Recipes and styling by Thulisa Martins Assisted by Nomvuselelo Mncube. Photographs by Dylan Swart. Article from the October 2014 issue ofFood and Home Entertaining Magazine.
From paper-thin ribbon salads to deconstructed dessert, these colourful, translucent creations are visually stunning and will wow your guests with their exquisite flavours and contrasting textures. How to do? Place a mild light beneath a clear table so that it shines through the food. Fuss-free and easy to prepare: On your marks, X-ray, go!
Watermelon, grape and honey-yoghurt salad
A low-carb flavourful fruit salad that uses just six ingredients
Serves 6 EASY 20 mins
The flavour combinations
1/2 (800g) medium watermelon, cut into thin slices
200g red globe grapes, peeled
200g green globe grapes, peeled
250g Greek yoghurt
60ml (1/4 cup) honey + extra, to drizzle
small handful fresh mint, to garnish
How to do it
1. Cut watermelon rounds from the thin slices using a cookie cutter. Divide the grapes evenly and cut some into slices, some in half and leave some whole.
2. Mix the yoghurt with the honey.
3. Arrange all the salad ingredients on a clear serving platter. Add smears of the honey yoghurt, drizzle some extra honey on the platter and serve garnished with fresh mint.
Seeded salad
The creaminess of the custard apple and Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit balances the tartness of the tomatoes and sweetness of the prickly pears
Serves 6 EASY 30 mins
The flavour combinations
Salad
2 green prickly pears, peeled and thinly sliced
2 red prickly pears, peeled and thinly sliced
10 exotic tomatoes, some thinly sliced, some cut into wedges and others kept whole
2 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit, peeled and thinly sliced
1 green kiwi, peeled and thinly sliced
1 custard apple/pear, peeled and thinly sliced
2 persimmons, thinly sliced and shaped with a cookie cutter
Dressing
30ml (1 tbsp) muscovado sugar
30ml (1 tbsp) honey
juice of 3 limes
microherbs, to garnish
How to do it
1. Carefully arrange the fruit on a clear serving platter or plate.
2. For the dressing, heat all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Drizzle over the fruit and serve garnished with microherbs.
Carrot, baby beet and pineapple salad with, walnuts and tropical dressing
The aroma of this salad is oh-so heavenly!
Serves 6 EASY 30 mins
The flavour combinations
Granadilla Vinaigrette
50ml granadilla pulp
30ml (2 tbsp) granadilla juice
concentrate
10ml (2 tsp) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
Salad
3 carrots, thinly sliced
3 baby beets, boiled, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small pineapple, thinly sliced 100g walnuts, toasted
microherbs, to serve
How to do it
1. For the granadilla vinaigrette, combine the pulp and concentrate using an electric mixer. Gradually add the olive oil, while blending, until mixed through and emulsified. Season to taste.
2. For the salad, layer the ingredients on a clear plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Garnish with microherbs.
Asian salmon noodle salad
Crisp, filling and tasty is what this salad is all about. Bulk it up and enjoy it for dinner with a glass of light white wine
Serves 6 EASY 30 mins
The flavour combinations
Dressing
50ml soya sauce
10ml (2 tsp) ginger root/galangal,
freshly grated
1 black garlic clove, peeled and crushed (Available at select Checkers stores)
2 fresh red chillies, finely chopped
Salad
1 small English cucumber, seeded and sliced with a vegetable peeler into ribbons
6 spring onions, thinly sliced into strips
200g smoked salmon ribbons
250g snow pea pods, washed
150g radishes, thinly sliced
250g squid ink noodles, cooked
500g rice noodles, cooked
1 red chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish
50g wasabi, to serve (optional)
How to do it
1. For the dressing, blend together all the ingredients. Add to a saucepan over medium heat and cook, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. For the salad, place the cucumber ribbons and spring onion strips in ice water until they start curling up, 5 minutes, then drain. Layer all the salad ingredients on a serving plate and drizzle with the dressing. Garnish with slices of chilli and serve with wasabi, if desired.
Parma ham and nectarine salad with toasted pistachios and mozzarella
If you love the sweet and salty combination of Parma ham and melon, you’ll love this modern version with nectarines and a touch of milky mozzarella. Nuts, cheese, ham and fruit – it’s like a miniature cheese board
Serves 6 EASY 15 mins
The flavour combinations
140g Parma ham slices
4 nectarines, pitted and thinly sliced
50g whole pistachios, toasted
500g buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte
handful fresh basil leaves
pinch black salt flakes
microherbs, to garnish
How to do it
1. Arrange all the salad ingredients on a clear serving platter and enjoy.
Cook’s tip – It’s great to toast walnuts as it intensifies their flavour and reduces bitterness.
Cook’s Tip – It’s best to buy raw nut s and toast them at home as and when yon need them, as they stay fresh for longer. To toast your own nuts, heat a non-stick pan over high heat and add the nuts in one layer, so there are not too many in the pan at a time. Toast the nuts, while tossing and turning, 3 – 5 minutes. Set aside to cool before adding to the salads.
Deconstructed apple pie with whipped cream
If you love a heart-warming apple pie, try this deconstructed lighter version on a hot summer’s day
Serves 6 EASY 25 mins + 2 hrs, to set
The flavour combination
Jellies
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
30g castor sugar
1 cinnamon stick
9g (5) gelatine leaves
5ml (1 tsp) gold edible crystals (available at speciality baking stores)
100ml ice-cold water
2 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
2 red apples/Pink Lady apples, thinly sliced
20ml (4 tsp) brown sugar 50g butter
200g ready-made butter puff pastry, cut into thin strips
fresh whipped cream or vanilla sorbet (for an even lighter option), to serve
apple peel, to serve (optional)
How to do it
1. For the jellies, add the boiling water to a medium saucepan over medium heat with the sugar and cinnamon. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, 5 minutes. Remove from heat, take out the cinnamon and add the gelatine leaves. Stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Stir in the edible crystals and cold water. Pour into apple-shaped ice-cube tray moulds (or a shape of your choice) and refrigerate until set, 1-2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Put the apple slices, sugar and butter in a saucepan over high heat and cook until caramelised, 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Place the puff pastry sticks on a greased baking tray and bake in the oven until golden brown, 15 minutes. Serve the apples on a clear platter with the cinnamon jellies, puff pastry sticks, whipped cream or sorbet and the apple peel, if desired.
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