Braai
Of course we braai’d while we were away. Several times. This was a traditional chops and ‘wors (boerewors) braai that we fancied up with some salad and corn. I think we were supposed to just eat meat really, possibly with some soft rolls for the boerewors, or some pap but the fridge was full of salad and I don’t really like the sound of pap.
This particular boerewors didn’t behave very well and despite Stephen’s excellent technique with the braai tongs, it fell apart. We got it from Woolworths (Marks and Spencer is called Woolworths in SA), perhaps if we had stopped trying to posh everything up and just got it from Pick and Pay then it would have stayed in it’s spiral. It didn’t affect the taste though, obviously, and it was good. Mostly beef I think (again, not traditional I don’t think) and with a good amount of spice.
Jessica’s, Montagu
Montagu was a strange place, like stepping back in time. We stayed at the Country House Hotel which has retained many of it’s original art-deco furnishings, they offered us sherry when we arrived to refresh us after our journey (locally produced and something the town is very proud of but it was 40 degrees outside, we were sweating hideously and very much in need of water) and had a pianist in the bar in the evenings. The water coming out of the taps was brown (the council were working on the pipes so not really the fault of the hotel) and the curtains fell down. While the place was charming in parts, it was also slightly shabby and could really do with some new carpets and bed linens.
Along with the sherry (they also make a lot of port and brandy, it’s too hot here to grow grapes needed for “normal” wine) the town is also known for it’s fruit and nuts. Montagu brand fruit and nuts are sold all over SA and the town has an enormous factory outlet selling every kind of dried fruit and nut you can think of, all of which are incredibly fresh and, mostly, very tasty.
We didn’t have a dinner reservation for the evening. We had a recommendation but that place turned out only to be open for lunch. Stephen was keen to eat traditional food in the hotel restaurant but the shabbiness put me off so we drove around (we could have walked, it’s not a big place but it was 40 degrees so we spent a lot of time in the car with the AC switched to MAX) until we found something we liked the look of. It wasn’t easy since most places didn’t have menus outside and we didn’t have a guide book but Jessica’s looked nice from the outside and had a garden.
The cooking was in stark contrast to what was going on in the rest of the town and when I looked at the menu was surprised to see they offered a tasting menu and included a number of options that were cooked sous-vide. It wasn’t Heston Blummenthal but it seemed much more forward-thinking and modern than what was going on outside of their front door.
The food was good, not mind-blowing but good quality ingredients cooked simply with just a few interesting touches. I had the scallops and risotto to begin with and Stephen opted for the potato and leek soup which was poured at the table. I think that’s considered rather passe in trendy London but again, I was surpised to find it being done here in this sleepy little town.
I moved on to Karoo lamb and Stephen had a trio of the same lamb, springbok and ostrich. None of it was cooked medium as they told us it would be but the accompanying sauces showed there was definitely skill in the kitchen and the potato accompaniments were superb. The side dish of vegetables weren’t up to much. Green beans were stringy and the carrots were incredibly al-dente. Those on the plate had received much more love and attention though and were well cooked and tasted like only vegetables that have been grown in hot sun can do.
If you happen to find yourself in Montagu then I’d definitely recommend Jessica’s. The Country House Hotel not so much (although I feel bad saying that because the staff were lovely and I’m sure brown water is really common in the country) but it is worth a visit if you’re interested in the art-deco movement.
A trip to the Waterfront and a Fish Braai
Our first braai of the holiday, this one to celebrate New Year’s Day and made with fish that we picked up on the way back from a visit to the Waterfront. We’d actually already eaten two big plates of fish for lunch at Quay Four but there’s something about the warm weather that makes fish so appealing. It helps that fish is so fresh and plentiful in SA too. And much cheaper than here in the UK too.
The shrimp were cooked simply and then drowned in garlic butter and the angelfish was grilled with lemon, garlic and thyme. Angelfish has a meaty texture, a little like swordfish and works brilliantly on the barbecue since it remains firm and doesn’t fall apart. While it doesn’t have a hugely strong flavour, it certainly stood up to the marinade and the smoke.
New Year’s Eve Fondue
So, as I mentioned, just after Christmas, Stephen and I flew out of freezing London to sunny South Africa. We arrived to bright sunshine and heat that peaked at 40 degrees. It was glorious and very difficult to get back on the plane to come home.
The first real meal we ate was fondue, to celebrate New Year’s Eve. When Stephen was growing up, this was the traditional dish and one which I was really looking forward to. Along with the chocolate fondue that I’m familiar with for dessert, there was also a savoury fondue which wasn’t cheese. I don’t know a lot about fondue but I was under the impression that savoury = cheese, apparently not. This kind of fondue is oil with a selection of stuff to fry in it. Genius! We started with salmon trout which is similar to the salmon we have here but meatier and then followed up with steak. There were also potatoes (which weren’t supposed to be submerged in the oil but I couldn’t resist) and the “veggies” which we ate at every meal and were generally a combination of cooked vegetables and salad. It was great, such a sociable way to eat and also perfect for people with different tastes since it’s so easy to cook the meat to your preferred doneness.
I meant to ask Stephen’s mom what kind of chocolate she used for the dessert fondue since it didn’t have that oily texture I’ve experienced with the chocolate fondue I’ve had before. We mostly ate fruit with this, since we were all quite full of fried stuff but there were some marshmallows too, at Stephen’s request and the cake worked very well, just so long as you didn’t leave it in the chocolate for too long.
You have no idea how hard it was for me to leave that beautiful red and white fondue set behind. If I’d have had more space in my bag then I would have begged Stephen’s mother for it. I’ve been busy scouring charity shops for a set since I got back so you can expect to see more fondue very soon. I’m definitely keen to try a cheese one.
Tom Yum Goong
This is an old one which we ate this when we arrived back in London after Christmas. Spicy prawn soup is a great dish when you’re looking for something light and interesting after days of eating too much heavy food. We cooked the same thing last year and often do a variation of it when we’re feeling like we’ve over-indulged.
The noodles were particularly good, we fried some onion and garlic before adding the noodles to the pan and then seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. I remember thinking at the time they deserved to be more than a side dish and am planning something similar for tomorrow night.
Lentil and Bacon Ragu
I wrote this up at the time of eating but forgot to post it and have just found it in the draft folder. Lucky for me since I wouldn’t have remembered any of this.
Both Stephen and I are recovering from heavy colds and today’s weather meant we didn’t feel much like venturing from the house. At this time of year, there’s not a lot in the fridge as there’s so much going on in the evenings that we’re not finding much time to cook. There are always lentils in the cupboard though and always some kind of bacon in the freezer so this was easy to put together while we snuffled and sneezed our way through the day.
Not the most exciting dish for a Saturday night but it was easy to cook and since neither of us have much of an appetite anyway, it’s relative simplicity was soothing and comforting. I ate mine with pasta, Stephen had his with bread.
Lentil and Bacon Ragu
Serves Two
250g bacon
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Bay leaf
Large handful herbs, finely chopped (I used fresh thyme and rosemary)
Tablespoon tomato puree
200g puy lentils
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
Glass red wine
300ml vegetable stock
Worcester sauce
1 tin tomatoes
Start by frying the bacon until the fat has rendered. Remove to a plate.
In the same pan, add some olive oil and then soften onion and garlic. Next add the bay leaf and the herbs and cook briefly before stirring in the tomato puree. Ensure everything is coated and then cook for a couple of minutes.
Now add the lentils and give everything a good stir. Season and grate in the nutmeg. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and allow the alcohol to cook out. Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil and then simmer for around 40 minutes.
Brussels Sprout Pizza
I know, it sounds a bit novelty doesn’t it? Like I was trying to come up with a festive pizza or something. I wasn’t (although it’s got me thinking) but was instead wondering whether it would be as good as our favourite pizza of the year: the cavolo nero pizza. It wasn’t as good but we both enjoyed it anyway.
The Brussels sprouts (which had been previously sauteed in olive oil and butter) weren’t as deep and earthy as the cavolo nero but they did have a bitter edge that added an interesting flavour to the pizza. The salami balanced that bitterness nicely, as did the sweet tomato sauce.
Oxtail Ragu with Tagliatelle
Oxtail is something I normally think of as being accompanied by mashed potatoes but I’ve seen various references to it online as being served with “egg noodles”. I’m a big fan of pasta so was keen to give it a go and put together a recipe I thought would befit some glossy tagliatelle (papardelle was my first choice but I didn’t have any).
The ragu was similar to the hundreds of other ragus I’ve made before: a base of onions, garlic, celery and carrot, meat browned separately and with lots of herbs and wine added but somehow, it tasted more like a casserole than a ragu.
Not that it was bad, it was actually really good, it just would have been better with mashed potatoes instead of pasta.
Oxtail Ragu
Oxtail (I had four large pieces)
Salt and Pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
Bay leaf
Herbs (I used thyme and rosemary)
1 tbsp tomato puree
Large glass red wine
Splash worcester sauce
Start by browning the seasoned oxtail. Remove to a plate and blot the excess oil with kitchen paper.
In the same pan, soften the onions, carrot, celery and garlic. Add the herbs and allow to cook for another couple of minutes. Next add the tomato puree and stir so everything is well coated. Return the meat to the pan and add the wine. Allow the wine to bubble and cook for about two minutes or until the alcohol has burnt off.
Finally, add the worcester sauce and season. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and then simmer for three-four hours. Keep an eye on the water level and top up if necessary.
Serve with mashed potatoes 🙂
Pork Chops with Whisky, Mustard and Mushroom Sauce
While this clearly doesn’t look particularly appetising, it was actually really good. We cooked it the first time at my mum’s house but the pictures didn’t come out very well. One could argue that this picture didn’t come out particularly well either and I wouldn’t disagree but I’ve temporarily suspended my quest for a decent picture and am posting it anyway.
The sauce is obviously what makes this so interesting and it was very simple. Make it while you’re frying the chops and mashing the potatoes and the whole thing will take about 25 minutes.
Whisky, Mustard and Mushroom Sauce
5 shallots, finely chopped
200g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
50ml whisky
2 tsps wholegrain mustard
150ml cream
Start by softening the shallots until they just begin to colour. Add the mushrooms, season with pepper and cook until any liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Pour in the whisky, cook until it has almost evaporated, add the mustard, the cream and season.
Leftover Pork Wraps with Refried Beans
This is something we often cook on a Monday if we’re fortunate enough to have leftovers from the day before. We often do have leftovers because we generally buy a larger piece of meat than we need – it makes for a quick and easy meal on a Monday night and I think the larger the joint of meat, the less chance there is of it drying out on the day of roasting.
There’s a few posts on this particularly leftover dish so I won’t go into much detail (you can find the method for the chilli sauce that the pork is reheated in here) but we have altered our bean recipe so I wanted to record that.
We’ve been making these beans for a while and really like them, the original recipe is a real faff though so we’ve been playing with it to see if we can simplify it without losing any of the flavour. This is much simpler and is a really versatile recipe that works well in wraps or as an accompaniment to other Mexican dishes. It freezes well too.
Mexican Beans
Serves Two
175g dried beans, preferably black (turtle) or pinto beans
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 red chillies, cored, deseeded and chopped
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
Small tin chopped tomatoes
Salt
Put the beans into a pot, add cold water to cover.
Add half the chopped onion, half the garlic, the bay leaf and the chillies. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook until the beans are tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the beans and whether you’ve soaked them or not. Allow two hours but check regularly and top up with water if necessary. You want the water to have almost completely evaporated by the time you’ve finished this stage but you can drain the beans if you need to. I usually do this the night before I need the beans and refrigerate them at this stage, completing the next step on the following day.
About 20-30 minutes before the beans are cooked, heat some oil in a frying pan and soften the remaining onion and garlic. Add the tinned tomatoes and cook for about five minutes. Add a quarter of the cooked (and drained) beans into the frying pan and mash. Stir in the remaining beans, mix, season with salt and then serve.
