back to the future, dubai

They say there is a fine line between reality and fantasy. That fine line is Dubai. Situated on the Persian Gulf coast this city is made up of wonder, gold and delight. It's smoking hot, yes even in winter, as it is surrounded by desert and in summer can reach 50 degrees Celsius easily. 

I'm lucky enough to go visit as my brother flies for Emirates (proud little sister). When you land in this city the airport in itself is over whelming. Called the gateway to the world this airport handles over 60 million passengers a year, connecting flights to all over the world. Just the baggage claim area looks like you have stepped into a top notch Vegas hotel with its sky-high ceilings and perfect white floors. Exiting the building you are reminded of how grateful you are for the invention that is air conditioner.  

I stayed in business bay when I visited my brother who was excited to show me his lifestyle in Dubai. It's a place unlike any place I have ever visited. As we drove around I could not help but tilt my head up at the unique skyscrapers that make up Dubai. You really feel like you have stepped into the future as some of the designs don't even look as if they should be standing. From round buildings to buildings that look like jenga blocks, this city seems to be an architect's playground for their imagination and there is money to back it. The driving is crazy and the cars are all huge name brands. Ferraris scatter the streets as if they were red mnm's. It’s quite something to behold. 

Of course as with any of my trips there was one thing on my mind, food. 

My brother was geared for this and planned a few exciting experiences for my short stay in Dubai. I must confess in my head I was picturing authentic Arab cuisine out in the desert, all the time. However I soon realised with Dubai there is a catch, if you want to go out in the desert you have to go in winter, summer is hotter than a habanero and you will simply find it impossible to breath. That being said, every indoor space in Dubai is beautifully air-conditioned.

Dubai has built a tourist utopia; the city is made up of restaurants and experiences from all over the world. if it's the best it's in Dubai. The cuisine is exotic and exciting and you will find every nationality there you can imagine. They import chefs and chains from over the world that are the best at what they do. 

The one place I always visit is one of my favourites, jones the grocer. This is where I get my truffle oil from and where I discovered truffle oil and Parmesan French fries. They are simply mouth watering and embody all that is right with a flavour combination. Served with a burger big enough to share it is my one meal I must have every visit! 

I did manage to get to the fish markets and the old souks, which I felt, were more authentic in what was on offer. The fish markets where bustling with people everywhere. Fresh fish readily available and caught that day. It is a wonder why people would rather go to a store. Next door to the fish market was the fruit and veg market with everything available that you could think of. The people are loud and busy and you have to watch your step. You don't want to get in the way of a fruit seller making a deal! 

The old souks are something else. With people shouting deals at you every step you take I suggest you get geared up and ready to bargain. They sell gold, handbags, shoes and everything in between. Knock offs are dime a dozen but I must admit, some of them were rather dazzling. The Arabian woman covered in their burkas shop around in groups chatting away. You can't photograph them as it is against their religion but I did manage to get some great portraits of the men. 

After the souks we went to experience the marina. The lights are dazzling and you are reminded of the quieter more scenic side of Dubai. Over looking the water and enjoying an ice-cold beer we decided to get some paella. A real win when you are looking over the ocean with your loved ones and friends at sunset. 

Lets get to the Nitti gritty of Dubai. You want to go there to shop!!! It is mecca and there isn't a brand name you can think of that you will not find in the mall. Equipped with its own aquarium the Dubai mall, which is the largest shopping centers in the world, is something to behold. Girls get your running shoes on; this is not a job for uncomfortable shoes. It has over 1200 shops from electronics to Gucci and Prada. It also houses some fantastic restaurants that boast the best international cuisines and views over the world’s largest dancing water fountains. Dubai is truly built from the best by the best. 

I’m no authority and it's no rule - here it is, a list of the places I went to and loved.

jones the grocer 
aprons and hammers 
bur dubai souk
deira fish market
cheese cake factory
claw bbq
eataly

-Melissa 
 

marinated vegetable salad

Have you ever heard of Romanesco? Well here is a little lesson. It looks like a dinosaur went to a trance party and it tastes like a cabbage and a broccoli had a baby. It’s a beautiful veg that stands out from the crowd with it's mesmerizing patterns and bright green colour, almost as if it actually has a personality.

Strangely enough I wasn't familiar with it until I went to the grocery store and stumbled across it, I mean how can you miss it!? I might or might not be one of those people that buy something because it's pretty. (I will not be judged.) 

So of course I got a head of Romanesco and ventured back home and started the hunt for a recipe that I could use Romanesco in. this vegetable salad is one I feel does the Romanesco justice, along with all the other vegetables along side it. Its got crunch-which a) is my favourite texture and b) all vegetables should always have, in my opinion and a dressing that has a little kick and although it might not look like it, this salad packs a punch in flavour! 

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Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 aubergine, sliced into 5mm slices
• 2 large courgettes, sliced 5mm lengthways
• 1 pkt fine green beans
• 1 red pepper
• 1 yellow pepper
• 2 large beetroots

Herb dressing ingredients:

• large handful basil
• large handful parsley
• small handful mint
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 tblsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 tsp honey
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• 1 red chilli (if you would like)

Dressing instructions:

Finely chop all the herbs and the garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients; mix well and season to taste. You can also add some chopped red chilli if you are feeling brave.

Instructions:

Pop the beetroot into a pot of water and bring to the boil. Boil for about 20 minutes or until a tooth pick can through to the center easily. Once soft enough, run the beets under cold water and give them a squeeze, the skins should slip off easily enough

While the beets are on the boil, heat a griddle pan on high heat.

Lay the aubergine slices on paper towel and sprinkle with salt to remove any bitterness and excess moisture. Salting the aubergine does not affect the flavour. Once the grill pan is hot grill the aubergine on both sides until tasty grill lines appear, then set aside to cool.

Grill courgettes on one side or about 2 min then set aside to cool.

Grill both the peppers in the pan until nicely charred on all sides. Once the skins are scorched, pop in a bowel and immediately cover with plastic wrap. This will allow the peppers to steam their skins and make it easier to peel. Once the peppers are cool peel and remove the core with the seeds and slice in juicy lengths. Try a save the juices that come from the roasted peppers to add to the dressing.

Bring a pot of water to the boil and blanch beans, 3 minutes or so. 

Toss all the vegetables together in the dressing and serve

-Melissa 

caramelised onion, olive and rosemary focaccia

Everybody loves a carb. You can say what you like but anything to do with fresh bread is more often than not, salivated over. Not to say I am not for a healthy option on my day-to-day eating, as difficult as it can be but this focaccia takes carb loving to another dimension. Get your running shoes ready because when this focaccia comes out of the oven you will feel as if you are carbo-loading for a race. You won't just have one bite. It will turn your kitchen into a delicious smelling bakery that will leave you waiting anxiously peeping into the oven to see when it is done. Luckily the bake time isn't too bad and once it is out, you will have the ultimate focaccia, to not only eat as is but to transform into any delicious sandwich after.  

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serves: 8-10

ingredients:

• 5ml sugar
• 125ml tepid water
• 10g dry yeast
• 150ml boiling water
• 10ml sugar
• 15ml salt
• 60ml olive oil
• 150ml cold water
• 750g cake flour
• caramelised onions

Topping:

• rosemary sprigs
• pitted kalamata olives
• 3 large red onions, sliced
• large knob of butter
• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 sprigs rosemary

Instructions for caramelised onions:

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan and sauté onions until translucent. 

Add the vinegar, sugar and rosemary sprigs and cook on medium heat until vinegar has been reduced and onions are soft

Spice additions:

Thyme, mustard seeds, chilli flakes

Red wine can be substituted for the balsamic vinegar for a different flavour.

Instructions for bread:

Preheat oven to 230C.

Mix together 5ml sugar and tepid water. If your water is too hot it will kill your yeast. Stir in yeast and set aside to let it activate.

Combine 150ml-boiling water with 10ml sugar, salt and oil in a jug.

Add 150ml cold water and combine with yeast mixture.

Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the center and tip in the yeast mixture. Mix to a soft dough adding extra liquid or flour as needed.

Tip dough onto a flour surface and cover with an upturned bowl and allow to relax for 5mins.

Knead thoroughly until smooth, elastic and no longer sticky at least 10mins. if you are using an electric mixer with a dough hook, put it on a medium speed for 10 minutes. 

Turn into an oiled bowl cover with a tea towel and set in a warm place to double its bulk. If you don't have a sunny window let it stand next to a warm oven. 

Roll out the dough and place on an oiled baking sheet.  Press firmly over the surface of the bed forming indentations. Allow bread to double in size once more.

Brush the surface heavily with olive oil, spread caramelised onions evenly over, as well as olives and rosemary. Season with sea salt flakes.

Put in the oven and immediately reduce temperature to 200C.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden once cooled slice into soldiers. Serve with balsamic and olive oil for dunking!

-Melissa

wild mushroom risotto

A few years ago, when my mom and I had just moved to Durban, my mom was making new friends and having them over for one of her famous dinner parties. From the decked out table to the flowers, my mom is a master at hosting and cooking. The new friends coming over were a delight and she couldn't wait to impress them. Hours before she was in the kitchen cooking away and making sure everything was perfect. We were having prawn risotto. She tucked the completed meal into the warming draw, washed up and got ready for her guests to arrive. After the welcome drinks it was time for dinner. My mom’s new friends were offered to dish up first. Much to my mother shock as she was dishing, she realized that the risotto had gone stogy and was now like porridge, which you couldn't flick of the spoon if you tried. After dinner it came out. Jackie, my mom’s new friend was a chef (which she politely let out during dinner) the laughter that preceded the porridge like risotto has now resulted in a best friendship that has been going for 14 years! 

Risotto has that reputation of being difficult to make and even harder to not over cook. With this recipe I believe we will break boundaries. The biggest trick is to finish it off, as you are about to serve. But who knows, if it bombs there might be a best friendship in the mix for you. 

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup wild mushrooms
• 30g dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 500ml warm water
• 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
• 500ml light chicken stock
• 200g arborio rice
• 80g parmesan cheese
• 30g butter
• Salt and pepper

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Instructions:

Remove porcini mushrooms from soaking liquid and gently squeeze. Mix the porcini stock with the chicken stock and reserve for cooking. Chop up the porcini and fresh wild mushrooms. Fry in small batches until nice and caramelised set aside for later. Don’t add to much oil when you are frying, as you don't want them to go soggy. 

Sauté onions gently in olive oil until light golden in colour over a medium heat. 

Add Arborio rice and stir until is completely coated in oil. You will see the rice go slightly translucent while you are frying it with the onions. at this stage you can begin to add the stock. 

Add 100ml hot stock and stir continuously until it has been almost completely absorbed, then add another 100ml. repeat the process with the remaining stock. If you wish to wait until your guests arrive then you will stop the cooking half way through the stock. When your guests arrive put the pan back on your medium heat and continue the process of adding the stock and stirring in until it is absorbed. Remember your stock must be hot! 

Test to see if the rice is cooked when you add the last addition of stock.

The rice should be creamy, tender but with a slight bite. if not quite tender enough continue adding spoonful’s of water until cooked through.

To serve, stir through mushrooms, Parmesan and butter season to taste and serve immediately.

-Melissa 

tea poached asian chicken salad

This salad embodies two of my favourite things, crunch and Asian flavours. It’s fresh and healthy and the poached chicken its just so juicy! I've always wondered how patient a chef is to julienne vegetables but to be honest, with the invention of a peeler that julienne’s that fascination has disappeared. I can how ever confirm that it is a lot of fun grabbing your veg and slicing them into tiny perfect strips for this salad. 

The dressing for this salad takes me straight to Thailand. I can picture myself standing in the street food markets in Kopanghan dunking my chicken satay into the sauce. Some of the best memories of my life were had in Thai food markets. Perhaps that’s why this salad has such a special place in my recipe heart. We hired a scooter and whenever we wanted, nipped to different parts of the island we were on. After feeding an elephant a few bananas we stumbled across this amazing little food court, out in the open, where all the locals got their fill. From fresh sushi, chicken satay’s and fruit shakes this place was like mecca. I'm very open to the fact that I might of ate myself into a food coma that day but I can assure you that it was worth every. Single. Bite. 

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serves: 2

Ingredients:

• lapsang suchong tea
• 2 chicken fillets
• 1 carrot, finely sliced on the length
• small handful of fine green beans
• 1 cup red cabbage, finely sliced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup coriander leaves
• 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• ½ cup pumpkin seeds, roasted
• ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds

Asian dressing:

• 3 tblsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 2 tblsp honey
• 1 tblsp mint, finely chopped
• ½ cup olive oil or sesame oil
• salt and pepper

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Instructions:

Bring 500ml water with tea to the boil in a saucepan. I usually use a small strainer and fill that with the tealeaves, and just put in straight into the water. Add your chicken fillets and simmer for 12mins. You can turn the chicken around at the 6-minute mark. Remove and let cool.  Once cool slice chicken and toss with the rest of the ingredients (that you have julienned by knife or by slicer) and dressing, season with salt and pepper and plate.

Asian dressing:

Blend all the ingredients together and season to taste. 

Serve on a hot summers day with some fresh infused waters! 

-Melissa