Johannesburg – Our bodies create most of our vitamin D through the action of the sun’s rays on our skin.
That’s why it is called the “sunshine vitamin”.
You need to spend about 10 minutes in direct sunlight two to three times a week for your body to make it. Note the short period of sun exposure – don’t burn and risk skin cancer.
Wearing a sunscreen of more than SPF30 will affect the absorption of sunlight, and those with darker skins will need more sun.
Vitamin D is considered so important that it is added to foods such as milk, margarine, yoghurt, cereals and infant formula – the so-called fortified foods. It is essential for the absorption of calcium and other nutrients.
Without sufficient quantities of it, bones can become thin, brittle or misshapen. It can lead to rickets in children.
You can get vitamin D by taking supplements, but it is naturally present in small quantities in a few foods – egg yolks, cheese, organ meat like liver, mushrooms, pork and fatty fish like salmon, tuna and sardines.
Thes tasty recipes will give you a dose of vitamin D.
SCOTCH EGGS
Makes 6
6 eggs
500g pork sausages, skins removed
300g pork mince
60ml chopped mixed fresh herbs
10ml hot English mustard
a good grinding of fresh nutmeg
salt and pepper
seasoned flour
2 eggs, beaten
500ml breadcrumbs
oil for deep frying
Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the six eggs and boil for 8 minutes.
Drain off the hot water and run the eggs under cold water. Cool, then carefully remove the shells.
Combine the sausage meat, pork mince, herbs, mustard, nutmeg and seasoning. Mix well.
Divide the mixture into 6 portions.
On a piece of cling wrap, pat out the meat mixture into a disc large enough to enclose an egg. Shape the sausage meat around the egg.
Toss in flour, then dip it in the beaten egg and coat with breadcrumbs.
Repeat with all the eggs.
Place on a tray and refrigerate for an hour before frying in oil until golden brown.
Delicious served hot or cold.
SARDINE PATÉ
Serves 8-10
2 x 210g tins of sardines in oil, drained
250g cream cheese
juice and zest of 3 limes
30ml mayonnaise
1 bunch of coriander, washed
salt and pepper
60g butter, melted
Combine all the ingredients, except the butter, in a food processor and blend until smooth.
With the processor running, pour in the melted butter.
Transfer the paté into serving dishes and refrigerate until needed.
SALMON-STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Serves 4
4 large brown mushrooms, stems removed
olive oil, for brushing
1 tin of salmon, drained, bones removed, flaked
125ml breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
zest of 1 lemon
200g baby spinach, fried in a little butter, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
salt and pepper
60ml grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Brush both sides of the mushrooms with olive oil and place on a baking tray.
In a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper.
Distribute the salmon mixture equally between the mushrooms, forming a mound on each. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender.
Serve on a bed of rocket with lemon wedges.
LIVER AND ONIONS
Serves 4
250g streaky bacon, chopped
15ml olive oil
2 red onions, halved and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
250g mushrooms, sliced
250ml cream
salt and pepper
a handful of small sage leaves
60g butter, for frying
400g ox or lamb liver, washed and cut in strips
seasoned flour, for dusting
In a heavy-based pot, fry the bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside.
Add the oil to the pot and fry the onions until well browned. Remove and set aside.
Fry the red pepper and mushrooms until the mushrooms begin to crisp on the edges.
Return the onion and bacon to the mushrooms and add the cream.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the sage leaves, then reduce the temperature and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Meanwhile, heat some of the butter in a frying pan.
Toss the liver in the seasoned flour and fry in the butter, in batches, until browned.
Add to the sautéed vegetables and serve with extra fried sage leaves.
BAKED RICOTTA
Serves 4-6
900g ricotta cheese
125ml sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
10ml chopped fresh rosemary
5ml grated lemon zest
salt and pepper
100g tub of ready-made antipasto mix
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a 11 x 24cm loaf tin.
Mix together the ricotta, sour cream, egg, rosemary, zest and salt and pepper.
Spoon half into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
Lay the antipasto on top. Finish off with the rest of the ricotta, smoothing the top.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm.
Remove and cool completely before removing from the tin.
Slice and serve with extra antipasto.
Angela Day, The Star