Buy This Book.

If you’ve been to Thailand and eaten street food, you’ll know what I’m talking about when I say it’s incomparable and unbeatable. If you haven’t, you should go. And if you have been and were too sissy to eat the street food, well, you’re a moron. But you can still buy the book. There’s not much else to it. Just buy it. It’s written by the chef of a Michelin-star Thai restaurant (nahm in London). It’s one of those big, fat and heavy books that look great on your coffee table. But you’ll want to use it in the kitchen too. It has great images and is well put together. And it has some killer recipes. Like this Crab Wonton and Barbecued Pork Soup – see pic below (taken of book, not my version). Wait, let me say that again: Crab Wonton and Barbecued Pork Soup. How ridiculously good does that sound? Imagine that for lunch today?

(available at Chefs Warehouse)

This is What You Should be Eating.

I’m not going to mess around. It’s Friday. We have very little time, since the Friday work day is actually only three hours long. And I don’t want to waste any of yours. However, if you’re one of the few people that work Friday afternoons, there is a treat for you too. Anyways, back to my point: just because winter is coming it doesn’t mean you need to get fat. Phew, that’s it. I said it. Now repeat it. It’s true. You can eat hearty, rich and delicious foods this winter without looking like a pork banger come Spring. You can eat well without the thought have extra gym workouts in September. You can even eat more… bacon!!

How? You just have to balance your fatty foods with healthy foods. Simple. Duh. Basically, if you’re going to eat a big, fat juicy steak with Bearnaise sauce, remember to balance it with some good greens. Pile on the asparagus and mushrooms. If you’re going to eat bacon and eggs for breakfast, think about a tuna salad for lunch. Or better yet, think about having your bacon in your soup, with beans, so you get your good tasty food along with the healthy food.

And that’s it. No rocket science. No “I’m Dr Fatkins and I can save you” BS. Nope. Just a simple concept that works. Like this simple recipe for bacon and bean soup below. Yes, beans. I hear the sniggers, but despite the thoughts of your duvet rising off you in the night due to increased gaseous exchange, beans are super tasty and very healthy. So eat them. Lots of them.

Oh, and if you’re ‘working’ Friday afternoon (and have time on your hands), here’s what not to eat…  www.thisiswhyyourefat.com

Otherwise, here’s my recipe for Bacon & Borlotti Bean Soup:

Ingredients:

1/2 pack streaky bacon, diced

1 tin borlotti beans, drained and rinsed

1 tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 tin whole peeled tomatoes

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

5 carrots, finely diced

750ml chicken stock

1 handful parsley, finely chopped

olive oil

Preparation:

Saute the onion in some olive oil on medium-low heat for 10 minutes in a medium-size saucepan

Add the garlic, carrots and the streaky bacon pieces and fry another 10 minutes

Add the tin tomatoes and the beans, and allow to come to boil

Add the stock and stir to mix ingredients well, then cover and simmer for 45 minutes (the longer you simmer, the better it tastes) stirring occasionally to prevent sticking at bottom

Season generously with salt (Maldon, of course) and black pepper, and serve in bowls garnished with some parsley and a decent splash of olive oil

The Sunday Burger.

Okay, yesterday I was supposed to go to a dinner with friends, but copped out because I was too hungover from the night before. I would never normally do something as juvenile as that, but then again, it was a wedding in Riebeek-Kasteel and I really was hanging. And I hadn’t committed to the dinner really. Anyways, the point was it was a late Sunday afternoon and I had a burger craving. Yet I didn’t really feel social. At all. In any way. So the only option was to make one at home. Off to Woolies. Back home. And I made this beast pictured above. A serious monster, it’s a 100% beef burger with mushroom sauce and fried egg served on an English muffin. Mmmm. So easy. Below is how. And don’t get lean mince. You want mince with a bit of fat. Fat = flavour, folks, so don’t be scared. You’ll run it off tomorrow. Oh, and yes, you’re going to fry it in butter. Not oil. Not anything else. Butter.

Ingredients (makes two, and you’ll only need one per person, I promise):

300g free-range beef mince (not lean!)

100g mushrooms, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

100ml fresh cream

handful rocket leaves

2 eggs

6 slices mature cheddar cheese

handful Italian flat parsley, chopped

2 English muffins, halved

salt & pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

Saute the onions for two minutes in half the butter, then add the garlic and mushrooms and saute another 5 minutes

Add the cream and let simmer another 3 minutes, season with salt & pepper then set aside

Divide the mince into two portions, mix in a good pinch salt and pepper into each

Mix the two into soft balls of mince, then flatten individually between your palms into two patties

Fry patties in hot pan in the other half of the butter

Cook on each side for 3 minutes, then again on the first for 4 minutes (timing is for patties about two-fingers thick)

When you turn it over (for the last time now), top with the slices of cheddar

Move the patties to one side of the pan, and fry the eggs in the other until ready

Serving:

Toast your English muffin halves and put onto two plates

Place rocket on top, then patties, then eggs, then cover with the mushroom sauce and finally chopped parsley.

You’re done.

Now enjoy with a glass of The Hedonist Red Blend 2008, for extreme hangover treatment.

*in hindsight I realise this burger is missing bacon. Please add streaky bacon when you make it. I will next time. How could I not have???!