Ok, so I know lack of time is a poor excuse. To be honest, I’ve got one up on that. I actually have been writing about food lately. I’ve also been cooking a lot of food lately. And of course, I’ve also been eating a lot of food lately. Unfortunately just not for this blog!
Thing is, I’ve started food assisting (encouraging and supporting that food like you cannot believe!) for magazines in my spare time. Or rather, in place of attending lectures. It’s been the most exciting experience, as I get to make food I never thought I’d make the effort to, entirely separate from my measly student budget. I get to buy, and work with, ingredients I never thought I would. It’s an absolute food lovers dream!
On top of this, I’ve been writing food articles for the Varsity Newspaper, the local newspaper for the University of Cape Town (where I study), just to get a little writing in on the side, and to be able to call the shots on my own articles for a change. All in all, I feel like I’m speedily on my way to where I want to be; in some career entirely emerged in food! And no, sadly, not literally. Chocolate might be an exception to that though.
So to make up for some lost time, I thought I’d post a few of my Varsity Newspaper articles and recipes while I busy myself passing exams and the like. Then, I promise, when holidays decide to make a very welcome appearance, I will wholeheartedly immerse myself in posts for the blog! Just a warning: these recipes are student targeted. In other words, they’re simple and reasonable and don’t include any overly developed tastes. Not always a bad thing!
Butternut, Caramelised Onion and Goat’s Cheese Tart
Serves 4
Ingredients:
300g butternut, cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
2 sprigs rosemary
300g baby onions, quartered
25g butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
200g ready-made puff pastry
Flour, to roll out
50g chevin goat’s cheese, cut into rounds
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200ᵒC.
Put the butternut and garlic in an oven tray, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the needles of one sprig of rosemary. Roast in the oven for 40 min, or until golden.
Heat the butter and a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then sauté the onions until they’re soft and slightly golden. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and continue sautéing until the sauce has caramelised.
Sprinkle the remaining rosemary in the bottom of an oven-proof dish, then add the roast butternut and onion. Roll out the pastry to form a 26cm diameter circle, then cover the butternut and onion and tuck in the sides. Prick with a fork and pop into the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the pastry has browned.
Remove from the oven, and let it rest for 5 minutes before running a knife along the sides of the tart before placing a plate over it and carefully flipping it over. Place the goat’s cheese on top and serve.
Tip: Goat’s cheese can also be substituted with feta, the rosemary can be substituted with thyme, and the dish is also delicious without the butternut.
servewithtea 