Archive for September, 2011

After my never-to-be-repeated purchase from a home industry, I have been on a mission. This is my third instalment in the “rather bake than buy” category.

I thought of “those” awful cakes again on Sunday, while having a laugh at the Clarkson motorcar review in the Sunday times. He suggested alternative options to buying the new Jetta, which included walking or getting stabbed. I could think of similar alternatives to buying another  fake cake.

(more…)

Never again will I resort to buying a cake from a home industry because I am too busy.

(more…)

If I were to list my top 5 salads they would be:

1. Lisa’s roast vegetable salad with Asian dressing
2. Lisa’s carrot salad
3. Lisa’s strawberry salad
4. Lisa’s Indonesian chicken and mango salad
5. Ottolenghi’s red cabbage salad

So clearly my DELICIOUS! friend has a thing for salads…

Yes I tweak them and sell them, but she certainly knows how to find them and I count myself lucky to have a COOKSISTER who shares so abundantly and generously.

This is a salad that was a hit on my summer course and it’s a recipe that gets asks for the minute the first forkful is devoured.

It’s a beautiful accompaniment to curries and braai’s.

The only problem with this salad, is that you will HATE regular carrot salads and never eat a carrot and pineapple salad again!

(more…)

(more…)

I have had so many queries about the photo of the chocolate tart, featured on my Christmas course menu.

I Used the photo only for the festive element , but now I am indulging you with this scrumptious recipe.

I presented this tart on my 2010 Christmas course and it was so popular that it featured on many a dinner party table way before Christmas.

It is amazing, velvety, dark and incredibly rich, and therefore easily yields 14 slices.

In true COOK style, it is made in minutes and I placed it the freezer last year so that it was ready to slice in under 2 hours.

Garnish with  fresh raspberries or add a festive  gold by dusting. For this, be sure to only use  CRYSTAL GOLD glitter.

Although it looks white, it has a mother-of-pearl glisten and when dusted onto the dark chocolate looks spectacular.

  (more…)

I love onions. Especially caramelised , and  this salad/side dish is just simplicity and sweetness on a plate.

Great for a braai, as an accompaniment to roast chicken or even served at room temperature as a side to a Ploughman’s Platter without the pickle.

Roast onions (4)

Slice a whole onion into 4 slices. Pan fry the slices in butter and sprinkle with some sugar on both sides, turning carefully so that the middle does not fall out. Remove when golden brown (about 2-3 minutes a side)

Carefully transfer to a baking tray with a non- stick mat and roast the onions at 170˚ for about 20 minutes until cooked through. Once again, lift them very carefully onto a platter. Scatter with thyme and Maldon salt and serve.