Beetroot and White Chocolate

BEETROOT LOLLIPOPS DIPPED IN WHITE CHOCOLATE AND SHERBET

We love challenging people’s perceptions of food and I recently decided to centre an entire dessert on beetroot at a pop-up restaurant. The guests were sceptical at first, but were blown away with the result. If you treat the ingredients correctly and approach the dish with a sense of adventure, anything is possible, even a beetroot dessert! This is the recipe for just one of the elements on that dessert and which we have repeatedly been begged to provide. The lollipops taste best with fresh juice, so with about 6 beetroots and 1 apple you should get the required amount of juice from your juicer. – Seline

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MAKES 16

  1. Combine the juices, castor sugar and glucose in a large heavy-based saucepan and heat to exactly 147 °C before removing from the heat. Do not place the saucepan on a granite surface or on the cold floor because it will cool too quickly.
  2. Work quickly before the beetroot mixture hardens. Slowly pour the mixture into the greased lollipop moulds and place a stick in each, twisting it a full 360 degrees to coat the whole stick in the mixture (this prevents the stick from coming apart from the lollipop).
  3. Allow the lollipops to cool at room temperature before removing from the moulds.
  4. Melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl above a saucepan of steaming hot water. Make sure that the water doesn’t boil and that the bowl doesn’t touch the water, otherwise the chocolate will burn and seize.
  5. While the chocolate is melting, make a sherbet by combining the icing sugar, citric acid, cream of tartar and purple powder in a little bowl.
  6. Dip the tops of the lollipops into the melted white chocolate and sprinkle over some of the sherbet. Lay flat on a silicone mat to set. Alternatively, set standing up straight by sticking the lollipops into a block of polystyrene.
  7. Store in an airtight container lined with wax paper. Ensure that each layer of lollipops is divided by wax paper as well, to prevent them sticking to one another.

If you really want to experience the essence of beetroot, eat it raw. Thinly slice it and put it in salads or use it as a garnish on savoury plates of food. For a kick of natural energy, use it to make a super juice or smoothie with bananas, frozen raspberries and fresh orange juice. If you’re feeling bold, use it in desserts – beetroots are delicious when candied and used in cakes and jellies.

BORSCHT WITH SHIMEJI MUSHROOMS, PORK DUMPLINGS AND WHITE CHOCOLATE AND SOUR CREAM SAUCE

A few years ago I attended a green energy conference in a small town in Poland and I instantly fell in love with the place. I ambled over to the most Polish-looking restaurant I could find and grabbed a seat at a tiny table in the inner courtyard. Unable to understand much of what was on the menu, I mumbled the word ‘borscht’ to the waitress and 20 minutes later received a bright purple bowl of steaming beetroot soup. This specific bowl was an ode to the lovely beetroot – a clear beetroot broth with dollops of sour cream and tiny pork dumplings that added a salty element without being overpowering. This recipe is a tribute to that delightful dish. – Seline

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SERVES 6

FOR THE BORSCHT

FOR THE PORK DUMPLINGS

FOR THE SHIMEJI MUSHROOMS

FOR THE SAUCE

  1. In order to make the best borscht, you will need to make your own vegetable stock. Sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery in the butter in a large saucepan. Add the cloves, bay leaves and black pepper. Once the onions are cooked, add the boiling water and thyme, and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow the stock to cook off on a gentle simmer for 30 minutes to extract the most flavour from the vegetables. Season with salt after 30 minutes. While the stock cooks off, boil the beetroot in salted water until soft, then finely grate and set aside. Combine 800 ml of the strained homemade vegetable stock (add hot water to make up the amount if necessary) with the beetroot juice and lemon juice in a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes before adding the grated beetroot. Simmer for another 10 minutes before straining.
  2. To make the dumplings, sauté the onion, garlic and ginger in the butter at a low heat until the onion is totally cooked but not browned. Add the pork mince and cumin, season with black pepper and sauté at a high heat until the pork is cooked. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and allow to cool while you make the dough. Combine the flour, milk and salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment (if you don’t have a mixer you can do this by hand, it will just take a little longer). Mix on a medium speed for 15 minutes to form soft but elastic dough. If the dough is still sticky at this point, gradually add a little more flour. Cover with cling wrap and set aside for at least 30 minutes to relax.
  3. Roll out the dumpling dough to a thickness of 4 mm. Cut out neat squares, each measuring 6–8 cm a side. Collect any off cuts and roll out the dough again. Place a spoonful of the cooled pork filling diagonally across the middle of each square. Wet the edges with a little water to help seal and pull one corner towards its opposite to form a triangle. Press the tip and sides together but leave 5 mm open at each corner of the triangle. Use dry fingers to press any air out of the dumpling through the gaps you have left (otherwise they will pop during cooking). Finally, seal the points and, using your thumb, index and middle fingers, creating a fan pattern all around the sealed edges.
  4. Bring the beef stock to the boil in a saucepan and gently lower the dumplings into the liquid. Use a spoon to slowly create a whirlpool – this will stop the dumplings from initially sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer for about 6 minutes; the dumplings will float to the top when they are cooked. Scoop out the dumplings with a slotted spoon and place them in the prepared borscht while they are still warm. Do not reheat them as they can become slimy. Keep the dumpling stock to poach the mushrooms.
  5. To make the shimeji mushrooms, cut off each mushroom, keeping their stems as long as possible. Poach the mushrooms for 2 minutes in the dumpling stock, then strain and sprinkle with the salt, black pepper and thyme. Mix well and set aside.
  6. To make the sauce, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl suspended over a saucepan of steaming hot water (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water and that the water doesn’t boil). Mix the melted chocolate into the sour cream along with the chives. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  7. Divide the borscht between 6 serving bowls, ensuring there are a few dumplings in each. Add a few shimeji mushrooms and put a dollop of white chocolate and sour cream sauce in the middle of each bowl. Sprinkle over some beetroot micro greens and serve.

CARPACCIO AND CITRUS

OSTRICH CARPACCIO SALAD ON PARMESAN SOIL WITH A LIME PONZU DRESSING

Give classic Italian beef carpaccio a South African twist by using one of our healthiest meat sources – ostrich. It’s incredibly lean and packed with flavour.

SERVES 6

FOR THE PARMESAN SOIL

FOR THE LIME PONZU DRESSING

FOR THE OSTRICH CARPACCIO SALAD

  1. To make the Parmesan soil, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Rub together the butter and flour, add the Parmesan and mix well. Spoon onto a silicone mat and bake for 8–12 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately separate with a fork to form crumbs, which will harden once cooled.
  2. To make the ponzu dressing, combine the ponzu with the lime zest and juice, honey and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well combined.
  3. Lightly coat the salad leaves with a tablespoon of the ponzu dressing, reserving the rest of the dressing in a little jug or bowl for serving.
  4. Place a tidy line of Parmesan soil on each plate, followed by a few dressed salad leaves. Neatly arrange all the remaining salad ingredients on top of the leaves, finishing with the ostrich carpaccio and Parmesan shavings. Serve the lime ponzu dressing on the side.

Although making your own smoked carpaccio is a lot of effort, it is rewarding. You can place almost anything in the smoking mix, which will allow you to fully dictate the flavour of your end product. If you want to do this, you will need a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and big enough to hold the meat on a metal grid – something like a cake cooling rack will work perfectly.

HOME-SMOKED CARPACCIO WITH LEMON AND NAARTJIE FAUX CAVIAR, QUINOA SALAD, BASIL AÏOLI AND BEETROOT FOAM

SERVES 6

FOR THE CARPACCIO

FOR THE FAUX CAVIAR

FOR THE QUINOA SALAD

FOR THE BASIL AÏOLI

FOR THE BEETROOT FOAM

  1. Cover a large dinner plate in cling wrap and press all the mint leaves onto it. Microwave for 45 seconds, rest for 1 minute and then repeat. Select a saucepan (see note on page 98). To protect it, line the inside with a double layer of foil.
  2. To make the smoking mixture, combine the dehydrated mint leaves, rice, sugar, lemongrass and naartjie zest in a bowl. Scatter this evenly into the prepared saucepan and place a grid/rack on top, making sure there is at least 3 cm of space between the smoking mixture and the grid. Turn the stove onto a high heat until the smoking mixture ignites and starts smoking. Quickly place the steak onto the grid and close the saucepan with the lid. You can now turn the stove down to a medium heat while you smoke the meat for 8–14 minutes, depending on how much smokiness you prefer. Once the smoking is complete, remove the meat from the smoker and season generously with the salt and pepper, rubbing the seasoning into the flesh. Tightly wrap the beef in cling wrap, rolling as you go to get a neat and tidy shape, and place it in the freezer for a couple of hours – this will make it easier to slice.
  3. To make the faux caviar, strain the citrus juices through a sieve to remove any pulp. Place the juices in a small saucepan with the sugar and agar-agar and heat to at least 80 °C for 3 minutes. Place some of the chilled olive oil in a tall glass. Fill a syringe with the citrus mixture and then slowly (a drop every 2 seconds) squeeze the mixture into the glass. Round beads will have formed by the time they reach the bottom. Do about a third of the mixture and then swap to a new glass with a new batch of chilled olive oil. Repeat until you have used up all the citrus mixture and then gently strain the beads out of the oil using a sieve. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
  4. To make the quinoa, bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, add the quinoa and salt, cover and simmer for 12–14 minutes. The quinoa will absorb all the water so be careful not to burn it towards the end of the cooking time. Once the quinoa is tender, remove it from the heat and allow to cool completely. Add the feta, toasted pine nuts and micro basil leaves to the cooled quinoa.
  5. To make the basil aïoli, add the garlic to the mayonnaise recipe at the very beginning, along with the egg yolks. Once you have finished the remaining steps in that recipe, add the basil and blitz with a stick blender until smooth again.
  6. To make the foam, strain the beetroot juice through a fine sieve. Add the lemon juice and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the soy lecithin and blitz with a stick blender, moving the blender in and out of the liquid to add maximum air.
  7. To assemble, place a helping of quinoa salad onto each plate and drizzle over a little basil aïoli. Remove the carpaccio from the freezer and slice as thinly as possible. Divide the carpaccio between the plates and decorate with dollops of the faux caviar. Add the beetroot foam just before serving.

CRAYFISH AND MANGO

STEAMED CRAYFISH WITH CURRIED MANGO SAUCE

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SERVES 2

  1. Place the crayfish into a bucket of tap water for a few hours. The crayfish will slowly fall asleep as the oxygen content in the water is lower than in the ocean. We have found that this is the most humane way to kill them. Cut a line straight down the middle of each crayfish’s stomach with a pair of scissors to remove the black vein just under the shell.
  2. Place the butter, onion and garlic in a saucepan and cook at a medium heat until the onions are translucent. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and the garam masala. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes.
  3. Add the mangoes and lemon juice to the saucepan and cook for a further 5 minutes until the mango is soft. Blend with a stick blender.
  4. Place about 400 ml boiling water in the bottom of a large saucepan. Place a grid above the steam and place the crayfish on the grid. Cover the pan and steam them for 8 minutes and then remove from the pan.
  5. Serve warm or cold with the curried mango sauce.

Our parents believed that one should explore, understand and know your own country before you start travelling overseas, and that’s what we did throughout our childhood. My husband, Jay, has had a different upbringing; his family has been trekking to the quaint seaside town of Lambert’s Bay for holidays for 30 years. Lambert’s Bay is on the West Coast of South Africa, which means the water is freezing, but perfect for crayfish! Jay has taught me to dive for crayfish and, with my legal permit in hand and kitted out in the thickest wetsuit ever, I have proudly brought home a few of these beautiful creatures. There is something magical about diving in freezing water for 2 hours to catch your own crayfish with your bare hands and then gently steaming and enjoying them while watching the ocean. The distinct tropical fruitiness of mango plays so well with the sweetness and texture of the crayfish. – Seline

GRILLED CRAYFISH WITH COCONUT CREAM SAUCE, COCONUT FOAM AND MANGO SALSA

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SERVES 2

FOR THE CRAYFISH

FOR THE MANGO SALSA

FOR THE COCONUT CREAM SAUCE

FOR THE COCONUT FOAM

  1. Place the live crayfish into a bucket of tap water for a few hours. The crayfish will slowly fall asleep as the oxygen content in the water is lower than in the ocean. We have found that this is the most humane way to kill them.
  2. Cut off the crayfish tails and remove the shells by cutting down the middle of the softer shell on the stomach with a pair of scissors. Be sure to remove the black vein that runs just under the shell on the crayfish’s front as well.
  3. Mix the butter, pepper, garlic, lemon juice and zest and use to marinate the crayfish for at least 20 minutes. Grill the crayfish in a hot griddle pan for about 2 minutes a side, basting as they cook with the leftover marinade.
  4. To make the mango salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.
  5. To make the coconut cream sauce, sauté the butter, onion and garlic in a saucepan until the onion is translucent. Add the salt, pepper and cumin, followed by the coconut cream. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and blend with a stick blender. Strain the mixture through a sieve so that you are left with a silky smooth sauce.
  6. To assemble the dish, smear a spoon of coconut cream sauce across each plate. Place a helping of mango salsa on one side of the sauce. Cut the crayfish into smaller pieces and arrange on the plates. Scatter over the toasted coconut flakes and pine nuts, and garnish with some beetroot micro greens.
  7. Finally, make the coconut foam. Bloom the gelatin leaves in a small bowl of ice water for at least 5 minutes. Sauté the butter, onion and garlic in a small saucepan until the onion is well cooked. Add the coconut cream and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Blend the mixture using a stick blender and pass through a fine sieve. Remove the gelatin leaves from the ice water, squeeze out the excess water and add the gelatin leaves to the warm coconut mixture so that they melt (discard the water in which the gelatin leaves were bloomed). Spoon the mixture into a siphon gun and load with 1 gas canister. Discharge the foam onto the plates just before serving.

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WATERMELON AND CHILLI

WATERMELON, CHILLI AND MINT JAM

Making jams and preserves is a great way to use up any excess fruit, especially when the fruit is in season. Use your jams in sauces, salad dressings and meat marinades. We don’t make our jams with pectin or any funny jamming agents or chemicals, but rather let the natural sugars cook down until the consistency is just right to form a soft, pure jam.

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MAKES 1.5 KG JAM

  1. Place a small ceramic plate or bowl in the freezer to use later to test whether your jam is ready.
  2. Cut the watermelon flesh into relatively large chunks (about 3 × 3 cm) – it will cook down during the jamming process and you want to maintain some texture.
  3. Place the watermelon and vinegar in a large, deep saucepan on the stove and turn it on to a medium heat.
  4. Cut the watermelon rind into small pieces (1 × 1 cm or smaller) and add to the saucepan along with the lemon juice, lemon rind and ginger.
  5. Add half of the chilli, the mint leaves and sugar.
  6. Keep the heat at medium until the mixture starts to boil, at which time you should turn down the heat to low and allow the jam to slowly cook away until thick.
  7. Taste the jam and add more chilli according to your preference.
  8. To test if your jam is ready, remove the cold plate from the freezer and dollop a teaspoon of jam onto it. Leave it for about 10 seconds and then slightly tilt the plate. If the jam doesn’t run, then it’s ready to be bottled.
  9. If you want to bottle your jam, place opened glass jars and their lids in the oven at 160 °C for 10 minutes. Using oven gloves, remove the jars, spoon in the hot jam (it will sizzle) and seal as soon as possible with the lids. Allow to cool at room temperature before storing in the fridge.

If I had to eat only one thing for the rest of my life it would be watermelon. In summertime, I am to watermelon like a moth to a flame. I think everyone is surprised that I don’t turn pink and grow black freckles. – Seline

COMPRESSED ROOIBOS WATERMELON AND PRAWN SALAD WITH A CHILLI DRESSING

Compressed watermelon has a wonderful, dense texture like a winter or sweet melon. You will need a vacuum machine to achieve the best texture, but the salad will still be delicious even if you cannot compress the watermelon. In that case, marinate the watermelon in the rooibos mixture for an hour instead. Surprisingly, rooibos and prawns taste great alongside watermelon and these three ingredients shine in this beautifully fresh summer salad.

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SERVES 6

FOR THE CHILLI DRESSING

  1. To compress the watermelon, boil the water and steep the rooibos tea bags in it for 2 minutes to make a highly concentrated rooibos tea. Discard the tea bags. Add the thyme leaves and lemon zest and cool in the fridge until cold.
  2. Put the watermelon in straight, neat rows in a vacuum bag. You might need more than one bag depending on the size of your vacuum sealer. Divide the rooibos mixture between the vacuum bags and seal on a medium setting. Place the bags in the fridge for at least 4 hours so that the fruit is icy cold and compressed. When you remove the watermelon from the bags later, keep the rooibos mixture for the salad dressing.
  3. Clean the prawns by rinsing them under cold water and removing all their veins. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the prawns for 80 seconds. Remove from the heat, drain and squeeze over the lemon juice. Add salt to taste and two big pinches of black pepper. Cover and cool completely in the fridge.
  4. Arrange the remaining salad ingredients, compressed watermelon and prawns on a platter.
  5. To make the chilli dressing, combine the reserved rooibos mixture with the lemon juice and honey. Add a pinch of salt and some black pepper, then whisk in the olive oil in a thin stream. Finally, stir in the chilli. Pour over the salad just before serving.

Snoek and Apricots

APRICOT SNOEK

SERVES 6

  1. Start the braai fire before you begin preparing the dish so that the wood has enough time to get to the optimum temperature.
  2. Melt the butter and apricot jam in a small saucepan. Add the garlic, black pepper, and lemon juice and zest.
  3. Clean and butterfly the snoek, removing all the scales and intestines. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towel before placing onto a folding grid. This will make turning and cooking the fish easier, but you can also achieve the same result without one.
  4. Brush about one-third of the apricot baste onto both sides of the fish with a pastry brush.
  5. Test the braai by holding your hand about 10 cm above the grill; when you can keep it there for 4 seconds, you can start cooking. Turn and baste the snoek every minute to allow for even and gentle grilling. The fish will be cooked in 15–18 minutes. Pour over any remaining apricot baste before placing the snoek on a platter.
  6. Sprinkle over the coriander and black sesame seeds and serve with crispy potato wedges and a fresh summer salad.

All South Africans are familiar with the age-old combination of apricot jam and beautifully braaied snoek.

STEAMED CURRIED SNOEK CUSTARD WITH APRICOT FLUID GEL, SQUID INK SOIL AND A PRAWN AND MICRO HERB SALAD

SERVES 4

FOR THE CURRIED SNOEK CUSTARD

FOR THE APRICOT FLUID GEL

FOR THE SQUID INK SOIL

FOR THE PRAWN AND MICRO HERB SALAD

  1. To make the snoek custard, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic and gently cook until the onion is translucent. Add the garam masala and snoek and cook for 1–2 minutes to release the oils in the spices. Add the cream, salt and white pepper and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for at least 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve until you are left with just the flavoured cream. Season the beaten eggs with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and slowly start adding the cream. Be careful here: if the cream mixture is warm and you add it to the eggs too quickly you could scramble the eggs. Divide the mixture between 4 petri dishes or ramekins and skim off any foam that might have formed on top of the custard. Steam in a bamboo steamer above a saucepan of gently simmering water at 90 °C for 4 minutes – the custard should be set but still slightly wobbly.
  2. To make the apricot fluid gel, boil the apricots in the apricot juice until soft. Add the lemon juice and agar-agar and simmer for exactly 3 minutes before blitzing with a stick blender. Strain through a sieve into a measuring jug. Place the jug in the fridge and allow the liquid to set into a hard jelly (this usually takes about an hour). Once the jelly is hard, blitz again until you have a smooth, fluid gel. You can store this in a bottle in the fridge for up to a week.
  3. To make the squid ink soil, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Beat the squid ink and butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the flour and black sesame seeds and beat until dough forms. Spread the dough onto a silicone mat and bake for 10 minutes, then flake the dough with a fork and return to the oven for a further 2 minutes. Allow the soil to cool and, if needed, blitz it a bit more in a food processor.
  4. For the prawns, bring a frying pan up to a blitzing heat and cook the prawns in the butter, lemon juice and apricot jam for about 90 seconds a side, remembering to season as you go.
  5. To assemble the dish, place a tablespoon of squid ink soil onto each petri dish or ramekin of snoek custard, followed by a few dots of apricot fluid gel. Rest the micro herbs on the soil and top with a warm pan-fried prawn.

Pork and Apple

PORK NECK AND APPLE SPRING ROLLS WITH A SPICY DIPPING SAUCE

The filling for these easy little snacks can be made beforehand – only the frying needs to be done just before serving. For a healthier alternative, use crystal spring-roll wrappers to create an un-fried version. If you’re using the rice-based wrappers, simply soak them in warm water for a few minutes before using.

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MAKES ABOUT 16

FOR THE SPICY DIPPING SAUCE

  1. Place the thinly sliced pork neck in a mixing bowl. Crush the star anise, nutmeg and black pepper into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle and sprinkle over the pork along with the lemon juice.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and flash-fry the pork neck for 1–2 minutes. The meat will cook superfast, because it is so thin. It will also continue to cook in the frying oil later. Season with salt and place in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add the spring onions, carrots, cabbage and cooked glass noodles to the bowl and mix to combine.
  4. Heat the butter, cinnamon and sugar in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, cut the apples into thin matchsticks. When the mixture is bubbling, add the apples and cook for 2 minutes. Add the apples to the pork mixture to complete the spring-roll filling.
  5. Lay a sheet of spring-roll pastry in front of you so that it looks like a diamond. Have a little bowl of water and a pastry brush next to you. About 8 cm up from the bottom of the diamond, scoop a line of filling about 3 cm thick and 12 cm wide onto the pastry. Using the brush, paint a line of water above the filling. Pick up the bottom corner of the diamond and fold it up over the filling. Press it tightly down behind the filling. Now paint the rest of the pastry with water. Flip the filling ‘parcel’ over twice, before folding in the sides. Paint the fold-overs with water and then roll up the spring roll until you run out of pastry. Make sure the edge is neatly pasted down with water.
  6. Repeat with each pastry sheet until you run out of filling.
  7. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients except the coriander leaves in a bowl and whisk well. Add the chopped coriander only once you are ready to serve.
  8. Bring the canola oil up to at least 180 °C before carefully lowering in the spring rolls. Make sure they don’t touch each other for the first 30 seconds or else they might stick together. Rather fry in batches if needs be. Fry the spring rolls until they are golden brown, then drain on paper towel. Serve warm alongside a bowl of the spicy dipping sauce.

PORK BELLY WITH CUMIN CRACKLING, BRAISED CABBAGE, MASH, APPLE FOAM, PICKLED APPLE AND DEHYDRATED HERB ASH

We were once tasked with creating a pork-belly dish for the managing director of a large local pork supplier. ‘No pressure’, of course! After polishing his plate of food, he told us that it was the best pork he had ever had and made us promise that we would put the recipe in our book. Well, here it is. Note: for the best results, you should brine the pork belly for 24–48 hours. While it’s not absolutely necessary for this recipe, we find that brining makes it more tender and juicy.

SERVES 4

FOR THE PORK BELLY

FOR THE CUMIN CRACKLING

FOR THE MASH

FOR THE BRAISED CABBAGE

FOR THE PICKLED APPLE

FOR THE DEHYDRATED HERB ASH

FOR THE APPLE FOAM

  1. Remove the pork belly from its packaging and place it in a sealable container. Using a measuring jug (so that you can measure how much water you are using), cover the pork belly with water. For every litre of water you use, pour over a kilogram of salt. So if you use 3 litres of water to cover the pork, use 3 kg of salt. Rest in the fridge for at least 24 hours. If you can leave it for longer, change the water and salt every 24 hours.
  2. To make the crackling, preheat the oven to 200 °C. Remove the pork belly from the bringing liquid and pat dry. Remove the skin by running a sharp knife just under the tough skin. You will find a thin layer of fat just below the skin, which acts like a buffer between the skin and the flesh, so don’t worry if you cut off a little of that fat too. Pat dry the skin and cut into 4 × 4 cm squares. Place these on a baking tray and season with the salt, pepper and cumin. Bake for 20–40 minutes until the skin becomes crisp and dry. Cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of the pork skin and how much fat is under it, so watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once the crackling is done, remove it from the oven and turn down the temperature to 160 °C for the pork belly.
  3. Pick out an oven dish wide and deep enough to hold the pork belly. Scatter the carrots, apples, onion and garlic over the bottom of the dish and toss in the bay leaves and cloves.
  4. Score the fat on top of the pork belly. In a large frying pan at a very high heat, sear the pork belly on the fat side for a few minutes and then place on top of the vegetables in the oven dish. Pour in the stock and apple juice, cover with foil and cook in the oven for 4 hours. When the meat comes out it will be extremely soft and succulent.
  5. To make the mash, boil the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water until soft. Purée the potatoes with a masher and, while still warm, add the crème fraîche, milk and butter, and season with salt and pepper.
  6. To make the braised cabbage, sauté the ginger, onion and garlic in the butter. Add the cabbage, fennel seeds and cumin seeds and sweat for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer until the liquid has cooked away. In a mixing bowl, combine the red wine and port. Add a cup of this liquid to the cabbage and allow it to cook away slowly before adding more. This will probably take about 20 minutes in total, at which point the cabbage will be cooked. Season according to taste before serving.
  7. To make the pickled apple, combine the boiling water, vinegar, sugar and thyme in a bowl. Peel the apples and cut into small cubes, tossing them straight into the pickling liquid as you go, so as to prevent them oxidising and turning brown. Leave them in the pickling liquid for at least 20 minutes before draining and serving.
  8. To create the herb ash, cover a large dinner plate with cling wrap. Lay the origanum leaves out on the plate and then microwave it for 45 seconds. Rest for 1 minute and then repeat. This will dehydrate the leaves. Meanwhile, place the thyme leaves in a metal bowl and use a blowtorch to incinerate and turn them to ash. Mix this ash with the dehydrated origanum leaves and the panko breadcrumbs. Blitz in a food processor or spice grinder to form a fine powder. Serve less than a teaspoonful to each guest or the flavour and bitterness will overpower the other flavours.
  9. To plate the dish, place a dollop of mash in the centre of each plate and top it with some braised cabbage and a portion of pork belly. Spoon pickled apple around the mash along with a few pieces of pork crackling. Place a knife tip of herb ash on the edge of the plate.
  10. To make the apple foam, juice the apples and add the lemon juice to prevent the juice from browning. Then add the castor sugar and soy lecithin. Blitz with a stick blender, making sure to move the blender in and out of the liquid to add the maximum air. Skim the foam off the top of the liquid and add to the plates directly before serving.

Pork and apple are to British cuisine what Romeo and Juliet are to English literature. The subtle sweetness of the apple tames the harsh saltiness of the pork to create a winning dish, every time.

DUCK, APPLE AND GINGER

PAN-FRIED DUCK BREAST, APPLE, GINGER AND GRAPE SLAW, AND CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

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SERVES 4

FOR THE APPLE, GINGER AND GRAPE SLAW

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

FOR THE DUCK BREAST

  1. To make the slaw, combine the mayonnaise, yoghurt, mustard, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Cut the apples into matchsticks and add to the bowl along with the carrots and lemon juice. Stir in the grapes and cabbage and then add the coriander and ginger.
  2. To make the cauliflower purée, toast the garam masala, salt and pepper in the butter in a saucepan for 1–2 minutes. Add the cauliflower and sauté at a medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the cauliflower is totally soft. Strain out most of the milk, keeping it one side. Using a stick blender, blend the cauliflower well. Use the leftover strained milk to make the mixture more liquid if required. You are looking for a fluid, purée texture. Push the cauliflower purée through a chinois or fine sieve, taste and add more salt if necessary.
  3. To prepare the duck breasts, lightly score the skin, making sure to not cut all the way through the fat to the meat. Rub the cayenne pepper, thyme leaves, salt and pepper into the skin. Using a little of the olive oil, lightly grease a frying pan large enough to hold all the duck breasts. Place the duck breasts skin-side down into the cold pan. Switch on the heat and slowly start bringing the pan’s temperature up, raising the temperature every minute until it is between medium and high. After 5–8 minutes, once the fat has rendered beautifully, add the rest of the olive oil and the butter. Crush the red grapes, add them to the pan and immediately flip over the duck breasts. Season the undersides of the breasts with salt. Reduce the heat and cook the undersides for 8 minutes. Remove the breasts from the heat and rest for 8 minutes before carving and serving. They will be cooked to medium, so cook for longer if you prefer.
  4. To plate the dish, swipe a spoonful of cauliflower purée on each plate and place a duck breast on top. Pour over any leftover pan juices, including the grapes, and serve with the slaw on the side.

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DUCK-LIVER MOUSSE, SPICED APPLE BUTTER AND GINGER CHIPS

SERVES 4

FOR THE DUCK-LIVER MOUSSE

FOR THE GINGER CHIPS

FOR THE SPICED APPLE BUTTER

FOR THE MICRO HERB SALAD

  1. Soak the duck livers in the buttermilk overnight.
  2. To make the ginger chips, use a mandolin slicer to finely slice the ginger into chips. Heat the canola oil in a small saucepan, drop in the ginger and fry until light brown and crispy. Remove from the oil and place on top of a double layer of paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with the fine salt while still hot.
  3. To make the apple butter, peel and finely slice 4 of the apples. Place them in a saucepan with the spices and sugar. Juice the remaining 2 apples and add them to the saucepan. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low and slowly cook for a full 90 minutes. Remove the whole spices before blitzing the mixture with a stick blender until smooth and then cool it down as quickly as possible (so that it doesn’t split) by placing it in the freezer for 20 minutes. Then remove it from the freezer, give it a good stir, cover and store in the fridge until needed.
  4. For the salad, combine the lemon juice, zest and honey in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil a little at a time to form vinaigrette. Combine the sesame seeds, micro herb leaves, pine nuts and grapes to create a salad. Dress with the vinaigrette.
  5. To make the duck-liver mousse, combine the onion, bay leaves, garlic, thyme, port, sherry, brandy and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan and reduce to a syrup. Strain the mixture, discarding anything that stays behind in the sieve.
  6. Drain the duck livers and discard the buttermilk. You will need to have all the following ingredients at the same temperature, so place them in separate sealable plastic bags: place the duck livers, salt and pepper in one bag; crack the eggs into another; place the butter in a third; and the cream in a fourth. Submerge the bags in a container of scalding water at 50 °C for at least 15 minutes – the water will cool down during this time so continue adding a little more boiling water to keep the temperature at around 50 °C.
  7. Preheat the oven to 110 °C. After 15 minutes, blend the duck liver in a blender along with the eggs and the port reduction from step 5. Slowly add the butter while blending, followed by the cream. Strain the mixture through a sieve and then divide between 4 glass jars. Place them in a roasting dish and then fill the dish with hot water to at least halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake for 15–20 minutes. The mousse is ready when it reaches an internal temperature of 62 °C, so use a digital thermometer to test it.
  8. Reheat the apple butter in a small saucepan and place two tablespoons of it on top of each set mousse.
  9. To assemble the dish, place a helping of the salad and some ginger chips on top of each mousse and serve with Melba toast.

CUCUMBER

CHARRED CUCUMBER, PARMA HAM AND WILD ROCKET CROSTINI

This makes a great canapé for a dinner party or snack for during a sports match.

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Makes 20

  1. Combine the vinegar, olive oil, port, sugar, thyme, black pepper and salt in a small saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool so that it takes on a slight syrupy consistency.
  2. Bring half of the butter up to a bubble in a large frying pan and add the garlic. Add the baguette slices and fry until crispy on both sides. Add more butter as the bread absorbs what is already in the pan.
  3. Using a mandolin slicer, finely shave the cucumber lengthways. Heat a griddle pan on high, spray it with non-stick cooking spray and chargrill the cucumber on one side.
  4. Cut each peach into 10 wedges.
  5. Take a slice of ham, a wedge of peach and some wild rocket and wrap it all up with a slice of charred cucumber, keeping the char on the outside. Place the wrapped parcel on top of a crostini and top with beetroot micro herbs. Repeat with the rest of the crostini slices.
  6. Drizzle the dressing over the completed crostini just before serving.

Bliss is summer and a refreshing cocktail topped with ice-cold sliced cucumber. Cucumber is such a versatile fruit: it can be used in juices, desserts, salads and savoury dishes.

TOMATO SORBET IN A CUCUMBER CONSOMMÉ WITH ROOIBOS-PICKLED MELON

Cucumber is very refreshing and therefore perfect for this palate cleanser.

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SERVES 6 AS A PALATE CLEANSER

FOR THE TOMATO SORBET

FOR THE CUCUMBER CONSOMMÉ

FOR THE ROOIBOS-PICKLED MELON

  1. To make the tomato sorbet, bloom the gelatin leaves by placing them in a small bowl of ice water. Peel the tomatoes, cut them into quarters and remove all of the seeds. By the time you’re done, you should have 1.5 kg of tomato flesh. Add a few more tomatoes if the weight is not correct. Blend the tomato flesh and apple juice in a blender and then strain through a sieve into a mixing bowl. Place about 250 ml of this tomato juice into a saucepan and heat with the sugar and liquid glucose. When the mixture starts to boil and the sugar has dissolved, add the bloomed gelatin leaves, discarding the water. Stir and then pour into the remaining tomato and apple juice in the mixing bowl. Place the bowl in the fridge until the mixture has cooled. Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine until set and then place in a suitable container in the freezer to harden.
  2. To make the cucumber consommé, juice the cucumbers and mint leaves in an electric juicer. Place a cheese or muslin cloth into a bowl large enough to contain the juiced cucumber, ensuring that the cloth hangs over the edges. Place the cucumber, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt in the bowl. Gather the cloth’s edges and tie up into a knot (or use string). Suspend the cloth above the bowl to allow the juices to drip through in their own time (this usually takes about 1 hour). Once all the liquid has dripped through, cover the mixing bowl and chill in the fridge.
  3. To make the pickled melon, steep the rooibos tea bags in the hot water for 5 minutes. In the meantime, remove any peel, seeds and/or pips from the 3 types of melon and cut the flesh into 1 cm cubes. You’ll need about 100 ml of cubed flesh of each type. Combine the sugar, vinegar and rooibos tea (discard the tea bags) in a mixing bowl and add the melon cubes. Leave to pickle for 30 minutes in the fridge before straining and discarding the pickling liquid.
  4. To plate, spoon a few tablespoons of the chilled pickled melon into the bottom of a glass and pour over a helping of the cucumber consommé. Scoop a ball of tomato sorbet into the middle of the glass and top with basil micro herbs.

Mussels and white wine

ALMOST-TRADITIONAL MOULES MARINIÈRE WITH TOASTED CIABATTA

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SERVES 4

  1. The first thing you need to do when working with mussels is to make sure they are fresh and clean. Run them under cold water and scrub them to remove any pieces of shell, dirt or seaweed. Any mussels that are open and that do not close when pressed hard between your fingers must be discarded and not eaten. If you’re using frozen mussels, rinse them under water to clean them, but then steam them as per step 2 below. If, after steaming, they do not open, they are not safe to eat and must be discarded.
  2. Heat the butter in a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Sauté the onion, fennel, garlic, black pepper and bay leaves until the onion is translucent. Add a good pinch each of salt and pepper to season the mixture. Turn up the heat, toss in the cleaned mussels and pour over the sparkling wine. Put on the lid and steam for 3–4 minutes, at which point all the mussels will open after steaming in their shells.
  3. In the meantime, heat the cream in a saucepan until scalding, then add the parsley.
  4. Once the mussels are ready, remove the bay leaves and add the cream mixture. Divide the mussels and their sauce between 4 bowls and serve with slices of the warm, toasted ciabatta.

HOME-SMOKED MUSSELS IN HALF-SHELLS WITH WARM CHIVE, FENNEL AND ONION SALSA AND WHITE WINE ESPUMA

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MAKES ABOUT 40

FOR THE HOME-SMOKED MUSSELS

FOR THE CHIVE, FENNEL AND ONION SALSA

FOR THE WHITE WINE ESPUMA

FOR SERVING

  1. The first thing you need to do when working with mussels is to make sure they are fresh and clean. Run them under cold water and scrub them to remove any pieces of shell, dirt or seaweed. Any mussels that are open and that do not close when pressed hard between your fingers must be discarded and not eaten. If you’re using frozen mussels, rinse them under water to clean them, but then smoke them as per the steps below. If, after smoking, they do not open, they are not safe to eat and must be discarded.
  2. Choose a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid big enough to hold the mussels on a metal grid like a cake cooling rack. Put the pan on the stove, turn the heat up high and, when the pan is super hot, toss in the cleaned mussels and pour over the white wine. Close the lid and steam for 2 minutes, just until the shells pop open.
  3. Wash and dry the saucepan and cover the bottom inside with a double layer of foil.
  4. Combine the rice, sugar, lemongrass and lemon zest in a bowl and scatter this evenly over the foil in the prepared pan. Place a metal grid on top of the smoking mix, making sure that it stands at least 2 cm clear of the mix, and put the pan on the stove.
  5. Stack two 40-cm-long sheets of foil. Remove the mussel meat from the shells (keep the shells for later – you’ll need about 40) and pile it on top of the foil along with the parsley. Pull up the edges of the foil and fold it into a tight parcel around the mussels. Prick tiny holes all over the foil parcel.
  6. Turn the stove on to a high heat until the smoking mix ignites and starts smoking. Quickly place the foil parcel onto the grid in the saucepan and close securely with the lid. Now turn down the stove to a medium heat and allow the mussels to smoke for 15–20 minutes, depending on how much smokiness you prefer.
  7. To make the salsa, heat the butter in a saucepan and slowly sauté the fennel, onion, garlic and black pepper. Combine the cornflour with 15 ml water in a small bowl and then add the cream. Once the onions are translucent, add the cream to the pan and heat gently, stirring until the mixture boils. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the chives.
  8. To make the espuma, heat the butter in a separate saucepan and slowly sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, then add the white wine. After another 5 minutes, once the alcohol has had time to cook off, add the cream, salt and pepper and heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning before removing the pan from the heat. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth and silky, and then pass the mixture through a sieve into a siphon gun. Charge with 2 gas canisters.
  9. To assemble each, place a teaspoon of salsa into an empty mussel half-shell. Top with a pinch of parsley and a single smoked mussel. Gently discharge a teaspoon of espuma onto the mussel and top with a knifepoint of mustard and a Melba toast square.

MOM’S CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKE

MINI CHRISTMAS FRUITCAKES

I have been making Mom’s fruitcake since I was nine years old. I spent countless hours with her sifting through the fruit mix and picking out every piece of bitter lemon peel because she wasn’t a fan. After all of the stewing, resting and mixing, my favourite part was when Mom would use my little fingers to help make sure all the knots were tied tightly around the pan. These mini versions are made by pressing out cylinders from the prepared cake. The marzipan layer in the middle adds a lovely nutty flavour, while the pettinice makes it just that bit sweeter. You can go wild regarding the decorations on top, anything from Christmas trees and icing flowers to fresh berries. – Seline

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MAKES 10

  1. In a large saucepan, bring the glazed fruit, dates, sugar, butter and water to the boil over a moderate heat. Boil for 10 minutes, stirring continually. Allow to cool, preferably overnight.
  2. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the vinegar. Wait for the mixture to stop bubbling, then add it to the cooled fruit mixture along with the mixed spice, cherries, beaten eggs, flour and baking powder. Mix well.
  3. Preheat the oven to 140 °C. Choose a heavy-bottomed ovenproof saucepan with a lid in which to bake the cake. Grease the sides and bottom with butter and line the pan with brown and wax paper as follows: trace the bottom of your saucepan twice onto brown paper and twice onto wax paper. Cut out the circles and line the inside bottom of the pan with the 2 brown circles, followed by the 2 wax circles. Measure the circumference of your saucepan and cut out 2 rectangles of wax paper to line the inside sides. Spoon the cake mixture into the pan and even out the top with the back of a spoon.
  4. Place another 2 layers of wax paper and 2 layers of brown paper directly on top of the mixture before closing the saucepan with its lid. Next, wrap 3 layers of brown paper around the outside sides of the pan and tie tightly with twine to keep it in place. Bake the cake for 4 hours.
  5. Take the cake out of the oven, remove the lid and pour the brandy over the top of the paper. Put the lid back on and leave to stand for 8 hours, then remove the cake from the pan and discard all the paper.
  6. Wrap the cake in clean wax paper, seal tightly with foil and store in a cupboard away from any heat source. Add another 125 ml brandy weekly until consumption. The cake can keep for up to 6 months and can be frozen for years.
  7. When you are ready to serve, roll out the marzipan on a thin layer of icing sugar to about 5 mm thick. Cut out 10 circles using a 5–8 cm plating ring. Next, roll out the white pettinice on cornflour, also to about 5 mm thick, and cut out 10 circles.
  8. Remove the cake from its wrapping and, using the same plating ring, press out 10 cylinders of cake. Heat the apricot jam in the microwave for 20 seconds. Cut each cake cylinder in half horizontally, brush the cut with apricot jam and place the marzipan circle in the middle between the two halves. Brush the top of each cake with apricot jam, place the pettinice circle on top and decorate as desired.

Our mother was brilliant at making a dense, dark and delicious Christmas fruitcake. It has always been our dad’s favourite and Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without it. Best made a few months in advance, we loved how the whole room would smell like Christmas whenever Mom unwrapped the cake to feed it brandy.

SPICED MARSHMALLOW CAKE WITH FRUITCAKE COMPOTE AND BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

This is a great twist on the traditional Christmas cake. The butterscotch complements the caramel notes in the cake, while the spiced marshmallow layers add a welcome lightness.

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MAKES 1 × 20-CM DIAMETER CAKE

FOR THE FRUITCAKE COMPOTE

FOR THE SPICED MARSHMALLOW

FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

  1. To make the fruitcake compote, melt the butter in the brandy in a saucepan. Add the 100 g berries and stew for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the fruitcake into 2 cm cubes. Add these to the brandy mixture and cook for a further 5 minutes until the cake has absorbed all the liquid. Set aside to cool before assembling.
  2. To make the spiced marshmallow, spray three 20-cm diameter cake tins with non-stick cooking spray. Making marshmallow requires doing three things concurrently, so make sure all your ingredients are weighed out and ready before you start. The sugar mixture will take the longest to boil, but while you do that you will need to prepare your meringue and bloom your gelatin.
  3. Combine the 690 g castor sugar with the liquid glucose and the 280 ml water in a saucepan. Bring this mixture up to exactly 127 °C. While this boils, bloom the gelatin by sprinkling it over the 270 ml water in a heatproof bowl. Leave for 5 minutes, then microwave for 20 seconds. Stir and microwave again if the gelatin has not yet dissolved (it will be clear and not grainy). Be careful as the mixture heats up very quickly and could boil over the sides of the bowl.
  4. At the same time, place the egg whites in a stand mixer. When the sugar mixture reaches 118 °C, start whisking the egg whites. When the egg whites are at soft peak stage gradually sprinkle in the 80 g castor sugar and spices. Continue beating until the mixture is thick and shiny. Keep the mixer running. By now the sugar mixture will probably be at the required 127 °C. Remove from the heat, then gradually whisk in the melted gelatin. Work as quickly as possible so that the sugar mixture doesn’t cool below 118 °C. If it does, just put it back on high heat for 20 seconds. In a steady stream, add the sugar and gelatin mixture to the whipping egg whites. The mixture will become steamy and quite runny, but don’t worry; just keep beating on high speed until it reaches room temperature. This usually takes 20–25 minutes.
  5. Divide the mixture between the three prepared cake tins and smooth out the tops with a palette knife. Leave to cool in the tins for a few hours until set and spongy.
  6. Next, make the butterscotch sauce so that it can cool down before you assemble the cake. Heat half the castor sugar in a wide saucepan. When that’s melted, add the rest of the sugar, wait 20 seconds and then start mixing with a wooden spoon to help the rest of the sugar melt (if you use a plastic spoon the plastic will melt into the sugar). When the sugar is totally melted (190 °C if you have a sugar thermometer), add the cream a little at a time while whisking. If you add it too fast the mixture will seize and turn solid. Once all the cream has been added, add the butter a knob at a time, stirring to incorporate.
  7. To assemble the cake, remove the set marshmallow from the cake tins and place one onto a cake stand or plate. Spoon over half the compote, followed by a drizzle of butterscotch sauce. Repeat this process for the second layer and top with a final layer of marshmallow. Decorate with butterscotch sauce and fresh berries.

Ice cream and peanuts

PEANUT BUTTER ICE-CREAM SANDWICHES

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SERVES 4

  1. Add the peanut butter to the warm crème anglaise and chill in the fridge. Churn the chilled mixture in an ice-cream machine until smooth and set. Scoop into a piping bag and leave in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the ice-cream sandwiches.
  2. Beat the butter in an electric mixer using the paddle attachment. Add the sugar and vanilla seeds and continue to mix. Beat in the egg and then the flour to create dough. Work in the peanuts, wrap the dough in cling wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  3. Roll out the cookie dough to about 1 cm thick. Using a metal or plastic food stacker ring of 8–10 cm in diameter, press out 8 biscuits. Place the biscuits on a silicone mat and bake for 12 minutes. Cool thoroughly before assembling the ice-cream sandwiches.
  4. To assemble the ice-cream sandwiches, place one biscuit at the bottom of the food stacker ring used to press out the cookie dough. Pipe at least 6 cm of ice cream on top of this and top with a second biscuit. Allow to set in the freezer. Once set, remove the ice-cream sandwich from the mould and repeat with the remaining biscuits and ice cream.
  5. Once you have all your set ice-cream sandwiches, place a glass bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water on the stove. Place the white chocolate in the bowl and stir slowly until the chocolate melts.
  6. Top each ice-cream sandwich with some melted chocolate and scatter over the sprinkles. Store in the freezer until ready to serve.

When we were little our granddad was one of our favourite people. Oupa Boet had a manicured herb garden in his backyard in Somerset West and we were fascinated by the smells and textures, squashing leaves between our grubby fingers, becoming intoxicated by the aromas when we put our noses close to our hands. Oupa used to collect old cars and whenever he came to visit us in Mafikeng, he and our dad would work on the engine and upkeep of the car my father inherited from him, a 1936 black Ford V8 hearse. Yes, a hearse! We’d lie quietly in the back of the hearse as Oupa drove us to Steers for ice cream. You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream, no matter how bizarre your mode of transportation to get some.

MALT AND VANILLA ICE CREAM WITH PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE, STRAWBERRY JELLIES, PEANUT BRITTLE ISOMALT DISKS AND VANILLA SOIL

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SERVES 4

FOR THE MALT AND VANILLA ICE CREAM

FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER SAUCE

FOR THE STRAWBERRY JELLIES

FOR THE VANILLA SOIL

FOR THE PEANUT BRITTLE ISOMALT DISKS

  1. To make the crème anglaise, dissolve the malt powder in 60 ml of the milk before adding it to the saucepan with the rest of the milk and cream. Chill the malt-flavoured crème anglaise in the fridge before churning in an ice-cream machine until smooth and silky. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.
  2. To make the peanut butter sauce, slowly melt half the castor sugar in a wide saucepan. When melted, sprinkle in the rest of the sugar and allow to melt for another minute before gently mixing with a wooden spoon (this is important: if you use a plastic spoon the plastic will melt into the sugar). When all the sugar has dissolved and turned a beautiful amber colour, slowly start adding the cream, a tablespoon at a time, whisking continually. If you add the cream too quickly, the mixture will seize and the sugar will crystallise. There is no way to save it once it has done this. Also do not hold your head above the saucepan when adding the cream, as it will give off a lot of steam. Once all the cream has been added, maintain the heat and stir in the peanut butter until it has melted into the sauce. Add the peanuts and set aside until you are ready to serve. The sauce can be served hot or at room temperature.
  3. To make the strawberry jellies, combine the strawberry juice, strawberry jam, castor sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat the mixture to 80 °C and then add the agar-agar powder, whisking to ensure there are no lumps. Keep the mixture above 80 °C for at least 3 minutes in order to activate the setting properties of the agar-agar. Cover the inside base of a bread/loaf tin with multiple layers of cling wrap and lightly spray the top layer with non-stick cooking spray. Smooth this out as best as possible and pour the jelly mixture into the tin. Refrigerate for 2–3 hours until set. You can then simply unmould the whole jelly by grabbing either end of the cling wrap and gently lifting it out of the tin and placing it on a cutting board. Cut into small, neat squares and use a palette knife to lift the jellies off the cling wrap and onto the plates.
  4. To make the vanilla soil, preheat the oven to 180 °C. Crumble the butter, flour, sugar and vanilla seeds onto a baking tray and bake for 5–8 minutes. Rake the mixture with a fork halfway through cooking time and once at the end to crumble it up. Once cooled, run it through your hands to ensure a fine and even crumb.
  5. To make the isomalt disks, slowly melt the isomalt in a saucepan. Once it has melted and you can’t see any more white beads of isomalt, remove it from the heat. Using a metal tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of isomalt onto a silicone mat and flatten with the back of the spoon into circular shapes. While they’re still warm, sprinkle over the peanuts and allow to set.
  6. To assemble, place a neat tablespoon of vanilla soil on each plate, followed by a generous helping of ice cream. Lean an isomalt disk against the ice cream. Drizzle the peanut butter sauce onto the plate and add a few strawberry jellies.

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COCONUT

KEES’S COCONUT TART

In 2012, I took the year off to volunteer at a few organisations and mission bases in Africa. Quite by chance, I met Sarah Tanis, a Dutch missionary’s wife. She happily invited me to their home in Mozambique. So I packed my bags and visited the family at a mission station called Maforga. There, to my surprise, I ate like a queen thanks to her husband Kees’s culinary expertise. The family get by with very little, but dine with style in their humble home. Kees developed this coconut tart using fresh coconuts from the market, and you’ll often find him baking it on a Saturday afternoon while listening to Maria Callas. – Leandri

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MAKES 1 TART

  1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  2. Prepare the pâte sucrée according to the recipe on page 167, blind baking the pastry in a lined and greased 20 cm pie dish.
  3. While the pastry is baking, blitz the coconut flakes in a food processor for 1 minute. Pour in the condensed milk and lemon juice and mix.
  4. Pour the filling into the cooked tart shell and bake until the top is golden brown. Leave to cool before serving.

Desiccated coconut tastes little like true coconut. It’s a shame really, because fresh coconut adds a magical touch to both savoury and sweet dishes. Here we explore the sweeter side of our favourite drupe.

COCONUT AND CARDAMOM CREAM DOUGHNUTS

Look, let’s be honest. Doughnuts are hard work and a lot of effort, and buying them at the supermarket definitely has the appeal of convenience. However, once all the bowls are washed and the fryer has cooled, there is truly nothing more rewarding than stuffing a warm, cloud-like homemade doughnut into your mouth. Making them from scratch allows you to control the flavour and to experiment with a versatile blank canvas.

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MAKES 8

  1. Put the flour and yeast into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook.
  2. Heat the milk and coconut oil in a saucepan to just below boiling point.
  3. Whip the eggs until they are no longer stringy – this will ensure you have the right amount of yolk and white in the mixture – and then weigh them. You need exactly 130 g of egg.
  4. Add the warm milk mixture, eggs and castor sugar to the flour and run the mixer on a medium speed for 2 minutes to combine the ingredients. Reduce the speed to low for 25 minutes (yes, that long!) to knead the dough.
  5. After 25 minutes, add the butter a cube at a time until incorporated. Once you’ve added the last bit of butter, run the mixer on low speed for another 5 minutes.
  6. Scrape the sticky dough out of the mixer and onto a floured surface. Drag the dough into a rough rectangle and then fold the top and bottom ends over to meet in the middle of the rectangle. Repeat with the sides to form a smaller rectangle three times the original thickness. Turn this over onto a floured baking tray (so the smooth side is exposed), cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
  7. Once the dough has risen, knock out the air on a floured surface and repeat the rectangular folding procedure, allowing the dough to rise for another hour. After this, knock back the dough and roll into a rectangle about 3 cm thick. Using a doughnut cutter, cut out doughnut rings. Place the rings back onto the floured baking tray, cover with cling wrap and allow the doughnuts to double in size. This usually takes about 45 minutes.
  8. When the doughnuts are beautifully risen, heat the vegetable oil in a deep saucepan to about 170 °C. Carefully place the doughnuts in the oil and, keeping the temperature constant, fry on each side for 1 minute, twice (in other words, flip the doughnuts three times). Drain the doughnuts on paper towel and, while they’re still hot, sift over the icing sugar. Allow them to cool before frosting.
  9. Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer. When it reaches the medium peak stage, leave the mixer running and gradually sift in the 80 g icing sugar. Beat until thick.
  10. Meanwhile, crush the cardamom seeds to a fine powder and add to half the coconut cream. Stir until smooth and then fold the coconut cream into the whipped cream. Cover the bowl and store in the fridge until needed.
  11. Lightly toast the coconut flakes in a dry pan.
  12. Combine the remaining coconut cream with the remaining 500 g icing sugar to make a thick, luscious coconut icing.
  13. Fill a piping bag with the coconut and cardamom cream. Cut the doughnuts in half and generously pipe coconut cream onto the bottom half of each and then cover with the top half. Pipe coconut icing over each filled doughnut and decorate with toasted coconut flakes.

Red wine and chocolate

RED WINE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Red wine-laced chocolate truffles. Need we say more? You can control the undertones of your truffles with the wine that you choose. For a spicy, fruity taste, choose a Syrah or Shiraz; for a softer finish, go with a Merlot.

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MAKES ABOUT 40

  1. Heat the red wine and cream in a medium-sized saucepan until scalding point (i.e. just below boiling point).
  2. Meanwhile, cut up the chocolate into little pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Add the salt to help bring out the natural flavours of the chocolate – it might sound strange, but it really works.
  3. Pour the scalded wine and cream mixture over the chocolate and let it stand without mixing for at least 1 minute to allow the chocolate to start gently melting. Not mixing yet will decrease the likelihood of the mixture seizing.
  4. After a minute, slowly start mixing with a spatula until all the chocolate has melted. You might have difficulty with this in winter due to the lower external temperature, in which case microwave for 10 seconds at a time, mixing in between, until the chocolate has melted
  5. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the mixture sets and hardens.
  6. When ready to roll, sift the cacao powder onto a plate and line a sealable container with wax paper. Using a small scoop or melon baller, scoop out balls of the set chocolate. Quickly roll them into neat balls between your hands and then roll them through the cacao powder.
  7. Place the truffles in the lined container and store in the fridge, but remove 30 minutes before serving.

I owe my love of red wine to my oldest sister, Nadine, who used to pour me a mug of the good stuff on the roof of our residence at the University of Pretoria. Fifteen floors up, we had sweeping views of Pretoria’s skyline, which was especially lovely in Jacaranda season. We are convinced that we solved most of the world’s problems sitting up there on a blanket, tightly clutching our mugs of wine. Fast-forward almost a decade and nothing has changed, except now we sit in our homes, wine is more expensive and we actually own wine glasses! Sister chats are what keep us grounded – and they just wouldn’t be the same without wine. And wine just doesn’t taste as good without Nadine. Red wine and chocolate, although quite a common pairing, are so much fun to experiment with in the kitchen. – Seline

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SLICE WITH RED WINE-POACHED PEAR, CHOCOLATE SOIL AND TORCHED ITALIAN MERINGUE

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SERVES 8

FOR THE ITALIAN MERINGUE

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SOIL

FOR THE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SLICE

FOR THE RED WINE-POACHED PEAR

  1. To make the Italian meringue, bring the sugar and water to the boil in a saucepan and, using a thermometer, heat to exactly 118 °C. In the meantime, beat the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer to stiff peak stage. Keeping the motor running on high speed, steadily pour in the sugar water. Keep beating for 15–18 minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and at room temperature. Scoop into a piping bag and store in the freezer until needed.
  2. To make the chocolate soil, blend all the ingredients except the cacao nibs in a bowl with a stick blender. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let it stand for 1 hour at room temperature. After an hour, pour the chocolate soil mixture into a siphon gun and charge with 2 gas canisters. Grease 4 ramekins and evenly discharge the mixture between them. Microwave each for 45 seconds and then allow to cool down. Remove the cakes from the ramekins and break into pieces over a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the plate for 20 seconds, then turn over the pieces and microwave for another 20 seconds. Leave to cool so that the cake can become crumbly and dry. Crumble and mix in the cacao nibs just before plating.
  3. For the chocolate mousse slice, line a bread/loaf tin with multiple sheets of cling wrap, ensuring that the cling wrap hangs over the sides – this will make it easy to remove the set mousse. Spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray. Bloom the gelatin leaves in ice water while you melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water, or the chocolate will burn).
  4. Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and 180 ml of the cream in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring continually, until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Strain the gelatin leaves and add to the custard to melt. To ensure all the gelatin has melted, strain the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl. Pour the melted chocolate into the custard and mix well. Cool in the fridge for 20–30 minutes: you don’t want the gelatin to set, but you do need the mixture to cool to at least room temperature to ensure that it doesn’t melt the whipped cream in the next step.
  5. In a clean bowl, whisk the remaining cream until stiff peak stage and carefully fold a third of this into the cooled chocolate custard to loosen it before folding in the rest.
  6. Combine the crushed biscuits and melted butter, spoon this into the base of the prepared tin and flatten with the back of a spoon. Carefully pour in the mousse, to preserve the air in the mixture, and set in the fridge for 2 hours.
  7. For the poached pears, bring the red wine, sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan. Place the pears in the liquid and poach on a steady simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Cut the pears in half.
  8. To assemble, cut the chocolate mousse into neat rectangles with a hot knife, place a slice on each plate and spoon some chocolate soil over the top. Pipe swirls of Italian meringue onto each plate and blowtorch the edges. Add a warm pear half.

CRÈME BRÛLÉE

AMARULA CRÈME BRÛLÉE

Amarula adds a lovely South African touch to this classic French dessert.

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SERVES 4

  1. Preheat the oven to a convection setting of 140 °C (or 160 °C if you do not have a fan setting).
  2. Place the cream into a small saucepan, mix in the vanilla seeds and heat to scalding point.
  3. While the cream is heating, beat the egg yolks and 150 ml of the castor sugar until well combined and light in colour.
  4. Mix 125 ml of the warm cream into the egg mixture, followed by another 125 ml. Continue stirring while you add the rest of the cream.
  5. Stir in the Amarula and divide the mixture between 4 ramekins. Place the ramekins in an oven dish and then fill the dish with boiling water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  6. Bake the crème brûlées for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the water bath. Once the crème brûlées are at room temperature, place them in the fridge to cool completely.
  7. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining castor sugar over the custard in the ramekins and melt with a blowtorch to form a hard crust.

Our dad is a huge fan of the humble crème brûlée. Although it appears on many menus around the country, it is rarely done right. On a family trip to France, we purposefully wandered off the beaten track one night in a bid to find a restaurant where the locals ate. We didn’t want faux-Paris, we wanted the real deal. And we found it in a small street lit with fairy lights; a restaurant so small that we literally had to bend down to avoid touching the lintel with our foreheads as we made our way to a little table on the second floor. Nobody spoke a word of English, so we guessed our way through the courses. The one thing we did understand was crème brûlée. It came in a ramekin the size of somebody’s face and it was glorious. So glorious that it was gobbled up within minutes. Dad still talks about it to this day – its silky smooth custard and perfectly hard, thin sugar crust.

CUSTARD GALETTE WITH PULLED CARAMEL SHARDS, CUSTARD JELLIES AND CARAMEL SAUCE

This dish has all the flavours of a crème brûlée, without actually taking the form of one. For the pulled caramel shards, you will need a silicone mat and heat-resistant candy-making gloves (if you don’t have these, two pairs or latex gloves will do).

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SERVES 4

FOR THE PULLED CARAMEL SHARDS

FOR THE CUSTARD JELLIES

FOR THE CUSTARD GALETTE

FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE

  1. To make the caramel shards, combine the liquid glucose and half of the castor sugar in a wide-based saucepan. Apply a gentle heat and wait for the sugar to melt before stirring. Once it has all melted, sprinkle over the remaining castor sugar and leave it to melt for 1 minute before stirring. The moment you have a liquid consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat.
  2. Dollop about 15 ml of the liquid caramel onto the silicone mat and make a thin smear using a palette knife. Allow it to harden for 5 seconds before picking up the mat and manipulating the shard into curves. At this point, wearing your protective gloves, you can pull the shard into its desired shape. Repeat with the rest of the liquid caramel, making one shard at a time.
  3. To make the custard jellies, combine the milk, cream and vanilla seeds in a small saucepan and heat to scalding point. Beat the eggs, egg yolks and the castor sugar in a mixing bowl until light and foamy – if you use a tablespoon of the mixture to drip a figure ‘8’ into the mixture, it should remain there for a few seconds. Whisk 125 ml of the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, followed by another 125 ml. Continue whisking and add the rest of the milk mixture. Pour the custard back into the saucepan and return to a low heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon without running.
  4. Line the inside of a 15 × 15 cm dish with three layers of cling wrap. Meanwhile, bloom the gelatin leaves in a small bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. Remove the gelatin leaves from the water and squeeze them out, discarding the water. Spoon 400 ml of the custard from the saucepan and combine with the bloomed and strained gelatin leaves in a mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve the gelatin and then pour the custard into the prepared dish. You should have a layer 1–2 cm thick. Refrigerate until set, then unmould and cut into small cubes.
  5. To make the custard galettes, mix the cornflour with the water and add this to the remaining custard mixture in the saucepan on the stove. Cook over a gentle heat for another 5–10 minutes until the custard is thick and the raw taste of the cornflour has disappeared. Spoon into a piping bag and cool fully in the fridge.
  6. To make the caramel sauce, melt half the castor sugar in a small saucepan and gradually add more until you have melted it all. Keeping the saucepan on the heat, start whisking in the cream, a little at a time. Be careful, as the mixture will let off a lot of steam. Also don’t add too much cream at once, or it might cause the melted sugar to harden. Once you have added all the cream, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. The sauce can be served hot or cold.
  7. To finish the galettes, preheat the oven to 200 °C. Sift the icing sugar over a clean surface and roll out the puff pastry to half its original thickness. Cut the pastry into 4 × 8 cm rectangles (you will need at least 12), brush the top of each rectangle with melted butter and sprinkle over cinnamon and some extra icing sugar. Place the rectangles on a silicone mat and bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
  8. To serve, layer 3 pastry rectangles, piping neat spheres of the cooled custard filling between each layer. Plate each custard galette surrounded by caramel sauce and custard jellies, and topped with a pulled caramel shard.

Earl Grey Tea

EARL GREY SHORTBREAD WITH LAVENDER SUGAR

There are two things here that you have to do in advance: make the lavender sugar and make and cool the beurre noisette so that it can be whipped with the sugar. The beurre noisette gives the shortbread a beautiful nutty, caramelised flavour.

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MAKES 16

  1. Blitz the lavender in a blender until it is quite fine and then mix it into the 100 g castor sugar. Allow the sugar to infuse for at least a day. Before using, sift the sugar to get rid of any large pieces of lavender.
  2. To make the beurre noisette, heat the butter in a small saucepan until completely melted. Now, watch the butter carefully until it turns a light brown colour – this happens because the water molecules evaporate under heat, leaving the heated milk solids to turn brown. When the colour changes and the butter starts smelling like hazelnuts, remove it from the heat and strain it through a fine sieve to remove any large brown solids. Allow the strained butter to cool at room temperature until solidified before proceeding.
  3. Measure out 185 g of beurre noisette (if you do not have enough, add a few knobs of normal butter to make up the difference). Place this into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the tea leaves and beat until light and fluffy. Add the 90 g castor sugar and salt and continue beating until incorporated.
  4. Add half the sifted flour to the butter mixture and mix for a minute to incorporate. Then add the rest and mix for another minute.
  5. Turn out the dough onto some cling wrap and wrap tightly. Cool in the fridge for 3 hours or until it is quite firm.
  6. To bake the shortbread, preheat the oven to a convection setting of 160 °C (or 180 °C if you do not have a fan setting). Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking paper. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out between two sheets of wax paper to 2 cm thick. Cut the dough into fingers of roughly 8 × 2 cm. At this point, if the dough is no longer cold and firm, return it to the fridge until it is.
  7. Once cold, separate the fingers and place them on a sheet of wax paper. Dust them with the sifted lavender sugar and then carefully place the fingers at least 3 cm apart on the prepared baking tray. Bake the shortbread for 15 minutes and cool completely before removing from the mat. Store in an airtight container.

COCONUT AND EARL GREY SET CRÈME WITH MILK FOAM, FAUX COCONUT SUGAR CUBES AND SHORTBREAD FINGERS

This delicious combination of Earl Grey and coconut is an ode to afternoon high teas with our mom. It’s designed to look like a cup of milky Earl Grey tea with sugar cubes. Serve with the shortbread fingers on page 151.

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SERVES 4

FOR THE COCONUT AND EARL GREY SET CRÈME

FOR THE MILK FOAM

FOR THE FAUX COCONUT SUGAR CUBES

  1. To make the set crème, place the cream and Earl Grey tea bags in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the tea to infuse for 10 minutes before straining to remove any particles.
  2. Bloom the gelatin leaves for the set crème and the milk foam in two separate bowls of ice water for at least 5 minutes.
  3. Remove the Earl Grey tea bags from the saucepan, squeezing out any liquid into the cream. Add the coconut cream and castor sugar and return the saucepan to the stove. Bring the mixture to scalding point while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat once all the sugar has dissolved.
  4. Squeeze all the water out of the gelatin leaves for the set crème, add them to the warm cream mixture and stir to dissolve. Divide the mixture between 4 teacups and refrigerate until set.
  5. To make the milk foam, heat the milk, vanilla seeds and castor sugar in a small saucepan. Squeeze all the water out of the gelatin leaf for the milk foam, add it to the warm milk mixture and stir to dissolve. Pour the mixture into a siphon gun and set aside to cool to room temperature. Once cool, charge with two gas canisters, shaking vigorously between charges.
  6. To make the faux coconut sugar cubes, combine the coconut, condensed milk and icing sugar in a small bowl. Line a small baking tray with two layers of cling wrap and press the coconut mixture into the tray, flattening it to 2 cm thick. Refrigerate until set and then cut into 2 cm cubes. Store in an airtight container lined with wax paper.
  7. To plate, discharge some milk foam into each set crème teacup and dust the top of the foam with Earl Grey tea leaves. Serve the teacups on saucers with a few faux sugar cubes and a shortbread finger on the side.

Although we are a family of coffee drinkers, we do enjoy a pot of tea, particularly in the late afternoon with our sisters, aunts and girl cousins. It’s become a tradition whenever we see one another. Growing up, our mother used to treat us to high tea at the local hotel school in Mafikeng. Allowing our inner princesses to come out, we would get dressed up in pretty dresses, Alice bands and pantyhose and sit in the tranquil hall while the pianist played sweet melodies and we giggled over the rims of our teacups. It was inevitable that we’d enjoy cooking with tea – it is so versatile and can be used in baking, smoking, stewing and preserving and in special drinks. Our love of tea couldn’t be masked during our stint on MasterChef, so it just wouldn’t be right not to include a tea recipe in this book.

WHISKY AND APPLES

WHISKY APPLE TARTE TATIN

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SERVES 6

  1. Heat the sugar, cream, whisky and vanilla seeds in a wide-based saucepan. Allow the caramel to cook until the sugar has melted and the temperature on a sugar thermometer reads at least 120 °C.
  2. In the meantime, peel and core the apples. Cut into wedges and toss them around in the lemon juice to prevent them from oxidising and turning brown.
  3. Place the apples, nutmeg and 50 g of the butter in a separate saucepan, cover with the lid and gently stew at a medium heat for 10 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200 °C and spray the bottom of a 20 cm pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  5. Pour the caramel into the bottom of the greased dish and immediately pack the apples neatly on top.
  6. Roll out the puff pastry just to even it out, making sure that it is large enough to cover your pie dish. Cut a circle 8 cm wider than the width of your dish. Place the pastry on top of the apples and tuck in the sides on the inside of the dish. You are going to turn this upside down after it has baked, so work neatly. Brush the pastry with the remaining melted butter.
  7. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
  8. To remove the tart from the dish, run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate on top and turn it upside down in one swift movement. Serve with custard, whipped cream or ice cream.

We have grown to love whisky over the years. I actually collect whiskies, and my collection is already varied and extensive. There is something perfect about a well-crafted single malt enjoyed neat after a long day at the office. The strong taste of a good whisky lends itself really well to caramel and what better partner for caramel than apples? – Seline

WHISKY TOFFEE APPLES WITH CRÈME ANGLAISE AND WHISKY ICE CREAM

When we were little, our eldest sister Nadine once made toffee apples to sell at a school fête. We remember being fascinated by the process required to make the shiny, crunchy and visually stunning treats. Of course, the toffee apples flew off her table on market day. They seem to have been forgotten since then, but we think they could make a comeback, especially when transformed into a special grown-up treat like the one here.

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SERVES 6

FOR THE WHISKY TOFFEE APPLES

  1. Make a double quantity of crème anglaise according to the recipe on page 169 and then divide the mixture in half. Pour one half into a jug, cover and put aside until ready to serve. Return the rest to the saucepan.
  2. To make the whisky ice cream, place the 40 ml whisky in a ceramic bowl and carefully set alight with a match so that the alcohol can burn off. Add the whisky to the crème anglaise in the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Allow the mixture to cool before churning it in an ice-cream machine. Once the ice cream is set, scoop it into a suitable container and freeze.
  3. To make the toffee apples, peel the apples, leaving their stalks intact. Bring the apple juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and star anise to the boil in a separate small saucepan, and then add the peeled apples. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the apples from the liquid and allow them to cool. Discard the poaching liquid.
  4. Finish off the toffee apples as close to serving as possible or the sugar may crystallise. Combine the castor sugar, whisky, vinegar and liquid glucose in a saucepan. Do not stir this mixture at all. Allow the sugar to melt at a very low heat for 10 minutes, then turn up the heat to medium and boil for 10–20 minutes until the caramel reaches 150 °C on a sugar thermometer.
  5. Pat dry the apples with paper towel and then dip them into the whisky caramel. You want to coat them with a thin layer of caramel, which should set to a hard crust (like a crème brûlée topping). Keep the saucepan on the heat or the caramel could harden due to its temperature dropping. If this happens, soften the caramel on the heat before continuing. Place the apples on a silicone mat for a minute to allow the caramel to set.
  6. Serve each toffee apple on a pool of crème anglaise in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle pomegranate rubies and crushed peanut brittle over each apple and add a scoop of whisky ice cream.

COCKTAILS

Our dad has lived in the same house all our lives; it’s a typical cute family home filled to the brim with our sweetest childhood memories, the drama of our teenage years, the triumphs of our kitchen discoveries and the tragedy of our mother’s death. The best feature of the house is the gate between our yard and the house next door, which belongs to our Aunt Lynette and Uncle Barrie. Although our cousins were away at boarding school, we all grew closer as we got older and BJ, David and Liezl are now like our big brothers and sister. When we all gather in Mafikeng for the festive season, we hold a cocktail competition, where everyone is expected to present his or her finest effort. Here are a few of our favourites.

PEACH AND VODKA

PEACH AND APPLE COCKTAIL

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SERVES 6

  1. Blitz the frozen peaches, juices and vodka in a blender until well combined and smooth.
  2. Pour into 6 tumblers and top up each with 10 ml grenadine and a few mint leaves.

Like the rest of our generation, one of the first alcoholic beverages we tasted was peach schnapps. In fact, one of our cousins taught us how to mix drinks using this spirit. Nowadays, we prefer to use real peaches and vodka instead of schnapps to give the cocktails a more intense fruit flavour and a beautiful kick.

PEACH MARTINI WITH BRÛLÉED NECTARINE AND PEACH FOAM

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SERVES 6

  1. Put the fine salt in a shallow dish and have a piece of wax paper next to you. Beat the egg white until it is no longer stringy, but also not frothy. Dip the rims of 6 martini glasses into the egg white about 5 mm deep and then into the salt. Place the glasses upside down on the wax paper to allow the salt rim to harden while you prepare the rest of the cocktail.
  2. Bloom the gelatin leaves in ice water for 10 minutes, and then remove the gelatin leaves and squeeze out any excess water. Meanwhile, heat 125 ml of the peach juice in a saucepan until warm. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the bloomed gelatin leaves and stir until dissolved, then add the rest of the peach juice. Pour the mixture into a siphon gun and charge with 2 gas canisters. Refrigerate until needed.
  3. Cut the nectarines into fine wedges. Dip one side of each wedge into the castor sugar and lay them on a metal baking tray with the sugar side facing up. Use a blowtorch to brûlée the sugared sides of the nectarines, adding more sugar as you go if necessary. Reserve 6 brûléed wedges for serving and bash the rest in a mortar and pestle.
  4. Toss the mashed wedges into a large cocktail shaker along with the brown sugar, vodka, rum, lemon juice and ice cubes. Shake the mixture for a minute, then strain into a large jug and add the apricot juice. Mix well.
  5. Fill two-thirds of each martini glass with peach vodka and top up with peach foam discharged from the siphon gun. Place a brûléed nectarine wedge on top and serve immediately.

Cucumber and mint

CUCUMBER AND MINT MOJITO

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SERVES 6

  1. Place 6 tumblers in the freezer so that they are cold by the time you need them.
  2. Combine half the mint leaves with the black pepper, lemon zest, white rum and half the ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until the flavours are well combined.
  3. Divide the remaining mint leaves and ice between the iced tumblers and add a slice of lemon and two slices of cucumber to each.
  4. Divide the shaker’s contents between the glasses and top up each with 80 ml of the cucumber juice and 80 ml of the lemonade.

WHITE WINE SPRITZER WITH CUCUMBER GRANITA AND PINEAPPLE SALSA

The secret here is to keep all your ingredients as cold as possible so that the cucumber granita doesn’t melt by the time the cocktail reaches the table.

SERVES 6

  1. To make the cucumber granita, place the castor sugar and 100 ml of the cucumber juice in a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, add this and the lemon juice to the rest of the cucumber juice. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray and freeze solid. Once frozen, scrape it with a fork to create slushy-like shaved ice. Store in the freezer until needed.
  2. To make the salsa, combine the cucumber, pineapple and mint leaves in a bowl.
  3. Place a generous tablespoon of salsa into the bottom of each of 6 wine glasses. Fill a third of each glass with soda water and another third with white wine. Top up with cucumber granita and serve immediately, with a long-handled teaspoon on the side so that guests can scoop out the salsa and granita if they wish.

Refreshing cucumber and mint make the perfect cocktail, great for summertime sipping.

CRANBERRY

CRANBERRY SPARKLER

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SERVES 6

  1. Reserve 6 whole cherries for serving. Remove the stems and stones from the remainder and place them in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the castor sugar and vodka and steep for 1 hour in the fridge.
  2. Divide the soaked cherries between 6 champagne flutes. Pour 50 ml cranberry juice into each glass and then top them up with the sparkling wine. Garnish each glass with a whole cherry and serve.

CRANBERRY AND PRESERVED GINGER SPARKLER

SERVES 6

  1. Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Cut the ginger into long, thin matchsticks and add to the sugar water. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes until syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  2. Place 3 pieces of ginger and 10 ml of ginger syrup into the bottom of each of 6 wine glasses or champagne flutes. Add 100 ml cranberry juice to each glass and top them up with the sparkling wine.
  3. To store leftover ginger and syrup, sterilise a glass jar in an oven set to 80 °C for 10 minutes. Pour the leftover ginger and syrup into the jar and seal tightly. It will keep for up to 2 weeks. Use in iced tea, marinades or sauces or serve on a cheese platter.

Cranberries add a nice tanginess to cocktails, making these gems perfect for guests who don’t have such a sweet tooth. If you want it sweeter, simply dissolve 5 ml of sugar in the juice for every glass.

THE BASICS

Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. Some people cook simply to feed their families; others for the joy it brings; and a select few to push the boundaries of cuisine to an art form. Whatever your motivation for being in the kitchen, there are a few basic techniques and recipes that you should master as you dance about the stove. They will definitely make the experience of preparing a meal easier, and will enable you to experiment more.

PASTA DOUGH

SERVES 4

  1. Heap the flour and salt on a clean countertop and make a well in the centre.
  2. Pour the egg into the well and start working them into the flour from the centre outwards.
  3. Once all of the egg has been incorporated, knead the dough (with your hands or in an electric mixer) until it is pliable. It should be soft, but not sticky. If it is sticky, add a dash of olive oil and a little more flour. If it is too tough, add an extra egg yolk.
  4. Once you are pleased with the consistency, form the dough into a ball and wrap it in cling wrap. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Dust the dough ball with flour or semolina and slowly roll it out using a pasta machine, starting on the thickest setting and working your way down to the thinnest. Keep dusting the pasta with flour – never flour your machine.
  6. To cook, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Place the pasta into the boiling water and cook for about 2 minutes, at which point the pasta will be al dente.

BREAD DOUGH

MAKES 1 LOAF

  1. Place the flour, water, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl and slowly combine using your hands.
  2. Once the dough has come together, turn it out onto a dry surface (not floured) and knead it for 10 minutes. The kneading process will become faster with more practice, but don’t be aggressive. Rather rhythmically pull the dough before bringing it back together.
  3. Once the dough is soft and pliable, return it to the bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a dark place for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
  4. Turn it out of the bowl and shape as required, then leave to rise for a further 45 minutes.
  5. When you are almost ready to bake, preheat the oven to 220 °C. Spray the inside of the oven with 10 pumps of water using a spray bottle. Brush the dough with oil or a beaten egg (for a softer crust) and bake for 20–30 minutes until golden brown.

SHORT-CRUST PASTRY

MAKES 1 PIE SHELL

  1. Work the flour, butter, salt and castor sugar into a fine breadcrumb using your hands. Don’t overwork or the butter will start to melt.
  2. Add 45 ml of the cold water and quickly start bringing the pastry dough together. Add another 15 ml cold water, and more if necessary. You know the dough has been brought together when you can squeeze a small portion of it between your fingers and it holds its shape without crumbling.
  3. Lightly work the pastry with your hands to ensure the fat and flour has blended, then sprinkle with a little extra flour and wrap in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200 °C and grease a 20 cm pie dish or baking tin.
  5. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin to roughly the size and shape of your pie dish. Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the dish. Lightly press the pastry into the dish and up the sides so that some hangs over the edge. Lightly prick the pastry all over with a fork.
  6. Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and fill the dish with baking beads, rice or dried beans.
  7. Blind bake for 9–10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and beads, lightly prick the pastry with a fork once more and return it to the oven for another 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Allow the pastry shell to cool before filling.

PÂTE SUCRÉE

MAKES 1 PIE SHELL

  1. Work the flour, butter, salt and castor sugar into a fine breadcrumb using your hands. Don’t overwork or the butter will start to melt.
  2. Add 45 ml of the cold water and quickly start bringing the pastry dough together. Add another 15 ml cold water, and more if necessary. You know the dough has been brought together when you can squeeze a small portion of it between your fingers and it holds its shape without crumbling.
  3. Lightly work the pastry with your hands to ensure the fat and flour has blended, then sprinkle with a little extra flour and wrap in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200 °C and grease a 20 cm pie dish or baking tin.
  5. Roll out the pastry onto a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin to roughly the size and shape of your pie dish. Roll the pastry onto the rolling pin and transfer it to the dish. Lightly press the pastry into the dish and up the sides so that some hangs over the edge. Lightly prick the pastry all over with a fork.
  6. Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and fill the dish with baking beads, rice or dried beans.
  7. Blind bake for 9–10 minutes, then remove the baking paper and beads, lightly prick the pastry with a fork once more and return it to the oven for another 3–5 minutes until golden brown. Allow the pastry shell to cool before filling.

PANCAKES

After learning that Julia Child made her crêpes in a blender, we did the same and have never looked back!

MAKES 20

  1. Blend the eggs, water, milk and salt in a blender for 10 seconds.
  2. Stop the blender, add the flour and then blend again.
  3. Pour in the butter and blend for a further minute.
  4. Pass the batter through a sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and leave to rest for 2 hours.
  5. Just before you are ready to cook, bring a saucepan of water to a simmer on the stove and rest a plate on top. Tear off a piece of foil big enough to cover the plate.
  6. Heat 5 ml of oil in a frying pan and pour in a ladle of batter, swirling the pan to ensure thin, uniform pancakes. If the batter is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. Crêpes should be no thicker than 2 mm, but pancakes can be a bit thicker.
  7. Slide the pancake onto the plate set over the saucepan of water and cover it with the foil. This will keep your pancakes warm while you are cooking the rest.

MAYONNAISE

MAKES ABOUT 500 ML

  1. Whisk the egg yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper together until pale.
  2. Continue whisking and slowly drip in the oil until you have added it all.
  3. Whisk until the mayonnaise is smooth and thick. If it is too thick, loosen it with a dash of lukewarm water. If it is too runny, whisk in a bit more oil. Store in the fridge and use on the same day.

AÏOLI

MAKES ABOUT 500 ML

  1. Finely crush the garlic further using the side of a chef’s knife’s blade, pressing into the chopping board to make a fine paste.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper together with the crushed garlic until pale.
  3. Continue whisking and slowly drip in the oil until you have added it all.
  4. Whisk until the aïoli is smooth and thick. If it is too thick, loosen it with a dash of lukewarm water. If it is too runny, whisk in a bit more oil. Store in the fridge and use on the same day.

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

Simple and effective, you can add any herbs, spices or flavourings once you’ve mastered the basic recipe. Adding more flour will make the sauce thicker.

MAKES 500 ML

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and then mix in the flour to form a roux. Allow the roux to bubble for about 3 minutes before removing from the heat, but don’t let it change colour.
  2. In a separate saucepan, heat the milk, bay leaf and seasoning. Remove from the heat just before it reaches boiling point.
  3. Remove the bay leaf and whisk the hot milk into the warm roux to avoid lumps. Whisk vigorously, return to the heat and allow the sauce to boil for 2 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat and flavour if desired. Serve immediately or line the top with cling wrap to avoid a skin forming.

CRÈME ANGLAISE

MAKES 500 ML

  1. Whisk the sugar, vanilla seeds and egg yolks together in a bowl.
  2. Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan and remove from the heat just before the mixture reaches boiling point.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to avoid scrambling the eggs.
  4. Pour the custard back into the saucepan and heat at a medium heat until the custard coats the back of a spoon. Serve warm.