snacks.

SPEEDY SMOKED SNOEK PÂTÉ.

I LOVE THE SOUTH-AFRICANNESS OF SMOKED SNOEK, AND I LOVE TO MAKE IT JUST A LITTLE POSH BY MIXING IT INTO THIS CREAMY HERBED PÂTÉ AND SPREADING IT OVER CRUNCHY BRUSCHETTA OR STILL-WARM BAGUETTE. PERFECT PICNIC FOOD FOR ALFRESCO FEASTING.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10–15 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 200 g smoked snoek (not previously frozen)
• 200 g plain cottage cheese (smooth or chunky)
• 100 ml double-thick yoghurt
• 1 Tbsp each chopped fresh basil and parsley
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• fresh crusty bread, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Using your hands, flake the snoek into small pieces in a mediumsized mixing bowl, and be sure to remove any bones. If necessary, use a knife to chop the meat smaller for a smoother end result.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Check for seasoning and serve immediately with fresh crusty bread, or refrigerate in a sealed container for 2–3 days.

Note: You could easily use mackerel, trout or salmon instead of snoek.

SWEETCORN POT BREAD

with Blistered Tomatoes.

IF YOU MAKE THIS, EAT ONE SLICE AND VERY QUICKLY GIVE THE REST AWAY, BECAUSE IT’S COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY IRRESISTIBLE. FROM THE MOMENT THE CREAMY, CHEESY, CORN-FILLED AROMA STARTS TO SNEAK OUT OF THE OVEN YOU’LL BE FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE. AND IF YOU’RE A HAPPY LOSER, WELL THEN ADD LOTS OF THICK, COLD BUTTER. AND IF YOU CAN’T BE BOTHERED TO MAKE THE TOMATO JAM, JUST USE A JAR OF ONION MARMALADE OR APRICOT JAM. HEAVEN.

SERVES 4–6 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 40–50 minutes (mostly unattended)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

SWEETCORN POT BREAD

• 3 eggs
• 500 g self-raising flour
• 350 ml buttermilk or natural yoghurt (or 1 × 340 ml can beer)
• 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese (you could also add in some crumbled feta)
• 1 small onion, grated or very finely chopped
• 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
• generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 × 410 g can whole kernel corn

BLISTERED TOMATOES

• 1 cup rosa or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1–2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1–2 tsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and line a loaf tin with baking paper (or use the pot and fire method, see notes below).
2. Mix all the bread ingredients together, spoon into the loaf tin and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the loaf is golden and when a sharp knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
3. Meanwhile, add all of the ingredients for the blistered tomatoes to a small saucepan and cook for 12–15 minutes on medium-low heat until sticky. Add a little water to the pot if necessary. Remove from the heat, check for seasoning and set aside.
4. Serve the bread within a few minutes of removing from the oven, with lashings of fresh butter and the blistered tomatoes on the side.

Notes: The dough can also be shaped into individual bread rolls.
Campfire method: Place the bread dough into a lightly greased castiron pot, cover with the lid and place over hot coals. Also place a few coals on top of the lid. Change the coals from time to time with new hot ones and leave to cook for about 40 minutes.
To make quick buttermilk, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice to 2 cups full-cream milk and leave to stand for 15 minutes. The mixture will curdle into buttermilk.

PITA BREADS.

OH HOW I LOVE A FLATBREAD. THEY ARE SO VERSATILE AND WELL-LOVED THAT THEY EVEN HAVE COUSINS IN ALL CORNERS OR THE WORLD – PITA BREADS; ROTIS; NAAN’S – ALL SIMPLE, BEAUTIFUL BLANK CANVASSES FOR SO MANY AMAZING FLAVOURS AND FILLINGS. AND BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT THEY REALLY DO TASTE DOUBLY AMAZING WHEN YOU MAKE THEM FROM SCRATCH.

PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 10 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• ¹⁄₂ cup double-thick natural yoghurt
• ¹⁄₂ tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

WHAT TO DO

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl in the stand of your electric mixer with the dough hook attachment. Add extra flour if necessary, but the dough should be quite wet and sticky. When the dough comes together, knead for 2–3 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
2. Take a golf ball-sized piece of dough and roll out as thinly as possible with a floured rolling pin, again on a floured surface.
3. Fry the pitas, one at a time, in a dry frying pan over high heat. Allow each side to blister and turn golden brown before removing from the pan. Wipe the pan down with kitchen paper, and repeat until you have used all the dough.

ROSEMARY STOKBROOD.

STOKBROOD TRANSLATES SIMPLY TO ‘STICK BREAD’ FROM AFRIKAANS. IT’S PERFECTION. SOFT DOUGH ROASTED ON THE END OF A STICK OVER HOT COALS MEANS THAT IT’S SMOKY AND BLISTERED BUT NOT BURNT; CRUSTY ON THE OUTSIDE AND SOFT AND FLUFFY ON THE INSIDE. TEAR IT OPEN AND FILL WITH SLIVERS OF HARD CHEESE AND APRICOT JAM (OR THE BACON AND CLEMENTINE MARMALADE ON PAGE 15) FOR A CAMPFIRE SNACK, OR SAVE IT FOR DUNKING IN SLOW-COOKED ANYTHING.

MAKES about 10 rolls | PREPARATION TIME 1 hour (mostly unattended) | COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes (plus resting and rising time)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 500 g cake flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or melted butter
• 1 × 10 g sachet instant yeast
• 250–300 ml lukewarm water (or 200 ml water and 100 ml milk or buttermilk)
• clean arm-length sticks, soaked in water, for cooking

WHAT TO DO

1. Mix all the ingredients, except the water, together. Slowly add the water until the mixture comes together in a soft dough. This can be done by hand or in a food processor or stand mixer with dough hook attached.
2. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5–10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or clingfilm. Leave to rest and rise for 30 minutes.
3. Divide into equal palm-sized portions and roll each portion until it is about 20 cm long, then wind it around the stick and gently press it all together. Cook over medium-hot coals until golden and just cooked through, 10–15 minutes.

BAKED CAMEMBERT IN PHYLLO

with Quick Thyme and Fig Jam.

OH, THE DECADENCE! THERE’S GORGEOUSLY GLOSSY MELTED CHEESE AND THE DELICATE SNAP OF GOLDEN PHYLLO PASTRY, AND THEN THERE’S THE STICKY SWEETNESS OF THE ROASTED FIGS.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10–15 minutes | COOKING TIME 20–25 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 3 ripe figs, roughly chopped (or canned, juice drained)
• 1–2 Tbsp water or orange juice
• 4 sheets phyllo pastry
• 3–4 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 round Camembert (or Brie) cheese

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a baking tray.
2. Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and when it starts to foam add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, thyme and figs. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, or until the figs have softened and start to become sticky. Turn down the heat if the figs start to burn, and add the water or orange juice for extra liquid, if required.
3. Meanwhile, on a clean work surface, lay out one sheet of phyllo pastry at a time and brush with melted butter. Keep the remaining sheets covered with a damp, clean dishcloth as you work; this prevents them from drying out. Once you have brushed one sheet, lay the next sheet over the buttered one, brush with melted butter, and repeat until you have used all four sheets. Turn the stack of sheets over and brush the underside with melted butter too.
4. Place the cheese in the centre of the pastry sheets, spoon over the thyme and fig jam, gather the corners together and twist at the top. Secure with kitchen string if necessary. Gently place the pastry package onto the baking tray and place in the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
5. Remove from the oven and serve warm with fresh farm bread or crunchy crostini.

SALT AND PEPPER SQUID

with Basil and Lemon Mayonnaise.

CRISPY, CRUNCHY, GOLDEN FLASH-FRIED SQUID IS ALWAYS EASY TO LOVE. HERE, WITH THE CREAMY BASIL AND LEMON MAYONNAISE, IT REALLY SINGS.

SERVES 4–6 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 5 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• vegetable oil, for frying
• ¹⁄₂ cup cake flour
• ¹⁄₄ cup cornflour
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ¹⁄₂ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¹⁄₂ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)
• 500 g fresh calamari, cut into 5 mm rings, rinsed and patted dry with kitchen paper or a clean dishcloth

BASIL AND LEMON MAYONNAISE

• 1 egg
• 1 clove garlic
• ¹⁄₂ avocado, de-pipped, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1–2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ³⁄₄ cup cooking oil (not olive oil)

WHAT TO DO

1. Pour the vegetable oil into a wok or large saucepan until it is about 1 cm deep and place over a medium-high heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, cornflour, salt, pepper and chilli flakes (if using). Put the calamari rings in a large sieve set over a mixing bowl, pour over the flour and spice mixture and toss gently to coat.
3. After a minute or two, check that the oil is hot enough by dropping in a calamari ring. It should be golden and crispy in 1 minute.
4. Drop the calamari rings into the oil, one at a time, and fry for 3–5 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on two layers of kitchen paper.
5. Make the mayonnaise as follows: To a blender, add all the ingredients, except the oil. Then slowly drizzle in the oil in a constant stream with the blender on a low speed. Continue blending until all the oil is incorporated and the mixture thickens to the usual consistency of mayonnaise.
6. Serve the calamari immediately with the basil and lemon mayonnaise as a dipping sauce.

Notes: For a speedier version of the Basil and Lemon Mayonnaise, use 1 cup good-quality mayonnaise mixed with the lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper.
The Basil and Lemon Mayonnaise makes about 1 cup, so there will be leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. If not using avocado for the mayonnaise, use 1 cup of oil.

BBQ CHICKEN WINGS

with Creamy Whipped Feta.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG WHEN STICKY, GLOSSY, GOLDEN CHICKEN WINGS MEET CREAMY, SALTY WHIPPED FETA? THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SNACKS AND I HOPE YOU’LL GIVE IT A BASH.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 20 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 8–10 chicken wings

BBQ SAUCE

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp runny honey
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp paprika
• ¹⁄₂ tsp dried coriander
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• generous pinch each of salt and freshly ground black pepper

CREAMY WHIPPED FETA

• 75 g feta cheese
• 100 g smooth plain cottage cheese
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil or milk, to loosen if necessary
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or mint
• freshly ground black pepper and olive oil, for garnishing

WHAT TO DO

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a jug or mixing bowl.
2. Baste the chicken with the sauce, cover with clingfilm and leave to stand in the fridge for as long as possible before cooking (overnight is ideal, but not essential). Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature about 20 minutes before cooking.
3. Cook on the braai, or roast in the oven at 180 °C, for 20–25 minutes or until cooked through, sticky and golden. Baste with any extra sauce every 10 minutes or so during cooking.
4. Combine all the ingredients for the whipped feta in a food processor and mix until well combined. Check for seasoning and spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a twist of black pepper.
5. As soon as the wings are cooked, serve immediately with the whipped feta on the side.

Notes: Leave out the sugar in the BBQ sauce for a healthier but less sticky option.
Use thick natural yoghurt instead of cottage cheese for the Creamy Whipped Feta.

STICKY ASIAN RIBS.

I DARE YOU TO TELL ME THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO RESIST THE WILES OF STICKY, GOLDEN, FINGER-LICKING RIBS. WITH THE SPICY ASIAN-INSPIRED SAUCE THEY HAVE A LITTLE EXTRA JE NE SAIS QUOI, AND I THINK IT’S PRETTY AMAZING.

SERVES 4–6 | PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes | COOKING TIME 30–40 minutes (mostly unattended)

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• ¹⁄₃ cup runny honey
• ¹⁄₃ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• ¹⁄₃ cup water
• ¹⁄₂ tsp Chinese five-spice
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¹⁄₂ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 kg pork ribs, cut into individual riblets
• 1–2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional), for serving
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Prepare the marinade by adding the honey, soy sauce, olive oil, fish sauce, oyster sauce, water, five-spice, ginger, garlic and chilli to a shallow baking dish lined with tinfoil (for easy cleaning later). Mix the marinade until well combined. Then add the riblets and toss until they are well coated.
3. Place in the oven for 40 minutes, or until sticky and golden and the meat is cooked through, tossing every 10–15 minutes.
4. Serve immediately as a snack with a sprinkling of sesame seeds (if using) and fresh coriander. You can also add a nice leafy green side salad and potato wedges for a main meal.

HONEY AND SESAME PRAWN STICKS.

WE’VE WILED AWAY MANY HAPPY MOMENTS ON MOZAMBICAN BEACHES, WHERE YOU CAN BUY FRESH SEAFOOD FROM THE FISHERMEN RIGHT OUT OF THE WATER. THESE ARE ONE OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS TO FEAST ON AS THE SUN GOES DOWN ON ANOTHER GORGEOUS DAY.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating time, optional) COOKING TIME approx. 6 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 8 bamboo skewers
• 400 g whole prawns, deveined (shells optional)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander, basil or mint
• lime wedges, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Soak the bamboo skewers in water for about 15 minutes to prevent them catching fire when cooking.
2. Rinse the prawns and set them aside to dry. If using immediately, pat dry with kitchen paper. Skewer about three prawns onto each stick, heads and tails almost touching to make a ‘u’ shape, or use two skewers as shown. Set aside in a wide, shallow dish.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients, except the fresh herbs and lime wedges, and pour half of the sauce over the prawns, making sure each is well coated. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes if you have the time.
4. Cook over hot coals or a preheated griddle pan for 3 minutes on each side, or until pink and just cooked through. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of fresh herbs and lime wedges, and the extra sauce on the side.

RICOTTA BRUSCHETTA

with Courgettes and Mint.

I LOVE TURNING SIMPLE, HUMBLE INGREDIENTS INTO SOMETHING SPECIAL. ‘JUST’ COURGETTES ARE FLASH-FRIED UNTIL GOLDEN AND THEN PERCHED PROUDLY ATOP CRUNCHY BRUSCHETTA ALONG WITH CREAMY RICOTTA AND LASHINGS OF FRESH MINT. IT’S HEAVEN TO EAT.

SERVES 6–8 | PREPARATION TIME 5–10 minutes | COOKING TIME 10 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 day-old baguette, cut diagonally into 1-cm-thick slices
• 200 g courgettes, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 100 g ricotta
• 100 ml natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp chopped fresh mint, plus extra whole leaves for serving
• zest of 1 lemon
• extra 1–2 tsp olive oil
• lemon juice (optional)

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven on the grill setting. Lay the baguette slices flat on a baking tray. Grill for 2–3 minutes on each side or until lightly golden.
2. Season and fry the courgette ribbons in the olive oil over medium-high heat until lightly golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
3. Meanwhile, roughly mix together the ricotta, yoghurt, mint, lemon zest and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. To assemble, spread each bruschetta slice with some of the ricotta and herb mix, top with a few courgette ribbons and a few loose mint leaves, add an extra drizzle of olive oil and some lemon juice (if you like), and serve immediately.

COURGETTE AND MINT RÖSTIS

with Cucumber Raita.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG WHEN YOU ADD BEAUTIFULLY FLUFFY AND GOLDEN LITTLE MINTED COURGETTE ROSTIS, WHICH ARE LIKE SMALL PANCAKES, TO A FRESH CUCUMBER YOGHURT DIP?

MAKES 6 | PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes | COOKING TIME 10–15 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

CUCUMBER RAITA

• 200 ml natural yoghurt
• ¹⁄₂ cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• zest of ¹⁄₂ lemon
• ¹⁄₂ tsp salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper

RÖSTIS

• 250 g courgettes (about 8 medium-sized ones), grated and any excess moisture squeezed out
• ¹⁄₂ cup frozen baby peas
• 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp cake flour
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 Tbsp cooking oil

WHAT TO DO

1. For the raita, combine all the ingredients and chill until ready to serve.
2. Combine all the rösti ingredients, except the oil, in a mixing bowl, and then set aside. (Note: I used the grater function on my food processor to grate the courgettes, super quick, and then I squeezed out extra moisture using kitchen paper.)
3. Heat half the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat. After a couple of minutes, test to check that the oil is hot enough by dropping in a drop of the batter. If it bubbles and turns golden brown within 15 seconds, it is ready.
4. Add 1 heaped Tbsp of the rösti mixture to the pan. Flatten with the back of a spoon and repeat until you have three röstis in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining oil and rösti mixture.
5. Eat the röstis as soon as they are cooked, and serve with dollops of fresh raita on the side.

SATAY PRAWN STICKS.

PERFECTLY PINK, PLUMP PRAWNS MEET A SILKY SMOOTH PEANUTTY SAUCE AND, WELL, FIREWORKS.

SERVES 4 | PREPARATION TIME 5–10 minutes | COOKING TIME 15–20 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

SATAY SAUCE

• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 fresh chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 Tbsp peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• ¹⁄₄ cup coconut milk
• zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1–2 Tbsp honey

PRAWNS

• 36–40 prawns, deveined and shelled
• bamboo skewers
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• fresh coriander leaves, for serving
• lime or lemon juice, for serving

WHAT TO DO

1. Mix the satay sauce ingredients together until smooth.
2. Thread about three prawns onto each bamboo skewer, with their nose and tail touching so that they make a ‘u’ shape. Trim each skewer so that it is 6–8 cm long. Lay the skewers in a shallow baking dish and pour over three-quarters of the sauce, along with a drizzle of olive oil, and toss to make sure they are well coated.
3. Fry in a hot pan for 5 minutes or until pink and cooked through, turning halfway. Drizzle over the remaining sauce and serve immediately with an extra squeeze of lime or lemon juice, and a scattering of fresh coriander leaves.

PEAR AND GORGONZOLA TARTLETS.

THIS COMBINATION OF GOLDEN, FLAKY PASTRY TOPPED PROUDLY WITH ROASTED PEARS AND MELTED GORGONZOLA IS ALWAYS A CROWD PLEASER. AND AS WITH SO MANY CLEVER QUICK-FIXES, THE VARIATIONS ARE ENDLESS. TRY ROASTED BEETROOT AND CRUMBLE OVER GOAT’S CHEESE JUST BEFORE SERVING, OR BUTTERNUT CUBES WITH PINE NUTS AND FETA.

SERVES 6–8 | PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes | COOKING TIME 15 minutes

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• 1 sheet ready-made puff pastry, thawed
• 4 Tbsp chutney or onion marmalade
• 3 ripe pears, skin on, halved and sliced lengthways
• 1–2 Tbsp melted butter or olive oil
• 100 g Gorgonzola cheese (or Brie for a milder taste)
• balsamic reduction, for serving (optional)
• handful fresh rocket, for garnishing

WHAT TO DO

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and lightly grease a baking tray.
2. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut into 8–10 equal squares. Place the squares on the baking tray.
3. Prick each square with a fork two or three times, then spread a thin layer of chutney or onion marmalade over each one, leaving a small border around the edges. Top with a few pear slices brushed with melted butter or olive oil, and add some roughly crumbled cheese.
4. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the cheese has melted.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with a little balsamic reduction (if using), scatter over the fresh rocket and serve immediately.