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This is a simplified, no-fuss paella that tastes as good as any! It deviates from the original Spanish paella where no stirring is allowed. You will stir to your hearts content, taste as you cook and feel completely relaxed! This recipe feeds 8 – 10 people and should be shared with family, friends and good wine!

a pinch of saffron threads or 2,5ml turmeric powder

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

250ml chorizo sausage, cubed

2 sweet peppers, sliced

500ml paella or risotto rice

10ml salt

10ml smoked paprika

250ml white wine

500ml chicken stock

500g prawns

500g calamari

500g mussels

a handful of parsley, chopped

2 lemons, quartered

Pour some hot tap water into a small cup (about 100ml) and sprinkle the saffron threads onto it. Leave to stand while you get on with cooking. (If you don’t have saffron you may replace it with turmeric powder which you will add with the salt.)

Take out the largest, heavy based pan you have. If you don’t have one use a wok or heavy base casserole dish….the heavens won’t fall down on us!

Cover the base of the pan with oil, turn the heat to medium-high and add the onion. Cook until softened, stirring every now and then.

Add the garlic, Chorizo and peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the rice to the pan and stir to coat the grains in the oil.

Now add the salt (and turmeric if you are using it), smoked paprika, saffron water, wine and chicken stock.

Bring the mixture to a bubble and then turn the heat down to a low simmer, but leave uncovered.

Cook for 15 – 20 minutes while stirring as little as possible, by which time the rice should have absorbed the liquid and be tender.

Taste the rice and adjust your seasoning.

Add the prawns, calamari and mussels and cover the pan with a lid/aluminium foil with the heat on low. Steam the seafood in this way for about ten minutes.

Remove the covering from the paella and take it off the heat.

Sprinkle the parsley on top and garnish with the lemon.

The perfect cool-me-down for a summer’s day!

30ml sugar syrup

30ml lemon juice

60ml gin

1 egg white

soda water

Sugar syrup:

Add 250ml water and 250ml sugar to a small saucepan and put it on low heat.

Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved.

Bring to a simmer for 2 minutes.

Take off the heat and demand to cool completely.

Refrigerate once cooled.

Add the sugar syrup, lemon juice, gin and egg white to a small mixing bowl.

Whisk vigorously until a thick foam develops.

Fill two glasses with ice and pour the mixture over.

Top up with cold soda water and fresh lemon slices.

Easy, quick, no fuss and delicious!

6 – 8 skinless chicken breasts

Marinade/Basting Sauce:

250ml tomato sauce

62ml balsamic vinegar

62ml brown sugar

30ml Worcestershire sauce

5ml mustard powder

5ml salt

15ml smoked paprika

Add all the ingredients for the sauce to a mixing bowl and whisk together.

Reserve 62 ml of the mixed sauce and put aside, to baste the chicken once it is on the grill.

Place the chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag and pour the rest of the sauce into the bag with the chicken.

Leave to marinate at room temperature for one hour.

Line your BBQ griddle with a double layer of aluminium foil, with the matt side facing upward.

Poke some wholes into the foil with the tines of a fork so that any juice/sauce may drain away.

Place the chicken breasts onto the lined griddle once the fire has reached a medium-high heat. Cook for 12 minutes before turning.

Baste the breasts liberally with the reserved marinade and cook for another 12 minutes.

Remove the breasts from the fire and once more baste it with the remaining marinade.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

This is a delicious and easy way to add flavour to that BBQ corn on the cob. Make a few extra as they are really more-ish!!

6 ears of corn, with or without the husk

45ml butter, VERY SOFT

5ml mild curry powder

2,5ml salt

Wrap each ear of corn, a mealie in “South African, in a layer of foil. Make sure it is completely covered by the foil.

Add the soft butter, curry powder and salt to a small bowl and mix well. Put aside.

Place the wrapped corn onto a BBQ grill over medium to high heat for 20 minutes, turning often.

Remove from the heat and remove the foil from the corn. If you have left the corn in the husk you should remove that as well.

Place the corn back onto the fire and baste generously with the butter mixture.

Turn and baste for about 5 minutes or until you have a good char on the corn.

Remove from the heat, give the corn another last basting with the butter and serve warm.

This salad is absolutely delicious! It is sophisticated, trendy and easily doubles up as an appetiser before a meal or even as an accompaniment to a cheese course.

80g rocket leaves, washed and dried

10 – 12 ripe figs

50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

Dressing:

125ml cream

100g blue cheese

Arrange the rocket leaves on a serving platter.

Half or quarter the figs and arrange them on the rocket.

Pour the cream into a small saucepan.

Break 50g of the blue cheese into chunks and add that to the cream.

Place the saucepan onto medium heat and stir the mixture until the cheese has melted.

remove from the heat and drizzle onto the rocket and figs.

Scatter the chopped nuts over the figs.

Break the remaining 50g cheese into chunks and scatter that over the salad as well.

Serve at room temperature.

Frittata is one of my fall-backs when I don’t have time or enthusiasm for cooking. It takes about 30 minutes to prepare and makes a healthy weekday dinner or weekend brunch. This specific frittata includes all the mediterranean flavours and makes it perfect for a healthy summer meal.

Preheat your oven to 190℃.

Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1cm thick slices and par-boil them until just cooked. Drain and set aside.

Line a roasting tin with baking paper and slice the aubergine into eight pieces, lengthwise. Sprinkle with olive oil and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep aside.

Put an ovenproof frying pan onto medium heat, add some vegetable oil and gently fry the peppers, mushroom and garlic until barely soft.

Add the potato slices, tomato wedges and aubergine to the pan and cook for one minute.

Whisk the eggs and cream together in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper and add the crumbled feta.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Tilt the pan to make sure the eggs settle evenly over the vegetables.

Cook for about two minutes until you see the eggs at the edge of the pan beginning to set.

Place the pan into the oven and bake for about ten minutes. Check whether the egg mixture has set before removing from the oven.

Allow the frittata to stand for 5 minutes before slicing it into portions to serve.

A salad is often underrated but during long summer months one comes to appreciate those that create a nutritious, complete meal. This salad is exactly that; simple, nutritious and can be prepared in advance. Feeds four as a meal.

250ml bulgar wheat (or pearl wheat)

Dressing:

45ml olive oil

15ml red wine vinegar

10ml honey

2,5ml mustard powder

2,5ml salt

2 mangos, diced

a handful of fresh basil leaves

a handful of fresh mint leaves

Prepare the bulgar wheat according to the packet instructions. Set aside to cool.

Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a glass and whisk to bring together.

Peel and dice the mango and add to the cooled bulgar wheat.

Chop the basil and mint and add that to the wheat mixture.

Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through.

This is a very substantial salad and makes a complete meal with a crusty loaf of bread. This is not a recipe but rather a guide of ingredients and a good vinaigrette. Have fun putting yours together, it is quick, delicious and perfect, lazy summer food!

mixed salad leaves, enough to cover the bottom of a large serving dish

2 smoked chicken breasts, cut into 0,5cm slices

500g beef biltong, sliced

1 pomegranate, de-seeded

400g seedless grapes, halved

Arrange all the ingredients on a serving dish and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Serve with a fresh crusty loaf of bread.

Vinaigrette:

90ml olive oil

30ml red wine vinegar

30ml honey

5ml grainy mustard

2,5ml salt

Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette together and drizzle over the salad.

This frosting has been around for many years and is known by various names: ermine frosting, boiled milk frosting, roux frosting and mock cream, which probably best describes it. It is the frosting that was originally used for red velvet cake. It is smooth, rich, has a flavour similar to cream cheese frosting, is less sweet and perfect for piping. Give it a try, you will not frost a cupcake without this ever again!

75ml flour

250ml white sugar

250ml milk, warmed

7,5ml vanilla

a pinch of salt

225g butter, room temperature

Add the flour and sugar to a saucepan and turn the heat on to medium. Cook dry for about 30 seconds while stirring constantly.

Warm the milk and slowly add the warmed milk to the flour mixture while whisking.

Stir the mixture until it has thickened.

Remove from the heat and scrape into a clean bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film BUT PRESS THE CLINGFILM RIGHT DOWN ONTO THE ROUX/FLOUR MIXTURE SO THAT THE SURFACE HAS ‘A SEAL OF PLASTIC’ON IT, which will prevent it from forming a skin.

Put aside and allow to cool completely.

Measure the butter so long and leave to stand so that it can soften.

Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat it on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. The butter should be completely smooth and the colour should change to a very pale yellow.

Turn the mixer onto medium speed and add the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time until all of it has been incorporated into the butter.

Now add the vanilla and salt and whip the mixture for a final 3 minutes.

You now have one of the best frostings for cake!

This recipe is straight from the kitchens of fine dining restaurants and really easy to make. Serve it on grilled Salmon or Yellowtail and taste absolute perfection!

20g butter

half an onion, chopped

125ml white wine

300ml cream

10ml dried tarragon

salt and pepper

Add the butter to a small saucepan and allow to melt.

Cook the onion in the butter until soft and translucent.

Add the wine and bring the mixture to the boil.

Reduce the heat for the mixture to simmer until reduced by half.

Add the cream and simmer uncovered for another ten minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the tarragon.

Season the sauce with salt and pepper and serve warm.