Johannesburg - It’s the perfect time of year to pack some delicious food into a basket and find a shady spot to relax, says Angela Day.
On the menu:
Prawn and pasta rice salad
Curry pork kebabs
Rosé sangria
Asian guacamole
Corn butternut and bacon salad
Mint crisp tart
PRAWN AND PASTA RICE SALAD
Serves 6-8
DRESSING
125ml olive oil
60ml lemon juice
5ml chopped garlic
10ml Dijon mustard
10ml honey
salt and pepper
SALAD
400g cooked prawn tails
375ml pasta rice
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
half an English cucumber, halved and diced
1 red onion, finely diced
2 to 4 baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
45ml chopped parsley
15ml chopped dill
200g feta cheese, cubed
Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, honey and seasoning in a screw-top jar and shake well to combine.
Pour half the dressing over the prawns and set aside to marinate.
Cook the pasta rice in salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, taking care not to overcook.
Drain and rinse well under cold water to remove all the starch.
Place in a bowl and add the tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion, fennel and herbs, and toss to combine.
Mix in the prawns and remaining dressing.
Lastly, mix through the cheese and spoon into a serving dish.
CURRY PORK KEBABS
Serves 6-8
60ml Greek yoghurt
30ml curry powder
10ml turmeric
5ml ground coriander
5ml salt
15ml brown sugar
10ml grated lime rind
30ml lime juice
30ml soy sauce
2 pork fillets, cubed
cherry tomatoes
button mushrooms
red onion, cut into wedges
coriander to serve
Combine the yoghurt, curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, brown sugar, lime rind and juice, and soy sauce.
Add the pork and toss well to coat. Leave to marinate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
Thread the meat with the tomatoes, mushrooms and onion.
Cook on a griddle pan until done.
Serve sprinkled with coriander.
ROSÉ SANGRIA
750ml bottle of good rosé wine
125ml pomegranate juice
80ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
60ml castor sugar
15-20ml Grand Marnier (an orange-flavoured liqueur)
15ml brandy
1 orange, sliced into segments
8 large fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
a small bunch of grapes, halved
a handful of fresh mint
sparkling water to serve
Combine the wine, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, sugar, liqueur and brandy in a large glass jug.
Stir in the oranges, strawberries, grapes and mint, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, fill glasses halfway with ice. Pour the sangria over the ice, spooning some of the macerated fruit into each glass.
If desired, you can add sparkling water.
ASIAN GUACAMOLE
Serves 6-8
3 large ripe avocados
1 red onion, finely chopped
5ml crushed garlic
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 red chilli, seeded and diced
30-45ml lime juice
15ml soy sauce
15ml sesame oil
60ml chopped coriander
salt and pepper
45ml toasted sesame seeds
Roughly mash the avocado, keeping the mixture chunky.
Add the onion, garlic, tomato, chilli, lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and coriander. Season.
Fold through the sesame seeds. Serve with rice crackers.
CORN, BUTTERNUT AND BACON SALAD
Serves 6-8
4 sweetcorns
45ml olive oil
500g butternut, cubed
salt and pepper
250g streaky bacon, chopped
1 bunch of spring onions
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
125g wild rocket
DRESSING
80ml olive oil
15ml lemon juice
15ml balsamic vinegar
15ml honey
salt and pepper
Brush the sweetcorn with some olive oil and cook on a griddle pan until slightly charred.
Remove and cool. Cut the kernels from the cob.
Toss the butternut in the remaining oil and season. Put on a baking tray and roast at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until soft. Remove and cool.
Fry the bacon until crisp, then drain on a paper towel.
Combine the sweetcorn, butternut, bacon, spring onion, chilli and wild rocket, and toss to combine.
Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
DRESSING: Combine ingredients and mix well.
MINT CRISP TART
Serves 6-8
200g packet of choc mint flavoured tennis biscuits, crumbed
100g butter, melted
250ml cream
385g tin of caramelised condensed milk
3-4 Peppermint Crisps, chocolates
Combine the crushed biscuits with the butter and mix well.
Beat the cream until stiff, then beat in the caramel condensed milk.
Place a spoonful of crumb mixture into the bottom of the container you will serve them in.
Add a spoonful of the caramel mixture and sprinkle over a layer of chocolate.
Add another layer of crumbs, then the caramel mixture, and finish with a sprinkling of mint crisp chocolate.
Refrigerate for a few hours until set.
* I used a packet of choc mint flavoured tennis biscuits, but if these are not available, then use regular plain tennis biscuits.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.