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braai with style Mussels on the Braai with Mustard Dipping Sauce Smoke Braaied Pork Chops (on video) and / or Large Black Mushrooms with Basil Pesto Sticky Onion Lollipops Toasted Tomato Bread (on video) Green Salad with Sweet Peppers and Greek Vinaigrette Nutty Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies Coffee

Mussels on the Braai with Mustard Dipping Sauce

Mussels and mustard have always been a very good combination.

1 kg fresh black mussels
1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Mustard Ready to Serve Sauce
Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper Seasoning

Remove the beard from the mussels by pulling it down towards the wide end of each shell until it snaps off. Rinse mussels in clean cold water. No need to scrub. Drain well.

Prepare a medium fire. Place a fine mesh grid on the fire to stop the mussels falling through and spread the mussels out in a single layer.

Cover braai with a lid and leave for 3 - 5 minutes. As soon as the mussel shells have opened and the mussels are no longer 'jellyish' remove them and place in a deep bowl.

Position the bowl with mussels on the table. Give each guest a fork and side plate. An extra plate or bowl must be provided for the shells and a dipping bowl of Mustard Sauce. Have the Garlic Pepper Seasoning ready on the table.

Each guest will dish a few mussels on their plate. Remove the mussel meat, season with Garlic Pepper Seasoning and dip into the Mustard Sauce. Divine!

VARIATION:

Our Garlic Mayo-Style Dressing also makes a very good dipping sauce.

CHEF'S TIP: Marinated Mussels

Put the cooked mussel meat into a glass jar. Cover with either our French or Greek Vinaigrette. Will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

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Smoke Braaied Pork Chops

Imagine juicy glazed pork chops infused with deep smoky flavour. All within easy reach with this unique method.

6 bone-in loin of pork chops ± 2 cm thick, trimmed of excess fat
Ina Paarman's Braai & Grill Seasoning
olive oil
Ina Paarman's Sticky Marinade
a very big bunch of fresh rosemary and/or sage

STEP-BY-STEP METHOD

1. Cut 2 slits 3 cm apart through the fat layer to prevent curl-up when cooking. Season both sides of the chops with Braai & Grill Seasoning and drizzle with olive oil. Pat the seasoning and oil into the meat. Leave chops at room temperature for 30 minutes while preparing medium hot coals. Clean the grid.
2. Lift the grid and place a small pan in the middle of the braai, directly on the coals, to create a coal free zone. (I prefer to do this rather than raking the coals to the sides). Stand the chops fat side up in a special little loin rack. Place the rack on the grid over the coal free zone. Place a few smaller bunches of herbs around the chops on the grid and then cover the braai with a lid.
3. Smoke the chops for 7-9 minutes. Open the lid. Remove the smoke rack and herbs. Lift the grid and remove the pan from the coals. Replace the grid and lay the chops down flat on the grid. Baste the chops with Sticky Marinade. Turn and baste regularly until done. Finally give it a generous glaze of marinade before serving.

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Large Black Mushrooms with Basil Pesto

Prepare these soon before you need them - once seasoned, standing causes the mushrooms to draw water.

6 large black mushrooms
Ina Paarman's Italian Cheese Sprinkle
olive oil
4-6 T (60-90 ml) Ina Paarman's Basil Pesto

Wipe the smooth tops of the mushrooms with a damp cloth.

Season on the stem side with Italian Cheese Sprinkle - don't cut away the stems - they have a lot of flavour!

Drizzle a little olive oil over the gills. Spread a generous tablespoonful of Basil Pesto over the gills. Place the mushrooms, stem side up, on the braai and cook slowly until done. Don't turn them or you will lose all the tasty juices that collect in the gills.

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Sticky Onion Lollipops

A delicious side dish!

3 medium size onions
9 metal skewers
Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
± ½ cup (125 ml) Ina Paarman's Sticky Marinade

Peel the onions.

Cut a tiny sliver off on the rounded side so the onion 'sits' firmly on the chopping board.

Insert one skewer straight down the middle and two others on each side.

Cut straight down between the skewers to make 3 lollipops out of each onion. Season lightly with Green Onion Seasoning.

Braai slowly while basting, turning regularly. The onions must be soft and richly browned when cooked.

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Toasted Tomato Bread

This idea comes from Spain. It is a lot less fattening than the usual garlic bread. The bread is not soaked with tomato, just skimmed over. The trick is to use very ripe juicy tomatoes, to cut them through the waist and then to rough up the insides with a knife or fork to release the juice.

1 ciabatta loaf
olive oil
2 very ripe large tomatoes
Ina Paarman's Italian Cheese Sprinkle

Slice the bread ± 1½ cm thick. Drizzle one side lightly with olive oil. Rub the oiled side with the cut side of a tomato half. Sprinkle lightly with our Italian Cheese Sprinkle.

Toast both sides of the bread on the braai.

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Green Salad with Sweet Peppers and Greek Vinaigrette

The peppers can happily be roasted and prepared a week or two before. To prepare in bulk, double or triple the recipe. Pack the peppers in glass jars, cover with vinaigrette and refrigerate. Add peppers to the green leaves just before serving.

ROASTED PEPPERS

2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning
½ cup (125 ml) Ina Paarman's Greek Vinaigrette
grated rind of one lemon

STEP-BY-STEP

1. Preheat the oven to 250°C. Bake the peppers on a rack over a roasting pan for about 20-25 minutes until blistered and blackening on the outside.
2. Place them in a glass mixing bowl and cover tightly with clingfilm - leave to sweat and cool down.
3. In the process the skin will loosen itself from the flesh. Pull off the blistered skin (it does not matter if a bit remains here and there). Remove the stems and seeds. Cut the peppers lenghtways into 1-2 cm strips.
4. Season, arrange on a platter and add dressing. Sprinkle with grated lemon rind.

GREEN SALAD

1 punnet of rocket leaves
½ punnet of mixed lettuce leaves
1 big handful of nasturtium leaves (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) Calamata olives
nasturtium flowers (optional)
Ina Paarman's Greek Vinaigrette

Preheat the oven to 250°C.

Bake the whole peppers on a rack over a roasting pan for about 20-25 minutes until blistered and blackening on the outside. Place them in a glass mixing bowl and cover tightly with clingfilm - leave to sweat and cool down.

In the process the skin will loosen itself from the flesh. Pull off the blistered skin (it does not matter if a bit remains here and there). Remove the stems and seeds. Cut the peppers lengthways into 1-2 cm strips. Season, and add Vinaigrette. Sprinkle with grated lemon rind. Keeps very well in the fridge if kept covered with vinaigrette and a tight lid.

Arrange a bed of lettuce on a flat platter. Top with roasted pepper strips, olives and nasturtium flowers. Drizzle with a little more vinaigrette just before serving.

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Nutty Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies

This deluxe variation of our Chocolate Chip Cookies is something special. Use dark chocolate to sandwich the cookies together. Hide them away before the party or they will disappear.

1 x 390 g Ina Paarman's Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
125 g butter at room temperature
1 extra large or jumbo egg at room temperature
100 g pecan nuts, finely chopped
100 g dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Adjust oven rack to one or two slots above the middle shelf. Line baking trays with baking paper. In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the egg and keep on beating for another minute. Don't worry if the mixture looks curdled.

Open the pack and spoon out 2 t (10 ml) of the dry cookie mixture. Keep it on the side to use later. Add the remaining dry mix and chocolate chips to the butter mixture.

Use a wooden spatula or spoon to blend the ingredients together. When a crumbly mixture forms, use your hands to lightly bring everything together. Roll small (marble size) balls. Aim to get about 80 balls. Press them in chopped nuts with a fork pre-dipped into the left over dry mix.

Place on baking paper lined baking sheets ± 2 cm apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool. Melt the chocolate gently and sandwich two cookies together. Store in an airtight container between sheets of greaseproof paper.

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The wine suggestion this month is courtesy of Landskroon
- their recommendations are :