Recipes

Heat olive oil in a stockpot and cook onions first. Next add the potatoes and cook another 5 minutes or so. Add the broccoli and carrots. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Put the lid on the pot, reduce heat and cook until all the veggies are tender. Season to taste. Blend until you’ve achieved the consistency you want. Sprinkle chopped parsley or chives just before serving.

Preheat the oven to 100C. Wash and core apples. Slice the apples as thinly as you can. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and coat each apple slice with the mixture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place coated apple slices on the sheet. So that each slice is as dry as possible, blot any moisture with paper towel. Check both sides. Bake for an hour, flip each slice and bake for another hour. If they’re still not crispy, turn the heat off and let them sit in the oven for a bit longer.

Chop half a cauliflower into small florets and steam until tender Crush two cloves of garlic and saute in rice bran and sesame oil Add roasted, peeled chestnuts, cauliflower, crumbled feta and sundried tomatoes and lightly saute When toasted through tip onto a base of washed shredded watercress Lightly season with sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 260 degrees (you need a hot oven for this recipe). Break cauliflower into medium-small florets and place into large bowl or baking pan. Drizzle cauliflower pieces generously with olive oil and season well with salt and curry powder. Distribute evenly in a single layer at the bottom of a baking pan. Cover the pan with foil and place into the oven. Roast, covered for 10-15 minutes. The cauliflower should be slightly soft and start looking translucent. If not replace foil and cook another 5 minutes. When the cauliflower has finished steaming, remove the foil and toss with tongs. Continue to roast, stirring every 8-10 minutes until the tips of the cauliflower begin to brown and become crisp, approximately 30-35 minutes. Adjust salt to taste and serve.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Coat a large baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Cut pumpkin in half, and remove seeds; cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Peel slices and place slices into a large bowl. Toss with onion, melted butter and season with salt and white pepper. Arrange in prepared baking dish. Bake pumpkin for 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk and cheese; pour mixture over pumpkin in baking dish. Continue baking for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Steam the carrots for no more than 6 minutes; you want them to stay crispy.

Whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and water and then stir in the minced garlic and sumac to make the dressing.

Toss the dressing with the carrots. Taste and season if needed. Sprinkle parsley on top to finish.

Preheat oven to 170. In a medium bowl, whisk flours and oat bran together with baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. Scoop persimmon flesh into a blender and puree until smooth. Measure on 1 cup of the puree, place in a different bowl and whisk in buttermilk and orange zest. Set mixture aside. Whisk the eggs. Process butter until light and creamy , add sugar and blend until fluffy. Gradually add beaten eggs until mixture is well combined. Slowly add persimmon mixture. Add dry ingredients in 3 batches. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin (don’t fill completely, otherwise the batter will overflow) and bake for about one hour.

Toast the walnuts for about 5 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Keep the pan moving a bit so they don’t burn. Set them aside to cool. Combine the shredded cabbage and lettuce. Toss with 3/4 of the cheese and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Arrange apple slices on top. Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake until all mixed together. Drizzle desired amount over the salad. Top with remaining cheese and walnuts to finish.

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, leek and potato and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 8-12 minutes. Add 6 cups water to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Adjust heat to whatever temperature will keep your soup simmering, not boiling and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Blend until smooth either using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Ladle into bowls, arrange celery leaves on top to finish.

Sauce: In a large saucepan heat the olive oil and cook the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the cardamom seeds and cloves. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours, until the rhubarb is thick and reduced.

Pizza: Cut onion into eighths wedges, place them in a shallow roasting dish and drizzle over the the oil. Season well with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven, 200 C, for 25 minutes until soft and caramelized. Add the vinegar and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 240 C. To assemble pizza, spread rhubarb sauce, top with the onions, sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Bake for 10 minutes until the base is crisp and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with oregano before serving.

Melt butter and oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and cook until soft. Add kumara and cook a few minutes to seal but don’t let it get brown. Add salt, spices and coconut milk. Cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook until liquid reduces a little. Serve with rice and crusty bread

Cut the chokos into thin slices. Heat up oil in a fry pan. Add in chopped garlic and fry until golden. Add in choko slices and stir. Add in salt, pepper, water and oyster sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat. Serve as a side dish.

Melt butter and saute onions and bacon until onions are golden. Add cubed chokos and saute for 2-3 minutes more. Transfer to a casserole dish sprinkle with herbs and top with cream. Cover and cook in a 180°C oven for about 25 minutes or until choko are soft but still bright in colour. Serve as a vegetable accompaniment to a main dish.

Heat oven to 200. Arrange choko on non-stick baking sheet flat side down. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Roast for about 30 minutes or until nicely browned on both sides, turning at least once.

Heat olive oil in saute pan. When good and hot, add onions and cook, making sure they don’t turn brown. Add the garlic and stir cook for about a minute before adding tomatoes. Stir around, season and lower heat. Cook until the flavors meld and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add basil. Lovely atop bruschetta or pasta.

Scrub artichokes. Slice each artichoke into half centimetre slices. In a frying pan, heat olive oil and butter on medium-high heat. Add sliced artichokes, garlic, salt, and pepper; stir well to coat artichokes. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes, stirring often. Do not overcook artichokes, they should be slightly crunchy. Serve immediately.

Combine Jerusalem artichokes and potatoes in large pot. Pour enough cold water over to cover; add salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and boil gently until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 18 minutes. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Return vegetables to pot. Mash vegetables, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/2 cupfuls to moisten until chunky mixture forms. Stir in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and the butter and saute the onion for ten minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sage and saute for a minute. Pour in the stock and most of the chestnuts (reserve some for garnish) and season. Increase heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, then puree until smooth. Add creme fraiche and reheat but do not boil.

In the meantime slice the reserved chestnuts in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Throw in the rest of the sage leaves and saute until crisp. Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with the sage and chestnuts.

Heat the butter and olive oil, sauté the onion until soft. Add the carraway seeds, then the cabbage and chestnuts. Add the vinegar and stock then simmer until all is tender. Season.

Gently cook the shallot and garlic in a heavy-bottomed pan. Still on a low-med heat, add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes, add wine(or mustard in a little water, if using) then mushrooms and chestnuts; fry 5-8 more minutes till the wine has reduced and chicken is cooked. Reduce to a low heat then add your herbs and cream, then cook gently for another 5 or so mins until the cream has reduced slightly (if it reduces too much just add a little water), and mushrooms are tender. (The chestnuts may break up further, but this doesn't matter.)

Add seasoning to taste and devour without counting calories.

Yummy on a simple bed of wilted spinach with a side of buttery mashed potato.