Tag: lunch recipe

Panzanella Salad with Burrata

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Panzanella Salad with Burrata
Panzanella Salad with Burrata

Traditionally panzanella/Italian bread salad is not served with cheese but the creaminess of the burrata adds a deliciousness beyond words!

4 x 2cm thick slices of sourdough bread
6-8 ripe tomatoes, room temperature
half a cucumber
1 burrata cheese
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
125ml olive oil
60ml balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the sourdough slices into cubes of 1,5-2cm – they should look like chunky croutons.
Spread the bread on the prepared baking sheet and liberally drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the croutons are golden and crisp.
Remove from the baking sheet and set aside.
For the dressing:
Chop 3-4 tomatoes into very small pieces. The chopping is best done in a shallow bowl so that you can preserve all of the tomatoes’ juice.
Add the tomato and its juice to a mixing bowl.
Chop the onion as finely as you can, mince the garlic and add to the tomato.
Now add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
Mix the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.

Slice the remaining 3-4 tomatoes into chunks and place in a large bowl.
Slice the cucumber into chunks and add to the tomato.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through.
Scatter the croutons and basil over and mix again.
Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and place the burrata on top.
Serve with a cold Babylonstoren Rosé.

Quick Gazpacho

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Quick Gazpacho
Quick Gazpacho

half an English cucumber, cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 red chilli, chopped
30ml olive oil
80ml apple cider vinegar
a bunch of basil leaves, chopped

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz together.
Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning – it is soooo important!
Refrigerate the soup until you want to serve it.
Spoon into soup bowls and serve with ice cubes and a fresh crusty bread.

Tomato and Plum Tart

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Tomato and Plum Tart
Tomato and Plum Tart

1 roll butter puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg and 15ml water beaten together
3 large tomatoes
3 ripe plums
15 thyme leaves
15ml honey
250g flavoured cream cheese (I used chive flavour)

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the pastry on the baking paper and cut a 1,5cm strip off each side.
Brush the pastry with some egg wash and lay the strips onto the pastry border.
Prick the inside of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes and plums into wedges and place in a mixing bowl.
Drizzle with the honey, season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme leaves over.
Brush the entire pastry sheet with the rest of the egg wash.
Now spread the cream cheese onto the inside block of the pastry, using the back of a spoon.
Arrange half the tomato and plum mix onto the cream cheese.
Bake the tart in the oven for 30 minutes.
Top the warm tart with the remaining tomato and plums and season once more.
Serve slightly warm.

Potato-Cheese Flatbread

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Potato-Cheese Flatbread
Potato-Cheese Flatbread

Yields two flatbreads

3 potatoes, cooked (about 250 – 350ml cooked potato)
60ml butter
250ml cheese, grated (I use parmesan and cheddar)
5ml salt
5ml garlic salt
15ml chives, chopped
250ml yoghurt
375ml self-raising flour
butter

Mash the cooked potato while it is still warm and mix in the butter, cheese, salt, garlic salt and chives. Set aside to cool.
Add the yoghurt and flour to a bowl and combine.
Knead until you have a smooth ball of dough – add a small amount of flour if the dough is too sticky.
Divide the dough in two balls.
Roll out into a circle of 1cm thickness.
Add half the potato mixture, flatten into a smaller circle and gather the edges of the dough around the filling. Pinch together the dough to seal the potato filling.
Flip the filled dough and gently roll it out to a disk shape that will fit your pan.
Pan-fry on both sides on medium heat, until golden, brushing with melted butter.
Serve the bread warm.

Orzotto Alla Norma

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Orzotto Alla Norma
Orzotto Alla Norma

2 aubergines
olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
15ml fresh thyme, chopped
300g orzo
100g parmesan cheese, grated
a handful of fresh basil
1 Burrata

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Slice the aubergine into discs, spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and generously drizzle with olive oil.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the aubergine and bake for 30 minutes.
Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add some olive oil.
Fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the chopped tomato and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Cook the orzo according to packet instructions.
Drain the orzo and add it to the tomato sauce.
Add the grated parmesan and stir through.
Spoon the orzo into a serving dish and top with the aubergine, roasted tomato and burrata.
Serve with fresh basil leaves scattered on top.

Beetroot and Ricotta Tart

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Beetroot and Ricotta Tart
Beetroot and Ricotta Tart

400g store-bought pastry
1 egg and 15ml water
500g ricotta cheese
6 large beetroot, cooked and peeled
a handful of pumpkin seeds
balsamic vinegar
a handful of basil leaves

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place the pastry on the baking paper and mark a 1cm border on the edges, with the blunt side of a table knife’s blade.
Whisk the egg and water together and lightly brush it all over the pastry.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Turn your oven temperature down to 180℃.
Break the ricotta up into chunks and evenly spread over the baked pastry.
Slice the beetroot into slices and arrange on the ricotta.
Scatter the pumpkin seeds over and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Bake the tart in the oven for 15 minutes.
Scatter over the basil leaves and slice into portions to serve.

Goat Cheese Risotto

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Goat Cheese Risotto
Goat Cheese Risotto

This recipe feeds 6 adults as a main or 8-10 as a starter.

2l chicken/vegetable stock

45ml butter
45ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
400g arborio rice
150ml white wine
200g goat cheese
250g parmesan cheese, grated plus extra for serving

Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Add the butter and olive oil to a large, wide saucepan set over medium-high heat and wait for the pan to heat up.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter and oil. Fry the rice for at least 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and keep stirring until the liquid has evaporated.
Add about half a cup/two soup ladles of chicken stock and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Continue cooking the rice, adding half a cup of stock at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the stock to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite.
Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.
Crumb half of the goat cheese into the mixture and stir through.
Slice the other half of the goat cheese into wheels and brûlée with a blow torch until charred.
Place the goat cheese on the risotto, add some extra butter and serve immediately.