Fig butter

Fig butter by Yvette van Boven

1 cup dried figs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt

Blitz the dried figs, without the hard stem, in a food processor; add the spices and a pinch of salt. Roll the mixture into the log in plastic wrap. Leave to cool in the refrigerator and cut into attractive slices.

Iris's hapje: slice of fig butter, top with little bit of brie and thin slice of cucumber.

Note: you can use fresh figs, I used black missions. You get fig jam, also very delicious. Serve same way but the cucumber becomes the bottom layer, sliced about 1/4 inch thick.

Apricot Tapenade

Apricot Tapenade
from Home Made: the Ultimate DIY Cookbook by Yvette van Boven

1 1/2 cups dried apricots, soaked
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove garlic (or more...)
salt & freshly ground pepper

Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor. If necessary, add some more oil. You can keep the tapenade in the refrigerator for some time. Make sure the tapenade is always covered with a thin layer of oil. The tapenade is great on toast, as is, or with cheese or cured ham.

Oma Ferguson's Pound Cake

Basic Pound Cake Recipe as taught to me by Oma Ferguson:
Ingredients:
150 gr sugar
150 gr butter
150 gr flour (I use self-raising for everything)
3 eggs

plus a packet of vanille-suiker which they don't sell here so I usually use vanilla extract; however I didn't have any this time so used almond extract instead - just as lekker!

Combine sugar and butter and beat 'til creamy.
Add vanilla extract.
Beat eggs one by one into the mixture.
On a lower speed, add flour so as not to knock the 'wind' out of the mixture.

I couldn't remember at what temperature to bake it, so I consulted Irma Thingey's Joy of Cooking whose own "Basic Pound Cake" is anything but, including all kinds of spices and peels. But the temperature she gave was 325ºF  (which is officially 162.78ºC!! so say 170) for 1 hr - 1 hr 10 mns. One hour was enough. I did make sure not to place the tin too high in the oven.

Looks o.k. doesn't it? Tastes quite o.k. too. And you can do so much with this 'basic' recipe: add anything you like, I should think, as long as say, the fruit you add isn't too wet. 
I'm serving it as a base to pop 'ice cream' on top of.
Good luck!!

Peach-Rosemary Tart

Original recipe here:
http://www.ah.nl/allerhande/recept/R-R181086/perzik-rozemarijntaart

The recipe linked above is for a fairly small tart (22cm diameter) so I adapted it to fit my larger baking dish. See that recipe for the original measurements in metric.

2 medium cans or 1 large can sliced peaches, drained (save the juice for cocktails or something!)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 eggs
2 Tablespoons honey (the canned peaches are already sweet so use more honey if using fresh peaches)
75g flour
1½ cups 0% plain Greek yogurt
7 oz freshly squeezed orange juice from your neighbor's tree
1-2 Tablespoons sunflower/canola oil
powdered sugar for serving

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

In a bowl, gently mix the drained peaches with the rosemary and lemon juice.

In another bowl, with an electric mixer, blend eggs and honey until light and frothy. Gradually add flour, yogurt, orange juice, oil and a pinch of salt.

Pour batter into a baking dish or pie tin. Lay peach slices into batter and pour the remaining juices over.

Bake in the middle of the oven for about 45 minutes.

Allow to cool, and sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving (it will dissolve on the wet parts).  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Note: Rosemary has a distinct flavor. Fresh thyme can be substituted. Can also be made in individual ramekins, the baking time is 25 mins.

Southern Indian Mixed Vegetables

"Avial", by Anjum Anand
Don't think I've posted this before... it's a really good recipe, not quick but not difficult. All the work is in the prepping of the veg.
"Avial", by Anjum Anand

50g dissicated coconut [I used creamed cc block as I always have it in the house]
2 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 med onion, peeled and sliced
1-2 green chillies, sliced lengthwise but left whole [I just used sambal oelek]
 1/4 [sure!] tsp tumeric
salt to taste
 2 med potatoes, cut into chunks
2 med carrots, peeled and cut into fat batons
15cm pc cucumber, halved, de-seeded, cut into 1cm pieces
100g green beans [a handful, basically]
50 g shallots, peeled and halved
10g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped [I had run out so used dried which was fine]
2 handfuls frozen peas
12 curry leaves [I just used bay leaves, I think curry leaves are daon salam]
5 level Tbsp plain yoghurt [or whatever!] 
1 Tbsp coconut oil

• In a large non-stick pan, sautée cumin, onion and chillies for about 4-5 mins until onions are soft and colouring. 
• Add turmeric, salt, potatoes and carrots, cook covered for about 14 mins, over a low heat, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick. Sprinkle with water if necessary [shouldn't be!]
• Add cucumber and green beans and continue cooking [abt 6-7 mins] until all vegs are tender
• In the meantime, blend shallots, ginger and coconut along with its soaking water to make a fine paste.
• Add to pan together with the peas and cook, stirring often, for 5 mins. 
• Tear the curry leaves to release their aroma and add to pan. Give it a good stir and add the yoghurt.
• Turn off the heat, mix well and pour over coconut oil, if using.

 Serves 6

Bon Appétit!

Cilantro and Lime Cauliflower Rice

 



I am putting this recipe in here because I always look for it here!

Skinnytaste.com

Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup  • Old Points: 1 pt • Weight Watchers Points+: 2 pts 

Calories: 61 • Fat: 3 g • Carb: 8 g • Fiber: 3 g • Protein: 2.5 g • Sugar: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg • Sodium: 37 (without salt)

Credit to Nicole for finding it!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 scallions, diced
• kosher salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-1/2 limes
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

Remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely. Coarsely chop into florets, then place half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don't over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil, scallions and garlic and sauté about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.

Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the cauliflower "rice" to the saute pan. Cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and place in a medium bowl; toss with fresh cilantro and lime juice to taste.

Makes 5 servings [or not!!].

Added by  Ella+Felix Mama:

Creamy garlic celery soup

12 large celery stalks

2 Tbsp oil eg. olive or sunflower

1 large onion, chopped
6-8 fat garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp unbleached white flour

2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 tsp dried herbs eg. basil, oregano, rosemary

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or parsley and dill

1/4 cup celery leaves

1 - 1½ cups milk (regular, low fat, soy, whatever)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley/dill for garnish

Clean and trim the celery stalks and cut 10 of them in ½ inch pieces. Chop the remaining 2 stalks into smaller (1/4 inch) pieces and set aside. 

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions are lightly golden. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it in until it disappears. Add the larger pieces of chopped celery, the potatoes and just enough waterto cover. Bring to a simmer then add the mixed dried herbs, fresh herbs and celery leaves. Simmer gently until the vegetables are tender (about 25 mins). Remove from heat. 

With a slotted spoon, transfer the solid ingredients to a food processor or blender and purée, in batches if necessary, until very smooth. Stir back into the soup pot. Return to a very low heat and add enough milk to achieve a slightly thick consistency. 

Heat the remaining oil in a small skillet. Add the reserved smaller pieces of celery and sauté over moderate heat until it is touched with golden spots. Add to the soup, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve at once, or allow the soup to stand for an hour or so, then heat through as needed. Garnish each serving with chopped parsley/dill.

From: Vegetarian Soup for All Seasons by Nava Atlas

Verdict: The kids loved it! I liked it a lot too, and I'm not a huge fan of celery flavor, but it didn't taste strong to me.