Seasonal menu change at Granny Mouse’s Bistro

With spring almost upon us, Culinary Artists at Granny Mouse Country House & Spa, Wayland Green and Theo Mannie are always looking at creating a new and exciting menu for the Bistro restaurant that is aimed at a wide variety of palates.

“As the season’s change, so do our taste palettes and not only that, here at Granny Mouse when creating menus for the restaurant, we believe in supporting local produce and thus need to ensure that our menu options keep in line with the seasonal produce of our local suppliers”,  commented Culinary Artist Theo Mannie.

If you want to impress your friends and family at home, be sure to use seasonal ingredients, besides it being fresh, it will definitely assist in providing a big saving on your monthly grocery bill.

Some recipes that the culinary artists have included below for you to try at home are:

Rare Roast Beef Salad

Ingredients – Fillet

  • Fillet x 100g
  • Salt x 1g
  • Pepper x 1g
  • Thyme x 2g
  • Garlic x 2g
  • Oil x 2ml
  • Butter x 5g

Ingredients – Salad

  • Radish x 10g
  • Micro Herbs x 10g

Ingredients – Balsamic Onion

  • Baby Onion x 20g
  • Balsamic Vinegar x 25ml
  • Sugar x 20g

Ingredients – Croutons

  • White Bread x 1 slice
  • Garlic x 5g
  • Oil x 5ml
  • Black Pepper x 1g

Method

  • Start by seasoning your fillet with the salt & pepper then rub it with oil. Place your fillet in a hot pan and sear on all sides till it is light brown.
  • Add you butter, thyme & garlic (cut garlic in half only) in the pan and when melted baste your fillet to give it a darker colour and the flavour of the garlic herb butter.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to rest.
  • Make garlic oil with the remaining oil & garlic.
  • Cut your bread into croutons (1cm x 1cm) and rub the garlic oil over. Place in the oven till golden brown & crispy.
  • Slice your radish into thin slices and mix with your micro herbs.
  • Peel your baby onions and cut in half. Separate all the layers.
  • In a sauce pan add your balsamic vinegar & sugar. Bring to a simmer and place in your onions. Reduce till your liquid starts thickening with you onions. Remove from the heat.
  • Start building your salad in a bowl or plate. Finish off with crushed black pepper and a drizzle of your balsamic reduction.

For the seafood lover the below will go down like a treat:

Tempura Prawns

Ingredients – Prawns

  • Prawns (Headless & Shelled) x 100g/8 small
  • Flour x 120g
  • Eggs x 2
  • Ice Water x 125ml
  • Salt x 2g
  • Pepper x 2g
  • Oil x 200ml

Ingredients – Sauce

  • Honey x 30ml
  • Soy Sauce x 15ml
  • Dried Chilli x 2g
  • Garlic x 2g
  • Ginger x 2g
  • Fish Sauce x 5ml
  • Coriander x 10g

Ingredients – Salad

  • Carrots x 10g
  • Red Cabbage x 10g
  • Micro Herbs x 5g
  • Salt x 1g
  • Pepper x 1g
  • Olive Oil x 5ml
  • Peanuts x 15g

Methods

  • Start by placing your liquids for the sauce in a saucepan along with you ginger, garlic & dried chilli and bring to a low simmer.
  • Allow to simmer for 10 minutes or till the sauce starts thickening. Once thickened and in your coriander (chopped) and set aside.
  • Julienne (thinly sliced) your carrot & red cabbage and place in a mixing bowl.
  • Add your micro herbs and peanuts to the carrots & cabbage.
  • Season and dress with olive oil. Mix well and set aside.
  • In a clean bowl a dry bowl add you flour and seasoning. Add in your eggs and whisk gently. Slowly add your ice water and whisk at a steady pace till a smooth batter forms.
  • Heat up your oil in a sauce pan or if you have a chip fryer that will work as well till hot.
  • Dust your prawns in plain flour and remove excess flour.
  • Dip you dusted prawns in the batter and place 1 at a time into the hot all. Remember to place the prawns away from you to prevent getting splashed with hot oil.
  • Fry for 2 minutes or till a light brown crust forms.
  • Remove from the oil and place on paper towel to get rid of any extra oil.
  • Place you slaw in a bowl and top with the prawns. Add your dipping sauce to a small bowl and serve or you can drizzle the sauce over the slaw and prawns.

Last up is the deliciously tasty chicken bowl Granny Mouse style:

Sesame Chicken Bowl

Ingredients – Sesame  Chicken

  • Chicken Breast x 100g
  • Salt x 1g
  • Pepper x 1g
  • Flour x 50g
  • Eggs x 1
  • Black Sesame Seeds x 5g
  • White Sesame Seeds x 5g
  • Oil x 50ml

Ingredients – Vegetables

  • Broccoli x 80g
  • Onion x 5g
  • Garlic x 2g
  • Ginger x 2g
  • Pak Choi x 100g
  • Cherry Tomato x 50g
  • Snap Peas/ Green Beans x 40g
  • Baby Corn x 35g
  • Salt x 2g
  • Pepper x 2g
  • Oil x 10ml

Method

  • Cut your chicken breast into strips and season.
  • Dust your strips in flour then place them into your beaten egg.
  • Remove from the egg and dust with sesame seeds.
  • Fry till your chicken is cook fully and still tender.
  • Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.
  • Get a pot of water on the stove for blanching your vegetables.
  • Cut your vegetables into evenly cut pieces and sent aside. (Broccoli, Baby Corn, Snap Peas)
  • Chop up your onions and grate your garlic & ginger.
  • Blanch your vegetables for 2 minutes and remove from the hot water.
  • Put a pan on the stove with your oil and heat up. Once heated sauté your onions, garlic & ginger.
  • Once the onion, garlic & ginger are lightly sautéed you can add your halved tomatoes. Sauté for 1 minute then add the rest of your vegetables.
  • Sauté till all the vegetables start to get a slight golden colour. You can now add in your Pak Choi/ Baby Spinach.
  • Sauté for 30 seconds and season. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl.
  • You can now add your Chicken strips to the vegetables and serve.

Bon Appétit!

For more information on booking lunch or a stay over contact Granny Mouse on 033 234 4071 or visit www.grannymouse.co.za