This recipe came about because I had some pawpaw in my fridge that was perfectly ripe and needed to be used up. Plus it was a really hot day, I felt like a light lunch and this just popped into my head. It would also work well as a starter for a bigger meal though. It’s really refreshing!
Rosti go by many names – rösti, potato pancakes, hash browns and latkes, to name just a few – and come in many variations. At heart though, they are simply grated potato mixed with a little salt, and whatever other flavourings you choose to add, like onion, herbs and/or cheese. I’ve been wanting to try them for ages and when a friend bought round some smoked trout, I decided it was the perfect opportunity.
After doing some fairly extensive research on Pinterest (there are quite a few methods out there, believe me), I decided to keep the base very simple and rather go wild on the toppings.
I started to experiment with these rolls in preparation for a Portuguese-themed lunch with friends who spent some time living in Portugal years ago. After Mike insisted it was impossible to get papo-secos like they make them in Portugal, I was determined to recreate them.
Yes, it’s autumn (nearly winter) here in South Africa and some people may feel that salad is only for summer. I completely disagree – salad is delicious and nutritious any time of year! I will say though that varying what you put in your salad at different times of the year makes sense. As soon as the starchy veggies, like beetroot and butternut, start to make an appearance, it’s officially classified as an autumn/winter salad (according to me).
In this very simple and delicious recipe, beetroot and avocado are the stars, complimented by a few other ingredients that add pizzazz.
One of the best things about summer is all the wonderful fresh fruit that’s available. Visiting any farmers’ market or even the fresh produce section of the supermarket is a feast for all the senses!
This recipe is a combination of two of my favourite flavours – mango and dukkah – yum, yum!! And you’ll notice that the quantities are deliberately vague so you can up-size or down-size as you please.
Mango is fantastically versatile and can be served just about any which way: with Greek yoghurt and toasted sunflower seeds; blended into a smoothie with a banana, ginger and mint, or the same mixture frozen and made into ice-cream; used in savoury dishes with meat; or as part of a salad, as we’re doing here. The variations are endless! Since they’re in season and getting cheaper by the day (if you live in South Africa, anyway), now’s a great time to experiment.
As I don’t eat much bread, I like to have savoury biscuits on hand for a quick meal or snack – it’s so easy to grab a few and throw something yummy on them.
If you’ve never taken the time to read the ingredients of mass-produced, shop-bought savoury (or sweet) biscuits though, I really recommend you do so. If you’re anything like me and/or even vaguely health-conscious, you’ll probably be horrified by what’s in them.
So I decided to come up with my own variation of savoury biscuits, made entirely of healthy ingredients – seeds, nuts and herbs. This recipe is a combination of several versions I came across when I was researching how to go about it, and I personally love it. It’s high in nutrients and fibre, with no gluten in sight. The biscuits feel like clean food when you’re eating them and in my humble opinion, they taste better than shop-bought.
Normally when you think of pancakes or crumpets (the South African version of American ‘pancakes’, which are different from French ‘crêpes’ and also different from English ’crumpets’ – I know, it’s very confusing!), it tends to bring up images of a tea-time treat that’s a bit starchy and usually served with jam and cream. And those are certainly delicious, no doubt about it.
These crumpets are completely different though, more like very light fritters – savoury and fluffy, and a different and interesting way to prepare vegetables. You can eat them as a snack on their own, have them as a side dish with meat or make them the main part of a light meal and just add a salad or something to round it out.
This chicken liver paté is a combination of a couple of recipes, including my Mom’s famous version, which we used to make in batches around Christmas and then hand out to friends as we saw them. It makes a lovely creamy and smooth consistency, which is great for spreading on anything from crackers to toast or scooping with crudités.
As an added bonus, liver is exceptionally good for you, being extremely high in protein and many important vitamins and minerals that we don’t easily get from other sources. Having said that, it can be a bit of an acquired taste and I must admit that I don’t generally like livers on their own. I love this paté though – I’m not sure if it’s the sweetness or the consistency, but it’s one of my favourite things to snack on.
This soup is somehow light and yet filling and comforting at the same time. For this version, I’ve added a twist with orange juice and ginger, which gives it a delicious edge. Continue reading
Inspired Nourishment 