Potato and Dill ‘Flinis’ with Smoked Salmon and Red Cavi-Art

If you’re looking for a classy canapé (that is also a doodle to make), then this, is that. Your veritable ‘canapé queen’, if you will. The light and fluffy potato ‘flini’s’ are complimented beautifully by the woody smoked salmon. And then the punch of freshness from the bursting bubbles of cavi-art? Party in your mouth.

Oh, and I say ‘flini’ because they are not technically blinis, which are a traditional Russian pancake-style snack usually made with buckwheat flour, and nor are they pancakes, or fritters, so they are faux-blini’s, and they make me smile.

Mini Pitas, with Red Pepper Hummus and Chorizo & Avocado Salsa

This is, in fact, hardly a recipe at all, but rather an ‘assemblage’ of sorts. A top notch Tapas assemblage, but an assemblage none the less. But oh boy it’s got guts. The Red Pepper Hummus from our friends at Mediterranean Delicacies is the real hero of the dish, and is oh-so-nicely backed up by the punchy Chorizo and Avocado salsa. This is real feasting food, for feeding people you love.

Linguini with Coriander Pesto and Chilli Calamari

If you know anything about me at this stage, it’s that I get super uber excited about delicious quick-fixes, and that I could live on linguini for the rest of my days and be as happy as a pig in, well, a pen (?!). Anyway, when the fab foodies over at Mediterranean Delicacies sent a little hamper my way this weekend, I couldn’t wait to get started on sharing my new ideas with you. This linguini with the fresh Thai-style zing of the coriander pesto, and the juicy, spicy calamari is, well, epic.

Red-pepper Pesto Chicken Strips with Barley & Feta Salad

This isn’t necessarily a ‘knock your socks off’ kind of meal, it’s not necessarily going to be something that you suddenly want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, but it’s beautiful in its simplicity, unassuming and un-fussy, and packs a generous punch in the flavour department, so what’s not to love? Oh, and besides being almost über healthy, barley is one of the cheapest staples out there, so if you’re feeding a crowd, this is where it’s at.

Pan-seared Salmon with Beetroot Fritters & Horseradish Sauce

This has kept me awake for 3 nights in a row now. Ever since I went grocery shopping the other day, and stopped in at my favourite fruit and veg store (The Carrera Centre in Randburg), and added another bag of beetroot to the trolley, and vowed on the spot that I would not let this bag go mouldy in the vegetable drawer (like its very numerous forbears). Don’t get me wrong, beetroot is never neglected in my house because it’s unloved, but rather because it can be a bit of a faff before it ends up on our plates. All that pink-fingeredness usually makes me turn up my nose and reach for the butternut instead. Though, of course, there are many occasions when said faffing has been completely worth it, like this Baked Beetroot & Goats Cheese Risotto, or this Beef Fillet and Warm Beetroot Salad. And, now, I am rather pleased to add this little number to the list. I have no idea why the beetroot demanded to be turned into fritters, but it just did, and rather loudly at that. And since beetroot and horseradish are the best of friends, and salmon and horseradish are also a happy couple, I figured that all three would mean a veritable party on a plate. And it did.

FOUR Pizza Recipes Worth Writing Home About

Oh how we have laboured. And chopped and kneaded and floured and tasted, and tasted, and tasted. And how we loved every minute of it. And there was no plan for it to turn into a competition, but 5 minutes in we found ourselves chopping, kneading, flouring and tasting with much out-of-corner-of-eye peering and snarling and smirking. And what, pray tell, was IT? And who, the heck, are we? IT was Pizza taste-testing, for the better part of a lazy Sunday, and WE are Rob and I, who were once on perfectly amicable terms until this little epicurean adventure came between us.

Fettuccine with Peas, Ricotta & Mint

Posh Mushrooms on Toast

Mushrooms on toast. For Sunday lunch. Even I think that sounds rather underwhelming. I’m a big roast something with all the trimmings kind of girl on the weekend. But not in this case. No, this was love at first bite and honest to goodness-ly delicious. The charming little poshrooms (as Rob likes to call them) on their bed of lemony herbed ricotta and perched atop golden ciabatta made a very handsome lunch. And could just as easily be fed to friends as a before-dinner snack.

Grilled Honey & Soy Salmon with Barley & Herb Salad

Salmon happens to be one of Rob’s favourite anythings, so I’m always up for adding to our quick-fix repertoire of almost-instant and always effortless means to having pretty, plump, pink salmon fillets on our plates. This version, with the golden honey, deep rich soy sauce and the characteristic punch and freshness of the ginger and lime, along with the very satisfying al-dente-ness of the barley salad is a perfect any-season, almost fancy but un-fussy crowd pleaser.

Roast Duck and Spiced Plum Salad

We’re going away tomorrow for a few days for our friend Jo Traff’s 30th (40th!) birthday. That’s only relevant to you as far as it means that I am posting this sooner than I otherwise would have, because it would have been unkind to keep this from you for too long.

Rob and I spent part of our honeymoon in Paris, almost entirely for the duck. We found one restaurant, Scossa (see, I still remember over 5 years later) who made such incredible duck that we went back and ordered it three times in one week. So you see, I like my duck.