Hello Everyone,

It's been very hot been very HOT in S.Africa, with Temps going up to 38 C in some places! So everyone has taken to his or her swimming pools with a vengence! Sales of air coolers went through the roof last week. The weather bureau has finally forecast Thundershowers for later today so hopefully it'll get cooler. With the Weather hot we've been eating outside under one of our large oak trees, I felt quite colonial sitting out side under my brightly coloured umbrellers! Here is a selection of the food we had this weekend…

SATURDAY

I fancied Mussels so I tried this recipe by the Young and talented chef from the UK Jamie Oliver, and it was very good…

Mussels with Leeks
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Serves 4

3 medium leeks, cleaned and roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
Olive oil
2 knobs of butter
1/2 glass of Marsala, Bristol cream or white wine
140ml/1/4 pint single cream
1.1kg/2 1/2 lb mussels, cleaned and beards removed
A good handful of parsley, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large pan slowly fry the leeks and garlic in a good lug of olive oil and the butter. After five minutes they should be very soft and sweet to taste.

2. Pour in the drink of choice, turn the heat up and simmer for one minute until the alcohol smell disappears, leaving you with the fantastic essence. Then add the cream, bring back to the boil and add all the mussels.

3. Simply boil with a lid on until all the mussels have opened - discard any that remain closed. To make life easier, you could make the sauce in advance and keep it in the fridge until you need to cook the mussels.

4. When the mussels are cooked, stir in the parsley and correct the seasoning. Serve in a large bowl with some crusty bread.

Onion Frittata
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60g(4 Tbls) butter (plus a little extra)
4 large thinly sliced onions
6 eggs
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Salt and some freshly ground black pepper
I chilli finely diced (optional)
Put the butter, garlic, diced chilli and onions in a frying pan and fry gently until the onions are a nice golden brown.

Beat the six eggs well with the salt and pepper. Scoop the onions out of the pan and mix with the eggs. Melt the extra butter in the pan and pour in the egg mixture. Cook on both sides until browned Slice in wedges and serve hot.

SHRIMP & WATERCRESS SALAD
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Serves 4-6

4 hardboiled eggs, quartered
Salt and milled black pepper
Mixed salad leaves
12 ozs young green beans, blanched for 8 minutes and refreshed
8 ozs frozen shrimps, quickly steamed for 2-5 minutes
3 slices white bread, made into dainty crisp croutons
2 carrots, finely slivered
1 cup mayonnaise
1 small bunch watercress, blanched and well drained
2-3 tbsp cream

Season eggs.
Place on a pretty platter lined with lettuce leaves.
Add green beans and shrimps.
Sprinkle with croutons and lightly dress salad with salad dressing.
Sprinkle with carrot.
Blend mayonnaise with watercress and cream.
Add a dollop just before serving.

DRESSING
Serves 2-4

2 tbsp light vegetable oil or good olive oil or 15 ml each
1 tbsp good wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and milled black pepper
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 clove garlic, crushed

There are two ways to dress a simple green salad. Either coat and toss leaves first with oil, then add remaining ingredients and toss again to blend flavours, or simply whisk all dressing ingredients together until light and creamy, add to salad and toss until leaves are lightly coated.

SUNDAY

Roasted Lamb Knuckles in Tomato Sauce
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4-lamb knuckle (you can use the whole knuckles, or ask your butcher to saw it into portions)
8 fresh, peeled and coarsely chopped tomatoes, or two tins of peeled tomatoes
1 cup of dry white wine
4 bay leaves
4 cloves
4-6 clovers of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/2-cup chutney
4 large carrots, chopped into chunky pieces
4 potatoes, quartered
Optional: you can add one finely chopped chili and/or 4 curry leaves
1/2-cup flour
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1-tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Heat the cooking oil in a pan.
Roll the lamb knuckle in the flour and brown in the hot oil.
Remove lamb from the pan and place in an oven dish.
Add all the ingredients and mix well.
Cover and roast at 180 degrees C or until lamb is tender.

Lemon Risotto
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Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 cups Vegetable Stock

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) Arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, cover, and keep warm over low heat.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan. Sauté the onion over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. (If you mean translucent- it's 7 minutes.)

3. Add the rice to the onion mixture and sauté, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add 1 cup of the hot stock and stir frequently until absorbed. Continue adding 1 cup of stock at a time, stirring, and waiting for it to be absorbed before adding the next measure. This will take 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in1/3 of the Parmesan, the white wine, lemon juice and zest, mint, and the remaining tablespoon of both butter and oil.

5. Cover and allow to stand for 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.
ROSEMARY SCONES
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2 cups plain flour (can use whole meal but they will be denser)
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbls butter
1 Tbls freshly chopped rosemary (1tsp dried)
1-cup milk (I have used Soya also good)

Sift dry ingredients in a bowl and rub in butter, add rosemary and milk and
Combine to form soft dough. Roll out on to a floured board to 1 1/2inch
Thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds. Place on a greased baking tray, brush with a little milk and bake in a pre-heated oven 220c(425f) for12 mins

Welsh Cakes - Picau ar y Maen
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(I love these, they remind me of my childhood!)
For around a dozen cakes:

8 oz (225g) self-raising flour.
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon mixed spice
4 oz (100g) butter or margarine
3 oz (75g) caster sugar
3 oz (75g) mixed currants and sultanas
1 egg

Sift the flour, salt and spice together into a mixing bowl Rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs Add and stir in the sugar and dried fruits to the mixture Beat the egg Pour in the beaten egg and stir to make a firmish dough Roll or press the dough out to approximately 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick Cut into discs with a 1 1/2 or 2 inch (4 or 5 cm) cutter Bake the Welshcakes on a medium hot griddle, turn only once, until golden brown on both sides but still a little soft in the middle. Sprinkle a little caster sugar over the Wales cakes and serve, hot or cold, plain or buttered.

I wish you all a wonderful day
Love Julie