Eggs and hollandaise

SUNDAY’S BEST EGGS BENEDICT

The best part about eggs Benedict is the silky, tangy hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise is one of the mother sauces from which many variations are made, including Béarnaise, which is typically made alongside steak and frites. I developed a recipe for a cheat’s hollandaise that requires less effort, time and technicality than the original recipes. The best part? It tastes just as good. – Leandri

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SERVES 4

FOR THE HOLLANDAISE

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Place the Parma ham slices on a silicone mat and sprinkle over a little olive oil before placing them in the oven to crisp up. This will take between 5 and 10 minutes, so watch them carefully. Remove them from the oven and set aside until serving.
  2. To make the hollandaise, beat the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl or saucepan set over a saucepan of simmering water until well combined. Add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly start beating in the melted butter, making sure not to do it too fast, otherwise the sauce might seize. Cover with cling wrap and keep the container in a bowl of warm water until needed for serving.
  3. Bring a wide saucepan of water to a simmer. Add a splash of white wine vinegar. Crack each egg into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently plop the eggs into the water one by one. Allow them to gently cook in the simmering water before lifting them out with a slotted spoon. For a runny yolk, poach the eggs for 4 minutes. For a yolk that is just starting to set, poach for 41⁄2 minutes. For a totally cooked but still silky yolk, poach the eggs for 5 minutes.
  4. Bring the butter to a bubble in a frying pan. Cut the English muffins in half and crisp up the cut sides in the bubbling butter just before serving.
  5. Lay a handful of the wild rocket on top of the toasted side of each English muffin half. Top with a poached egg and a generous helping of the silky hollandaise sauce. Finally, place the crispy Parma ham on top and serve immediately

Eggs Benedict is a classic recipe that never fails to impress . There is simply nothing better for breakfast than perfectly made eggs Benedict. In fact, I don’t usually eat breakfast, but I’ll bend for one of these. The dish is traditionally made with an English muffin topped with poached eggs and smothered in a hollandaise sauce, but there are many delicious variations. – Seline

FANCY EGGS BENEDICT WITH 60-DEGREE EGGS, CRISPY SPINACH, PARMA HAM, AERATED HOLLANDAISE AND WATERCRESS IN A BREAD BALL

This version of eggs Benedict may be a lot more effort than the original, but the result is absolutely delicious! The slow-poached egg has the texture of the best-quality silk, while the aerated hollandaise is beautifully light. This version is bound to blow even the harshest critic away. – Seline

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SERVES 4

FOR THE BREAD BALLS

FOR THE HOLLANDAISE

  1. Prepare the bread balls first. Place the flour, salt, water and yeast in a small bowl and mix until well combined. Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
  2. In order to slow-poach the eggs, you will need a digital thermometer and a sous-vide bath (or a thick-walled cooler box). Bring the water up to 60 °C and place the whole eggs into it. Keep the eggs at 60 °C for an hour (you will need to serve immediately). If you have a sous-vide bath, simply set it to 60 °C. If you are using a cooler box, fill it with boiling water and wait for the temperature to go down to 60 °C, then tightly seal the lid to maintain the heat. Check the water temperature every 10 minutes, adding more boiling water to bring it up if it drops.
  3. Once the dough has proved, divide it into 8 equal-sized balls. Cover and allow the dough to rise again for another 10 minutes. While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 220 °C and place a greased and floured baking tile into it to heat up.
  4. Using your extra flour and a sieve, dust a clean surface with a thin layer of flour. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball into a 1–2 mm thick circle and sprinkle over some black sesame seeds. Place the circles onto the preheated baking tile and bake for 4–5 minutes so that the dough puffs up into a ball and dries out.
  5. Heat some canola oil in a small saucepan and fry off the spinach leaves for 20–40 seconds until crispy. Sprinkle over some salt and drain on paper towel.
  6. To make the hollandaise, heat the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, bay leaf and peppercorns in a small saucepan until steaming. Remove from the heat, strain to remove the bay leaf and peppercorns and allow the liquid to cool slightly.
  7. Whisk the egg yolks in a glass bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and then place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. With continual gentle whisking, cook the egg yolks until you can draw a figure of 8 in the mixture that disappears only after the complete figure has been drawn. This means the eggs are cooked out and you can now remove the mixture from the heat.
  8. Melt the butter in a separate saucepan. Slowly pour this into the egg mixture while you whisk vigorously. This can also be done in a mixer or using a stick blender. Season to taste and adjust the acidity by adding more lemon if desired. Decant the hollandaise sauce into a siphon gun and charge with 2 gas canisters.
  9. Crack a smallish hole into the top of each bread ball and place a slice of Parma ham, some watercress and some crispy spinach inside. Gently crack a poached egg into the ball, followed by a few squirts of the aerated hollandaise. Garnish with a Parmesan shaving and serve immediately.

MUSHROOMS AND THYME

CLASSIC MUSHROOMS ON TOAST

Needless to say, I have prepared countless versions of classic mushrooms on toast over the years. To save you years of trial and error, this is my winning recipe. – Leandri

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SERVES 4

  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the butter in a large frying pan at a low heat until softened.
  2. Turn up the heat and toss the mushrooms into the pan. If each mushroom isn’t making direct contact with the pan, rather fry the mushrooms in batches. If you crowd the pan, you will end up boiling the mushrooms instead of frying them.
  3. Once the mushrooms are a dark-brown colour, reduce the heat, add the thyme and white wine and cook until all the wine has evaporated.
  4. Remove from the heat, and stir in 5 ml lemon zest and the cream cheese. Season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
  5. Serve the mushrooms on warm sourdough toast.

If I had to eat one thing for the rest of my life, it would be mushrooms on toast. It’s the combination of the crusty toast, the fragrant thyme and the creamy umami character of the sautéed mushrooms that send me over the edge, every time. I don’t know anybody who loves mushrooms more than me; I jump at every chance I can to eat them or cook with them. – Leandri

MUSHROOM COCOA POPS

(HERBED ORZO WITH MUSHROOM MILK, CRISPY ONIONS AND CURRIED RICE)

This dish brings together two favourites: a childhood classic and my ultimate ingredient, mushrooms. It’s a whimsical, savoury play on Kellogg’s Coco Pops®, a cereal we were only allowed once in a while in our treasured Bunnykins bowls, which we still have today. – Leandri

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SERVES 4

FOR THE MUSHROOM MILK

FOR THE HERBED ORZO

FOR THE CRISPY ONIONS

FOR THE CURRIED RICE

FOR THE GRILLED MUSHROOM

  1. For the mushroom milk, fry the onion in the butter in a frying pan until softened. Add the garlic, Portobello mushrooms and thyme. Allow the mushrooms to brown and then add the brandy. Cook until the brandy has evaporated.
  2. Add the dried mushrooms, milk and chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the cream then strain the mixture through a sieve to remove all the bits of mushroom. Season and set aside until serving.
  3. Cook the orzo in a saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
  4. For the herbed orzo, first brunoise the Portobello mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan. Add the onion and brunoised mushrooms and fry until golden. Season and then stir into the cooked orzo along with the parsley, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Season to taste.
  5. Soak the onion rings in the milk for 20 minutes. In the meantime, dry-roast and crush the cumin seeds. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season it with the salt and crushed cumin. Drain the onions of the excess milk, then dip them into the seasoned flour and deep-fry in canola oil at 160 °C until golden. Drain on paper towel.
  6. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. For the curried rice, fry the curry powder in the olive oil in a separate frying pan for about 2 minutes, just to heat up the curry powder and release the natural aroma. Toss the Rice Krispies® into the pan and mix until the Rice Krispies® are well coated. Spread the cereal onto a baking tray and bake in the oven until crisp.
  7. For the grilled mushroom, prepare curry oil by heating the curry powder in the olive oil. Brush the king oyster mushroom slices with some of the curry oil and grill for 2 minutes in a hot frying pan.
  8. To plate the dish, place a spoon of herbed orzo into the middle of each bowl and ladle mushroom milk around it. Top the orzo with a slice of king oyster mushroom and crown the mushroom with the crispy onions and curried rice. Microplane some dark chocolate over the lot using a zester/grater.

QUAIL AND MANGO

ROASTED QUAIL WITH A SAFFRON AND MANGO SAUCE

This is great served with silky mashed potato or couscous.

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SERVES 6

FOR THE QUAIL

FOR THE SAFFRON AND MANGO SAUCE

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Clean the quail and pat dry. Equally divide the slices of lemon, lemongrass and ginger between the quail, and stuff into the cavities. Sprinkle 5 ml olive oil over each and then rub the salt and pepper into their skins.
  3. Wrap two slices of pancetta around each quail and roast breast-side down in a roasting pan for 10 minutes. Turn the quail and roast breast-side up for a further 15 minutes.
  4. While the quail cook, make the saffron and mango sauce. Combine the butter, garlic and saffron in a large saucepan. Allow the butter to come up to a bubble and then add the onion and cook at a low heat until the onion is cooked through.
  5. Peel and slice the mangoes and add the flesh and the pips to the pan. Add the coconut cream, lemon juice and some salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  6. Remove the mango pips and blend the sauce until smooth. Check the seasoning before you serve.
  7. Remove the quail from the oven and serve with the saffron and mango sauce and your favourite starch or vegetables.

Quail is such a flavourful fowl and is totally under-utilised in South Africa. As it pops up at more farmers’ markets and fresh-food stores across the country, we hope to see more of this wonderful bird on menus and dinner tables. The pairing of mango with quail works well, because the freshness of the mango breaks the fattiness and gamey taste of the bird.

CONFIT QUAIL SALAD WITH PICKLED MANGO, PANCETTA LARDONS AND GUACAMOLE ICE CREAM

For a richer taste, quail can be cooked confit. We find that when cooking meat with this technique, it is best to serve it with as many fresh ingredients as possible, to counteract the fattiness of the incredibly tender and juicy meat.

SERVES 6

FOR THE SALT CURE

FOR THE CONFIT QUAIL

FOR THE PICKLED MANGO

FOR THE PANCETTA LARDONS

FOR THE GUACAMOLE ICE CREAM

FOR THE SALAD

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE

  1. Combine the salt cure ingredients in a glass bowl and mix well. Place a third of the salt mix on the bottom of a glass or ceramic dish. Lay the quail legs on top and then sprinkle over the rest of the cure mix. Cover the dish with two layers of cling wrap and allow the quail to cure overnight in the fridge.
  2. When you are ready to continue with the recipe, rinse the quail legs under cold running water to remove the salt cure and then pat dry.
  3. To confit the quail, place the fat or olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves and juniper berries in a large ovenproof saucepan, making sure to add enough fat so that the quail will be totally submerged. Place the saucepan in the cold oven, set it to 120 °C and leave for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, check that the temperature of the fat is at 120 °C using a thermometer. Gently lower the cured quail legs into the saucepan and make sure they are completely submerged, adding more fat/oil if they are not. Place a sheet of baking paper directly on top of the fat, pressing out any air to the sides. Return the saucepan to the oven and maintain a constant heat of 120 °C for 3 hours. Remove the quail legs from the fat and shred into little pieces.
  4. In order to pickle the mango, first cut the red onion into little cubes. Toss them into boiling water for 20 seconds and then into cold water to stop the cooking process. This will remove the sting of the raw onion. Peel the mangoes and cut into 2 cm cubes. Place in a mixing bowl with the red onion and top with the warm water, vinegar and castor sugar. Mix until the sugar has dissolved and then cover and allow to infuse in the fridge for 20 minutes. Strain the mango and discard the pickling liquid.
  5. Fry off the pancetta lardons in the olive oil and garam masala until crispy. Drain on paper towel.
  6. For the guacamole ice cream, peel the avocados and discard the pips. Blend the avocado flesh with the coconut cream, crème fraîche, lemon juice and icing sugar. Press the mixture through a sieve to ensure that it is smooth before churning in an ice-cream machine. Scoop it out of the machine once churned and place in the freezer to set. Use a melon baller to make a lot of little guacamole ice-cream balls, which are to be scattered in the salad.
  7. To make the salad, shave the cucumber into ribbons with a mandolin slicer or a very sharp knife. Shave the radishes as finely as possible, too. Blanch the sweet corn cobs in hot salty water for 5 minutes and then cut off the kernels. Neatly arrange the watercress, cucumber, radishes, corn and pistachios on a platter, and place guacamole ice-cream balls at intervals. Crumble over the feta cheese and top with the shredded quail meat, pickled mango and pancetta lardons.
  8. To make the vinaigrette, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Slowly whisk in the oil and pour the dressing over the salad before serving.

Milk tart

EASY MEXICAN MILK TART

Our aunt Lynette loves her milk tart served warm with ice cream; others prefer it chilled with no frills. We’re easy customers and enjoy it no matter how it’s served. Here we’ve given the traditional milk tart a Mexican twist with the addition of chilli and cocoa.

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MAKES 1 TART

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Press the short-crust pastry dough into a 23 cm pie dish and cover with a layer of baking paper followed by baking beads or dried legumes. Bake blind for 15 minutes, remove the baking paper and baking beads and allow the pastry to cool.
  2. Heat the milk, chilli flakes and vanilla seeds in a saucepan at a medium heat. Do not boil.
  3. Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy and then add the cornflour and flour.
  4. Gradually beat the hot milk into the egg mixture with vigorous whisking. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook at a medium heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens. Remove from the heat to cool slightly, then add the butter and mix well.
  5. In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate over a saucepan of steaming water or in the microwave and then slowly stir the melted chocolate into the custard.
  6. Pour the custard into the pastry shell and place in the fridge to set.
  7. Dust with the cinnamon prior to serving.

The combination of creamy custard filling topped with fragrant spices on a crumbly tart pastry has made milk tart a proudly South African heritage food. It reminds us of the tea parties we held in our garden when we were growing up. Every holiday when our cousin Liezl would trek home from boarding school, we’d hand her an invite to our dress-up tea party and serve tea and warm milk tart out in our sunny garden.

MILK TART SPRING ROLLS WITH A HIBISCUS AND ORANGE DIPPING SAUCE

I was invited by Robertsons® Herbs and Spices to cook at a big annual food show in Cape Town, where I developed this twist on the classic milk tart. The feedback was astounding. Soon after, these bites of heaven started popping up in restaurants all around the Cape! – Leandri

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MAKES 12

FOR THE HIBISCUS AND ORANGE DIPPING SAUCE

  1. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and castor sugar until pale in colour.
  2. Add the nutmeg and half of the cinnamon and mix well, then add the flour and cornflour and whisk until smooth.
  3. Heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming and then slowly pour into the egg mixture. Whisk until well combined.
  4. Return the custard to the saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes until very thick. Be careful to stir continually. If it is not stiff after 15 minutes, make a slurry of 5 ml cornflour and 15 ml water and then add that to the custard and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from the stove and cool. Once cool, place the custard in a piping bag and set aside.
  6. Meanwhile, heat the pomegranate juice, orange juice, hibiscus tea bags and sugar in a saucepan until the sauce has reduced to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat, remove the tea bags and set aside.
  7. Lay a spring-roll pastry sheet on a work surface with a corner facing you and brush the edges with water. Pipe the custard along the centre of the pastry sheet, stopping short of the left and right corners. Fold the corners towards the middle, brush the pastry edges with more water and carefully roll into a cylinder. Repeat with the remaining pastry sheets.
  8. Heat the canola oil to 180 °C and deep-fry each spring roll for 1 minute until golden brown. Drain on paper towel, dust with icing sugar and the remaining cinnamon, and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.

BOBOTIE

BOBOTIE-STYLE WELSH RAREBIT

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SERVES 4

FOR THE SAUCE

  1. In a large frying pan, sauté the onions and garlic in the olive oil until glossy. Add the garam masala and turmeric and fry for 1 minute.
  2. Add the mince, season with salt and pepper and brown at a medium-high heat.
  3. When all the mince has browned, add the vinegar, jam and peaches and cook at a low heat for 5 minutes.
  4. Soak the slices of white bread in the milk for a few minutes, then squeeze out the excess milk and add the bread to the mince. Mix well and adjust seasoning.
  5. Preheat the oven’s grill.
  6. To make the sauce, slowly heat all the ingredients in a saucepan. When all the cheese has melted, whisk well and cook for 5 minutes at a low heat. Remove from the heat and scoop out the bay leaves.
  7. Top each slice of ciabatta or baguette with mince. Pour over the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place under the grill until the cheese has melted to a golden brown, and then serve topped with slices of banana and coriander leaves.

Foodies often frown upon this South African classic, arguing that it is common and tasteless. We disagree. Our mother grew up in the Western Cape and Malay flavours were prominent in her cooking. Most households have adapted this iconic South African dish to suit their family’s preferences: some substitute the raisins for dried apple, others omit the nuts due to allergies. We dare not tread on toes, so for variations on the classic bobotie, we recommend cookbooks such as Cook and Enjoy It by S.J.A. de Villiers and Bo-Kaap Kitchen: Heritage Recipes and True Stories by Maggie Mouton.

BOBOTIE SLIDERS WITH CURRY AÏOLI, SULTANA AND ALMOND PESTO, AND FLAMBÉED APPLES

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SERVES 4

FOR THE BREAD ROLLS

FOR THE SLIDER PATTIES

FOR THE SULTANA AND ALMOND PESTO

FOR THE CURRY AÏOLI

FOR THE FLAMBÉED APPLES

  1. Prepare the bread dough as instructed on page 166, but after the first knock, form the dough into small square shapes, the size of a fist, and leave to rise in a warm, dark place for 45 minutes. Brush with the beaten egg and then bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes until golden brown.
  2. To make the slider patties, dry-fry the coriander and cumin seeds in a hot pan until fragrant, and then grind in a pestle and mortar. Using your hands, mix the ground beef with the fried ground spices, garlic, parsley, egg and Worcestershire sauce. Do not overwork the mixture; it must be thick enough to hold its shape. Add the breadcrumbs if necessary to adjust the consistency, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Form the mixture into 100 g square patties, brush with apricot jam on both sides and then grill in a hot frying pan until cooked to medium-rare.
  4. To make the pesto, pulse the sultanas and almonds together in a spice grinder or food processor to form a chunky mix. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle in the olive oil while blending to form a chunky paste. Add lemon juice to taste and set aside.
  5. To make the aïoli, slowly heat the curry powder in 30 ml of the grapeseed oil in a small saucepan for 1 minute. Add this to the rest of the oil. Place the egg yolk in a bowl with the garlic, vinegar and a pinch each of salt and white pepper. Slowly drizzle in the curry oil, whisking vigorously, until all the oil has been incorporated.
  6. For the flambéed apples, soak the apple rings in the brandy for 5 minutes, then place the apples and brandy in a hot frying pan and set the brandy alight with a match. Cook off all the brandy at a high heat and then set the apples aside.
  7. Cut each bread roll open horizontally and spread the bottom half with pesto. To assemble the slider, place a bobotie patty onto the pesto and top with curry aïoli and flambéed apples. Garnish with the fresh coriander leaves. You can serve each with the top half of the roll if you like, for those who want to eat it like a proper burger.

DUCK AND ORANGE

CHEAT’S DUCK À L’ORANGE WITH AN ASIAN TWIST

I once had the privilege of cooking a Christmas feast alongside Marco Pierre White, a culinary legend. Above all else, his no-fuss approach to flavour stuck with me. This recipe is an adaptation of the duck with orange sauce we made for that memorable festive feast. If you can’t find Asian spring onion pancakes, make your own using the recipe on page 168, sprinkling over some sliced spring onions while frying the batter in the pan. – Leandri

SERVES 4

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Pat dry the duck with paper towel and place in a roasting pan. Prick the skin with a sharp knife and season well with salt and white pepper.
  2. Roast the duck breast-side down for 20 minutes, and then turn down the heat to 180 °C and roast for a further hour or so. As a rough guide, roast for an initial 20 minutes and then another 20 minutes per 500 g. So for a 1.5 kg duck, the total roasting time will be 80 minutes. Rest the duck for 10 minutes before slicing.
  3. To make the sauce, heat the orange juice, ginger, lemongrass and star anise in a saucepan for about 30 minutes until the consistency is thick and near syrupy. Strain the sauce, then whisk in the butter.
  4. Pour the orange sauce over the sliced duck and serve on top of the spring onion pancakes with the julienned cucumber on the side.

Duck à l’orange is a classic French dish consisting of perfectly cooked duck and a luxurious, silky orange sauce that can be dressed up or down depending on how enthusiastic you are about embracing your inner Julia Child. Making the traditional version of this dish takes a lot of time and effort, but for those of you on a tight schedule, we’ve come up with a cheat’s version, which tastes absolutely amazing.

TRADITIONAL DUCK À L’ORANGE WITH POMMES ANNA

This may take a little time, and the potatoes need to be prepared the night before, but trust us, it’s completely worth it! The sauce can also be made the night before – in fact, it will taste richer after being reheated in a pan.

SERVES 6

FOR THE POMMES ANNA

FOR THE DUCK

FOR THE ORANGE SAUCE

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. To make the pommes Anna, melt the butter in a frying pan. Toss the potato slices in the butter until well coated and then pack in neat layers in a casserole dish, seasoning each layer. Bake the potatoes for 1 hour 40 minutes until very tender. Meanwhile, cut a piece of foil big enough to fit over the casserole dish and brush one side with olive oil. Find a dish that will fit snugly into your casserole dish. When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and place the foil, oil-side down, on top of the potatoes. Place the extra dish on top of the foil, then press down and place weights on top to compress the potatoes. Refrigerate overnight.
  2. The following day, preheat the oven to 230 °C. Remove the neck, giblets and any excess skin from each duck and set aside. Pat dry the ducks, prick all over with a sharp knife and rub in some salt and white pepper to taste. Pour the lukewarm water into a roasting pan with a rack and place the ducks, breast-side down, on the rack.
  3. Roast the ducks for 20 minutes, then prop them up onto one side, reduce the temperature to 180 °C and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the ducks over onto the other side and roast for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and switch on the grill. Pour the pan juices and fat from the roasting pan into a jug and set aside. Flip the ducks onto their back, breasts facing upwards, and grill for 3 minutes until crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to rest before carving.
  4. Meanwhile, fry off the necks, giblets and excess trimmings in a hot frying pan until browned. Reduce the heat to low and add the carrots, onion, celery, bay leaves, thyme and garlic. Fry for 4 minutes, then increase the heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes. Fry for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and fry for 2 minutes to cook, then add the stock and wine and leave to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain the sauce through a sieve and set aside.
  5. Remove the peel from one orange with a paring knife, being careful to avoid the pith. Cut the peel into thin strips. Blanch in hot water and then dip in iced water. Repeat three times to remove the bitterness of the peel. Heat the sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan. When the mixture reaches a rolling boil, add the orange peel and boil at a medium heat until the peel turns translucent. Scoop out the peel and set aside, keeping the sugar solution. Juice all 6 oranges and strain into the sugar solution through a sieve to remove any orange cells. Stir the mixture at a medium heat and add the strained duck sauce from above. Mix well, then stir in the cognac and bring it up to a bubble.
  6. Now focus on the reserved pan juices. Using a tablespoon, scoop off and discard any fat floating on the top. Add the remaining pan juices to the bubbling sauce above. Reduce the sauce until thick, then whisk in the butter, little by little, and season to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  7. Slice the pommes Anna into thin rectangles and fry in some olive oil to brown the edges. Season and serve with the carved duck, orange sauce and caramelised orange peel.

PRAWNS AND MAYONNAISE

1970s PRAWN COCKTAIL

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SERVES 4

  1. Heat the butter in a hot frying pan until it starts foaming. Toss the prawns into the pan, season well with salt and pepper and fry for 90 seconds a side until just cooked.
  2. Combine the mayonnaise and tomato paste and add a few drops of Tabasco® to taste.
  3. Chiffonade the lettuce and dice the cucumber.
  4. Layer the cucumber, lettuce and mayonnaise sauce in cocktail glasses, top each with two prawns and serve with the Melba toast and lemon cheeks.

While the iconic prawn cocktail from the sixties and seventies swings in and out of fashion, most of us secretly enjoy it. Here we have the classic prawn cocktail – easy enough for a barman to put together, yet elegant and refined – as well as one with a Mexican twist for some summertime playfulness (see page 32).

MEXICAN PRAWN COCKTAIL WITH MARGARITA MAYONNAISE, AVOCADO MOUSSE, CHORIZO OIL SALSA AND POPCORN

When our father’s company, Quantibuild, turned 25, we celebrated with a three-course meal for all his employees. This is an adaptation of the starter we served that evening and it would be delicious served with chilled champagne or even a classic margarita.

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SERVES 4

FOR THE AVOCADO MOUSSE

FOR THE CHORIZO OIL SALSA

FOR THE PRAWNS

FOR THE MARGARITA MAYONNAISE

FOR THE POPCORN

  1. To make the avocado mousse, remove the skin and pip from the avocado and blend the flesh in a food processor with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and allow it to bloom for 5 minutes, then heat in the microwave for 20 seconds or until it is clear and all the gelatin has dissolved. Whip the cream to medium peak stage and then stir in the warm gelatin. Fold this into the avocado purée and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mousse into a piping bag and place in the fridge to set.
  2. To make the chorizo oil salsa, gently heat the chorizo slices in the olive oil in a frying pan at a very low temperature for 10 minutes to allow the flavour to infuse. Decant the oil into a jug, turn up the heat to high and fry the chorizo slices in the pan until crisp. Drain the chorizo slices on paper towel and set aside.
  3. Toss the cucumber, tomato and red onion in the cumin. Add the chorizo oil from step 2, season to taste and add the lime zest. Set aside.
  4. Remove the shells from the prawns, keeping the heads intact. Blend the nacho chips, coriander leaves and chilli in a food processor to a medium crumb, about the consistency of coarse salt. Place the crumb mixture in one shallow bowl and the beaten egg in another. Dip each prawn first into the egg and then into the crumb mixture. Shallow-fry the prawns in hot canola oil for 2 minutes and drain on paper towel. Season to taste.
  5. To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolk with the tequila and lime juice. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. While mixing vigorously, slowly dribble in the grapeseed oil. Stir in the lime zest and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Pop the popcorn in hot canola oil and then season with salt.
  7. Plate heaps of popcorn sprinkled with crispy chorizo, chorizo oil salsa and prawns and drizzled with margarita mayonnaise. Pipe dollops of avocado mousse on the side.

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PUMPKIN AND CHAI

CHAI-SPICED PUMPKIN PIE WITH CARAMELISED PECAN NUTS

This is a special dessert pumpkin pie with a nutty twist – delicious served with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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MAKES 1 PIE

FOR THE PASTRY

FOR THE FILLING

FOR THE TOPPING

  1. To make the pastry, mix the flour, salt and butter with your fingertips until it has the texture of breadcrumbs. Mix in the egg yolk and then bind with enough cold water to form soft dough. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap in cling wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
  2. Just before you remove the chilled dough, preheat the oven to 200 °C and oil a 30 cm pie dish and a baking tray.
  3. Roll out the dough thinly and use to line the pie dish. Prick the base all over with a fork, then chill for another 15–30 minutes.
  4. Line the pastry base with baking paper and then fill it with baking beads or dried beans. Blind bake the pastry for 10 minutes, then remove the beads and paper, and bake for another 5 minutes until golden.
  5. In the meantime, start making the filling. Boil the pumpkin in a saucepan of water for about 20 minutes until tender, then drain and mash until smooth.
  6. Heat the cream and chai tea bags in a saucepan and remove from the heat just before the cream boils. Allow to infuse for 20 minutes before discarding the tea bags. Be sure to squeeze out all of the excess liquid.
  7. Place the mashed pumpkin and chai-spiced cream in a large mixing bowl and add the eggs, muscovado sugar, syrup, mixed spice and salt, and beat until smooth.
  8. Lower the oven temperature to 180 °C. Pour the filling into the pastry case and bake for 40 minutes or until the centre has a very slight wobble.
  9. For the topping, place the pecan nuts, white sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized frying pan. Heat at a medium temperature until the sugar starts to caramelise, stirring occasionally so that the nuts don’t burn. Once all the nuts are coated in caramel, remove from the heat and spread out on the oiled baking tray to cool. Once cooled, blitz in a blender or food processor, keeping them chunky.
  10. Sprinkle the caramelised pecan nuts over the cooled pie and serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The latest trend on the coffee scene – pumpkin spice lattes – pays homage to the ever-popular classic American pumpkin pie, as well as our very own Cape Malay pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters) here in South Africa. Another recent trend is masala chai, an Indian mixed-spice tea that’s often brewed in milk and served hot with sugar, making it the perfect accompaniment to pumpkin desserts.

PUMPKIN MOUSSE WITH CHAI ANGLAISE, ALLSPICE PUMPKIN SEEDS AND GINGER SOIL

This dessert has the texture of a creamy pumpkin pie, but by pulling the elements apart in this playful manner you are left with numerous ways in which to plate it up – you can go fine dining or simply layer them in a glass.

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SERVES 4

FOR THE PUMPKIN MOUSSE

FOR THE CHAI ANGLAISE

FOR THE GINGER SOIL

FOR THE ALLSPICE PUMPKIN SEEDS

  1. To make the pumpkin mousse, boil the pumpkin in a saucepan of water until soft. Drain and add the muscovado sugar. Stir through and then blend with a stick blender. Add the orange juice and then press the mixture through a chinois or fine sieve. Chill in the fridge.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks with the white sugar in a large, clean mixing bowl. Beat in the cornflour, mixed spice and chilled strained pumpkin and pour the lot into a saucepan. Cook at a low heat, stirring constantly, to form custard. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peak stage and then sprinkle over the castor sugar a little at a time, whisking until stiff peak stage.
  4. Carefully fold the egg whites into the pumpkin custard until well incorporated, then refrigerate, stirring occasionally to prevent the custard from splitting.
  5. Once thoroughly chilled, whip the cream and fold into the custard until well combined. Line individual serving size moulds or tins with wax paper. Spoon the mousse into a piping bag and pipe into the lined moulds. Chill until ready to plate.
  6. To make the chai anglaise, heat the milk, tea bags and cinnamon in a saucepan to just below boiling point. Set aside to infuse for 20 minutes and then discard the tea bags and cinnamon. Add the cream and heat slightly. Continue preparing the chai anglaise according to the crème anglaise recipe on page 169, but use the chai-infused cream/milk. Set aside until ready to serve.
  7. To make the ginger soil, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Blitz the Lebkuchen or ginger biscuits in a food processor to form rough chunks. Add the cocoa nibs or chocolate chips and then rub in the butter with your fingertips until you have a breadcrumb-like consistency. Sprinkle this onto a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
  8. For the allspice pumpkin seeds, place the pumpkin seeds in a clean bowl and sift over the icing sugar and allspice. Get a frying pan really hot, then toss in the pumpkin seeds and dry-roast for a few seconds. Be careful not to burn them.
  9. To plate, place a spoonful of chai anglaise on each plate and drag a spoon through it to make a smear. Remove the mousse from the moulds and place them off-centre on the plates. Sprinkle lines of ginger soil perpendicular to the smear of anglais. Finish off by sprinkling a few pumpkin seeds over the top of the mousse and around the plate.

COFFEE AND CUMIN

COFFEE AND CUMIN-ROASTED CARROTS WITH CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This can easily be made into a satisfying meal by adding bulgur wheat.

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SERVES 6 AS A SIDE DISH

  1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the carrots for 4 minutes until cooked but crunchy. Immediately plunge the hot carrots into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Once cool, drain the carrots on paper towel.
  2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan at a high heat for 1 minute. Add the honey, lemon juice and coffee grounds. When the honey is bubbling, toss the carrots into the pan and fry for 1 minute until slightly caramelised. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. Heat enough canola oil in a large saucepan to deep-fry the Brussels sprouts. Without rinsing them, remove the outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts and cut each sprout into quarters. When the oil reaches 190 °C, gently lower in the sprouts and fry for about 7 minutes until golden. Drain the sprouts on paper towel.
  4. Arrange the carrots and Brussels sprouts in a serving dish, drizzle over the honey from the pan and sprinkle with sea-salt flakes.

Coffee has been integral to the sanity of the Van der Wat family for many years. We’ve come a long way from shipping coffee from a roastery in Port Elizabeth and brewing it in an old Krups filter machine. Now I co-own my own roastery, Roast Re:public, which roasts great coffee and half of the profits go directly to schools in rural areas. Our father now has a full barista setup and trades at markets and shows. It’s only natural that we’d incorporate coffee into our cooking. We’ve recently discovered that cumin, one of our favourite spices, complements coffee wonderfully. – Leandri

CUMIN AND CARDAMOM-CRUSTED BEEF FILLET WITH BILTONG PUMPKIN PUFFS AND A COFFEE JUS

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SERVES 6

FOR THE BILTONG PUMPKIN PUFFS

FOR THE BEEF FILLET

FOR THE COFFEE JUS

  1. For the pumpkin puffs, cook the pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water until tender, then mash until quite smooth – do not use a stick blender for this. Add the honey, spices, flour, baking powder and eggs and mix gently.
  2. Heat about 5 cm canola oil in a saucepan to 180 °C and gently drop tablespoons of the pumpkin mixture into the oil. Fry for 4 minutes on each side until brown and crispy. Drain the puffs on paper towel, season with the salt and sprinkle over the biltong powder.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Make a spice rub for the beef fillet by crushing the cumin seeds, cardamom seeds, parsley and garlic together in a spice blender or with a mortar and pestle. Add the olive oil to loosen it up. Rub this onto the fillet and then seal the meat on all sides in a very hot, dry ovenproof pan (about 1 minute per side). Transfer the hot pan with the fillet to the oven for 12 minutes for medium-rare or a little longer for medium. Allow to rest and then season with salt and pepper.
  4. To make the coffee jus, fry the onion, garlic and bay leaf in a saucepan at a low heat for 5 minutes until the onion is glossy. Add the stock and reduce by a third, then add the wine and coffee beans and simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavour to develop. Strain the sauce and return to the saucepan at a medium heat until the consistency changes from watery to rich – you must be patient here. Season to taste and then whisk in the butter. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  5. Serve the beef fillet with the biltong pumpkin puffs on the side and the coffee jus in a jug for everyone to help themselves.

MARMITE AND CHEESE

MARMITE-Y MAC ’N CHEESE

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SERVES 6

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Make the béchamel sauce according to the recipe on page 169 and stir in the Marmite at the end.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and toss in the tomatoes, garlic and origanum. Fry at a high heat for 5 minutes. Season to taste and tip into an ovenproof casserole dish.
  4. Boil the macaroni in 5 litres of salted water for 8 minutes. Drain and fold the pasta into the béchamel sauce.
  5. Fry the bacon bits in a hot pan and then add the pieces to the macaroni, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
  6. Scoop the macaroni and sauce over the tomatoes.
  7. Blitz the ciabatta in a food processor to a fine crumb, then fry in the reserved bacon fat for 2 minutes. Sprinkle the crumbs over the macaroni and then top with the grated Parmesan.
  8. Bake until the topping turns golden brown and forms a crunchy crust.

Love it or hate it, Marmite is an iconic ingredient found in most pantries. My soft spot for this umami powerhouse is so well known that a young gentleman once bought me a jar of Marmite instead of flowers. It has such depth of flavour and its saltiness contrasts wonderfully with creamy, sweet tastes like peanut butter. A good Marmite and peanut butter sandwich is a dietary staple in our house. – Leandri

MARMITE AND TOMATO BROTH WITH MARINATED MUSHROOMS AND PARMESAN FONDUE

This dish is an umami feast and the different temperatures heighten the sensory experience. This flavour bomb makes for an excellent starter.

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SERVES 4

FOR THE MARMITE AND TOMATO BROTH

FOR THE MARINATED MUSHROOMS

FOR THE PARMESAN FONDUE

FOR THE PARMESAN CRISPS

  1. Prepare the broth by blending the whole tomatoes with the basil in a food processor until smooth. Line a bowl with cheesecloth and pour the tomatoes into the cloth. Bring the sides together to form a bag and tie with string. Tie the bag to the handle of a wooden spoon and suspend over the bowl so that the liquid can collect in the bowl. Do not squeeze, but leave for 8 hours to extract.
  2. Heat the Marmite and water until the Marmite has dissolved. Cool and then add the tomato water. Set aside.
  3. For the marinated mushrooms, toss the button mushrooms with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and lemon zest. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
  4. To make the Parmesan fondue, heat the milk and cream cheese in a saucepan at a low heat until the cheese has melted. Stir in the Parmesan and season to taste. Cool slightly and then scoop into a piping bag.
  5. Cut a small cross in the top of each baby plum tomatoes and then plunge into a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove from the saucepan and plunge immediately into a bowl of ice water.
  6. Leave the tomatoes in the ice water for 5 minutes and then gently peel off their skins. Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally and scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Carefully square off the bottom of each half, so that the tomatoes can stand upright.
  7. Pipe the Parmesan fondue into the tomato cavities and place in the fridge until ready to plate.
  8. To make the Parmesan crisps, preheat the oven to 210 °C. Place 10 g mounds of grated Parmesan onto a silicone baking mat, leaving at least 5 cm between each, and bake for 8 minutes or until the Parmesan has melted and the edges are a light brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
  9. When ready to serve, slowly heat the broth in a saucepan and season with the sea-salt flakes if necessary.
  10. For each serving, arrange 3 filled tomato halves in a bowl and place a Parmesan crisp over the top of one. Arrange a few marinated mushrooms alongside and then carefully pour the warm broth into the bowl. Don’t fill above the tops of the tomatoes. Garnish with micro basil leaves.

Olive, white chocolate and cherry

VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM WITH A CHERRY COULIS SWIRL AND OLIVE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE BISCUITS

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MAKES 500 ML ICE CREAM AND 20 BISCUITS

FOR THE OLIVE AND WHITE CHOCOLATE BISCUITS

FOR THE VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM

FOR THE CHERRY COULIS SWIRL

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with greased baking paper.
  2. To make the biscuits, cream the butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat in the egg and then sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well to form a dough.
  3. Uniformly chop the olives and squeeze out the excess brine by pressing the olives into a sieve. Mix the pressed olives and chopped white chocolate into the dough.
  4. Break off bits of dough and form whatever shapes you like. Place them on the baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes until golden brown.
  5. To make the ice cream, heat the cream, milk and vanilla pod in a medium-sized saucepan, being careful not to let it boil. Remove the vanilla pod once hot.
  6. Cream the egg yolks and castor sugar in a clean bowl until pale and thick. Slowly pour the heated cream mixture into the egg mixture, beating constantly to avoid scrambling the eggs. Cool in the fridge and then churn in an ice-cream machine until firm.
  7. To make the cherry coulis, heat the cherries, vinegar and sugar in a saucepan until the water from the cherries has evaporated and the mixture is sticky. Remove from the heat to cool.
  8. When the ice cream has set, drizzle in the cherry coulis and stir carefully to create a swirl. Freeze until ready to serve with the biscuits.

This may seem odd, but it’s in fact a delicious flavour combination that can be used equally successfully in sweet and savoury dishes. Before you start cooking, pop the three ingredients into your mouth simultaneously and you’ll see that the creamy white chocolate complements the tart cherry, while both the cherry and sweet chocolate tame the bitterness of the olive.

OLIVE AND MUSTARD-DUSTED PORK FILLET WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE, MUSTARD GREENS AND SAGE AND CHERRY SAUCE

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SERVES 4

FOR THE PORK FILLET

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

FOR THE SAGE AND CHERRY SAUCE

FOR THE MUSTARD GREENS

  1. For the olive and mustard rub for the pork fillet, preheat the oven to 100 °C. Squeeze out the excess brine from the olives by pressing them into a sieve. Thinly spread out the pressed olives on a baking tray and bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven, mix them around and bake for another hour. Continue until the olives are dry and have shrivelled up. Then, in a spice grinder or food processor, blend the dried olives with the mustard to form a powder. Season with salt and pepper and rub onto the pork fillet.
  2. For the cauliflower purée, simmer the cauliflower, milk and a pinch of salt in a medium-sized saucepan for 20–30 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Drain off the milk and blend the cauliflower with a stick blender. Stir in the butter, white chocolate and sumac while the purée is warm and then pass the mixture through a drum sieve. Pass it through another time if necessary, to ensure a smooth purée. Season to taste.
  3. To make the sauce, sauté the onion in the olive oil, then add the cherries, sage, brandy and wine. Simmer until thickened, then strain and season to taste.
  4. For the mustard greens, fry the onion in the olive oil until translucent and then toss in the mustard greens. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the lemon juice and season to taste.
  5. To cook the pork fillet, heat oil in a griddle pan and fry the fillet, turning a few times, for about 15 minutes until cooked as desired. Allow it to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
  6. To serve, place a spoon of white chocolate cauliflower purée onto the edge of each plate and smear it diagonally across the plate. Make a small bed of mustard greens and garnish it with mustard micro greens. Next, make a pool of sage and cherry sauce. Position slices of pork fillet on each element and scatter over a few cherries from the sauce.

GUAVA

SPRINGBOK CARPACCIO WITH CARAMELISED GUAVAS AND PARSLEY OIL

SERVES 4

  1. Boil the sugar, water, vinegar and salt in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the guavas and cook at a high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture is sticky and the guavas have turned a deep pink. Set aside.
  2. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the bicarbonate of soda and blanch the parsley for 10 seconds. Refresh immediately in ice water, then shake off and squeeze out the excess water.
  3. Place the parsley in a blender with the grapeseed oil and blend for 2 minutes on high speed. Strain through a muslin cloth and store the oil in the fridge.
  4. Arrange 3 slices of springbok carpaccio on each plate, garnish with spring onions and micro herbs, and finish off with a few pieces of caramelised guava and a drizzle of parsley oil.

This fragrant fruit has been a favourite in our home for as long as we can remember.

MISO DUCK BREAST WITH PICKLED GUAVA PEEL, GUAVA NASTURTIUM GEL, SWEET POTATO FONDANT AND CHINESE CABBAGE

SERVES 4

FOR THE MISO DUCK BREAST

FOR THE SWEET POTATO FONDANT

FOR THE PICKLED GUAVA PEEL

FOR THE GUAVA NASTURTIUM GEL

FOR THE CHINESE CABBAGE

  1. To begin, mix the miso, mirin and ginger in a large shallow dish. Coat the duck breasts in this sauce, cover and marinate for 1 hour.
  2. To make the sweet potato fondants, cut each sweet potato into a rectangular block. Heat the butter in a small saucepan and fry the potatoes for about 10 minutes until brown on all sides. Add enough stock so that the potatoes are just covered, then cover the pan with foil and leave to simmer for 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. Remove from the heat and season to taste.
  3. To make the pickled guava peel, bring the vinegar, sake, sugar and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the guava peel and leave to cool. Once the pickling liquid has cooled completely, remove the guava peel.
  4. To make the gel, heat the guavas and water in a saucepan for 15 minutes until the fruit is cooked. Remove from the heat, add the nasturtium leaves, lemon juice and agar-agar and blend using a stick blender. Return to the stove and heat to just under boiling point for 3 minutes. Strain through a chinois or tea strainer into a jug and refrigerate. Once the jelly has set completely, remove from the fridge and blend again to form a gel. Spoon into a squeeze bottle and keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
  5. Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a cold frying pan and gradually heat to render out the fat. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip over and cook the other side for 4 minutes. Remove the breasts from the pan and rest for a few minutes before seasoning to taste and slicing.
  6. Finally, to make the Chinese cabbage, heat the peanut oil in a separate pan and fry the cabbage with the garlic and ginger. Drizzle with the soy sauce just before removing from the pan.
  7. To plate, make a bed of Chinese cabbage and place two fondant potatoes at the tip of the arrangement. Place the duck slices on top of the cabbage and dot the plate with gel and three pieces of pickled guava peel.

Fish and chips

TRADITIONAL BEER-BATTERED HAKE WITH A TARRAGON AÏOLI AND VEGETABLE CHIPS

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SERVES 4

FOR THE FISH

FOR THE VEGETABLE CHIPS

FOR THE TARRAGON AÏOLI

  1. To make the fish, half-fill a frying pan with canola oil and heat to about 180 °C.
  2. In the meantime, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, chives and beer to form batter a little thinner than syrup. Pat dry the hake portions with paper towel and then dip each in the batter and immediately fry in the hot oil until golden brown on the outside.
  3. For the vegetable chips, fill a frying pan with canola oil and heat to 180 °C. Fry the sliced vegetables for about 5 minutes until crispy and cooked. Drain on paper towel and sprinkle with herb salt.
  4. To make the aïoli, whisk the egg yolk, tarragon, garlic and vinegar and then slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking continuously until a thick emulsion forms. Season and serve with the fried fish and chips.

PATERNOSTER COB WRAPPED IN POTATO STRINGS WITH SAFFRON AND SULTANA RAGOUT AND OLIVE BROCCOLI

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SERVES 4

FOR THE PATERNOSTER COB

FOR THE SAFFRON AND SULTANA RAGOUT

FOR THE OLIVE BROCCOLI

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
  2. Prepare the fish first. Place the potatoes into a fruit and vegetable spiraliser set to a fine strand setting. If you don’t have one of these, thinly peel and slice the potatoes into long strings.
  3. Make a spice rub with the sesame seeds, ginger, turmeric, paprika and lemon zest. Rub this onto the cob fillets and then season with salt and pepper.
  4. Carefully wrap the potato strings around the cob fillets so that they look like thin cocoons.
  5. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan. When the butter is foamy, fry the cob fillets for 2 minutes on each side so that the potato turns golden. Then place the fish on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  6. For the ragout, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, celery, garlic and saffron. Once the onions have softened, add the sultanas, vegetable stock and port and simmer for 15 minutes. Tip the ragout into a serving dish and sprinkle over the garam masala.
  7. For the olive broccoli, blanch the broccoli stems in boiling water for 2 minutes and then shock in ice water. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and quickly fry the broccoli with the olive tapenade for 1 minute until warmed through. Sprinkle over some sea-salt flakes and serve with the fish and ragout.

CRÊPES AND ORANGES

TRADITIONAL CRÊPE SUZETTE SERVED WITH CRÈME FRAÎCHE

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MAKES 20 PANCAKES

  1. Coat a hot frying pan with canola oil. You are aiming for paper-thin crêpes, so pour in a little batter and swirl the pan so that the batter coats the surface evenly and thinly. Once the edges appear cooked, flip the crêpe and fry on the other side until light brown. Keep the crêpes warm by stacking them on a plate set over a saucepan of warm water and covered with foil or another plate.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan wide enough to fit your crêpes. Add the orange and lemon juice, zests and castor sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Start adding the crêpes one by one, folding them into quarters and moving to the side until all the crêpes are in the pan and have been dressed in the sauce.
  3. Heat a metal ladle or measuring spoon on the stove and then move away and quickly fill it with Cointreau. Set the liquor alight and quickly take the pan of crêpes and the ladle to the table and theatrically pour the burning liquor over the crêpes for everyone to witness your courage!
  4. Serve warm with crème fraîche.

Crêpe Suzette is a French dish served with style in a few old establishments in Paris, where the crêpes are ceremoniously flambéed at the table. It epitomises the magic and wonder of food, and we’d be happy to see such theatrical dining return.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND ORANGE CRÊPE CAKE WITH BRANDY ORANGES AND CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

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MAKES 1 CAKE

FOR THE CRÊPE CAKE

FOR THE CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

FOR THE BRANDY ORANGES

  1. Coat a hot frying pan with canola oil. You are aiming for paper-thin crêpes, so pour in a little batter and swirl the pan so that the batter coats the surface evenly and thinly. Once the edges appear cooked, flip the crêpe and fry on the other side until light brown. Repeat until you have used up all the batter.
  2. Cream the egg yolks and castor sugar until the mixture has doubled in volume and become pale. Add the cornflour and whisk thoroughly.
  3. Heat the cream and milk in a saucepan to just below boiling and then slowly add to the egg mixture to avoid scrambling the eggs. Add the salt and whisk well.
  4. Pour back into the saucepan, return to the stove at a medium heat and stir until the custard becomes very thick. Remove from the stove and stir in the butter and the chocolate. Spoon into a bowl and refrigerate until cool and stiff, then scoop into a piping bag (optional).
  5. Create a crêpe stack, piping or spreading chocolate custard between each layer. Don’t add custard to the top of the final crêpe. Place in the fridge to set.
  6. To make the candied orange peel, peel the oranges and set aside the flesh for the brandy oranges. Trim off and discard all the pith from the peel and then thinly slice the peel into strips. Place the orange peel, sugar and water in a saucepan at a medium heat and cook for about 15 minutes, until the peel is tender. Remove the peel from the pan and spread out on a Silpat®. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and dip the ends of the peel into the melted chocolate. Leave to cool on the Silpat® until the chocolate solidifies.
  7. To make the brandy oranges, segment the oranges and trim off and discard all the pith. Place the segments, rosemary leaves and brandy in a very hot saucepan. Allow the brandy to flambé and then cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary leaves and place the brandy oranges on top of the crêpe stack. Top with the chocolate-dipped candied orange peel.

TRADITIONAL STEAK AND ALE PIE WITH CREAM CHEESE AND MUSHROOM PASTRY

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SERVES 6

FOR THE PASTRY

FOR THE FILLING

  1. Make the pastry first. Blend the mushrooms to a powder in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the pastry just starts coming together. Tip out of the food processor onto cling wrap and form a ball. Wrap up and chill in the fridge until ready to roll.
  2. To make the filling, heat some olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the beef in two batches, dusting each batch with half the flour as it hits the pan. Remove the beef and set aside.
  3. Using the same pan, fry the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and bay leaf in the butter until softened.
  4. Return the beef to the pan and add the ale, stock, fresh herbs, vinegar and tomato paste. Simmer for 11⁄2–2 hours at a low heat. If the sauce is too thin, reduce it until it thickens. Tip the mixture into a large casserole dish (about 3 litres in volume).
  5. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
  6. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about 5 mm thick and place on top of the pie filling. Trim the sides and bake for 15 minutes until golden brown.

STEAK AND ALE

RIB-EYE STEAK, IPA SABAYON, SOUS-VIDE ONIONS AND CARROT CRUMBLE

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SERVES 4

FOR THE SOUS-VIDE ONIONS

FOR THE CARROT CRUMBLE

FOR THE IPA SABAYON

FOR THE RIB-EYE STEAKS

  1. To make the sous-vide onions, place the onions, olive oil and rosemary in a Ziploc® bag. Vacuum seal the bag and place in a water bath or saucepan of water on the stove maintained at 85 °C for 2 hours. When cooked, remove the onions and slice in half. Season to taste.
  2. To make the carrot crumble, fry the carrots in the 100 g butter at a low heat. Stir in the tomato paste and bacon and cook for 10 minutes. Scoop into a casserole dish or individual ramekins.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Blend the mushrooms in a food processor, then add the flour, 300 g butter, sugar, salt and thyme leaves and continue to blend until the mixture starts to come together. Remove from the processor and work in the oats. Crumble this over the carrots and bake for 20 minutes until the crumble is cooked.
  4. To make the sabayon, whisk the egg yolks, vinegar and 100 ml of the ale in a heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water and, whisking continually, slowly add the rest of the ale until the sabayon is cooked through, thick and light.
  5. For the rib-eye steaks, make a paste out of the thyme, Marmite, tomato paste, honey and lemon juice. Rub this onto the steaks and then grill to desired doneness. Allow to rest and then season with black pepper before slicing and plating with the other elements. Serve the sabayon separately so that guests can help themselves.

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Chicken Livers

POLENTA AND DUKKAH-CRUSTED CHICKEN LIVERS WITH BULGUR WHEAT AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

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SERVES 4

FOR THE CHICKEN LIVERS

FOR THE BULGUR WHEAT AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

  1. To make the chicken livers, mix the polenta flour, couscous, cheese, dukkah, salt and pepper in a bowl. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
  2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a frying pan until foamy. Pat dry the chicken livers with paper towel, then dip them in the egg and then in the polenta mixture. Fry them in the hot pan for 2 minutes per side until crispy, then drain on paper towel. If you prefer your chicken livers well done, cook them a little longer.
  3. To make the salad, boil the bulgur wheat in 1 litre salted water for 8 minutes until cooked, then strain using a sieve. Allow the bulgur to cool slightly.
  4. Place the spinach leaves, pomegranate rubies and bulgur wheat in a bowl. Whisk together the honey, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and drizzle over the salad. Toss to coat.
  5. Arrange the chicken livers over the salad and garnish with parsley and salt flakes.

CHICKEN LIVER TERRINE WITH FIG AND APPLE CHUTNEY

Prepare the terrine the day before and refrigerate overnight. Serve with warm toasted bread.

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SERVES 6, AS A SNACK

FOR THE CHICKEN LIVER TERRINE

FOR THE FIG AND APPLE CHUTNEY

  1. To make the terrine, first clarify the butter. Slowly heat the butter in a saucepan. Once melted, scoop off the solids that rise to the top. Set aside.
  2. Place the chicken livers in a bowl and sprinkle over the paprika, cumin and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
  3. Heat 15 ml of the clarified butter in a frying pan and fry the chicken livers in batches for 3 minutes each. Set aside.
  4. Blanch the spinach leaves in boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then immediately dip them into a bowl of ice water. Squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
  5. Line the inside of a loaf or terrine tin large enough to fit the chicken livers with a couple of layers of cling wrap. The cling wrap should hang over the sides. Carefully line the tin with all of the Black Forest ham, overlapping the slices and ensuring that there is enough hanging over the edges to cover the top of the terrine at the end.
  6. Pack a layer of cooked chicken livers in the bottom of the tin and pour over 50 ml of the melted clarified butter. Season and then spread 3 spinach leaves on top of the chicken livers. Repeat the layers and then finish off with a layer of chicken livers. Top up the terrine with another 100 ml clarified butter and season to taste.
  7. Fold the Black Forest ham over the top of the terrine and add another slice or two to the top if necessary. Finally, wrap the top with cling wrap to cover.
  8. Place another tin on top or cut a shape out of cardboard or polystyrene to fit snugly into the tin. Weigh down the terrine with weights or a 5 kg bag of sugar, and refrigerate overnight.
  9. To make the chutney, roughly chop the apples and sauté with the onion and fennel seeds in a saucepan at a low heat until the onion has softened. Add the figs, sugar and vinegar and cook down to a thick consistency, about 10 minutes. Season to taste and spoon into a clean, sterilised glass bottle or serving dish. The chutney will keep for 2 weeks stored in a sealed container in the fridge.
  10. When ready to serve, unmould the terrine onto a plate and carefully remove the cling wrap. Slice and serve with the chutney and warm toasted bread.

PEAS

PEA AND FENNEL SOUP WITH LEMON OIL AND GOAT’S CHEESE

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SERVES 4

  1. To make the lemon oil, heat the olive oil and lemon zest in a small saucepan for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain through a tea strainer to remove the zest and store the oil in a bottle in the fridge.
  2. Heat a little extra olive oil in a large saucepan at a low heat and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the peas and fennel and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes until the fennel is tender.
  3. Blend the soup in a blender and then pass it through a fine sieve. Season to taste and gently reheat in the saucepan.
  4. Serve the soup hot with a dollop of goat’s cheese, a drizzle of lemon oil and some micro herbs.

PEA BRÛLÉE WITH SMOKED SALMON VELOUTÉ AND ASPARAGUS RIBBONS

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SERVES 4

FOR THE PEA BRÛLÉE

FOR THE SMOKED SALMON VELOUTÉ

FOR THE ASPARAGUS RIBBONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 125 °C. Butter 4 ramekins, glasses or cups.
  2. To make the brûlée, heat the cream in a saucepan, but do not allow it to boil.
  3. Place the peas, mustard and castor sugar in a blender and set it to medium speed. Pour in the cream and blend until smooth. Increase the speed and add the egg yolks and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
  4. Pour the custard into the ramekins and place them in a roasting tin. Pour enough warm water into the roasting tin to come about three-quarters up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the custard has just set. Leave to cool.
  5. To make the velouté, heat a dash of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic, bay leaf, leek and celery until softened. Add the smoked salmon and sauté for a further 5 minutes, allowing the salmon to break apart. Add the stock and simmer for 20 minutes, then strain through a sieve, reserving the liquid.
  6. In a new saucepan, melt the butter and then stir in the flour. Cook for a few minutes until the colour changes to a caramel brown. Whisk in the liquid salmon mixture and cook for 5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon juice if necessary.
  7. Using a vegetable peeler, make long ribbons out of the asparagus. Blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, immediately refresh in ice water and set aside.
  8. Run a knife along the inner rim of each cooled ramekin and unmould the pea custard into a soup bowl. Alternatively, serve in the glass or cup. To brûlée, dust with a little castor sugar and caramelise with a blowtorch.
  9. Arrange some asparagus ribbons on top of each brûlée and then carefully pour over some velouté.

CORN AND BUTTER

THE PERFECT BUTTERED POPCORN

This snack is extremely popular but notoriously difficult to master, because the butter can soften the popped kernels. For this reason, many people resort to microwave products. Homemade is always better, so if you can master the art, you’ll never look back. You’ll need a small plastic spray bottle to get this right, but these are easy to find and very affordable.

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MAKES 1 BIG BOWL OF POPCORN

  1. Preheat the oven to 150 °C.
  2. Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan. Add one popcorn kernel to the oil and put on the lid. Once the oil is hot, the ‘test kernel’ will pop. Now add the rest of the popcorn kernels, close the lid and swirl the pan around. Once all the popcorn has popped, remove from the heat.
  3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and clarify it by scooping off any bits that rise to the surface. Decant this clear butter into a plastic spray bottle, leaving any solids behind in the pan.
  4. Place the popped popcorn on a baking tray and spray liberally with the butter. Toss the popcorn to coat evenly and place in the oven for 5 minutes to crisp up. You can repeat this step a few times for an extra hit of buttery goodness.
  5. Grind the salt in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until very fine. Sprinkle this powdered salt over the crisp buttered popcorn and enjoy.

CREAMED SAMP RISOTTO WITH BACON BUTTER

Here we have made samp, that wonderful South African staple, rich, smoky and moreish with the addition of bacon butter. To make this into an even heartier meal, consider adding pulled pork or a slow-cooked lamb shank. You will need to soak the samp for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

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SERVES 4

  1. Bring the soaked samp to the boil in 1 litre salted water and boil for 2 hours until tender. Ensure the water level stays just above the samp all the time.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a frying pan and fry the bacon until browned. Remove from the heat and pour in the cream. Leave to infuse for 45 minutes then chill in the fridge.
  3. Once chilled, spoon the bacon cream into a large bowl and beat with a stick blender at high speed until the cream forms stiff peaks. Continue beating until you have a smooth solid and a whitish liquid has collected in the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Pour off and discard the liquid and chill the solid butter for 15 minutes. Rinse the chilled butter with ice water a few times until the water runs clear and is no longer milky. Wrap the butter in wax paper and refrigerate.
  5. Prepare the béchamel sauce according to the recipe on page 169.
  6. Rinse the cooked samp in a colander under hot running water and then stir in the béchamel sauce. Season to taste.
  7. Serve the samp with slices of bacon butter and garnished with chopped chives.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS

TRADITIONAL COQ AU VIN

Serve with boiled baby potatoes.

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SERVES 4

  1. Fry the bacon with the 15 ml of butter in batches in a large hot frying pan. Remove the bacon and set aside.
  2. Pat the chicken pieces with paper towel and then brown in the bacon fat.
  3. Return the bacon to the pan and add the garlic. Season with lots of salt and pepper and cook for a further 10 minutes.
  4. Pour in the cognac and set it alight with a match. Let it burn as you slowly swirl the pan. When it has stopped flambéing, add the red wine and enough chicken stock to cover the chicken pieces. Add the tomato paste, sprigs of thyme and bay leaves and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
  5. Spoon the cooked chicken pieces into a large casserole dish and keep warm.
  6. Reduce the sauce in the pan until you have about 500 ml. Mix the cornflour with 15 ml water and add to the sauce. Bring to the boil until nice and thick.
  7. In the meantime, in a separate frying pan, fry the mushrooms in 100 g of the butter in small batches until brown. Add the chopped thyme and season generously with salt and pepper.
  8. Place the onions, vegetable stock and the remaining 60 g butter in a saucepan, cover and cook for about 30 minutes until the onions are soft. Turn up the heat to reduce the stock and brown the onions in the reduction.
  9. Baste the chicken pieces with the red wine sauce and add the onions and mushrooms to the casserole dish. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

This French classic is essential to any cook’s arsenal. It does take up a considerable amount of time to prepare, but with a glass of wine and some blues playing in the background, preparing this dish for the people you love becomes a therapeutic labour of love.

DECONSTRUCTED COQ AU VIN

(BUTTER-POACHED CHICKEN WITH CRISPY SKIN, MUSHROOM FOAM, BRAISED BABY ONIONS, DIJON CARROTS, CREAMY MASH, CRISPY PARSLEY AND RED WINE SAUCE)

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SERVES 4

FOR THE CHICKEN

FOR THE RED WINE SAUCE

FOR THE MUSHROOM FOAM

FOR THE BRAISED BABY ONIONS

FOR THE DIJON CARROTS

FOR THE CREAMY MASH

FOR THE CRISPY PARSLEY

  1. For the chicken, heat the butter, thyme, bay leaves and garlic in a medium-sized saucepan. Remove the skin from the chicken breasts and keep it aside. Add the chicken breasts to the saucepan and poach for about 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. Pack the chicken skins in a bowl with salt and pepper and leave for 30 minutes. Deep-fry the skins in canola oil at 180 °C until crispy.
  3. To make the red wine sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan and fry the pancetta lardons until crispy. Remove the lardons with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and garlic to the fat in the saucepan and fry until browned. Return the pancetta to the saucepan and add the red wine, bay leaves, tomato paste and chicken stock. Cook until the sauce has reduced by two-thirds, adjust the seasoning and thicken with a slurry of 10 ml water and 5 ml cornflour, if necessary.
  4. To make the mushroom foam, heat 75 g of the shiitake mushrooms with the cream and cognac in a saucepan. Just before it starts to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain the cream to remove the mushrooms and stir in the xanthan gum. Strain this through a sieve into a jug and whisk until frothy.
  5. Blend the remaining shiitake mushrooms in a food processor or spice grinder to make a fine powder.
  6. Braise the baby onions in the vegetable stock and butter until soft and brown.
  7. Blanch the baby carrots and then finish in a frying pan with the butter, mustard and honey. Season to taste.
  8. To make the mash, boil the potatoes until soft and tender and then mash with the butter and cream. Season to taste.
  9. To make the crispy parsley, tightly pull cling wrap over a plate to form a taught surface. Rub the cling wrap with the olive oil and sprinkle with fine salt. Press individual parsley leaves onto the cling wrap and microwave at full power for 2–3 minutes until crispy.
  10. When you are ready to plate, carefully reheat the chicken breasts. Smear a helping of the mushroom foam on last and add a dusting of mushroom powder to the finished plate.

MEAT AND MAIZE

PORTUGUESE-STYLE ROAST CHICKEN WITH POLENTA CHIPS AND GRILLED BABY LEEKS

Our little sister Nelia and I had a particular craving for Nando’s chicken one December holiday and decided to have a go at it ourselves instead of heading down to the local takeout. The result was a succulent and tender roast chicken with a fresher taste. This marinade will work brilliantly on fish and pork fillet as well. – Leandri

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SERVES 6

FOR THE ROAST CHICKEN

FOR THE GRILLED BABY LEEKS

FOR THE POLENTA CHIPS

  1. Make a marinade for the chicken by combining all the ingredients from the garlic to the apricot jam. Place the chicken in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
  2. Braai the chicken, turning regularly and brushing with the marinade, until the sauce has caramelised and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 °C on a meat thermometer. This will take about 11⁄2 hours, depending on the braai temperature.
  3. Thread the baby leeks onto skewers, brush with the butter and dust with the paprika. Braai for about 20 minutes, turning every now and then until cooked, and then sprinkle over the chopped parsley.
  4. To make the polenta chips, bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then whisk in the polenta. Cover and cook for 25 minutes until cooked through, and then stir in the butter. Spoon the polenta onto a greased baking tray and smooth it out. Allow to cool and harden.
  5. Dust a chopping board with polenta flour and turn out the cooled polenta onto the board. Cut into fingers and coat in more polenta flour.
  6. Heat canola oil in a large saucepan to 180 °C and then deep-fry the polenta fingers in batches until golden brown and crispy.
  7. In a mortar and pestle, grind the salt with the rosemary and thyme to extract the oils from the herbs and then sprinkle the salt over the polenta chips.

BRAAI-FREE FINE-DINING BRAAI

(SEARED OSTRICH FILLET WITH APRICOT AND BRANDY SAUCE, GRILLED SWEET CORN SORBET, GARLIC BREAD BHAJI, PEA PURÉE AND MAIZE PORRIDGE TUILE)

While filming MasterChef SA, I had the opportunity to cook for culinary legend Prue Leith. We were tasked with creating a truly South African dish with the finesse of fine dining. Drawing inspiration from our beloved national pastime, I made a dish that impressed the judges and Prue Leith herself. This is an adaptation of that dish. The maize porridge tuile is a nostalgic touch, reminiscent of our family’s habit of scratching out the golden crust at the bottom of the saucepan once we’ve enjoyed our pap. Even though we all do it, it’s always done with an air of secrecy and has become a ‘pre-dessert’ – smeared with butter and sprinkled with sugar. - Leandri

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SERVES 4

FOR THE OSTRICH FILLET

FOR THE SWEET CORN SORBET

FOR THE GARLIC BREAD BHAJI

FOR THE PEA PURÉE

FOR THE APRICOT AND BRANDY SAUCE

FOR THE MAIZE PORRIDGE TUILE

  1. Make a marinade for the ostrich fillets by combining all the ingredients from the lemon juice to the bay leaf, including the whole tea bag. Place the ostrich fillets in a large bowl and pour over the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  2. To make the sweet corn sorbet, brush the cobs with the olive oil and sprinkle over some salt and the paprika. Grill the cobs in a hot griddle pan, turning frequently, until the corn kernels have grill marks on all sides and are cooked. Slice the kernels off the cobs. Heat the stock and sugar in a small saucepan, then add the corn kernels and coriander. Blend using a stick blender and then pass through a fine sieve. Chill the mixture in the fridge and then churn in an ice-cream machine until the sorbet comes together. Freeze until ready to serve.
  3. To make the bhaji, mix the butter, garlic and parsley. Cut the bread into rough pieces, brush with the garlic butter and then grill in the oven until golden. Pulse the bread in a food processor and then tip into a mixing bowl. Add the spinach, onion and curry powder and mix well. Add 1 egg to bind the mixture. Add the other egg only if necessary. Heat enough canola oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan and fry spoonfuls of the mixture for 1–2 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the outside, but still moist inside. Drain the bhaji on paper towel and season with salt.
  4. To make the pea purée, boil the peas in hot water for 5 minutes, drain and then refresh immediately in ice water. Drain once more and then blend the peas in a blender with the lime juice, mint and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the cream and continue to blend to the desired consistency. Adjust the seasoning and then pass the mixture through a drum sieve or a fine chinois for a smooth purée.
  5. To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion, leek and apricots for 5 minutes. Add the brandy, bay leaves and beef stock and leave to simmer until the sauce has reduced by two-thirds. Strain the sauce to remove the bits and then return to the stove. Add the honey and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
  6. To make the tuile, preheat the oven to 200 °C. Bring the maize meal and water to the boil while whisking and cook for 20 minutes at a medium heat. Add the salt and 15 ml of the butter. Brush a silicone mat or baking tray with some of the remaining butter and then drop a few individual tablespoons of the porridge onto the tray. Drag a spoon or spatula across the dollops of porridge to spread them out thinly, brush with more butter and bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
  7. Grill the ostrich fillets in a hot oiled griddle pan for 2 minutes per side. Allow to rest for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
  8. Place a spoonful of the pea purée on each plate and make a thin smear using a butter or palate knife. Place two bhajis on opposite sides of the smear and top each with a tuile. Then arrange the sliced ostrich fillet diagonally across the purée. Place a scoop of the sweet corn sorbet at the top or bottom of the ostrich fillet arrangement. Serve the sauce on the side.

Nothing beats a good old South African braai when it comes to capturing summer and community.

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FLAPJACKS

GERDA’S PLAATKOEKIES

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MAKES 20

  1. Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  2. Add the milk and stir.
  3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix with a spatula.
  4. Stir in the melted butter, but do not overmix.
  5. Spray a frying pan with non-stick cooking spray and then fry spoonfuls of the batter on a hot plate. Flip them over once bubbles appear on the surface and fry the other side until light brown. Serve as they come, straight out of the pan.

Flapjacks, or plaatkoekies (stove cakes) as we know them, are a terribly nostalgic treat in our family. Our dear mother would wake up early on Sunday mornings and mix her batter while we slept. The smell would inevitably lift us up out of bed and we’d gather around the small kitchen table. Nelia would always beg for a special ‘sunrise surprise’ (a half-cooked flapjack), which our mother prepared especially for her. After gobbling up every last flapjack, it would be a mad rush to pack away the jars of jam, honey and spreads before heading down the road to church. These days, we share plaatkoekies with the people we love. We’ve made them for prison ministries in Rwanda, orphanages in Mozambique, dates, our foster-care homes and even Christmas-day brunch.

PECAN PIE FLAPJACKS WITH CARAMEL BANANAS

This recipe pays homage to the other ladies in our close-knit family. Nothing epitomises family quality time than tea with our aunts Lynette and Karen. When we come together to celebrate, nothing is treasured more than a warm pecan pie. These flapjacks are marvellous served with vanilla ice cream.

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MAKES 10

FOR THE CARAMEL BANANAS

  1. Bring the condensed milk, syrup, sugar, vanilla and rum to the boil in a saucepan, whisking continually for 3 minutes. Add the pecan nuts and salt and cook for a further 5–10 minutes, stirring until the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Once melted, drop 4 individual spoonfuls of the flapjack batter into the pan. Scoop a teaspoon of the pecan filling onto 2 of the 4 flapjacks. Once the flapjacks are nearly cooked through, make ‘sandwiches’ by placing one of the plain flapjacks on top of one of the pecan flapjacks. Press down lightly with the spatula and then remove from the pan. Repeat until you have used all the batter and pecan filling.
  3. To make the caramel bananas, melt the butter in a separate frying pan, remove from the heat and add the brown sugar. When the butter starts to bubble, sprinkle in the spices and then add the bananas. Fry for 2 minutes so that the banana caramelises slightly but does not fall apart.
  4. Serve the warm pecan pie flapjacks with the caramel bananas and scoops of vanilla ice cream.