I love balsamic vinegar.

This is a very easy recipe. I make a big pot and if you are a small family, you can have it the day after. It keeps for two days in the fridge.

30ml (2 tbsp.) cooking oil, plus extra if needed

1 large onion, peeled & roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1kg Stewing lamb

salt and fresh ground pepper , to taste

250ml (1 cup) three grape Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

250ml (1 cup) red wine

500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock

1 sprig rosemary, leaves only

Method

1. Heat a deep large pot over high heat. Add the oil, onion and garlic, sauté – taking care not to burn for 2 minutes.
2. Add the lamb and brown in batches, add more oil if needed. Add all the browned lamb back into the pot and season.
3. Reduce the heat and add the vinegar, wine, stock and rosemary. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 and a half hours until the lamb falls off the bone. If the sauce has not reduce. Remove the lamb and cook the sauce until it’s reduced. Add the lamb back and serve with a warm home baked bread.

Recipe, photo and styling by Thulisa Martins

1,2kg oxtail
30ml (2 tbsp.) flour (cake or bread)
2 red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
45 ml (3 tbsp.) cooking oil, plus extra if needed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 long celery sticks, sliced
45ml (3 tbsp.) Red wine vinegar
410g (1 can) tomatoes & herbs
500ml beef stock (if you like cooking with wine, you can use 250ml red wine and 250ml beef stock)
4 large potatoes, peeled and cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful cherry tomatoes to serve

 

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 150°C.
2. Lightly coat the oxtail with flour and set aside.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the red onion in the olive oil for about 30 seconds. Add the garlic and celery, sauté for another 30 seconds.
4. Add the oxtail and brown, about 2 minutes. remove the meat from the man and transfer onto an oven proof large dish.
5. Add the red wine vinegar to the saucepan and stir for 30 seconds to get all the flavour and juiced off the pan. top this onto the oxtail.
6. Add the tomatoes & herbs, stock and cook for 3 hours in the oven until the meat falls off the bone. In the last 45 minutes, add the potatoes.
7. Serve warm with rice and your favourite vegetables.

This is how I served my samp this weekend.

Those that are close to me would know that I am really trying to eat healthier – no carbs, just lots of veggies and protein. Somehow I just know at the back of my head that life is way too short to miss out on some of the amazing taste experiences in this world.

 

So this weekend I just had to make umngqusho (samp – just samp). My hubby started it by soaking the samp on Friday night and I just had to then cook it  (willingly so) :).

This is a super easy recipe to make and its so creamy, delicious and the best way to entertain your guests.

Umnqhusho ( Creamy Samp)

Serves 6

easy to make

recipe, styling & photo by Thulisa Martins

Ingredients:

3 cups samp, plus enough water to soak

5 cups water for cooking

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable/ chicken stock

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the sauce

3 fresh sprigs of rosemary

2 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed

1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil

250 ml double thick cream

To serve:

Roasted garlic & butter brown mushrooms

small handful Parmesan cheese, grated

tomato & onion salsa

For those that still enjoy meat – serve with beef steak too.

Method

1. Soak the samp overnight in enough water to cover. This step can be skipped if you forget to soak, the samp will just take a little longer to cook.
2. Drain the samp and place in a medium to large sauce pan. Add the five cups of water and stock and cook for about an hour or until samp is soft and fully cooked.
3. To make the sauce. Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat, Sauté the rosemary and garlic for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and pour over samp and mix through just before serving.
4. Serve with garlic roasted brown mushrooms, grated Parmesan, tomato & onion salsa and steak if preferred.

 

I used ingredients in my fridge to make this super easy delicious tart.

This recipe is basically putting together roasting vegetables that I had in my fridge, cheese sauce and short crust pastry.

If you do not fancy making your own short crust pastry –then use a shop bought one.

 

Roast Vegetable tart

Serves 6

Medium effort to make

Takes about 1 hour to prep

Recipe, photo and styling by Thulisa Martins

 

For the Pastry

250g Cake flour

Pinch of salt

50g matured cheddar cheese, grated

150g butter, cut into blocks

1 egg yolk

30ml ice cold water

 

Filling

30ml (2Tbsp) olive oil, plus extra if needed

5ml (1 tsp) crushed garlic

5ml (1 tsp) crushed fresh ginger

2.5ml (1/2 tsp) crushed green chillies

800g fresh roasting veg mix

Salt and pepper to taste

500ml cheese sauce or add grated cheese to white sauce

 

Sweet chilli sauce to serve, optional

Edible flowers to serve, optional

Method:

1. To make the pastry, mix together the flour, salt, cheese and butter with a food processor or use your fingers to mix until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Add the egg yolk and water, mix into a dough – do not over mix.
3. Rest for 20 minutes in the fridge. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
4. To make the filling, heat a large deep frying pan on high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry, taking care not to burn the garlic, 1 minute.
5. Add the roasting veg and sauté for 5 minutes until the veggies are brown – not soft. Add a little more olive oil if needed. Season to taste.
6. Take the pastry out of the fridge and roll out into a rough round shape, about 3-5mm thick and line into a 20cm baking tin, blind bake for 10 minutes. Now as mentioned previously – this pastry can be bought ready made from your local store.
7. Fill the blind baked pastry with half the vegetables and then top with cheese sauce. Finish with a heaped layer of vegetables on top. Bake for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.
8. Serve warm topped with edible flowers and sweet chilli sauce and a light green salad.