SWEET
CORN & CHILLI SOUP
1
onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
50 ml olive oil
750 ml strong vegetable stock
500 ml full cream milk
250 ml fresh cream
10 ml (2 tsp) corn flour
1 cup corn kernels, cut from the cob
4 - 8 tbsp sweet chilli sauce – depending on the strength of
the chilli sauce and your own preference
(Serves 4)
Simmer
onion, garlic and ginger until very soft in olive oil. Add
vegetable stock, milk and cream – bring to the boil over medium
heat, stirring constantly. Just
before boiling add corn flour (mixed first with a little cold water
until smooth) and whisk into the soup and stir until slightly thickened.
Add corn and sweet chilli sauce and heat through
for about 3 to 4 minutes.
MOZAMBICAN
QUEEN PRAWNS WRAPPED WITH KATAIFI PASTRY, SERVED WITH A THAI RED CURRY
SAUCE
8
queen prawns
1 packet Kataifi pastry
sea salt, to taste
milled black pepper, to taste
whites of 2 eggs, beaten lightly
200 ml thick cream
1 - 2 tsp Red Thai curry
paste
corn flour, to thicken
100 g butter
(Serves 4)
Clean prawns removing the vein. Dust
with sea salt and pepper. Wrap each prawn in
pastry and seal the pastry using the beaten eggs whites.
Place on a greased baking sheet and chill to “set”.
To
make the sauce, heat cream with Thai Red curry
paste (depending on how strong the curry paste is and on your own
preference). Thicken with
cornflour.
Just
before serving heat butter in
a heavy based pan and sauté prawn wraps until golden brown. Heat through
in a hot oven. On each serving plate, arrange
a pool of sauce top with the prawns and add a few fresh herbs.
PRAWN
EGGS BENEDICT ON FEATHER LIGHT SCONES
2
prawns, shelled and cleaned, heads and tails removed
2 cups cleaned and shredded spinach
butter
4 eggs, poached until soft, keep warm.
For
the sauce:
1 cup
white wine
8 chives
1 clove garlic, whole
4 peppercorns, whole
8 tbsp cream
½ tsp corn flour to thicken, mixed in a little cold water
(Serves 4)
*
Pre-bake scones, omitting sugar (See recipe).
Heat
butter, over high heat, fry prawns until cooked through. Blanch
spinach in a little boiling water. Remove and, cover with cold, damp
paper towelling to set colour. Then squeeze out all the liquid gently.
Season with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and keep
warm.
To make
the sauce: Reduce
wine in a saucepan with chives, garlic and peppercorns until only 4
tablespoons remain. Strain. To this add cream and corn flour (dissolved
in 1 tablespoon cold water) and heat until the sauce thickens. Remove
from heat and whisk in 50 g cubed cold butter. Keep just warm or the
butter will separate – Do Not Boil!
To serve, butter
4 scone halves. Divide spinach equally between the scones, top with
prawns, poached eggs and finally the sauce.
SCONES
500 g flour
4 tbsp castor sugar (omit when making savoury scones)
4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
125 g butter
250 ml milk
2 large eggs
(Makes about 24 scones)
Sift
flour, castor sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Rub
butter with fingertips until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Beat milk and
eggs and add slowly to the dry mixture, folding in with a wooden
spoon. (Reserve a little liquid to brush scones with.) When the dough has
a soft, moist consistency, turn out onto a well floured board and shape
and pat gently into squares or cut out rounds with a scone cutter. Brush
the tops with the reserved liquid. Place on baking sheets or on oiled
foil. Bake in a moderately hot oven 200°C for 10-12 minutes, until
golden. Remove and sprinkle with sugar if liked.
IMPALA
FILLET WITH FRESH ASPARAGUS SERVED WITH A BRANDY AND
RAISIN SAUCE
1
kg impala fillet, trimmed
24 spears fresh asparagus
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 wedges each
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
Cape Malay spices
(Serves 4)
Blanch
asparagus until just soft. Place potato wedges on a baking tray,
drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with thyme leaves and salt and
freshly ground black pepper. Roast in a hot oven until potatoes
are golden brown and crisp. Season the Impala with Cape Malay spices.
Bring black ridged grilling pan to very high heat, add a little olive oil and
pan grill the impala. Keep warm.
For
the sauce:
200 ml
reduced meat stock, homemade
50 ml brandy
½ cup raisins
corn flour to thicken, mixed with a little cold water
Bring meat stock, brandy and raisins to the boil.
Just before boiling add the corn flour and whisk
well. Keep warm.
To
serve, arrange potato wedges, asparagus and sliced impala on warm
serving plates – pour over the sauce and garnish with fresh herbs.
GRAPES
POACHED IN APPLE TEA SYRUP WITH PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM
3
cups black grapes, halved and de-seeded
2 cups water
3 Apple teabags
1 cup sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 twist of orange peel
In
a saucepan boil
water, add teabags, sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick and twist of orange
peel. Allow to stand for 5 - 8 minutes. Remove teabags. Reheat on the
stove until boiling and add grapes, boil for 2 minutes only. Remove from
heat and cool.
To
serve, half fill 4 martini glasses with grapes and strained aromatic tea syrup. Add
a generous scoop of Pineapple Ice Cream.
Pineapple Ice
Cream
1 pineapple, peeled and sliced
sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 vanilla pod, slit and reserve seeds
250 ml cream
Sprinkle
over 2 tbsp sugar, vanilla seeds and ginger, reserving a few and bake
pineapple covered at 180ºC until softened. Remove and purée. Strain,
pressing the pineapple pulp through the sieve, using a spoon, until it
is all through. Whisk cream and 2 tbsp sugar together with an extra dash
of vanilla seeds. Fold pineapple into thickened cream and place in a
covered stainless steel or plastic container and freeze for 4-5 hours.
MIDDLE
EASTERN SPICED OXTAIL WITH MASHED POTATOES SWIRLED WITH OLIVE OIL AND
CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES
1
½ kg oxtail
100 ml olive oil
½ bottle cabernet sauvignon wine
6 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 onions, chopped finely
1 cup each diced carrot, turnip, leek, beetroot
1 ½ cups chopped coriander leaved
10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp saffron
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground turmeric
6 small chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped
6 tsps grated fresh ginger
In
a large pot, seal oxtail in olive oil over high heat until
browned. Add wine, chopped tomatoes, onions, vegetables,
garlic, ginger, chilli and the spices – continue to cook over high
heat until all the vegetables are well cooked.
Turn
down the heat, simmer over low heat covered, adding water when the
cooking liquid becomes too dry. Simmer for 4 to 6 hours depending on how
big the oxtail pieces are or until the oxtail is very tender and there
is a rich sauce.
For
the mashed potatoes: Boil 8 potatoes in their jackets until soft.
Peel. Mash while still hot, adding as much olive oil as you would prefer
(about ½ cup) and ½ cup coriander leaves.
MANGO GINGER TART
WITH PAPINO ICE CREAM
1
- 2 mangos, depending on size
phyllo pastry
1 tbsp preserved ginger chipped finely
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
3 large eggs
½ cup sugar
Line
individual tart pans with phyllo pastry (2 to 3 layers, each layer
should be brushed
with melted butter). Fan each pastry case with
thick
slices of mango until the pastry cases are full. Sprinkle with preserved ginger.
Lightly beat eggs
with milk, cream and sugar. Pour over the mango and bake in a medium oven until set.
Papino Ice
Cream
1 large papino, (or two small) ripe and full flavoured
sugar
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 vanilla pod, slit and reserve seeds
250 ml cream
Purée
papino and stir in 2 tbsp sugar, vanilla seeds and ginger. Whisk cream
and 2 tbsp sugar together with an extra dash of vanilla seeds. Fold
papino into thickened cream and place in a covered stainless steel or
plastic container and freeze for 4-5 hours.
Cook's
Note: Try folding in the juice and seeds of one granadilla into the
whipped cream.
