NIBBLES

snacks and little bites.

SMOKED SALMON SLIDERS

with watercress & horseradish.

A slider is really just another name for a sarmie or a mini hamburger. Or so some say. For something that’s pretty simple and very delicious, there’s a fair amount of controversy over its name. But you know what? I’d just like to bypass all of that and save myself some extra time for actually eating these. Oh, and Long Live the Sarmie.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

WHAT TO DO

  1. Combine the cottage cheese, lemon juice, horseradish, sugar, salt and pepper.
  2. Slice the baguette on the diagonal into 4 pieces, each about 8 cm long. Slice each piece in half lengthways and fill with the cottage cheese mixture.
  3. Top with the smoked salmon and watercress, close the sarmies and insert a toothpick into the top of each to keep them closed while serving.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes

NOTES: You could easily use this filling to make bruschetta. Toast slices of ciabatta on both sides in a very hot oven and then spoon on the filling. Top each slice with watercress and serve immediately. Traditionally, sliders are served in mini hamburger rolls, which you could also do.

honey, ginger & lime

PRAWN STICKS.

Some things work just fine whether cooked on the barbecue/braai or in the oven under the grill. But these need the kiss of real fire to bring them fully alive, so here I’ll put my foot down and insist that you cook them on a hot-as-heck barbecue. I think you’ll thank me.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

WHAT TO DO

  1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for about 15 minutes to prevent them catching fire when cooking.
  2. Rinse the prawns and set them aside in a shallow dish to dry. If using immediately, pat dry with paper towel.
  3. Mix the remaining ingredients, except the fresh herbs, and pour over the prawns, making sure each is well coated. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes if you have the time.
  4. Skewer 3 prawns onto each stick, heads and tails almost touching. Cook over hot coals for 3 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and lime wedges.

SERVES 4 as a snack | PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes | COOKING TIME 6 minutes

NOTE: These are also delicious served with basil and lime mayonnaise (see page 29).

CAJUN-DUSTED CALAMARI

with basil & lime mayonnaise.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1⁄2 cup cake flour
  • 1⁄4 cup cornflour
  • 1–2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried coriander
  • 1⁄2 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 1⁄2 tsp medium-strength curry powder
  • 1⁄2 tsp salt
  • 500 g fresh calamari, cut into 0.5 cm rings, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel or a clean dish cloth (you can also use frozen calamari rings)

Basil & lime mayonnaise

  • 200 ml low-fat mayonnaise
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

WHAT TO DO

  1. Pour oil into a wok or large saucepan until it is about 1 cm deep and place over a medium-high heat.
  2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, cornflour, cumin, coriander, chilli flakes, curry powder and salt. Put the calamari rings in a large sieve set over a mixing bowl, pour over the flour and spice mixture and gently toss to coat.
  3. After a minute or two, check that the oil is hot enough by dropping in a calamari ring. It should be golden and crispy in 1 minute.
  4. Drop the calamari rings into the oil one at a time and fry for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on 2 layers of paper towel.
  5. To make the mayonnaise, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the calamari immediately on a platter with the basil and lime mayonnaise as a dipping sauce.

SERVES 4–6 as a snack | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 5 minutes

simple sweet potato

SMOORSNOEK.

Smoorsnoek is an age-old South African favourite. In America, I suppose it might be called a hash of sorts. Traditional recipes combine smoked snoek with potatoes and often onions which are gently fried together, resulting in a much-loved one-pot wonder. Here, I’ve used healthier sweet potatoes and added in a little kick with chilli and a little zing with lashings of fresh dill and bright-eyed green peas.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 1 large sweet potato (about 300 g), peeled and cut into 1.5 cm cubes
  • 1⁄2 cup peas
  • 11⁄2 tsp butter
  • 11⁄2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 fresh chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • 200 g smoked snoek, deboned and flaked into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

WHAT TO DO

  1. Boil the sweet potato cubes in a medium-sized saucepan of salted water for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Add the peas for the last 2 minutes of the cooking time. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the onion for about 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute.
  3. Add the snoek and sweet potatoes to the pan and gently stir until the ingredients are well combined. Remove from the heat, sprinkle over the fresh dill and lemon juice, season well with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 20 minutes

NOTE: Serve this with the Parmesan bread rolls opposite.

rustic parmesan

BREAD ROLLS.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 100 g cake flour
  • 1 level tsp baking powder
  • 50 g soft butter
  • 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan (or any hard cheese you prefer)
  • 2–3 Tbsp natural yoghurt
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or dill
  • generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

WHAT TO DO

  1. Add all the ingredients, except the egg yolk, to a food processor or large mixing bowl and mix or stir until just combined.
  2. Remove the dough and gently knead on a floured surface for 1–2 minutes. If the dough is too wet add a little more flour; it should not stick to your hands excessively.
  3. Break off bits of dough and roll palm-sized balls. Place on a lightly greased or lined baking tray and brush with the beaten egg. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the rolls are golden and a skewer or knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

MAKES 6 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 12–15 minutes

rosemary

FOCACCIA.

I have Mum to thank for this. She’s been churning out crunchy-outside and chewy-inside rosemary focaccias since forever. It’s one of my favourite recipes in the recipe box she sent off with me when I got married. Always smashing, it never fails to please.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 7 ml instant yeast
  • 300 g cake flour
  • 1 level tsp sugar
  • 1⁄3 tsp salt
  • 3⁄4 cup warm water
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing and brushing
  • 1–2 heaped tsp sea-salt flakes
  • 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly broken

WHAT TO DO

  1. Combine the yeast, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl, preferably the bowl of your electric mixer with a dough hook attached, and then slowly add the water and oil, mixing to form a dough.
  2. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and elastic: about 3 minutes in an electric mixer, or 8–10 minutes by hand.
  3. Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil (I just use the mixing bowl from my mixer). Place the dough in the bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for about 40 minutes to rise to double its size.
  4. Once the dough has doubled in volume, gently knock it back on a lightly floured surface to release the air.
  5. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Round up the dough to form a ball and then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to the desired size and thickness.
  6. Lay the dough on a lightly greased baking tray, brush with olive oil, scatter over the sea-salt flakes and press in the rosemary haphazardly over the surface.
  7. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until light golden and cooked through.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | RESTING TIME 40 minutes | COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes

NOTE: Serve fresh from the oven with an assortment of dips for an alfresco lunch or snack, or alongside hearty winter soups and stews.

PEANUT SESAME CHICKEN

rice-paper rolls.

The peanut sesame chicken with egg noodles was one of the most popular recipes in my first book, bitten. It amazed me how many of my friends said it was the first recipe they cooked from the book. Here it finds its place in the sun once again, but this time in the form of these deliciously light rice-paper rolls. They make a great snack or light meal with an Asian-dressed slaw on the side.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 chicken breasts, sliced against the grain into 1 cm slivers
  • 1 cup sugar snap peas, thinly sliced lengthways
  • 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced lengthways
  • 2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
  • 1⁄4 cup roughly chopped peanuts (you could also use cashews)
  • 10 sheets rice paper

Peanut sesame sauce

  • 3 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 6 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
  • 2 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
  • juice of 2 limes

WHAT TO DO

  1. Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry the chicken until cooked through and light golden on all sides. Add the peas and red pepper for the last minute of cooking. Tip into a mixing bowl along with the coriander and peanuts.
  2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour a third over the chicken and vegetables. Gently toss to coat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
  3. Ready a large bowl of warm water and lay out the rice-paper sheets in front of you. One at a time, float the rice-paper sheets in the water for 30–45 seconds and remove just as they start to collapse and sink. (They look like sinking silk scarves when they reach this stage.) Lay them on a clean plate in front of you. Do not stack them, as they will stick together like glue.
  4. To assemble the rolls, place about 2 Tbsp chicken mixture down the centre of each rice-paper sheet, then fold in the shorter edges and roll to close. Serve with the extra sauce on the side.

MAKES 10 | PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes

NOTES: These are equally delicious using prawns. If you don’t have the time or can’t find rice paper, cook rice noodles according to the packet instructions and serve as a meal for 2–3 people.

tomato & goat’s cheese

TARTE TATIN.

If you’ve had dinner at our house, chances are you’ve had a tomato tart in some way, shape or form. Whether the tomatoes are languishing on a sheet of golden puff pastry or cosied up in a shortcrust galette, dressed liberally with balsamic reduction and lashings of fresh basil, the tomato tart is a favourite snack. Here it makes an appearance as a loftily named (but often clumsy-looking) tarte tatin – it’s just as delicious and really fun.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cups Rosa or cherry tomatoes (or enough to cover the base of your pan)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1⁄2 tsp each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 100 g goat’s cheese, sliced (or any soft cheese)
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • small handful fresh basil leaves

WHAT TO DO

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. On the stovetop, heat a heavy-based, preferably ovenproof, frying pan. When hot, add the olive oil, tomatoes, sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the tomato skins start to blister, then remove the pan from the heat, scatter over the goat’s cheese and set aside. (If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, just transfer the tomato mixture to a round, shallow ovenproof dish at this point.)
  2. Cut a circle out of the pastry that is just wider than the width of the pan (I usually use a dinner plate to cut around) and lay it over the tomatoes. Tuck in the sides so that everything is well covered. Pierce the pastry a few times with a knife to allow steam to escape during baking.
  3. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffy and golden.
  4. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a plate. Using a dish cloth, place the plate over the pan and invert. Be very careful as the liquid from the tomatoes can spill out and will be extremely hot.
  5. Scatter over the basil leaves and serve immediately.

SERVES 4 as a snack | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 25 minutes

rustic red onion & gorgonzola

GALETTE.

This tart, all winsomely wrapped up in a free-form shortcrust pastry case, tastes like the sum of its simple parts, and yet so much better. If you’re anything like me, the rich cabernet colour of the caramelised red onions and the creaminess of the Gorgonzola will leave you swooning.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Pastry

  • 140 g cake flour
  • 70 g cold butter, cubed
  • 1 egg
  • 1⁄2 tsp dried thyme
  • generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2–3 Tbsp ice-cold water (only to be used if needed)

Filling

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large red onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1⁄4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola (or any creamy blue cheese)
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

WHAT TO DO

  1. Combine all the pastry ingredients except the water in a food processor. Mix until the consistency resembles breadcrumbs, and then mix a little more until it just comes together in a rough ball. If you find the pastry is too dry and won’t make a ball, add the water a little at a time until the pastry just comes together. If too wet, add a little more flour. Remove the pastry, wrap it in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar for about 15 minutes or until the onion is light golden-brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool.
  3. Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper into a circle about 0.5 cm thick. Lift off the top sheet of baking paper and spoon the onion filling into the centre of the pastry circle, leaving a border of at least 3 cm. Scatter over the Gorgonzola and rosemary, and fold up the sides of the pastry, gently pressing together where there are any overlaps.
  4. Slide the baking paper with the galette onto a baking tray and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes to further chill the pastry.
  5. Preheat the oven to 170 °C and bake the galette for 20–25 minutes or until the pastry is golden and cooked through.

SERVES 2 | PREPARATION TIME 25 minutes | COOKING TIME 25 minutes

NOTES: For a speedier version, use a roll of readymade shortcrust pastry and double the filling. Prepare as described, but bake at 180 °C for 20 minutes or until golden.