The sun’s out and that means spending more time by the fireside with your loved ones. From summer ratatouille (yum) to the ultimate side must, the braaibroodjie (but with a fancy twist), these delicious recipes will have you dishing more (and more) with each braai.
Super-green salad with coconut bacon
Ingredients
For the coconut bacon
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sriracha
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp honey
½ cup dried coconut flakes
For the dressing
6 Tbsp olive oil
6 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1 tsp honey
To assemble
2 green cabbages, shaved
10 Brussels sprouts, shaved
Handful spinach, finely sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas, finely sliced
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- For the coconut bacon, mix the soy sauce, sriracha, paprika and honey in a bowl. Add coconut flakes and coat well.
- Scatter on a baking tray and bake for 5–6 minutes, tossing halfway through. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- For the dressing, mix all ingredients together until emulsified.
- To assemble, toss the cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach and sugar snaps in the dressing. Arrange on a serving plate and top with the coconut bacon.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za
Layered potato bake
Serves 4–6
Ingredients
2 Tbsp soft butter
2 cups cream
3 cloves garlic, grated
¼ punnet thyme, leaves picked
½ cup grated parmesan, cheddar or mozzarella
6 large soft-cooking potatoes
200g bacon or ham
Handful fresh sage
Method
- Grease a large baking dish with butter.
- Combine cream, garlic, thyme and half the cheese.
- Slice potatoes into ovals and toss in cream mixture to coat well.
- Stack potato slices upright in a baking tray and tuck in bacon or ham and fresh sage.
- Pour over leftover cream mixture, cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil, scatter with remaining cheese and bake for another 20–30 minutes.\
- Serve while hot.
Top tip: Take this up a notch and serve with dollops of cream cheese.
Words by: Chad January
Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine
Summer ratatouille
Ingredients
4 red peppers
1 large brinjal, cut into thick rounds
1 punnet (400g) yellow patty pans or baby marrows, halved
2 onions, quartered
1 punnet (250g) vine or cherry tomatoes
½ cup olive or canola oil
1 can (410g) chopped and peeled tomatoes
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Pinch sugar
Sprig fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp chilli flakes
Salt and milled black pepper
To serve (optional)
Fresh basil
Ricotta
Crispy garlic bread
Method
- Char peppers under the oven grill or over the flame of a gas stove.
- Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Toss brinjals, patty pans or baby marrows, onions and tomatoes in oil and char on a hot griddle pan.
- Remove blackened skins from peppers by rubbing and peeling off.
- Discard skins, deseed and cut into thick strips.
- Combine canned tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, garlic and chilli flakes in a large roasting dish.
- Mix in the charred vegetables and peppers. Season well.
- Roast for 45–50 minutes, or until sauce becomes sticky and the vegetables are soft.
- Serve scattered with fresh basil and ricotta alongside garlic bread.
Words by: Chad January
Photography: Zhann Solomons
Blue cheese braaibroodjies with roast peaches and balsamic
Serves 4 // Cooking time 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 Tbsp butter
2 peaches, thickly sliced
8 slices white bread
80g blue cheese
Balsamic glaze
Method
- Heat 2 Tbsp butter in a pan. Add the peaches and cook until soft and golden.
- Butter bread slices on one side. Keeping the buttered sides facing out, cover 4 slices with peaches.
- Crumble the blue cheese over the peaches and drizzle with a little balsamic glaze. Sandwich with the remaining bread slices.
- Toast on a grid over the coals until the cheese has melted.
Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Andreas Eiselen/HMimages.co.za
