Baked Ricotta with Roasted Sweet Red Pepper Salad

The word ‘ricotta’ means, ‘re-cooked’, a reference to the fact that this moist fresh cheese is made from the leftover whey after stretched-curd cheeses such as mozzarella or provolone are produced.

Serve as an appetiser to a main meal or as a light luncheon.

Ingredients:

200g ricotta cheese

30ml grated parmesan cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

5ml coarsely chopped fresh sage

3 fresh bay leaves, coarsely chopped

2 medium sweet red peppers

2 medium sweet yellow peppers

250 mixed young salad leaves

60ml balsamic vinegar

15ml olive oil

15ml honey

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160˚C (moderately slow).

Oil 8 holes of a 12-hole non-stick muffin pan. Combine ricotta, parmesan and eggs in a small bowl. Divide this mixture between the prepared holes in the muffin pan; sprinkle with combined herbs.

Place muffin pan in a large baking dish; add enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the pan.  Bake the cheese, uncovered, in a moderately slow oven for about 30 minutes or until set. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out the ricotta.

Meanwhile, quarter the peppers; remove and discard the seeds and membranes. Roast under the grill or in a very hot oven, skin side up, until skin blisters and blackens. Place the pepper pieces in a bowl and cover with cling film for 5 minutes. It should now be possible to peel away the skin quite easily. Slice the pepper pieces thickly.

Place the peppers and salad leaves in a large bowl with the combined remaining ingredients. Divide the salad among serving plates, and top with the baked ricotta. 

Roasted Potato Salad with Coriander Pesto

Ingredients:
1.25kg medium potatoes, each cut into 8 pieces
15mlolive oil
5ml sea salt
1ml fresh ground black pepper
200ml diced celery
125ml diced onion
2 mangoes, peeled and diced

For the Coriander Pesto:
200ml packed measure of chopped coriander
60ml packed measure of chopped mint

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced

5ml grated ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
125ml unsweetened shredded coconut, fresh or frozen (defrosted)
2.5ml sea salt
2.5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 lime
30ml water
30ml olive oil

Method:Preheat oven to 220ºC.

Place potatoes on a large baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until browned and fork tender.

For the pesto:
In a food processor, add coriander and next 10 ingredients (through water) and pulse until finely minced. With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil through the spout. Refrigerate until needed.

In a large bowl, mix cooked potatoes, celery, onion and mangoes. Toss with 125ml coriander pesto.

Moroccan Braised Brinjal and Chickpea Salad

I LOVE EXPERIMENTING!

On Sunday evening we smoked some chicken on the Weber Kettle Braai. 

Needing a vegetable dish to compliment the chicken I looked for something to do with chickpeas,

Something Mediterranean that would be a bit spicy and warm for a winter evening.

I came up with this idea with finger brinjals (small long aubergines) and carrots with Moroccan spicing,

Not too hot but with a bit of a kick...

It's a meal on it's own, but if you prefer a vegetarian option,

 then use vegetable stock instead of the chicken stock I have used.

Normally I'd have used apricots, which are commonly used in Moroccan cuisine, but didn't have any, so I left them out and just used raisins. 

It was absolutely delicious and definitely worth repeating!

Give it a try.

As for the chicken, we will have to make that again also;

when we do I'll take photos and share the way to do it with you all.

Ingredients:

30ml olive oil

2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges

6-8 finger brinjals, cut in 1cm thick slices

5ml ground cumin

2.5ml turmeric

2.5ml cayenne pepper or ground chillies

7.5ml ground coriander

5ml ground cinnamon

300ml chicken stock (or vegetable stock for a vegetarian option) 

2 carrots, sliced

125ml raisins

125ml dried apricots, chunky chopped (optional)

60ml flaked almonds

I x 410g can chickpeas, drained

60ml couscous

60ml chopped fresh coriander

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions and brinjals and fry over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are softened and the brinjal has taken a bit of colour. 

Add the spices and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the stock, carrots, apricots (if using), raisins and almonds and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Wash and drain the chickpeas and add them to the vegetables, stirring to mix the chickpeas through. Cover and return the pot to the boil and allow to cook for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle in the couscous, fold it in and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Season with salt and pepper and fold in half the coriander. Serve sprinkled with the remainder of the coriander.

Cauliflower Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette

A simple and tasty salad. 

This easy side dish is a perfect dinner accompaniment at any time of year. 

Crunchy, fresh and acidic, 

this salad recipe brings a light touch to a calorie-laden meal.

Ingredients:

1 small cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 carrots, garted

2 celery sticks, thinly sliced diagonally

45ml chopped fresh dill

3 spring onions, finely sliced

40-50ml toasted pine nuts

40-50ml toasted sunflower seeds

Dressing:

125ml apple cider vinegar

60ml sugar

5ml sea salt

80ml sunflower oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a large bowl, add the cauliflower, carrots, celery, spring onions and dill.

In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, salt and oil to a boil. Pour the hot dressing over the cauliflower mixture and toss well. season with salt and pepper.

Allow the mixture to marinate in the fridge for 2 hours. 

Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts and sunflower seeds before serving.

Moroccan Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

250ml couscous

1 red pepper, seeds removed and flesh diced

1 green pepper, seeds removed and flesh diced

2 ribs of celery, washed, trimmed and finely sliced

125ml seedless raisins

60ml white vinegar

10ml ground coriander

5ml ground cumin

1-2ml chilli powder

60ml olive oil

Method:

Cook the couscous according to the package instructions.

Add the peppers, celery and raisins to the couscous.

To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, coriander, cumin, chilli powder and olive oil and mix into the salad.

Mango, Tomato and Red Onion Salad

This salad makes an appetizing starter. The mango needs to be under-ripe so that it is not too sweet and still hold a good bit of firmness and does not break up when slicing. To add a little extra for a full meal add some sliced continental ham, chopped chorizo, flaked Cajun grilled chicken, strips of spicy marinated and grilled tuna, Carpaccio of tuna or slices of smoked salmon.

Ingredients:

1 firm under-ripe mango

2 large tomatoes, sliced

½ red onion, sliced into rings

½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

Snipped chives to garnish

For the Dressing:

30ml sunflower oil

15ml lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

2.5ml hot pepper sauce

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Halve the mango lengthways, cutting either side of the stone. Cut the flesh into slices and peel away the skin.

Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber and mango on a large serving plate.

To make the dressing, blend the oil, lemon juice, pepper sauce and seasoning in a blender or food processor, or place the dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake vigorously.

Pour the dressing over the salad and serve garnished with snipped chives.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

5-6 ice cubes

30ml white wine vinegar

90ml crème fraiche or sour cream

30ml chopped fresh mint

4-5 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Place the cucumber in a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt and 15ml of the vinegar. Toss with the ice cubes. Chill for 1 hour to crisp, then rinse, drain and pat dry. Return to the bowl and add the cream, pepper and mint and stir to mix well. Keep chilled until required.

Arrange the tomato slices on a serving plate, sprinkle with the remaining vinegar and season with salt and black pepper. Spoon the chilled cucumber slices into the centre of the tomato slices just before serving.

Chicken and Vegetable Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
375ml water
15ml olive oil, divided
5ml salt
250ml uncooked couscous
250ml chopped yellow bell pepper
125ml finely chopped courgettes
125ml chopped mushrooms
375ml chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken
125ml (1/8-inch-thick) diagonally cut carrot
60ml thinly sliced green onions
50ml dried currants
50ml finely chopped fresh mint
Freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
250ml plain low-fat yogurt
50ml fresh lemon juice
15ml honey
15ml white wine vinegar

Method:

To prepare salad, bring water, 5ml oil, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Place in a large bowl; cool to room temperature.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining oil to pan. Add the bell pepper, courgettes, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until bell pepper is tender. Add bell pepper mixture, chicken, carrot, onions, currants, mint, and black pepper to couscous; toss gently to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine yogurt and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over couscous mixture, tossing gently to combine.

Orange and Red Onion Salad

Cumin and mint give this refreshing salad a very Middle Eastern flavour. 

Small, seedless oranges are most suitable, if available.

Ingredients:

6 small oranges

2 red onions

15ml cumin seeds

5ml coarsely ground black pepper

15ml chopped fresh mint

90ml olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh mint sprigs and black olives, to serve

Method:

Slice the oranges thinly, working over a bowl to catch any juice. Holding each orange slice over the bowl, cut around with scissors to remove the peel and pith. Reserve the juice. Slice the onion thinly and separate into rings.

Arrange the orange and onion slices in layers in a shallow dish, sprinkling each layer with cumin seeds, black pepper, chopped mint, olive oil and salt to taste. Pour over the reserved orange juice.

Leave the salad to marinate in a cool place for about 2 hours. Scatter over the mint sprigs and black olives just before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1 pound chicken breast, skinned and deboned, cut into bite size pieces 
1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 
2 Tablespoons butter 
salt and black pepper, to taste 
1/4 cup hot sauce

Salad:
romaine lettuce, washed and chopped (enough for 2)
2 celery sticks, chopped 
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 medium sized tomato, chopped
cucumber slices, enough for 2
1/2 finely grated cheddar cheese

Ranch Dressing:
1 clove garlic, minced
1ml salt
250ml mayonnaise
125ml sour cream
60ml fresh parsley leaves, chopped
30ml fresh dill, chopped
15ml snipped fresh chives
5ml Worcestershire sauce
2.5ml ground black pepper
2.5ml white vinegar
2.5ml paprika
1ml cayenne pepper
Dash of Tabasco sauce
60-125ml buttermilk (adjust to obtain desired consistency)

Method:

Ranch Dressing:

Make the dressing ahead and let cool in the refrigerator. Makes enough for several salads. Keep in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator. Good for 7 days.

Mince the garlic through a garlic press.

In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except the buttermilk. Stir to combine.

Add the buttermilk, a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit you.

Place into a container with a lid and refrigerate.

Chicken:

Sprinkle the flour onto the chicken pieces and toss around to lightly coat the chicken.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Toss in the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sear and move around in the pan to brown all sides. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Once browned, add the hot sauce. Reduce heat a little and cook 5 minutes more or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the heat and let cool down.

Assembly:

In a large salad bowl, combine all the salad makings except the grated cheese.

Pour on the desired amount of ranch dressing and put the rest of the dressing back into the refrigerator. Toss salad with dressing and lightly mix in the grated cheddar cheese.

Divide the salad onto two plates. Top the salads with the buffalo chicken. Season each plate of salad with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Serve right away.

Tuna Carpaccio

Beef fillet is most often used for carpaccio, and can be used as a substitute here, but meaty fish like tuna and sword fish make a refreshing change. The secret is to slice the fish wafer thin, made simpler by freezing it first, a technique used by the Japanese when making sashimi.

Raw fish is safe to eat as long as it is very fresh, so check with your fishmonger before purchase and make and serve the carpaccio the same day as buying the fish. Do not buy fish that has been frozen and thawed.

Ingredients:

2 fresh tuna steaks, about 450g total weight

60ml extra-virgin olive oil

15ml balsamic vinegar

5ml caster sugar

30ml green peppercorns or capers, drained

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges and green salad to serve

Method:

Remove the skin from each tuna steak and place each steak between two sheets of cling film. Pound with a rolling pin until the steak is flattened slightly. Roll up the tuna steaks as tightly as possible, then wrap tightly with cling film. Place the tuna steaks in the freezer for 4 hours, or until firm.

Unwrap the tuna and cut crossways into the thinnest possible slices. 

Arrange the slices on individual serving plates.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar and peppercorns or capers, season and pour over the tuna. Cover and allow to reach room temperature for 30 minutes before serving with lemon wedges and green salad.

Asparagus & Crab Salad Melts with Old Bay Seasoning

Ingredients:
3 asparagus spears
250g crabmeat, any shells or cartilage removed
80ml finely chopped celery
60ml finely chopped red bell pepper
1 spring onion, finely chopped
20ml lemon juice
15ml mayonnaise
2.5ml Old Bay seasoning
2-5 dashes Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted
125ml shredded cheddar cheese

Method:
Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the grill.

Place asparagus in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 5ml water. Cover and microwave about 30 seconds until tender. Add crab, celery, bell pepper, spring onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, Tabasco sauce and pepper; stir to combine.

Place English muffin halves, cut-side up, on a large baking sheet. Spread a generous 60ml of the crab salad on each muffin half and sprinkle each with a dollop of cheese. Grill for 3 to 6 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Old Bay Seasoning

30ml bay leaf powder

30ml celery salt

15ml powdered mustard

10ml ground black pepper

10ml ground ginger

5ml white pepper

5ml ground nutmeg

5ml ground cloves

5ml ground allspice

2.5ml chilli flake

2.5ml ground mace

2.5ml ground cardamom

2.5ml ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in an airtight jar and mix thoroughly. Keep sealed in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

Curried Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

500ml uncooked couscous

200ml finely shredded carrot

200ml finely chopped celery

3 green onions, finely sliced

125ml chopped fresh parsley

250ml canned drained chick peas

½ cup raisins

For the Dressing:

60ml plus 15ml apple cider vinegar

60ml plus 15ml extra virgin olive oil

45ml honey

30ml curry powder

15ml turmeric powder

15ml vegetable stock powder or 1 stock cube

2.5ml freshly ground black pepper

Method:

To prepare the couscous, bring 500ml of water along with 5ml salt and 5ml extra virgin olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan. As soon as it's boiling, add the couscous. Immediately turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and put it in a very large mixing bowl. Because of the vinegar-acid content, use a glass or plastic bowl. Add all the vegetables to the couscous and stir to combine. Set aside.

To prepare the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the couscous salad, ⅓ at a time, stirring to combine between additions. Cover and refrigerate overnight so the flavours have time to meld.

Serve as a light lunch or as a side dish along with chicken or fish.

Egg Salad Filled Avocados with Lime Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients:

Lime Pickled Red Onions:

2 small red onions

Juice of 3 limes

15ml oil (avocado, sunflower, light olive oil, or any mild flavoured oil)

15ml salt + more to adjust taste

Egg salad:

8 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced

125ml finely diced radishes, about 3-4 radishes

125ml finely diced red onion, about ¼ of a large onion

125ml finely diced celery, about 2 stalks

30ml mayonnaise

30ml unsweetened plain yoghurt

10ml mustard

30ml fresh lime or lemon juice

2.5ml cumin powder

1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado stuffing:

4-5 ripe but firm avocados, cut in halves, seeds removed and peeled

30ml fresh lime juice

Lettuce leaves

Lime Pickled Red Onions for garnishing

Fresh sprigs of dill  to garnish

Method:

First make the Lime Pickled Red Onions:

Cut the onion in half, slice very finely (a mandolin is very helpful with this part) and place in a bowl.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and a squeeze of lime juice, let rest for about 10 minutes.

Cover the onions with lukewarm water and let rest for another 10 minutes.

Rinse and drain the onions. Add the lime juice, salt and the oil, and mix well.

Cover the onions and place in the fridge, the onions will start to turn pinkish after about 3 hours, and will turn very pink if left overnight. Taste again before serving and add salt if needed.

Secondly make the egg salad:

Combine the diced hard-boiled eggs, radish, red onion, celery, mayonnaise and/or yogurt, mustard, lime juice, and cumin powder in a large bowl. Mix well.

Add the diced jalapeño (if using) and salt/pepper to taste.

Use immediately or save the egg salad in the refrigerator until ready to stuff the avocados.

Thirdly, complete the stuffed avocados:

Drizzle the peeled avocado halves with the lime juice, this will slow down the darkening process.

Stuff the avocados with 1-2 spoonfuls of the egg salad.

Place the egg salad stuffed avocados on top of lettuce leaves. Garnish with your choice of fresh dill and red pickled onions.

Serve immediately.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Salad

Ingredients:

500ml peeled and diced sweet potatoes

4 large jalapeños, halved and seeded

15ml packed brown sugar

5ml ground cinnamon

15ml Olive Oil

250ml diced Granny Smith apples

60ml raisins

15ml apple cider vinegar

5ml stone ground mustard

5ml honey

15ml Olive Oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190˚C.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, jalapeños, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the oil and toss to coat.

Evenly spread the sweet potatoes and jalapeños on a large baking sheet in a single layer.

Roast until the sweet potatoes are cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool completely. Dice the jalapeños.

Toss the sweet potatoes and jalapeños with the apples and raisins in a large mixing bowl.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the vinegar, mustard and honey. Slowly whisk in the oil to emulsify. Season to taste and drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.

Serve at room temperature.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and divided
15ml red wine vinegar
90ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
5ml capers, drained
Sea salt, to taste
2.5ml freshly ground black pepper
250g orecchiette or other small pasta
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
250g fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
125ml good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
250ml freshly grated parmesan
250ml packed basil leaves, julienned



Directions:
Add half the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to a food processor, and process until almost smooth.

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package in a large pot of seasoned boiling water until al dente. Drain well, then toss with the dressing in a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, mince the remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, remaining sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and basil to the salad. Toss to distribute evenly.

Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Coronation Salad

The famous salad dressing used in this salad was created especially for the coronation dinner of Queen Elizabeth II. 

It is a wonderful accompaniment to hard-boiled eggs and vegetables.

This recipe uses cucumber and radishes with potatoes, but grilled courgettes, avocado and dried fruit, such as apricots, apples, peaches and pears also work well with new potatoes.

Ingredients:

450g new potatoes

45ml French Dressing

3 spring onions, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 eggs, hard-boiled and halved

Frilly lettuce leaves

¼ English cucumber, cut into thin strips

6 large radishes, sliced

1 carton of salad cress

For the Dressing:

30ml olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

15ml mild curry powder 

..... or 10ml medium curry powder and 5ml turmeric

10ml tomato purée

30ml lemon juice

30ml sherry

300ml mayonnaise

150ml plain yoghurt

Method:

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain them and transfer them to a large bowl. Toss in the French dressing while they are still warm. Stir in the spring onions and seasoning and allow to cool thoroughly.

Meanwhile make the dressing:

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the onions for 3 minutes, until soft. Stir in the curry powder and fry for a further minute. Remove from the heat and mix in all the other dressing ingredients.

Stir the dressing into the potatoes and add the eggs. Place the potatoes in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.

Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves and pile the salad in the centre. Scatter over the cucumber, radishes and cress. 

Tomato, Savory and French Bean Salad

Savory and French beans must have been made for each other. 

This salad mixes them with ripe tomatoes, 

making a splendid accompaniment for cold meats.

Ingredients:

450g French beans

1 kg ripe tomatoes

3 spring onions, roughly sliced

15ml pine nuts

4 sprigs fresh savory

For the Dressing:

30ml extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

75g Dolcelatte cheese

1 garlic clove, crushed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Prepare the dressing first to allow it to stand for a while before use. Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, season to taste and blend until the cheese is finely chopped and the dressing is smooth. Pour it into a jug.

Top and tail the beans and boil them in salted water until they are just cooked. Drain the beans and run cold water over them until they are completely cooled.

Slice or quarter the tomatoes, depending on their size. Toss the beans, tomatoes and spring onions in a large salad bowl. Pour on the dressing, sprinkle the pine nuts and savory over the top and serve.

Tomato Egg Salad

Ingredients:

4 hard boiled eggs

60ml mayonnaise

5ml Dijon mustard

15ml white wine vinegar

30ml sour cream

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 red pepper, cut into bite size pieces

1 potato, boiled and chopped

15ml fresh chopped parsley

Method:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

Boil eggs for 7-8 minutes.

Remove the eggs and let cool.

Peel the eggs and cut in half and remove the yolks and chop the whites and set aside.

Place egg yolks in a bowl and mash with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar and sour cream and then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mix the dressing with the tomatoes, red peppers, potato, egg white and chopped fresh parsley.