Everyone loves eating flavorsome food. Food nourishes us, delights us and generally fuels our daily lives; Through the eyes of a gourmet, food is not just a means to an end. Food is art – food is luxury. Gourmet dishes are usually prepared with the highest quality ingredients and impeccable technique and are presented in a pleasing fashion – There is great skill involved in making best use of the finest ingredients. The beauty of the art behind food is that a gourmet is not limited to just being a culinary chef, because a home-chef can become ‘a gourmet chef’. It is an individual technique to make any food ‘worthy of being called gourmet’ so the saying reads – ‘bless your hands’ when you serve something extraordinary; because, any person has the potential to practise the art of gourmet cooking.
Fried Rice
To Preserve Traditional Dishes.
Take a culinary trip down the Chinese cuisine trail. Chinese fried rice is a quick stir-fry that can be made by anyone. However, you will need to follow certain traditional techniques to make it delicate, fluffy, and appetizing. Fried rice originated in China during the Sui Dynasty, and all fried rice dishes can find their origins back to Chinese fried rice.
If you do not like plain rice, fried rice is a great alternative because the stir-frying process and spices enhance the taste of the rice. It’s a joy to make as a home-made dish and great emotional sentiment is attached to it because of its tradition. Only a few ingredients and a few minutes of rapid stir-frying are required. This simple meal can occasionally be found at Chinese banquets. You’ll enjoy it as a delicacy rather than an ordinary dish if it’s prepared with care and skill.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups cold cooked white rice
- 2 eggs
- 1½ tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 stalk scallions, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, or gluten-free soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
Method:
- Using chopsticks or a spoon, loosen the rice grains as much as possible.
- Heat an empty, well-seasoned pan over high heat until it reaches a high temperature. Pour 1 tablespoon of oil into the pan and stir it.
- In a separate bowl, crack the eggs. Stir to allow the liquid eggs to blend once it starts to settle at the bottom. Scramble the eggs quickly with a spatula to break them up into tiny bits. Remove the contents and put it aside.
- Replace the pan on the stove and add some oil. After the garlic becomes aromatic, add the rice. Continuously stir and mix the rice until it is boiling hot. Break up any clumps with the spatula.
- Put the egg, along with the scallions in the pan. Continue cooking it until everything is well heated.
- Season with mild soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and white pepper to taste. Stir everything together gently.
- Remove the dish from the oven and serve immediately!
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Comfort Food
If you desire to treat yourself to a comforting meal, then choose an Italian pasta dish. Pasta is always a crowd pleaser; is extremely easy to prepare and inexpensive. The cream makes it rich, tasty and memorable – the aroma of the herbs brings a scent of tradition.
Ingredients
- 1 packet pasta
- 1 teaspoon rough salt
- 1 x Onion
- 400g cubed chicken fillet
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- Ground green chilly to taste
- ¾ teaspoon Ina Paarman pasta spice
- 500ml fresh cream
Method
- Bring the pasta to the boil with 1 teaspoon rough salt. Drain the pasta when done. Do not over-cook the pasta.
- Chop the onion and braise in oil until it is light brown.
- Add 400g of cubed chicken fillet.
- Add salt to taste, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper, 1 teaspoon white pepper, ground green chilly to taste and ¾ teaspoon Paarman Pasta spice.
- Once chicken is cooked with the above spices, add it to the boiled pasta.
- Mix in 500ml fresh cream.
- If desired, garnish with grated parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper, or greens.
- Mix well and enjoy!
Thai Soup
For your winters evening
Soups in general have a soothing taste – to uplift your spirits and bring warmth to your heart and soul. It is often the little things in life that bring a peaceful heart – such as a steaming bowl of soup on a winter’s evening, in front of the fireplace.
Thai soup has a wonderful aroma and taste that distinguishes it from other soups in general. The cream makes it comforting and rich. Don’t forget to garnish it with greens to add ‘gourmet’ to the warmth!
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion
- 1 chicken breast cubed
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 2 tablespoons exotic Thai spice (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Green chilly to taste
- A small, grated carrot
- 1 cup peppers (green, yellow and/or green)
- 1 packet thick vegetable soup
- ½ tin coconut cream
- ¼ cup fresh cream
Method:
- Braise 1 small onion sliced with butter until light brown.
- Add 1 cup chicken broth.
- Add a small, grated carrot.
- Add tiny cubes of green, yellow and/or red peppers.
- Add the spices to the chicken and vegetables – 2 teaspoons crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper, 2 tablespoons exotic spice, salt to taste, green chilly to taste.
- Braise (cook) chicken with vegetable and spices.
- Add 1 liter water and bring to boil.
- Mix the vegetable soup with cold water in a bowl then add it to the above.
- Lastly, add ½ tin coconut cream and ¼ cup fresh cream.
- Bring to the boil.
- Garnish with greens.
Easy Fish Burger
For your Sunday Picnic
Make the most scrumptious crispy fish burger with greens and mayo. This fish burger is a great way to get the kids to eat more fish. We offer more tips below on how to make sure the chicken is perfectly crispy. It’s easiest to make it at home, and either eat it at home or take it on a picnic!
Ingredients:
- 1 box crispy tempura fish burgers
- Buns
- Lettuce
- Fresh Tartar Sauce
- Red onion rings
Method:
- Brush a little olive oil onto an oven tray.
- Place the fish burgers on the tray.
- Put into a pre heated oven and cook as per box instructions.
- Slice bun in half.
- Add butter to a frying pan.
- Toast the bottom of the bun until crispy.
- Add lettuce.
- Add the baked fish burger.
- Add the fresh tartar sauce.
- Add red onion rings.
- Cover with top side of the bun.
- Serve well!
French Toast
Gourmet Breakfast
Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day – the reason being, that breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period. Therefore, your breakfast should be rich in nutritional value for healthy living and wellbeing. A delicious and nutritious breakfast is the perfect way to start the day.
We have attached this recipe specifically because of its nutritious value for breakfast. It is perfect for a luxurious Sunday brunch! It is such a versatile snack that you can replace the cream cheese with peanut butter, use various jams, different extracts, or spices – the possibilities are almost endless. Serve with maple syrup and powdered sugar to make it even more delicious!
SERVES 3 – 4
Suggested: 30 cm Electric Frying Pan or 28 cm Chef’s Pan.
French toast with a twist! We ‘ve filled our French toast for a decadent breakfast or brunch.
FRENCH TOAST:
1 oval shaped loaf of white bread
2 – 3 eggs
15 ml water per egg used
10 ml oil for frying
SAVORY OPTION:
1 small tomato, finely chopped
1/2 cup (50 g) finely grated Cheddar cheese
6 pieces of meat, cooked and finely chopped (optional)
1 spring onion sliced
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped chives or herbs of your choice for garnish
SWEET OPTION:
45 – 50 ml strawberry jam
1/2 tub cream cheese, at room temperature
5 – 7 strawberries, thinly sliced
30 – 50 g flaked almonds
5 – 10 ml cinnamon
Icing sugar, extra strawberries, and almonds for garnish
- Slice bread into thick 5-centimeter slices. Using a paring knife, cut a deep slit across the top in the middle of each slice to form your ‘pocket’. Set aside.
Savory option:
Mix tomato with cheese, meat and spring onion. Season to taste with salt and pepper and carefully fill the pocket of each slice of bread. Gently press sides together to close the slice then set aside.
- Once cooked, garnish with chives or herbs of your choice and serve immediately.
Sweet option:
- Gently fold together jam with cream cheese. Place a layer of fresh fruit and flaked almonds in the bread pocket, before filling with 1 – 2 tablespoons cream cheese per slice. Gently squeeze each slice of bread closed and set aside.
- Be careful not to overfill the pockets, as then they become difficult to manage.
- Heat a 30-centimeter electric frying pan over a medium temperature (Probe on 6) until the Visiotherm reaches the first red area.
- Meanwhile beat eggs with water. Once cookware has preheated, spread oil over the base and dip the filled bread slices in the egg bath. Fry on both sides until golden brown and heated through. Remove from cookware and keep warm while frying the remaining slices.
To serve:
- Serve sprinkled with icing sugar and garnished with additional fresh fruit and almonds.
Tips:
Make an apricot or peach version, using fresh apricots or peaches and apricot jam for this.
Thinly sliced banana, honey and chopped pecan nuts could also be another great filling.
Use a meat of your choice. Or omit the meat for a vegetarian option and replace it with cooked mushrooms.
Vary the fillings according to your preference. Try adding pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped onions or peppers.