Something for everyone!

Tomato Tarts!

I've worked at a few restaurants where tomato tarts were on the menu. I find that this one is the best out of about 5 different recipes that I've made over the last 6 years!

(9 – 12 Portions, depending on size)

1 roll (400g) puff pastry
27 Rosa tomatoes, halved
60ml basil pesto
Parmesan shavings and fresh basil for garinsh
1 egg, beaten
10ml sugar
Salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C
Cut the pastry into 9 or 12 equal squares (depending on the size that you want). Brush the squares with the beaten egg and place them on a greased baking tray.
Bake for 5 minutes or until the top starts to crisp. The pastry must still be raw inside.
Spread the squares with the basil pesto. Top with 6 tomato halves.
Season the tarts with the salt, pepper and sugar.
Bake for another 5 – 8 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
Remove from the oven. Top the tarts with the Parmesan and fresh basil.
Serve warm.

Soweto in the Suburbs!

Mama Tembo's, Greenside

I like having a good time at Mama Tembo's. The ambiance is very African, the cocktails are good and so is the food. The service is almost too good....the waiters can get a little annoying. They tend to buzz around their tables all the time.

The music is only African with mainly South African songs. It like a big shack in Greenside. They serve food from 10:30 AM till 10:30 at night. After that it becomes rather festive! People tend to get up and enjoy the music. It is a big favourite with the SA Celebs and film crews.

Mama Tembo's is on Glen Eagles Rd in Greenside. A main course will cost you up to R75. Drinks are priced like any other place....not cheap but not too expensive. They make a really good Mojito.

Visit the website at: http://www.mamatembo.co.za/home.htm

Tiramisu..... with something extra!

CINNAMON MERINGUE WITH TIRAMISU FILLING

(8 Portions)

MERINGUE

5 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 t vanilla essence
½ t cinnamon
1 t white or brown vinegar (I use brown)
One packet fresh or frozen raspberries and blueberries for garnish
Fresh mint or lavender for garnish

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Add the sugar gradually.
Add the vanilla, cinnamon and the vinegar.
Line a large spring form tin with wax paper on the bottom and on the sides
Spoon the meringue mix into the tin and spread the mixture out.
Bake it at 100°C for 75 minutes.
Remove from oven and let it cool down. Turn it upside down on a serving plate once it is cold.


TIRAMISU FILLING

3 egg yolks
40g Castor sugar
15ml sherry
15ml Kahlua liqueur
180ml cream
20 Boudoir biscuits
125ml strong black coffee (1t coffee powder for ½ cup water)

Beat the egg yolks and sugar in a mixer until light and spongy
Add the alcohol.
Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
Fold the cream mix into the egg mixture
Soak the biscuits in the coffee and place half of it in a dish
Add some of the egg mixture on top. Finnish with another layer of biscuits and the egg mix. Refrigerate for 2 hours to set

This can be made two days in advance

HOW TO ASSEMBLE

Spoon large dollops of the Tiramisu onto the meringue just before serving. Top with the frozen raspberries and blueberries and a few sprigs of lavender or mint.

Try it... it's o so yummy!

Comfort food! Quick and easy

CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE DESSERT

(10 Portions)

750g Creamed cottage cheese
1.140kg Caramel Treat
2 cups cream
3 boxes Romany Creams
2 Tblsp Tia Maria
¼ cup cold strong coffee
4 Tblsp finely sliced ginger in syrup
2-3 Tblsp crushed peanut brittle

Beat the cottage cheese and caramel treat until smooth.
Beat the cream until soft peak stage. Divide the cream in two and fold the one half into the caramel mixture. Beat the other half until stiff peaks form to use as decoration.
Crush the biscuits roughly. Mix the liqueur and the coffee together and pour it over the biscuits. Add the ginger and mix well.
Serve the dessert in one big bowl or individual glasses. Spoon some of the caramel mix into the glasses, top with some of the biscuit mixture.
Continue layering the two mixtures and finish with the caramel. Top with the remaining whipped cream.

Leave in the fridge to set for about 2 hours. Sprinkle with the crushed peanut brittle.

Col'Cacchio!

Here is a restaurant that I've been going to for years! My flatmate and I used to 'live' at the one in Cape Town for about 2 years. Then I came back to Joburg .....and no Col'Cacchio! So I went to the UK for a year and when I came back I was very happy to see ONE practically across the road from my house! What a bonus......! My mom and I can live on good Pizza and Pasta.

I've heard that this one at the new Worldwear Centre weren't so hot too start off with. I was informed that the managers had a bad attitude and the service was pathetic. Well it has a new manager now and it is back up to standard. The Pizza's are light and crispy. The pasta is so tasty and bursting with flavour. The service is quick and the waiters are friendly and clued up on what they serve! There are over 20 pizza's to choose from, a few pasta dishes and some salads. The desserts are your standard Italian stuff..... Ice cream, Ice cream and more ice cream!

They wine list is great with lots of top quality wines to choose from. It was great to sit outside in the Spring sun and just have a nice chilled Sunday lunch with the fam!

I have only one problem.... I am convinced that they have only one CD! It plays every single time that I go there (a lot). It is a nice CD....but come on! If you are there for longer that an hour it gets a bit annoying.

A main course will cost you anything from R30 - R90, drinks excluded. They are open from Monday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. You can check their website at: http://www.colcacchio.co.za/

Tsunami Seafood Emporium, Rosebank, Jozie

This restaurant is a definite yes for sushi lovers as well as Seafood fans! It has a huge menu to choose from and a very impressive wine list. This restaurant is renowned for its sushi chefs and specialist sushi bar that creates great sashimi , sushi and something different such as the amaAfrica maki.

We had a sushi platter with a variety of sashimi, nigiri, maki and fashion sandwiches as well as California rolls all filled and topped with lots of fresh fish (we don't do the cooked stuff when it is sushi time).

Don't forget the Tempura prawns and vegetables. The batter is extremely light and crispy and that is how it should be!

If you are not into the sushi thing there is some cooked seafood to choose from. You can have a variety of fish, crab, crayfish as well as a traditional seafood potjie.

The dessert menu did not really grab my attention and I must admit it was a bit of a let down. Nothing special..... But that is not why you go to a place like Tsunami.

Your food will cost you anything from R35 - R175 per person, wine not included.

A big plus for the workaholic is that Tsunami is a WiFi zone. So a great place for a light working lunch.

The restaurant is situated on the top floor in Rosebank Mall. The Roof Top entrance is the closest entrance. It is directly above Europa and Nescafe.

Pear Malva. A Classic with a twist!

Ingredients:

Sauce:
375ml cream
125ml butter
a pinch of salt
100ml sugar
15ml apricot jam
juice from on tin op pear halves

Batter:
30g butter
100ml sugar
1 egg
1cup flour
125ml milk
5ml bicarb
45ml apricot jam
20 ml white vinegar
1 tin of pear halves

Method:
Cook all the sauce ingredients together until boiling
Cream the butter and sugar until light in colour. Add the egg.
Add the jam
Mix the bicarb and milk together. Sift the flour. Add half the flour to the butter mixture, then add half the milk. Now add the last half of the flour to the mix and then the rest of the milk.
Add the vinegar and then the drained pears.
Pour the mix in a casserole dish (30cmx40cmx12cm will do or longer and not so deep). Pour half of the sauce over the top cover with foil and bake at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Remove foil and pour the rest of the sauce over. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes.

The pud should be golden brown and sticky. You can cut the pears in quarters if you prefer smaller chunks.

Serve a nice chunk with pouring cream. Custard will also work for the extreme sweet tooth's. This is great for those very cold Sunday afternoons.

Enjoy!