Sunday, December 23, 2012

Nigella's Perfect Roast Potatoes

Image from here.


This is our favourite crispy potato recipe! It works without fail every time – golden and crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside.

The two secrets to this recipe are using Duck Fat to fry the potatoes (the smoking point of Duck Fat is very high, so this allows you to bring the temperature way up) and secondly using Semolina or Corn Flour that adds to the crispiness.

Duck fat potatoes
Serves 8 as a side

You will need
1 1/2 Cup Duck Fat
2kg Potatoes
2 Tbls Semolina or Corn Flour
Salt

How to make it
Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. (Not wedges, but rather chunky blocks – the more edges on the potato, the more crispiness.)
Add them to a pot of cold water and season with salt.
Bring to the boil, and cook for 5 – 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain.
Place the potatoes in a large container with a lid on, along with the Semolina.
Shake the container vigorously until all the potatoes are covered with a dusting of Semolina and the edges look frayed. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 220°C.
Scoop the duck fat into a deep baking tray and place in the oven for at least 20 minutes – the oil needs to become scorching hot.
Tip the potatoes into the hot oil, facing away from you and being careful not to get burnt by the spluttering. Toss them around in the hot oil until they are well covered.
Return to the hot oven and roast for 10 minutes.
Toss them again and repeat this process until the potatoes are deep golden and super crispy – it could take up to 60 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.
Remove from the oil, drain on a paper towel, season well with Maldon Salt and serve immediately.

*Perfect with lamb, pork or chicken roasts, or grilled duck breasts.

Tip:
  • You can buy duck fat from Food Lovers Market or Woolworths.
  • You can save the left over Duck Fat. Simply pour or scrape it back into the jar and use again.



Thursday, December 6, 2012

Festive Sesame Snap Cookies Recipe


We are seriously getting into the Christmas Spirit and these little cookies just scream Festive Flair   Delicious on their own, with milk, with coffee or even with a late night liqueur.

Sesame Snap Cookies
Makes 25 large cookies or 50 small

You will need
½ Cup Softened butter
1 Large egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
½ Cup Brown sugar
1 ¼ Cup All purpose flour
½ Cup White sugar
½ tsp Baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/3 Cup Toasted sesame seeds
¼ tsp Ground cinnamon
¼ tsp Ground nutmeg
1/3 Cup Toasted sesame seeds (for garnish) in a separate bowl

How to make it
Pre-heat oven to 160°C.
Beat the butter, egg and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the additional 1/3 cup sesame seeds).
Stir together until well mixed.
Spoon out 1 Tbls (for big cookies) or ½ Tbls for small cookies of the mixture, and roll into little balls.
Roll each ball in the remaining sesame seeds and coat well.
Arrange the balls on greased cookie trays about 3 cm apart.
Flatten each ball with a fork (don’t worry if they seem to crack).
Bake for about 10 minutes – until the cookies are golden.
Rest the cookies on the baking trays for 5 minutes before moving to wire drying racks to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.



If you are pressed for time you can buy this cookie mix ready-made from LekkerBek (www.lekkerbek.co.za), all you need to do is add butter, an egg and vanilla extract – 
as easy as pie! It also makes the perfect Christmas gift J





Monday, November 19, 2012

Pickled Jalapeños Recipe


Fresh Jalapeños are just divine. If you are lucky enough to find them at your local grocer, here are a few ways to use them:

- Liquidise them with some garlic, olive oil and vinegar to make a sauce.
- Chop them finely to make a salsa.
- Cook them, stuff them with cheese and wrap them in bacon before firing them on the braai.
- Pickle them (whole or sliced).

This is the recipe I used for pickling: http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2009/04/pickled-peppers/

Can’t wait to try the first batch in a week! 

PS Remember to wear gloves when handling the peppers! 


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Chilli Cheese Beer Bread

There are few things as delicious as warm home-baked bread slathered in butter. One of our best-selling festive gifts this year is a Chilli Cheese Beer Bread Mix – all you need to do is add Parmesan cheese and oil – voilà, a spicy, flavousome bread in a few minutes. It couldn't be easier.

Beer Bread Mix
with recipe
without bread pan
R55.00
with bread pan
R125.00

for more gift ideas. 


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

White Fruit Cake Recipe

This recipe originates from a grandmother called Nana in the USA
-  we just gave it an SA tweak. It is gorgeous as a dessert cake with preserves, aged cheese and a glass of Calitzdorp Muskadel (you can order it from us) on the side.

Nana’s White Fruit Cake

Ingredients
338g Soft butter
4 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
6 Egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
6 Egg yolks
½ cup Klipdrift Brandy (or brandy essence for a non-alcoholic option)
2 tsp baking powder
450g Nuts (we used almonds and pecans)
800g Fruit – not the traditional fruit mix. We used red cherries, green cherries, cranberries and giant raisins.
(You can also add glace pineapple or whatever fruit you prefer.)

Method
Pre-heat your oven to 160°C.
Combine nuts and fruit and sprinkle over a ¼ cup of the flour,
working it through with your hands. (This helps the fruit not to sink to the bottom of the cake.)
Sift together the rest of the flour and baking powder.
Cream butter and sugar and add the egg yolks little by little.
Add flour and brandy.
Fold in the fruit and nuts.
Fold in the beaten egg whites.
Pour mixture into a greased cake tin with baking paper on the bottom.
Bake for about 1 ½ hours or until set and golden brown.
If it gets brown at the top before the cake is solid, place a sheet of baking paper over the cake.
Let it cool a bit and then sprinkle a ¼ cup of brandy over the cake.
Wrap in tinfoil or clingwrap and let it stand. You can add some more brandy if you wish before serving.

It is good if it matures a bit, but can be eaten within a day or two.

******

PS.
If you’re pressed for time this festive season,
let us bake a 1kg White Christmas Cake for you!
R220.00
(including festive wrapping)

Contact andante@lekkerbek.co.za


Monday, November 12, 2012

We've joined Foodspotting





I had these fantastic Crumbed Olives wrapped in Goats Cheese at Rocket in Parkhurst.

I’ve joined the world of smart phones and am now on Foodspotting! “Foodspotting is a visual guide to good food and where to find it. Instead of reviewing restaurants, you can recommend great dishes and see what others recommend wherever you go.

It’s an amazing tool that allows you to access images and ratings of dishes in the area you wish to dine (or your close proximity according to your GPS coordinates – so smart!). Recent, unedited and unbiased opinions of single menu items – we’ve ordered a few gems by using this app!

To see what we’ve been dining on, click here, or follow me: Andanté-LekkerBek (www.foodspotting.com).

Happy Foodspotting!


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Black Horse Brewery and Restaurant



The husband and I spent a wonderful weekend meandering around Magaliesburg and happened upon The Black Horse Brewery and Restaurant. Nestled in the Magalies mountains, the terraced restaurant serves up hearty dishes like the enormous Goliath Burger, hand cut potato chips, delicious New Zealand green-lipped mussels, sticky Hickory smoked ribs and a variety of interesting pizzas.

The on-site brewery offers tasters of their beers before you order (they even make REAL ginger beer), and after we chose our favourites we spent the afternoon sipping ice cold beer under the trees enjoying the stable-themed setting.

The perfect boozy lunch spot www.blackhorse.co.za. Not a cheap lunch, but certainly worth it as the portions are big, the beers bigger and the atmosphere super relaxed (animals and children roam freely :)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Scary Food

Halloween isn't a South African tradition, but I just adore all the spooky treats, black & orange décor, outrageous costumes and themed parties celebrated on the 31st.

Martha Stewart has some fabulous Halloween themed recipes and ideas, 
here are some of my favourites:

Spiderweb Eggs (recipe via here)


Shrunken Heads in Cider (recipe via here)


Bat Wings (recipe via here)


Monster Fingers and Pimento Cheese Paws (recipe via here)


Pickled Brains (recipe via here)


The history of why Halloween is celebrated is actually quite interesting...
read more about it here

Happy Halloween! 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Wear ORANGE on the 25th to show your support



Take a stand and unite to end violence against women.

An initiative by the United Nations, the 25th of every month is ORANGE DAY.
Wear something ORANGE this THURSDAY the 25th and show your support 
for the fight against the abuse of women and children.

LekkerBek is a female run and operated business, and we think this is a wonderful project … just imagine if all the women in the world (and their supportive male counterparts for that matter!) wore orange on the same day?

What a statement!

For more info, visit:


How amazing is this orange dress made entirely from fruit and vegetables? 
By Korean artist Sung Yeonju (via here and here)


Thursday, October 11, 2012

World Egg Day (Best Leftovers Breakfast Recipe)


Eggs are amazingly versatile - featuring in dishes from breakfast to dinner, from sweet to savoury. They can be eaten (or drunk) cooked, raw, hot or cold. Not to mention their high protein content and health benefits (providing you consume more of the white than the yolk).

This breakfast served in a pan is perfect for large groups of people and never fails to impress! The best thing about it is that you can literally add anything you have in the fridge – the best way to use up all your leftovers.


Best Leftovers Breakfast
Serves 6


Ingredients
400g Potatoes, skinned and cubed
400g Tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped
250g Bacon, chunks
200g Beef Cocktail Sausages
1 Yellow Pepper, sliced
1 Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Tbls Tomato Paste
125ml Vegetable Stock
1 tsp Basil, dried
1 tsp Chilli Flakes or Paprika
1 Tbls Sugar
Salt & Pepper
200g Mini Tomatoes
40g Grated Cheddar
6 XL Eggs
Chives for garnish

How to make it
Boil or fry Potato cubes until almost soft, set aside.
Fry Bacon and Sausages until just browned but not cooked, set aside.
Fry Onion, Garlic and Yellow Pepper until soft.
Add chopped Tomatoes, Tomato paste and Stock.
Season with Dried Basil, Chilli, Sugar, Salt & Pepper.
Pre-heat oven to 180ºC.
Add potatoes, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add Bacon & Sausages.
Spoon mixture into a shallow large greased pan. (It has to be oven proof.)
Top with grated cheese.
Place Mini Tomatoes on top.
Make 6 little holes, and break an egg into each.
Bake for 20 – 25 minutes (or until the eggs are to your liking).
Garnish with chopped chives.

Serve with toast or a crispy French loaf to mop up all the juices!


Tips
  • Use the tomato & potato mix as a base for the dish, and add whatever else you have or feel like.
  • Drizzle the eggs with some olive oil so that they don’t dry out in the oven.
  • Add veggies like Mange Tout and Green Beans for some crunch.
  • Break eggs into a cup before adding it to the dish – you’ll avoid biting into an egg shell or spoiling everything with one rotten egg.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Consol’s new ‘Grip & Go’ bottles


It’s true, everything does taste better in glass. These nifty new 500ml bottles from Consol feature an easy grip silicone sleeve and a curvy shape that makes sipping your favourite drink a breeze.

We love the fact that glass has the ability to naturally preserve true flavour, and that it keeps its contents colder and fresher for longer. Glass packaging is also inert and free of contaminants so it’s safe and healthy for the user and the environment. Plus, they come in a range of funky colours J.

Get them from Consol from R21.50. (email sales@consol.co.za for supplier details)


Thursday, October 4, 2012

Sassy Spice Shakers

How cute are these spice shakers for your table?

Four Seasons

 
Animal Parade



Available from I Love Stuff





Thursday, September 27, 2012

Bosses Day Gifts


Treat your boss on 16 October to one of our delicious gift selections 
– guaranteed to please even the most discerning boss.

Click here for more info.

or visit
www.lekkerbek.co.za


Friday, September 21, 2012

National Braai Day: Monday 24 September

 How pretty is this braai from Mermeladaestudio?

Not only do we get to celebrate Heritage Day and have an excuse to braai up a storm, but we also have a fabulous long weekend to look forward to! 

Hope you have some fun & fiery plans for Heitge Day 
(aka National Braai Day).


This is still ons of my favourites; Roast Lamb stuffed with fresh garlic and rosemary, 
braaied by the husband J

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Spring Roulades Recipe



Light, pretty and delicious. With a little bit of effort, these bite-sized canapés will delight at you next cocktail party.

Spinach and Salmon Roulade
Makes about 40 bite-sized pieces.

You would need:



For the filling
420g Tinned salmon, drained and bones removed
4 Spring onions, trimmed and chopped finely
½ Cup mayonnaise
1 Tbls Chives, chopped
Salt, pepper & lemon juice to taste

For the dough
60g Butter
1/3 Cup flour
4 Extra large eggs, separated
1 Packet (200g) fresh baby spinach leaves (or 250g frozen spinach)

How to make the roulade:



The filling
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Set aside.


The dough
Blanche fresh spinach for 3 minutes, drain and squeeze out moisture. (Or
Cook frozen spinach over low heat until the liquid has evaporated.)
Melt the butter in a pan, add flour and stir for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens.
Remove pan from the heat and quickly stir in the egg yolks and spinach.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
Beat egg whites till soft peaks form, and fold lightly into spinach mixture.
Grease 2 Swiss roll pans, line it with good strong baking paper and grease the baking paper too.
Divide your dough into two halves and bake in separate swiss roll pans.
Spread the mixture evenly into the pans and bake at 200°C for 12 – 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and tip the dough onto a tray lined with a damp clean dish cloth.
Remove the pan, and gently pull the baking paper off the roulade.
Spread the filling immediately and roll while still warm. 

Assembling
Spread the filling onto the dough and using the dish cloth roll the roulade into a swiss roll form.
Roll onto cling wrap and refrigerate, allowing it to set slightly before slicing.


Tomato and Baby Marrow Roulade
Makes about 40 bite-sized pieces.

You would need:

For the filling
375g Baby marrows, grated
1 Onion, finely chopped
30g Butter
1 tsp Dijon mustard (or any prepared mustard)
2 tsp Cornflour
1 Tbls Sour cream
3 or more sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (we used Ina Paarman – which is softter)
Salt, black pepper and pinch of castor sugar to taste


For the dough
60g Butter
½ Cup flour
1 Cup milk
4 Extra large eggs, separated
2 Tbls Tomato paste

How to make the roulade:


The filling
Sprinkle grated baby marrow with salt and let it stand 1 hour.
Rinse the baby marrow with cold water, drain and squeeze out extra moisture.
Melt butter in a pan, and sauté chopped onion until tender.
Add mustard and baby marrow and cook for about 1 minute.
Add blended cornflour and sour cream and cook until the mixture thickens.
Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and salt, pepper and castor sugar to taste.

The dough
Melt the butter in a pan, add flour and stir for 1 minute, then slowly add the milk stirring constantly. Boil until mixture thickens.
Remove pan from the heat and quickly stir in the egg yolks and tomato paste.
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl.
Beat egg whites till soft peaks form, and fold lightly into tomato mixture.

Grease 2 Swiss roll pans, line it with good strong baking paper and grease the baking paper too.
Divide your dough into two halves and bake in separate swiss roll pans.
Spread the mixture evenly into the pans and bake at 200°C for 12 – 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and tip the dough onto a tray lined with a damp clean dish cloth.
Remove the pan, and gently pull the baking paper off the roulade.
Spread the filling immediately and roll while still warm. 

Assembling
Spread the filling onto the dough and using the dish cloth roll the roulade into a swiss roll form.
Roll onto cling wrap and refrigerate, allowing it to set slightly before slicing.

Tips:

- You can make the roulade dough a day in advance, rolling it up as above (while still warm) without the filling, covering it with cling wrap and keeping it in the fridge. To use, unroll the dough, spread the filling and roll up again.
- You can use tuna in water for a more affordable version. 
- Experiment with flavours and fillings.
- If you don't roll the dough while it's still hot (or moist from being in cling film overnight), it will crack.




Monday, September 10, 2012

Support a great cause on Friday 21 September – French style!


Join the department of Finance and Investment Management for 
an informative and fun day in aid of Cancer.viveThis wonderful 
organization offers a support network for people who have cancer, 
those who have survived it, as well as for their friends and families.

To learn more about the initiative, visit www.cancervive.co.za.

Or contact Thea van der Nest for bookings or more information:
011 559 4105 or theavdn@uj.ac.za

Enjoy a fun day out while supporting a good cause J

Flowers & Goodies


A delightful selection of seasonal flowers and 
gourmet treats are now available from LekkerBek.

Prices start from R300.00*
*Let us know who the gift is for and what the occasion is 
and we'll adapt the selection as well as the price accordingly.

Contact
for more info