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Recipe by : chef ssentongo

> * THIS IS AVOCADO CAPRESE SALAD WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE — heirloom tomatoes, avocado, mozzarella pearls, basil, and that glossy balsamic drizzle. It’s summer on a plate.

Avocado Caprese Salad
Serves 4-6 as side | Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the Salad

2 large heirloom tomatoes, red
2 large heirloom tomatoes, yellow/orange
2 ripe avocados, firm but yielding
250g mozzarella pearls or bocconcini, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, large ones torn
1 tsp flaky sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, best quality

For the Balsamic Glaze — dark drizzle in photo

½ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey or brown sugar

Store-bought glaze works too. Look for “balsamic reduction” or “crema di balsamico”.

Method

1. Make glaze: Simmer balsamic + honey in small pan 8-10 min until thick + syrupy. It should coat a spoon. Cool. It thickens more as it cools. Makes ~¼ cup.

2. Prep veg: Slice tomatoes + avocados into 1cm thick rounds. Use a sharp knife so avocado doesn’t mash. Squeeze lemon on avocado if prepping ahead to prevent browning.

3. Assemble: On large round platter, alternate tomato slices + avocado slices in overlapping rows like photo. Tuck mozzarella pearls down the center and around edges. Scatter cherry tomato halves if you have them.

4. Season: Drizzle olive oil over everything. Sprinkle flaky salt + cracked pepper generously — this is key for flavor.

5. Finish: Drizzle balsamic glaze in zigzags over salad. Scatter fresh basil leaves on top + around plate. Add extra cracked pepper.

6. Serve: Immediately. Avocado browns and basil wilts if it sits too long.

Tips for Photo Look

Color: Use red + yellow/orange heirloom tomatoes for contrast. Green avocado + white mozzarella + red tomatoes = Italian flag colors.
Slices: Cut all ingredients similar thickness, ∼1cm. Uniform = pro look.
Arrangement: Overlapping rows with mozzarella line down center gives structure. Don’t just dump it.
Glaze: Use squeeze bottle or spoon to drizzle thin lines. Thick globs look messy.
Basil: Whole small leaves + torn large ones. Add last second so they stay bright green.
Plate: Dark rustic plate makes colors pop. White works too but less dramatic.

Key Notes

Tomatoes: Use best quality, in-season tomatoes. If they’re mealy or bland, the salad fails. Heirlooms have flavor + color. Beefsteak or Roma work if heirlooms unavailable.

Avocado: Should be ripe but firm. Mushy avocado smears. Underripe won’t slice clean. Press gently — slight give at stem end.

Mozzarella: Pearls = cute and no cutting. Bocconcini or ciliegine size. If using large ball, tear into 2cm chunks. Don’t use hard shredded mozzarella.

Balsamic: Glaze is thick + sweet. Regular balsamic vinegar is too thin and acidic — it’ll pool and make salad soggy. Reduction is essential for that glossy look.

Make ahead: Glaze keeps 2 weeks in fridge. Slice tomatoes 1 hr ahead max. Slice avocado right before serving. Assemble max 15 min before eating.

Variations

Peach Caprese: Swap 1 tomato for ripe peaches in summer. Sweet + amazing.

Pesto drizzle: Thin 2 tbsp pesto with olive oil, drizzle alongside balsamic.

Protein: Add prosciutto slices or grilled chicken to make it a main.

Why This Works
Caprese = tomato + mozzarella + basil. Avocado adds creaminess + healthy fat. Balsamic glaze adds sweet-acidic punch. Salt + pepper + good olive oil make simple ingredients sing. It’s about quality, not technique.

In Juba
Heirloom tomatoes: Use best local tomatoes — mix red + yellow if possible. Mozzarella pearls: Sub fresh mozzarella ball, torn. Balsamic glaze: Reduce local balsamic vinegar + honey as above. Basil: If unavailable, use mint + parsley, but flavor changes.

Total time: 15 min. No cooking except glaze. Feeds 4-6 as side, 2-3 as light lunch with bread.

This is peak summer eating — no heat, 15 minutes, and it looks like art.

Want a grilled version with charred tomatoes, or watermelon-feta twist for even more color?

> * This is an Ultimate Game Day Feast Board — pizza, double cheeseburgers, fried chicken tenders, wings, nuggets, loaded nachos, fries, celery, and 5 sauces. It’s party food for 8-10 people.

Game Day Feast Board Recipes
Serves 8-10 | Total Time: 2.5 hours

1. Pepperoni Pizza — center left

Dough: 2¼ tsp yeast + 1½ cups warm water + 1 tsp sugar + 3½ cups flour + 2 tsp salt + 2 tbsp olive oil. Knead 8 min, rise 1 hr.

Toppings: ¾ cup pizza sauce + 250g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded + 60g pepperoni slices + 1 tsp dried oregano.

Method: Roll 35cm circle. Sauce to edges, cheese, pepperoni. Bake at 260°C on hot stone/steel 10-12 min until crust is golden + pepperoni cups curl.

2. Double Smash Cheeseburgers — front center

Ingredients — makes 2 double burgers

500g ground beef 80/20, divided into 4x 125g balls
4 sesame burger buns
4 slices American or cheddar cheese
Lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles
4 tbsp burger sauce: 2 tbsp mayo + 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tsp mustard + 1 tsp pickle juice

Method: Cast iron screaming hot. Smash each ball thin, 2 min. Salt + pepper. Flip, cheese on 2 patties, 1 min. Stack to make doubles. Toast buns in fat. Build: sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, 2 patties, pickle, top bun.

3. Buttermilk Fried Chicken Tenders — front right + basket

Ingredients

1kg chicken tenders or breast strips
2 cups buttermilk + 1 tbsp hot sauce
2 cups flour + 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tsp paprika + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp black pepper

Method: Marinate chicken in buttermilk 1-8 hrs. Dredge in seasoned flour, press hard. Rest 10 min. Fry at 175°C for 4-5 min until golden + 74°C inside. That craggy crust like photo = double dredge if you want extra crunch.

4. Buffalo Chicken Wings — left side

Ingredients

1.5kg chicken wings, split
1 tsp salt + 1 tsp baking powder, for crispness
½ cup Frank’s RedHot
4 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp honey

Method: Toss wings in salt + baking powder. Bake 220°C on rack 45 min, flip once, until crisp. Toss in warm buffalo sauce: hot sauce + butter + honey. Serve with celery sticks like photo.

5. Crispy Chicken Nuggets — bowl center + basket

Ingredients

500g ground chicken or chicken breast, cubed small
1 cup flour + 1 cup panko + 2 eggs beaten
1 tsp paprika + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp salt

Method: Season chicken. Dredge: flour, egg, panko. Press crumbs on. Fry 175°C for 3-4 min until golden + 74°C. These are the bite-size nuggets in the red bowl.

6. Loaded Nachos — back right

Ingredients

1 large bag tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar + Monterey Jack
1 cup cooked taco beef or chicken
½ cup black beans
¼ cup pickled jalapeños
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup cilantro + green onion

Method: Layer half chips + half cheese + meat + beans on sheet pan. Repeat. Broil 3-4 min until melted. Top with jalapeños + onion + cilantro like photo. Serve with salsa + sour cream.

7. French Fries — 2 bowls

Ingredients

6 large russet potatoes, cut 1cm batons
Oil for frying
Salt

Method: Soak cut potatoes 30 min. Dry. Fry 160°C for 4 min. Cool. Fry 190°C for 3 min until golden like photo. Salt immediately. Makes 2 big bowls.

8. Celery Sticks — left with wings
Prep: 4 celery stalks, cut into 10cm sticks. Ice water 10 min to crisp. Classic with wings.

9. The Sauces — 5 ramekins

Ranch: ½ cup mayo + ¼ cup sour cream + 1 tbsp buttermilk + ½ tsp garlic powder + ½ tsp dill + salt.
Ketchup: Store-bought.
Honey Mustard: ¼ cup mayo + 2 tbsp Dijon + 2 tbsp honey + 1 tsp lemon.
Marinara: ½ cup pizza sauce, warmed. For nuggets/pizza crust.
BBQ: Store-bought or ½ cup ketchup + 2 tbsp brown sugar + 1 tbsp vinegar + 1 tsp smoked paprika.

Game Plan for One Person
This is 8 components. Stage it:

Day Before: Pizza dough, marinate chicken tenders, cut potatoes, make all sauces.

3 Hours Before: Bake wings. They reheat well.

1 Hour Before: Fry chicken tenders + nuggets. Keep warm 120°C oven.

45 Min Before: Make pizza. While it bakes, assemble nachos.

20 Min Before: Second fry for chips. Smash burgers last — they take 4 min total.

Serve: Burgers + fries + pizza must be last. Everything else holds heat.

Plating Like the Photo

Base: Rustic wood table. Scatter whole tomatoes + parsley for color.
Board: Large wood board for burgers + tenders + fries + 2 sauces.
Pizza: Separate plate/board, full pie.
Wings: Plate with celery. Ranch on side.
Nuggets: Red basket with checkered paper + sauce.
Nachos: White oval dish, loaded high.
Fries: Big bowl back, plus board.
Sauces: Small white ramekins spread around.
Abundance: No empty space. Overlap boards. More is more.

Tips for Photo Look

Color: Red pepperoni, golden fried food, green celery/parsley, red sauces = contrast.
Height: Stack burgers tall, pile nuggets high, nachos mounded.
Crisp: Everything fried should be fresh. Soggy = sad photo.
Cheese: Burgers + pizza + nachos need visible melt + stretch.
Grill marks: If using pan for burgers, get it smoking hot for sear.

Key Notes

Make ahead: Wings, tenders, nuggets all fry well and reheat 5 min at 200°C. Pizza dough can be made 3 days ahead, cold ferment.

Healthier: Air fry wings 400°F 20 min, tenders 400°F 10 min. Bake fries 220°C 25 min.

No fryer: Oven-bake all breaded items 220°C on rack, spray with oil, 15-20 min.

Feeds: 8-10 adults as full meal, 15+ as appetizers for party.

In Juba
Pepperoni: Use salami or beef sausage slices. Frank’s RedHot: Sub any cayenne hot sauce + butter. Buttermilk: 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice. Panko: Crush cornflakes.

This is Super Bowl, birthday party, or “feed the whole crew” food. Pick 3-4 items for normal dinner. All 8 is a project.

Want a baked version of everything to skip frying, or vegetarian swaps for the board?

> * This is a CLASSIC AMERICAN HOTEL BREAKFAST Spread — tall pancake stack, crispy bacon, cheesy scrambled eggs, croissants, fresh fruit, muesli, coffee, and OJ. The whole continental + American combo.

Full Breakfast Spread for 4
Time: 40 minutes | Serves 4

1. Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes — tall stack front left

Ingredients — makes 8-10 pancakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Maple syrup + butter, for serving

Method

Mix dry: Whisk flour + sugar + baking powder + baking soda + salt.
Mix wet: Whisk buttermilk + eggs + melted butter + vanilla.
Combine: Pour wet into dry. Stir until just mixed. Lumps are good — overmixing = tough pancakes. Rest 5 min.
Cook: Medium heat griddle. Light butter. Use ⅓ cup batter per pancake. Bubbles form + edges set = flip, 2-3 min per side. Golden brown like photo.
Stack: Keep warm in 90°C oven. Serve with butter + warm maple syrup poured over.

2. Crispy Bacon — with pancake stack

Ingredients

12 strips thick-cut bacon

Method
Oven method: Best for even strips. Lay on rack over sheet pan. 200°C for 15-18 min until crisp. No flipping, no mess.
Pan method: Medium heat 8-10 min, flip once. Drain on paper towels. You want flat, crisp strips like photo.

3. Cheesy Scrambled Eggs — plate front right

Ingredients

8 large eggs
¼ cup whole milk or cream
2 tbsp butter
¾ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt + black pepper
1 tbsp chives, optional

Method

Whisk: Eggs + milk + pinch salt until smooth.
Low + slow: Melt butter in nonstick pan on low heat. Add eggs.
Stir: Constantly push eggs with spatula from edges to center. Small, soft curds.
Finish: When still slightly wet, off heat. Stir in cheese. Residual heat melts it. Creamy, not dry. Season with pepper.

4. Croissants — basket back left
Shortcut: Buy 4 quality bakery croissants. Warm at 160°C for 5 min before serving. That steam in photo = fresh from oven.
Serve: In cloth-lined basket to keep warm.

5. Fresh Fruit Plates — small plates

Plate 1: 1 kiwi sliced + 4 strawberries + 1 orange slice
Plate 2: ½ kiwi sliced + 3 strawberries + 3 blackberries + 2 raspberries

Prep: Wash, pat dry. Slice kiwi and oranges last minute. Arrange by color for photo look.

6. Muesli Bowl — back right
Quick version: 1 cup rolled oats + 2 tbsp sliced almonds + 2 tbsp raisins or dried fruit + 1 tbsp sunflower seeds.
Serve: With cold milk or yogurt on side. The bowl in photo has milk already added.

7. Drinks

Black Coffee: Brew fresh. 2 tbsp ground coffee per 180ml water. Serve in white cup like photo, steam shows it’s hot. Sugar + cream on side.

Orange Juice: Fresh squeezed is best — 4 oranges = 1 glass. Or quality not-from-concentrate, chilled. Tall glass like photo.

Timeline So Everything’s Hot
40 min before: Oven to 200°C. Coffee brewing. Slice fruit, chill. Start bacon in oven.
30 min before: Mix pancake batter, rest. Warm croissants last 5 min of bacon cook.
20 min before: Start pancakes, batch cook. Keep warm in oven.
10 min before: Scramble eggs — they take 3-4 min only.
5 min before: Pour OJ, plate fruit, fill muesli bowl.
Serve: Pancakes + bacon + eggs must be last. Everything hits table together.

Tips for Photo Look

Pancakes: Even golden brown = consistent medium heat. Wipe pan between batches. Stack 5 high, syrup drizzle over top + sides.
Eggs: Cheddar melted in = yellow color like photo. Low heat prevents brown spots.
Bacon: Oven = flat strips, no curling. Blot grease for clean look.
Fruit: Bright, no brown edges. Kiwi green + strawberry red + blackberry = contrast.
Steam: Real steam needs hot food + cool room. Serve coffee + croissants immediately.
Plating: White plates on wood table. Cloth napkin + multiple forks = hotel vibe.

Key Notes

Pancakes not fluffy: Check baking powder date. Don’t overmix. Batter should be thick but pourable.

Eggs rubbery: Heat was too high. Low + slow is the rule. Pull off when still glossy.

Bacon chewy: Didn’t cook long enough, or oven temp too low. Should shatter when you bite.

No buttermilk: 2 cups milk + 2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar. Sit 5 min.

Make Ahead

Night before: Mix pancake dry ingredients. Slice fruit, store with paper towel to absorb moisture.
Morning of: Bacon can reheat 1 min in hot pan. Pancakes freeze well — toast to reheat.

In Juba
Buttermilk: Use DIY version. Maple syrup: Sub honey warmed with 1 tbsp butter. Croissants: Local bakery or supermarket. Berries: Use mango + pineapple + watermelon if out of season. Cheddar: Any melting cheese works.

Total active time: 40 min. Feeds 4 as big breakfast, 6 if lighter appetites.

This is Sunday brunch or hotel breakfast energy. Sweet + savory + hot + cold + crisp + soft all on one table.

Want a waffles swap for the pancakes, or sausage + hash browns to make it a bigger fry-up?

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