A light and lovely start to the meal. The sauce is excellent and the combination of tangy citrus and salmon is very good.

200g smoked salmon or salmon trout, finely sliced
3 grapefruit, pink if possible
1 butter lettuce
¾ cup (180 ml) sour cream
2 T (30 ml) tomato sauce
1 T (15 ml) brandy
Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper seasoning

Slit the vacuum-packed salmon open and leave to air. Peel the grapefruit close to the flesh, cutting away all the white pith. Using a small, very sharp knife, separate each section of fruit from the membrane. Do this over a bowl to catch the juice. Place the fruit segments on a plate. Strain the juice through a fine sieve. Cut away the lettuce core and carefully detach each entire leaf. Rinse well and pat dry with a paper towel.

Spoon the sour cream into a medium-size mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, beat in the tomato sauce and brandy. Add 4 T (60 ml) of the reserved grapefruit juice, one spoon at a time, beating after each addition. Season with Lemon & Black Pepper seasoning to taste.

Line individual salad plates with whole lettuce leaves. Distribute well drained grapefruit segments and salmon. Drizzle with the sauce and serve.

Variation
For a more economical version use flaked peppered mackerel or sliced avocado (½ per person)

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Be prepared to take a bow when you serve this delicious chicken pie. The chicken develops much more flavour if it is first roasted in the oven before being used in the pie.

2 chickens Ina Paarman's Garlic & Herb seasoning
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
2 cups (500 ml) dry white wine
2 onions, cut in quarters

Place the chickens in an oven roasting pan. Season with Garlic & Herb seasoning and chicken stock powder. Carefully pour the wine down the side of the pan and scatter the onions in between. Roast open at 180ºC until chickens are cooked. Allow to cool. Remove the skin and bones and cut the meat into smaller pieces. Arrange the meat in smaller individual soup bowls or in a big pie dish. Place the skins and bones back in the roasting pan. Add 4 cups (1 litre) water and 4 t (20 ml) chicken stock and bring to the boil to deglaze the pan and extract all the flavour from skin and bone. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and reserve for the sauce.

Sauce
½ cup (125 g) butter
1/3 cup (80 ml) flour
3 cups (750 ml) of stock from chicken bones and skin
1 cup evaporated milk
200 g smoked ham, diced
1 t (5 ml) hot English mustard powder
¼ cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
½ cup (125 ml) fresh cream
Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper seasoning
Sour cream pastry (recipe to follow)

Melt the butter, add the flour and heat until foaming. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add stock and evaporated milk. Stir until thickened. Add ham, mustard powder, parsley and cream. Season to taste with Garlic Pepper seasoning. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Allow to cool before covering with pastry (see pastry recipe below). Glaze the pastry with beaten egg and bake at 220°C (425°F) for 40 minutes until golden brown and glazed.

To Make Individual Pies
Dish chicken and sauce into individual ovenproof soup dishes. Cool completely. Roll pastry out to about 3mm thick. Cut saucer-size rounds to fit generously over bowls. Beat a whole egg, paint it around the outside top of dish and drape pastry over. Seal so that no air can escape. Brush pastry with egg. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and puffy.

NB - Do not pierce pastry and make sure it clings tightly to the bowl. If air escapes it will collapse onto the filling and lose the dome shape.

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3 cups (350 g) flour
1 t (5 ml) salt
250 g butter
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream

Sift flour and salt 3 times and cut in the butter. Use a small knife, a pastry blender or your fingertips. Be very careful if using a food processor - it is inclined to transform the dough into a paste within minutes. The knobs of butter should remain as big as peas - and never become as small as breadcrumbs, or worse, a paste.

Add all the sour cream at once to the flour mixture and cut in with a knife. Once well blended, use one hand to knead the dough until it holds together and forms a ball. Never add extra liquid - just continue kneading lightly - the dough will become manageable and start to adhere. Leave the dough to rest for half an hour or longer - overnight produces excellent results.

Roll out on a floured board and fold into quarters. Turn the dough parcel half a turn so the open side faces towards you.

Roll and fold once more in the same way. Let the dough rest for another half an hour. Repeat the roll and fold process twice more. The dough is then ready for use, or can be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

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Mixing butternut and potato or sweet potato and potato makes for a delicious and highly nutritious mash

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ medium butternut or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
½ cup (125 ml) full cream milk
1-2 T (15-30 ml) butter
Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt and Lemon & Black Pepper seasoning
Chopped parsley or grated nutmeg

Steam the prepared vegetables until soft in the microwave in a micro-steamer or in a steaming basket over boiling water on the stovetop. Warm the milk and butter. Mash the vegetables (I like to use a squeeze through 'Potato Ricer'). Add the butter/milk mixture and mix thoroughly to blend and season to taste. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley or freshly grated nutmeg.

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An excellent dish for pre-preparation. To preserve their colour, a dash of oil is added to the green vegetables before cooking - a good tip to remember. Always season after cooking.

250g baby green beans, remove stem end only
½ bag baby spinach leaves
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
Seasoning to taste (see suggestions below)
Dash of olive oil

Steam or microwave the green beans and baby spinach separately with a little olive oil until just done, but still bright green. Toss with a little seasoning and a dash more olive oil. Arrange on a serving platter. Cover. (The vegetables can be prepared in advance to this stage and refrigerated). Just before serving, re-heat in the microwave.

Suggested Seasonings
Green beans - Ina Paarman's Garlic & Herb seasoning
Spinach - Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper seasoning

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200g dark Lindt chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 cup (250 ml) cream
2 egg whites
4 T (60 ml) sugar

Break chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl with cream. Melt in over warm (not boiling) water, stir to blend and refrigerate until beginning to firm. Whip egg whites to firm-peak stage and add sugar gradually, until mixture is firm and glossy. Fold egg mixture into chocolate cream and carefully spoon into small coffee cups. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with small butter biscuits or finger biscuits for dipping. This dessert can be made a day in advance.

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