Happy Recipes

Happy 2012....warm wishes for a year ahead that is kind to you.

I thought that these 2 recipes would be a good start to the New Year – brightly coloured, good for you and very yummy…..real happy food!

The first comes from Deon Braun – the publisher of the new TRAIL magazine. Deon had me waiting in anticipation ever since he put out this little temptation on Facebook… “you have to have a Pawpaw Bunny”….. so when I got my Trail Magazine just before Christmas the first thing I looked for was the Pawpaw Bunny…..

Deon comes from Durban, home of the famous Bunny Chow. Trail Magazine’s variation of the infamous Bunny is as follows…and let me also confess that I have eaten quite a few in the past week or so….. Thanks to Deon and Trail magazine for this recipe

Pawpaw Bunny

Take one pawpaw – size depends on how hungry you are….

Peel it with a potato peeler

Cut it in half an scoop out the pips

Mash or finely cut up one half and fill the remaining half some of this

Spoon over heaps of plain yoghurt

Sprinkle with heaps of ground cinnamon

Sprinkle with brown caramel sugar (or honey or nothing sweet if you so desire)

Eat and enjoy….

NB: The flavour mix of pawpaw, cinnamon and yoghurt is quite magical

The second is: Happy Carrot Soup

Why is it happy soup: well, there is wine in it, chicken stock to cure all ills, a really nice colour and ginger to spice things up and you can eat it hot or cold…..

You will need:

Enough butter to sauté the onions and garlic

1 large onion chopped

About a litre and half of chicken stock – I use those new Knorr stock jelly cubes… but you can make your own

2 teaspoons of finely chopped ginger (according to taste – more if you like ginger)

1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (also according to taste but not too much that it swamps the other flavors)

1 cup good dry white wine

Large bunch of carrots, cut into smallish pieces

2 tablespoons lemon juice, pinch curry powder, salt & ground pepper

Chopped fresh chives or parsley

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, ginger and garlic; sweat it with the lid on for about 15 – 20 minutes, heat down to low.

Add the stock, wine and carrots. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the carrots are very tender, about 45 minutes. Make sure it is not too liquid – the soup must be thickish…..

Puree the soup in a blender. Season with lemon juice, curry powder, salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chives or parsley. Serve hot or cold.

A good dollop of cream or plain yoghurt on top of the soup is wonderful!