Table for two

Whip up a delicious meal then pair it with the perfect wine. By Mari-Louis Guy and Callie Maritz

Tomato salad with rocket and Parmesan
Ingredients
• 1 punnet cocktail tomatoes
• Salt and pepper
• Balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 6 large tomatoes
• ½ small cucumber
• Two slices good-quality bread
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 100g goat’s cheese
• Handful wild rocket

Method
1 Preheat oven to 160°C.
2 Halve the larger cocktail tomatoes and leave the smaller ones whole.
3 Season with salt and pepper, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
4 Roast until shrivelled.
5 Slice and quarter the large tomatoes.
6 Deseed the cucumber, slice into rings, and then halve the rings.
7 Rub the bread slices with one clove fresh garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
8 Chop the other clove of garlic and sprinkle over bread.
9 Place on a baking tray and pop into the oven. When brown, turn and toast until crisp. Break into pieces.
10 Slice the cheese into rounds and place in the oven until soft and melting.
11 Combine the fresh and roasted tomatoes, and then pour the roasting juice over them.
12 Add the cucumber slices, then the bread and top with the soft cheese. Toss with the rocket leaves and serve

Chilled avocado cream soup with chimichurri (serves 4-6)

Ingredients For the soup
• 3 spring onion stems
• 1 lemon grass stem
• 3 ripe avocados
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cups veggie stock
• 250g crème fraîche
• Chimichurri, to serve

For the chimichurri
• 1 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 spring onion
• 1 fresh chilli
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper

Method For the soup
1 Chop the spring onions. Remove the outer layers of the lemon grass and chop the remaining piece.
2 Peel and core the avos and drizzle with lemon juice.
3 Put all the ingre-dients into a food processor and blitz until creamy and smooth. Chill for at least one hour.
4 Serve with extra crème fraîche and chimichurri.

For the chimichurri
1 Finely chop the coriander, garlic, spring onion and chilli.
2 Combine olive oil, vinegar and lime juice.
3 Grind dry ingredients in a pestle, adding the wet ingredients slowly. Season to taste.
4 Keep refrigerated for up to two days.

Strawberry and granadilla stacks (Makes about 6)

Ingredients
For the biscuits
• 1½ cups cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Pinch salt• 200g butter, grated
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup cream

For the fruit
• 1 punnet strawberries
• 2 granadillas
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 1 cup cream
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Method For the biscuits
1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
2 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Gently rub the butter into the flour mixture.
3 Add the milk and cream to form a soft dough (if it’s too moist, add more flour).
4 Dust your work surface with flour and gently shape the dough into a square (one centimetre thick).
5 Cut out large circles. Brush with cream.
6 Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

For the fruit
1 Wash and hull the strawberries.
2 Halve the grana-dillas and mix the pulp with the strawberries.
3 Sprinkle with icing sugar and stir through. Refrigerate until needed.
4 Whip the cream and sugar until it forms soft peaks. Add the vanilla essence and mix.
5 Halve the biscuits with a serrated knife. Top with strawberries and cream and serve.

Rack of lamb with roast potatoes
Ingredients
• 4 large potatoes
• 2 garlic heads
• Olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt and pepper
• 2 racks of lamb
• Handful fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• Mint sauce

Method
1 Preheat oven to 200°C.
2 Scrub potatoes and cut into wedges, then place in an oven dish with the garlic heads. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season.
3 Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden and cooked.
4 Heat oil in a large skillet and sear lamb.
5 Chop the parsley and garlic cloves, then combine with the breadcrumbs.
6 Lightly whisk the egg and add to the breadcrumbs. Add enough lemon juice to form a slightly wet mixture. Season well.
7 Pat the fatty side of the lamb with the mixture to form a crust.
8 Place in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how rare you want it done.
9 Serve with the potatoes and mint sauce.