Salmon Pasta

This easy pasta dish can be made with the best salmon you can find, off-cuts or even canned salmon too, which makes it very versatile and a meal you can cook during the week or to entertain guests for a more fancy dinner. It's amazing how little time it can take to put together a meal with the potential to impress!

INGREDIENTS - serves 4 to 6 depending on size

250 gr Spaghetti
150 gr Salmon pieces
3 spring onions finely sliced
2 garlic cloves chopped finely
12 cocktail, cherry or mini rosa tomatoes
1 tsp dill tips
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
250 ml fresh cream
1 egg yolk
75ml white wine
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Can be served with chili flakes

HOW TO MAKE SALMON PASTA
Boil the pasta "al dente" in lightly salted water, rinse with cold water and set aside.

In a hot pot, place the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic.

Follow with the butter, salmon, spices, salt and cook until the salmon is half way done. At this point, pour the wine in and let the alcohol steam off for 2 or 3 minutes.

Then, pour the cream and the egg yolk, stirring immediately, two minutes later add the pasta and the tomatoes cut in halfs incorporate well and serve with some parmesan and chili to taste.

Ps. Dill goes off very quickly, so next time you buy one packet hang what you didn't use or place in a paper towel and let it dry, so you can store it for a bit longer. Otherwise, you can buy dried dill tips from Woolies to keep at hand.

Love,
iSa

French toast au chocolate

Last Sunday morning was warm and sunny, with the tree leaves turning yellow and orange, so an indulgent breakfast that captured that autumn feeling was needed! Herewith, my little indulgence...

INGREDIENTS:

6 slices of bread (I used woolies soy linseed low GI white bread but you can use any bread of your choice, actually brioche or fresh bakery white bread comes out much fluffier)
2 large eggs
1.5 tsp cinnamon powder
2-3 tsp raw cocoa powder (I used three because the one I have is not very strong)
4 tsp sugar
1 cup milk
3 tbsp Nutella
2 bananas sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil or spray n cook
A pinch of salt

HOW TO MAKE THEM:
Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and once beaten add the sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa. Whisk again until the ingredients have incorporated, then mix in the cup of milk. 

Grease a pan over medium heat with 1/3 of the oil and 1/3 of the butter, and let it heat slightly while you soak your first slice of bread in the milk mixture. The denser the bread (like the soy linseed), the more time you need to let it soak, turn to soak on both sides. Place the soaky bread slices in the pan, fitting in as many as you can comfortably flip and allow to brown slightly (about 3 mins on each side), very importantly, don't let them dry up!

Once ready, serve topped with the sliced banana and Nutella (about 1 tbsp for every two toasts or 1 tsp per toast).

Enjoy!

Love,

iSa

SEAFOOD PAELLA - Paella de Mariscos

We had the great fortune of spending some time chilling in Cape Town with our dear friends Yaz & Mark, and discovered, to our luck, a neat and well stocked fish shop only three blocks away. The result where three separate meals coming out of my seafood shopping spree. So here it is, the last meal.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 people - including a little extra for each)
3-4 cups chicken stock
1.5 onions (brown or red)
3 bell peppers of medium size and mixed colours (for colour and flavour effect)
50ml Olive oil
6 garlic cloves
2 kg of seafood (I used mussels on the shell, mussel meat, clams on the shell and prawn meat)
300gr Spanish or argentinian chorizo
2 tsp Spanish paprika
2 cups Tastic Bonnet rice
2 tbsp butter
1 bunch parsley
0.02g saffron threads (the pinch you can easily hold in your fingertips)
100g pitted green or kalamata olives
2 cups white wine
1 can chopped tomatoes or tomato puree
Lemon wedges
 

HOW TO MAKE THE PAELLA:
Begin by placing the saffron threads in a small cup with 50ml of hot water, allow it to soak.

Chop the onion, garlic, peppers and parsley finely and the olives in slices, set each aside to incorporate when needed.
Place one flat big paella size frying pan (or two smaller ones) on medium heat and pour in 1tbsp of olive oil, folllowed by the onions and garlic, toss around until the onion is slightly soft. Add the peppers, paprika and half of the parsley. When it starts turning goldish in colour, ads the chorizo and fry slightly (add more olive oil if required).
Add the tomato and integrate it with the rest of ingredients, followed by the rice. Once the rice has taken the colour of the veggies, add in the wine. Let the alcohol steam off and once the rice begins to dry add in two cups of chicken stock.

Meanwhile, sautee the shellfish with 1 tbsp butter, 1tbsp olive oil, parsley and a bit of salt, set aside slightly  under cooked. Then, sautee the prawns and mussel meat with the same quantities of butter, olive oil, parsley and salt, also set aside slightly  under cooked.

As the rice cooks, add in more stock gradually and once it's almost done, add in the saffron and the water in which you placed it, as well as the seafood and their juices, the olives, some freshly ground black pepper and mix well. Leave for 2 minutes while you stir to integrate everything, taste for salt. Sprinkle the last bit of parsley on top and serve the pan on the table with lemon wedges.

Best enjoyed with friends, a bottle of Riebeek Cellars Pinotage Rose and an awesome view!
 

Love, iSa

ADDIS IN CAPE - Ethiopian Restaurant

Address: 41 Church St, Corner Long & Church Street,, Cape Town City Centre, Cape Town, 8000

Phone:021 424 5722

www.addisincape.co.za

 

WHAT TO EXPECT: The colorful ambience full of meaningful details, transports you to a place you may not know but you're about to discover. I find people either love this restaurant or are not at all interested, but for me the experience is part of the meal and in its rustic feel lies its authenticity.

There are no forks and knifes, just your hands and a roll of what seems like a hand towel, but is indeed an ethiopian crepe you tear and use as needed to scoop your bite out of the big sharing dish in front of you.

 

THE FOOD: An uncomplicated meal in terms of flavours, but very earthy and the combinations make it an interesting affair. We had the lunch platter for R99 per person which included some curried chicken and beef stew (the beef was my favourite), stewed mushy chickpeas and lentils (I loved the lentils), mushrooms and tomato stew, tomato salad and a side of veggies (which was rather tasty). All and all, a balanced meal, worth the money and appealing to my enjoyment for tasting different flavours.

We didn't explore the wine menu as we were feeling like beer. The coffee is also quite a worthwhile experience on its own, which we have done before.

If you're an explorer and don't mind eating with your  hands, this is a fun and interesting  way of exploring a piece of Ethiopian culture, one bite at a time.

 

Love,

 

Isa 

 
 

BOCADILLO DE GUAYABA (Guava sweet treat)

INGREDIENTS:
400g can guava fruit pieces (1can)
3 tbps sugar
A lot of patience

 

HOW DO YOU MAKE IT?
Very easy, but takes time and you have to be careful: the sweet guava paste can get VERY hot and you don't  want it splashing on your hands.

Just empty  the guava can in a small pot, add the sugar and let it boil covered at mid temperature for about 10 mins. Stir every now and then until the colour starts turning darker and it starts sticking a bit to the bottom. At that stage bring down to low temperature, stirring every 3-5 mins to ensure it doesn't  burn or sticks  too much to the bottom. When it looks something  similar to the pic below, it's ready! But don't  try to taste it, remember it will be very hot!
 

Once it cools down, let it set in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. Enjoy on its own, with mozarella cheese, as a filling for cakes, breads, pastries, envueltos or a topping for crackers, cheeseboard, etc.
 

Love,

Isabel

Arepas de choclo / Yellow maize patties (with doñarepa)

INGREDIENTS (makes 6 arepas)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1 tbps sugar
1 cup doñarepa choclo
1/2 cup doñarepa regular (or maize meal)
100 gr of mozarella cheese
Salt to taste

 

HOW TO MAKE THE AREPAS
Bring the water and milk  to boil over medium heat in a medium sized pan (you need space to stir). As it starts simmering, add the doñarepa or maize mix, sugar, salt and stir vigorously, bring down the heat to low and add in the butter when it starts to come together into a dough. Set aside and let it cool for about 10 minutes whilst covered  (so the dough doesn't lose moisture).

Make balls of dough that fit towards the center of your palm, flatten out the dough in between your palms making a rounded flat pattie, once you have a few, you can start assembling. Cut the cheese into slices that can fit in the middle of your hand, then place a slice of cheese in between two maize patties and mold with your hands into a round pattie again, hiding the cheese in  the middle and smoothing the edges.

Place on a greased braai (barbeque grill) or pan and let it cook until golden and crispy on each side.

 

Serve for breakfast with eggs o as a side dish to beef, pork or chicken meat, sausages, chorizo, etc.

 

Love,

 

Isabel