Puppy love

The loaf of the Irish

I fell in love with sourdough bread when I worked in Dublin a few years ago, so the leprechauns in my happy gland did a dance of joy when I found Collette Comins’ super easy recipe while paging through her cookbook, The Farm Kitchen. The book is full of wonderful dishes like French Potato Pie, Home-made Pork Sausages and Fig Tarte Tatin, and the photographs are droolicious.

Back to the bread. Normally, sourdough bread requires nurturing a starter of flour and water and letting natural yeasts develop and mature over a week or so, but this is the instant gratification version. No freaky living organism in the fridge is needed for this loaf and after making it a few times with a dodgy oven, I can pronounce the recipe robust and rewarding.

I’m greedy and love hot bread, so usually whip off a bit of crust as it comes out the oven and have it with butter and honey. If you can manage to resist quaffing the whole loaf in a day, it lasts quite well – it’s good for at least 3 days. When not pilfering from the loaf, I store it in my wooden bread bin wrapped in a clean cotton kitchen towel.

500g cake flour
5ml salt
5ml bicarbonate of soda
400ml buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Fahrenheit, Gas Mark 8).
Sift the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid and using one hand, mix in the flour from the sides of the bowl to form a ball.
Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a second to tidy it up.
Place on a floured baking sheet and cut a cross in the top.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F, Gas Mark 6) and bake for further 30 minutes until golden brown and hollow when tapped.

Bread, wine and a meal fit for angels

This week I attended a bread and wine tasting at Stellenzicht, a farm known more for the quality of its wines than its swish hospitality offering. There’s no art gallery, deli or signature restaurant to distract from the core business of this farm - producing good wine – but when winemaker Guy Webber wants to share his wines with guests, no effort is spared.

Although the farm is more about production than gloss and glamour, the tasting room is warm and friendly. An old chemical store off the production area has been converted for small functions and wooden staves suspended from the ceiling ensure that wine is the décor focus. For our tasting, this cosy space was filled by two large circular tables laden with bread, wine glasses and an abundance of dipping goodies.

Guy is an avid breadmaker and thought the idea of pairing his wines with bread from trendy Cape Town bakery, Knead, a novel way of showcasing their nuanced flavours and aromas. Evan Faull from Knead devised the pairing combinations and all considerations of low carb diets fell by the wayside as wine flowed freely and loaves were torn, sliced and dipped.

The wine was mainly from the farm’s accessible Golden Triangle range, but we were also treated to the rather lovely Semillon Reserve 2004, paired with brioche. The Semillon’s heady, intensely fragrant nose follows through with red apple on the palate and having spent 9 months in oak, has all the good wood characteristics and none of the bad. The buttery brioche, more cake than bread, was a perfect partner for this Audrey Hepburn of a wine.

The Golden Triangle Shiraz 2004 with buttermilk rye was also yummy, the Golden Triangle Pinotage 2006 charming and dignified the Golden Triangle Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 the type of wine you want to save for a wintery day when you’re curled up on the couch in front of the fire and can really give it the attention it deserves. Come to think of it, for that kind of fireside brooding, I’d also like a bottle of the farm’s award winning Syrah.

The sacramental theme of “bread and wine” spilled over into a lunch of authentic Middle Eastern dishes. Tabbouleh in poppadoms with mozzarella fingers and bulgar wheat mixed with aromatic herbs was followed by Laban Immu, an ancient Lebanese lamb dish served with cous cous, vegetable moussaka and greens. Made from lamb, yoghurt, thyme, lemon juice, garlic and mint, Laban Immu is rumoured to have been the dish Abraham offered his angelic visitors in Genesis 18:1-8. It certainly tasted divine and if that’s not enough reason to ferret out a recipe on the internet, the dish has medicinal properties. Researchers reckon soured milk as a dietary staple protected ancient nomadic tribes from bovine tuberculosis.

Clattering over the dirt road back onto the R44, I left Stellenzicht hooped up on wine related anti-oxidants and shielded from cow TB, daydreaming about yoghurty meat dishes and Semillon packed with waxy apples.

Bon Appetit

Today, Pat and I have been married for 16 months and we decided to mark this landmark occasion with a spate of culinary indulgence. Our feasting spot had been singled out a while ago, while walking along the main drag in Simonstown. On the way to favourite breakfast spot, The Meeting Place, I had spotted Bon Appetit and been lured to investigate further by a curtain of twinkling lights and a menu promising Petit Choux of Rabbit and Le Café, a plethora of coffee themed deserts including tiramisu ice cream and mocha panna cotta.

Internet research had promised that husband and wife team Judith (front of house) and Emmanuel Guillet (chef) made a potent combo, delivering the finest French cuisine. The internet proved reliable. Breton, Emmanuel, a Michelin trained chef with 15 years of star studded experience and Judith, also a trained chef, did not disappoint. Our taste buds tingled and our nerves were soothed by the faultless service provided by Judith and the lovely Christelle.

While some of the décor could do with a revamp, when the food is this good, you can overlook the odd visual faux paux. Twinkling fairy lights lining the bay windows, mellow uplighting and duck grey walls go a long way to create an intimate and unpretentious dining environment.

The wine list is reasonably varied, offering a good selection of value for money single varietals and blends and venturing international with some French champagne. We opted for the reliable, Merlot-driven, Groote Post Old Man’s Blend, with its juicy berries and whiffs of white pepper.

Before we could say, “look at those manfully striding naval officers”, our table was graced by a miniature loaf of freshly baked bread and a trio of herb butter, moist dukka and sun dried tomato, merlot and onion jam. We made short work of the bread and the onion jam was so good, I resorted to enjoying it with a teaspoon.

An amuse bouche of goats cheese and potato flan plumped on top of perfectly diced marinated vegetables (compliments of the chef) was followed by a starter of camembert served on puff pasty with beetroot and balsamic ice-cream. The cheesy pasty and subtle savoury tang of the ice cream was ridiculously delicious. It was difficult not to lick the plate.

For mains, Pat had Lamb Knuckles en Croute, a wonder of shredded lamb baked in puff pastry served with black mushroom, roasted garlic pyramids and a rosemary sauce, while I opted for the Fillet of Beef Stuffed with Portabellini Mushrooms served with a Compote of Red Onions and a Cabernet Sauvignon Sauce.

Every mouthful was a treat. After my last morsel diappeared, an errant finger whipped over the saucy remnants towards my lips. Such precious stuff shouldn’t be wasted.

Our culinary foray into the world of proudly fussy French food drew to a poetic close with the Le Cafe. An Aladdin’s cave of coffee themed mini desserts, the Le Café arrived with little bowls and glasses laden with panna cotta, crème brule, ice cream and espresso, edible pasty spoons and sugar spun twirls. It said only good things about coffee.

We left Bon Appetit to the strains of Cape Verde diva, Cesaria Evora, our minds wandering the culinary landscape of Brittany and our tummies infinitely satisfied. We’ll definitely be back for more sorties into the realm of fancy food with honest flavours and mood lighting that works.

Bon Appetit Restaurant, 20 St Georges St, Simonstown, +27 21 786 2412

Gnoc, Gnoc, Gnocching on heaven’s door

The other night, I made fabulous gnocchi. It gnocked my socks off in fact and got me thinking.

I’ve cooked enthusiastically for years, but don’t have a healthy stock of trusty recipes I can call on when inspiration is low. The gnocchi changed all that. I’m on a mission. A double headed hydra of a mission to transcribe the impromptu creations that often grace my crockery and ferret out appealing recipes already documented by food gurus and food lovers, try them out and record the goodies.

Gnocchi, is my first goodie. My dalliance into the world of intentional recipe recording starts with a recipe with 3 ingredients from a book put together by the Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth, called Bish’s Dishes. I’m pretty sure Jamie and Nigella have autographed copies. A present from my mom, the book provides a comforting spiritual endorsement of Mumrez Kahn’s lamb and spinach curry, 2 variations of butternut soup, Lorna’s easy fish bake and of course, the catalytic gnocchi.

A seductive Italian native that takes the form of an innocent dumpling, gnocchi can be made from a variety of starches, including potato, semolina, wheat flour and bread crumbs. Bish’s Dishes advised combining potato, flour and egg, so that’s what I did. My sacred gnocchi turned out rather well with my guests making appreciative noises and me waiving my hands in modest protestation.

So emboldened was I by my gnocchi success, that I mentioned it to award winning chef, Nic van Wyk, during a visit to Kleine Zalze this week. It turns out that my gnocchi might have been even more delicious if I had baked the potatoes in the oven and scooped out the insides for mash. “What you want is floury, dry potato, so the less contact it has with water, the better,” says Nic. Best listen to the man whose porcini risotto sees rice reaching enlightenment.

I paired my slightly less than enlightened gnocchi with a mélange of roasted onions, shallots, bacon, tomatoes, olives and feta. Burnt butter and parmesan, pesto and bolognaise also work well. Born up a tree!!

Gnocchi
1 kg potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
300g flour
1 egg

Method
Mash potatoes and add flour
Add egg and gntle work through with fingers
Roll into snakes, then cut snakes into cubes
Drop into boiling salted water
They will sink, when they rise to the top they are ready.
Scoop into a large shallow dish and serve with your choice of sauce and parmesan,
Serves 6.

Angelo Dashwood – Bish’s Dishes - Catholic Diocese of Port Elizabeth Recipe Book

Caramalised onion and roasted bacon topping
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes.

Packet of back bacon cut into 2cm strips
125g punnet of mushrooms
250 punnet of rosa tomatoes (can also use 4 large tomatoes cut into 8 wedges each)
3 large onions peeled and cut into 8 wedges(or 9 pickling onions peeled)
4 shallots peeled and cut into wedges.
3 wheels of feta, cubed
5 small cloves of garlic, peeled
1 packet of black mission olives, pitted and halved.
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Preheat the oven to 200
Spread the onion, shallots, garlic and bacon over a greased roasting tray.
Sprinkle with olive oil, moving the tray contents around until lightly coated in oil.
Roast for 20 minutes
Remove from oven, sprinkle with sugar and add the tomatoes and mushrooms, mix tray contents together gently to distribute the sugar.
Roast for another 20 minutes, or until bacon slightly crispy and onions a light brown.
Add the feta and olives and roast for a further 5 minutes or until feta begins to melt. .
Remove from oven and serve over pasta or gnocchi.
Serves 6

Jacqui Latimer impromtu recipe

Salad Daze are the best daze …

When I popped in to Salad Daze for lunch this week during a visit to East London, I was delighted by food bursting with fresh flavours and two women having a lot of fun doing what they love. Jo and Alison started the quaint eatery where pink is queen and it works, in March last year and things have been buzzing ever since.

Conceptualized around a salad bar boasting only the freshest ingredients and salads made with flare, Salad Daze combines great food, feel good décor and friendly service. Nutty, couscous and roasted vegetables share the salad table with among others, fresh salad leaves, coriander spiked yoghurty mushrooms and tangy mustard potato salad.

Don’t be put off if you’re not into the rabbit food. Wraps of thai fillet and coronation chicken, generous open sandwiches, quiches and hearty pastas ensure that there’s a dream meal here for the fussiest eater. I tucked into the thai fillet wrap, served with a shot glass of spicey vinaigrette dressing and a selection from the salad table. Fragrant, wholesome and delicious. There is no pretension here, just a sense of reveling in nature’s bounty and an enthusiasm for preparing good food, beautifully presented.

“I try and source local ingredients as much as possible,” says Jo. “We have a herb garden out front and are very excited about one of our local producers just been certified organic.” Jo and Alison are serious about environmental responsibly and recycle wherever possible. This progressive bent also permeates their attitude to enlightening their staff and customers about “unusual” ingredients in this erstwhile culinary sleepy hollow in the Eastern Cape. “I have customers complaining about the peppery leaf in their salad,” says Alison of a rocket epiphany. “I do blind herb tastings with my staff. They love it! And customers seem to keep coming back for more.”

The positive energy of Salad Daze is infectious and never more so than when you’re indulging in their tea time treats and desserts. My mother swears the Berry Pavolva has medicinal properties. With its homemade strawberry and lemon yoghurt ice-creams, fresh berries and berry coulis piled on a meringue drizzled in butterscotch, it’s just what the doctor ordered. The chocolate brownie crammed with nuts and rum and served with homemade orange ice-cream is another must-nibble as are the gorgeous cupcakes smothered in pastel icing and dusted with silver balls and little pink and red hearts.

I leave Salad Daze after stocking up at their deli, which Alison promises will be even more prolific with the addition of their soon-to-be-released signature deli range. I think the world would be a better place if we were all a bit more free and easy with the silver balls and miniature icing hearts.