Meze Platter With McCain Sweet Potato Fries
250 g McCain Sweet Potato Fries (deep fried as per pack instructions)
Dried rosemary (to season)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season)
Pickled vegetable sticks
5 ml celery seeds
2 ml cumin seeds
250 ml apple cider vinegar
60 ml water
30 ml castor sugar
2 celery stems (8 cm cut into thirds lengthways)
¼ cucumber (8 cm cut into batons lengthways)
½ red pepper (8 cm cut into batons lengthways)
100 g McCain Fingerling Carrots (defrosted cut half lengthways)
Cucumber and mint cottage cheese dip
250 g chunky cottage cheese
100 g cucumber (washed and diced)
6 fresh mint leaves (chiffonade)
Salt and freshly ground black/white pepper (to season)
Bobotie falafel balls with a spicy honey glaze (makes 36 balls)
2x 400 g can chickpeas (drained)
30 ml cooking oil
1 onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
30 ml mild curry powder
30 ml apricot jam
60 ml raisins (finely chopped)
30 ml apple cider vinegar
1 slice white bread
40 ml milk
2 eggs (beaten)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to season)
Spicy honey glaze
125 ml honey
3 ml paprika
3 ml fine black pepper
2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
Corn frittata (makes 15 miniature muffin size)
5 eggs
100 g McCain Cut Corn
1 spring onion (finely chopped)
50 g feta cheese (crumbled)
Salt and ground white pepper (to season)
Sweet pepper and tomato salsa
1 onion (sliced)
60 g sugar
80 g sweet piquanté peppers (roughly chopped)
200 g cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Rocket (for garnish)
Serving Size: 6
- For lightly pickled vegetable sticks: In a small saucepan, toast the celery and cumin seeds, add in the sugar and allow to caramelise slightly, remove from heat and add in vinegar and water and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add to a heat proof bowl along with the prepared vegetables. Allow to stand for up to 3 hours. Drain and serve vegetables with platter.
- For the cucumber and mint cottage cheese dip: In a small mixing bowl, fold together the cottage cheese, cucumber and mint with seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until just before serving.
- For bobotie falafel balls: In a food processor add the chickpeas, oil, onions and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Remove and place into a large bowl with the curry powder, apricot jam, raisins and vinegar. Place the bread into the bowl and cover with milk. Allow to soak. Using a fork, break the bread into the onion mix and stir to combine, add in eggs. Mix well to combine and season well.
- Meanwhile, for the glaze: In a small saucepan heat the ingredients and allow to stand to infuse flavours. Keep aside in a heat proof bowl to heat if necessary for serving.
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Using a 15 ml measuring spoon roll the mixture into balls. Place onto a lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Brush with honey glaze and then bake for a further 5 minutes until golden and sticky. Drizzle falafels with remaining honey glaze when serving.
- For corn frittata: Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a miniature muffin tin and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and seasoning, add in the McCain Cut Corn, spring onion and feta cheese. Spoon into the baking tin. Bake for 15 minutes or until eggs have set and top is golden. Allow to cool slightly before removing from tin.
- For salsa: In a medium pot, heat the ingredients and allow to simmer until liquid has reduced and has thickened.
- Arrange elements on a large platter and garnish with rocket.
Variations, Hints and Tips
- As an alternative, use beef mince instead of chickpeas for the bobotie balls recipe.
- Make the frittata in a square baking tin for a different shape, portion in squares or diamonds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set.
- Pre-make the frittata mix and refrigerate until cooking. This mix can keep up to 2 days covered and refrigerated.
