Fig and Olive Relish

Unassuming.

The word I can’t help but return to when I am thinking of the fig and olive relish we served at our recent Father’s Day lunch.

For it is modest, unpretentious, and certainly exhibiting no ostentation in its appearance.

But, friends, being unassuming does not mean it lacks interest. In fact, if some of the most unassuming people can turn out to be the most interesting, I don’t see why a lovely little relish cannot deliver the same!

Simply – dried figs, kalamata olives, sugar, vinegar, fennel and cinnamon. Coming together to create the perfect blend of sweet and salty – and a wonderful accompaniment to the meat dishes we had on offer at lunch.

And, as we later discovered, also rather tasty when served with some crumbly cheddar and crackers.

Unassuming..yes…but also very tasty!

Print Recipe
 Fig and Olive Relish
Course Sauces and relishes
Servings
Ingredients
Course Sauces and relishes
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan, with the reserved fig water, and bring to the boil.
  2. Reduce heat, and simmer gently (covered) for 20 minutes.
  3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Process in a food processor until smooth.
  4. Chill and serve.
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Buffalo Chicken Salad with Healthy Ranch Dressing

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There have been a lot of salads for dinner in the MCP kitchen of late, but the warmer weather brings with it my general craving for salads. Something cool and crunchy, with an added protein, and a nice homemade dressing – yes nice healthy end to the day when I don’t feel like turning the oven on.

This recipe for a Buffalo Chicken Salad that I came across here caught my attention. A spicy chicken, served on a bed of lettuce, carrots, celery and crunchy gala apples.But instead of going with a store-bought ranch dressing, I decided to make my own – with a couple healthy tweaks.

Greek yoghurt in place of mayonnaise, spiced up with garlic powder, mustard powder and a bunch of fresh herbs. And after playing around with the ingredients for a while, I soon had a blend that I will be sure to make again.

Tangy from the yoghurt, and packed with flavour owing to the fresh herbs, this is one versatile dressing! I think you could quite easily use it as a dip too – just add a little less water…

Healthy Ranch Dressing

  • 1 cup natural yogurt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • a handful of chopped fresh herbs (I used parsley, chopped dill and basil)
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 tbs water*
  1. Combine all ingredients with 1 tbs water. Add more water if you would like a thinner dressing (or keep it thicker if you are using it as a dip).
  2. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Spicy peanut sauce

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I’m not sure how I was introduced to spicy food. Growing up I didn’t eat a lot of spicy food, nor was my family that adventurous when it came time to eat out.  Sure we visited the local Chinese restaurant from time to time, but I recall only ordering mild dishes – such as omelettes or sweet and sour chicken.

But over the years I’ve really come to love spicy food. Perhaps it was the time we spent in Thailand, or having a partner who is definitely adventurous when eating out? Needless to say, aside from a rather random aversion during my pregnancy with Charlotte, I now tend to lean in favour of ‘hotter’ rather than milder, so much so that I will sprinkle chilli flakes on just about anything.

So when I had a hankering for peanut sauce the other day, I couldn’t resist adding a good amount of chilli to the mixture.  Resulting in a rather spicy peanut sauce, that was hot and flavoursome but still a little sweet.  And not to mention being super easy to make and void of lots of the nasties that you tend to find in jarred sauces.

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On this particular occasion we used the sauce to jazz up a tofu / vegetable stir-fry – but you could use it in so many other ways. A dipping sauce for chicken skewers comes to mind…

And you could easily tweak the recipe to make it milder, if that’s your preference, or add more chilli If you wanted it even hotter! IMG_8743

Spicy Peanut Sauce

  • 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts
  • 2 tbs kejap manis
  • 2 tbs hot chilli sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • zest and juice of half a lime
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • Water
  1. Process all ingredients (except for the water) until almost smooth.
  2. Add water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.