Friday, 27 April 2012
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Death Star Canteen's Penne Arrabiata
Eddie Izzard and his monologue on the Death Star Canteen, which is, I might add, absolutely brilliant, got me thinking about Penne Arrabiata.
"Arrabbiato means angry in Italian - the name of the sauce is due to the heat of the chili peppers. It is a pasta sauce made from garlic, tomatoes, and red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. Basil is sometimes used, although many chefs do not. The dish is usually served with pasta (especially penne and may have chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top." [1]
I've adapted the conventional Arrabiata to include a few more ingredients and flavours. Give it a go you shall not be disappointed.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Red onions chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
2 chillies finely chopped
Ginger - about a garlic clove size - finely chopped
2 Tins of chopped/whole tomatoes
1 Tblsp Tomato paste
Chorizo - thinly sliced (A meat alternative is bacon)
Green and Red pepper chopped
Big handful of whole cherry tomatoes
Glass of Red Wine
Oregano
Lemon
Sugar
Salt
Olive Oil
Recipe
With some olive oil fry the onion, garlic, chilli and the ginger together.
When the onions have gone slightly translucent add in the chorizo. Stir for a minute and then add the canned tomatoes, the whole cherry tomatoes and a tblsp of tomato paste. Also add some Oregano. Stir with all the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in the small glass of red wine. Stir. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the peppers. Stir. Leave to simmer for another 15mins. Season if you think necessary.
While simmering the Arrabiata for the last 15 minutes put on the penne or whichever pasta you choose. When serving up, rather place your pasta in a big bowl and stir in the sauce to really base the pasta.
Buon appetito
"Arrabbiato means angry in Italian - the name of the sauce is due to the heat of the chili peppers. It is a pasta sauce made from garlic, tomatoes, and red chili peppers cooked in olive oil. Basil is sometimes used, although many chefs do not. The dish is usually served with pasta (especially penne and may have chopped fresh parsley sprinkled on top." [1]
I've adapted the conventional Arrabiata to include a few more ingredients and flavours. Give it a go you shall not be disappointed.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 Red onions chopped
2 cloves garlic - crushed
2 chillies finely chopped
Ginger - about a garlic clove size - finely chopped
2 Tins of chopped/whole tomatoes
1 Tblsp Tomato paste
Chorizo - thinly sliced (A meat alternative is bacon)
Green and Red pepper chopped
Big handful of whole cherry tomatoes
Glass of Red Wine
Oregano
Lemon
Sugar
Salt
Olive Oil
Recipe
With some olive oil fry the onion, garlic, chilli and the ginger together.
When the onions have gone slightly translucent add in the chorizo. Stir for a minute and then add the canned tomatoes, the whole cherry tomatoes and a tblsp of tomato paste. Also add some Oregano. Stir with all the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in the small glass of red wine. Stir. Leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Add in the peppers. Stir. Leave to simmer for another 15mins. Season if you think necessary.
While simmering the Arrabiata for the last 15 minutes put on the penne or whichever pasta you choose. When serving up, rather place your pasta in a big bowl and stir in the sauce to really base the pasta.
Buon appetito
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Chilli Poppers
"Chilli poppers are American and were inspired by Mexican chile relleno which is made from roasted poblano peppers that are stuffed with a variety of things, coverd with the typical queso Oaxaca and often drenchedor cream cheese and breaded to be deep fried. It’s a really great snack"
The first time I tried a chilli popper was at the Fat Cactus in Mowbray, that was a couple of years ago and I have been chasing that chilli popper ever since. None seem to taste the same as that very first one.
Ponchos, Observatory - I remember them being pretty good a few years ago too, but I went there in January this year and they were truly and regrettably average.
Mexican Kitchen, Bloemstreet Street, Cape Town - wouldn't go back twice for the Chilli poppers, but I'll go over and over again for their fajitas.
Fat Cactus, Gardens - Plain and without much flavour, granted I had had a few beers but shouldn't they taste better in that situation? Everything else does!
Cape to Cuba, Kalk Bay - It's got some flavours.
Rafikis, Kloof Nek Rd, Cape Town - very bad mistake, the end.
After trying so many restaurants, I had to give it a go. It really cannot be that hard. The ingredients are limited. Really, the only real thing you have to think about is the batter. I have tried and tested a few of these recipes and these were my findings from my experiment.
A) Its really easy and super quick to make chilli poppers or alternatively I'm a chilli popper protege.
B) Jarred Jalapeno peppers are far more tasty that using fresh jalapeno peppers - the jarred ones are far more flavoursome (preferably the green ones).
C) I found a three cheese chilli popper is the best!
Ingredients:
Oil
Green, jarred jalapenos
Milk
Flour
Bread crumbs
Chedder cheese (grated)
Feta cheese (grated)
Mozzarella cheese (grated)
My Recipe
Slice the jalapeno down the one side, about 3 to 4 cm long, depending on the size of the jalapeno. Carefully remove the insides. Then, take even amounts of the three grated cheeses and mix them together in a bowl and season with pepper or other favourites. Stuff the jalapeno with the cheese mix and close the slice by compressing the cheese. Next take the stuffed jalapeno and dunk it into a bowl of milk then roll it in flour till its evenly coated. Let it dry for 5 minutes then dunk it into the milk again and then roll it in the bread crumbs for an even coat. Let it dry for 5 minutes. once dry you deep fry them in hot oil until crispy brown. once brown remove from oil and place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
Tips
If your jalapenos don't close properly or the cheese keeps falling out, you can take a tooth pick and push it through to keep it together.
Enjoy!
The first time I tried a chilli popper was at the Fat Cactus in Mowbray, that was a couple of years ago and I have been chasing that chilli popper ever since. None seem to taste the same as that very first one.
Ponchos, Observatory - I remember them being pretty good a few years ago too, but I went there in January this year and they were truly and regrettably average.
Mexican Kitchen, Bloemstreet Street, Cape Town - wouldn't go back twice for the Chilli poppers, but I'll go over and over again for their fajitas.
Fat Cactus, Gardens - Plain and without much flavour, granted I had had a few beers but shouldn't they taste better in that situation? Everything else does!
Cape to Cuba, Kalk Bay - It's got some flavours.
Rafikis, Kloof Nek Rd, Cape Town - very bad mistake, the end.
After trying so many restaurants, I had to give it a go. It really cannot be that hard. The ingredients are limited. Really, the only real thing you have to think about is the batter. I have tried and tested a few of these recipes and these were my findings from my experiment.
A) Its really easy and super quick to make chilli poppers or alternatively I'm a chilli popper protege.
B) Jarred Jalapeno peppers are far more tasty that using fresh jalapeno peppers - the jarred ones are far more flavoursome (preferably the green ones).
C) I found a three cheese chilli popper is the best!
Ingredients:
Oil
Green, jarred jalapenos
Milk
Flour
Bread crumbs
Chedder cheese (grated)
Feta cheese (grated)
Mozzarella cheese (grated)
My Recipe
Slice the jalapeno down the one side, about 3 to 4 cm long, depending on the size of the jalapeno. Carefully remove the insides. Then, take even amounts of the three grated cheeses and mix them together in a bowl and season with pepper or other favourites. Stuff the jalapeno with the cheese mix and close the slice by compressing the cheese. Next take the stuffed jalapeno and dunk it into a bowl of milk then roll it in flour till its evenly coated. Let it dry for 5 minutes then dunk it into the milk again and then roll it in the bread crumbs for an even coat. Let it dry for 5 minutes. once dry you deep fry them in hot oil until crispy brown. once brown remove from oil and place on a paper towel to soak up any extra oil.
Tips
If your jalapenos don't close properly or the cheese keeps falling out, you can take a tooth pick and push it through to keep it together.
Enjoy!
Cape Town's Burger King
So many places have come to life in recent years and many compete for the best burgers in town, like Cafe Royale, Gourmet Burger, Clarke's, Hudsons are just a few to name. And who doesn't like a good burger? But in all honesty, they either focus more on the gourmet than on the actual burger, or more on the atmosphere than on the food itself. Don't get me wrong, a good buzz in the place is one of the most essential aspects to the success of a good restaurant but in my mind, it all boils down to taste.
A truly good burger will taste good all by itself with no condiments or added extras. That's the standard rule of thumb for which I set my high burger standards. The taste of the burger is what ill be doing my review on.
We all know Hudsons is always busy and Clarke's is the new trendy hotspot to be seen at. I'll tell you this much for free. But like I said, I'm out for the perfect burger, nothing else.
Restaurant Key
Food:
* Bad
** Very average
*** Ayyight
**** Good
***** Excellent
Hudsons **
The burgers lack flavour and they are cooked well over-done. No additional flavours to the patty and very little seasoning. Burger buns were not fresh.
Cafe Royale ***
Its ayyight, nothing spectacular at all. Cooked, slightly too well-done which really eliminates a lot of flavour. The garnish was good but a little too light on the relish. Good burger buns.
Clarkes ****
They stick to the simple stuff. No gourmet stuff. Just burger. They're pretty sizey and taste is good. The only thing that I can say it lacked was the flavour that comes from the best burger in town. Its something that you'll just have to find out for yourself to really understand.
Rick's Cafe*****
In this fine city of Cape Town there is only one true "Burger King". This restaurant has by far the tastiest bloody burger I've ever had the pleasure of eating and, believe it or not, their specialty is not burgers! Rick's burgers are one of a kind. Their presentation is amazing, taste is even better and the variety is awesome! I tried the jalapeno burger which came with the most incredible garnish and sauce. Other than that the food there in general is very good and I highly recommend you check Ricks out!
A truly good burger will taste good all by itself with no condiments or added extras. That's the standard rule of thumb for which I set my high burger standards. The taste of the burger is what ill be doing my review on.
We all know Hudsons is always busy and Clarke's is the new trendy hotspot to be seen at. I'll tell you this much for free. But like I said, I'm out for the perfect burger, nothing else.
Restaurant Key
Food:
* Bad
** Very average
*** Ayyight
**** Good
***** Excellent
Hudsons **
The burgers lack flavour and they are cooked well over-done. No additional flavours to the patty and very little seasoning. Burger buns were not fresh.
Cafe Royale ***
Its ayyight, nothing spectacular at all. Cooked, slightly too well-done which really eliminates a lot of flavour. The garnish was good but a little too light on the relish. Good burger buns.
Clarkes ****
They stick to the simple stuff. No gourmet stuff. Just burger. They're pretty sizey and taste is good. The only thing that I can say it lacked was the flavour that comes from the best burger in town. Its something that you'll just have to find out for yourself to really understand.
Rick's Cafe*****
In this fine city of Cape Town there is only one true "Burger King". This restaurant has by far the tastiest bloody burger I've ever had the pleasure of eating and, believe it or not, their specialty is not burgers! Rick's burgers are one of a kind. Their presentation is amazing, taste is even better and the variety is awesome! I tried the jalapeno burger which came with the most incredible garnish and sauce. Other than that the food there in general is very good and I highly recommend you check Ricks out!
Gourmet Burger
Gourmet Burger Patties - Serves 6
Ingredients
1 Egg (beaten)
750g Mince
2 onions - grated
1 heaped tsp crushed garlic
1 handful of Parsley - finely chopped
2 peppers - chopped and diced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
1 Cup of bread crumbs (optional)
1 Chilli finely chopped and added to the mix (optional)
Season to taste
6 fresh burger rolls (lightly toasted on the grill)
Put it in a bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Separate into 6 equal patties.
You must then leave them on grease proof paper and put them in the fridge for 30 mins.
Then on a grill, cook each patty for 4 mins a side.
Thats it!!!
For garnish - All optional
Thinly sliced tomato
Bacon
Cheese: gouda, feta, brie, camembert, cheddar, parmesan - whatever really!
Rocket
Mayonaise & Ketchup - mix them together in equal proportions and add a light layer of this on the buns
Pepperdews
Ingredients
1 Egg (beaten)
750g Mince
2 onions - grated
1 heaped tsp crushed garlic
1 handful of Parsley - finely chopped
2 peppers - chopped and diced
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Tomato paste
1 Cup of bread crumbs (optional)
1 Chilli finely chopped and added to the mix (optional)
Season to taste
6 fresh burger rolls (lightly toasted on the grill)
Put it in a bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Separate into 6 equal patties.
You must then leave them on grease proof paper and put them in the fridge for 30 mins.
Then on a grill, cook each patty for 4 mins a side.
Thats it!!!
For garnish - All optional
Thinly sliced tomato
Bacon
Cheese: gouda, feta, brie, camembert, cheddar, parmesan - whatever really!
Rocket
Mayonaise & Ketchup - mix them together in equal proportions and add a light layer of this on the buns
Pepperdews
My Own 514
Chicken Stir-Fry - Serves 2
The best thing about a stir-fry is that you can use any vegetables of your preference to the mix. Whatever you think might taste good. I have done a really basic stir-fry because thats all I had in the fridge at the time.
Ever had a 514 from Simply Asia? That stuff is the heat and so easy to make. This is pretty much the exact same.
Portion sizes - well thats something you can decide for yourself but rule of thumb, one chicken fillet per person.
If you remember you can use the usual egg noodle - these just require some soaking time.
Rice is a healthy alternative to the noodles, you just don't add it directly to the mix.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 12-15 mins
Ingredients:
2 x Chicken fillets - cut into thin strips
1 x brown onion
1 tsp garlic
2 x peppers - I like red and green but whichever you have
2 x Spring Onions - chopped
Chilli paste - to your preference, I added 1 tblsp of the home-made chilli paste
Fresh Chilli (optional)
Light Soy Sauce - 2 cups
2 Minute Noodles - 3 packs
Recipe:
In a wok or a deep pan, throw in the garlic and the onions and wait for the onions to go translucent. Add in the cup of soy sauce. Add in the chicken strips. Then continue to stir all the ingredients above.
On a separate pot cook the noodles as instructed on the pack but only for about 2 minutes. When the time is up, drain and add immediately to the wok and stir in amongst the other ingredients. Add in the peppers and the spring onions. Continue to stir all the ingredients so that all the ingredients are covered in soy sauce.
I prefer the peppers to be crunchy so only cook them for another minute or two. And there we go. Serve up!
The best thing about a stir-fry is that you can use any vegetables of your preference to the mix. Whatever you think might taste good. I have done a really basic stir-fry because thats all I had in the fridge at the time.
Ever had a 514 from Simply Asia? That stuff is the heat and so easy to make. This is pretty much the exact same.
Portion sizes - well thats something you can decide for yourself but rule of thumb, one chicken fillet per person.
If you remember you can use the usual egg noodle - these just require some soaking time.
Rice is a healthy alternative to the noodles, you just don't add it directly to the mix.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 12-15 mins
Ingredients:
2 x Chicken fillets - cut into thin strips
1 x brown onion
1 tsp garlic
2 x peppers - I like red and green but whichever you have
2 x Spring Onions - chopped
Chilli paste - to your preference, I added 1 tblsp of the home-made chilli paste
Fresh Chilli (optional)
Light Soy Sauce - 2 cups
2 Minute Noodles - 3 packs
Recipe:
In a wok or a deep pan, throw in the garlic and the onions and wait for the onions to go translucent. Add in the cup of soy sauce. Add in the chicken strips. Then continue to stir all the ingredients above.
On a separate pot cook the noodles as instructed on the pack but only for about 2 minutes. When the time is up, drain and add immediately to the wok and stir in amongst the other ingredients. Add in the peppers and the spring onions. Continue to stir all the ingredients so that all the ingredients are covered in soy sauce.
I prefer the peppers to be crunchy so only cook them for another minute or two. And there we go. Serve up!
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