Peperonata

This Southern Italian dish is most often served as a vegetable or as a sauce for pasta. 

It can be stored in a mason jar in the fridge for about 1 week and makes a delicious salad.

Ingredients:

4 yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

4 yellow peppers, deseeded and cut into strips

2 onions, peeled and sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Olive oil

2 firm, ripe tomatoes, deseeded and cubed

1-2ml chilli powder

45ml wine vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the peppers, onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes until tender. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the chilli powder, vinegar and seasoning. Allow to cool and serve at room temperature.

Radish and Sour Cream Salad

Ingredients:

24 medium radishes, thinly sliced

1 small red onion, cut into thin rings

300ml sour cream

15ml wine vinegar

5ml sugar

5ml salt

Black pepper

Method:

Place the vinegar, sugar, salt and a grinding of black pepper in a salad bowl and stir thoroughly. Beat in the sour cream, a few spoonsful at a time.

Fold in the radishes and onions. Add more salt and pepper if necessary.

Chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Spicy Beetroot Salad

Beautiful beets are cooked, sliced and marinated in a sweet and spicy dressing; a salad that is always popular.

When selecting beetroots, don’t buy limp leaved beets; choose instead undamaged vegetables that won’t lose moisture and flavour when they are cooked. Furthermore, when cooking the beets, leave the whiskery roots and a little of the leaf stalks intact. From a cooking point of view, it’s good to have beets of an even size.

Ingredients:

1kg fresh, firm beetroots

15ml salt

Dressing:

80ml tarragon vinegar

80ml dark vinegar

375ml water reserved from the cooked beetroots

45ml brown sugar

5ml mustard seeds

6 whole cloves

6 black peppercorns

Stick cinnamon

Bay leaf

1 medium onion, sliced into rings

Method:

Wash beetroot to remove any sand. Place in a large saucepan with salt and enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil over a medium to high heat, reduce to low heat and simmer, with lid on the saucepan, for 40-60 minutes until cooked.  Avoid piercing while cooking; rather test if they are cooked by wrinkling the skin – when cooked to perfection the skin should easily come away from the beets.

Remove the beets from the cooking water, reserving 375ml for use in the dressing. When cool enough to handle, skin and slice the beetroots, arranging them in a serving dish.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small saucepan, cover and simmer for 5 minutes; the onions should be crisp and tender. Pour dressing over sliced beets, cool then cover and store in the fridge for at least a day or two before serving to allow the beets to marinate.

This salad keeps well for a couple of weeks stored in a Mason Jar in the fridge.

Sweet and Sour Onions

These onions can be prepared in advance, stored in a Mason Jar and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although they are great served at room temperature, they are better reheated before serving. If served with a braai, they can be eaten just like pickled onions.

Ingredients:

24-30 pickling onions, washed but unpeeled

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ chicken stock cube

60ml soft brown sugar

60ml dark vinegar

45ml tomato sauce

10ml soy sauce

15ml cornflour

125ml cold water

Method:

With just enough water to cover, combine onions, garlic and chicken stock in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil; cook for three minutes. Drain onions with a slotted spoon; refresh under cold water. Reserve the cooking liquid.

When cool enough to handle, remove the skins and return them to the cooking liquid, where they will add colour and flavour to the sauce. Boil and reduce the liquid to about 125ml; strain and discard the skins.

Return onions to the cooking liquid; add vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce, soy sauce and cornflour slaked with 125ml cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer, stirring gently for about 5 minutes until the sauce is smooth and thickened, and the onions are crisp-tender. Serve hot or allow to cool and store in the fridge until required.

Curry Dip

I’ve been making this dip for family gatherings and parties and braais with friends for quite a number if years. Regularly I’m asked how I make it and my answer is always, “It’s my secret.” I made it for the braai we had with friends this last Saturday past when my daughter’s sister-in-law suggested, not for the first time, that I should market it. I have one problem with packing and marketing it; I would have to add preservatives and I don’t want to do that. I prefer to make it fresh as required. Therefor I think it’s time to share my secret so my friends, who have enjoyed it on previous occasions, can make it for themselves; that includes all my Hanneica’s Kitchen Fans!

The curry powder you use will give the major flavour of the dip. I use a medium Madras masala varying the amount to adjust the degree of flavour and heat. If you prefer a mild curry flavour, use a mild masala; if it’s heat you are after, use a hot masala or add more chilli flakes. To add a bit of sweetness, I occasionally add about 30ml sweet chilli sauce instead of chilli flakes.

Warning!

Don’t be too eager to add too much chilli flakes or masala as this dip will mature in depth of flavour and heat on standing.

Whatever you do with this dip, be sure to appreciate it with special friends!

Ingredients:

125ml smooth cottage cheese or cream cheese

125ml thick Greek yoghurt

60ml tomato sauce

60ml mayonnaise

5-10ml curry powder

2.5ml garum masala

2.5ml turmeric

2.5ml chilli flakes

2.5ml ground ginger or 1 inch fresh root ginger, grated

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2-3 heaped teaspoons vegetable achar

20-30ml chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium mixing bowl, blend all the ingredients (except the seasoning and a third of the chopped coriander) to a smooth, assimilated mixture. Mix in seasoning to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with a couple of twists of black pepper and the reserved coriander. 

Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients:
125g blue cheese, crumbled
200ml buttermilk
200ml thick Greek yoghurt
60-80ml mayonnaise 
2.5ml sugar
2.5ml garlic, finely chopped (or garlic powder)
5ml finely chopped shallot
30ml fresh lemon juice 
15ml chopped fresh parsley
2.5ml sea salt
1ml freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh chives to garnish

Method:
Combine all the ingredients, except the chives, in a medium bowl.  Mix until well combined. Cover with cling film, pressing the film onto the surface of the dip, until ready to serve. Garnish with chives and serve.

Best Ever Guacamole

Ingredients:

1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, deveined and roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely chopped
30ml chopped coriander
4 large ripe avocados
30ml fresh lemon juice

5ml fresh lime juice (a squeeze)
5ml coarse sea salt

2.5ml freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix jalapeño, onion and coriander in a small bowl. Slice avocados in half and scoop out the flesh. Place in a blender with the lemon juice, and lime juice. Pulse to get a chunky blend.  Add salt and pepper. Mix the onion, jalapeño, onion and coriander. 

Place one avocado pit in a serving bowl and over it with guacamole. This helps to keep the guacamole from oxidizing. Press plastic wrap onto top of guacamole until ready to serve. 

Minted Beetroot Salad

Ingredients:

4-6 cooked beetroot

15-30ml balsamic vinegar

30ml olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch fresh mint, leaves stripped and finely shredded

Method:

Cut the beetroot into even-sized dice and put in a bowl. Add the balsamic vinegar, olive oil and a pinch of salt and toss to combine.

Add half of the shredded mint to the beetroot and toss to combine. Place the salad in the fridge for about an hour and serve, garnished with the remaining shredded mint leaves.

Polish Beetroot Salad

Ingredients:

4 cooked beetroot, skinned and thinly sliced

300ml plain yoghurt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Caraway seeds

Paprika

Salt and pepper

Method:

Place the beetroot slices in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, beat the yoghurt and garlic, a little salt and the caraway seeds. Pour the dressing over the beetroot and sprinkle with paprika.

Raw Beetroot Salad

Ingredients:

2 medium beetroots, trimmed, peeled and grated

2 Granny Smith apples, grated with the skins on

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced on the diagonal

60ml natural yoghurt

30ml lemon juice

125ml chopped fresh parsley

Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Put into a salad bowl the beetroot, apples and spring onions, leaving some of the green onion tops for garnish.

Mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice and half the parsley and toss into the salad. Garnish with reserved spring onions, parsley and sesame seeds.

Beetroot and Onion Salad

When selecting beetroots, don’t buy limp leaved beets; choose instead undamaged vegetables that won’t lose moisture and flavour when they are cooked. Furthermore, when cooking the beets, leave the whiskery roots and a little of the leaf stalks intact. From a cooking point of view, it’s good to have beets of an even size.

Ingredients:

5 large cooked beetroot, skinned and thinly sliced

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

60ml vinegar

Sugar

Salt and pepper

Method:

Combine the beetroot and onion in a bowl.

Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper to taste and pour over the vinegar.

Allow the salad to stand for about 30 minutes before serving or store in a large sterilised mason jar in the fridge.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Ingredients:

3-4 carrots, thinly sliced

2.5ml ground cumin

60ml garlic-flavoured oil and vinegar dressing

30ml chopped fresh coriander leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Cook the carrots by steaming or boiling in slightly salted water until they are just tender but not soft. Drain the carrots and leave for a few minutes to cool. Put them in a bowl.

Add the cumin, garlic dressing and coriander. Just before serving, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Butter Bean, Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Serve this salad with toasted pitta bread for a fresh summer lunch, or as an accompaniment to meat cooked on the braai or barbecue.

To make a variation add a 200g tin of tuna. Drain and flake the tuna and stir into the bean salad. For extra colour and flavour, stir in a handful of pitted black olives and a handful of chopped fresh parsley or a teaspoonful of capers and a couple of gherkins, chopped or sliced.

To make a wholesome version of the Italian salad, Panzanella, tear half a loaf of ciabatta into bit size pieces and stir into the salad. Leave to stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:

2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red onion, finely sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

45ml herb infused olive oil

Method:

Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill for 20 minutes before serving.

Curried Green Bean Salad

Ingredients:

2kg green beans

1 kg onions, sliced

750ml brown vinegar

500ml sugar

25ml curry powder

50ml cornflour, slaked with a little water

10ml salt

Method:

In a large saucepan, boil the beans and onions in salted water until just tender; drain.

Meanwhile boil the vinegar and sugar in another saucepan, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.

Add the salt, curry powder and slaked cornflour to the vinegar mixture and mix well.

Add the sauce to the beans and onions and bring to the boil. Store in sterilised bottles or serve once the salad has cooled.

Curried Peach Salad

Ingredients:

5 large or 6 medium onions, finely sliced

2 large cans sliced peaches in syrup

125ml white wine vinegar

15ml curry powder

10ml turmeric

5ml salt

Sunflower oil for frying

Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions until well browned, but not burnt.

Add the vinegar and simmer for 1 minute.

Stir in the curry powder, turmeric and salt and simmer for a further 2 minutes. Add the sliced peaches and as much syrup as the mixture will hold. Mix well.

Transfer to a bowl and cool. 

Avocado Salad Mould

Ingredients:

3 large avocados, peeled, stoned and mashed

125ml celery, finely chopped

1 spring onion, finely sliced

250ml mayonnaise or salad cream

250ml sour cream or Greek yoghurt

10ml gelatine powder

65ml cold water

125ml boiling water

37.5ml vinegar or lemon juice

5ml sugar

2.5ml onion salt

2.5ml pepper

Lettuce

Watercress or parsley sprigs to garnish

Method:

Soften the gelatine in the cold water for 5 minutes, then add the boiling water and sugar and stir until the sugar and gelatine are completely dissolved.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and add the gelatine mixture, stirring until well blended.

Pour the mixture into an oiled mould and chill in the fridge until set.

Turn out on a bed of lettuce leaves and serve garnished with watercress or parsley sprigs.

Cooks Note:

For a richer result add 125g cream cheese to the avocado mixture 

before adding the gelatine mixture.

Meat and Bean Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

225g cooked lamb, diced

225g salami, skinned and diced

3 thick slices cooked ham, diced

225g English cucumber, diced

2 granny Smith apples, cored and cited

225g cooked macaroni

2-3 spring onions, chopped

Small can butter beans, drained

125ml mayonnaise

12,5ml lemon juice

5ml Worcestershire sauce

Lettuce

Method:

Combine all the ingredients except the mayonnaise, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce in a large salad bowl.

Blend the mayonnaise, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce and pour over the salad mixture. Toss lightly, ensuring all the ingredients are covered with the dressing. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Tomato, Bean and Fried Basil Salad

Ingredients:

75ml extra virgin olive oil

125ml/ 15g fresh basil leaves

300g cherry tomatoes, halved

400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Reserve 1/3 of the basil leaves for garnish, then tea the remainder into pieces. Pour the olive oil into a small pan, add the torn basil and heat over gentle heat for 1 minute until the basil sizzles and begins to colour.

Place the halved cherry tomatoes and beans in a bowl. Pour in the basil oil and add a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Toss the salad together gently. Cover and leave to marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Serve the salad garnished with the remaining basil leaves.

Sesame Seeds

If I’m going to add seeds as a garnish to a salad, or as a topping for bread, I’m likely to choose sesame seeds, not simply because they look pretty, but because of their nutritional and health benefits. I prefer the white sesame seeds, which are hulled, as opposed to the black sesame seeds, which retain their dry outer covering. Sesame seeds, perhaps the oldest condiment known to man, add a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible, crunch to many dishes. They are also the main ingredients in tahini, a sesame seed paste used in North African, Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cuisine, and one of the essential ingredients of the delicious Middle Eastern sweet call halvah. 

These delightful little seeds are great for all the family, especially if you are vegetarian or don’t always eat meat in your diet. A large handful supplies about 26 grams of protein, which translates to almost two thirds of the daily requirements of a reasonably active man. Unusual for vegetable sources, sesame seeds are also rich in amino acids methionine and tryptophan, which are important for good liver and kidney function. They also provide the minerals iron and zinc, which benefit from consuming a vitamin C rich fruit or vegetable with the same meal to help absorption of these minerals. The zinc in sesame seeds promotes bone health and prevents osteoporosis later in life. Other minerals include manganese, copper, phosphorus and calcium.

Among all the nuts and seeds commonly eaten across the world, sesame seeds have been found to contain the highest amount of phytosterols, which are known to lower LDL, the bad cholesterol. Sesame seeds increase your levels of Vitamin E, which plays a vital role in fighting disease. These seeds can improve the effectiveness of certain diabetes medication.

The antioxidants in sesame seeds fight free radicals, thereby strengthening the immune system promoting youthfulness and encouraging and maintaining sexual vigour. A substance in sesame seeds has been found to inhibit the spread of many cancers and the oil, which is rich in Omega-6 fatty acids, is known to reduce hypertension and ease stress. 

With all the above taken into consideration, you have to admit that these tiny, crunchy, nutty  seeds are a nutritional wonder.

Carrot and Nut Salad

This salad is a real family favourite. 

My daughter, in particular, raves about it 

because it's so healthy 

and fits in with her weight management diet. 

It's truly well worth making, 

especially for a girly get together 

or for a summer picnic, braai or barbecue.

Ingredients:

4 medium or 3 large carrots, grated

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

1-2 inches slice fresh pineapple, peeled and diced finely

125ml macadamia nuts

125ml seedless raisins

Zest of 1 orange

45ml fresh orange juice, or juice of one orange

5ml Dijon mustard

Poppy seeds or Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Mix together the grated carrots, chopped celery, sliced onions, diced pineapple, macadamia nuts, raisins and orange zest in a salad bowl.

In a small mason jar, make the dressing. Shake together the orange juice and mustard and pour over the salad. Toss to coat all the salad with dressing. Garnish with Poppy seeds or sesame seeds and serve.

Brinjal Mezze Salad

Tahini – sesame paste used as the essential ingredient of hummus – is useful to have on hand for dips and dressings. It also makes a healthy, ingenious addition to a vegetable salad. If you can’t get tahini, use a paste made from other nuts, such as macadamias, almonds or chestnuts with the addition of a little olive oil.

I like this salad a little more spicy than some, so I use 2-5ml of chilli powder and I also add 5ml of cumin seeds to the oil and allow it to get to the ‘popping stage’ to infuse the hot oil before frying the brinjal. As an extra special touch, garnish the salad with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

1 large brinjal (aubergine)

Salt

60ml olive oil

250ml pitted black olives

60ml chopped fresh parsley

30ml wine vinegar

30ml tahini

30ml lemon juice

1ml of chilli powder (use more if you want it spicier)

Method:

Wash the brinjal and cut it into sticks. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. After a half an hour, rinse with cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the brinjal over a medium heat until lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel and set aside to cool.

Once the brinjal has cooled, mix in the olives and parsley. Arrange on a serving platter.

Mix together the vinegar, tahini, lemon juice and chilli powder and drizzle over the salad.

Pasta, Avocado and Corn Salad

Gorgeous creamy avocados are readily available at present here in Natal. 

They lend themselves exquisitely to this blend with sweetcorn and tomato; 

adding a little chilli gives it a marvellous zing. 

Give it a try!

Ingredients:

375g snail pasta

15ml olive oil

1 ripe avocado, peeled, stoned and cubed

30ml lemon juice

410g can whole kernel sweetcorn, drained

3 firm, ripe tomatoes cut into small cubes

1 green pepper, deseeded and cubed

5ml chilli powder

125ml vinaigrette

Method:

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and toss with the oil.

Mix together the pasta, corn, tomato and green pepper. 

Mix the chilli powder into the vinaigrette and toss in the pasta. 

Toss the avocado with lemon juice and gently mix into the salad.

Pasta Slaw

Coleslaw is one of South Africa’s favourite salads, but we got tired of the ubiquitous cabbage and carrot smothered with mayonnaise and added pasta to it for an interesting variation.

I like to add a few extra special touches to this salad, which always goes down a treat, such as a couple of handfuls of raisins, sultanas or chopped dried apricots and some chopped nuts such as macadamias, pecans, walnuts or cashew nuts. Mix some fruit or nuts into the salad and sprinkle some on top to garnish.

Ingredients:

250g Elbow Macaroni

15ml olive oil

¼ cabbage, shredded finely

2 ribs of celery, finely sliced

1 large carrot, grated

½ 470g can crushed pineapple

250ml mayonnaise

60ml snipped chives

100ml sultanas (optional)

100g chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Method:

Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Drain well and mix with the oil.

Combine the pasta, cabbage, celery, carrot, pineapple and some of the sultanas and macadamia nuts, if using, reserving some of each of the dried fruit and nuts for garnish, then mix in the mayonnaise.

Garnish with sultanas and macadamia nuts, if using, and snipped chives.