The Corkless Mind

Tag: Recipe

International Pinotage Day
In celebration of Pinotage day on the 13th October, I paired up with Groot Constantia to make a delicious dish to perfectly pair with their award-winning Pinotage.

Pinotage is a renowned South African cultivar developed by Prof. Perold in 1925, successfully grafting together Pinot noir and Cinsault. Which back then would be known as Hermitage. This is where the name Pinotage originates from. Prof. CJ Theron then took it upon himself to preserve the grape varietal and original seedlings to evaluate the possible success of the varietal. Since then, Pinotage has become a cultivar to be reckoned with both nationally and internationally, with so many local winemakers crafting outstanding creations of this local robust red wine.

I recently attended the internationally recognized WSET course, starting with level 1, in which we were lectured on all the basics of an introduction to wine, storage and service of wine, (my favourite) how to pair food with wine and of course learning a basic WSET systematic approach to tasting. While I do not claim to be versed in pairing just yet, I thought I would experiment and give it a go. Oh, important information I forgot to add, I did indeed pass the course with 80% 🙂 Level 1 is completed in one day, course and examination. Thereafter examination papers are sent to London to be marked by the official WSET markers. After two weeks you then receive your results, a certificate and a lapel pin (if you have passed) corresponding to whichever level you have completed. I am totally impassioned with learning more about wine, and of course tasting as much as I can, I feel I still have so much to learn and discover which excites me further.

Okay, back to Pinotage day! As you may know Groot Constantia is one of my favourite wineries, the cool Constantia valley climate lends to their wine a unique taste and signature to most wines we may know and have tasted. I recently visited their beautiful wine estate for a bit of everything that they have on offer. A wine tasting at the bottom cellar, was of course one of many highlights of my trip. This was when I first had a taste of their pinotage. As mentioned above, because of their location which affects how the grape develops and tastes, this pinotage had intriguing fruity notes of strawberry, black cherry and oak which imparts an intense vanilla after-taste. Incredibly smooth and enveloping in smoky oak and black stone fruit, I think I might have found a favourite Pinotage!

I made a classic Cape Malay bobotie with a bit of a twist to bring out the flavour of both the wine and food. Instead of using beef minced meat, I used Chicken minced meat. An experiment that not many would be happy with in terms of pairing white meat with white wine, but nevertheless it works and marries so well together! The saltiness of the chicken stock and of of course salt added to the chicken gives this tanninc wine the perfect boost and complement. I love how the tart and sweet flavours of the fruit used in the bobotie paired with the mild spice also makes the Pinotage sing.

Chicken Bobotie

Ingredients:
- 1 kg Chicken minced meat (or any minced meat of your choice)
- 2 small- medium onions, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 100 g raisins
- 100 g dried apricots, chopped finely
- 3 eggs
- 2 slices of stale bread
- 350 g buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon of bobotie spice
- pinch of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of curry powder
- 2 bay leaves, plus extra to garnish
- 2 tablespoons of Mrs Balls original chutney
- 1 tablespoon tomato jam (or apricot jam as traditionally used)
- a knob of butter to fry
- Salt and white pepper to season.
Method:

In a large pan or pot, melt the butter and add the chopped onions. Cook until translucent. Then add the chicken mince and turn up the heat to brown and give the mince a caramelisation for flavour purposes.Season with salt and white pepper. Whilst the mince is browning, in a bowl, tear the slices of bread into chunks, add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and 1 beaten egg. Mix to combine then add to the pot of mince.

In another bowl, mix the raisins, chopped apricots, curry powder, bobotie spice mix, 2 bay leaves, chutney and jam. Mix together then add to the pot of mince and stir to combine. Take off the heat.

For the egg mixture, beat the remaining two eggs with the remaining buttermilk with turmeric. Using a flat large spoon even the bobotie mix to be leveled, then pour the egg mixture on top, add the bay leaves in whichever pattern you wish and place the pan/pot(keeping in mind the pan or pot has stainless steel handles, or alternatively place in a casserole dish to be baked in the oven) in the oven at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes until the top is cooked until golden brown. Serve with a fresh salad of wild rocket, pickled beetroot and raisins, with a side of savoury rice and of course enjoy with a perfectly paired glass of Groot Constantia Pinotage!

Enjoy and Happy Pinotage day!

Cheers! x

**Source: http://pinotage.co.za/pinotage-day-2018/, https://www.cybercellar.com/blog/lanzerac-the-pioneer-of-pinotage/**
October 12, 2018
Helen Goh’s Chocolate ‘O’ Cookies.
I recently purchased myself a copy of Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh’s book, Sweet. Having read the book numerous times cover to cover, and making mental and actual notes of what to bake and when. For me, Sweet reminds me of one of those CD’s (yes, I am that old) that you could listen to without skipping a track. The only dilemma I face, is to not scoff my face with all the deliciousness from this decadent book.

One of the first recipes in the book, is that of Helen Goh’s. The decadent Chocolate ‘O’ cookies. The chocolate ‘O’ cookie, came about by Helen setting herself a challenge of creating a cookie that could rival the infamous chocolate chip cookie at Ottolenghi. The ‘O’ is a nod to a few things, namely to Thomas Keller, whose own version of the oreo biscuit inspired the base of this biscuit, and of course the obvious ‘O’ on Ottolenghi’s shop door. The ganache made in this recipe is an absolute genius new way to make it, and at the risk of sounding clichéd , life-changing!

I thought sharing this recipe this time of year would be a great addition to all things chocolate being baked, tempered and shared! This recipe takes a while to make, but is oh so worthwhile!

Helen Goh’s Chocolate ‘O’ Cookies.

Ingredients:

For the cookies:
- 190g unsalted butter, cubed (at room temperature)
- 130g caster sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes (I used Maldon smoked sea salt flakes)
- 220g plain flour
- 75g cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
For the water Ganache:
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- shaved peel of 1/2 clemengold mandarin or orange
- 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes
- 90ml boiling water
- 125g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped into 1 cm pieces
- scraped seeds of 1 vanilla pod
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt flakes
- 50g caster sugar
- 50g liquid glucose
- 50g unsalted butter, cut into 2 cm cubes
Method:

To make the cookies, place the butter, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer or stand mixer(with a paddle attachment). Beat on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into another bowl, reduce the speed of the mixer to low, then add the dry ingredients in two batches until a dough forms. Tip the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth and uniform. Wrap the dough in cling film, press to form a disc, and set aside in the fridge for up to 1 hour to firm up.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/160 fan. Line two baking trays(or if you like me, have only one, then bake them in batches) with parchment and set aside. Remove the dough from the fridge 10 minutes before rolling, to make it malleable to roll. Divide the dough in half, then on a clean, lightly floured surface roll out the dough to a thickness of 3mm. Using a 6cm round cookie cutter, cut out 44 circles and place them on the parchment lined tray/s. Bake for 13-15 minutes, rotating the baking tray halfway through baking. Set aside and leave to cool in the baking tray.

To make the ganache, place the cinnamon, orange peel and chilli flakes in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside to infuse for 30 minutes. After the water has infusing for 20 minutes, prepare the sugar syrup. Place the chocolate, vanilla seeds and salt in a separate bowl(medium sized) and set aside. Place the sugar and glucose in a small pan and melt over a medium heat. Do this until the sugar has melted. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the caramel turns a light amber colour, this takes about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the infused water and aromatics. (Don’t worry if the sugar seizes in the pan, just return to the heat and stir until all sugar has dissolved). Return the caramel to the boil, then strain the liquid over the chocolate and vanilla; the aromatics can be discarded. Leave for 2-3 minutes until the chocolate has melted, then stir to combine.

Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring continuously one piece at a time, stirring until all butter pieces have been incorporated and the chocolate mix is smooth. Place in the fridge until the ganache is firm. Using a teaspoon, take a heaped amount of the ganache and spread onto the underside of the biscuit, spread evenly toward the edges of the biscuit using the back of the spoon, then sandwich with another biscuit and set aside. Repeat this with he remaining biscuits and ganache.

Happy Easter to all who celebrate! x
March 27, 2018
Oatmeal and mushroom risotto

This week, Woolworths had finally launched Steel cut oats in their stores, as you can imagine the excitement was palpable with so many foodies patiently waiting for it to hit our shores! Steel cut oats are different from regular rolled oats, instant oats, and quick cook oats, in that it is processed in different ways. Steel cut oats are toasted groats that are coarsely chopped into small pieces, and have a chewy texture and nutty flavour. Of all the variation of oats, steel cut oats take the longest time to cook, approximately 20-30 minutes, you can of course reduce the cooking time by soaking the oats overnight.
This recipe is adapted from the Savoury oatmeal risotto recipe from Geoffrey Zakarian, spotted on an episode of The kitchen. I love the unusual idea of savoury oats, as opposed to the accepted norm of oats, I.e honey drizzled oats, topped with fresh fruit or poached fruit, or simply sprinkled with brown sugar and dusted with cinnamon. I’m crazy about mushrooms, and always love experimenting with different kinds and variations. I added dried porcini to the chicken stock to add the extra kick of umami and meatiness to the risotto, added chopped shiitake mushrooms for added texture and flavour.

Oatmeal and mushroom risotto.

Ingredients:

2 cups of steel cut oats

750ml chicken or vegetable stock

1 red onion finely chopped

dried pieces of porcini mushroom

Four shiitake mushrooms sliced

50 ml Olive oil, and extra for drizzling.

Smoked sea salt flakes

Freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 cup Parmesan, I used Grana Padano

2 tablespoons of butter

A few basil leaves, torn

Method:

In a large pan, on a medium high heat, heat the olive oil then sauté the onion until translucent and soft, for 8 minutes. In a separate dry pan, toast the oats for 2 minutes until a nutty scent is emitted, then add to the sautéed onion, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Add the dehydrated porcini mushrooms to the warm stock and set aside for a few minutes.
Add two big ladles of chicken stock to the pan with two big ladles of water, and bring to a simmer whilst stirring frequently until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the shiitake and hydrated porcini mushroom, then add more water and chicken stock accordingly as you go along, cook for 25 minutes.
Stir in the butter, Parmesan and add the torn basil to finish. Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little more Parmesan grated over the dish.

I could never perfect the ‘death dish’ before but this dish has proven to be incredibly simple and dare I say incredibly delicious! With loads of patience and vision for the end product, making risotto doesn’t have to intimidating!

The hydrated porcini in the stock with the shiitake mushrooms finished with the Grana Padano, elevated the dish into an umami bomb that supersedes all else! The steel cut oats lends a nutty flavour to the dish and a creamy texture that would fool anyone to think this is a norm for risotto. I would happily indulge in this risotto any day!
Yesterday was probably one of the best lunchtime meals I’ve had in a long time! Every morsel packed with umami goodness and texture, made me mindfully consume my meal and sit down to enjoy good food the way it truly should be enjoyed.

**This post has not been sponsored, and thus all ingredients were purchased by myself**

June 1, 2017
Grilled strawberries and cream.

There’s something so unmistakably classic about the combination of strawberries and cream, that will always transcend food trends. That to me is the very definition of classic food. Inspired by the breathtaking food photography and styling in the March issue of delicious Australia, I couldn’t resist recreating this recipe at home. This recipe is by chef Matt Wilkinson for the March issue of delicious.
Like many others scrambling to the stores to indulge in the last little bit of summer produce available before its all vanished off of shelves for a good couple of months and before regret sets in that I didn’t attempt this gorgeous recipe, I knew I had to give it a go!
Grilled strawberries with cream and meringue shards.
Ingredients:
– 250g strawberries

– 1 tsp of olive oil

– Black pepper to taste

– A few basil leaves to garnish

– Vanilla ice cream to serve

– 2 egg whites

– 120g castor sugar
Method:

Preheat oven to 95 degrees C. Starting on the meringue shards first, in a stand mixer or with an electric beater, beat the egg whites until soft peaks have formed. Gradually adding the sugar a little at a time, whilst the mixer is on. Beat until stiff and glossy. On a parchment lined/silpat lined baking tray spread the meringue thinly on the baking tray, and bake for 40 minutes. Break into shards and set aside.
Coat the strawberries in olive oil and a little freshly ground black pepper. On a high heat, sear the strawberries until black grill lines are visible (take care to space the strawberries apart)
Serve with the meringue shards, a scoop or two of ice cream, basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper.

March 15, 2017
Zucchini and Haloumi fritters

I have recently gifted myself a digital subscription to the award winning Delicious Australia’s food magazine. Honestly, I don’t know why I haven’t done so sooner! I’m a massive fan of their glossy food mag and find myself constantly perusing their websites in search for ideas and inspiration.
This recipe is adapted from their February issue, which is packed full of colourful and light summer inspired recipes. This particular recipe looked amazing photographed on their cover but also seemed like something I wouldn’t usually make. Like any fritter recipe, this is super easy and so light and fluffy. The zesty flavour of the zucchini and creamy profile of the Haloumi really complements each other and the accompaniment of the crisp vibrant sugar snaps are just the thing this dish needs for texture and colour. I love how the creamy dressing provides relief for the slight kick of chili in the fritter.

Okay, enough explaining the flavour profile, try the recipe for yourself!

Zucchini and Haloumi fritters

Ingredients:

– 620g Courgette/zucchini (about 5 of them) coursely grated

– 100g Self raising flour

– 50g plain flour

– 250g haloumi

– Pinch of chilli flakes ( I added a few pinches) add according to taste.

– 1tsp salt

– 2 eggs lightly beaten

– 1/2 cup chopped dill

– 1 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

– 200g of sugar snap peas

– 50g julienne beetroot to serve

– A few spinach leaves or baby gem lettuce to serve

Green Goddess Dressing:

-1/2 bunch of mint and dill

-Juice of 1/2 lemon

-120g sour cream

-140g Double fat plain yoghurt

Method:

Place the colander into a bowl and coursely grate the zucchini into the colander. Add the salt and set aside for 15 minutes, then squeeze to remove extra moisture. In a separate bowl, add the grated zucchini, flours, eggs, chilli flakes and dill, mix to combine.

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil for a shallow fry on a medium heat. In batches, spoon in a heaped tablespoon of the fritter mixture and fry for 3-4 minutes on either side, drain on kitchen paper and keep warm.

Plate fritters with the lettuce/spinach, beetroot and sugar snaps, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Top with a poached egg or two.
In a blender (or in my case my NutriBullet) blitz together the yoghurt, sour cream, mint and dill until combined. Drizzle over the fritters and salad

**the original recipe calls for smoked ham to be added to the fritter mix, you can, like me completely omit this ingredient or add smoked bacon if you want to take it to next level deliciousness!

February 16, 2017
Buddha’s ganoush

Happy 2017! Better late than never 🙂 we all set some goals before 2016 packed its bags and thankfully left us, and one of mine is to start eating mindfully, I do believe my body will reward me for my choice of nourishment.I don’t proclaim to be a complete healthy eater, but I think it’s important to start the year off on a healthy note, healthy body and healthy mind.

Okay, I have to admit I sometimes eat like a 10 year old that has been left alone at home for an evening of junk food eating and binge watching 80’s movies. However, I find as I’m getting older I feel my body needs more nutrition than those days after eating junk that I cram my body full of only to resume the junk eating the next week or so… Not very smart, I know.

As an avid Woolworths Taste magazine reader, I could not resist trying out this recipe for myself. This recipe is out of the book Plentiful by Paul Atkinson,Chris and Louis Van Loon and Angela Shaw.This recipe is ideal for snacking with flat breads, (my favourite) crunchy radishes, carrot sticks or some rice crackers. Serve as a dip at your next laid back lunch with family or friends, it’s something different and best of all it’s super easy to make at home. I used my trusty NutriBullet to blitz everything up in just one cup. The consistency is a velvety smooth dip texture and taste is reminiscent to its cousin hummus, because of the tahini paste, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic.
Buddha’s Ganoush recipe:

Ingredients:

-2 large aubergines/brinjals halved lengthways

-5T olive oil, plus extra

-2T toasted ground cumin

-2 cloves garlic

-1T tahini paste

-1/2 bunch parsley

-3T Lemon juice

Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Halve the brinjals/aubergines lengthways and prick the aubergines all over using a fork, then rub with some olive oil.

Place aubergines in roasting dish and roast for 45 minutes turning them halfway through. Once cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool completely before scooping out all of the flesh from the aubergines with a spoon. Toast the cumin in a hot pan until fragrant and darker in colour but shouldn’t turn black(shake every few minutes when toasting to avoid burning) place all of the aubergines flesh into a food processor or NutriBullet with the olive oil, garlic, tahini, cumin and parsley, then blitz. Add the lemon juice a little at a time, so as to avoid the mixture becoming too runny. Season to taste and serve with chopped radishes or with some fresh flat breads.
Happy mindful eating!

Dominique x

January 5, 2017