Trio of Cheese Nutty Triangle Pancakes
Fragrant, herby and delicious
Pancakes
150g cake flour
15ml garlic, lemon and parsley spice
15ml poppy seeds
30ml sesame seeds
30ml flaked almonds, crushed
3 eggs, beaten
350ml milk
50ml butter, melted
salt to taste
Filling
60ml butter
1 medium onion, chopped
5 peppadews, chopped
1 large green pepper, finely chopped
1 large yellow pepper, finely chopped
500ml cheddar cheese, grated
3 rounds feta cheese, crumbled
60ml flaked almonds, crushed
50ml parsley, chopped
Cheese sauce
15ml butter
30ml cake flour
5ml coarse black pepper
salt to taste
250ml milk
100ml cheddar cheese
60g soft blue cheese
50ml chives, chopped
Filling
In a medium pot, melt butter, add onion and peppers; braise for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly. Stir in rest of ingredients and set aside until needed.
Cheese sauce
Melt butter in a small pot; add flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add milk and stir till sauce is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses and chives. Leave in pot and place a piece of cling wrap on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Keep aside until required.
Pancakes
Sift cake flour into a bowl. Add spices, seeds and nuts and mix. In a separate bowl, add eggs, milk, butter and salt and beat together well. Make a well in the flour, pour in milk mixture and whisk to form a smooth batter. Allow to stand for 30 - 60 minutes.
Heat a non-stick crepe pan, coat with cooking spray and brush with melted butter. Check the consistency of the pancake batter; add a little milk, if required, for a thinner batter. Pour 45ml batter into pan and swirl to cover base. Cover with lid and cook for 1 - 2 minutes until underside is set and golden; turn and cook for 30 seconds on other side.
Turn pancake out on to a plate. Continue until all batter is used, stacking pancakes between greaseproof paper.
To assemble
Place pancake on a plate; spread one half with filling, cover with unfilled half and fold into a triangle. Pour cheese sauce over pancake triangle. Continue with remaining pancakes.
Serve individually.
Makes 12 - 16
Nutty Garlic Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks, cleaned, washed and drained
250ml tomato sauce
60ml mustard sauce
15ml garlic paste
15ml paprika
15ml whole cumin
10ml whole coriander seeds, crushed
5ml turmeric
10ml Portuguese spice
100ml coconut milk
100ml ground almonds
salt to taste
30ml cooking oil
60ml melted butter to pour over chickenInterestingly saucy and tangyNutty Garlic Chicken Drumsticks
Combine all the ingredients, except chicken, together in a bowl. Place chicken in a large bowl and add spice marinade, coating chicken well. Leave chicken to marinate for a few hours.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Spray an oven dish with non-stick cooking spray. Heat dish in oven. Pack chicken into dish and add melted butter mixture.
Roast in oven for 30 minutes, turning drumsticks until golden brown on all sides. Stand for a few minutes before serving.
Serve with crisp vegetables and salad.
Serves 4 - 61kg
Mushroom, Prawn & Mascarpone Pastry Pies
Creamy, fishy and divine
1.5kg readymade puff pastry
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
poppy seeds for sprinkling
Filling
60g butter
1 punnet mushrooms, sliced
30ml garlic paste
2 green chillies, chopped
500g shelled prawns, cut in half
10ml lemon juice
60ml cake flour
125ml milk
30ml fish seasoning
10ml paprika
5ml coarse black pepper
125ml sweet chilli sauce
1 tub mascarpone cheese
500g white fish fillets, steamed and flaked
250ml coriander leaves, chopped
salt to taste
Preheat oven to 200°C. Coat 2 muffin pans with non-stick cooking spray. Cut pastry in half, placing one half in the fridge until required. Sprinkle flour on working surface and roll pastry into a 1cm-thick rectangle. Cut out 11cm pastry rounds and line muffin pans, pressing down lightly to form the shape of the muffin pan. Continue until both muffin pans are filled with pastry bases; prick bases with a fork.
Roll out other half of the pastry. Cut out 8cm rounds for pie tops and set aside; if any pastry is left over, reserve for another use.
To assemble
Spoon cold filling into pastry cases and brush edges of pastry with a little water. Gently press pastry top over filled pastry and seal edges well. Make 2 slits with kitchen scissors to allow steam to escape during cooking.
Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Filling
Melt butter in a medium-sized pot; add mushrooms, garlic paste and chillies. Stir-fry over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes. Add prawns and lemon juice. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes, uncovered, until prawns are pink.
Add flour, milk, seasoning and sauce and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat; add cheese, flaked fish and coriander and mix through well. Leave to cool completely.
Serve with a garden salad and chutney.
Makes 24
Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes
Lustrous chocolate seduction
You will need 18 readymade chocolate cups
Chocolate mousse ingredients
300ml fresh cream
500g chocolate, chopped
15ml instant coffee granules
45ml hot water
4 eggs, separated
15ml caramel essence
15ml castor sugar
Chocolate cake ingredients
225g butter, softened
225g castor sugar
4 eggs
10 ml caramel essence
225g self raising flour
60ml cocoa powder
5ml baking powder
60ml fresh cream
For decorating: coarsely grated plain chocolate
Chocolate mousse
In a large bowl, whip cream until thick and creamy. Place chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring water does not get into chocolate. Mix coffee granules with hot water and stir into chocolate until smooth. Add egg yolks and essence and mix well. Cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites till soft peaks form; add castor sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until mixture is thick. Fold cream into chocolate mixture. Gently fold egg white mixture into cream and chocolate mixture. Pour into a bowl and leave to set in refrigerator.
Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray 18 muffin cavities with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer until creamy. Add eggs and essence and beat till light and fluffy. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into egg mixture and combine. Add fresh cream and blend to form a soft cake batter. Divide the mixture equally between muffin moulds and bake in oven for 20 - 25 minutes till done. Remove from pan and cool cupcakes on a wire rack.
To assemble
Cut each cupcake in half through the centre. Spread bottom half with a thick layer of chocolate mousse and top with other half to join the cake. Place the cupcakes in the chocolate cup moulds. With a star nozzle, swirl some mousse on top of cupcake. Decorate the chocolate mousse with grated chocolate.
Serve as desired.
Makes 18 chocolate cups, - Cape Argus
* Recipes supplied by Chef Shanaaz Parker, www.fusionfoodandhome.com