Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese

I usually do this dish as an accompaniment to a braai (barbecue).  There are more and more vegetarians out there these days, and the old fashioned South African idea of a braai consisting of only pap and vleis (meat) just isn't really an option any more.  It is always extremely popular and very YUM!

Mielie Pap

MEILIE 'PAP' or 'PUTU'
This is the staple diet of the majority of South African's, made from maize meal, which is ground up dried corn.  It is also the most popular side dish at a braai (barbeque) in Africa.  SA Kids and adults love it!  It is usually served with a tomato and onion relish or gravy.  Or served with a stew, to soak up all that delicious gravy.  It is even eaten for breakfast with milk and sugar as a porridge.

  

Mielie pap topped with Tomato relish and melted cheese

Ingredients for the Pap (Maize meal)
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/2 tsp (2,5ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) maize meal 
1 Tbls (15ml) butter
Optional extras: 
1 x tin sweetcorn
1 x tsp Crushed Garlic
1 x 400g Tin Tomato and onion mix 
200g grated cheddar cheese

Method:

* Put the water and salt in a saucepan. Bring to the boil.
* Optional:  You can add a tin of sweetcorn at this stage, or a teaspoon of garlic.

* Turn to a low heat once boiling and immediately add in the butter and the maize meal. Don't wait for the water to cool. Mix to combine.

* Adjust with extra water or maize meal to the consistency of your liking.  I like it the same consistency as mashed potato.  
* Optional:  Smooth off the top of the pap in the pot.  and smooth over a tin of tomato and onion mix. cover with grated cheese. 

* Leave to cook covered on a low heat for about 30 minutes.  Turn the heat right down so it stays warm,  it can stay like this for ages until the braai / bbq is done

* Serve hot

Preparation:  5 minutes
Cooking:  30 minutes
Serves:  8 as a side dish
(All Approximates)

Maize meal

Tips and Suggestions:

* For a braai / bbq side dish I add a tin of tomato and onion sauce to the top of the pap (don't mix it in), and grated cheese on top of that.  this melts over the top, so as you spoon out the pap you get a bit of pap with tomato and onion and melted cheese - mmmm... delicious
* Mix in a tin on sweetcorn to the water just before mixing in the pap for some extra decadence
* Also wonderful for breakfast (like a porridge),  Add some extra milk when cooking, so it is a bit more of a sloshy mix.  Scoop out some made pap into a bowl, and add milk and honey
* For more fabulous ideas and conversions have a look at my Yummy Food index page
* Please comment and share your ideas.

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Stuffed pimento peppers

STUFFED PIMENTO PEPPERS
I bought some beautiful huge pimento peppers the other day, mainly because I want to try and see if I can get the seeds to grow.  I decided on stuffing these beautiful peppers with a stuffing and baking them in the oven - they were delicious.  Here's the recipe.

Ingredients
2 large pimento Peppers, halved longways down the center
3 Tbls (45ml) Thick Plain yoghurt
4 sliced brown bread (wholewheat is great), crumbled
1/2 cup (125ml) grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp (5ml) capers
1/2 tsp (2.5ml) yellow mustard seeds, grinded
1/2 tsp (2.5ml) aniseed, grinded
1/2 tsp (2.5ml) cumin, grinded
1/2 tsp (5ml) dried sage
1/2 tsp (5ml) fresh mint leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
- heat oven to 190 degrees C.
- Cut the pimento peppers in half longways, remove seeds and pith
- Cut off crusts of bread and crumble with your fingers.
- Add, bread, yoghurt, cheese, and capers to a bowl, stir by hand altogether.
- Grind together the mustard seeds, aniseed and cumin, add to the bread mixture
- Add in remaining ingredients and mix
- Spoon into the peppers
- Baked in a greased pan for about 25 minutes until golden brown on top
- Serve with a lovely fresh garden salad for a light meal or as a side dish to a main meal.

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This Chick Cooks

Potato Chips

CRUNCHY POTATO CHIPS

Every now and then I just love fried potato chips (or french fries).  I'm not really fond of 'shlap' chips that they serve in fast food places - seriously - those are just so not cooked enough.  In my opinion they need to be a lovely golden brown and a bit crispy.  This is my recipe that works perfectly every time.  Easy, simple and yummy.  if the peels on the potatoes are nice - leave them on.  

Ingredients:

Potatoes, (work on about 2 potatoes per person)

A generous sprinkling of salt

sunflower oil (enough to just cover the potatoes)

paprika

Method:

- Put the oil in a deep pan to heat up

- Slice the potatoes thinly in sticks.

- Sprinkle the raw potato chips with salt (this is the trick to their crunchiness)

- Check that the oil is hot enough by putting one potato stick in the oil.  It must frizzle and rise to the surface.

- Add all the raw potato chips, carefully one handful at a time.

- Turn the whole lot over a couple of times to brown all over.  Don't turn too often or too soon, else they turn to mush.

- Drain on newspaper

- Sprinkle with more salt, and paprika

Tip:

You can re-use the sunflower oil a few times. I put mine in a large glass jar and store it in the fridge, until the next chip craving comes along

Sweetcorn Bake

SWEETCORN BAKE

I love this recipe, and I end up making it a lot to go with a braai (barbeque).  Really fabulous and different to the normal braai side dishes

Ingredients:

100 grams Margarine

2 eggs 

100 grams self raising flour

1 cup milk

1 tin Creamed Sweetcorn

5ml  salt

Method:

- Cream Marg and eggs. mix well

- Fold in Self Raising Flour and salt

- Mix milk & creamed corn and add to flour / egg mixture.

- Bake for +- 45 mins at 180'C

Serves up to 8 people as a side dish

Tips and Suggestions:

* For more fabulous ideas and conversions have a look at my Yummy Food index page
* Please comment and share your ideas.

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