Too hot to handle - Aubergine dip

Where to begin with this one . . . another weekend down and I feel as if I haven't had one. It's the end of the year and my inclination for working weekends and evenings is dissipating somewhat. I also feel just a little resentful that people are starting to knock off work earlier and are having fun. Without me.

Although there was much work in terms of events and releases to be done this weekend, it was not all a wash out (if you don't count my flatmate's / close friend's birthday party being rained out on Sunday). Them's the breaks with Joburg summers, much like the UK, you can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather - thank you OutKast.

So Friday night began with a rather large birthday dinner at Il Giardino at 44 Stanley. It was pretty epic, I don't think that there were less than 20 people there. Overwhelmed by the numbers, we landed in safe groups around the table as we were given military orders to eat up fast as we were going to go for a drink at one of the girl's houses before going out (unbeknown to the birthday girl there was a stripper arriving at 11). Although I contributed to the antics I had an event on Saturday morning and was unable to attend. C'est la vie, I guess. To be honest, I think I would be terrified!

Following my event on Saturday I attended the Joburg Food Wine Design fair at Hyde Park. It was the first of its kind in Jozy and very much like Cape Town's Biscuit Mill. I must concede that there is a greater variety in Cape Town in terms of fashion and decor design so it was great to see all the offerings on show in my home town. The food left me quite surprised as most of the produce was from Cape Town. We have some real gems in Joburg in terms of artisan cheese-makers, a lot of whom have farms in Muldersdrift and sausage makers and so on. I really wanted to see them there as I am desperate to get stuck into some real local produce but I can ill afford the time to take a drive out anywhere at this point. But to be fair, there was some great South African faire on offer such as oysters, game pates, charcuterie and divine wines. I am sure we will see more Joburg producers there next time. I must just give a shout out to Kath who was the project manager for the show, you did a STERLING job, really. What an achievement, the show was slick and sexy and well managed and you looked serene and gorgeous as if you had just organised a dinner for two. I'm bowled over, really.

The rest of the weekend was spent with some pretty awesome people, some familiar folk and some new folk. However I am totally peopled out now and am trying to use this respite to be productive as 2010 draws to a close.

It's hot and I can't really be bothered with big meals, especially as I am working a lot so I am opting for picky bits and I had an overwhelming craving today for crudités and aubergine dip. It's actually really easy to make, yet I find people are terrified of eggplant. Don't be.

Aubergine Dip (serves 4-ish)

4 aubergines
1 large onion (very finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves (very finely chopped)
2 heaped tablespoons of plain greek yoghurt
1 handful of chopped coriander
1 chopped deseeded chili
2 handfuls of toasted pine nuts (toast on a hot oil-free pan - but watch them, they burn VERY fast)
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Method

Place your aubergines whole on a baking tray and bake in an oven of 180 degrees until the skin is soft and wrinkly. Remove and cool

Fry off your onion and garlic until soft and brown in a little olive oil

Once the aubergines have cooled, cut them in half and remove all the fleshy bits and place in a sieve or a colander and drain. It's the excess water that can make an eggplant dish taste a little bitter

Add the aubergine to the onion and garlic on the stove and mix in well

Salt well to taste

Add pepper

Add the yoghurt, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, chili and pine nuts and mix in well

Remove from the heat and mix in the coriander

Place all ingredients in a food processor and give it a QUICK blitz (you still want some texture in there)

Serve in a dip bowl and garnish with coriander and toasted pine nuts

A great dip for crisps and vegetables . . . over and out. Weekend where are you?

Having it raw and naked - Celeriac coleslaw

As work has pretty much taken over my life and silly season approaches with it's unrelenting alcohol consumption, I thought it best I get a blog in. I realise my recipes have been slim on the net of late.

I drank myself into a stupour on Friday last week thus Saturday's blog didn't metarialise. Whilst everybody seems to be winding down with work, I am picking up momentum at a rate of knots and all I want to do is rearrange my bathroom cupboard and spend my days swooning over antiques and bits for the flat. As this takes time of which I have none, I thought it a spectacularly brilliant idea to get absolutely obliterated instead.

It was a funny kind of night, the kind where you don't think you're getting drunk and so you smash a few more tequilas down your throat and have a fine old boogie. Meanwhile back at the ranch, you come off the dance floor with wet hair and melting make-up and you hit a wall. A mighty hard brick wall. Take a cab home with some people and realise that your wallet is somewhere in the club or with someone in the club. Luckily, 4 tequilas have taken the edge off EVERYTHING, so you don't really worry and are certain that the wallet fairies will put it on your bedside table whilst you sleep the pain away.

My wallet fairy came in the form of a friend of mine. I woke up the next morning only to receive a text message from him saying he had picked it up off the floor in the bar - awesome. He lives in Joburg CBD - not so awesome but we will deal with that later and the GARMIN fairy will attend to that.

Not feeling so fresh, off we went to join some folk for breakfast at the new Parkhurst outdoor food spot. I threw on a strapless all-in-one number and a pair of Havana flip-flops and I think considering my antics the night before I didn't look half bad. We arrive at the market and God help me, my best friend is wearing the identical outfit and the identical sandals - synchronicity indeed. This is probably what prompted me having to lie down (euphemism maybe?) on the bathroom floor in the shop next door, not the copious amounts of alcohol the night before, of course.

The Super outdoor food market in Parkhurst really is quite lovely. Nestled between Georges on 4th and a clothes store (I think) I was still drunk at the time, it is a refreshing, village-like, food market with a very London feel. The astroturf, bright colours and wooden trestle tables make it the perfect breakfast outing on a Saturday. Kate - I had no idea you were part of this venture, it is spectacular!

Offerings include a juice stand which served watermelon and rose juices and orange to name a few (2 of these saved my life) and wonderful breakfast sandwich variants which were served on fresh crusty bread. However protein and carbohydrates seemed way too an advanced food group for me on this particular Saturday morning. Do check it out, their website address is www.thesuper.co.za.

On Saturday night there was more drinking and on Sunday too - this prompted me to accept that I may need an alcohol-free week and somewhat of a detox which would incorporate much raw food. As it's summer, this is really not too hard a task and there are so many great variations of salads, you'd be hard-pressed to eat the same vegetable in a week.

Raw or naked food is best for vitamin and mineral consumption as nutrients are not lost in the cooking process and natural flavourants mean that food needn't be bland or boring. The recipe below is for a coleslaw salad with a difference; no mayo and not your obligatory cabbage and carrot. Although there is a fair amount of chopping and peeling involved, it's deliciously refreshing and perfect for a snack on the go.

A quick note, celeriac is not all that popular in South Africa but you can find it at speciality fruit and vegetable stores. I found it at Dunkeld Fruit and Flower, they never let me down. I will however start asking them to sponsor this blog if I keep mentioning their shop repeatedly.

Celeriac, carrot and fennel coleslaw with a coriander and fennel seed vinaigrette (serves 5)

1 large peeled celeriac
5 large peeled carrots
5 fennel bulbs
1 red onion
a large head of chopped coriander

For the vinaigrette

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons of wholegrain mustard
1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds

Method

Julienne your celeriac, carrots and fennel

Slice your onion into paper thin rounds

Add the coriander

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well

Salt well and add pepper to taste

For the vinaigrette:

Much the same, mix all the ingredients together

Throw the vinaigrette over the coleslaw ingredients and mix well. Place the salad in the fridge for an hour or two so the dressing can really marinade the vegetables and take the sting out of the onion.

Eat guilt free and as much as you like.






www.thesuper.co.za

What do you do with tofu? U2 can make coconut and sesame encrusted smoked tofu.

BUT I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR -U2

I frequently get calls and messages from friends (and occasionally family) asking how something should be cooked or a serving suggestion and I find it pretty flattering. People obviously assume I know what I'm doing which most of the time, in the kitchen I have come to realise I do, or else this blog would be an exercise in futility.

Anyhow, a friend of mine called me a few weeks back and asked what he should do with a block of tofu and he must have caught me at a pretty uninspiring time of day as I don't remember reverting with anything groundbreaking, sorry James (Adey). So to make up for my unenthusiastic response, I gave it a bit of thought and came up with a bloody marvelous recipe.

A lot of people don't don't like tofu and I honestly think that is because they have not given it a fair chance. Not only is it really high in protein and low in fat, but it is mouthwateringly delicious if given a bit of culinary TLC and I wanted to do something a bit different with it as apposed to tossing it into a pasta or similar.

You can buy the blocks of tofu from health shops and they are mostly available in smoked or plain forms. I always go for the smoked option as it has a delicious sweet flavour and can be used as it comes in salads or pastas. However, even vegetarians have special occasions to cook for and this recipe turns tofu into something rather special. It has a distinctly oriental feel to it and is sweet and smokey and crunchy all at once. Serve with a salad of julienned carrots and cucumber, chopped spring onion and coriander and you are sorted (the dressing for this salad is a simple one of 1 teaspoon of soya sauce, 1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce, juice of 2 limes. This dressing is also a great dip for the tofu).

Coconut and Sesame Encrusted Tofu (Serves 2)

1 packet of smoked tofu
1 packet of desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons of sesame seeds
1 carton of creamed coconut (you can use buttermilk as an alternative if you can't find creamed blocks of coconut)
Sesame oil for frying

Method

Melt your creamed coconut with some boiling water but ensure the consistency is gloopy and thick (not watery) as this will act as the binding agent for your sesame seeds and coconut. Pour the thick creamed coconut mixture onto a plate. Or pour the thick buttermilk onto a plate

Mix the desiccated coconut and the sesame seeds together and place on another plate

Make sure you dry the block of tofu off with some kitchen towel before slicing

Slice the smoked tofu into fingers about 2 cm thick

Set a third plate aside for the tofu once coated. Dip the tofu into the creamed coconut / buttermilk mixture and then dip into the sesame seed and desiccated coconut and place on a plate, ready to fry

Heat a pan on a LOW to MEDIUM heat with sesame oil. Now I say Low to medium as sesame oil has a very high burn point so you are going to have to work fast or you will crisp your coconut batter instead of lightly toasting it

Pour in enough oil to cover the pan. You will hear it sizzle within 30 seconds to a minute

Add your tofu fingers and allow for 15- 20 seconds for each side. Turn the tofu to cook the other side and hopefully your coconut will be lightly toasted and a delicious golden brown when turned. Please watch the pan closely as sesame oil is lethal when it is too hot.

Serve with said salad.

PS: To anyone who's reading this (James, Jack, Kesh) Bono does not suck and you are all secretly jealous of me. But it's ok, nobody is perfect and I will invite you for dinner and we will listen to U2 as I tell you how amazing the concert was, you bunch of haters.

Louise's Halloween Beetroot and Aubergine Curry

God created sex. Priests created marriage - Voltaire

So it has been a while again. Much laughter and wine and a few tears since the last post. Laughter with friends and tears for their losses. I am not going to get into it but pull yourself towards yourself cause you don't know what tomorrow may bring, who will be in your life and who will be taken away. But if you are lucky enough to have someone to share your life with you, love them as if each day was your last, respect them and cherish each day you spend with them. End of.

This recipe should have been blogged about ages ago. It was a surprise party on Halloween for Frances who just completed an art installation with a marriage theme and had been away in Europe for 3 months. Louise, by a sheer stroke of genius came up with the theme 'corpse bride' for the evening. And so it began, in a swirl of veils and tule and fabulous blood made with Maizena, food colouring and water, smeared all over our pretty white dresses.

Before the main event which was a bit of a crazy Halloween house party where I was thrown around the dance floor by a rather lovely young man covered in glitter (WHO MAKES JEWELRY - LOVE HIM!!) , we had a dinner cooked by the fast, nifty and capable hands of Louise. I am not sure if she intended for the curry to look red but it certainly fitted the evening. I thought I worked efficiently, this was the fastest put together curry I have ever seen out of a professional kitchen. Now, as with all my recipes, I am going to amend this one cause it is my blog, (sorry Louise, you were however the inspiration). I can't tell you about the rest of the evening because that would be giving away secrets and to be honest, the wine went straight to my head, very, very fast. Must have been a full moon.

Beetroot and Aubergine curry (serves 6)

1 packet of beetroot (6 large beets peeled and chopped)
2 large chopped aubergines
2 chopped onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 chopped chili
2 heaped teaspoons of green curry paste
1 large chopped head of coriander
2 cups of chicken stock (1 cube per cup)
3 tablespoons of chutney
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
4 cardamon pods
olive oil for frying
salt and paper to taste

Method

Fry off your cardamon pods, coriander and mustards seeds once toasted set aside and crush with a pestle and mortar

In a pot, fry off chopped onion and garlic till brown

Add beetroot and stir in well

Add curry paste, chopped chili, chutney, cardamon, coriander and mustard seeds and stir

Add chopped aubergine and stir

Add chicken stock and stir

Add salt and pepper to taste

Simmer on a low heat with the lid on for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes

Once soft, season to taste and serve with chopped coriander and basmati rice.