Archive for the 'Entrees' Category

Serves Four

Ingredients
12 x plump extra large king prawns/tiger prawns (approx 50g each)

For the garnish
½ crisp iceberg lettuce
One red capsicum
Clove of garlic, sprig of rosemary and thyme, splash of extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar
¼ thin baguette
¼ frissee lettuce
Pinch of cayenne pepper

For the sauce
4 extra large tbs thick mayonnaise
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
Good splash of the following: brandy, Grand Marnier and Worcestershire sauce
Small splash of Tabasco. (If you like it spicy add as much as you like!)

Method
Remove the head and shell from the prawns. Remove the spine, by cutting down the back and pulling out with your knife. Rinse in ice-cold salted water, and dry well. Place in fridge until needed.

Cut the capsicum in half and remove the seeds. Cover with salt, pepper, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and thyme and place in oven on 150c for around 45 minutes until almost soft. Peel while warm and slice into thin strips. Drizzle strips with remaining juices and place in the fridge. Add another pinch of salt if needed.

Wash the iceberg well and spin dry. Slice very fine and then place in the fridge. Mix all of the ingredients for the sauce together, and season to taste. Slice the baguette thinly, place onto a tray and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake until golden brown then allow to cool. Prepare the frissee by removing all the green bits and leaving the golden bits; wash and spin dry. Place the shredded lettuce in the bottom of the four martini glasses and top with the plump prawns. Arrange the peppers and frissee around the prawns and cover with the sauce. Place croutons on top, add a pinch of cayenne pepper and serve.

Recipe by Guest Chef Justin North, Owner Chef- Becasse & Etch

Forget the dreaded cabbage soup and other outdated, overcooked options that give this versatile vegetable its bad reputation. Instead, use cabbages in a fresh, new way by lightly braising or stuffing them with fresh ingredients or use them as leaves for inventive wraps.

4 baby cabbages
1 cup creamy feta
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper
fresh thyme leaves
olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 180°C. Wash the cabbage and discard any bruised leaves. In a bowl mix the feta, pine nuts and thyme together to make a stuffing. Cut a deep cross into the cabbage being careful not to cut the whole way down. Stuff the feta mix into the cabbage trying to put as much of the mixture between the leaves. Season the top with salt and pepper and wrap in a double layer of aluminium foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes. It should be soft but not mushy. To serve, remove from foil and drizzle with some olive oil.

Tip: Just before serving, place the cabbage under the grill and allow the feta to bubble. You can also cook the cabbage over hot coals at your next barbecue, just remember to peel off the first few layers of leaves before serving.

Tip: For another quick and healthy cabbage recipe, try braised cabbage. Take a large Savoy cabbage, cut into wedges and cook in a pan with olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic. Saute cabbage for 1 minute, then cover with 1 cup chicken stock. Simmer till just cooked. Before serving, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top and season with cracked black pepper. Finish with shaved Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

To learn more about the super food qualities of cabbage, click here now!

Seductively soft, these fritters are just like pikelets, only more grown-up.

2 cups cooked pumpkin
½ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoon sugar

oil for frying
cinnamon sugar for topping
½ cup caster sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to form a thick batter. Heat the oil in a fry pan over medium heat. Spoon dollops of the batter onto the pan and shallow fry till golden brown. Place on kitchen paper and allow excess oil to drain. Serve warm and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Makes 20 small fritters

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Other delicious pumpkin recipes:
* Cinnamon Pumpkin Fritters
* Coriander and Feta Pumpkin Fritters

Want to learn more about the fascinating versatility of pumpkins? Click here to read our ‘How to Cook Pumpkins’!

Spice up your next dinner party with this unique starter. Smooth, slightly sweet pawpaw combines with a hint of chilli and lime for a flavour burst from the Caribbean. Who knew soup could be so sexy…

2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, cut into small dice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ teaspoon chilli powder
¼ cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water
2 cups pureed ripe pawpaw
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil on medium. Add the onion and garlic. Cook on a low heat for 5-10 minutes till soft. Stir in the paprika and chilli powder, cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the stock/water and pawpaw. Cook for 5-7 minutes till warm. Set aside to cool and place in an airtight plastic container. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to chill. Before serving, season to taste with Tabasco sauce and salt and pepper. Serves 4

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen 

Other delicious soup recipes:

* Cauliflower Soup with Sage Burnt Butter

* Rustic Beef Soup with Beans and Root Veggies

* Mixed Berry Soup with Floating Island Meringue

Dense and chewy, with hints of sweet caramelised date make this a delicious bread for morning or afternoon tea. Serve it warm with butter or enjoy a thick slice with gruyere or old-aged cheddar.

Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a large loaf tin. In a small bowl mix the yeast and the warm water and stand for 5 minutes. In a larger bowl, combine the flour, LSA powder, seeds and dates. Stir in the water, milk, sugar and salt till well mixed in. Pour the bread mix into the loaf tin. Sprinkle with seeds and let stand for 15 minutes. Bake for an hour or till the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

Recipe by Camilla van Beuningen

Other delicious bread recipes:

* Lavash bread

* Roasted Pumpkin, Pumpkin Seed and Feta Focaccia

Want to learn how to bake a perfect loaf of bread? Click here to read our ‘How to’ for bread basics.