Serve these delectable bites with drinks before dinner in place of a starter. The shallots can be done well in advance at the same time as crisping the Bruchetta and Parma Ham. In place of Parma ham, Parmesan shavings may be used.

BRUCHETTA
1 Short French loaf, sliced
olive oil
Ina Paarman's Reduced Salt Garlic & Herb Seasoning

PARMA HAM
8 paper thin slices of good Parma ham from a deli

SHALLOTS
2 T (30 ml) olive oil
250 g shallots or baby onions
2 t (10 ml) sugar
3 T (45 ml) sherry or Balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs of lemon thyme and extra to garnish (or use sage)
Ina Paarman's Reduced Salt Garlic & Herb Seasoning to taste

TO MAKE THE BRUCHETTA
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush the bread lightly on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle on one side only with Garlic & Herb Seasoning. Arrange on a metal cooling rack and place the rack on a baking sheet (the cooling rack helps with air circulation). Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy. Leave to cool down completely. Can be prepared the day before to this stage. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

TO CRISP THE HAM
Remove the top layer of plastic tissue from the sliced ham. Place a length of lightweight foil or baking paper over the ham and press on it to expel the air. Turn, so that the foil paper is down on the work surface with the ham on top. Gently peel the next layer of plastic tissue away. Place the foil on a flat baking tray in the oven at 180°C and dry out for 15-20 minutes until crispy. Allow to cool completely. Can be prepared the day before to this stage. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

TO CARAMELISE THE SHALLOTS OR BABY ONIONS
Remove the hard outer papery skins and slice the shallots thinly in rings. Preheat a non-stick frying pan, add the oil and shallots. Stir-fry until soft and aromatic. Add the sugar and brown a little more. Add the sherry and 2 springs of lemon thyme or sage.

Boil quite fast until all the liquid has evaporated while stirring. Season with Garlic & Herb Seasoning.

Can be prepared the day before to this stage. Store in a screw-top jar in the fridge.

TO SERVE
Remove the lid from the jar of caramelized shallots and microwave in the jar on high for 2 minutes. Spread on bruchetta. Gently break the crispy Parma ham and pile on top of the onion mixture. Add a little more fresh thyme leaves to garnish. Pass around on a tray with drinks.

Back to top

One of my favourite venison recipes. Start off by rubbing the leg with Meat Spice and olive oil, then stuff it with herb butter. Soak the fruit separately in the sweet wine or port. The next day, place the meat on a bed of chopped onion and lamb shank pieces in a cast iron pot, strain the wine from the fruit into the pot and add the stock. Slow roast for 4 hours, adding fruit during the final half an hour. Serve with our delicious new Ready to Serve Mustard Sauce.

HERB BUTTER
100 g butter
1 t (5 ml) hot English mustard powder
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Reduced Salt Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 T (15 ml) lemon juice
1 t (5 ml) fresh grated lemon rind
2 T (30 ml) chopped parsley

MEAT
1 x 2.5 kg - 3 kg leg of Springbok or Blesbok, neatly trimmed - carving will be easier if the hip bone is filleted out by the butcher
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman's Meat Spice
2 T (30 ml) olive oil

250 g mixed dried fruit
2 cups (500 ml) sweet wine e.g. Dellrust Jerepigo or Port
2 large onions
1 lamb shank, cut into 5cm pieces
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman's Beef Stock Powder

TO SERVE
1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Ready to Serve Mustard Sauce

Prepare the herb butter first so it has time to firm in the freezer. Cream all the ingredients together and place in the freezer for about 5 minutes until a little firmer.

With a sharp pointed knife, cut deep slashes all over the meat on both sides. Remove the butter from the freezer and insert teaspoons full of flavoured butter deep into the slits. Rub the leg all over with Meat Spice and olive oil. Place the leg in a glass dish, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Place the fruit to soak in the wine, cover and refrigerate overnight.

THE NEXT DAY
Preheat oven to 160°C. Chop the onions and pile up on the base of a heavy cast iron pot. Place the prepared leg and the lamb shank pieces on top of the onions. Strain the wine from the fruit and pour in on the side. Add the water mixed with the Beef Stock Powder, also in on the side so as not to wash the seasoning off the meat. Bring everything to the boil on top of the stove, cover with a tight lid and place in the oven. Slow roast for 3½ - 4 hours. Add the soaked fruit. Brush the meat with olive oil and roast open for the last 30 minutes to brown the meat.

Remove the leg to a carving board and tent with foil to keep warm. Dish the fruit into a serving bowl.

Taste the sauce and if needed boil it open on top of the stove to reduce. Add a little seasoning and a squeeze of lemon. Pour into a sauce boat.

Warm the mustard sauce in the microwave in a glass, corningware or ceramic container and keep warm. Carve the meat. Serve with the fruit, gravy and mustard sauce.

VARIATION
Prepare a leg of lamb in the same way. To prepare ahead of time, slice the meat and layer it with gravy in an oven proof dish. Cover and leave in the fridge. Re-heat covered with foil at 180°C for 25 minutes.

Back to top

750 g - 1 kg baby potatoes
2 cups (500 ml) water
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
2 T (30 ml) olive oil
½ t (2,5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg
2 t (10 ml) crushed coriander seeds
fresh coriander

Cut the potatoes in quarters. Rinse. Bring water, Seasoned Sea Salt and Chicken Stock Powder to the boil and add potatoes. Cook with the lid on for ± 20 minutes until the potatoes are just done. Strain, toss with olive oil, nutmeg, coriander seeds and whole coriander leaves. Taste for seasoning.

VARIATION

Instead of coriander seeds, use caraway seeds.

Back to top

Green beans are best in winter. Select fine thin ones, leave the point intact and just nip off the stem ends. To preserve their green colour, toss with a little olive oil before steaming and cook for no longer than 6 minutes.

300 g fine green beans, stems trimmed off
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
1 T (15 ml) butter or olive oil
50 g flaked almonds

Toss the beans with olive oil. Steam on top of the stove in a vegetable steaming basket or in the microwave in a micro-steamer on high for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add Green Onion Seasoning. Brown the almonds in the butter in a small frying pan until just golden. Sprinkle over the beans and serve.

Back to top

Every South African loves a sweet vegetable now and again. Here is a delicious variation on the theme, which is quick and easy to prepare in the microwave.

1 medium/small butternut (± 700 g), peeled and cubed
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning
2 T (30 ml) melted butter
6 ginger biscuits, finely crushed
2 T (30 ml) brown or yellow sugar
1 t (5 ml) ground cinnamon
Lemon zest to garnish

Peel the butternut (a potato peeler works best), remove pips and cut into 2cm x 2cm cubes. Toss with the melted butter, Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning and the crushed ginger biscuits. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Microwave, covered, on high for 5 minutes. Top with lemon zest. This dish keeps exceptionally well on a hot tray.

Back to top

Nothing can be easier than this dessert - but keep the fact that you had some help from us a deep dark secret. Nobody will know this delicious mousse was not made from scratch.

1¼ cups (310 ml) cold tap water
1 x 310 g pack Ina Paarman's Chocolate Mousse
1 x 250 ml fresh cream (whipping)
½ cup (125 ml) coffee liqueur

Measure water into a medium size mixing bowl. Sprinkle contents of the pack over the water and beat until well blended. Cover with clingfilm. Leave in the fridge for 15 minutes.

In a smaller mixing bowl whip cream until soft peak stage.Remove the Mousse mixture from the fridge. Using the same beaters, whip the mixture for 1 minute until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mousse using a spatula or metal spoon. Stir until evenly blended. Add the coffee liqueur and stir it through.

Divide the mixture between 8 glasses. Cover and refrigerate. Decorate each glass with a white chocolate decoration.

CHEF'S TIP: HOW TO PIPE A CHOCOLATE LINE ON THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS

Melt 100 g of 'easy melt' dark chocolate. Pour into a small paper cone, snip off the point of the cone and pipe a continuous chocolate spiral halfway up the inside of the glass while turning it. When set, spoon the mousse mixture into the glasses.

Back to top