Grilled Salmon with a Lime Butter Sauce

Show of hands who loves salmon as much as I do? All of you? I know, there can’t be a soul in the world who doesn’t love salmon. Well at least that’s what it’s like in my world.

My mother recently bought a large quantity of salmon. If you have bought salmon in Nairobi, you know it is hella expensive. The kind of expensive that requires you to have sold your sisters kidney! Trust me, I have been tempted many a time. However, my mother being a farmer, and all her connections in the farmers world got us a whole lot of salmon for a cheap. I sometimes imagine farmers have their own mafia like underworld… Cross a farmer and you wake up with half a head of cabbage in your bed *eek* okay, okay i stop now!

Back to the Salmon. I thought about making salmon en croute, as we all know that is like one of my favourite ways to eat salmon. But I wanted something simple and easy to make (cooking with a hangover). What is simpler than grilled salmon?

The lime butter sauce was a kind of experiment. Salmon goes really well with oriental type sauces, that sweet and somewhat sour taste. I wanted something sharp for the salmon… Again the hangover was dictating this!

Here is the recipe:

No precise measurements on this one

2 fillets of salmon, I had 2 very large pieces about 250g each.

Juice of 1-2 limes

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 small bunch of coriander, chopped

Butter. Oh butter! I used 1 cup, melted

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Start with patting the salmon with a paper towel until completely dry. Coat them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Heat a griddled pan over medium heat. If you are fortunate enough you can use an outdoor grill. Place the salmon fillets on the griddle and leave to cook, about 5-8 minutes each side.

While the salmon is searing away, place the lime, garlic, coriander, salt and pepper in a blender. It is easier to use a mini blender. Blend for a minute before pouring in the melted butter in slow and steady stream. Taste and season appropriately.

Remove the salmon form the griddle, plate up and pour over the lime butter sauce. Watch it melt over the salmon like umm… butter!

Serve with mash potatoes, steamed potatoes and perhaps a salad. I ate it all on its own:)

Salmon bathed in Lime Butter

The sauce was phenomenal.

Enjoy

Lemon Orange Roast Chicken with Garlic and Ginger

Roast chicken. Who doesn’t love roast chicken? To me, it evokes a feeling of togetherness, family togetherness. My sisters and I make this roast chicken every time we’re in Naivasha, or every time we have some sort of gathering. It is simple and quick to put together. Each of us has a different spin on the recipe; Lydia adds soy sauce; Gathoni loves her herbs and me.. I like lots and lots of garlic!

Here is the recipe… It’s a rough guide really, you can throw in whatever you like. But the lemon and orange is a must. I love the citrus tang it brings to the chicken, it compliments the warmth of the garlic and ginger.

1 whole bird, whole or cut in to pieces… entirely up to you.

Juice of 1 lemon, keep the lemons for roasting

Juice of 1 orange, also keep for roasting

Garlic, minced (I’ll leave you to decide the quantity)

a few whole cloves of garlic to add to the roasting pan

Ginger, minced (same with the garlic)

Herbs; I use everything from rosemary, thyme, parsley, mint. It is best to use fresh herbs rather than dried.

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Soy sauce (optional)

In a bowl, mix together the lemon and orange juice, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper and your finely chopped herbs as well as a little olive oil. In a freezer bag or plastic container mix this with the chicken and leave in the fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Bring the chicken to room temperature before laying the pieces out on the roasting tin. Skin side up. Add the orange and lemon halves you squeezed earlier, whole garlic cloves and sprinkle over salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Cover with foil and roast for 30-40 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, uncover the chicken to crisp up the skin. I love me some crispy chicken skin!

Remove the chicken and let it rest, covered for 15 minutes. When ready to serve, pour the gravy over the pieces.

Serve with a salad or roast potatoes.

This chicken is great for Sunday lunch, for those trips to Greenpark in Naivasha it is absolutely perfect!

This recipe is definitely for the heart and soul of my cooking, my beautiful sisters!

The Cape and Capsicum

There are some journeys that we never imagine we could ever take, mostly out of fear or because we like to play it safe most of the time. I have never really been one to play it safe, well not all the time.

I saw on the news about this website that allows you to find and have affairs with other married people. Their slogan “LIFE IS SHORT. HAVE AN AFFAIR.” I didn’t think about it until I booked my ticket off to Cape Town, South Africa; and then it dawned on me that life is entirely too short not to have an affair!

My love affair is not with another man or woman, nor is it the kind that is forbidden by the Bible. Mine is with a place, and that place has stolen my heart! Much like the way a man steals your heart when you are in the throws of some illicit affair…. Cape Town is mine!

I decided some months ago that I would go to culinary school.. It has always been in my plans, but I played it safe and stayed in Nairobi for far too long. I woke up one morning, single and wanting more from the years ahead of me…. So I applied, I got in, and I will be off to Capsicum Culinary Studio in a few months (June to be exact) to become a chef.

So I just want to share with you all the love affair I had with Cape Town in the 9 days I was there in March.

I’ll let the pictures speak for my heart…

Fish and Chips

My first meal in South Africa was at the airport in Johannesburg. I had fish and chips at Ocean Basket. You got to love how they serve it. Absolutely fabulous.

Sushi at Beluga

One of my friends, Jonathan from prep school days took me out to Beluga in CT for some of the most amazing sushi ever! I was literally having mouthgasms! On the plate there is salmon roses, seared tuna, rainbow rolls, and salmon sashimi.

Fully Loaded Burger

I was staying at this lovely little hotel in Bantry Bay, right by the beach. They had an awesome burger with everything; brie cheese, sautéed mushrooms, tomato and chilli relish, onions. I had plenty of room service!

Mussels and Scallops at The Greek Fisherman

Out-of-shell mussels and scallops, sautéed until golden brown and served with
home-made mayonnaise and skordalia (potato purée with garlic) from The Greek Fisherman at the water front.

Stuffed Calamari at The Greek Fisherman

Tender calamari tubes, stuffed with line fish, shrimps, mussels, savoury rice and topped with a mild, curry sauce.

Big Mac

You know I love my junk food. It was awesome in the moment; 4 am, tipsy and trying to manoeuvre the drive-thru. Some nights.

Canal Walk

Simply Beautiful.

View from my room

I think this is Signal Hill.

Steak at The Hussar Grill

We all know I love my meat, and this was one sweet hunk of meat. Dinner with Jonathan and Greg at The Hussar Grill in Camps Bay.

Salmon Roses

I do love my sushi.

Oysters at Pepper Club

Salmon at Pepper Club

Hake in a beer batter at Pepper Club

Cranberry and Hibiscus Mojito

Lunch at Pepper Club in Camps Bay with the boys was awesome. Beautiful views, great food, awesome company… can’t get better than that!

Dessert at The Bungalow Restaurant & Lounge

Me at Bungalow!

 

This has to be my favourite restaurant! The Bungalow Restaurant and Lounge for me kind of embodied what my experience in Cape Town was… A little bit of everything and a big swig of fabulousness!

Green Point Stadium

At the stadium

Bafana Bafana fans!

I’m not one for football but I did go watch a world cup qualifier game South Africa Vs. Central African Republic at The Green Point Stadium (yes where the world cup was played). The atmosphere was electric and I did enjoy myself save for the cold and strong winds!

Dim Sum

Crispy Duck

I don’t remember the name of the restaurant I had dinner on my last night, I went there with Greg and his house mates and they were a bag of fun.

I left a big part of my heart somewhere in Bantry Bay, but that’s how it is with love affairs, you never really get to take them with you…

I now look forward to starting my journey, finding my heart in Cape Town.

To my boys, Jonathan and Greg… Thank you for being a part of my journey, you are now stuck with me forevs!

To all of you looking for that love affair… Life is Short!

 

Greek Style Roast Chicken

I write this knowing that I haven’t written for quite some time. So I’m giving you this recipe to appease you good folk! I know there is one person who will be excited about this one… (Leisin, you cries have been heard)

I have done a whole lot of cooking, but getting round to posting has been my biggest challenge…. too many things going on in this life of mine! 

So without the long stories about what I have been up to, my recipe for Greek roast chicken. Wait! I will have to give you one little story… I have been spending a whole lot of time at home, in front of the telly, watching mostly the Food Channel. One of my favourite shows is Guy Fieri’s Diner, Drive-ins & Dives; I’m sure you have all caught it at some point! So one particular episode was this little Greek restaurant and on the show the owner/chef made a simple roast chicken that looked absolutely divine, I just had to try it out myself.

Now if you know anything about me, my memory is a bit shait and so when it comes to remembering ingredients, more often than not I forget the important ones! However, with this recipe I remembered most of them… the recipe is just that simple!

So here you go… My take on Greek roast chicken

1 whole chicken, cut in to pieces

2 spring onions, roughly chopped

2 large tomatoes

6 cloves of garlic, peeled

Olive oil

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp salt & black pepper

1 tbsp oregano (dried)

butter, who measures butter?

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 190C

In a large roasting pan, add the chopped onions, tomatoes and garlic. Toss in a little olive oil. *You can add potatoes here too as they will soak up the gravy as they cook.

Put the chicken pieces in the pan, rub down with olive oil and season with garlic powder, salt, pepper and oregano.

Divide butter into small cubes, I just scooped out little knobs. Scatter the butter throughout the pan.

Add the water and wine to the roasting pan, filling about 1/4- 1/2 the pan depth. I added more wine than water… that’s just how I roll!

Put this in the oven for about 40 minutes to an hour. I like my skin crispy but not dry so I left it in a little longer. It helps to baste the chicken during cooking so that it doesn’t dry out.

Few things I would change, add less salt… my chicken came out a little too salty! The garlic powder also adds to the saltiness so maybe reduce on that too…

The chicken that comes out the oven however…. is the most juicy, fragrant, most delicious chicken you will ever come across!

I served it with potatoes and a Greek salad (of course!) which worked well… 

Take this as my peace offering for the long absence…. A little bit of this Greek chicken and I know all shall be forgiven!

Not so Meatless Monday: Sausage Casserole

Only I can manage to throw meat in to a meatless Monday! I’m telling you the day I had, I had no choice… True story!

We all have those days, mind too bogged down with Mondayness to even think of what to make for dinner let alone something meatless! This was definitely one of those days for me; even after a trip to the supermarket and only leaving with breakfast stuff, I still had no idea what to cook.. But wait! breakfast for dinner… Now that is something I can dig on such a Monday; sausages and beaked beans… mmmhh!

This recipe is something of a mix them- gather them. I call it a casserole but really it’s just a ‘gitoero’; everything thrown in with no real plan… Yes! you know you have those days too!
I made a concentrated tomato sauce with chillies and cider vinegar. I love making the sauce this way, I just throw in halved tomatoes in a pot with cider vinegar, sugar, salt and chillies and let it simmer. The result is this lovely concentrated tomato sauce packed with flavour, when you put your face right in there the pungent aroma of the chillies and the cider filled tomatoes leaves you a little light-headed, your nose stained with that smell. Absolutely intoxicating!

Here is the recipe…

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red chilli, chopped
1 pack beef sausages, approx. 10 pieces
1 cup red wine
1 can baked beans (I prefer the Heinz brand)

For The tomato sauce:
6 tomatoes, halved
2 red chillies, roughly chopped
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sugar

Start by making the tomato sauce; put the chopped tomatoes, chillies, cider vinegar and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. Cover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring to avoid the tomatoes sticking to the bottom. When the sauce is done, put it through the blender, adding a little water to loosen it up a little. Salt and pepper to taste.

**You can refrigerate this sauce for up to a week, or throw it in the freezer for when you need a quick sauce**

Fry the sausages in a little oil for about 8-10 minutes, turning them regularly. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add the onions and garlic. Cook until onions are soft and brown. Next add the chopped chillies and the sausages; I cut my sausages in to bite size pieces.

Add the tomato sauce and red wine to the sausages, stir and bring to the boil before lowering the heat and simmering for 10 minutes.

The last thing to go in is the baked beans. Pour them in to heat through just before serving. I don’t like them too mushy.

Serve this with whatever you like really… over pasta, with some crusty bread or rice. I had a trusted rice maker do my rice, we all know how hopeless I am with rice! So many thanks to you for being able to figure out the rice-to-water ratio better than any gadget out there:)

There you have it folks… Gitoero kia sausage, I mean sausage casserole! Meatless Monday will resume soon, I promise.

Milano Salami with Sun-dried Tomatoes Bruschetta

There is something very alluring about eating toasted little pieces of bread topped rubbed with garlic, drizzled in olive oil and topped with, with eh… whatever you like! I’m a tomato and basil kind of girl; whenever I make bruschetta, I use Julia Child’s recipe and imagine myself eating it just as she would! Probably mumbling between mouthfuls “absolutely delightful.”

This particular recipe however, is the result of a serious craving for sun-dried tomatoes and salami… How very Italian of me si? It is very simple and great for a quick snack. The Salami I got at the deli at Muthaiga Mini Market, as well as the sun-dried tomatoes; which by the way, were made at a farm in Kitengela and had just come in. But if you don’t find any at the deli counter, you can always use the ones that come in jars.I also got some buffalo mozzarella made from the same farm.. you don’t see this kind of cheese often, so I had to buy it!

Here is the recipe:

1 baguette, fresh
1 clove garlic, cut in half
Milano salami, sliced
Sun-dried tomatoes, nicely marinated in herbed oil
Buffalo mozzarella, sliced (you can use regular mozzarella or none at all)
Salt, not too much though the salami is quite salty on its own
Freshly ground black pepper

Start by slicing the bread diagonally and placing under the grill to toast.

Once nicely toasted, remove from the grill and rub with a sliced garlic clove. Add the cheese and return to the grill to melt the cheese. This should take about 3-4 minutes.

Once cheese is melting, add a slice of salami and top with sun-dried tomatoes. I drizzled the oil from the tomatoes on top. Salt and pepper and it is ready to eat!

There is only one way to eat this so as to maximise on taste… On the floor in front of the telly with a kitchen towel draped over your shoulder, preferably with a glass of wine next to you! Trust me on this one… Try it and tell me how amazeballs the experience is! Of course don’t forget to mumble “Absolutely Delightful” just like Julia!

Meatless Monday: Spinach and Feta Quesadillas

I love spinach. We know this. I usually on a good day have a fridge filled with spinach. You might be wondering how or why? well allow me to tell you…

A couple of months ago, the Mr moved in to his own place. I say his, but really I’m there more than he is, so it’s ‘ours’. Anyhow, his mum sends us a lot of vegetables from Nakuru; she is just the sweetest! Usually, lots of spinach, maize, peas, beans, oh and plenty of avocado too! So you can imagine our fridge looks eternally full with greens!

The idea of spinach and feta quesadillas came when I stumbled upon a similar recipe online (I do spend a lot of time online, looking at food). Anyway, I remembered my fridge full of spinach and the block of feta I had leftover from last week; light bulbs lit up and bells were ringing… I had my meatless Monday plan!

There wasn’t much to buy, well other than gas to cook with, which we had to go out in the rain to find… And let’s not forget that when I need tortilla wraps, THERE ARE NONE in the supermarkets! We had to hop from one Nakumatt to another in the rain… did I mention I just got my hair did??? *Sigh* Poor Babu endures way too much, just for a meatless dinner… If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is!

So here is the recipe

2 cups spinach, steamed and squeezed to drain the liquid
A bunch of chopped herbs (a mix of mint, dill or parsley)
1 onion, chopped
feta cheese, crumbled
6 tortillas
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Mix spinach, herbs, onions and feta in a bowl

Melt butter in a pan, place one tortilla in the pan.
Sprinkle mozzarella followed by the spinach filling and a little more mozzarella.
Top with a tortilla and cook until golden brown and cheese is melting.

I should mention that you should flip the tortillas over after about 2-3 minutes to avoid burning like I did.

I loved these, I will be making them again soon, maybe throw in Julia Child style sautéed mushrooms, or sun-dried tomatoes, or slices of grilled aubergine… Or just throw all of them in together and see what you get!

I served these bad boys with a salad, which Babu lovingly made! followed by watermelon and mint sheesha… we are just that kind of couple!