Cooking in Africa

 

Pizza in Deepest Darkest

So I’ve been visiting my amazing Husband in Mozambique, before you ooow and aaah wait. It’s not a resort on the beach. My husband works in a place called Chimoio, a 3 hour drive on very potholed roads from the beach. In the centre region.

So it’s Valentine’s Day and I want to make my Husband something special for dinner. There is an amazing Restaurant in Port Elizabeth called Mangiamo @ Wicker Woods in Walmer (041 581 1107), if you looking for a special night out and amazing pizza’s it’s the place to go. Thin crust Pizza’s with beautiful topping, ranging from Lamb Shank with mint, Prawns and rocket and many more. There are also loads of other amazing dishes in the menu. 

In Chimoio there is a Checkers and a Spar, not always well stocked but you can get your basic’s, there is a bit of meat and seafood but with black outs, one doesn’t like to chance it. Also a lot of the labels are in Portages so you not quite sure what you getting, can be a little scary. Although, at least you can see what you getting in the pictures. 

I’ve found an hopefully really nice pizza dough recipe promising thin crust yumminess , the dough can be frozen, this  recipe made 4 large pizza’s so, if you not making for 4 pop the rest in the freezer.

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

500g Strong White Flour

100g Semolina Flour (I didn't have so used white flour)

25ml Olive Oil

50ml lukewarm Milk

300ml lukewarm Water

1tsp Salt

7g Dried Instant Yeast

So Louise... the method is, in a glass bowl mix together Milk and Water,  hahaha no measuring jugs and I refuses to pay R150 for something I could pick up for R40 max, in South Africa. For my measuring I resorted to using a plastic container that said 80ml on the bottom and a empty tin of snails witch was 200g.

Sift (no sift) Flour and Semolina (no Semolina, so more flour) into a large mixing bowl ( I’ll make a plan) add the Yeast , Salt and the Oil, gradually add the Water mixture, mixing all the time until it forms a soft dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 4-5. The dough should be elastic.

Clean the mixing bowl and put the dough back into it, cover with a clean dish towel or cling wrap and leave to rise for two hour. Once the dough has doubled in size knocked back down and kneads again for 2min. leave it for another hour to rise again. Once risen divide the dough into 4 balls and roll each one out, on a floured surface (Yes my rolling pin is a wine bottle). Now it is pizza time! Top with Tomato Paste (please never use Tomato Sauce, all Italians will roll in their graves and will tip the earth off its axis.) I topped mine with roasted butternut and caramelized onions and three different cheeses.  Bake in the oven at 180 degrees  for  20min, very very yummy pizza dough, it was amazing not to doughy and not to crunchy, perfect.    If you not going to use all the dough balls, don't forget to wrap unused one in cling wrap and keep in the freezer.

So Louise... is back in S.A now missing her husband but keeping busy. hope you enjoy the pizza dough and get a little wild with your toppings, I think the secret is don't try put to many things on ,just 2 or 3 flavoursome ingredient and loads of cheese, goes without saying.

Till next time
xoxo
So Louise
 

The Last Supper.

 So Louise... Stuffed Roast Beef

A very good friend of mine, Lucy and her husband come home to S.A every two years. It is becoming a tradition for me to cook them there last the supper, before  they go back to Scotland.

This year I made Stuffed Roast Beef with Red Wine Mushroom gravy. I stuffed my Roast with Sundried Tomatoes, Spinach and Feta. The flavours worked beautifully with the Red Wine.

The Ingredients :
1.5kg Roast Beef ( I used Silverside)
1 packed of Sundried Tomatoes
1 packet of Spinach (steamed)
1 or 2 round of Feta
half a bottle of Red Wine
3 Cloves of Garlic ( peeled and whole)
Some string
pre-heat oven at 140 degrees

What I did was (very carefully, my track record with knives) cut the Roast so that it was one long piece of meat. laying it out flat I added a layer of Sundried Tomatoes then the Spinach and finally the Feta. Once I have all my Layers I roll my roast back up I fasten it with string. In a hot frying pan I sear the roast, to seal in all the juice goodness. I place the roast in a dish with a lid, add Red Wine and Garlic and pop it in the oven I left mine in for a little to long I would have liked it to be a little pink, but cooking is trial and era. My Roast was in for about an hour, so I would check it at 45min.

One of the many things that my wonderful Brother has taught me is never put salt on meat when cooking. Salt dehydrates the meat making it dry. Add a little Salt after or just have some on the table.

Now for the Red Wine Gravy. I'm pretty sure I could have given Lucy the Gravy on its own for dinner and she would have been happy.

The Ingredients :
8-10 Mushroom ( thinly sliced)
1tsp Butter
2 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1Tbsp Soy Sauce
2Tbsp Corn Flour (mixed into 150ml cold water)
Salt to taste

In a sauce pan I fried Mushrooms and Garlic in the Butter. Added the Red Wine from the Roast and the Corn Flour water mix to the Mushrooms, stirring it while it thickens. Adding the soy sauce and salt to taste, a little Black Pepper would be great to. The Gravy was dreamy, I probably could have had it for dinner by itself as well.

I served the Stuffed Roast Beef  with Roast Veggies and Roasted Potatoes. This meal was a big time winner. I'm definitely going to spoil my Husband with it soon.

For my next post I'm going to tell you about my Savoury Muffins, witch are great for a lunch, Breakfast, Party or just to have in your freezer.

 Until next time

xoxo So Louise

Asian Inspiration

So Louise... I have some girl friends coming around for dinner. We've been trying to start a supper club for quite some time and finally, the night is upon us.

From my last post, 'Eating Clouds' I'm going to be making a Wonton starter. A Vegetarian Green Thai Curry with Basmati Rice for mains and for dessert I'm going to be making Asian inspired Creme Brulee. I learnt how to make Creme Brulee, because it is one of my husbands favourite dessert and I get to own a blow torch ( my mother was a little worried about the latter but I haven't burnt my kitchen down... yet)

For the Wontons I had some Pork filled one, from my last post, ones, that I didn't fry and had popped into the freezer, this works great! ( so if you have a dinner party and want to prep a week or two before you can make and freeze)


Ok so this post has taken a little long, sorry.It's because after my dinner party witch was a great success, I had left over rice and had plans to make Egg Fried Rice for supper the next night. Planning to tell you all how to make it, its something super yummy and easy. BUT Disaster struck, I cut my finger badly and had to rush to the hospital, in the middle of frying my Onion, Garlic and Ginger. It was pretty gross, I'm very grateful my awesome folks in-laws live very close to me and could help get me to the hospital. Well, 6 stitches and lots of blood later I was all patched up. DO NOT USE A KNIFE TO OPEN PLASTIC PACKAGING!!! I decided against adding a photo of my finger.

So Louise... back to Asian inspired Creme Brulee, its one of thoughts desserts that is a lot easier them most people think.
What you'll need is...
250ml Cream
250ml Coconut Cream
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 tsp Dry Lemongrass
5 Egg Yolks
Half a cup Sugar (plus a bit more for sprinkling on top)

1 and a half tsp Vanilla extract

Preheat oven at 180 Degrees

In a small pot on medium heat add the Coconut Cream, Cinnamon Stick and Lemongrass. Let all this simmer for 15min, take off the heat and strain to remove all the, not cream bits and let it cool. In a bowl and the Sugar to the Egg Yolks and whisk until light in colour and creamy. Once the Coconut Cream is cool mix it in with the Cream and Vanilla Extract to the Egg Yolks mixture.

Place un-fulled ramekins (oven proof teacups work great to) in a baking dish with high sides, pour hot water into the baking dish around the ramekins about half way up their sides. Then pour the egg mixture into the ramekins. Bake for 45min to an hour the tops my went slightly golden. You'll know they ready when you stab them with a knife and it comes out with only a little custard on it, they will be a little wobbly.

Take them out the baking dish and let them cool on a dish cloth.
Sprinkle the tops of you custard with sugar and burn baby, burn (just joking) until the sugar metls and goes a beautiful caramel colour. If you don't have a blow torch, placing them under the grill in your oven, work well to. Just keep an eye on them! I topped mine with toasted almonds and a basil leaf sprig.

I think my next post might be something I don't have to use a knife to make, I haven't touched one for 5 days. I'm a little nervous of knives now.

I'll will be sure to let you all know how my finger is healing and what cool story I'm planning to tell kids about how I got my scar.

Till next time
xoxo

So Louise

'Eating Clouds'

Imagine this... You wake up on a quiet Sunday morning, but things seem maybe, to quiet? You look out the window of your flat, high above the streets of your city and .... Zombies!!!! You safe where you are are, BUT you realise you need something. You need Wontons! What do you do?

Ok Zombies are, So NOT Louise... and yes I know they not real, still I don't like them! The thing is, sometimes you just don't feel like leaving your house. All is not lost, today I'm going to tell you how to make your own Wonton Wrappers, that you'll be able to use in many ways.

 If you're like me and like making things from scratch, Wonton Wrappers are cool (well, I think they are and you'll get quiet a few, wows) The literal Cantonese translation is 'Cloud Eating' because of the way these beauties float in a clear broth. Won tons Wrappers, once filled are great in a broth, deep fried, steamed or even baked. Won tons Wrappers as a rule don't have much flavor they are basically little squares or circles of pasta. That is going to be the challenge to myself, making the Wrappers themselves taste nice.

I what to use a flavor that will work great with savoury and sweet. So Louise... I decided to use Lemongrass and Black Sesame Seed, if you can't find Black Sesame Seeds, the normal white ones will do.

For the Wonton Wrapper's you'll need:

2cups Cake Flour (not self raising)

1tsp Salt

2 tbsp Black Sesame Seeds

1 Large Egg

half a cut of Water ( How I infused mine with Lemongrass: I boiled the water with 2tsp Dry Lemongrass in and them let it cool before straining it)

a clean Damp Cloth

Corn Starch

Rolling pin

Sharp knife

Plastic wrap

In a large bowl, add Flour, Salt and Sesame Seeds. Make a well in the middle and add the Egg. Mix well and start adding the Lemongrass Water until it forms a firm dough, use your hands if needed. You might not need to use all the Water. Wrap you dough in a damp cloth and let it rest for 20min.Once the time is up, take a golf ball size piece and roll out on a well Corn Starched surface. Roll dough until it is almost see through. Cut into square or circles and place on plastic wrap.I made my Wrappers about 5cm by 5cm. Carry on until all the dough is used, placing a piece of plastic wrap in between each layer of Wrappers

You now have some beautiful Wonton Wrappers, all you need to do now is choose a filling or fillings. I made a Pork Mince filling and deep fried mine. (Because its such a small bite of meat you need to use lots of flavor)

Some other fillings could be Prawns, Chicken Mince, Spinach for a veggie, you can try anything. If you don't use all your Wrappers you can freeze them, to be used at a later stage.

When wrapping the Wrapper around your filling always squash all the air around you filling out. this will stop it from bursting. 

Next week, I have some of my girl friends coming around for dinner. I'm going to be making Asian inspired dishes, I'm very excited. Will let you all know how it goes.

Have fun with your Wrappers and now go get your Cooking on!  

 Till next time

xoxo So Louise

So Easy and Yummy

Chopped, is So Louise... have you watched it? It's on the Food Network. I love it, all the weird and wonderful ingredients and watching the way the chefs put things together.

A lot of my creations come about in that sort of way; I sometimes buy a random ingredient or two.(Mostly 'cause they look cool) but most of the time, I haven't used all of something and it's about to start growing hair and try to escape from my fridge. (Please someone tell me they also have this problem.)

So Louise... this is how my Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam came about. There was a "buy two get R10 off special", so I ended up having way too many Cherry Tomatoes and they needed attention ( they were far from growing hair, promise.)

The ingredients I use are:
500g Cherry Tomatoes

2 whole cloves of Garlic (paper stuff off)

2 Red Chilli seeded and finely chopped ( when working with chilli's rub some veg oil on your fingers first,then when you wash your hands, soap then water! All the chilli washes away)

1 thumb size Ginger peeled and sliced

1 Cinnamon stick 

3 Lime leaves and 

A good drizzle of Olive oil.

half a tsp Salt

Then I put all the above in a baking dish and bake at 180 degrees of about 30-45min.I mix mine around after 20min.The Tomatoes will go all wrinkly and the Garlic will go soft.

In a pot on medium heat I put:

150 ml Red Wine Vinegar

200ml Sugar. (if you are wanting a healthier way 1 cup of Apple puree)

Put the Red Wine Vinegar and Sugar onto a pot on a high heat and stir until all the Sugar is disolved. (if using Apple mix until hot.)

Take your Tomatoes out the oven and go fishing in the baking dish and take out all hard bits, the Ginger, Cinnamon stick and Lime leaves. Add your Roasted Tomatoes to the Vinegar mix. Let this come to a slow boil giving it the odd stir, until it has become syrupy. ( take some of the Jam out with a teaspoon and let it cool to see how syrupy it is.)

Transfer to sterilized jar or jars and let cool completely, I add the Cinnamon stick back at this point. These ingredients make one medium jar or two small jars.

My Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam is bea-u-tiful on cheese or even heated up again and added to a good cut of steak. It has just the right amount it bite (I myself am not a big chilli eater) and as I said in my last post this makes a lovely gift. Tonight I'm going to make Garlic Butterbean Mash, Mushrooms, Red Wine marinated organic Kudu steak and top it with my Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam.  

I hope you have enjoyed this and that it might inspire you to use those ingredients that may need some attention. If you dont have all the ingredients, get your brave on and try adding something that you might have in your cupboard or fridge...and please let me know how it works out. 

Next time, I'm going to make Wonton's... wrappers and all.  They are not as difficult to do as you may think and super versatile.

Till next time

xoxo So Louise

Freestyle Hummus

So this is my first blog, I've called my blog "Kitchen Free Style", 'cause thats sort of what I do in the kitchen. I hardly ever follow a recipe (except when baking, always use a recipe when baking unless you're Lorraine Pascale ;)

This morning I made Hummus for the first time and it came out very, So Louise... and I'm going to tell you how I did it...

So I started with one can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed. Two cloves of Garlic, finally chopped and some grated Lemon (cool trick: take a full lemon wash it and freeze it, then grate the whole thing or use as needed) I use about one teaspoon, I put all that in a baking dish and drizzled it with olive oil then grilled in the oven until the Chickpeas were golden brown  - and my kitchen smelt like heaven.

Once the Chickpeas were done I put them in my food processor with a few Basil leaves about 8 small ones, 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil and blended then I added hot water, a tablespoon at a time until I got the consistency I was happy with then added salt and pepper. very yum! 

As I said it was very, So Louise with just the right amount of Lemon and Basil. I served my Hummus with Salty Biscuits, Ostrich Capaccio and fresh Avo.

I'm hope to update my blog atleast 3 to 4 times week. Next time, I'm going to tell you guys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, how I make my Roasted Tomato Chilli Jam, also super yummy, not quite as healthy but also makes a amazing gift, not a bad idea with Christmas around the corner.

As a challenge to myself, If you come across an ingredient, and you're unsure of how to use it, please tell me about it and I'll see if can come up with something cool and refreshingly different..

Hope you like what I have to write about, see you soon!

xoxo So Louise...