Food - Inspired Living SA

Cape Town Lifestyle, Events, Food, Lifestyle, Out & About

TASTE OF CAPE TOWN 2013

~TASTE OF CAPE TOWN A CARNIVAL OF POP-UPS, BREWS, CULINARY HEIRLOOMS AND REBEL CHEFS~

I am super excited about attending the Taste of Cape Town next month so I thought I would let you know what to expect from this gastronomic event.

The Pick n Pay Taste of Cape Town is held in association with Orbit Sugarfree Chewing Gum and is heralded as the region’s most celebrated carnival of the senses will run from 11 to 14 April 2013, at the Green Point Cricket Club.

What Can You Expect at the Event?

XO, sea cucumber, sea truffle, kimchi, miso and tom yum butter. Snotvis, tataki and a lucky star pie: the exotic and the indigenous, the trendy and the traditional will all be popping up at Pick n Pay Taste of Cape Town, along with rock star chefs and their dedicated followers, micro brewers and chocolatiers.

This year festival goers will also have a modern guide, the new Taste app for smart phones, so they can traipse between flavour hot spots dotted around the foodie playground without missing a beat.

“Part of the collection of Taste Festivals taking place in 18 world cities, the Cape leg of the international celebrations will once again enthral food lovers, flavour hunters and the city’s social set with its unique format of part-party, part trend-spotting, part gourmet-shopping and full-on feasting,” says Justine Drake, festival-organiser.

Drake also foresees that the pop-up restaurant concept added to the festival last year will have foodies in awe. “It brings with it a very adventurous way to enjoy the diversity of tastes Cape Town is known for.” Taste-hunters can try dishes as diverse as champagne poached oysters and seafood bredies, a dish named ‘Message in a Bottle’ and miso glazed short rib with fresh kimchi. The pop-up dining experience brings rebel with a food cause Bruce Robertson of The Boathouse, Luke Dale-Roberts of The Test Kitchen/The Pot Luck Club, La Colombe with Scot Kirton and Tanja Kruger of Makaron Restaurant at Majeka house.

In addition to the pop-ups, the eleven restaurants chosen to represent the spectrum of tastes of the Mother City dish up their signature creations in started sized bites. The Restaurants include: Henrico Grobbelaar of The Twelve Apostle’s Azure Restaurant, Natasha Wray of 96 Winery Road. De Grendel Restaurant debuts at the festival with Ian Bergh, Shaun Schoeman of Fyndraai Restaurant on Solms-Delta, Signal Restaurant at Cape Grace with Malika Van Reenen, Sanel Esterhuyse from Savour at 15 on Orange, Jewel of India’s Dayanand Shankar Poojary , Beefcakes Burger Bar, represented by Wonderful Ndhlovu, Il Leone Mastrantonio and Daniel Toledo Dash Restaurant and Bar at the Queen Victoria Hotel with Craig Paterson and Stefan Marais of The Brasserie.

A brand new initiative at the festival – Taste Craft Beer Project – will showcase more than 18 of the country’s best quality craft beer on tap. This collection of micro-breweries will be on hand to quench the thirst for craft beer, with each brew paired with dishes featured at the festival.

“With so much to enjoy, guests simply can’t let go, returning several times over the four days to savour it all,” says Drake.

a beautiful life

Hi everyone I thought I would give you a bit of a heads up on a website that I am in the process of developing! At the beginning of 2013 I realised that I had come to a bit of a cross roads, in my life and blogging career. Although fulfilling to a point, I found that some of the blogging I was doing was not meeting my need to be creative and express myself. This called for a bit of introspection and re-assessing my long-term goals going forward.

After some very hard thinking and soul-searching I realised that I needed to go in a more creative direction. Those who know me well, know that I have a passionate love of food and this is generally how I express myself, creatively, on a day-to-day basis. Another passion, vague obsession actually, that I have developed is photography – so what better way to express myself than through food-photography.

At the beginning of last year I had a vision of starting an on-line style magazine. At this early point of development, I was uncertain what direction this website would follow but I started it anyway. Well a year later I have found out exactly what it was destined to be, I think the concept was there all along, I simply needed time to realise it!

Without further ado, I would like to introduce you to “a beautiful life”! Yes, you guessed it, at the heart of this website is my love of Food and Photography with a bit of travel thrown in for good measure. If you already follow my recipes this will be their new home, I will not remove anything from Super Mom Lifestyle(SML) but I will be publishing all of my new recipes, food-related reviews etc on “a beautiful life”.

I will in no way be closing down SML, “a beautiful life” will simply be a new addition to the family!

I would love you to pop over and have a look at a “beautiful life”, check it out and see what you think. I would love your feedback, it is still very much a work in progress and I am learning new things each day, which is the most wonderful part of this journey.

You will not find any poncey over the top recipes on the site, I am aiming to share my love of food with you – fresh ingredients, simple easy to follow recipes, delicious food – cooked from the heart – MY JOURNEY WITH FOOD!

I would also like to develop a readers area on the website, where readers can share any recipes that they love but I will let you know when that is launched. To keep up to date with new recipes, news and foodie events please pop over and follow “a beautiful life” on Facebook and Twitter 🙂

FAR Photography, Food, Healthy Eating, Recipes

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Knowing how to make Homemade Tomato Sauce, is a great basic recipe to have in your cooking repertoire! You can use it as a base for so many delicious recipes. It is also something you can make in advance and either store in the fridge or freezer until you need it. You can blend the Tomato Sauce after cooking and use it as an alternative to store-bought tomato sauce.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

This recipe for my Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce will make quite a large quantity, which is perfect to store for later use. You can use it on homemade pizza or when preparing a quick easy weekday pasta dish. I have used chilli’s in this recipe but if you would like to make it suitable for small children, simply leave them out.

Ingredients for the Fresh Tomato Sauce

1 tin large plumb tomatoes in their juice (or 2 smaller tins)
15ml tomato paste
2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
1 Tbsp. fresh or dried oregano (If fresh then chop finely)
1 Tbsp. fresh or dried basil (If fresh then chop finely)
2 tsp. chilli paste or 2 small chilli’s (chopped finely)
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
A splash of balsamic vinegar

In a large saucepan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and then add your garlic, chilli and herbs; sauté over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tin of whole tomatoes to the pan and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. You can begin to break up the tomatoes now, then add the sugar, tomato paste, salt & pepper, balsamic vinegar and stir to combine. Continue simmering for a further 20-30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and reduce the liquid. Once you are happy with the consistency remove from the heat and set aside.

Once the tomato sauce has cooled you can pour it into either glasses bottles or jars for storing in the fridge or into freezer proof containers and place in the freezer. This sauce will store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge and 2-3 months in the freezer.

For more food inspiration and delicious ideas visit our Recipes Page and follow Inspired Living on Instagram.

Cape Town Lifestyle, Entertaining, FAR Photography, Food, Lifestyle, Recipes

Daily Dish

Last week a bespoke box of a different sort was delivered to my door. Daily Dish is a new on-line service which offers clients the unique service of menu planning, ingredient sourcing and home delivery! Imagine my intrigue when I was offered an opportunity to try out their service. Being an avid cook myself but often plagued by the frustration of not having time to shop on the spur of the moment or not being able to source the necessary ingredients, it was certainly something I was excited to experience.

At Daily Dish, we’re not chefs (or foodies). We were just so frustrated with the last-minute dash around the crowded supermarket after work and bored with the same old meals and sad take-outs every week that we decided to do something about it. So we hunted around for a service that would deliver either fresh ingredients or home cooked meals. On-line ingredient shopping turned out to be a nightmare and “home-cooked meals” looked worse than boarding school fare. ~Daily Dish

My first step was to log on to the Daily Dish website and select my recipe of choice to try; I chose a Sirloin Stir-fry. All that was left to do was to select a day and time for delivery – how simple. My delivery arrived promptly at 3pm last Tuesday in an elegant black box, filled with all the ingredients necessary for me to create the Stir Fry recipe.

I was really impressed with the quality of the ingredients and the fact that items are measured out, which helps prevent waste. All I had to do now was read the recipe and get cooking.

We change the menu every week so you don’t get bored. And we spend loads of time researching and test cooking new dishes to make sure they meet our strict requirement to deliver amazingly tasty dishes in under 30 minutes. Vegetarian options always available. ~ Daily Dish

The recipe was easy to follow, with step-by-step instructions; even the most inexperienced cook would be able to pull it off. Everyone in the family loved the flavours in the dish and it was wonderful to create something different from my normal repertoire.

I think this service is an excellent idea for anyone who enjoys cooking and eating good food but does not always have the time to plan and shop, especially if you feel like whipping up something unique on the spur of the moment. It is also perfect for entertaining and the fact that it is delivered to your door is super convenient.

You can choose from the selection of available dishes on the Daily Dish website and you are able to order up to 3 dishes at a time. Place your order online before 10am Monday to Friday and they will deliver it to you after 6pm on the same day. Daily Dish currently delivers in the greater Cape Town area: City Bowl, Atlantic Seaboard and Southern Suburbs, including Tokai, Westlake and Steenberg.

Images: ©FAR Photography

Entertaining, Food, My Family Table, Recipes

Prawn and Chilli Pasta

This pasta recipe is simple to make and utterly delicious! It is perfect for a weekday dinner or a light meal for entertaining. You can serve it with a green salad and crusty ciabatta bread. If you like you can always reduce the amount of chilli you use if you are not a lover of hot food or add more if you are.

The first step to this recipe is to make the Fresh Homemade Tomato Sauce, you will find the printable recipe here; this is something you could do in advance and either store in the fridge or freezer, for when you need it. I have tweaked this recipe slightly from the original by adding cream and parmesan cheese. This recipe does make more sauce than you need for this dish, but you can use any leftovers for other meals or over pasta for a quick easy weekday lunch.

Ingredients for the Fresh Tomato Sauce

1 tin large plumb tomatoes in their juice (or 2 smaller tins)
15ml tomato paste
2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
1 Tbsp. fresh or dried oregano (If fresh then chop finely)
2 tsp. chilli paste or 2 small chilli’s (chopped finely)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
A splash of balsamic vinegar
50ml red wine
75ml fresh Cream (you can add more it you like it more creamy)

In a large saucepan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and then add your garlic, chilli and herbs; sauté over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tin of whole tomatoes to the pan and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. You can begin to break up the tomatoes now, then add the sugar, tomato paste, salt & pepper, balsamic vinegar, red wine, and stir to combine. Continue simmering for a further 20-30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and reduce the liquid. Once you are happy with the consistency remove from the heat and add your cream and parmesan cheese; set aside.

Ingredients for the Pasta:

800g -1kg shelled and cleaned prawns
500g penne pasta
1 small chilli finely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
50 ml dry white wine
1 small lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 Tbsp butter

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add your dry penne pasta. Cook the pasta for the advised time on the packaging. Once cooked, drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.

In a saucepan heat your olive oil and butter, add your garlic and chilli; sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add your prawns to the pan. The pan must not be too cold or the prawns will stew and become tough. Allow them to cook for a few minutes, then add your white wine and lemon juice. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Once the liquid has reduced sufficiently, add half of your tomato sauce, which you made earlier. I usually add half first to check the flavour and then add more if necessary. Whatever sauce you have leftover you can store in the fridge or freezer for next time.

Serve the prawns on a bed of penne pasta, with shaved parmesan and wild rocket. As I mentioned earlier you can accompany it with a green salad and crusty bread.

Bon Appetit!

Prawn and Chilli Pasta

Recipe Type: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian Fusion

Author: Fiona Rossiter

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Fresh Tomato Sauce
1 tin large plumb tomatoes in their juice (or 2 smaller tins)
15ml tomato paste
2 -3 garlic cloves(crushed or finely chopped)
1 Tbsp. fresh or dried oregano (If fresh then chop finely)
2 tsp. chilli paste or 2 small chilli’s (chopped finely)
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
A splash of balsamic vinegar
50ml red wine
75ml fresh Cream (you can add more it you like it more creamy)
Ingredients for the Pasta:
800g -1kg shelled and cleaned prawns
500g penne pasta
1 small chilli finely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
50 ml dry white wine
1 small lemon
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 Tbsp butter

Instructions

In a large saucepan heat a tablespoon of olive oil and then add your garlic, chilli and herbs; sauté over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Then add the tin of whole tomatoes to the pan and cook on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. You can begin to break up the tomatoes now, then add the sugar, tomato paste, salt & pepper, balsamic vinegar, red wine, and stir to combine. Continue simmering for a further 20-30 minutes to soften the tomatoes and reduce the liquid. Once you are happy with the consistency remove from the heat and add your cream and parmesan cheese; set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add your dry penne pasta. Cook the pasta for the advised time on the packaging. Once cooked, drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
In a saucepan heat your olive oil and butter, add your garlic and chilli; sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add your prawns to the pan. The pan must not be too cold or the prawns will stew and become tough. Allow them to cook for a few minutes, then add your white wine and lemon juice.
Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Once the liquid has reduced sufficiently, add half of your tomato sauce, which you made earlier. I usually add half first to check the flavour and then add more if necessary. Whatever sauce you have leftover you can store in the fridge or freezer for next time.
Serve the prawns on a bed of penne pasta, with shaved parmesan and wild rocket. As I mentioned earlier you can accompany it with a green salad and crusty bread.

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