ROASTED
LINEFISH ON MUSSEL CHOWDER WITH LEMON RISOTTO AND SWISS CHARD (Mount
Nelson Hotel)
200
g linefish per portion, seasoned lightly
Mussel Chowder (See Below)
Risotto (See Below)
Lemon Paste (See Below)
Tomato Confit (See Below)
1 bunch Swiss chard leaves, stripped off the stalk
lemon wedge
chervil
(Serves 4)
Mussel
Chowder:
julienned carrots,
leeks and courgettes - 10 g of each
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1.5 l fish stock (See Showcook's Fish Stock in Cook's
Class)
500 ml fresh cream
2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped off
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped chervil
salt and white pepper
lemon juice to taste
16 mussels, steamed open (reserve)
Blanch
vegetables in boiling salted water, drain and refresh in cold for a few
seconds. Remove and reserve. Sauté onions
and garlic in a little butter until soft, add 500 fish stock (reserve
remainder for Risotto) and reduce to
one third. Add cream and reduce to one third. Add herbs. Adjust
seasoning with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Risotto:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion,
finely chopped
150 g Arborio rice
250 ml white wine
1 litre fish stock (Reserved*)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Heat
olive oil in a saucepan, add onions and cook gently until
transparent. Add rice and stir into onions until well coated with
oil, deglaze with the white wine and bring to simmer. Now start adding
your hot fish stock (*keep this hot in a separate saucepan on the stove) a
little at a time, stirring regularly. The rice should have a glossy,
soupy consistency, and is cooked when it is soft but still has a little
bite (al dente). Stir in the butter and the parmesan cheese. Reserve.
Lemon
Paste:
2 lemons, zested
juice of 2 lemons
30 g sugar
125 ml white wine
Blanch
zest 3 times in fresh boiling water, then add to rest of ingredients, bring to
simmer and cook until zest is soft and transparent, and liquid is well
reduced. Transfer to blender and process until smooth.
Tomato
Confit:
2 tomatoes, skinned
and seeded, flesh cut into 8 segments
2 tbsps olive oil
salt and pepper
Sprinkle
the tomato segments with oil after seasoning and place in 120ºC oven for
30-40 minutes or until softened.
Assembling
the dish: Sauté
fish in non-stick pan in a little olive oil until golden brown. Reheat
half a cup of risotto with a teaspoon of the lemon paste. Toss the well
washed
chard in a hot pan with a little butter until wilted.
Complete
the chowder, add reserved mussels (shelled) to sauce and the
julienne vegetables, simmer gently for a minute.
On
one side of the plate, place the spinach and neatly spoon on the
risotto. On the other side, add spoonfuls of chowder and place the fish on
top. Spoon over the tomato confit and add a sprig of chervil and a wedge of
lemon.
SPRINGBOK PIE
(Mount Nelson Hotel)
Springbok
Ragout
Roasted Root Vegetables
Maizemeal Dumplings
Springbok ragout:
2 kg springbok leg and neck meat, 2 cm cubes
3 large onions, chopped
olive oil
butter
500 ml Pinotage
500 ml reduced beef stock
8 juniper berries, crushed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig rosemary sprigs
1 tarragon sprig
2 bay leaves
(Serves 4-6)
Sauté
onions in a little olive oil and butter, add
diced springbok and garlic, and sauté further until meat has browned.
Pour pinotage into the pan and simmer until reduced. Add beef stock and
herbs, simmer gently until well reduced and meat is tender and soft.
Season with cracked pepper and salt. The final ragout should be rich and glossy.
Root vegetables:
4 carrots
2 turnips
2 parsnips
5 baby onions
2 beetroot
2 sweet potato
Cut all vegetables into
neat, medium sized slices
and blanch in salted, boiling water. Place in a roasting pan, drizzle with
olive oil, salt and pepper. Add a few crushed garlic cloves and thyme
sprigs, then roast in a hot oven until softened and light golden brown.
Maize Dumplings:
250 ml milk
10 g butter
175 g maize meal
2 eggs
Bring milk and butter to boil, season with salt,
pepper and nutmeg. Stir in maize meal and cook for a few minutes until
stiffened. Leave to cool slightly, then
gradually beat in the eggs. Refrigerate until firm. Form into small dumplings and
poach in simmering,
salted water for 4-5 minutes.
To
serve, place spoonfuls of springbok ragout on hot plates, spoon
vegetables on top of the ragout and place dumplings on the side.
PRALINE
ICE-CREAM (Orient-Express Safaris)
Glazed
Pineapple:
250 g canned pineapple rings
5 ml (1 tsp) butter
brown sugar for dusting
Sauté
pineapple in butter until golden. Sprinkle over brown sugar and place in
the oven until sugar has caramelized. Cut in halves and reserve.
Praline:
310 g unsalted almonds
200 g sugar
100 g (4 tbsp) water
Roast
almonds in a non-stick pan until golden. Heat sugar and water and bring
to a boil, shake pan from time to time until all sugar is dissolved. Do
not stir, allow to boil watching carefully until the caramel turns from
a light gold to medium. Remove immediately and add almonds. Pour mixture into a lightly oiled tray. When mixture has
cooled process (crush) until fine.
Ice-Cream:
4 egg yolks
150 g caster sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
1 litre whipped cream
Whisk
egg yolks, caster sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Fold
in whipped cream. Add praline and mix well. Pour into a container and
freeze overnight.
Place
pineapple on a plate and top with spoonfuls of ice cream.
SEED
LOAF (Orient-Express Safaris)
210 g crushed wheat
510 g wholewheat flour
10 g yeast (dried)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp raisins
120 g poppy, sunflower and sesame seeds (reserve a few for topping)
375 ml luke warm water
Place
all ingredients in a bowl and slowly add water, enough to form a dough
of dropping consistency. Spoon mixture into a non-stick bread pan,
sprinkle over reserved seeds on top of loaf. Allow to swell and rise
gently. Bake in a preheated 200°C oven for 40-50 minutes until golden brown and cooked.
Chef’s
note: Add dried fruit e.g. peaches for a delicious alternative to
raisins or addition.