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Fresh flavour

When it’s scorching, there’s nothing nicer than sitting down and enjoying a light, fresh, alfresco lunch or dinner. Sean Granger, general manager of one of our fave getaways, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, shared two of his favourite Summer-friendly, flavourful and healthy soup recipes with us.

SPICY WATERMELON GAZPACHO

A classic take on a gazpacho, with a twist of watermelon, jalapenos and danish feta to bring some heat and sweetness to this cold soup. For an adult spin, you can add in a tot or two of vodka before serving to give it an extra kick.

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You’ll need: 350g watermelon cubes, rind removed; 3 large tomatoes; ½ cucumber; 1 red bell pepper, pips removed;  ½ red onion, diced; 1 clove of garlic; 3g mint leaves; 3 Tbsps olive oil; 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar; 3 Tbsps old brown sherry; 10g jalapenos; Salt and pepper to taste.

To garnish, you will need some cucumber slices, mint, Danish feta and cherry tomatoes.

To make: Add cubed watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, garlic, mint, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sherry and jalapenos to a blender and blend until smooth.

Season the mixture and blend again for about 30 seconds.

Set mixture aside in the refrigerator to cool completely. In this time it will also clear up the gazpacho and leave the excess pulp floating at the top to be removed before serving. Start arranging your garnishes on a skewer or a toothpick depending on your serving sizes or choice of crockery. I chose a wine glass for mine.

Once completely cooled, remove excess pulp from the gazpacho, give is a good stir and then pour into your glass or bowl.

Garnish and serve.

 

AVO AND CUCUMBER SOUP

For the avocado lovers, a light, fresh and hydrating soup with avocado, cucumber and lemon topped with a fresh load of cucumber, cherry tomatoes and red onions.

You’ll need: 1 cup of vegetable stock; 1 avocado (2 if they are small); ½ cucumber (you can choose to leave the skin on for more roughage or remove for a smoother soup); 4g fresh dill; 1 clove garlic; juice and zest of 1 medium lemon (zest is for garnishing); salt and pepper to taste; cherry tomatoes; red onions; olive oil; homemade or store-bought croutons (if you are making them at home then you can cut up some bread into little cubes, lightly drizzle with olive oil or normal vegetable oil and season with your preferred seasoning and toast in the oven until golden, before setting aside to cool.)

To make: To start, grab your avocados and cut them in half, remove the pip at the centre and then scoop out the insides and add to a blender.

Cut up your cucumber into pieces and add to the blender with half of your veg stock and begin to blend. Your soup will be slightly thick in consistency which you can easily thin out by adding more veg stock.

Add in 2g of dill, lemon juice and garlic and season your soup as required and blend further until a smooth consistency is obtained.

Pop your soup into a bowl and into the refrigerator whilst you prep your garnishes to serve your soup.

The topping is a basic salsa of Cherry tomatoes, red onions and dill seasoned with salt, pepper and fresh dill.

Once ready, spoon your desired amount of soup into a bowl, drizzle with some olive oil, add some croutons and top with your salsa.

If you’d rather be waited on hand and food, and leave the cooking to those who truly love it, the Granny Mouse culinary artists are ready and waiting to serve!

Details: www.grannymouse.co.za

 

This season, we’re maximising mangoes’ sultry sweetness and pairing them with butterbeans to create a delicious mango swirl dip platter.

It’s time to indulge in a tropical seasonal fave … Mangoes. They are high in vitamins A and C, biotin and the mineral potassium. They are also a source of vitamins B1 and B6 and free from fat, sodium and cholesterol and are the perfect Summer treat.

Butterbean Hummus and Mango Swirl Dip Platter

For the butterbean hummus you’ll need:  2 x 400 g tins butterbeans, drained; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice; 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil; 10ml (2 tsp) ground cumin; salt and pepper

For the mango swirl:  ½ mango, peeled and diced; 30 ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice; 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil

Ingredients for the topping: ½ mango, peeled and cut into small cubes; ½ small red onion, thinly sliced; Small handful coriander, chopped; Zest and juice of 1 lime; 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced; 30 ml (2 tbsp) feta, crumbled; Paprika or cayenne pepper for dusting; Crackers and crudités to serve

To make:  For the hummus, blend all the ingredients together using a stick blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Spread out onto a platter.

For the mango swirl, blend all the ingredients together using a stick blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Swirl through the hummus.

For the topping, combine the mango, onion, coriander, lime and jalapeno. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter the dip over with the feta. Dust with paprika or cayenne. Serve with crackers and crudités.

Tip: The hummus and mango swirl can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.

Details: For more Mmmmm…mango recipes visit, www.mango.co.za

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