I went for lunch at a new little spot yesterday only a few blocks from my home. I have driven past them a few times in the last month and have always meant to stop so when a friend suggested we meet up there for lunch, I was more than keen. The moment I stepped foot in Ginger & Fig, I was enchanted. A small, intimate but beautiful space seating only 24 patrons with the most insane aromas wafting through the semi-open kitchen. I couldn’t wait to dig into their small, well-though out menu with items like dry-aged rib-eye burgers with guacamole and bacon jam, Lamb pie, BLT’s and…
Simply Delicious
A general food and cooking blog. I like to experiment and try all different types of cuisine and I have a passion for food photography and styling.
Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category
I’m in a bit of a veg-obsessed state at the moment. My absolute favourites right now are beetroot and cauliflower and I have a feeling my family are going to beg me to stop serving them these two vegetables in every way, shape and form pretty soon as they are appearing on our dinner table almost every day. The weather has been quite icy here over the last two weeks and so a comforting soup was just what was needed a few nights ago. I had two beautiful heads of cauliflower waiting to be used and I decided to do a soup inspired by one I did in my book….
The idea for these luscious tomatoes came to me when I was left with an abundance of beautiful, ripe tomatoes after a shoot. I didn’t want to make them into a sauce because I loved the little stems attached and so decided to make whole roasted tomatoes. Because I’m such a fan of a good Caprese salad, I decided to halve the tomatoes and after roasting them, added a thin slice of mozzarella and a basil leaf. These tomatoes are absolutely addictive and really moreish. The tomato’s flavour intensifies during roasting and adding the mozzarella and basil adds a touch of luxury without upping the calories too much. Served on a…
For me, there’s no bigger treat than a proper high tea. A beautifully laid table, fancy eats and lots of tea is pretty much my idea of Heaven and so, I thought it appropriate to share this beautiful tea table with you. Include lots of pretty details into your own tea table like beautiful cake stands with glass domes, pretty ribbon and bows, paper butterflies and candy in jars. Beautiful cakes, tea sandwiches and small pastries finish the picture.
When I was young, I despised tomato soup. I always thought it tasted of tomato sauce, which is strange because I liked tomato sauce (ketchup) on everything. But now, I appreciate its subtle acidity and its gentle sweetness. And when served with a rich, oozy, toasted cheese sandwich, it’s simply perfection. I call these my ultimate toasted cheese because they are by far the best I’ve tasted. They are simple with only one secret ingredients, a slow-braised onion purée flavoured with butter and white pepper. This purée mimics the texture of the melted cheese and infuses the sandwich with sweet, buttery, peppery flavour which is just to-die-for. I’m not quite…
I saw a clip of Jamie Oliver cooking his “Sticky-Kicking chicken” online a week ago and just loved the teqnique he used for getting maximum flavour out of a humble little chicken thigh. Jamie rubs the thighs with Chinese 5-spice and then fries it in a hot pan until cooked and finally adds some sweet chilli sauce to the pan to create a delicious, sticky chicken. I loved this idea and decided to make it for dinner a few nights ago. The only problem was that I didn’t have any 5-spice in the house but decided to use a fragrant Garam Masala and honey instead. This is a perfect family-style…
When I saw this recipe on one of my favourite blogs, Souvlaki for the Soul, a while ago, I knew I’d be giving it a go soon. I was just waiting for a cold day where the only comfort can be found in a bowl filled with delicious food. This recipe combines two of my absolute favourite things; Meatballs and soft polenta. I am a little obsessed with Polenta and I try to make use of this simple, versatile ingredient as much as possible during the colder months. It is perfect served with saucy, meaty dishes. I’ve heard a lot of people saying they don’t like polenta because of the…
I am having a serious love affair at the moment. A love affair with the humble beetroot. This is an affair unlike any other. Quite intense, actually. I think about it all day and try to work it into every meal (mostly settling on having it simply roasted). And to think, as a child I absolutely hated it. But then, we didn’t have simple, whole beetroot in our house when I was young. We only had the bottled variety. Grated beetroot in a sweet, sour pickling liquid which looked almost black in the large bottles it came in. When spooned onto your plate it would bleed it’s purple liquor into…
I am an iced coffee addict. I drink it whenever I can and am often disappointed. That’s why I try to make it myself whenever I can and have experimented with different flavours and forms of dairy and have finally come up with my ultimate version. I like to make mine in a similar way to the classic Vietnamese coffee which is strong black coffee sweetened with condensed milk. What I don’t like however is when the ice melts and waters down the coffee so I like to freeze coffee in ice cube trays and use that to cool down my coffee. Just writing about it has me salivating…
When a new shop opens in my neighbourhood, I’m always excited. Especially if the shop is as delightful as Enchanted Living. Situated in the very busy Lynnwood Road, this shop is a breathe of fresh air and offers the most beautiful crockery, linen, furniture and gifts. I was immediately infatuated and have returned a few times to indulge in their stunning selection of products. Definitely a must-visit if you love all things beautiful. Enchanted Living is situated on the corner of Alexander & Lynnwood roads, Brooklyn, Pretoria. For more information, visit www.enchantedliving.co.za Tel: 071 649 7896 Email: [email protected]
