks Greek Yoghurt that I had to give it a try using yoghurt instead of mascarpone. What a treat, it is still as delicious, but a little less rich which means you can eat more! Now that’s what I call a successful recipe update.

Please note I tried this with 3 other supermarket Full Fat Greek Yoghurts it did not work, I noticed that only a truly drained yoghurt works, even the premium supermarket products may contain vegetable starch to thicken this prevents the tiramisu from setting.

Tiramisu
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
– 3 free range eggs, separated whites and yolks
– 1/3 cup castor sugar
– 250gms Gourmet Greek Yoghurt
– 250mls heavy cream, whipped till thick
– 250gm pack of Savoiardi Biscuits
– 2 cups strong coffee
– ½ cup marsala
– cocoa powder for dusting

Method
STEP 1: Beat the egg yolks and sugar until thick, pale and creamy
STEP 2: Now gently fold the whipped cream and Greek yoghurt into the egg yolk mixture
STEP 3: Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold these into the yoghurt & egg yolk mixture, being careful to not knock out too much air
STEP 4: Using a flat glass dish mix your coffee and marsala
STEP 5: Quickly dunk the biscuits into the coffee mixture, then place on the base of your serving tray, dunk the biscuits quickly or they will become too soft.
STEP 6: Pour out a third of your yoghurt cream mixture onto the biscotti, now give a good sprinkle of fine unsweetened cocoa powder
STEP 7: Top this with another layer of soaked biscuits and some more cocoa powder. Repeat until ending on a layer of cream and cocoa powder

STEPS TO REMEMBER
CREAM – VOLUME – DUNK – LAYER – DUST

Brutti ma Buoni

August 1, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Ugly but good- is the perfect name for these nutty little macaroons. I made mine using hazelnuts and orange peel which makes them the perfect little snack to have with both coffee and hot chocolate. They are easy to make, the real skill comes in learning how your oven works and getting your timing right, just as you would with a meringue.

Brutti Ma Buoni
Makes 18-24

Ingredients
– 3 jumbo egg whites
– 200gms unrefined sugar
– 200 grams blanched hazlenuts, roughly chopped
– zest of 1 orange, DO NOT ZEST TILL WHITE, should only be the outer layer
– 1 tsp vanilla extract

Start by preheating the oven to 180°C. Now grease a flat heavy cookie tray, use a little butter and sugar, or some non stick spray – set aside.

In a clean bowl, or in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer start whisking the eggs whites with a balloon whisk fitted. Once the egg whites have loosened start adding the sugar a few spoons at a time, whisking well between each addition. With the last addition of sugar add the orange peel, and the vanilla essence- the mixture should be at a soft peak stage. Now fold in your chopped hazelnuts. Spoon out the mixture leaving 1cm around each biscuit, I find a heaped teaspoon gives a nice slightly larger than bite size cookie.

Bake for about 20-minutes then drop the heat to 150°C and bake for a further 10-minutes. They should be golden and crunchy but have a slight chewiness.

For an amazing ice cream treat crush your cookies over good vanilla ice cream and drizzle with a little melted hazelnut spread

Warm Winter Bruschetta

July 30, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

There are a multitude of bruschetta ideas, I love adapting them based on whatever I have on hand. Today’s were loaded with summery flavour and colour and make a great light lunch.

Warm Winter Bruschetta
Ingredients

– finely sliced Parma ham
– grilled artichoke hearts
– ricotta cheese
– pine nuts
– sundried tomatoes
– crispy chorizo pieces

Start by toasting the bruschetta then top it with all the ingredients, starting with the ricotta and ending with the crispy chorizo pieces. Mediterranean summer on a plate.

Tropical Flourless Pancakes

July 29, 2014 by TSJC 2 Comments

Quick and easy, these flourless pancakes are loaded with crunchy chewy almond, coconut and sweet banana. These are my standard go to on days when the sweet tooth is strong plus with just over a month if winter to go these will help cheer you up. They are quick and easy to make and the addition of ricotta to the batter increases the protein content and adds to the pancakes creamy flavour.

Tropical Flourless Pancakes
Serves 2

– 2 ripe banana’s
– 4 eggs
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 100 gms fresh ricotta cheese
– 40 gms ground almonds
– 40gms fine coconut

Place the banana, egg and vanilla into a blender and blend until smooth (If the clean up is too much hassle just mash the bananas with a fork and add the beaten egg). Pour the batter into a bowl and now add the almond and coconut. Stir them in remaining ingredients, heat a heavy based pan and add a little butter to the pan and allow to melt. Add the pancake mixture in large spoonfuls allow to puff up, and for bubbles to begin to appear. Then flip them and allow them to finish cooking. They are very delicate, so allow them time, I also found it is easier to make smaller panacakes than larger ones. Serve the pancakes warm, topped with more greek yoghurt, fresh strawberries and some passion fruit or drizzle of good honey.

Lemony Poached Salmon & Zucchini Spaghetti

July 21, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

This dish is crazy quick, but to make it you are going to need a vegetable mill to make the zucchini spaghetti, I am posting a story on one possible option so if you don’t have one keep a look out to get some ideas.

Lemony Poached Salmon & Zucchini Spaghetti
Serves 1

Ingredients
– 1 Fresh Salmon fillet
– 100mls fish stock (of light veg)
– knob butter (generous is good)
– 40mls cream
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– 1 egg yolk
– fresh parsley, a few sprigs will do

While you are milling your zucchini, put a pan on the stove. Add the stock, butter and parsley and bring to a boil, now drop the heat to low and add your salmon fillet. Put the lid on and poach for about 4 minutes. Remove the salmon and set aside, keeping warm. Bring the poaching liquor up to a boil and reduce, remove the parsley, and add the lemon juice. Once there is only about a third of the poaching liquid left, remove the pan from the heat and add the milled zucchini and the egg and cream mixture. Stir gently, as you would a carbonara, now add the flaked salmon back into the dish, place over a low heat for 60-seconds and serve straight away.

If you are on a diet and are finding low carb meals challenging add a generous sprinkle of raw pine nuts the pinoleic acid has been shown to lead to a sense of satiety – feeling full, and they will add a delicious crunch to the dish.

Low Carb Gluten Free Savoury Zucchini Parmesan Pancakes

July 20, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

I’ve seen a recipe for pancakes made from banana and egg circulating, so I thought I would add to that recipe with this lower carbohydrate savoury option. Banana has around 23 gms carbs/100gms and zucchini has around 3.1 gms carbs/ 100gms making these a great choice and because they are savoury they go really well with a steak or chicken for supper. The addition of the grated parmesan does boost the fat content, but only by a tiny bit and it adds so much flavour. I did these with a simple mushroom ragout but they are equally delicious with smoked salmon and cram cheese, or with a simple fried egg and some bacon pieces.

Zucchini & Parmesan Crumpets
Makes 2

Ingredients
– 220gms finely grated zucchini
– 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan
– 1 large egg, whisked
– pinch of salt
– black pepper
– olive oil to fry

Grate the zucchini finely and then place into a clean cloth. Wrap the cloth around the zucchini tightly and use it to squeeze all the water out of the zucchini. Now stir in the parmesan and the beaten egg and add some salt and pepper. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a frying pan till hot, then add tablespoons of the mixture and flatten it out gently to get a thin pancake.
Allow the pancake to brown before trying to turn it or it might break apart, once it has caramelised you will be able to flip it and allow it to finish cooking on the other side.

Suggested Toppings:
– Smoked Salmon, Lemon Cream Cheese and Capers
– Parma Ham, Sundried Tomato Tapenade and Ricotta Cheese
– Steak Strips, mushrooms & fried egg

2-Dishes 1 Chicken

July 19, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

Technically speaking this was 2 dishes from 8-pc’s of chicken, I like to use a drum and thigh combo for making this because it has the most flavour and since I am making two dishes from one batch of chicken I want the tastiest pieces. The chicken is cooked first in a stock to create the base for the soup, and then the meat is stripped off combined with some of the stock vegetables and turned into Chicken Pot Pies.

Bacon, Potato & Leek Soup with a crispy fiery topping
Serves 4

For the stock
– 8 pc’s of chicken, skin on, drums and thighs work well
– 2 cloves of garlic, left in the skin
– 2 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
– 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
– 3 sprigs of Italian flat leaf parsley
– salt & pepper
– 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– 50gms butter
– 2 sprigs thyme
– 700mls water

For the soup
– 1 medium size bunch of leeks
– 2 large potatoes, peeled, and cut into small cubes
– 500mls fresh chicken stock
– 200gms good quality streaky bacon
– 100mls cream
– 50gms butter
– 1 sprig of thyme

STOCK
Start by preparing the stock. In a heavy based sauce pan, heat the olive oil till hot then add the chicken pieces, skin on. Once the chicken has browned on one side, turn it over and as the second side is browning add the rough chopped carrots, whole garlic cloves and the red onion. Allow the chicken and vegetables to begin to develop some colour, once the chicken has browned on all sides and the vegetables have begun to soften, add the water, thyme and parsley and bring to the boil. Lower the heat slightly and allow the stock to simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is done and the stock is well flavoured.
When the stock is ready place a colander in a large bowl, one large enough to carry all the liquid. Pour the contents of the stock pot into the colander. Most of the stock will go towards making the soup, and the meat and reserved vegetables will go into a chicken pie, so throw nothing nearly everything will be used.

SOUP
While the stock is simmering begin to make the soup. In a heavy based pot add a touch of olive oil, then add the diced bacon and begin to cook it, once it has started to lose its fats and crisp up, add the butter, thyme and the rinsed and finely sliced leeks and cook for about 8-minutes until the leeks have begun to soften. Then add the finely diced potato pieces, about 1cmx1cm, they cook quickest like this and blend easily after. Cook for a further 5-minutes then increase the heat and add the stock. Allow to simmer until the potatoes have softened and begun to break apart, check the seaoning, add the cream and remove from the heat.
Allow the soup to cool slightly, then blend it till smooth in a blender or with an immersion blender, check and adjust seasoning.

For a little winter cheer I garnished mine with crispy chunks of bacon, tiny little potato croutons made by slowly frying potatoes in duck fat, then I fried a red chili in the same fat till crispy and finally a few slices of garlic were quickly browned and remove to prevent bitterness. A spicy, crunchy, garnish that has so much more flavour than old fashioned croutons.

READ AB OUT TURNING THE LEFT OVER CHICKEN AND STOCK INTO DELICIOUSGARLICKY CHICKEN POT PIES TOMORROW ON THE SECRET JOZI CHEF

Spicey Grass Fed Beef Stew with prunes, chorizo and fresh herbs

July 17, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

This dish is based on a Moroccan Beef and dried fruit stew, I’ve made a few adjustments to create my own Spanish, Italian Moroccan influenced stew. I’ve added a good red wine, I used an organic merlot from Italy, whole tomatoes instead of just a paste and then Spanish chorizo and paprika, I have left out some of the spices normally put in the Moroccan dish, but I did add some red chili to add some heat.

Spicy Beef Stew with Prunes, Chorizo
Serves 4

Ingredients
– 1kgs Grass fed Beef Shin cubes
– 2tbsp flour
– 2 sprigs thyme
– 2 medium onions, finely chopped
– 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
– 200gms chorizo, roughly chopped
– 1 can cherry tomatoes
– 150gms pitted prunes, roughly chopped
– 3 bay leaf
– 5 table spoons olive oil
– 2 red chili
– 1tsp smoked paprika
– 300mls good red wine
– fresh chopped parsley
– 150gms pitted prunes, roughly chopped
– 2 strips lemon peel

Start by preheating the oven to 120°c. Then in a heavy based pan, heat the olive oil, add the chorizo to this and allow it to start to cook, abut 2 minutes. Then add the onions and chopped garlic to this and allow it to cook until it begins to soften and the chorizo has started to lose its sunset tinged oil and paprika flavour. Cook until the onions are completely softened and the chorizo has crisped around the edges. Remove the onion and chorizo mix from the pan using a slotted spoon, allow as much oil as possible to remain.
Dust your beef shin chunks with the seasoned flour mixture, before frying them till nicely browned and crisped. Don’t overload the pan, cook the meat in two or three seperate batches. Once the last batch is browned add all the meat back to the pan with the onion and chorizo mixture. Now add the red wine to the pot, use the red wine to loosen any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan. Once the bits are all loosened add the canned tomatoes to the mixture and allow it to come to the boil. Now add the bay leaf, thyme, chili, paprika and pitted dates to the pot and bring to the boil.
Transfer the mixture to an oven proof dish, and put the stew into the oven in the middle rack with a tight fitting lid and cook for 90-minutes, stirring every 30-minutes. Serve with hot polenta or mash.

Creamy Broccoli & Bacon Soup

July 7, 2014 by TSJC Leave a Comment

This is one of those soups where you just throw everything into a pot, pretty much forget about it and then blend it into creamy perfection. Whilst it does have the carbs from the potatoes, it is low fat and because of the very quick cooking of the broccoli at the end it is still hugely nutritious.

Potato, Leek, Bacon & Broccoli Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients
– 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
– 250gms French leeks
– 60gms butter
– 600 – 900ml vegetable stock
– 400gms broccoli
– 100gms mature cheddar, grated
– 200gms bacon
– 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
– extra milk to dilute soup
In a heavy based pot heat the olive oil, then add the chopped bacon. Allow the bacon to cook until almost crisp, remove some of the bacon to use as sprinkles at the end, then add the leaks and butter to the remaining bacon in the pan. Cook the leaks till soft, then add the potatoes and vegetable stock. Cook this until the potatoes are soft, the smaller your potato cubes, the quicker your soup will cook. Now add the broccoli, and cook for no more than 5 minutes. The broccoli will soften quickly and if you over cook it you will lose the lovely green colour it gives. Add the soup, carefully, in batches to a blender and blend until smooth. Put the blended soup back into the pot over low heat and add the grated cheese, stir to combine, check seasoning and adjust, if the soup is too thick add a splash of the milk. Serve soup hot sprinkled with some of the reserved bacon and a little more grated cheese.

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.

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