F’s CHORIZO PASTA
Oh this pasta is absolutely from heaven! When he cooked this for me I rated 14 out of 10 he couldn’t believe and thought that it was one of my amorous days. Second one was rated 11 and the last one was 16! Finally I had to ask his permission to use his recipe… So simple you wouldn’t believe.
-125 gr. chorizo, finely sliced
-1 green pepper, roughly chopped
-A handful o pitted black olives
-1 tin of whole tomato, San Marzano if you may, chopped
-2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
-1 green chili, finely chopped, seeds or no seeds, as you like
-4 tbs olive oil
-1 ts butter
-Oregano, optional
-A glass of white wine or half a cup of water to stop things burning
-Salt and pepper to taste

Sautee chorizos in the olive oil until crispy, add the green peppers, chili and garlic, 3 minutes later add the tin tomatoes then when it starts bubbling add the fresh tomatoes, the liquid and the olives. Before you turn the heat off sprinkle the oregano, taste and season to adjust (the reason of seasoning in this late stage is: the chorizo and the olives are already very salty. )
F loves spaghetti so that is the only choice for us to serve this sauce on. He sprinkles some chopped parsley and grated parmesan on top. I put wild rocket and shaved parmesan on this occasion and changed green peppers to yellow ones just because they were available in the fridge.

Try both ways or your own way and let me know what is your favourite…
If you are not eating porc, replace the chorizo with any spicy sausage.

Potato and leek soup for the frozen soul

This is a great recipe to warm up your half frozen winter soul, but you can try the chilled version as a lighter option to Vichysoisse (same recipe plus the creme fraiche, minus the parsley). If you are in the northern hemisphere and ready the embrace summer try this soup with fully skimmed chicken stock and serve very cold.

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP (serves 4)
-3 or 4 potatoes
-3 leeks
-1 onion
-2 cloves of garlic
-2 cups beef stock
-3 cups water, hot
-2tbs. very finely chopped garlic chives

-2tbs. very finely chopped parsley
-2tbs. olive oil
-Salt and pepper to season
Finely chop the onion, garlic, leeks, and potatoes and try to make them look even in size. Saute all in 2tbs. of olive oil and don’t let them brown. Add 1cup beef stock and 1cup water, season and stir. Let it simmer until very tender. Add the rest of the liquid and bubble for 15mn. Blend the soup until light and creamy. Stir 1tbs. olive oil and serve with sprinkled greens.

GLOBETROTTER

Free State


Dullstroom

It has been a long time that I wasn't in touch with my blog. I have been asking myself, if I can not publish (almost) regularly what is the meaning of having a blog in the first place...
But I have a very good excuse! We have been travelling since March nearly non-stop... Actually it started in Feb. with India and ever since I could not spend one whole week sleeping on my own bed. My home, my helper (she is kind enough to say so) and my doggies missed me madly.. And I miss them a LOT.
When I moved to South Africa, after accepting my sweetheart's offer to live together under one roof instead of both of us commuting between continents to keep the relationship together, I thought that my packing-unpacking days are (almost) over... And the truth is I didn't know if I want to celebrate or mourn... Soon after moving in with my boyfriend, I discovered that it was very early to cheer up or cry down... In fact 4 and half years later I still have no idea why I was so sure about ending my heavy travelling life style. Being with F and living in Joburg means now I have to pack-unpack for two, and nearly as often as my professional days... Anyway if I start complaining about suitcase files I will get a severe backache and you will end up in a funny headache...So to cut the stupid stories off, here is a short! list of my travels:
-Celebrating our 5th anniversary at Makalali lodge, Hoedspruit
We were planning a little romantic escape, it was beyond our expectations...
-Trout fishing long weekend in Dullstroom
When we discover that we can not keep the trouts, have to return them in to the water, fishing was over for me. Why catching something alive if you can not eat it??? But the weekend was fantastic! Great fun with friends, nice comfy accomodation, beautiful surroundings, amazing pictures...
-Farm hopping in Freestate
That was an interesting holiday... I am still trying to figure out...
-Furniture delivering- opportunity weekend in Bela Bela
When ever we can, we'll blend a horrible business journey with some fun and relaxing stopover.
-Camping in Drakensberg
Camping is only fun in good weather.. I really don't want to talk about the misery we had to survive.
-Deep sea fishing in Canda Island Mozambique
That is our annual trip to freedom. Will talk about this trip a lot. Soon............
Will post you the pictures soon!

For some very strange reason I can not load any pictures to my posts since yesterday... Sorry for no picture recipes... Hoping to make this right soon...

Papardelle al Cafe Porte

Another easy recipe. If you don't eat porc or you can't find the parma ham, use the rest and enjoy as a vegetarian pasta. You may drizzle a spoonful of balsamic vinegar to jazz it up.

PAPARDELLE AL CAFÉ PORTE (INSPIRED BY MY FAVORITE PIZZA) (serves 2)
-250gr papardelle
-4-6 slices of Parma ham
-60gr thinly shaved parmesan (parmigiano)
-2tbs freshly grated parmesan
-a handful of rocket leaves
-4tbs extra virgin olive oil
-salt&cracked pepper to taste
Cook the papardelle in boiling salted water following the instructions on the pack. Drain roughly, try to keep some of the moisture on. Toss the pasta with 3 tbs olive oil and the grated parmesan, season according to your taste. Layer the rocket, parma ham and shaved paremesan on top and dress with 1tbs olive oil and cracked black pepper.

Baked line fish 1

One of my favorite fish recipes. 10mn to prepare, 30mn to cook. When you come home only an hour before your guests put the fish in the oven, new potatoes to boil, wash a handful of rocket for each plate and set the table. You would even have time to refresh yourself. Enjoy your simple but faboulous dinner ending with an ice cream from the freezer...

EASY BAKED LINE FISH (serves 4)
-1000-1200gr of sea bream or any firm meat, medium size whole line fish(gutted and clean) or use 2x 500gr farm fish
-1lime or half a lemon, juiced
-2 spring onion, chopped
-few sprigs of fresh herbs like parsley, dill or chervil, chopped
-1 clove of garlic, lightly crushed
-4tbs olive oil
-4tbs ouzo or sambuca or pernod
-4tbs cold water
-extra olive oil to drizzle
-salt and pepper
Brush an oven tray with 1tbs of olive oil. Blend the rest of the olive oil, lemon or lime juice, the spirit and the greens to form a smooth paste. Make five incisions on each side of the fish and place it on the tray. Spoon the mixture generously on both sides, and don't forget the cavity. Bake for 35 to 40mn. in 200’ oven. Delicious!
Serve with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

BACK TO NORMAL

Chauru helps me shopping in Delhi >

Beyoglu Fish Market

New Delhi, Red Fort >

Winter blues in Istanbul

After days of travelling between Johannesburg, Istanbul and Delhi, I am back to my normal life, normal self... Missed my kids so much! I heard that Pashmina didn't eat for days because she was missing us so badly. Of course it wasn't the case for Dirty Harry who is interested in FOOD and nothing else so he didn't missed us because Naomi's portions are bigger than ours.

We travel to India twice a year once in February to Delhi and once in August to Moradabad and we always try to combine these business trips with leisure. This time we had 3 nights stopover in Istanbul, my home town.
Istanbul was on it's prime season for seafood. We ate freshest fish and shellfish almost everyday. I even could find fresh octopus and sea snail. All you have to do is poach them in salted water (separately) with few drops of vinegar and serve on a bed of finely chopped parsley, drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil. oh don't forget the crushed garlic. Yummy!!!

When it comes to Delhi, unfortunately the Indian cuisine is my least favorite in all culinary world. I survive thanks to our friend Neera's beautiful home cooking but any time I eat out in a restaurant I end up with a very tender stomach. But one thing I love about food in India is shopping. I can buy all sorts of fresh vegetables and spices for few pennies and I use them to cook very few Indian dishes that I like.
Later on I will give you more details about my trip and the flavours I experienced during the last 2 weeks. For the moment enjoy the pictures...