Carb free ostrich, eggplant & goats cheese stack

This is a delicious healthy alternative to a bready burger.

Carb free ostrich, eggplant & goats cheese stack

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 large eggplants

Olive oil

Salt

1/2 T fresh chopped garlic

4 Ostrich burger patties 

Chevin (goats cheese)

For the side salad

Fresh basil, torn

Baby tomatoes, sliced

Red onion, thinly sliced

Pinch of sugar

1 Tbls red wine vinegar

Salt & black pepper to taste 

To serve (optional)

Jalapeno chillies, chilli & garlic salsa in oil or fresh chopped chillies

Method

Per-heat the oven to 180°C with the top grill on high.

Slice the eggplant into thick disks, arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and drizzle liberally with olive oil. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until golden and starting to char (flip halfway through the cooking if necessary). 

Remove from the oven into a sealable container. Season well with salt and add the fresh garlic. Close the lid and shake gently, allow to infuse for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, grill the ostrich patties to your liking (they are best served medium rare).

For the salad: Combine all the ingredients, toss and allow to stand for at least ten minutes before serving.

To serve: Place the ostrich pattie on a serving plate, top with a layer of eggplant and a slice of chevin.

Serve with the side salad and chillies. 

Lemon Curd

Make beautiful tarts, cheese cakes, lemon meringue pies, macarons, cookies, pavlovas, pancakes or muffins with this delicious lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

Makes one jar

Ingredients

100g butter, softened

½ cup castor sugar

1 T lemon zest

3 L ALZU Free Range Eggs plus 1 ALZU Free Range Egg yolk

½ cup fresh lemon juice

Pinch of salt

Method

Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Add one ALZU egg at a time whisking constantly until well combined.

Add the juice, rind and salt and mix well.

Over a water bath (bain marie) gently cook the curd for 10 – 15 minutes (stirring constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble) until thick - the mixture should cover the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat and cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Hot cross buns

Hot cross buns

Makes about 15 buns

You will need

For the buns

4 cups self raising flour

6 Canderel sticks

2 T mixed spice

Large pinch of salt

1 sachet yeast (1 ½ T)

100g cold butter, cubed

1 cup (125g) sundried fruit cake mix (or 1 ½ cup if you like more fruit, 

it’s harder to roll the dough, but well worth it)

2 T (25g) candied citrus peel

Fresh zest of one orange

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup warm milk

For the crosses

1 cup self raising flour

± ¼ cup milk

For the galze

2 T fine apricot jam

A splash of boiling water

How to make it

For the buns

Sift together the flour, Canderel, mixed spice and yeast.

Add the butter cubes and work through the flour using your hands, rubbing the butter to combine with the flour to form a grainy consistency.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the fruit mix, citrus peel and fresh orange zest.

Add the egg and stir through.

Add the milk and stir until combined.

Tip the mixture onto a floured surface and knead for 10 to 15 minutes until the dough reaches an elastic and silky consistency, gathering up any fruit that may fall out as your kneading.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and rub the exposed dough with a little oil (this is to prevent a crust from forming). Wrap with cling film and leave in a warm spot for an hour or two until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, remove the cling film and punch it down.

Divide the dough into 15 buns (about 75g each or ¼ cup size) and roll them into balls on a floured surface (remember that your buns are homemade, so they can look a little rustic).

Oil a baking tray and place the buns on the tray, about 2cm apart. Cover (not wrap) with cling film or a clean damp cloth and allow to stand for another hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.

For the crosses

Mix the milk with the flour bit by bit to form a thick sticky paste (don’t make it too runny).

Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle with a small nozzle to pipe crosses over each bun.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes on the middle shelf until the buns are golden.

For the galze

Mix the apricot jam with a little boiling water to dissolve it.

Once the buns come out of the oven, paint the glaze over the top of each bun and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Remove and cool on a drying rack.

Best served toasted with butter.