beetroot relish

This easy to make relish takes just 30 minutes, and goes great with chicken or turkey in a sandwich or a burger.

what you need

1 chopped brown onion

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

pinch of ground cinnamon and cloves

225g drained canned beetroot, chopped

what to do

Combine 1 chopped brown onion, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup water and a pinch of ground cinnamon and cloves in a saucepan over medium heat. 

Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. 

Add 225g drained canned beetroot, chopped, and cook for 15 minutes or until thick. 

Allow to cool & store in the fridge 

chunky tomato relish

What you need

1 tbs olive oil

1 small brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small fresh red chilli, halved, deseeded, finely chopped

500g ripe vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 tbs brown sugar

2 tbs white wine vinegar

What to do

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and chilli, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.

Add the tomato to the onion mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the tomato breaks down.

Add the sugar and vinegar, and cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens. 

Set aside to cool, place in a sterilized jar and keep refrigerated.

green tomato relish

Green tomato relish is the perfect relish for hot dogs and hamburgers, or great with cold cuts in a crusty roll


What you need

8 cups finely chopped cored green tomatoes

2 cups finely chopped peeled onions

4 green capsicums, finely chopped

1/3 cup pickling salt

2 tablespoons mixed pickling spices

½ teaspoon celery seeds

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 ¼ cups white vinegar

1 2/3 cups light brown sugar

What to do

Combine the chopped vegetables and salt in a large stainless steel pan. Cover and let stand in a cool place overnight.

Pour the vegetables in a colander over the sink and let drain. Rinse with cool water and use your hands to squeeze out any excess liquids.

Tie the pickling spices and celery seeds in a cheesecloth spice bag.

In a large stainless steel or enamel-lined pan, combine the vinegar, the spice bag, chopped garlic, and the vinegar. Put the vinegar mixture over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add the drained green tomato mixture and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently, stirring often, for 1 hour.

Once cooked place in sterilized jars and keep in the fridge.  

Mango-Chili Salsa

What you need

200gr diced mango flesh

100 g (5 oz) mango puree, you may prepare this with the remaining flesh around the seed and the trimmings of the mango fillets when cutting the dice

90 g ( 3 oz) red or green bell peppers, diced

50 g (1 2/3 oz) red onions

10 g coriander leaves, chopped roughly

salt to taste

white pepper from the mill

1 piece lime, juice only

2 piece red finger chili, chopped

30ml (1 fl oz) virgin olive oil

What to do

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the coriander leaves. Season well and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Add the coriander just before serving

sweet chilli jam

This fiery yet sweet chilli jam is great with roasted vegetables and goes well with all meat dishes especially on barbeque chicken.

What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) roma (egg) tomatoes

1 small onion julienned

3-4 small red chillis (chopped)

6 garlic cloves (chopped)

1 small knob of ginger (chopped)

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tbsp mustard seed

1/2 tbsp turmeric

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt flakes

Cracked black pepper

What to do
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit)

Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle them with olive oil and roast in the oven until skins start to blister.

Sweat the onions in a pot in a touch of oil on low flame until they turn soft and translucent.

Add the remaining ingredients to the onions and sweat a few more minutes.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook out for 1-2 hours season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once all the ingredients are cooked out, allow to cool and puree in a food processor, refrigerate and use as needed

Chilli Jam

What you'll need
500 grams (1 lb) roma (egg) tomatoes
1 small onion julienned
3-4 small red chillis (chopped)
6 garlic cloves (chopped)
1 small knob of ginger (chopped)
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/2 tbsp mustard seed
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper corn mill


What to do
Preheat oven to 180 degrees (350 fahrenheit)
Cut tomatoes in half and drizzle them with olive oil and roast in the oven until skins start to blister.
Sweat the onions in a pot in a touch of oil on low flame until they turn soft and translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients to the onions and sweat a few more minutes.
Add the roasted tomatoes to the pot, reduce the heat to very low, cook out for 1-2 hours season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once all the ingredients are cooked out, allow to cool and puree in a food processor, refrigerate and use as needed"

Hollandaise Sauce

This would have to be Angie's favourites sauce and one of the main reasons we go out for breakfast, having this thick creamy sauce poured over her eggs and grilled ham (eggs benedict) or for me with smoked salmon and sauteed spinach with poached eggs. Also great on grilled salmon and fresh steamed asparagus.

What you'll need
400 grams (14 oz) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
White wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt
Ground white pepper

What to do
Fill a medium sized saucepan approx 1/3 full with water and put on to boil.

Place the butter in a clear microwave safe dish and microwave on high for approximately 5 minutes, (until the butter has separated).

Pour the clarified butter off the top into another container and discard the white liquid left at the bottom.

Reheat the clarified butter a further 2 minutes and skim any impurities off the surface.

In a large stainless steel mixing bowl place the egg yolks with a few drops of water and whisk together and then whisk in 2 tsp of vinegar.

Place the bowl over the saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the egg yolks have thickened and become lighter in colour.

Remove the bowl from the pan and place it on a folded slightly wet towel.

Gradually add the still warm clarified butter in a steady stream whilst whisking the eggs.

Keep adding the butter as long as the eggs will hold it, (if the sauce gets a slightly shiny oily appearance, hold off with adding the butter and continue to whisk until the oily appearance has disappeared).

Once all the butter has been incorporated add the lemon juice, (if the sauce appears too thick whisk in 1 tbsp of tepid water).

Season to taste and serve (the sauce can be kept in a slightly warm spot or in a Bain Marie)."

Reduced Balsamic

Ever wondered what that black sticky sauce is on the plate when you dine out, well its a reduced balsamic vinegar, used more as a garnish by some restaurants than for its flavour.

Reduced Balsamic is one of those incredibly simple items to prepare, yet expensive to buy, it is simply Balsamic Vinegar that has been reduced over heat till a thick sweet surup is formed. This is a great ingredient to have on hand in any kitchen. It's sweet yet slightly tart flavour not only is the perfect complement to many dishes but makes a very visually appealing garnish.

What you'll need
Balsamic vinegar (about 2/3rds of the volume will be lost, so you'll need to decide before you start how much you would like to be left with.)

What to do
Pour the Balsamic vinegar into a saucepan.

Bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes or until reduced by 2/3rds.
Allow to cool and use as desired.
I pour mine back into the bottle and mark it as 'reduced'.
It will keep for months and months in the pantry.

why not try infusing it with different flavours like
lemon - great for seafood dishes
rosemary - perfect for lamb
tyme - for beef dishes
orange - drizzle over fresh strawberries
chilli - to add some heat

Just add the jest or a sprig in the last 15 minutes of simmering s not to ver power the balsamic flavour

Chicken Stock

A good stock is the basis of many a great, soup, stew or sauce. Without a good stock recipes don't have the great depth of flavour required to bring out the best in any dish. While it is possible to purchase ready made stocks from the supermarket, i find many of them far to salty and lack that true natural chicken flavour. So why not make a batch and freeze in portions and you will have months of chicken stock on hand to add to any dish.

What you'll need
6 chicken carcasses approx 1.5-2 kilos (4 lbs)
2 medium onions (peeled & quartered)
2 celery stalks (washed & roughly chopped)
2 peeled carrots (peeled & roughly chopped)
3 bay leaves
5-6 black peppercorns
Cold water
Makes approximately 3 litres of stock

What to do
Place all the ingredients in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring it all to the boil.
Once boiling immediately reduce to a simmer.
Simmer for 4 hours.
Every hour skim the foam off that accumulates on top and discard.
Strain the stock.
Discard the solids (if you used meaty carcasses, feel free to pull any of the meat off and use as desired).
Strain the stock through a fine strainer to remove any fine solid particles.
Refrigerate over night, (the following day remove and discard they layer of hard fat that has solidified on top overnight).
The stock can now be used as required, refrigerated for 2-3 days, or portioned and frozen to be used at your convenience for up to a few months.

Note
If a very clear broth is desired, leave out the carrots and simmer for only 2-3 hours.
If a richer, darker stock is required brown the bones first in a 200 degree oven (400 Fahrenheit) and simmer for 6-8 hours (this may require adding more water during the simmering process to prevent the stock drying up)."

Tzatziki

Tzatziki, is a wonderful addition to many meals. I like to use it on virtually any grilled fish or chicken dish. Use it as a dip for vegetables, or a replacement to mayonnaise. Of course traditionally it is served with Greek dolmades or chicken souvlaki.

What you need
500 grams (1 lb) thick full fat yoghurt
½ Lebanese cucumber (peeled, seeded and finely diced)
1 small clove garlic (finely diced)
Sea salt
Black pepper corn mill
Extra virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ a lemon

What to do
Pour any liquid collected on the top of the yoghurt off.
Squeeze as much juice from the diced cucumber as possible.
Combine the yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, a few pinches of salt, a few turns of the pepper mill, 2 tbsps olive oil, and the lemon juice.

Gently stir and place in the fridge for 1 hour prior to serving. grea served with Lamb koftas or barbequed meats.

Baba Ghanouj - eggplant dip

what you need

2 large eggplants
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion coarsely chopped
¼ cup (purchased) roasted red capsicum, chopped
5 tbs roasted tahini
2 tbs rice wine vinegar (sweet vinegar)
2 tbs ground coriander
4 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs ground cumin
4 garlic cloves, sliced coarsely
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

what to do
Prick the surface of the eggplant all over, and brush it well with olive oil.You can either bake the eggplant at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes, Or, you can put it on the grill over medium heat, turning several times, until the skin is well charred and the pulp is soft. Use a fork to test the flesh for doneness. the charring method will give the dip a nice smokey flavour.

Cool the eggplant for at least 10-15 minutes before you try to work with it.

Heat 2 T olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat.Sauté onion for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red capsicum, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.

Cook for about 2 more minutes then remove the contents to a bowl to cool (about five minutes).
Place the mixture into a blender, and process until smooth.

Remove the pulp of the eggplant and throw away the skin.

Add the eggplant to the blender with the mixture and combine until smooth. You need to add the eggplant immediately to the mixture, because the acid in the lemon juice will keep it from turning brown. It would still taste good but it wouldn’t be nearly as appetizing to look at.

After you put the baba ghanouj to a serving bowl, sprinkle with about 2 T extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the Italian parsley over the top

sun dried tomato pesto

what you need

1/2 cup packed basil leaves
1/2 cup toasted whole almonds
4 garlic cloves
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 generous packed cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1/4 cup grated parmigianno regianno
1 cup olive oil

what to do

Drain your sun dried tomatoes, lightly rinse them, and then pat them dry with a paper towel.
Toast your almonds in a dry shallow pan or hot oven. They will take about 10 minutes, and you will smell when they are done.
In a large food processor, combine the basil, toasted almonds, garlic, lemon zest, and salt. Process until coarsely chopped.
Add the sun dried tomatoes and parmigianno cheese and process until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped.
Now stream in the olive oil slowly and process until the pesto comes together.
Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.

basil pesto

what you need
45g (1/4 cup) pine nuts
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 small garlic cloves, halved
60g (3/4 cup) shredded parmesan
5 tbs olive oil

what to do
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spread the pine nuts over a baking tray. Bake in oven for 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
Place the pine nuts, basil, garlic and parmesan in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin steady stream until well combined.

gremolata

Gremolata, which is also spelled “gremolada,” is a condiment that is traditionally served with Ossobucco, which is an Italian dish of braised veal shank. Gremolata is a chopped herb condiment made of garlic, parsley, and lemon peel. Although it is a common accompaniment to veal, the citrus element in gremolata makes it a wonderful addition to seafood and lamb dishes.
Here is a very simple gremolata recipe:

what you need
1 small bunch of flat-leafed parsley
1 lemon
1 large clove of garlic
cracked Black pepper

what to do
Wash and dry the parsley. Finely chop enough to yield two tablespoons
Mince the garlic.
Grate the peel of the lemon until you have produced one teaspoon of zest.
Mix all of the above in a small bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Many chefs like to prepare the ingredients together in a mortar and pestle to ensure that the flavors of each ingredient mingle before the gremolata is served.

Sprinkle over your dish prior to serving

olive tapanade

what you need
2 cups good-quality kalamata olives, pitted
4 anchovies, drained
1/2 small garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
·1/2 lemon, juiced

what to do
Place olives, anchovies, garlic and capers in a small food processor. Process until mixture is almost smooth. With the motor running, slowly add 2 tablespoons oil, in a thin steady stream, until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste (adding oil slowly prevents the tapenade from separating).
Transfer tapenade to a small bowl. Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or more if desired.
Season with pepper. Transfer to a sterilised glass jar or container. Pour remaining 2 teaspoons oil over tapenade to cover surface. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

peach pickle

Try this pickle alongside roast pork, duck or chicken and you won’t be sorry. It would also go perfectly with a salad of grilled chicken, extra-virgin olive oil-dressed rocket leaves and a good scattering of pecorino or crumble of feta

what you need
500 ml (2 cups) white wine vinegar
375 ml (1½ cups) red wine vinegar
330 gm (1½ cups) caster sugar
10 cloves
6 juniper berries
3 fresh bay leaves
9 firm, ripe peaches, cut into wedges

what to do
Combine vinegars, sugar, spices, bay leaves and 2 tsp sea salt in a saucepan. Stir occasionally over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil over high heat, add peaches and cook for 1 minute, then transfer peaches to sterilised jars with a slotted spoon. Pour in syrup, seal jars, stand until cooled, then store in refrigerator. Peach pickle will keep refrigerated for 2-3 weeks after opening.

fig relish

what you need
1.6 kg ripe figs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
3 tbsp finely grated
lemon zest
1 cup water

what to do
trim off hard stem-end and slicing each fig into quarters. Place in an saucepan with rest of ingredients. Bring slowly to a simmer and keep simmering for 15 minutes until figs are soft. With a wooden spoon, break up any large pieces and keep cooking slowly for another 10 minutes or so until jam is thick.

lace in a clena sterilized jar and refrigerate.

bagna cauda

An excellent garlic dip that is easy to make with just a few ingredients. Serve .warm with Italian bread and vegetable crudites

what you need
355 ml extra virgin olive oil
55 g butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
30 ml heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper to taste

what to do
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the olive oil and butter. Season with black pepper. Heat until butter melts, then add garlic. Cook until garlic has softened but not browned. Remove from heat, and stir in cream.

baked vidalia onion dip

A dry onion grown mostly in Georgia that is well known as a popular variety of a sweet onion. Mildly sweet in flavor, the onion has a yellow to tan outer skin covering a white inner flesh. Sweet onions, such as Vidalias contain a higher water content but a lower sulfur content making them less pungent than other varieties of onions. Most often this type of onion is eaten raw to enjoy the most flavor or only lightly cooked.

what you need

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 large Vidalia onions coarsely chopped
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 cups mayonnaise
225gm tin sliced water chestnuts drained and chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 garlic clove minced
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

what to do
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add onion, and saute 10 minutes or until tender.
Stir together shredded Swiss cheese and next five ingredients; stir in onion, blending well.
Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 180C for 25 minutes, and let stand 10 minutes.Serve with corn chips or crackers

Chermoula

Chermoula a herb and spice marinate used in the North African cuisines of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, it comes in all kinds of different variations and flavours. This particular recipe, is well suited for seafood, fish or poultry and the use of fresh and dried coriander gives it such a great fragrant "kick". It is also great for basting onto your BBQ meat, as an dip for grilled poultry and fish.

What you'll need
30 g (1 oz) fresh coriander leaves, picked
20 g (2/3 oz) fresh Italian (flat) parsley leaves
50 ml (1 2/3 fl oz) good quality olive oil
6 g (1/5 oz) coriander seeds
6 g (1/5 oz) cumin seeds
3 g (1/10 oz) black pepper corns, crushed
10 g (1/3 oz) garlic
5 g (1/6 oz) red chilli, de-seeded
15 g (1/3 oz) preserved lemon - This can be bought in most oriental stores

Recipe makes approximately 1/2 cup

What to do
In a fry pan, lightly toast the cumin, black pepper and coriander seeds either in the oven or over a low flame.
Combine with all other ingredients in a blender and mix to a smooth paste adding the olive oil gradually at the end of the process.