To end off your Winter Warm Up Meal, sink your teeth into a decadent chocolate brownie that oozes deliciousness from its vanilla caramel icing deck…

*All ingredients for the Winter Warm up Meal Plan are available within the budget of R200 from the following retailers:

Pick n Pay – Gauteng
Food Lovers – Western & Eastern Cape
Spar – KZN

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 125g butter
• ½ cup FILIPPO BERIO Pure Olive Oil
• ¼ cup  dark cocoa
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pecan nuts or hazel nuts, finely chopped

Method:

1. Melt and blend the water, butter, olive oil and cocoa in the microwave.
2. Add the sugar, flour and salt. Whisk together.
3. Add the bicarb, vanilla essence and eggs.
4. Beat with an electric beater for about three minutes.
5. Add the chopped nuts and mix throughout.
6. Pour into a greased Swiss roll pan and cook for 20-30 minutes at 180°C.
7. To make the icing melt 62.5 g butter, 2 tablespoons cocoa and 2 ½ tablespoons milk in the microwave, then add 2 ½ cups icing sugar. More milk may be needed if icing is not runny enough. Cut the cake when cold, after spreading icing when hot.

Now isn’t that a treat? Cut the brownies into smaller size blocks for bite size bits of decadence if you’re too full from the starters and mains… though you may be screaming for seconds! The soft inner and crumbly outer of this brownie is thanks to FILIPPO BERIO Pure Olive Oil.

Happy Cheat Wednesday!

Can you think of a better Winter Warm up dish than a delicoius Cape Malay Curry? This one is so quick and simple to make, and is the MAINS for this week’s winter warm up meal! *All ingredients for the Winter Warm up Meal Plan are available within the budget of R200 from the following retailers:

Pick n Pay – Gauteng
Food Lovers – Western & Eastern Cape
Spar – KZN

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons FILIPPO BERIO Pure Olive Oil
  
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ Tablespoons curry powder
• 2 Tablespoons cake flour
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 kg Lamb goulash lamb, trimmed of excess fat and cubed
• 3 medium tomatoes, skinned and chopped
• 6 to 8 dried peaches or apricots, finely chopped
• 30 ml fruit chutney
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions for about 5 minutes, or until transparent.
2. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, garlic, curry powder, flour and turmeric and simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly.
3. Add the meat and brown lightly, adding a little more oil if necessary.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
5. Simmer over moderate heat for 1 hour.
6. Serve immediately with basmati rice and bowls of sliced banana and chutney

Leave some room for DESSERT though, coming up tomorrow as the final instalment of this 3-course Winter Warm Up Meal…

Nothing like warming up for winter than with a steamy bowl of goodness! To start off your 3-course meal this week, get out the onions and start chopping…In preparation for a delicious tomato pesto soup.

All ingredients for the Winter Warm up Meal Plan are available within the budget of R200 from the following retailers:

Pick n Pay – Gauteng
Food Lovers – Western & Eastern Cape
Spar – KZN

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 3 tbsp FILIPPO BERIO Pure Olive oil
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• ½ t sugar
• 200ml Mascarpone or cream
• 1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock
• I Jar FILIPPO BERIO Sundried Tomato Pesto
  
• Pinch of White pepper

 Method

1. Saute the chopped onion and garlic in a saucepan
2. Add the whole jar full  of FILIPPO BERIO Sundried Tomato Pesto and add to the onion and garlic.
3. Add the stock and allow to simmer.
4. When it is boiling, add the mascarpone or cream and stir in until amalgamated properly and allow to simmer. The soup should be of a hearty consistency and not too watery.
5. Add white pepper and season to your taste.
6. Serve with a swirl of FB olive oil.

And that’s just the START of some incredibly alluring aromas from the kitchen this week…stay tunned tomorrow for the MAINS…

We are edging toward the time of year where we get to give a little back to the women that have done so much for us over the years – our mothers! FILIPPO BERIO Resident Chef Graham Isaacson has put together a quick & easy 3-course breakfast meal plan for you to work from – so that Mom has a smile on her face first thing this Sunday morning! What’s more, Chef Graham has included a FILIPPO BERIO product in each course, and combined the ingredients to a budget of under R200. You can find these ingredients at the following retailers:

Pick n Pay – Gauteng
Food Lovers – Western & Eastern Cape
Spar – KZN

So without further ado, get to the grocery store and whip up a delicious breakfast for Mom! And while you’re at it, why not enter our Mother’s Day Competition, and stand in line to win a custom made Mother’s Day e-card and olive oil and balsamic pourer for your Mamma…

Ricotta and sundried tomato crostini with smoked Salmon and Avo

 Ingredients:

• FILIPPO BERIO Ricotta and Sundried Tomato Pesto
• Smoked Salmon
• 4 slices of baguette
• 1 ripe Avocado
• Lettuce leaves

Method:

1. Drizzle FILIPPO BERIO olive oil on 4 slices of baguette.
2. Toast lightly on each side.
3. Lay the smoked salmon out.
4. Spread liberally with the pesto.
5. Place a few slices of avo on top of the pesto.
6. Fold the salmon in half lengthwise and roll to make a salmon rose.
7. Plase a few leaves of lettuce on the crostini and place the salmon rose on each one.
8. Drizzle with  olive oil.
9. Serve with a wedge of fresh lemon and a dollop of FILIPPO BERIO Ricotta and Sundried Tomato Pesto

Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Crisp bacon and Grilled Tomato with a Fresh Croissant

Ingredients:

• Allow for 2 medium eggs per person
• FILIPPO BERIO Mild & Light Olive Oil
• 1 pack of bacon
• 1 large tomato
• 1 croissant (per person)

Method

1. Scramble the eggs in a  bowl with a  little water.
2. Lightly drizzle the pan with FILIPPO BERIO Mild & Light Olive Oil
3. Cook  eggs over a  medium heat until nearly done, adding salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Cook three rashers of bacon per person, until crisp.
5. Lastly, lightly grill a large tomato, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt.
6. Warm the croissant and serve with the freshly made eggs, tomato and crispy bacon

Pancakes/Crêpes with Berry Preserve

Ingredients

•  2 eggs
• ½ cup milk
• FILIPPO BERIO Mild & Light Cooking Spray
  
• 1Tablespoon sugar
  
• 2 Tablespoons melted butter
• ¾ cups plain flour

Method

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and allow to stand for at least 20 minutes.
• Lightly spray a non-stick frying pan with FILIPPO BERIO olive oil spray.
• Make  2 pancakes/crêpes  per person.
• When they are done, fill with your favourite berry compote  and garnish with lightly beaten cream.
• Garnish with a sprig of mint

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Check out the Mother’s Day Competition ♥

Exciting news for Mother’s Day week! FILIPPO BERIO is calling on all to enter our special competition, where Mom is number one!

Go on – spoil her to bits! The winner’s mom will wake up to a beautiful e-card on Mother’s Day morning and receive a chic olive oil and Balsamic pourer as a gift. One lucky mamma!

To enter simply email info@filippoberio.co.za the following:

• Your full name and email address
• Your Mom’s full name and email address
• Answer this easy question: What is your mom’s signature dish – what meal says home cooking / mom’s cooking best?

Terms & Conditions:
1. Captions limited to 50 words or less.
2. Entries can be made via email: info@filippoberio.co.za
3. Competition closes on 11 May 2012 (the Friday before Mother’s Day). A winner will be announced at 11am Friday morning, via Facebook. We will contact the winner via Facebook message or email.
4. The winner will receive a personalised FILIPPO BERIO Mother’s Day email card (to: mom, from: entrant’s name) announcing the win and prize  - Sent on Mother’s Day 13 May 2012, a FILIPPO BERIO Olive Oil and Balsamic Pourer. No money will be exchanged.
5. Unless otherwise specified, no person may enter a competition more than once.

Winner chosen by draw.

Your Prize:
A personalised FILIPPO BERIO Mother’s Day email card (to: mom, from: entrant’s name) announcing the win and prize  - Sent on Sunday morning 8am
FILIPPO BERIO Olive Oil and Balsamic Pourer.

Surprise your mom first thing in the morning and share with us the magic of her cooking… ♥

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
• 1 large yellow pepper, seeded and cut into wedges
• 1 beef tomato, deseeded and cut into 6 wedges
• 1 courgette, washed and sliced thickly
• 2 cloves garlic, skin on
• 2 tbsp FILIPPO BERIO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp mild curry paste
• 125g Basmati rice, washed under cold water
• 500ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 star anise
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat the oven to 190°C.
Place all the vegetables into a large roasting tin, sprinkle the oil over then mix thoroughly making sure all the vegetables are coated.
Cook in the hot oven for 20 mins until all the vegetables are cooked through and beginning to brown.
Stir in the curry paste, rice, stock, star anise and turmeric. Cook for a further 20 – 30 minutes until all the stock is absorbed.
Stir in the herbs and serve.

The first of our Autumn recipes, this garlic prawn starter is a hot favourite on a chilly night.

This is best served with rice and a green salad.

Ingredients:

•  24 large prawns, in shells
• 80 g butter
• 3 tbsp FILIPPO BERIO Pure Olive Oil
• 50 ml lemon juice
• 4 stalks spring onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 12 lemon wedges for decoration
•  salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Slit the prawns down the back and open them like a butterfly and remove the vein.
2. Heat up the oven grill.
3. Melt the butter in a shallow baking dish, mix in the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Dunk in the prawns, coating them well and place them side by side, shells down. Grill for about 5 minutes or until cooked.
5. Place prawns on a hot serving platter, pour the sauce over it and decorate with lemon wedges.

Ingredients:

Heat milk to scalding temperature.
½ cup cream
Add 150 g dark chocolate bits.
Add 2Tablespoons Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil
Add ½ tsp vanilla essence
Add ¼ tsp chilli powder

Stir together until a velvety consistency is achieved.
Serve in your favourite mug!

So fresh and tasty – perfect for the Easter weekend!

Confit tomatoes with lemon and fresh herbs

Recipe for 4 servings

35g g assorted tomatoes-rosa, bella, bee.
Cut the large tomatoes into wedges, and the smaller ones in half.

Coarsely chop a handful of fresh herbs-thyme, rosemary, garlic and thinly sliced lemon.

Coat with Filippo Berio Olive oil

Generously sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.

Place on a baking tray lined with  parchment.

Place in 200 degree hot oven for 20 minutes. , allow to roast.

Remove from oven.

Baked fish in parchment

Ingredients:

• 1 piece of linefish per person
• Thinly sliced lemon
• Salt pepper
• Chopped parsley

Place a piece of linefish  squarely on parchment-season generously and add herbs etc.

Close the parcel using a  chemists fold, to seal.

Bake for 15 minutes on 200 degrees.

We visited Graham to steal a few of his Easter recipe treats.

We start with an obvious choice – chocolate!

Melt and temper 250g dark chocolate.

Using Filippo Berio Olive Oil Spray , coat the inside of the mold to prevent sticking.
Paint one thick coat and allow to harden.

Take 1/3 of the melted chocolate and add 5oml cream  an ½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder and combine to make the ganache.

When the lined mould has hardened , place the two halves together and secure.

Fill with the ganache and pour the rest of the melted chocolate in , to seal the bunny.
Allow to set for at least 2 hours before unmolding.