Crispy Cabbage w/Almonds

25 min.

serves 3-4

450g / 1lb spring greens (cabbage greens)
sunflower or groundnut oil, for deep frying
1 tsp. caster sugar
50g / 2oz flaked almonds, toasted
sea salt

Wash spring greens under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Lay several leaves on top of each other, roll tightly and shred thinly.

Fill a heavy-based pan 1/3 full with oil. Heat to 180C/350F or until a little cabbage added to the oil rises to the surface immediately surrounded with bubbles. Fry the greens in small batches for about 30 seconds until they darken and crisp. Drain well on paper towel.

Serve sprinkled with caster sugar, toasted almonds and sea salt to taste

Bobotie (South African Lamb Casserole)

1½ hrs

serves 4-5

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
675 g / 1½ lb. lean minced (ground) lamb (or beef if desired)
1-2 onion, chopped
2.5 cm / 1 in piece fresh root ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp. mild curry powder (or more, to taste)
2 slices white or brown bread (use up your stale bread here)
250 ml / 8 oz milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 bananas, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise so each half is curved
4 bay leaves
4 tsp. apricot jam or marmalade
seasoning (salt and pepper)
 
serve with yellow rice (basmati or jasmine rice cooked with saffron or turmeric) and a selection of mild to hot Indian chutneys

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.   Soak slices of bread in milk in a shallow pan or plate.

Heat the oil and fry the lamb until lightly browned, break up lumps, move lamb to a plate with slotted spoon.

If lamb was fairly fatty, drain excess fat from pan, otherwise leave the juices in the pan and add onion, ginger and garlic. Fry gently until onion is softened. Return lamb to pan and add curry, stir until well combined.

Squeeze out most of the milk from the soaked bread and save the milk. Break bread into small pieces as you add to lamb mixture. Season mixture well and spoon into a 4-5 cm / 2 in deep ovenproof dish.

Stir beaten eggs into saved milk to make a custard, pour over lamb in pan allowing it to soak down into mixture. Arrange the 4 banana halves on top with the bay leaves. Brush bananas with apricot jam/marmalade to glaze them. Bake for 45-50 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve with yellow rice and various chutneys.

Salmon Loaf

45 min.

serves 6

454g / 1lb. canned or fresh salmon
2 eggs
¾ cup crushed crackers (e.g. Ritz)
½ cup hot milk
2 or 3 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. grated onions
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp. salt (less/none for salted crackers)

Drain salmon - remove any bones.  Beat eggs slightly.   Add rest of ingredients.  Turn into a greased loaf pan.  Put in larger pan of boiling water.  Bake for 30 mins. at 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Hot Cabbage & Black Pudding Salad

40 min.

serves 4

450g / 1lb spring greens (cabbage greens)
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2.5cm / 1in piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 eating apple, peeled cored and sliced
225g / 8oz black pudding, sliced

For The Dressing:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. sesame seeds
2 tbsp. dry sherry
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. clear honey
seasoning

Steam or boil the spring greens for 6-8 minutes until just tender, drain and cool quickly under cold running water; roughly chop.   Heat half the oil in a large pan, add the onion and fry quickly for 5 minutes until softened and slightly browned. Add the ginger and apple and fry until the apple is just softened. Stir in the black pudding and cook for 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm.

Heat the remaining oil, add the greens and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Return the black pudding mixture to the pan and mix together.

Make the dressing: heat the olive and sesame oils in a separate pan, add the chilli, mustard, cumin and sesame seeds and stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the seeds are lightly coloured. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bubble briefly.

Turn the mixture into a warm serving dish and spoon the dressing over it just before serving

Classic Tabbouleh

serves 6

1 cup / 200 ml Bulgar wheat
7 teaspoons / 35 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 cups / 425 ml vegetable stock, boiling
1/3 cup / 70 ml scallion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups / 425 ml flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup / 100 ml mint leaf, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 seedless European cucumber, diced
7 teaspoons / 35 ml lemon juice
salt & pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Mix bulgar wheat and 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
2. Pour boiling stock over, cover and let stand for 15-20 minutes,
    or until tender.
3. Drain well in a strainer.
4. Toss rehydrated bulgar with remaining ingredients and
    remaining olive oil.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate until ready to
    serve.

Okra w/ Garlic and Chilli

25 min.

serves 4

225g / 8oz small fresh okra, trimmed
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 small red chillies
seasoning

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan and cook onion until softened. Add the garlic and fry until it is just beginning to turn brown.   Add the okra and chillies to the pan, season, then stir fry for 5 mins. over a high heat until the onion has caramelised.

Tiger Prawn Stir Fry w/ Rice Noodles

1 hour

serves 2