A nice relaxed salad to be eaten with only a fork in the one hand with which to pile the peppery rocket leaves on the bread.

BRUCHETTA
½ Italian ciabata, cut into slices ± 1cm thick
extra virgin olive oil
Ina Paarman's Rosemary & Olive Seasoning
± ½ packet Ina Paarman's Olive Pesto

Brush the one side of the bread with olive oil and then sprinkle lightly with seasoning. Arrange on a metal cooling rack if available, to assist with ventilation in the oven. Bake at 200ºC for ± 10 minutes until golden. Can be pre-prepared to this stage and left to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container. To serve, spread lightly with Olive Pesto.

SALAD
1 punnet rocket leaves
3 T (45 ml) olive oil
3 T (45 ml) Ina Paarman's Olive Pesto
freshly ground black pepper

Arrange rocket on 4-5 dinner plates. Top with bruchetta. Shake the Olive Pesto with the olive oil in a small screw top jar and drizzle it with a tablespoon over the salad. Finish off with freshly ground black pepper and serve.

Back to top

A modern take on an old favourite. Baking the garlic beforehand really improves the flavour of the dish. We used elephant garlic with great success.

3 whole heads of garlic,
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered from pole to poleolive oil
½ t (2,5 ml) Ina Paarman's Garlic & Herb Seasoning
1 large free range fresh chicken
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Spice
3 sprigs of fresh thyme or marjoram or basil
1 lemon, halved
½ cup (125 ml) Cin Zano or sherry
1½ cups (375 ml) water
1 T (15 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
2 T (30 ml) butter

Set the oven temperature for 200°C. Break the heads of garlic apart, but don't remove the skins on the individual cloves - discard the papery outer layers around the heads. Toss the garlic cloves with 2 T of olive oil, the onion wedges and seasoning. Roast open in a small ovenproof dish for 30 minutes while preparing the chicken. Reduce oven temperature to 1800C.

Season the chicken inside and outside with Chicken Spice. Place the thyme and half of the lemon inside the chicken and tie the drumsticks together. Also tie the wings tight around the body. Rub the skin of the chicken with 2 T of olive oil.

Heat a biggish cast iron saucepan with ovenproof handles over medium high heat. Add the oiled chicken and brown it all round. Remove and keep on one side, pour off excess fat and add the Cin Zano - boil fast to reduce by half. Add the water and chicken stock powder and scrape the bottom of saucepan to loosen all the browned bits. Reduce the heat to medium and add roasted garlic and onion mixture. Add the chicken, breast side up. Cover with a lid. Place the saucepan in the oven and roast closed for 1 hour. Remove the lid and roast open for the last 35 minutes until nicely browned.

Transfer chicken to a serving dish. Dish half of the garlic and onion around the chicken. The other half of the garlic and onion must be rubbed through a sieve with the flat side of a cup to release the garlic paste. Use this garlic and onion paste, together with the butter to flavour the sauce. Taste for seasoning and add a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice and parsley. Pour sauce into a sauceboat for serving. Carve the chicken.

Serve the chicken with lentil rice or French bread to mop up the divine sauce!

 VARIATION:

If you prefer, use chicken stock instead of CinZano.

 HEALTH TIP:

Before you add the garlic and onion paste to the sauce, place a double layer of absorbent kitchen paper lightly on top of the sauce to soak up the surplus fat. Add the little bit of butter with a clear conscience.

Back to top

Lentil Rice

I am actively working more pulses into our family meals. Lentils added to plain rice are delicious and adds vegetable protein and plenty of roughage.

2 T (30 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
3 cups (750 ml) water
½ cup (125 ml) brown lentils
1 cup (250 ml) long grain rice
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh parsley, chopped

Mix the Chicken Stock Powder with the water. Measure the lentils into a small mixing bowl and add enough of the chicken stock to cover by about 2cm. Leave to soak for 15 minutes or longer. Pour the remaining stock into a saucepan and add the rice, lentils and soaking stock. Cook gently for 18-20 minutes. Switch off the heat and leave to stand with the lid tightly closed for a final 10 minutes. Fork the parsley through and serve.

 CHEF'S TIP:

A little lemon zest added to the parsley is good ! This rice and lentil mixture freezes very well. You can happily double the recipe. I often use this in place of pasta in a salad.

Back to top

Courgette and Tomato Bake

A favourite recipe used by many chefs in the South of France. Ideal for this time of the year when both vegetables are at their peak.

5 courgettes ± 2-3 cm in diameter, sliced 3mm thick
4 medium salad tomatoes
Ina Paarman's Garlic & Herb Seasoning
4 T (60 ml) olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Halve and slice the tomatoes. Alternate slices of courgette and tomato in rows in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with Garlic & Herb Seasoning and drizzle with olive oil. Can be prepared to this stage in advance. Keep covered in the fridge if pre-preparing. Bake open for 45 minutes until the edges of the vegetables begin to brown a little.

 GOOD TO KNOW:

Pre-preparation is a good idea for this recipe. The pre-seasoning allows all the flavours to mellow, a little liquid will leak out of the vegetables which helps to steam them while baking in the oven.

Back to top

Cheese Platter with Figs and Seasonal Fruits

Figs are such a rare treat that one must showcase them in the autumn. Always bring cheese to room temperature before serving. Delicious teamed with pears and grapes at this time of the year.

8 ripe figs
1 x 250 g camembert cheese
sweet muskadel wine

If you can get hold of fig or grape leaves, arrange a few on a small wooden board with the whole figs and cheese. Serve with tiny glasses of sweet muskadel or port.

Back to top