An eminently manageable menu. Most of the dishes can be prepared in advance and finished off an hour or two before dinner. The starter is very economical and looks great standing pre-prepared on the table as your guests sit down.Our Main Course - Chicken in Red Wine also won't break the bank, we have simplified the recipe and shortened the cooking time. Knock them dead with the dessert. Again easy, if you know how and delicious to eat! Enjoy this lovely Fireside Feast.
Select a Menu Item
Avocado and Tomato Tartare
Chicken in Red Wine
Winter Vegetable Platter
Chocolate Cups with Marbled Chocolate Mousse VIDEO TIP !
Coffee
A stunning starter or delightful lunch dish if served with crusty bread and some cheese.
6 very ripe tomatoes
2 ripe avocado's
Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning
Ina Paarman's Greek Lemon Vinaigrette
1 small 5cm diameter metal ring
fresh herbs in season
Cut the tomatoes in half through the waist and scrape out most of the watery pips. Slice and dice the tomato into tiny cubes, about 3 mm x 3 mm. Season lightly with Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning. Pip and peel the avocado's, mash them coarsely with a fork, season with Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning and 2 T of Greek Lemon Vinaigrette.
Place the metal ring (or tuna tin with top and bottom removed) on a medium sized plate. Lightly compact one cubed tomato into the ring and top with 1/6 of the mashed avocado. Remove the ring gently.
Decant the vinaigrette into a squeeze bottle, shake well and drizzle a little vinaigrette over the dish as well as on the plate to form a trail. Top with any fresh herbs at hand and serve.
VARIATION:
Season Avocado and Tomato with Chilli & Garlic Seasoning or with Green Onion Seasoning.
This is an excellent dish to prepare in advance. Leave the prepared but unbaked dish in the fridge overnight to tenderize in the reduced red wine. Non wine drinkers can use red grape juice to which you have added 2 T - 3 T of Balsamic Vinegar to cut the sweetness.
1 x 750 ml bottle medium bodied red wine such as Merlot or Pinotage
2 cups (500 ml) water
2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
10 sprigs of fresh parsley plus 2 T of chopped parsley for later
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Reduced Salt Garlic & Herb Seasoning
4 T (60 ml) butter
250 g cubed streaky bacon
300 g baby onions, peeled
12-15 skinless chicken thighs
Ina Paarman's Chicken Spice
2 T (30 ml) flour
250 g portebellini mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 T (45 ml) Ina Paarman's Tomato Pesto
Reserve 1 T of the wine to add at the end, pour the rest into a heavy based saucepan together with the water, stock powder, parsley and Reduced Salt Garlic & Herb Seasoning. Boil open over a high heat for about 15-20 minutes until reduced by half. This will remove the harsh wine taste and evaporate the alcohol. In the meantime add one tablespoon of butter to a large heavy fry pan and sauté the bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep on one side. Pour out about half of the bacon fat for browning the chicken later.
Add the onions to the remaining fat in the pan and shake them over medium heat until nicely browned on the outside but not cooked through. Keep on one side.
Season the chicken lightly with Chicken Spice and dip and shake in the flour. Lightly brown the chicken pieces in two batches until golden. Remove and keep on one side. Lastly sauté the mushrooms in the same pan, in another two tablespoons of the butter. Add Tomato Pesto to the mushrooms.
Place the sauteéd onions, mushrooms, chicken and bacon in a heavy casserole or saucepan. Pour the reduced wine stock over. Pre-prepare to this stage and refrigerate.
Remove the dish from the fridge. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes or simmer slowly on top of the stove.
Stir the remaining butter into the dish, add the reserved tablespoon of wine and sprinkle chopped parsley over. Serve with fresh bread or noodles.
CHEF'S TIP:
Dip the handle of a wooden spoon into the red wine mixture before starting to boil - mark the watermark with a pencil - keep testing with the spoon until the wine comes halfway up to the original watermark.
Compose this platter according to seasonal availability. Best to steam the vegetables lightly, season with one of our seasonings and dress with fresh herbs and olive oil. The only vegetable that needs longer cooking is the beetroot.
BABY BEETS 750 g -1 kg baby beets (about 2 bunches)
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt
Buy pre-cooked baby beets or cook the beets until soft. Use an apple corer to remove central stem of each beet. Rub off skins and slice across. Toss in olive oil and season.
BROCCOLLI AND CAULIFLOWER 200 g broccoli, cut into florets
½ cauliflower, cut into florets
1 T (15 ml) olive oil
Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
2-3 T (30-45 ml) finely sliced chives
Steam or microwave the broccoli and cauliflower until tender. Toss with olive oil, seasoning and chives.
CARROT JULIENNE 3 large carrots, cut into julienne strips
2 t (10 ml) sugar
½ t (2,5 ml) cinnamon
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Seasoned Sea Salt
1 T (15 ml) butter
Steam or microwave carrots until tender. Toss with sugar, cinnamon, Seasoned Sea Salt and butter.
TO SERVE AND PRE-PREPARE
Arrange in rows of colour on a round serving platter that fits into your microwave.
Pre-prepare in advance and warm up in the microwave for serving (± 5 minutes).
These beautiful chocolate cups absolutely deliver the 'wow' factor! Be sure to watch our video tip on how to make them.
CUPS 200 g dark 'easy melt' chocolate
8 small balloons
baking paper or a silicone mat
Melt the chocolate gently in a smallish deep mixing bowl. Blow the balloons up to the size of a cricket ball or grape-fruit. Tie with string. Over wrap each balloon with tightly stretched cling film.
Dip the base of each balloon in the chocolate and tilt the balloon so the chocolate comes up the sides in four 'petals'.
Place the balloons upright on baking paper until completely set. Before filling, prick each balloon and carefully pull the deflated balloon away from the chocolate cup.
FILLING 1¼ cups (310 ml) cold tap water
1 x 310 g pack Ina Paarman's Chocolate Mousse Mix
1 cup (250 ml) fresh whipping cream
Measure the water into a medium size mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Chocolate Mousse Mix over the water and beat until well blended. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for 15 minutes. In a smaller mixing bowl, whip the cream until soft peak stage.
Remove the mousse mixture from the fridge and using the same beaters, whip the mixture again for 1 minute until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the mousse using a spatula or metal spoon leave lots of marbled streaks in the mixture for a nice affect.
Spoon the mousse into prepared cups and leave lightly covered on a small tray in the fridge to set.
Serve on a side plate, decorate with fresh roses or stand a sparkler in each, switch off the lights and bring to the table!