Tag: lunch

Ostrich Sosaties

Ostrich Sosaties

by Food By Jill ♥ 2 Comments

Sosaties are a traditional South African dish of meat (usually lamb or mutton) cooked on skewers. The term derives from sate (“skewered meat”) and saus (spicy sauce). It is of Cape Malay origin, used in Afrikaans, the primary language of the Cape Malays, and the word has gained greater circulation in South Africa. Marinated, cubed meat (usually lamb) is skewered and barbecued shish-kebab style.

So the task was set by Mediterranean Delicacies to create a locally inspired dish using their range of amazing products. You can go have a look at their website to see the full range. Given that South Africa has become this melting pot of diversity and culture, I had the option to go many ways. I could of gone very Cape Malay and made an amazing curry, or very retro and stuck to making stunning canapes and snacks, but nothing screams South Africa, like Braai…we even have a day set aside for it each year, it’s a staple in most households, and every one claims to do it best. The #AfroChic element to this, is that it’s a different take on “meat on a stick”, served with a gorgeous cous cous salad and bursting with flavor.

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Using these four products from the range, two as a marinade, one as a dipping sauce and the other as part of the salad, you really don’t need loads of prep-time, its easy to pick up on your way home from work, or even to add to the trolley over the weekend, because you can find the range in allocated fridges in most supermarkets, including Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar.

The key element to making this a success is the marinade. You’ll have the earthy punch of coriander pesto, with the spicy kick of the chilli and garlic relish. Make the mix and generously coat your ostrich pieces, leaving it covered in the fridge for about 2 hours. (If you are pressed for time, half and hour would be cool, but have patience….make it amazing)

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The cous cous salad can be made with rice, Bulgar wheat, or even pasta, but the addition of cous cous to this recipe makes it simple and easy!

Ok, so here is the run down.

  • Scroll to the end of this post and print the recipe
  • Go get all your ingredients
  • Light your fire, or grill.
  • Do your preparation
  • Put someone on Sosatie duty
  • Watch as your family and friends devour your yummy food!

Also, tag @medideli on social media so that they can see what you are making and creating with their awesome range!

Ostrich Sosaties

  • Servings: 7-8 sticks
  • Print

For the Sosaties

  • 500g of Ostrich cut into cubes
  • 2 TBSP of Coriander pesto
  • 2 tsp of Chilli and Garlic Relish
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Sosatie/Kebab sticks (if you are using wooden ones, soak them in water for half an hour, this prevents them burning on the flames)

For the salad

  • 2 cups of cooked Cous Cous (follow instructions on the box)
  • 1 jar of the Artichoke Salad, chopped
  • a handful of soft herbs, chopped (I used coriander and parsley)
  • 1 cup of baby roma tomatoes, cut
  • Salt and Pepper
  • Olive oil

To Serve

  • 1 tub of tzatziki
  • lemon wedges
  • extra coriander to garnish
  1. In a bowl, add your ostrich, and marinade mix, and season well with salt and pepper, as said before, leave aside to soak up all the yumminess. Once you’ve allowed marinading to happen, skewer the meat onto your prepared sticks and set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, add your cous cous, chopped artichoke salad, herbs, tomatoes and season well, with salt and pepper, and copious amounts of Olive oil.
  3. Once your fire/grill is ready, brush the sosaties with olive oil, and place them onto the grill. I gave mine about 5 minutes of the first side and then 3 once i flipped them, giving me the perfect medium.
  4. Prepare a big board or platter, layering your cous cous salad and topping them with the grilled Sosaties, topping those with tzatziki and fresh coriander stalks.
  5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over all of this amazingness and serve immediately.

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Sosatie Defintion from Wikipedia

 

 

 

A bunch of corndogs 

A bunch of corndogs 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

So when last did I post a recipe guys?! It’s been ages! So the quickest corndog batter…if you are not familiar with corndogs, you must be living under a rock. (Love you under your rock though) 

 

Corndogs are an America fun fair staple, call them a classic if you must! Easy food, served on a stick, so it’s portable, and it’s bursting with flavor! 

This can be a quick Friday night dinner with a bunch of friends, or even an after school lunch for the kiddies. 

Corndogs

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of Semolina 
1 1/4 cups of plain white flour 

1 TBSP of baking powder 

1/4 tsp of salt 

1 egg, beaten 

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk 

1/2 cup of plain milk 

1 TBSP of oil 

1 TBSP of honey 

10 Hot dog sausages 

10 skewer sticks 

Vegetable oil for frying (about 2L) 

Method 

Heat your oil to 180C 

In two bowl, mix your dry ingredients in one, and your wet ingredients into another. 

Add the wet to the dry and mix well. 

You will have a thick, almost cake batter like dough. 

Pour your mix into a jug, the process here is to have a jug that’s slightly bigger that your sausages, so that it’s easier to dip once they are skewered. 

Skewer your hot dogs. 

Make sure your oil is heated, and start by dipping the first skewer. Take care to get all of the sausage covered with batter. 

Slowly place each skewer into the oil, and gently bob them so that you work then around, so that the batter fries evenly and doesn’t blister! (I really hope this makes sense) 

Fry until deeply golden! 

Serve with tomato sauce and mustard!!!!! 

   
    
   
❤️🍴


Frittata

Frittata

by Food By Jill ♥ 1 Comment

Coming up with fresh, new and exciting ideas can sometimes get the best of me. It’s almost like talking to a bricked wall, or getting writers block, or anything really that can stump your brain into a complete “STOP”.

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Yesterday I had a day like that, I seriously could not figure out what to make for lunch (First world problems, right?) – but I miraculously pulled my crap together and updated an Italian classic. The Frittata is really an amazing “sitting in the sun” all round effortless dish, that can be thrown together in a heart beat. It’s light, fairly healthy and you can add anything to it to suit your palate. Serve it warm or at room temperature, with a huge side salad and a crisp glass of Chardonnay! It is the ideal brunch, lunch, any time of day meal.

All Green Frittata

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Ingredients

100g of fresh peas

2 handfuls of baby spinach

4 baby marrow (12-15cm in length) – grated

1 handful of asparagus spears

1 handful of fresh herbs, chopped – I used basil, mint, oregano and parsley (The more the better I feel!)

5 eggs – beaten

4 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan

Salt and Pepper

Non stick spray

A baking dish (I used a 19.5×19.5×4.5cm)

Ingredients for a side salad of your choice – I used red cabbage, mange tout and cucumber

Method

Set your oven to 200C

Prepare your baking dish with non stick spray

Salt your grated baby marrow, and leave to sit for 10 minutes. This helps draw out the water.

In a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Place the baby marrow onto a clean dish towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as you can, add this to the other ingredients and give it an extra mix. Season well with salt and pepper!

Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking it half way. The frittata is normally done in a pan on the stove top, but I prefer to bake mine.

It should be firm to the touch and baked all the way through.

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As said before, it’s a really easy base recipe. You can add peppers, tomatoes, onion, even crumbed feta cheese. I find that this one, it slightly more fresh and light compare to one laden with loads of vegetables.
❤️🍴

World Cognac Day Celebration Lunch with Bisquit

World Cognac Day Celebration Lunch with Bisquit

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Picture a room, lined with book shelves, warmed by a glowing fire. You smell musk, deep oak, and worn leather. You take in the plush arm chairs, the thick Persian rug. Somewhere you hear the clink of glasses, hushed conversation, and the lingering scent of smoked cigars. You might even hear laughter, or that heavy sigh as the day ends.

This to me, is the ideal setting to sit down and sip on a Cognac. What surprises me most, is that, besides the opulent setting of the Munro Boutique Hotel, I sat at a table, with a few other people and ate lunch!

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I was invited to a Cognac pairing, hosted by Bisquit Cognac, with Distell and arranged by the amazing team at Hello Conversation Communications Agency, all in celebration of World Cognac Day. I made my way on a gloomy and cold Johannesburg afternoon, to be greeted by Denis Lahouratate, Maitre de Chai for Bisquit, Simphiwe Pato, Brand Manager for Bisquit and all the amazing guests that were due to join me for an afternoon, of not only Cognac education, but one that was going to be filled with good conversation, amazing food and ridiculously delicious drinks!

Denis Lahouratate, Maitre de Chai for Bisquit
Denis Lahouratate, Maitre de Chai for Bisquit
We started our afternoon with a tasting of the Limited Edition Bisquit X.O Rose Gold Cognac. You could see the twinkle in Denis eye’s as he started talking about this delicious, smooth, delicately sumptuous, handcrafted Cognac. Like a man, that sits with pride when he starts talking about a first love, Denis could not stop gushing, and needless to say, once I had the first taste, I could understand why.

With the vision of creating the smoothest Cognac ever released, Denis personally selected eaux-de-vie from six casks to blend for this creation, producing a Cognac that stands for the epitome of the style of the house:  a smooth blend with a “generous bouquet of aromas”. Rose Gold XO is a silky sumptuous Cognac with a beautiful balance of flavours and a wondefully lingering and everlasting finish.

What a treat it was to taste this Cognac. With only two bottles, currently in South Africa, we were of the first few that had the privilege of tasting this absolutely decadent beauty.

Limited Edition Bisquit X.O Rose Gold Cognac

We then moved onto our lunch. I started with the Lobster Vol-Au-Vent with orange Cognac Sauce, which was paired with the V.S Classique. This Cognac has a fruity aroma, with hints of vanilla, cinnamon and oak.

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Main course was the Karoo Lamb fillet with thyme jus, Artichoke, organic vegetables and Hazelnut Puree, which was paired with the V.S.O.P. This Cognac is drawn from the esteemed eaux-de-vie of Petite at Grande Champange, which enhances the longer distillation. Also so smooth and decadent.

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The dessert was a White Chocolate Mousse Cannelloni with Strawberry Minestrone, and although you would think that chocolate and Cognac might not go together, it paired so well. The last pairing was the XO, which is the mature, grown up, adult of the range, Its a deep amber color, and has hints of woody and smoky notes, with tabacco and cocoa, sugar fruit and prune.

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For a first time Cognac experience, I was utterly blown away by firstly, the humility of Denis, also, his passion and love for Cognac making, his knowledge and experience of being in the wine and spirits industry for more than 30 years, is prominent when he could explain and make us understand the most complex questions.

I left with a full tummy, half closed eyelids and a new appreciation for the entire process of this handcrafted distillation technique that is the signature of the House Bisquit.

You can read more about these amazing Cognacs at the Bisquit Website : http://www.bisquit.co.za

Photographs by : Chris Townsend

Location : The Munro Boutique Hotel

Quick brown rice sushi bowl

Quick brown rice sushi bowl

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment


I love sushi and sushi salads, and although it’s generally healthy for you, most places cover and coat everything in sweet chili sauce (high in sugar) or that amazing tasting (but not good for you) Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie). 
So this quick and easy thrown together recipe is the perfect “at home” sushi eating option. Serve it with grilled fish, or sashimi, toss in some prawns or flaked chicken if you want, the list of options and ideas are endless because this base is such a good and tasty salad!

Brown Rice Sushi Bowl

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

1 cup of brown rice (cooked to the packets instructions and kept warm)

Salad

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1 carrot, peeled and cut into cubes

1 cup of cooked edamame beans*

1 tspn each of white and black sesame seeds

4 kale leaves, stalks removed and cut into bite size pieces

A good handful of coriander and mint, chopped

2 TBSP of olive oil

Pink Himalayan salt, only if needed for seasoning

Dressing for rice 

100ml of Rice wine vinegar

2 TBSP of sugar

Dressing for salad 

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons of tamari or regular soy sauce

Method

Add all the salad ingredients into a bowl and mix

In a small pot, add the two ingredients for the rice, bring to the boil and make sure the sugar is dissolved. Mix this into your warm rice. The warmth helps absorb the mixture.

Leave to cool.

In the salad bowl, pour over your lime juice and tamari, and mix well, scrunching up the kale, check for seasoning. You might need to add a pinch of salt!

Now mix the rice and the salad base together and VIOLA! Done!

Serve as you please! Even on its own!

❤️🍴

*edamame can be found in any good grocery store or Chinese specialty shops,  but if you can’t seem to track them down, you can add peas, or chopped up fine beans. If you can only find the edamame pods, cook them as per instructions and just removed the little gems from the inside!

Spinach Wraps 

Spinach Wraps 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Who doesn’t love a good wrap. Either filled, or toasted for a dip, or even topped with cheese in the oven? 

I’ve tried so many of these recipes, and this is by far the best one. I found others to have to much spinach, some didn’t have enough flour, others were really tacky and didn’t seem to actually want to hold their shapes….get what I mean. Annnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyway!!!!!!

This recipe takes some time, but it’s worth it, the wraps are light, so nutritious and so yummy!

Spinach Wraps

  • Servings: 8 wraps
  • Difficulty: Relatively easy
  • Print

Ingredients 

2 cups of gluten free flour

1 cup of whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 heaped teaspoon of salt

1 cup of blached baby spinach (that you have ringed out competely in a clean dish cloth, to get rid of all the excess water)

5 TBSP of coconut oil

2/3 cup of water

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and spinach on a food processor. Pulse thoroughly to finely chop the spinach.

Add your coconut oil, and pulse the mixture until it’s resembles bread crumbs. With the processor running, add the water in a slow stream, until it starts to combine.
I picked up that you don’t need more water, the dough is stunningly moist, and if you take some into your hand, you will notice that it forms a ball easily.


Transfer onto a floured surface and knead for about 2 minutes.

Divide into eight equal pieces.


Cut and then shape into balls.

Cover with a clean dishcloth and leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Heat your pan.

Working with one ball at a time, while keeping the others covered, roll them out into circles, about 30 centimeters in diameter,


Carefully transfer the rolled wrap to your heated skillet, and cook each side for about 10-20 seconds, do not over cook as the wraps will then become stiff.

Immediately transfer the cooked wraps to a plate and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Lowering the heat as to prevent burning.

Just stack each cooked wrap onto the previous one. This will help keep them soft.

You can store them in the fridge, wrapped in plastic, but they generally won’t last that long.

The best is to have all your ingredients toll them ready and serve as they come out of the skillet, let everyone fill their own wraps as the like. It becomes a fun filled dinner or lunch!

❤️🍴


Leaning tower of patties 

Leaning tower of patties 

by Food By Jill ♥ 6 Comments

Aaaaaaaahhh man. I’ve been on a bit of a “I need to leave my technogical devices alone” break. But in saying that, I missed my little blog. Anyway! Back to business. 

These are awesome, yummy, taste amazing and are so filling that one with all the trimmings was enough for me!

The recipe is quick and easy and will work great for vegetarians, meat free Monday situations or just as a side to a meat dish, because we all love creative side dishes!!!!! Also, high in protein and low in carbs, they kick ass for part of a training/eating plan.

Portabella Mushroom Patties

  • Servings: 6-8 100g patties
  • Print

Ingredients 

2 cups of portabella mushrooms (just heads, chopped)

2 cups of cooked cannellini beans or cooked black beans

1 cup of minced broccoli

60g of chopped red onion

3 XL eggs beaten

1 cup of gluten free bread crumbs or Panko crumbs

2 TBSP of minched garlic

1 tsp of salt

1 tsp of pepper

3/4 cup of grated Parmesan (vegetarian friendly)

Method 

Add all ingredients into a big bowl.

Mix!

Simple.

Set aside while you heat 2 TBSP olive oil in a pan. Shape the mix in your hands (I used a half cup measure for each pattie) and gently place into the heated oil. The patties crisp up so deliciously that eating them straight from the pan needs to be put on hold.

I served mine with a sundried tomato aioli and a micro green and cucumber salad. But you can stretch your imagination and serve them anyway you like.

The mushrooms give this recipe a “meaty” texture and the beans make it ridiculously creamy and soft inside while its golden and crispy on the outside!

So yummmmmmmm!

❤️🍴

keeeeeenwaaaaaa = quinoa 

keeeeeenwaaaaaa = quinoa 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment



An ancient grain….high in protein and lacks gluten, they also contain essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus and iron. 

This recipe makes some yummy quinoa patties, that can be served with a side salad, or even as a side to a roast chicken or lamb dish. 

Ingredients 

1/2 cup of your favorite vegetables – grated or chopped. I used carrots, peas and corn 

1/2 onion 

2 cloves of garlic 

3 large eggs 

2 and 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa 

Salt and pepper to season 

Zest of half a lemon

1/2 cup of gluten free bread crumbs 

1/2 cup of gluten free flour 

1/2 cup of vegetarian Parmesan grated 

1 TBSP of coconut oil 

Method 

Heat the tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan, add the onions and garlic. Fry until golden, now add your vegetables and fry until al dente. 

Add all the remaining ingredients into a bowl, besides the gluten free flour, reserve this for later. To this, add the cooked vegetable mix and combine.  

Leave the mix to sit for about 10 minutes. The bread crumbs will soak up any excess moisture. If you find that the mix is still to wet to shape (this depends on the amount of egg, and even though all large eggs have the same amount of liquid, they vary), add the flour. 

Place your pan on a medium flame/heat and spray & cook the surface. Shape patties and place them onto the hot pan. Allow to seal and brown before you flip. I would give them about 4 minutes on each side. Lower the heat if need be! 



Serve these straight out of the pan, or store them in the fridge once cooked and munch of them with the snack craving attacks.  

❤️🍴

Let’s lunch 

Let’s lunch 

by Food By Jill ♥ 1 Comment

Some of the food made this week! 

Most times I forget that I don’t need to post a recipe, I could just post these beautiful photos! 

❤️🍴



A quick salad for a lunch I did. 



Brown rice sushi salad! This was really yummy, cooked rice in a rice cooker and finished it like you would “white” sushi rice. Grilled the salmon with loads of black pepper and lemon juice! 



A grilled chicken burger topped with guacamole, cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce. 



Smoked salmon salad. 



My favorite creamy gaucamole with tahini, gives it a sharp tangy taste. Grilled the chickpeas in a hot pan, and fried the kale aswell! The bulgar wheat and broccoli mix I season with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper! 



Quick roasted chicken breast salad, drizzled with balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil. 



Skewered some chicken thighs and marinated them in mustard and honey, served with potato wedges, fresh avocado and a tangy mayo dipping sauce. 



This was cold tomato soup, served with kale pesto and I make puff pastry “superseed” sticks! Topped with linseed, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and vegetarian Parmesan. 



Yummy kale, corn, and cabbage salad with balsamic marinated mushrooms and artichokes! 



This was a snack made for myself! Rye toast, kale pesto, chicken cold meat, Avo, fresh peashots and black pepper! 

Recycling? 

Recycling? 

by Food By Jill ♥ 0 Leave a Comment



I’m referring to food. As in “I’m not going to make that dish again as I’ve made it before” 

The entire dish in the photo above, are all elements of dishes I’ve made before, brought together to make a good lunch. Call me lazy, I’ve had a hectic weekend of functions and running around, so coming into work on Monday was a bit of a mission. All in all though, I obviously need to make sure that my family (as in the ones I work for) get fed and their tummies are nice and full. 

I’ve posted the lentil and sweet potato patties before, this time I added, corn and chickpeas. The carrot salad is also a recipe I’ve used, gaucamole is universal, my kale pesto is always in the fridge, and chicken breasts are one of those items that most people have in their fridge or freezers. 

Being creative or reinventing recipes are all part of the cooking process. If something doesn’t work for you in a recipe, think of things that could replace it. (Without stuffing it up)

This can work for almost all recipes (besides baking!) and ingredients can be substituted accordingly! 

Food is about love, joy, passion…also to calm the stomach growls when you are hungry…obvious? 

So eat what you enjoy, what you love. Make things that excite you, cook something new, but don’t be embarrassed about eating your favorites! 

Above all, just have fun with it. 

❤️🍴