Pear, Fennel, Mint and Feta Salad Nice side salad, or dinner if you go a bit heavier on the veggies. Ingredients: A few cups of roquette 1 pear, sliced in circles (core and all), then sliced into matchsticks 1 small fennel bulb, shaved into thin slices 1/2 red onion, shaved into thin slices 1/2 cup chopped mint Juice of 1/2 lemon 1/2 cup nice feta cheese Olive oil, salt and pepper Mix and serve. High-res

Pear, Fennel, Mint and Feta Salad

Nice side salad, or dinner if you go a bit heavier on the veggies.

Ingredients:

  • A few cups of roquette
  • 1 pear, sliced in circles (core and all), then sliced into matchsticks
  • 1 small fennel bulb, shaved into thin slices
  • 1/2 red onion, shaved into thin slices
  • 1/2 cup chopped mint
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 cup nice feta cheese
  • Olive oil, salt and pepper

Mix and serve.

Beetroot, Goat’s Cheese and Mint Salad Quarter washed, raw beetroot and roast, tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper, for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate, and once cool, toss with 1/4 cup chopped mint.  Top with goat’s cheese, and serve on witlof leaves. High-res

Beetroot, Goat’s Cheese and Mint Salad

Quarter washed, raw beetroot and roast, tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper, for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate, and once cool, toss with 1/4 cup chopped mint.  Top with goat’s cheese, and serve on witlof leaves.

Scrambled Eggs with Chili Prawns and Goat’s Cheese and Mint Ingredients (serves 2): 4 eggs 1/2 cup skim milk 2 prawns, cooked or uncooked, sliced in half lengthwise 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 4 tbsp goat’s cheese 1 tomato, sliced 1 cup baby spinach 2 slices of bread 1/4 cup chopped Vietnamese mint Salt, pepper and oil Mix the eggs and milk, and set aside.  Saute the prawns with the chili, and season with salt and pepper.  In a pan on medium heat, pour in the eggs, whipping constantly, until they change in color and start to set.  Once they’re quite thick, stop stirring and flip to finish cooking on the other side. Layer spinach and tomato on the bread, top with eggs, season with salt and pepper, and add the cheese, prawns, and finish with mint. High-res

Scrambled Eggs with Chili Prawns and Goat’s Cheese and Mint

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 2 prawns, cooked or uncooked, sliced in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 4 tbsp goat’s cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 cup baby spinach
  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1/4 cup chopped Vietnamese mint
  • Salt, pepper and oil

Mix the eggs and milk, and set aside.  Saute the prawns with the chili, and season with salt and pepper.  In a pan on medium heat, pour in the eggs, whipping constantly, until they change in color and start to set.  Once they’re quite thick, stop stirring and flip to finish cooking on the other side.

Layer spinach and tomato on the bread, top with eggs, season with salt and pepper, and add the cheese, prawns, and finish with mint.

Mango Granita Simple dessert, easy to make ahead and have on hand. Ingredients: 1 mango, pit and skin removed 1/2 cup water 1 tsp sugar Juice of half a lemon Puree, and pour into a flat pan to freeze, pulling it out every 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how cold your freezer is) to run a fork through it and create flakes.  Served with sliced strawberries and fresh mint. High-res

Mango Granita

Simple dessert, easy to make ahead and have on hand.

Ingredients:

  • 1 mango, pit and skin removed
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Juice of half a lemon

Puree, and pour into a flat pan to freeze, pulling it out every 30 minutes to an hour (depending on how cold your freezer is) to run a fork through it and create flakes.  Served with sliced strawberries and fresh mint.

Maggie Beer’s Pickled EggplantAfter the Mexican food was gone (this took a while), I was on a mission to use up some more odds and ends in my fridge.  This included a large eggplant that was starting to look a bit sad, and some verjuice I bought ages ago. This recipe was great, but I think I could simplify it a bit since it was a little labor intensive for the output and turned out a bit greasy. High-res

Maggie Beer’s Pickled Eggplant

After the Mexican food was gone (this took a while), I was on a mission to use up some more odds and ends in my fridge.  This included a large eggplant that was starting to look a bit sad, and some verjuice I bought ages ago. This recipe was great, but I think I could simplify it a bit since it was a little labor intensive for the output and turned out a bit greasy.

Potato, Pear, Caramelized Onion, Goat’s Cheese and Mint Dumplings I tried out 3 different dumpling recipes last night, and this was the one worth sharing.  The main piece of advice I got was that it’s supposed to be the consistency of a meatball, and for vegetarian dumplings, it’s a bit tricky without the meat.  This needs some sort of amazing dipping sauce yet to be devised, suggestions welcome. Ingredients: 1 cup mashed potato, skins removed 120g goat’s cheese (more or less to taste) Half a pear, diced finely Small/medium onion, diced finely 50g butter 1 egg 1 tsp vegetable broth powder 1 tbsp honey 1/4 cup finely chopped mint Salt and pepper, to taste 1 package won ton wrappers Caramelize the onions and pear with the butter in a pan on low heat for about 30 minutes, until nice and golden.  Boil and mash the potatoes.  Once cool, mix together all the ingredients except the egg and taste for salt and pepper, adjust accordingly.  Add beaten egg and mix.  Should have the consistency of a meatball batter, adjust ingredients accordingly to achieve this.  Put a tablespoon or so in a wonton wrapper and seal with water.  Steam for about 5 minutes. High-res

Potato, Pear, Caramelized Onion, Goat’s Cheese and Mint Dumplings

I tried out 3 different dumpling recipes last night, and this was the one worth sharing.  The main piece of advice I got was that it’s supposed to be the consistency of a meatball, and for vegetarian dumplings, it’s a bit tricky without the meat.  This needs some sort of amazing dipping sauce yet to be devised, suggestions welcome.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup mashed potato, skins removed
  • 120g goat’s cheese (more or less to taste)
  • Half a pear, diced finely
  • Small/medium onion, diced finely
  • 50g butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vegetable broth powder
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped mint
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 package won ton wrappers

Caramelize the onions and pear with the butter in a pan on low heat for about 30 minutes, until nice and golden.  Boil and mash the potatoes.  Once cool, mix together all the ingredients except the egg and taste for salt and pepper, adjust accordingly.  Add beaten egg and mix.  Should have the consistency of a meatball batter, adjust ingredients accordingly to achieve this.  Put a tablespoon or so in a wonton wrapper and seal with water.  Steam for about 5 minutes.