Elegant dining made easy with 'The Gourmet Cookbook'

Susan Greig has been a contributor to Conde Nast House & Garden Gourmet since the magazine’s inception in 2012. So it’s little surprise that her recipes have made it into the magazine’s cookbook celebrating five years of recipes, The Gourmet Cookbook.

The recipe book is divided into five chapters – Aperitifs and Appetizers, Starters, Mains, Sides and Salad, and Dessert. And there are accompanying menu suggestions to tailor-make a stylish dinner party, an alfresco lunch, a festive feast or a laid-back family meal.

The book, which was curated by food editor and cookbook author, Bernadette le Roux, is available for purchase at Woolworths and various book stores for R420.

Food and drinks editor Buhle Mbonambi picked some of his favourite recipes by Susan Greig:

Bruschetta with Roast Pepper and Cannellini Purée

(Serves 6)

Bruschetta with Roast Pepper and Cannellini Purée

PICTURE: The Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients

1 baguette, sliced

For the cannellini purée

8tbs olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1tsp smoked paprika

1 tin cannellini beans, drained

2 roasted peppers (jar or tin)

salt and pepper, to taste

For the black olive relish

50g pitted kalamata olives,chopped

2tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1tbs fresh lemon juice

To serve

1 handful of rocket leaves

4 dried (or 2 fresh) curry leaves

Method

For the cannellini purée:

Heat 2tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onion for

5 minutes.

Add the smoked paprika and cook for 2 more minutes.

Place the onion mixture, beans, roasted peppers and

2tbsp of olive oil in a food processor, blend until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

For the bruschetta:

Toast or braai the baguette slices on a grid and set aside.

For the black-olive relish:

Place the chopped olives and parsley in a bowl with

the remaining olive oil and

lemon juice.

Season and stir.

To serve:

Spread the purée over the toasts, spoon on some olive relish, top with rocket leaves and drizzle with a touch more olive oil.

Aperol spritz

(Serves 6)

Aperol spritz

Making a traditional Aperol spritz is as easy as one, two, three (or 3, 2, 1 to be exact) – three parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part soda. For best results use Prosecco, but sparkling wine is equally acceptable.