Category: Fingerfood

Buttery garlic bread

Rich buttery garlic bread

I could eat an entire loaf of garlic bread in one sitting, that is how much I love the combination of fresh bread and garlic! Earlier on in life I would always purchase my garlic bread and all I needed to do would be to bake it and enjoy but I have recently started making my own. Now I cannot remember why I ever spent all that money when homemade is super simple and much more delicious!

I have previously shared a loaf of bread that is cut into little slices with garlic butter in between but this recipe serves up the entire loaf as a whole and is just glorious!

Let’s get cooking…

Start by placing your softened butter in a bowl, add in the salt, pepper and parsley then grate over the garlic. Mix together until the butter and spices are very well mixed together.

Slice the bread loaf in half and spread each half liberally with the butter. Bake at 180 for 10 minutes until golden and crisp.

Serve with pasta or alongside a roast or braai!

Rich buttery garlic bread
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Rich buttery garlic bread

Servings

4

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

10

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 baguette or ciabatta

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 3 tsp parsley

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 100g softened butter

Directions

  • Start by placing your softened butter in a bowl, add in the salt, pepper and parsley then grate over the garlic
  • Mix together until the butter and spices are very well mixed together
  • Slice the bread loaf in half and spread each half liberally with the butter
  • Bake at 180 for 10 minutes until golden and crisp
  • Serve with pasta or alongside a roast or braai!

Simplebutsplendid
Crab cakes with simple aioli

Crab cakes with a simple homemade aioli

I have always watched people devour crab cakes on American food shows but I never got the opportunity to try one. Eventually I decided to give it a go and make some myself, hands down one of the tastiest seafood dishes I have eaten and now I totally understand the hype!

Wonderfully simple to make and it really feels like such a splurge even though this is a very affordable dish.

Let’s get cooking…

I have used crab meat that has already been picked but if you need to the pick your crab meat first.

Then whisk together the mayo, egg, mustard, lemon juice, celery salt and paprika. Gently fold in the crab meat and the crackers. Pop into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to stiffen and make it easier to handle.

Heat oil in a heavy based pan. Use an ice-cream scoop, spoon dollops of mixture into your hands then roughly form it into a patty shape and slowly place into the oil. Fry for 5 minutes per side until golden.

While the cakes fry, mix together the garlic, lime juice and mayo for the aioli.

Serve the crab cakes with lime wedges and the aioli

Crab cakes with a simple homemade aioli
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Crab cakes with a simple homemade aioli

Servings

2-4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 egg

  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard

  • 1 tsp lemon juice

  • 1/4 tsp celery salt

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • 250g white crab meat

  • 1 cup crackers, crushed

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying

  • Garlic aioli

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 2 cloves garlic, grated

  • 1/2 lime

Directions

  • Whisk together the mayo, egg, mustard, lemon juice, celery salt and paprika.
  • Gently fold in the crab meat and the crackers
  • Pop into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to stiffen and make it easier to handle
  • Heat oil in a heavy based pan
  • Use an ice-cream scoop, spoon dollops of mixture into your hands then roughly form it into a patty shape and slowly place into the oil
  • Fry for 5 minutes per side until golden
  • While the cakes fry, mix together the garlic, lime juice and mayo for the aioli.
  • Serve the crab cakes with lime wedges and the aioli

Simplebutsplendid
Honey garlic chicken springrolls

Honey garlic chicken springrolls

Lunar New Year is the celebration of the first new moon in a lunar year, similar to the New years day on the Gregorian calendar. This celebration is most commonly known as Chinese New Year however, it is celebrated across most Asian countries.

In celebration of the year of the Ox I am making spicy honey garlic chicken springrolls that have the most amazing dipping sauce!

Let’s get cooking…

Start by sautéing the chicken and onions for 5 minutes until just beginning to colour. Add in the seasonings and kale and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add in the carrots and turn off the heat.

Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes before filling the springrolls.

Lay 1 sheet of springroll pastry so that it looks like a diamond then place 1 tablespoon of filling along the top. Fold top piece of the pastry over the filling, then bring in the sides and roll into a cigar shape. Bake at 180C for 20 minutes until golden.

While the springrolls bake mix together the ingredients for sauce.

Serve hot with lots of sauce to dip!

Honey garlic chicken springrolls
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Honey garlic chicken springrolls

Servings

2

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

  • 250g chicken thigh fillets

  • 2 tsp oil

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 1 small carrot, grated

  • 1/2 bunch kale, chopped

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 2 tblsp dark soy sauce

  • 1 tsp fish sauce

  • 1 tblsp honey

  • 1 tblsp rice wine vinegar

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 red chilli, minced

  • 1 tsp sesame oil

  • 8 springroll sheets or phyllo pastry cut into squares

  • Sauce

  • 1 tsp fish sauce

  • 1 tblsp rice wine vinegar

  • 1 tblsp soy sauce

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 tsp sesame oil

  • 1 tblsp sweet chilli sauce

  • 1 tblsp water

  • 1 tsp lime juice

Directions

  • Start by sautéing the chicken and onions for 5 minutes until just beginning to colour
  • Add in the seasonings and kale and simmer for 10 minutes
  • Then add in the carrots and turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for 30 minutes before filling the springrolls
  • Lay 1 sheet of springroll pastry so that it looks like a diamond then place 1 tablespoon of filling along the top.
  • Fold top piece of the pastry over the filling, then bring in the sides and roll into a cigar shape
  • Bake at 180C for 20 minutes until golden.
  • While the springrolls bake mix together the ingredients for sauce.
  • Serve hot with lots of sauce to dip!

Simplebutsplendid