A silly poem, conversations on longing and finally, lamb chops. I've made these Greek inspired lamb chops (nothing that I claim to be authentic Greek) by using tomatoes, fresh thyme, Kalamata olives, garlic, a little feta cheese and spritely mint.
Originating in East Asia and Northern Europe, delicate shimeji mushrooms on long stalks are excellent in a quick stir fry. And back in 2000 I was the stir fry queen. I even bought my vegetables in bulk and prepared them in 2 meal bags and froze them in readiness for the weeks ahead. On a bed of glass noodles, dressed in Asian flavours with spring onions, garlic sauteed shimeji mushrooms make a very quick and easy vegetarian meal.
What do you wish for? Life takes turns you can't prepare for, try though you might. A deluxe cottage pie with spicy mince layer, grilled aubergines and a skordalia style mashed potato topping- for my father.
Cooking stews in a three-legged cast iron pot or potjie (very much like the witches' cauldrons in Macbeth) over coals or open flame is a South African tradition, as local as eating naartjies (mandarins) at a rugby game or giving biltong (dried, salted meat) to ex-pat South Africans as gifts. I purchased our very first potjie pot earlier this year, and for all the pride and delight I felt, you would have thought I was in the le Creuset store and not the local Builder's Warehouse. It was large, and large was what I was looking for to feed 16- 20 guests for our house's first National Braai day (Heritage day) celebrations.
Waterblommetjie & Lamb Bredie (Small Water Flower & Lamb Stew) - a traditional South African dish and the story of the fantastic box that was delivered to my door last week. Did I mention the words Bouchard Finlayson?
A rich mushroom and Taleggio cheese puff pastry tart- simple to make, wonderful to eat.
I find myself longing for the comfort of the Sunday meal on a weekday too and roasting a chicken isn't any strenuous effort. Apart from mixing up a marinade to slather over it, and turning it over a few times, there isn't much to be done.
Rick Stein makes a glorious Bangladeshi Beef Kofta Curry in his book Far Eastern Odyssey and I saw no reason not to substitute with ostrich mince- it's lean, inexpensive and so easily available here in Cape Town. I have made Rick's curry his way (which is a just a tad labourious, but very flavoursome), but I find my way with a few less steps works equally well. If you make this curry the day before, as with most spiced dishes, the spices will mingle and deepen overnight. Always check the seasoning again, before serving.
Using the nutty, smokey black wild rice I adapted the paella of Spain and the Indian pilaf, and make a Spanish inspired rice dish, using chicken, green peppercorns, spicy sausage and olives.
I use the pink peppercorns picked up at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona, to make a fragrant slow cooked chicken stew with vegetables- hearty and warming.
