Spicy, Smoky BBQ Sauce

My BBQ beef stew asks for 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. 

We used Steers, as it's one of the only good BBQ sauces 

available here in South Africa. 

You can use one of your choice or make your own. 

This recipe, which I saw recently, looks delicious 

and even uses Liquid Smoke.

Ingredients
For Spicy Smoky Barbecue Sauce:
1-1/2 cups ketchup
1 tablespoon minced onion (dried)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup coarse ground Dijon mustard
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
1 cup beer (your choice)
1 cup granulated sugar


Instructions
Mix all the above ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator.


This recipe is from Lady Behind The Curtain

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Stew

Ingredients:
1kg beef stew meat, cubed (use a cheaper cut such as brisket or chuck)
5ml chilli powder (use paprika if you don't want the heat)
2.5ml garlic powder
1-2ml celery seed
2.5ml salt
2.5ml black pepper
60ml flour
1 clove minced garlic
5ml Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 chopped celery stalk
1 chopped onion
4 sliced carrots
4 diced potatoes
250ml (1 cup) beef stock
125ml (1/2 cup) BBQ sauce

Instructions:
Set the crock pot on low. In a bowl, mix together the chilli, garlic powder, celery seed, salt, pepper and flour. Add the cubed beef and coat it in this mixture. Once the beef is entirely covered, empty the entire bowl into the crock pot. Add in the rest of the ingredients, except the potatoes. Cover and cook on either low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Two hours before the stew is ready, add the chopped potatoes.

Serve with rice, noodles, or putu (for our American friends, putu is a mealie meal, or corn, dish similar to grits).

Note:

This BBQ beef stew asks for 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. We used Steers, as it's one of the only BBQ sauces available here. You can use one of your choice or make your own. Here's a recipe I saw recently that looks delicious and even uses Liquid Smoke.

Spicy, Smoky BBQ Sauce

Jalapeno Ribs

These ribs are unique because of the spicy rub and the combination of sweet brown sugar and spicy jalapeno peppers in the sauce. If you are pressed for time on the day you want to eat ribs, bake them ahead of time and prepare the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate them until required, then they can be grilled as described below until heated through and nicely glazed. These are great for the Braai or Barbecue. 

Ingredients for the Rub:
20ml brown sugar
5ml sea salt
5ml paprika
5ml pepper
1ml garlic powder

1.5 kg pork spareribs

Jalapeno Sauce:
300ml tomato purée
200ml chicken stock made with 2 stock cubes
150ml packed brown sugar
80ml lemon juice
60ml Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

Method:

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the rub and apply to both sides of the ribs, rubbing all over. Place the ribs, meat side up, on a rack in a foil-lined roasting pan. Bake at 220°C for 90-105 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine sauce ingredients and simmer, uncovered for 30-40 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Grill the ribs, uncivered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until browned, basting with sauce and turning several times. Reheat the remaining sauce and serve with the ribs.

Butter Bean, Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Serve this salad with toasted pitta bread for a fresh summer lunch, or as an accompaniment to meat cooked on the braai or barbecue.

To make a variation add a 200g tin of tuna. Drain and flake the tuna and stir into the bean salad. For extra colour and flavour, stir in a handful of pitted black olives and a handful of chopped fresh parsley or a teaspoonful of capers and a couple of gherkins, chopped or sliced.

To make a wholesome version of the Italian salad, Panzanella, tear half a loaf of ciabatta into bit size pieces and stir into the salad. Leave to stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:

2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red onion, finely sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

45ml herb infused olive oil

Method:

Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill for 20 minutes before serving.

Carrot and Nut Salad

This salad is a real family favourite. 

My daughter, in particular, raves about it 

because it's so healthy 

and fits in with her weight management diet. 

It's truly well worth making, 

especially for a girly get together 

or for a summer picnic, braai or barbecue.

Ingredients:

4 medium or 3 large carrots, grated

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

1-2 inches slice fresh pineapple, peeled and diced finely

125ml macadamia nuts

125ml seedless raisins

Zest of 1 orange

45ml fresh orange juice, or juice of one orange

5ml Dijon mustard

Poppy seeds or Sesame seeds to garnish

Method:

Mix together the grated carrots, chopped celery, sliced onions, diced pineapple, macadamia nuts, raisins and orange zest in a salad bowl.

In a small mason jar, make the dressing. Shake together the orange juice and mustard and pour over the salad. Toss to coat all the salad with dressing. Garnish with Poppy seeds or sesame seeds and serve.

Texas-Style Barbeque Chicken with Carrot and Red Cabbage Slaw

Texas-Style Barbeque Chicken 

with Carrot and Red Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients:

4 chicken quarters, skinned

For the Texas Dry Rub

15ml sea salt

15ml paprika

15ml golden caster sugar

15ml dry mustard powder

Zest of 1 lemon

2.5ml cayenne pepper

5ml freshly ground black pepper

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

For the Slaw

½ cucumber, cut into julienne strips

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

¼ red cabbage, finely shredded

50ml red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Mix together the dry rub in a bowl. Rub over the chicken and leave for at least an hour, or preferably overnight in the fridge.

Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl. Season and toss together to mix well.

Cook the chicken on the barbeque, braai or under a medium-hot grill for 10-12 minutes on each side, or until cooked through – when pierced with a skewer the juices should run clear.

Serve with the prepared slaw.

All-Weather Barbecue Chicken

All-Weather Barbecue Chicken

Ingredients:

4 large chicken legs with skin on

75ml tomato sauce

15g soft brown sugar

50ml clear honey

Juice of half a lemon

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Slash through the skin of each chicken leg across the bone and arrange the legs in a large roasting tin. Roast for 30 minutes. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin.

Whisk together the tomato sauce, sugar, honey, lemon juice and garlic. Brush the mixture over the chicken and cook for a further 25 minutes, basting a couple of times with the cooking juices until the chicken pieces begin to caramelise.

Check that the chicken is cooked through – the juices should run clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced with a skewer. Serve immediately.

Braaied Spareribs

For a long time I battled with spareribs on the braai, or even grilling them in the oven, for that matter. They were always either under-cooked, a definite no-no with pork, or the sauce was burned, making them bitter and unpleasant. Then I saw this way of doing them, I think on a TV programme and I couldn’t wait to try them. Making sticky spareribs like this just couldn’t be easier now I know how to get them juicy and delicious.

The ribs can be cooked the day before you need them if you are short of time on the day of feasting. The sauce can also be prepared ahead of time; for the sake of convenience I make up a jar of sauce a day or two before I need it and keep it ready in the fridge. I have seen some recipes that just mix everything together for the sauce, but this sauce definitely needs to be boiled to bring it together. It’s definitely a basting sauce, not a dipping sauce. If you boil the sauce for too long and it becomes thick and gloopy, simply add water, mix it and boil it up to blend again. The sauce should still be a little runny when cold.

Ingredients:

2 large racks of pork spareribs

For the sauce:

125ml brown sugar

60ml tomato sauce

60ml sherry

60ml sweet chilli sauce, more if you like it spicy

60ml olive oil

30ml soy sauce

30ml Worcestershire sauce

10ml chopped garlic

10ml Dijon mustard

1 chicken stock cube

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Cut the spareribs into serving portions and steam them in a steamer for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how tender you would like them. I have done them for only 20-25 minutes and they have been OK,  but just a little too chewy. I prefer them tender, almost falling off the bones.

Once the ribs are sufficiently steamed, wrap in aluminium foil and store in the fridge if you are not grilling them straight away.

To make the sauce:

In a medium saucepan, mix together the sauce ingredients and bring them to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

To Grill the Ribs:

Prepare you braai with charcoal at least 4 inches below the cooking grid. Allow the charcoal to burn until it is the required heat for cooking steak. Brush the cooking grid with sunflower oil before putting the ribs on. This helps to prevent them sticking to the grid. Place the ribs over the fire and baste them with sauce repeatedly as they cook. Turn each piece of ribs often so as to prevent the sauce from burning. Each time you turn, baste the top side of the meat. You will need to cook the ribs about 25-30 minutes before they are done.

To serve, cut down between each bone to separate them into holdable pieces. These are definitely for eating with the hands. Lay the ribs on a large platter, place it in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves as they eat.

Clockwise from top right, Mealie bread, sweet and sour carrot salad,
Braaied Spareribs, Honey and Garlic Chicken wings,
Green salad, Braai roasted potatoes.

Braai Grilled Onions

These savoury onions are great to grill during the last 15 minutes while cooking your meat. They go well with almost all cuts of meat.

Ingredients:

4 medium onions, topped and tailed and skins removed

30ml Worcestershire sauce

30ml balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar

30ml soy sauce

30ml olive oil

1-2ml dried tarragon

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cut each onion in half lengthwise and place the halves in a shallow, flat container. Beat the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, tarragon and oil together and pour this mixture over the onions. Allow them to marinade at room temperature for about 1 hour, basting occasionally.

To cook, arrange the onions around the edges of the grid. Cook until the onions are tender and brown, basting occasionally, for 10-15 minutes. These cook best on a covered grill, but may also be done on an open fire. Once done, remove the onions to a serving dish and season with salt and pepper.

Easy Barbecued Roasties

If you have never thought to do roast potatoes on the braai or barbecue, give it a try.

These are just amazing!

They take about an hour to do, so they will need to go on long before your meat, unless you are doing a large chunk of meat for a roast, with which they make a great accompaniment, but we like them with any chargrilled offering....

Ingredients:
6-8 potatoes, peeled and quartered
60ml boiling water
60ml olive oil
60ml butter, melted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2ml turmeric
2ml paprika

Method:
Prepare a direct fire, if you are doing steaks, chops or chicken pieces, or an indirect fire if you are cooking a roast on the barbecue.

Par boil the potatoes in salted water for about 10 minutes and drain. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a cast iron pan or in an aluminium foil drip pan.

Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the potatoes; toss to coat all the potatoes well. Cook over the drip pan until you put your meat on, then move to the side of the fire while you cook your meat if you are using an indirect fire. If you are using a direct fire put the tray of potatoes on the side of the fire for about an hour; the potatoes will absorb all the liquid and will be puffed, crispy and golden brown.

Cooks Tip:

Using a Kettle Braai or Barbecue...

There are two different ways to cook over a braai, especially if you are using a kettle braai, which has a lid or cover - what we call a 'Weber', the favourite Braai in South Africa, which is also available in the UK.

The method you select will depend on the type of food to be cooked. As a rule of thumb, place the most emphasis on the type of meat you are going to be cooking - vegetables usually cook just as well on both methods of cooking, but many meats benefit from what is called the 'indirect' method of cooking over coals, especially if you are preparing large pieces of meat, such as roasts, hams, whole chickens, duck or turkeys. It is also the best method for cooking fatty meats, such as ribs, park rashers and duck breasts.

When using the indirect method, food is cooked by reflected heat, not directly over the coals. Hot coals are positioned at either side of the fire bed and a drip pan is placed between the two beds of coals. the food is placed on the grid over the drip pan. food cooks slower than by direct heat. Because there are no coals directly under the food, flare-ups and smoke are minimised.

The second method id the 'direct' method. This is suitable for cooking steaks, hamburgers, chops, sausages, kebabs and most vegetables. A direct fire requires the hot coals to be spread over the fire bed and food is placed directly above the hot coals. Food to be cooked by this method may be placed in an open or covered Weber.

'Open' or 'covered' are the further two options, which the kettle braai permits - to cover or not to cover.... Open grilling is probably the method of choice for cuts of meat that are no more than 6-7cm thick, such as fish fillets, vegetables, steaks or chops. These will probably cook in 10-12 minutes, before excess charring occurs on the outside.

Most foods cook more evenly on a closed braai. Very thick steaks, roasts, chickens, chunky vegetables or large whole fish need to cook slower in order to cook through. the covered barbecue will also keep the food from drying out while cooking and fatty foods that may cause flare-ups, or foods with oily marinades or sauces will cook better if covered.

Gingered Chicken on the Braai or Barbecue

Summertime ... and the living is easy...

I love summer because it's a time you can get outdoors and enjoy fresh air....

Or it's supposed to be.

Even if we are having a bit of a wet spell, my hubby and I try to make the best of it; perhaps we are becoming a bit British - we stand in the rain to cook over the Weber if we are forced to by this inclement weather we are having this year. One moment it's sunshine and the next the wet stuff is coming out of the sky again, just when we have put the meat on the fire! Ah well, that's life...

Chicken isn't something that a lot of people think to put on the braai or barbecue, but we love it and I have a few tips for you as to how to do it. If you put the chicken over hot coals to cook, especially if you have used a marinade or sauce, it's likely to burn before it cooks. No one enjoys burnt but uncooked offerings! The thing to do is to partially cook it in the microwave first. This will ensure that the flesh is cooked thoroughly but not charred on the outside. I don't choose to use the oven for par cooking because this could dry the chicken out before it is transferred to the hot coals and then you don't get so much of the lovely smoky flavour from the charcoal. I recommend marinating chicken before barbecuing; it helps to 'cook' the meat before the application of heat and keeps the chicken moist while it completes its cooking.

Ingredients:
8 chicken thighs or breasts
60ml olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, chopped - including the green parts
Juice squeezed from 40ml grated fresh ginger
200ml light soy sauce
30ml brown sugar
20ml sesame oil
3 ml black pepper

Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat on the hob and sweat the spring onions for a few minutes. Add the juice from the grated ginger and discard the pulp. Add the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and pepper to the onions and pour over the chicken in a microwavable marinating container. Stand for at least 30 minutes, but leaving it to marinade for 2-3 hours is even better.

Meanwhile, prepare a direct fire - one in which the coals are spread evenly under the grid. When the fire is almost ready, transfer the chicken to the microwave, still in its marinade, and microwave on 70% for 8-9 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to the barbecue to grill directly over the hot coals. Turn frequently for 10-15 minutes, basting often with the liquids from the remaining marinade.

Serve with your choice of accompaniments.

Steak and Baked Potatoes with Chilli and Garlic Cream Sauce

Now that we are into July, we are also into the full swing of summer with wonderful warm days and long balmy evening. What better way to enjoy these amazing days and extended evenings than to take out the Weber and have a braai. - or barbecue for those of you who are not aversed with South African English...

So many people seem to think that a braai or barbecue is just for sausages, burgers or kebabs, but not in our household; we like to have steaks, chops, even roasts.

I concocted this steak dish to utilise a chutney I bought at a food fair that was held in Ellesmere not so long ago, and even if I say so myself, it turned out divine!

The chutney came from Heather's Harvest, a one-woman home-production outfit in Shrewsbury, UK - not so very far from where we live.

Ingredients: Serves 2

2 large baking potatoes
2 sirloin steaks
steak and chop seasoning

For the Sauce:
30ml olive oil
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
5-10ml chilli and garlic chutney - Heather's Harvest
...... depending on how hot you like it
50ml soured cream
50ml double cream
10ml sugar
5ml Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
Parboil the potatoes in their skins for about 10 minutes until just beginning to soften, then warp in foil and put on the prepared charcoal fire for about 15-20 minutes, turning from time to time.

Season the steaks on both sides with Steak and Chop Seasoning and grill over a prepared charcoal fire until done to your specifications. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To prepare the sauce, put the onion, garlic and chutney into a mini-blender and blend to a smooth paste. In a small saucepan over a medium heat, warm the olive oil and add the prepared paste. Cook gently until a wonderful aroma arises and the paste begins to become translucent. Add the soured cream and blend into the mixture in the pan, followed by the double cream, stirring gently all the time. Mix in the sugar, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to amalgamate the flavours.

When ready to serve, remove the potatoes from the foil, cut across the top and push the potatoes on the sides to expose the soft flaky flesh. Place a potato and a steak on each plate and cover them with the thick, creamy sauce - and enjoy!

Fruit and Vegetables in May

As summer approaches, long warm days tempt us outdoors for braais, barbecues and picnics. May is a good month for veggie-lover. It's the first month to provide new and welcome produce for the year. There are two undisputed May champions: asparagus and new potatoes, particularly Jersey Royals. Both asparagus and new potatoes, which rank among the worlds great delicacies, may be expensive early in the season, but they are worth every penny for their unique flavour. Later in the month as they become more abundant their price comes down.

Asparagus should be bought, if possible, from a good supplier on the day of picking and eaten on the same day for the best results. Their hard, bright spears lose some of their lustre after even a day in the fridge. If you do buy more than you can eat in one day, keep them loosely wrapped in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. any less than perfect asparagus can be used in things like soups. pies and risottos.

When buying asparagus - or 'sparrow grass' as it was originally called - look closely at the individual spears and squeeze them if you can; they should be rock hard, like any good vegetable, with no sign of wrinkles, and a spear, when held by the end and shaken, should not be flexible enough to bend. The root-ends may be white, where sunlight was kept from them as they were hidden in the soil, but if there is too much white you will loose too much when trimming. The green tops of the spears should be really green, with no hints of the yellow or brown that indicates they are less than fresh. When you get the asparagus home, wash it well to remove any sand or grit that may still be attached to it.

Jersey Royals have a creamy texture and complex flavour that are have no equal and range in size from barely more then an olive to larger than an egg. Squeeze them between thumb and forefinger to check for freshness; if they dent at all, they are far from fresh, but don't be alarmed if the skin appears to be falling off; this is normal for this type of potato. Prepare them by washing only; they do not need to be peeled as the skins have flavour and nutrients. If they are gritty, soak them in warm water to clean them. Boil them whole or slice and saute them for delicious hot accompaniments to a main course or for cold salads.

While new potatoes and asparagus are the stars of May, it is also a good month for a lot of other vegetables as it's the beginning of summer where dining is concerned. Look out for the first sweet and tender broad beans that will be appearing now; it's worth the extra work to shell and skin them before serving, but the small fresh baby broad beans may not even need to be skinned.

Other interesting vegetables this month include spring greens, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli, and towards the end of the month the first of the British grown garden peas should appear. Peas should be eaten as soon after picking as possible as their sweetness and succulence begin to wain soon after picking, so don't be persuaded to buy the Spanish imports: they have come so far and it may be days since they were picked before they grace your table. Coming into the stores should be baby leeks, which are great for steaming or stir-frying. British baby spinach will also become available this month, ideal for salads as well as cooking. Watercress will also be available to add crunch to salads and stir-frys. Spring cabbage varieties, will also be gracing the shelves this month. Radishes will begin to appear to grace your salads with bite and heat.

Apart from rhubarb, most fruits available this month are imported. May is a good month for mangoes and pineapples as well as the ubiquitous banana.

Fish Braai

On a day like today it's wonderful to be able to get outside in the sunshine and enjoy some time in the garden around the braai. As it's Good Friday, tradition holds that we should eat fish, which is becoming ever more popular to cook over the coals. Many different fish can be done on the braai - or barbecue. The results are juicy, tender and really delicious, but be careful not to overcook fish; it cooks quickly and continues cooking for a short while after taking off the fire. Fish should be handled gently, cooked till translucent and flaking easily when tested with a fork. It's also a good idea to oil the grid before putting the fish on it and to turn the fish with a large oiled spatula. If the fish breaks up easily when cooked, wrap it in tin foil to cook - this makes it easier to turn over as well.

When purchasing fish, look for clear, bulging eyes, shiny elastic skin and clear red gills. The fish should have a clean, fresh smell. The best fish to do on the braai are whole fish. Ask your fishmonger to butterfly it - that is too remove the bones - fish are easier to cook and serve with no bones. You can remove the head, or leave it on; it's your choice.

Char-Baked Whole Fish


Ingredients:
1 x 2kg whole fish - black bream, trout, mackerel, bass, pollack, whiting and red or grey mullet
45ml coriander, basil or mint
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic
10ml curry powder
2ml cumin seeds, crushed
5ml paprika
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
45-50ml lemon juice
60ml olive oil

Method:
Cut slashes in the sides of the fish through the skin. Season on the inside and over the skin.
Using a mini blender, blend the coriander, onion and garlic to form a paste. Add this paste to the remaining ingredients and combine well.
Rub this mixture onto both sides of the fish, making sure you get some into the slashes made through the skin. Allow to marinade for about an hour.
Place the fish directly on the braai grid over medium coals. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes, turning half way through the cooking time.

Herbed Fish Steaks

Ingredients:
4 fish steaks - cod, tuna or other large firm fish
45ml olive oil
10ml dried thyme
5ml fresh dill, chopped
10ml fresh parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
30ml butter, melted

Method:
Rub the fish with the olive oil, then sprinkle evenly on both sides with the herbs. Allow to marinate for about 30 minutes.
Sprinkle the fish with sea salt and cook over medium coals for about 3 minutes. Tunr the fish and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Brush with melted butter and season with freshly ground black pepper just before serving.

Potbrood

Potbrood is a bread loaf baked in a flat bottomed cast iron pot over open coals of a braai – pot bread. This bread is a regular accompaniment to a braai or barbecue, baked over a part of the braai where the coals are not too hot.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

325ml buttermilk

2 litres basic bread ready-mix

Method:

Beat together the eggs and buttermilk. Add to the basic bread ready-mix in a large bowl and mix to a dough. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and place it in a greased, flat bottomed cast iron pot, leaving room around the sides of the dough ball for expansion. Place the pot with the lid on among moderate coals, putting a few coals on top of the lid. Bake the loaf for about 45 minutes. To test for readiness, knock on the top of the loaf – it should sound hollow.

Cheese and Bacon Buttermilk Bread

Buttermilk makes a tasteful base to a savoury bread. With undertones of bacon, cheese and onion, this loaf is quickly prepared. It's a great bread to serve at a braai or barbecue and is bound to be a family favourite.

Ingredients:
375ml wholemeal flour
250ml cake flour
10ml baking powder
2ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml sugar
5ml salt
5ml English mustard powder
2ml cayenne pepper
50g butter
80 ml grated Parmesan cheese
5 slices streaky bacon, crispy cooked and crumbled
1 egg, lightly beaten
500ml buttermilk
10ml Worcestershire sauce
2 spring onions, chopped fine.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Mix together the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, mustard and cayenne pepper. Rub the butter into the mixture until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Fold in the cheese and the bacon, reserving a little of each to go on the top of the loaf.
Combine the egg, buttermilk and Worcestershire sauce and blend. Mix into the dry ingredients.
Pour the mixture into a buttered loaf tin, which has been lined with baking paper. Sprinkle the chopped spring onion, reserved cheese and bacon on top of the loaf.
Bake for one hour. To test for readyness, knock on the top of the loaf; it should sound hollow, or test with a metal skewer pushed into the middle of the loaf. When the loaf is cooked it should come out clean.
Cool before slicing and buttering to serve.

Chicken Malay

This is my zingy take on an old Cape Malay dish.

I recall my grandmother making it many moons ago.

Although the version I'm giving you here is finished under a grill,

this chicken can also receive it's final grilling on the Braai or Barbecue.

To grill it on the braai, take the bones out after the primary cooking in the sauce,

then thread the chicken on skewers to keep it in shape.

Serve with Chinese noodles or rice.

*

Ingredients:

2-3ml coriander seeds

5ml fenel seed

3cm stick of cinnamon

2-3ml black peppercorns

45ml vegetable oil

4 shallots, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves

3cm fresh root ginger

2 stalks of lemongrass, bashed and finely chopped

5ml turmeric

2 large red chillies, sliced across - I use seeds an'all

400ml tin coconut milk

30g tamarind block, soaked in boiling water to bring to a paste

10ml muscovado sugar

6 chicken thighs

*

Method:

Heat a small, sturdy griddle over a low heat and dry roast the coriander and fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and peppercorns for about a minute – until they give off a warm spicy aroma. Using a mortar and pestle, pound them to a powder. This helps to release their wonderful aroma and flavour.

*

Finely chop the shallots, garlic and ginger. Transfer them to a small food processor, add a splash of water to moisten and blend to a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a deep sided frying pan set over a low heat and soften the shallot mixture for 5 minutes without colouring.

*

Add the chopped lemongrass to the pan and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the turmeric and red chillies and fry for another 30 seconds.

*

Tip in the ground mixed spice mixture. Pour in the coconut milk, add the sugar and tamarind and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken to the sauce and cook uncovered over a low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the sauce has cooked down into a paste, clinging to the chicken and the chicken is almost cooked. Add a splash of water if the sauce catches on the bottom of the pan.

*

Heat a grill to its hottest setting. Grill the chicken on a rack under the grill for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the chicken colours and develops a smoky aroma. The chicken can be deboned at this stage and threaded on skewers for an authentic traditional char-grilled flavour.

*

While grilling the chicken, continue to simmer the sauce so as to thicken it further. Serve with the sauce spooned over the chicken on a bed of rice or noodles.

*

For a more traditional Cape Malay touch,

you could add a handful of sultanas to the sauce when you add the chicken

and serve sprinkled with toasted slivered almonds.

I normally leave this out as we prefer it without this added touch,

which originates from the Cape Dutch influence.

If you are unable to get lemongrass,

substitute this with the zest of a lemon.

For a final finishing touch,

garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Tangy Cranberry Pork Chops

Even though cranberries are traditionally connected with turkey,

I have used them with pork, a meat they go very well with.

these are great done on the braai or barbecue.

Serve with baked potatoes filled with butter or salad cream and a green leaf salad.

Ingredients:
6 large pork chops
Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to season

For the Marinade:
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
30ml chopped fresh marjoram
30ml vegetable oil
zest of 2 oranges
2ml ground black pepper
6 bay leaves, each torn in half.

Method:
Place on a cutting board and, with a sharp knife, cut through the fat about 2cm apart. This is to stop the chops from curling at the edges during the grilling process and allow for more even cooking.
For the Marinade:
Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl , leaving out the bay leaves.
Place the chops in the bowl one at a time and rub the marinade over both sides of the chops. Place a torn bay leaf on each chop, pack into a plastic bag and leave in the fridge over night, or for at least 3 hours.
Give the chops enough time out of the fridge to loose the chill and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before grilling.
Preheat the grill to a medium-high or "sizzling" temperature.
Grill the chops for 2 minutes on each side to seal the meat.
Spread the chops with "Cranberry and Orange Sauce" and return to the grill under a reduced heat for 5-7 minutes.
Repeat this grilling of the other side of the chops.
Transfer the chops to a warmed serving tray and allow to rest for 4-5 minutes, covered with vented foil before serving with more Cranberry and Orange Sauce.

Cranberry and Orange Sauce
Ingredients:
250g cranberries
100g white sugar
200ml orange juice
2ml freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

Method:
Combine the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil.
Simmer gently for 20-25 minutes.
After about 15 minutes the berries will begin to soften. Help them to break down by crushing them with the back of a wooden spoon.
Pour into a sterilised jar.
Allow to cool and keep in the fridge until required. It will keep for a few weeks.

Braaied Langoustines in Garlic & Parsley Marinade

Langoustines, when you can get them, are delicious.

Quick and easy on the braai or barbecue.

Ingredients:
100ml olive oil
50ml white wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with the edge of a knife
small bunch parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
24 langoustines, or tiger prawns, de-veined, cleaned, heads and shells removed (reserve the shells)

Method:
In a bowl, mix together the oil, white wine vinegar, garlic and parsley in a bowl.
Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add the langoustines and reserved langoustine shells to the marinade mixture, cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, light the barbecue 30 minutes before you want to eat.
Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes, then shake off any excess water.
When the braai coals are ash-white and the langoustines have marinated, thread three langoustines onto each skewer and place onto the braai.
Cook, turning regularly and basting with the remaining marinade mixture, until pink and completely cooked through, then serve.

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Brinjal and Sweet Pepper Double Cheese Terrine

This terrine needs to be made a day ahead of serving as it needs to be refrigerated overnight.

Great for picnics and braais or barbecues. Brinjal is also known as Aubergine. I like to use the Italian peppers as they are long and sweet, but you can use bell peppers; you'll just need more to coat the terrine pan.

Ingredients:
Coating for the Terrine:
2-3 large sweet Italian red peppers
2 large brinjals or aubergines
sea salt
80ml olive oil

Filling:
15ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
15ml ground cumin
10ml caraway seeds
2ml cayenne pepper
250ml stale breadcrumbs
200g Feta Cheese, crumbled
200g mascarponi cheese

Method:
Preheat oven to 180C.

Prepare the peppers and brinjal or aubergines:
Quarter the peppers, remove the seeds and membranes and grill with the skin-sides up until the skin blisters and blackens. Place in a bowl and cover with cling film for 5 minutes, then remove the skins. They should come away quite easily.
Cut the brinjals or aubergines into 1cm slices and place on a wire rack, sprinkle with salt and leave for half an hour. Rinse under cold water and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Brush both sides of the brinjal slices with oil and fry until both sides are browned and the flesh is softened.

Make the filling:
Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and spices and cook, stirring, until fragrant; set aside to cool.
Combine the spice mixture with breadcrumbs and cheeses and mix to combine. I like to do this in a blender as it gives a nice smooth mixture.

To Build the Terrine:
Line the bottom of a buttered loaf pan with not quite half of the brinjal slices, overlapping them to cover the base with a complete layer. Line the sides of the pan with the peppers so they overlap the brinjal on the base and there is some overlap at the top.
Press the filling over the brinjal and peppers, folding the overlapping peppers over the mixture at the top.
Cover the top of the terrine with a layer of brinjal slices and press down firmly.
Cover the pan with foil, place terrine on an oven tray, top with another loaf pan half filled with water to press down on the mixture.
Bake in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes or until firm.

Refrigerate overnight, turn out on a plate and serve in slices.