Ice Cream Bombes

A little Christmas edition of my new web series Kitchen Hacks, three delicious recipes for Ice Cream Bombes and a tutorial on how to make them - I hope you enjoy!

Kitchen Hacks with Kate Liquorish

It's been a very exciting few weeks - much work and madness in anticipation of the realisation of a small dream: I've created a You Tube channel and my first bite-sized web series:

Chocolate, Banana and Hazelnut Cake Jars

Time for another cake jar - I know they are a little bit gimmicky but they really do go down a treat and they stay fresh for much longer and can be frozen ahead of time very easily - and I actually think they're pretty cool :)

Thai Chicken Burgers

An easy and different kind of burger patty that's really delicious without the bread - slightly spicy and full of flavour - this is one of my new favourites. You could also make frikkadels out of them and use the wasabi mayo as a dipping sauce, either which way - they're succulent and scrumptious.

Parma Ham and Asparagus Tart

A little tart inspired by the latest food trend - 'Umami': which can be loosely translated as ‘delicious savoury taste’ and is the latest food craze to hit the Western world. Traditionally, we have always understood that there are 4 basic tastes: sweet, sour, salty and bitter, but ‘Umami’ is thought to be the 5^th taste – the epitome of savoury. ‘Umami’ rich ingredients include: truffles, Parmesan, shellfish, cured hams such as Parma ham, mushrooms, fish sauce, soya sauce and asparagus.

Spiced Chorizo and Tomato Eggs

Sometimes life just calls for breakfast at dinner time, better known as 'brinner'. Nothing bad needs to happen for this to take place - it's just one of those things; you get a craving for eggs and delicious comfort things and the only thing that will fix it is brinner. There is a sense of guilty pleasure that accompanies eating brinner and I'm not sure why - but that naughty tingling feeling where you're defying the laws of acceptable human behavior makes it taste that much better. Especially when you eat it with a beer or a large glass of wine.

Tres Leches Cake Jars

Tres Leches Cake is a popular dessert in South America and literally translates to ‘3 milk cake’ in Spanish. The three milks relate to the creamy mixture you pour over the cooked cake consisting: condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream. It's bloomin delish, and oh so pretty when you serve them in little jars - perfect for summer by the pool, picnicking or just being cute and awesome at eh same time ;)

Stuffed tomatoes

I had some game mince (springbok to be specific) and wanted to do something fun with it that wasn't burger/bolognaise related. My boyfriend has a love for all things French so I decided to create my own version of the traditional 'Tomat Farcie'. I used quinoa instead of breadcrumbs as I love it as an alternative to bread, but it's really up to you...

Churros

These are very naughty, but also very very nice :) They're often described as Spanish doughnuts and eaten as a snack or at breakfast, but I'd happily serve them for dessert. 

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

This is good old home-style cooking at its best: simple, easy and comforting without being horrendously burdened with calories. Traditionally, with a bake like this you would mix a handful of breadcrumbs in with the cheese before sprinkling over the top, but I like it as is. (If you prefer it with breadcrumbs - do add them.)

Lemon Meringue Pavlova

I know it sounds a little strange to call it a lemon 'meringue' pavlova but it's sounds so much better than a 'lemon pavlova' - and it's seriously yummy so I think that's a good enough excuse for sloppy english. It is a very sweet dessert but the tanginess of the lemon curd and strawberries cuts through beautifully. Perfect for spring days in the sun and cheeky children's fingers while you wait to serve it.

Pear and Cinnamon Pie Pops

Sweet little baked treats that take a little bit of effort but look just dandy and taste rather scrumptious :)

Chocolate and Ale Cake

A very naughty and delicious piece of decadence for your friday :)

Beetroot and Carrot Salad

I really love the crunch in this salad - it's hearty and earthy and all the things a good salad should be. The beetroot is raw so it needs to be finely sliced or you can just buy the ready sliced packets from Woolworths. This salad is the perfect accompaniment to any braai or with chicken.

Sweet and Sour Surprise Cake

Something a little bit sweet with some hidden sour :)

Ricotta Gnocchi with Pesto Cream

The Sasko Flour folks asked me to come up with a new range of exciting recipes and I'm seriously in love with the first one: Ricotta Gnocchi. It's better known as 'cheats gnocchi' because is pretty damn easy - you don't have to worry about getting a sticky or gloopy consistency in the same way you do when making potato gnocchi, in fact there's no really in it risk at all.

Yum yum...

Sexy Salad

I fist tasted this salad at a great new restaurant in Birdhaven called Arbour. The combination of fillet, blue cheese and apples in a salad sounded strange to me but I gave it a bash and was really pleasantly surprised; the potatoes give the dish the earthiness it needs to balance the sweetness of the apples and the richness of the cheese and the creamy wholegrain dressing brings all of the elements together.

This is my version which I have subsequently termed: The Sexy Salad

Salted Caramel Apple Pie

Salted caramel is big at the moment and I can see why; it goes with everything and I have yet to find a dessert that it doesn't double in deliciousness. It's dangerous stuff, but in the best way!

I decided to use the salted caramel decadence in an apple tart - apples are in season, cheap and always cheerful. The tartness of the apples really works well with the richness of the salted caramel and the whole thing is just crazy-good.

Easy Slow-roasted Springbok shanks

People are often amazed when you present them with a slow roasted lamb or springbok shank - 'oh wow' they grin 'that must have taken you hours' - but the only thing it takes hours to make is the oven. The dish itself takes 10 minutes to put together and then you let the oven do the rest! Honestly - it's too easy for words. I used Springbok shanks as I felt like something different but you can use lamb shanks just as easily. Feel free to use white wine instead of red and add a tin of tomatoes if you prefer the flavour - there's not really much you can do wrong!

Chouxnuts

Cronuts (a combination of a croissant and a doughnut) are all the rage in bakeries across the country, but I’ve come up with a fun alternative that you can make at home. I call it a chouxnut – a combination of a doughnut and a choux bun – easy to make and deliciously decadent, the perfect gift that'll make anyone's day.

Easiest Pea Soup

This soup requires only 3 ingredients, yes only 3. I got the idea from Marthinus Ferreira at a tasting of the new winter menu at DW eleven 13, they served a luscious pea soup with a scotch egg made with a soft quail's egg - it was so delightful. I asked one of the journos at the table about it and she said she'd seen Marthinus making the soup using only peas and a little milk - genius. Here's my version:

12 of the best South African Red Wines under R150

We went to Sani Pass for the most magical of holidays: scenery, food, wine, fireplaces, long baths on cold mornings...so much to do and not do...but in the delectable Underberg there are 3 primary activities that one must endeavor to do: 

1. Walk up to Lesotho
2. Read or play cards next to a roaring fire
3. Drink copious amounts of delicious red wine

The third was very important. We took a magnificent case of reds with us, a box of my favourites, all of which are very well priced. So I thought I'd share my 12 best SA reds under R150:

Morrells Boutique, Northcliff

Morrells

I went for a little visit and was spoilt rotten; lunch at the newly opened Bistro, high tea in the gardens, dinner in the barn, and a night of pampering at their 5 star, boutique hotel. It's now all open to the public, and while it is pricey, it's worth it - I'd opt for the high tea to spoil a special lady or ladies as it's just gorgeous. Here's a little pictorial revue:

The Venue:

Carrots with cumin and honey

A simple side that will light up any roast. Slightly sweet and spicy, I just love the combination. Pair it with any lamb or chicken dish or even add some cooked beetroot and danish feta and you've got a vegetarian main. Yum yum.

Arbour: a new French creperie and bistro in Birdhaven

A new spot just hit birdhaven.
It's called Arbour
It's a very 'ladies who lunch/brunch' kind of feel.
Here's a little pictorial summary:

Corn and Rosa Tomato Salad

I adore this salad. I've made it countless times and it hits the spot every time; crunchy, tangy, spicy, fresh...all my favourite things on one plate. It also pairs perfectly with chicken and pork or a roasted sweet potato if your the veggie type.

Tea biscuits

The perfect Mother's day-spoiling treat.

I’ve seen green tea biscuits trending in the food world for a while and decided I wanted to make some – the problem was that they require ‘matcha powder’ which is both very expensive and very hard to find. I decided to make biscuits using other kinds of tea and paired them with icings that I thought would compliment their flavour. It’s really easy and I have to say that people loved them – the overall winner being the Earl Grey cookies with orange frosting.

Chicken and pomelo salad

My first experience of this wicked combination was at a beautiful restaurant in Beijing called Transit, if you're ever there, this is a MUST. Exquisite interiors, decor so detailed and chic that it will make you're head spin, the BEST cocktails you will ever experience and food that will blow your mind.

Their chicken and pomelo salad was more delicate than my version, but the flavour combinations are similar. It's different, and the pomelo (similar to a grapefruit) is not for everyone, but I think it's bitter-sweetness sets off the creamy avocado and succulent chicken beautifully, finished off with a creamy dressing and crunchy nuts it's refreshing and bold.

Malva Pudding Cupcakes

I went to a bakery a while ago and felt like I'd wandered into Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory: two-toned triple chocolate cupcakes, double custard cronuts (a combination of a croissant and a doughnut), salted caramel macaroons and even Lime velvet cakes...Baking nowadays is putting the 'art' in artisanal, it's eclectic and fantastical, there's magic in the detail.

Working with Sasko Flour I am always on a quest to push myself creatively, to try and make things that will not only delight when seen and tasted, but be accessible to those who aren't hugely confident in the kitchen.

Everyone loves Malva pudding; it's a simple South African classic that's easy to prepare and always provokes sheer joy - I thought why not put it in cupcake form and take the joy from the dinner table to anywhere and everywhere, so that's exactly what I did.

Enjoy this 'double dessert' decadence!

Tomato tart

I descended upon Woolworths the other day and stumbled across a new product of theirs - a 1kg box of exotic tomatoes, the box had: yellow, pink, vine, tiger striped and cœur du bœuf (heart of beef) tomatoes - which to me was like finding a little treasure box of goodies! So I thought for a minute about what I might make - I wanted to make something that would show off all their beautiful colours and shapes - so I bought a roll of (all butter) puff pastry and set to work making a simple but seriously tasty tart.

I also bought some ripe brie, watercress and rocket to go with it. If you can't buy exotic tomotoes then you can just use a mixture of cherry and rosa tomatoes.

Cookie Sandwiches

The scrumptious people at Sasko Flour asked me to come up with something delectable for Valentines Day. Cookie Sandwiches are a big baking trend at the moment and are a seriously indulgent way to say 'I think you're bloomin awesome'. I have created 3 recipes; Chocolate Chip and Ice Cream, Carrot and Cinnamon with Orange buttercream and Chocolate Brownie and Peanut butter buttercream. I have no doubt you'll find one that tickles your fancy.