The perfect Valentine's cocktail: Pink Gold

I am such a big fan of Amarula Gold! The clear sister liqueur of Amarula Cream was released last year to coincide with Amarula's 25th anniversary (read the article here), and it's just fabulous on ice or in a cocktail. We'll be sipping on this one on Valentine's Day :)

Pink Gold
Serves two

Ingredients
100 ml Amarula Gold
250 ml ice cold dry MCC (or champagne)
10 ml (dash per glass) Cassis
Maraschino cherries or fresh berries to garnish

How to make it
Pour the Cassis, followed by the Amarula Gold into a champagne flute. Top with MCC or champagne. Garnish with a maraschino cherry or fresh berry. Serve immediately.

Valentine's Day gifts from LekkerBek

for more details and gift ideas, visit

www.lekkerbek.co.za

or contact

Andanté

andante@lekkerbek.co.za

Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad

Just because the festive season is over and we all need to slim down after the overindulgence doesn’t mean we need to chomp on boring old lettuce… Try this delicious crunchy salad – 

perfect as a main or as a side to chicken sosaties or ostrich sausage.

Asparagus, chickpea, pea & macadamia nut salad
Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side

Ingredients
250g Asparagus
200g fresh peas, shelled
1 can chickpeas
¼ cup fresh chives, chopped finely
¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped finely
2-3 T capers, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon (1 heaped T)
Juice of one lemon (1/3 cup)
2-3 t dried red chilli flakes (or more if you like it spicier)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper to taste
30g (1 cup) baby pea shoots
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

How to make it
Trim the last 2cm off the asparagus spears and cut the rest into bite-sized pieces.
Boil or steam for 3 minutes and refresh in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
Boil or steam the fresh peas for 2 minutes, refresh in an ice bath, drain and set aside.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas.
In a large bowl, combine the asparagus, peas, chickpeas, chives, parsley, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, chilli flakes and olive oil.
Mix well and season to taste.
TIP: You can make this salad up to this point a day in advance.
Just before serving, gently mix in the pea shoots and garnish with macadamia nuts.

What we'll be getting up to this weekend: The Parkurst Pinknic

Balmy summer afternoons spent sipping bubbly, 

listening to Jazz, dressed in pink - bliss :)

Asian eats with a view: Great Eastern Food Bar

I just love the Great Eastern Food Bar! You can sit on the balcony overlooking the Parks sipping on a Sake Ginger Spritzer (my summer favourite) or a knock-your-socks-off Warm Sake Jar. The menu is small but interesting, from dumplings to whole steamed fish, all the items are Asian inspired and packed with flavour. They are famous for their Ramen, but don’t miss their Ebi Tori (some of the most delicious prawns I’ve had in ages!) and the papaya salad – yum! 

Details: The Bamboo Centre, 53 Rustenburg Road, Melville (above Service Station) 011 482 2910

For regular updates: www.facebook.com/gefoodbar

LekkerBek Valentine's gift selection coming soon

Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito

We are still in the festive mood, but realise that all the 'wining & dining' over December has taken it's toll on our waistlines... So we'll be the cutting calories with this refreshing and summery Virgin No-sugar Mojito ;)

Virgin ginger & kiwi mojito
Serves 2

Ingredients

10 cm fresh ginger, skin removed and sliced into coins
½ cup water
4 – 5 Canderel sticks
1 fresh lime
1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
Ice
500ml sparkling mineral water

How to make it

Combine the ginger, Canderel and water in a small pot.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Cut the lime into small half wedges (16ths).
Using a mortar and pestle, bruise the lime wedges and mint. Divide between two glasses (along with the lime juice).
Pour half the Canderel and ginger mix (with the ginger slices) into one glass and the rest into the other.
Add three ice cubes and a few slices of kiwi fruit.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with a kiwi slice.

Serve immediately.