I am feeling decidedly un-spring-like. It’s cold. Hey!
Mother Nature, don’t you know what the date is?
After an amazing pseudo summer that tricked the trees into
flowering and us into wearing sandals, our Cape Town Jack Frost is having the
last laugh and treating us to the odd day of swirling rain and gum-boot ‘n
brolly weather.
We still have fires in the evening no matter how balmy the
day and there’s still that chill on the almost-sprung spring air.
So what’s for supper? I still feel like something
comforting, but massive roasts and heaps of mash seems like too much now. Risotto? Lasagne? Hmmm, also pretty heavy.
I think the secret to
the in-between seasons debacle is… the ingredients.
You can still make beautiful meals that don’t stick to your
ribs for days and on the other hand don’t zip through you in minutes, leaving
you with that I’ll-have-to-eat-my-hand right now feeling.
How about this luscious roast tomato soup with garlic pitas
– the gorgeous light tomatoes are roasted for a more robust flavour and the
garlic pitas will fill that chilly gap.
Or this carrot, coriander and orange soup – it’s fresh with a zap of orange and perky coriander.
You can still go roasty whilst keeping it a little lighter,
like this roasted pumpkin and chicken salad.
Or try this lovely beetroot and green bean salad for one of those cool sunny days.
How about the fanciful tart? Oh yes, this wonderful asparagus
and crispy bacon tart is a happy choice or try this fruity apple tart for some sweetness.
Or a cheeky quiche? Try this biltong and blue cheese quiche out,
it’s simple and really packs a taste punch. This potato crust quiche with
mozzarella cheese tomato and olives is a tummy warmer. Serve it with a green salad to cut through those mouth-wateringly
intense ingredients.
You see, it’s easy to use in-betweener ingredients, whilst
keeping the dish lighter.
And if you’re still feeling lost in the warm folds of
winter, I suggest you get your big trays
out and make my lamb knuckles in tomatoes and wine and stay in happy hibernation.