A Scrumptious Valentine Feast with Chef Gerhard and Margaret Hirsch. The Hirsch’s Kitchen Capers virtual events notched up another culinary victory recently with a well- planned, mouth-watering three-course Valentine inspired menu. The event was hosted in the Bosch Kitchen at Hirsch’s Centurion. Chef Gerhard from Food Ink was assisted by Hirsch’s Executive Director, Margaret Hirsch and SPAR came on board as sponsors for the ingredients, including lovely fresh items from their Freshline range.
On the menu was a roasted beetroot hummus and garlic bruschetta. Parma ham, goat’s cheese, and pan-fried figs on garlic bruschetta. Baked tomato Mozzarella and olive Risoni with seafood and coconut. And a delectable Eaton mess with Balsamic strawberries.
Roasted Beetroot Hummus On Garlic Bruchetta
Ingredients
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1-2 Spar Freshline Beetroot
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½ tsp Rosemary Salt or fine sea salt
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30ml Olive oil
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1 Tin of chickpeas, drained
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Zest and juice of half a Spar Freshline Lemon
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1 Small garlic clove chopped
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½ tsp Salt and pepper
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2tbsp (30ml) Tahini paste.
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2tbsp (30ml) Ice water
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½ tsp Ground cumin
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2tbsp (30ml) Olive oil
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4 Slices Spar Freshline Garlic bread
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Spar Freshline Rocket
Method
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Heat your oven to 170°C. Chop the beetroot into fairly large cubes then add them to a roasting dish. Drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with salt and cover with foil. Roast for 50minutes until soft then increase the oven temp to 200°c. Tip: The smaller the beetroot, the faster it will roast.
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In the meantime, add chickpeas, lemon juice and zest, garlic, salt & pepper, cumin and tahini to a food processor and blend at a high speed. Add the roasted beetroot once it is cooked followed by the ice water then the olive oil.
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Scrape down the sides of the food processor regularly until the mixture is combined.
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If the mixture is too thick, add equal quantities of cold water and oil to keep the mixture creamy and stabilised.
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Scrape into a bowl to use later.
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Slice the garlic bread into slices and place in a 200°C oven. Toast the bread until crispy and brown.
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Top the garlic bread with the beetroot hummus and add some fresh rocket.
Parma Ham, Goats Cheese and Pan-Fried Figs On Garlic Bruschetta
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2 Spar Freshline Figs. Keep the rest for dessert or make them all. They are so good.
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50g Butter
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4 Parma Ham slices
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¼ wheel Goat`s cheese
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4 Slices Spar Freshline Garlic bread
Method
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Start by washing the figs then slice them into quarters.
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Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Melt the butter to the point where it starts to foam then place the figs in the butter. Fry the figs for 4-5 minutes then place them on paper towel to drain the oil.
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Slice the garlic bread into slices and place in a 200°C oven. Toast the bread until crispy and brown.
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Spread the goat cheese on the tasted garlic bread, add a slice of Parma ham and top with 2 fig quarters or more should you feel like it.
Baked Tomato, Mozzarella and Olive Risoni with seafood.
Ingredients:
For the tomato sauce:
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400g Spar Freshline Tomatoes, roughly chopped Spar Freshline Oreganum
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Spar Freshline Basil
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Spar Freshline Thyme
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1 Garlic clove
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Salt
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Pepper
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1tsp White Sugar
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30ml Tomato sauce
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1tsp Chilli flakes
For the Risoni:
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150g Risoni or Orzo
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1 Red pepper
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6 Black olives
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125g Mozzarella
For the Seafood mix:
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200g Spar Mussel meat
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200g Spar Prawn Tails
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100g Spar Crab Flavoured Sticks Containing Fish
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100g Butter
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Juice and zest of a medium Spar Freshline lemon
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Salt and pepper to taste
Method
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Heat your oven to 180°C fan or 200°C conventional.
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To make the tomato sauce: Add roughly chopped tomatoes, some basil leaves, fresh oreganum leaves, garlic, red pepper salt and pepper to a food processor and blend well.
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Tip the risoni or orzo into a medium casserole dish then stir in the oil, chilli flakes and olives. Pour in the fresh tomato sauce and water then stir well. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 20minutes, until the rice is almost cooked. Remove the lid, stir and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove, turn the oven to 220°C, break the mozzarella and grill until the mozzarella is melted and brown.
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While the risoni is in the oven you can get cooking on the seafood.
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Ensure that the seafood is completely defrosted as per the packet instructions.
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Mussels: Bring a small pot of water to the boil, turn off the heart, add the mussel meat, cover and let it steam for 5 minutes – Done.
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Crab sticks: Chop the crab sticks roughly and set aside – Done.
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Prawn Tails: Heat a frying pan with butter, garlic and lemon. Add the prawn tails and fry them off for 5 minutes per side – Done.
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Now add the mussels, crab sticks and prawns back into the pan and warm through.
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Remove the risoni from the oven, top with the seafood mix and serve.
Coconut Eaton Mess with Balsamic Strawberries
INGREDIENTS:
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400ml Coconut Cream, placed in the fridge overnight
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5ml Vanilla essence
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2tbsp Sugar
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½ Punnet Spar Freshline Strawberries or more
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2tbsp Balsamic reduction
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1 Punnet Spar Freshline Meringue
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Dark chocolate or chocolate balls
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Fresh Spar Freshline Mint for garnish
METHOD:
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Slice the strawberries into quarters and place them in a bowl. Drizzle them with the balsamic reduction and set aside for use later.
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Open the coconut cream and scoop out only the solid white cream. You can reserve the liquid for your smoothies or to drink.Add the cream to a bowl with the vanilla essence and sugar then whip with an electric beater until stiff peaks form.
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Time to assemble your dessert. Use a glass cup or vessel then you would be able to see all the layers.Start with a layer of crushed meringue followed by your whipped coconut cream and a layer of balsamic strawberries. If your vessel allows you can do another layer. Remember those extra figs…. You can add them if you want to.
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Add some chocolate or a chocolate ball with fresh mint.
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