Its a bit of a mixed bag of ingredients today - a little black pudding from Leckies Butcher is combined with sweet apples baked onto of homemade puff pastry from Gilberts Fine Foods!  Tofu is combined with bok choy and coriander.  Sweet, juicy corn from Rosedale orchards is getting close to finishing and I thought it would be perfect with some tofu in a surprisingly fresh tasty salad.

Apple Tarte Tatin is one of my all time perfect puddings and I thought it must be about the time to make one again!  Apples from Willowbrook Orchard and once again pastry from Gilberts fine foods.

Have a great weekend and don't forget I am always available to talk food! 

TOFU WITH BOK CHOY AND CORIANDER

Serves 2

2Tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil,

250g firm tofu, cut into cubes

20g fresh ginger, sliced thinly

4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

1 bunch bok choy, washed and stems separated

1 handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine) or dry Sherry

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp  ground white pepper

2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil

Method

Heat a flat-bottomed wok or heavy fry pan over high heat until drop of water added to wok evaporates on contact. Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil and swirl, then add tofu and stir-fry until tofu just begins to brown, about 1 minute. Transfer tofu to plate. Add remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil to same wok (do not clean). Add garlic, ginger and bok choy stir-fry until so that the bok choy  are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Return tofu to wok; add rice wine, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Stir-fry to blend, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in sesame oil and coriander and serve.

 

BLACKPUDDING, APPLE AND POTATO TART

The combination of sweet baked apple, comforting potato and moreish black pudding makes this one of my all-time favourites!

Serves 6

1 leek, washed and sliced thinly

4 Tbsp crème fraiche

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

4 waxy potatoes, Nadine, van rosa

2 sweet apples, pacific beauty

400g black pudding

350g puff pastry dough, thawed if frozen but still cold

Flour for dusting

100g gruyere cheese, grated

Method

Cook the potatoes in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Drain well, then cut into thin rounds.

Add a knob of butter to a medium sized fry pan and add the leeks and a sprinkle of salt, cook until soft and tender (5 minutes). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add another knob of butter and allow to go frothy add the apple slices and cook until they just begin to colour. Remove from the heat.

Mix together the crème fraiche and mustard.

Preheat the oven to 180C

Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to your desired round, I rolled mine to a 25cm round and place on a baking sheet. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the crème fraiche mixture evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with the leeks and half the cheese.  Then arrange alternate layers of black pudding, potato and apple on top.  Cover with remaining cheese, sprinkle of salt and grind or two of pepper.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and the base is crisp.

If need be drizzle with a little more oil and serve immediately.

 

GRILLED TOFU AND CORN SALAD

Combination of creamy tofu with sweet crispy corn work together perfectly for this healthy salad!

Serves 4

Dressing

Handful fresh coriander

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup orange juice

Dash of Asian fish sauce (optional)

2 cloves garlic

Sprinkle of red chilli

Salad

1 tsp smoked paprika

500g firm tofu, drained, cut into 1cm thick slices

1 cup fresh corn kernels, cooked until tender

1 capsicum, sliced thinly

1 red onion, finely diced

1 robust lettuce (romaine, cos anything similar)

1 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper

To make dressing

Place all ingredients and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

To make Salad

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Mix tofu with dash of oil and lightly dip or brush onto tofu pieces.  Place onto hot grill, and grill 3 to 4 minutes per side. Cool, and cut into squares.

Gently toss tofu, corn, capsicum, sesame seeds and red onion with dressing and serve immediately on a large platter and enjoy.

APPLE TARTE TATIN

This is the ultimate classic dessert which is perfect for end of any meal!  Source good apples and good pastry and the rest will fall into place.

Serves 6

plain flour , for dusting

500 g puff pastry

5 small eating apples, approximately 800g, a mixture of sweet and acidic varieties

100 g golden caster sugar

100 ml Calvados, cider or 50ml water

1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out or a drop of vanilla extract

50 g butter, cubed

Method

Preheat your oven to 190˚C. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and roll out your puff pastry until it's just over 0.5cm thick. This will be enough to cover the ovenproof frying pan you'll be cooking the tarte Tatin in, leaving about 5cm extra around the edge. Put the pastry to one side for now. Peel your apples, then halve them horizontally and use a teaspoon to get rid of the seeds and core. Put the ovenproof pan on a medium heat and add the sugar, Calvados, vanilla seeds and pod. Let the sugar dissolve and cook until the mixture forms a light caramel. Just please remember never ever to touch or taste hot caramel, as it can burn really badly.

Once the caramel looks and smells delicious – it should be a lovely chestnut brown – add your halved apples. Carefully stir everything in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the apples start to soften and you get a toffee apple vibe happening. Add the cubed butter, then lay the pastry over the top. Quickly and carefully tuck the pastry down right into the edges – it's best to use a wooden spoon so you don't touch the caramel.

Bake the tarte Tatin for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden, with crispy caramelly pieces bubbling up from under the edges. Take it out of the oven. To make it look like a tarte Tatin you need to turn it out, which isn't hard – but you do need to be careful with that hot caramel. So get a serving plate or board larger than your pan and put an oven glove on to protect the arm holding the board. Put the board or plate on top of the pan, then quickly, carefully and confidently turn it out (remember you can go to www.jamieoliver.com/how-to and see a video of how to do this safely). Put it to one side for a few minutes, so the caramel can cool down, then divide it up and serve with a spoonful of crème fraîche or ice cream.

GRILLED CORN WITH CORIANDER

Serves 4

4 ears corn

50g butter

1/4 cup freshly chopped coriander leaves

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 lime, juiced

Red chili powder, to taste

2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish

Method

Remove the husks of the corn but leave the core attached at the end so you have something to hold onto. Grill the corn on a hot grill or cast iron griddle pan until slightly charred. Turn it so it gets cooked evenly all over. Grate the Parmesan in another bowl. While the corn is still warm slather with butter. Squeeze lime juice over the corn and shower with Parmesan and coriander. Season with chili powder and serve with extra lime wedges.

 

Alison would like to thank the following producers

LECKIES BUTCHER – black pudding

GILBERTS FINE FOODS/ LIEVITO BAKERY – fresh baked goods and puff pastry

JANEFIELD HYDROPONICS – bok choy and coriander

ROSEDALE ORCHARD – fresh corn

WHO ATE ALL THE PIES – selection of amazing pies

WILLOWBROOK ORCHARD – apples

JIA HE ASIAN FOOD – freshly made tofu