Granadilla and yoghurt sponge

I was greeted with a lovely treat yesterday; home grown granadillas, fresh from someone's vegetable garden. I decided to bake. I decided to invent an easy cake, I made the easy cake using cup measurements - my favourite, and it was delicious. Light and full of granadilla, citrus burst. That's all I have to say about that really. Try it, let me know how it turns out x

 Granadilla and yoghurt sponge cake

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup granadilla pulp (approx 3-4 granadillas)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup low fat yoghurt
2 cups self raising flour

For the icing:
4 cups icing sugar
1 cup granadilla pulp

Method:
Preheat oven to 160*C.
Grease a cake tin, I used a bundt cake tin but you can use a loaf or round tin, otherwise line 2 cup cake trays with paper casings.
Beat the sugar and eggs until light, fluffy and doubled in volume.
Add the remaining ingredients and fold through.
Pour into the cake tin or fill the cup cake casings 3/4 of the way and bake for 15 min for cup cakes and 50-60 min for a large cake - to test doneness, insert a skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean then it's done.
Let the cake cook completely before sliding a knife around the edges and easing it out.
Let either cake or cup cakes cool completely before icing.
To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl, add the pulp and mix until you have a smooth and thick granadilla icing. Spoon over cake/cupcakes and devour.

Baked eggs with parma ham

This is another quick and easy breakfast treat, you can also make these in advance and take them on the run like you could a scotch egg. Picnic, brunch, brinner, whatever you fancy they won't disappoint. Great stuff.

Baked eggs with Parma ham and rosemary

Ingredients: (serves 2)
4 slices Parma ham/proscuitto/spek
4 eggs
a few sprigs of rosemary
salt and pepper
20g strong, hard cheese (emmental/pecorino/parmesan)

Toast to serve

Method:
Preheat oven to 200*C
Grease 4 cups of a muffin pan with butter
Line the 4 cups with the slices of ham, circling them around the edges and then joining the ends together to form a border.
Carefully crack the eggs inside each of the ham borders.

Season with a little rosemary and salt and pepper. Grate over the cheese and pop into to oven.
Bake for 7-9 minutes, 7 minutes for slightly runny and 9 minutes for just set.
Use a spoon or a knife to carefully lift the baked eggs out of the muffin tray and serve on buttered toasts.

Ostrich Koftas

Finger food, eating with hands, generally digging in when it comes to eating is a firm favourite of mine, but this could also be associated with fatty meals, drunkard behavior and boerewors roll stands on street corners at 2am (an occasional favourite of mine). These koftas are certainly not fatty nor are they drunkards, they are simply awesome, little, bite-sized meatballs of deliciousness that can be eaten as a canape, with your hands in a wrap or any which way you like.

Traditionally made with lamb, kofta's are of Middle Eastern origin, but the flavour of the spices usually associated with lamb goes perfectly with Ostrich which is also rich and gamey. All the flavour, none of the fat - booya!

Ostrich Koftas

Ingredients: (makes 20)
500g ostrich mince
1/2 onion (cut into wedges)
handful of fresh corinader
a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 tsp ground cumin
pinch of salt and pepper
1 egg

To serve:
tsatsiki and chutney if serving as a canapé
AND (if serving as a main)
tortillas or pita breads
tomatoes
avocado
slices of red onion
fresh rocket/lettuce/coriander/baby spinach

Method:
Put everything into a food processor and blitz until well combined.
Roll into equally sized balls.
Fry in a little oil on med/high heat in batches for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. (You might want to cover the pan with a lid whilst cooking as the little suckers tend to spit)

Easy Thai fishcakes

Yet another fish recipe but it is so rewarding, cheap, easy and delicious that you'll have to forgive me. Angelfish is on the SASSI green list meaning you can eat it guilt-free. These fish cakes make the perfect starter but if you want to serve them as a main I would accompany them with this cucumber salad

The list of ingredients is a long one but they are all ingredients that are easy to source, very useful to have and are inexpensive. The prep time is literally 5 minutes, then you just need to roll them and fry them...easy peasy.

Easy Thai fishcakes

Ingredients: (makes 20)
700g fresh angelfish (approx 2 filleted fish/4 fillets)
1/2 red onion (cut into 3)
2 cloves garlic (peeled and halved)
handful fresh coriander
handful fresh basil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 red chilli (deseeded and chopped)
1 tbsp corn flour

Method:
Ensure that the fish is completely free of bones by running your fingers up the centre of the fillet from tail to head end - there are often a few pin bones near the head end, if you find any, cut them out.
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until well combined.
Roll into small disks about the width of a poker chip, dipping your hands into water in between to stop the mixture from sticking to them.
Fry in batches on medium/high heat in a little oil for approx 2-3 minutes aside. To test doneness, press the cakes gently with your finger, they should be slightly springy to the touch if they are cooked through.

Serve with sweet chilli sauce/dipping sauce of your choice.