The women were impressed. ‘No flies on our Betsie,’ was their unanimous verdict. ‘Always rises to the occasion like a good loaf of bread.’
Mushroom, Leek and Barley Broth
Butternut and Sweet Potato Soup
Curry-butter Jacket Potatoes
Venison Stew with Allesverloren and Prunes
Tomato Bobotie
Spiced Brandied Peaches
Poached Naartjies Van der Hum
Lemon and Almond Shortbread Fingers
Brown Walnut Shortbread Wedges
Farmhouse Finger Rusks with Buttermilk and Oats
Betsie’s Blitz Coffee Cake
MUSHROOM, LEEK AND BARLEY BROTH
The title may sound pedestrian, but this is a soup unlike any other: earthy and intense, with a slightly smoky fragrance, it is quite different from the usual creamy mushroom soups. This version requires the mushrooms to ‘mull’ for an hour or so in red wine, while the colour and flavour gather depth. The addition of leeks and barley gives a nod to Scotland, the quince jelly adds a surprising local touch, and the final blend is simply a lovely comfort soup for a chilly night.
125 ml (½ cup) pearled barley
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 large leeks, shredded
60 ml (4 Tbsp) butter
2 medium carrots, finely diced
500 g brown mushrooms, wiped and chopped
250 ml (1 cup) red wine (claret is a good choice)
5 ml (1 tsp) grated nutmeg
2 litres (8 cups) chicken stock*
20 ml (4 tsp) tomato paste
sea salt to taste
20 ml (4 tsp) quince jelly
a little chopped parsley
Rinse the barley and soak in water to cover for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, place the onions, leeks, butter, carrots, mushrooms, wine and nutmeg in a large, deep saucepan. Bring to the boil, then cook briskly, uncovered, stirring until the liquid has reduced to a few bubbles and the vegetables start to darken. Now add the stock, tomato paste, salt and the drained barley and, when boiling, reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently for at least 1 hour, stirring now and then. Check the seasoning, swirl in the jelly and parsley, then leave the soup to stand for 10 minutes before serving, while it thickens to maximum, and all the flavours come together. Ladle into warmed, deep bowls. Serves 8.
* Next time you roast a chicken, make a stock from the carcass – a home-made stock makes all the difference here.
BUTTERNUT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP
The addition of fresh ginger at the end adds an elusive zing to this gently glowing old favourite.
15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil
a small knob of butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 ml (½ tsp) each grated nutmeg, ground cinnamon and turmeric
500 g butternut, peeled and diced (prepared weight)
250 g peeled, diced, red-skinned sweet potatoes (prepared weight)
2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced
1 litre (4 cups) hot chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
sea salt to taste
30 ml (2 Tbsp) coarsely grated, peeled root ginger
250 ml (1 cup) milk
lemon juice and honey (optional)
thin cream (optional)
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and, when turning golden, add the spices, tossing until aromatic. As the spices usually absorb excess oil, add a little water so that they can announce their flavour without scorching – keep the heat low. Add the vegetables and apples, and toss to mix them with the spices and to colour them a little, then add the stock, bay leaves and salt. (This quantity of liquid may seem very little, but the apples add their juices and there’s still some milk to come.) Cover and simmer very gently until everything is soft – about 25 minutes – adding the ginger a few minutes before the end of the cooking period. Leave to cool before removing the bay leaves, then purée the soup in a blender until absolutely smooth; you will need to do this in two or more batches. Return to the saucepan, stir in the milk, and taste – it might need more salt, a dash of lemon juice, or even a trickle of honey. Reheat, stirring. If you are making the soup in advance, don’t reheat – pour into a suitable container with a lid and refrigerate overnight. To serve, pour the hot soup into heated soup bowls. It would be a pity to mask the spicy character with a flavoursome garnish, but a cobweb of thin cream in the centre of each serving is good. Just drop in a teaspoonful and swirl the cream around with a skewer. Serves 8.
CURRY-BUTTER JACKET POTATOES
A deliciously different way of treating new potatoes. Nicely spiced and prettily glossed, they team up perfectly with roast chicken. Add cinnamon-baked pumpkin and a green veg for a rustic meal with traditional flavours.
750 g (11–12) new potatoes*
15 ml (1 Tbsp) each oil and butter
20 ml (4 tsp) curry powder**
2 ml (½ tsp) turmeric
250 ml (1 cup) hot chicken or vegetable stock
a little sea salt
15 ml (1 Tbsp) smooth fruit chutney
a fistful of fresh coriander leaves
30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter
a trickle of honey
Scrub the potatoes well and jab them once or twice, quite deeply, with the point of a sharp knife, then set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan large enough to hold the potatoes in a single layer. Add the curry powder and turmeric, and stir for a few seconds over low heat before adding the potatoes. Toss them around until they’re coated with the spices (add a dash of water if too dry), then add the stock and salt – just a little, as the stock will be salty if not home-made. Cover and simmer until cooked (test with the tip of a knife) – keep the heat low so that the liquid does not boil away. When done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving dish. Add the chutney, coriander, butter and honey (to taste) to the pan juices, and stir until mixed and heated through. Pour the sauce over the potatoes, toss, and serve. Or, if you’re not ready to serve, return the potatoes to the pan and keep them warm until the main course is ready, in which case you might need to add a dash more stock. Serves 5–6.
* Use new potatoes of the same size – approximately that of an XL egg.
** If possible, buy a top quality, pure curry powder with coarsely ground spices, e.g. Cape Malay Curry Powder.
VENISON STEW WITH ALLESVERLOREN AND PRUNES
In the old days in the Karoo, game was marinated for days before cooking it, to tone down the gamey, outright hairy flavour. But that was then. Now, with butchers selling farm-reared, young springbok, it’s a different story – marinating is often skipped, and fillets and steaks served rare. Not so in this dish, in which the rules are bent, and steaks are given the old-fashioned treatment – a slow, well-done simmer. The result is fabulous: soft, tender chunks of meat in a richly flavoured gravy, glossed with jelly. This is stove-top cooking, which means you can check and stir whenever necessary, and it can all be done in advance – in fact it’s even more delicious the next day. Serve with clapshot – a weird and wonderful name for a simple dish of mash from the chilly islands to the north of Scotland. There, it is usually served with sausages, but it goes very well with this venison stew, and makes a welcome change from the traditional yellow rice.
4 x 200 g boneless venison steaks from a young springbok leg
30 ml (2 Tbsp) red wine vinegar
150 g pitted prunes, halved
100 ml (2/5 cup) Allesverloren port
oil and butter for browning
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 rashers unsmoked back bacon, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
30 ml (2 Tbsp) flour
600 ml (22/5 cups) hot, seasoned beef stock
60 ml (¼ cup) extra port
15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste
Spices and seasoning: 3 whole cloves, 2 bay leaves, 2 sticks cinnamon, a large pinch of ground allspice, 2 x 5 cm strips lemon peel, and a li
ttle sea salt
15 ml (1 Tbsp) quince jelly
Using a sharp knife, pull off any thin membrane round the steaks. Pour the vinegar into a glass dish, add the steaks, turn over and over until coated, and leave for 1–2 hours. Place the prunes in a shallow dish and cover with the port. Wipe the steaks dry and slice each into 3–4 chunks. Heat the oil and butter in a really large, wide saucepan and brown the meat well on both sides, then remove and set aside. Reduce the heat, add a little extra oil to the pan, then add the onions, bacon and carrots and, when soft and golden, sprinkle in the flour. When absorbed, stir in the stock, extra port, tomato paste and all the spices and seasoning. Return the meat to the saucepan, cover, and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, then stir in the prunes and port, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Finally, stir in the jelly to work its magic. Serve immediately or cool, turn into a suitable container, and refrigerate overnight. Add a little extra stock if necessary to thin out the gravy. Serves 4–5.
Clapshot
300 g turnips, peeled and sliced (prepared weight)
500 g potatoes, peeled and cubed (prepared weight)
30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter
15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil
3 medium leeks, shredded
a pinch of grated nutmeg
sea salt and white pepper to taste
warm milk
Choose medium rather than very large turnips for this dish. Once prepared, cook in a little boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Add the potatoes and boil together until both vegetables are soft, adding a little extra water if necessary. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a medium frying pan and sauté the leeks gently until soft and golden. Drain excess water from the cooked turnips and potatoes, return to the pot and add the leeks and any buttery pan juices, together with the nutmeg and seasoning. Mash everything together with a little milk to make it creamy.
TOMATO BOBOTIE
This recipe, without being hostile to tradition, does differ slightly from the regular version, and the result is a soft, succulent and exceptionally lekker bobotie.
1 medium-thick slice crustless bread
375 ml (1½ cups) milk (low-fat if preferred)
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
about 20 ml (4 tsp) coarsely grated, peeled root ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed
45 ml (3 Tbsp) medium curry powder
5 ml (1 tsp) turmeric
1 kg lean beef mince, preferably free-range
45 ml (3 Tbsp) smooth, mild chutney
30 ml (2 Tbsp) smooth apricot jam
60 ml (4 Tbsp) seedless raisins
about 10 ml (2 tsp) sea salt
1 apple, peeled and coarsely grated (preferably Golden Delicious)
200 ml (4/5 cup) tomato purée
1 large free-range egg, beaten
a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice
TOPPING
2 large free-range eggs, turmeric, salt, bay leaves and toasted flaked almonds
Soak the bread in the milk. Heat the oil in a large, deep saucepan or frying pan and gently fry the onions, ginger and garlic. Add the curry powder and turmeric and toss for a minute, then add the mince. Toss – don’t stir – over low heat until the meat is a uniform yellow-brown – no pink should remain. If necessary, add a dash of water to prevent the spices from scorching and to loosen the mixture. Add the remaining bobotie ingredients, including the squeezed-dry bread – reserve the milk. Mix well, then turn into a lightly oiled baking dish, about 30 x 20 cm – the mixture should be roughly 3 cm deep. Smooth evenly. Bake at 180 °C for 30 minutes.
For the topping, beat the eggs with the reserved milk (make up to 300 ml (11/5 cups) if necessary) adding a good pinch of turmeric and salt. Carefully pour over the meat mixture, slip in a few bay leaves, and scatter with almonds. Reduce the heat to 160 °C and bake for 40–45 minutes until set. Serves 8.
SPICED BRANDIED PEACHES
So as not to mask the fabulous flavour of one of summer’s most luscious fruits – plump, glowing, freestone peaches – they are poached in a syrup that is only lightly spiced and only slightly tipsy. Chilled for a day or two and served with pouring cream or vanilla ice cream, this is an old favourite that will never lose its appeal.
250 ml (1 cup) water
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
150 ml (3/5 cup) light brown sugar
45 ml (3 Tbsp) brandy
6 large, firm but ripe freestone peaches (900 g–1 kg)
extra brandy
a few drops of vanilla essence
Prepare the syrup by bringing the water, spices, sugar and brandy to the boil in a large frying pan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then set aside. To prepare the peaches, run a knife round each, from top to bottom, and give a twist to separate the halves. Remove the pip and, if the peach is properly ripe, it will be easy to pull off the skin. If this proves difficult, peel it thinly and smoothly. Place the peaches, hollows down, in the syrup, and poach, covered, until just tender (test with a skewer); if they are ripe, this should take only 10–15 minutes. Cool in the syrup, remove the whole spices, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the peaches to a deep, wide serving dish, large enough to hold them in a single layer. Have a sip of the syrup, add a little more brandy if necessary and a few drops of vanilla, then pour it over the peaches – they should be almost submerged. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days. Serves 6.
POACHED NAARTJIES VAN DER HUM
Naartjies are no longer what they used to be. These days they come with a peel that peels clean off without any snags, and no pips. These are the ones to use for this easy but ambrosial dessert in which the fruit nestles in a light caramel sauce spiked with Van der Hum liqueur. Once poached and chilled, the segments are delicious spooned over ice cream – especially vanilla or mango. They need to be prepared in advance – even a day before needed. A sprinkling of candied orange peel is optional, but contrasts well with the soft, sweet naartjies.
500 ml (2 cups) water
250 ml (1 cup) light brown sugar
650 g naartjie segments (prepared weight)*
1 stick cinnamon
60 ml (¼ cup) Van der Hum liqueur
Bring the water and sugar to a slow boil in a large, wide-based frying pan, stirring to dissolve the sugar completely. Add the naartjie segments and the cinnamon, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until the segments are really soft and plump, stirring gently once or twice. Don’t cover the saucepan during poaching, just tilt the lid a little. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the fruit to a heatproof dish (as you’re shortly going to douse it with hot syrup). Remove the cinnamon from the syrup and then boil rapidly until very bubbly, reduced and a pale caramel in colour. Don’t go further than pale – a darker caramel will settle into toffee as it cools. You will need about 250 ml (1 cup) syrup; if necessary, spoon off any excess. Stir in the liqueur and pour the syrup over the naartjies. Baste a few times as they cool, then cover and chill. Serves 6.
* Whole, poached naartjies look grander, but they do tend to fall apart very easily; using segments is flop-proof.
Candied orange peel
In a small saucepan, dissolve 45 ml (3 Tbsp) light brown sugar in 30 ml (2 Tbsp) water. Add the thinly julienned peel (without a trace of pith) of one small orange, simmer for a few minutes until bubbly and starting to caramelize, then remove and carefully stir in 30 ml (2 Tbsp) water. Leave to cool and soften in the syrup. Drain before using.
LEMON AND ALMOND SHORTBREAD FINGERS
Melt-in-the-mouth, buttery shortbread is an integral part of any Highland tea, and as traditional as haggis and oats. Nevertheless, the ingredients and the methods used for making shortbread are not absolutely rigid and – as in Betsie’s case – it is never wise to try to make something ‘exactly like mother used to bake’. Here are two variations: Lemon and Almond Fingers, and Brown Walnut Wedges. Different in both flavour and shape, they are equally delicious.
> 250 g butter (at room temperature), cubed
finely grated rind of 1 large lemon
125 ml (½ cup) castor sugar
600 ml (22/5 cups) cake flour
150 ml (3/5 cup) cornflour*
60–75 ml (4–5 Tbsp) flaked almonds, lightly toasted
about 5 ml (1 tsp) castor sugar for dusting
Place the butter and lemon rind in a large mixing bowl. (Use a big, thick-skinned, well-washed lemon, and be careful not to include any of the pith when grating.) Using an electric whisk, cream these well, then slowly beat in the castor sugar until the mixture is fluffy and pale yellow. Sift the flour with the cornflour and add gradually, beating well, until the mixture is moist and finely crumbed, then use your hands to knead until the mixture comes together in a smooth, putty-like ball. Finally, knead in the almonds. Line a 26 x 20 cm** baking sheet with baking paper, and press the mixture in firmly and as evenly as possible. Use a fork to prick the mixture all over, and mark lightly into 24 fingers. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 160 °C for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150 °C and bake for a further 50 minutes. When done, the shortbread should be a rich blonde colour, never browned. Remove from the oven and carefully cut through the fingers. Sprinkle with castor sugar, then leave on the sheet until absolutely cold before removing. Makes 24 fingers.
* Rice flour is traditional, but not readily available in South Africa – cornflour makes a good substitute.
** The size of the baking sheet is important – no larger, or the shortbread will be too thin.
BROWN WALNUT SHORTBREAD WEDGES
Wholewheat flour makes a deliciously crunchy shortbread, and it’s a tad more wholesome than the blonde variety. Use plain brown bread flour if preferred, it works just as well. If you wish to make a larger batch, the method remains the same, but double the ingredients, use a lined 26 x 20 cm baking tin, and score into fingers – this will give you 24.
250 ml (1 cup) wholewheat or plain brown bread flour
125 ml (½ cup) cornflour
a wee pinch of salt
60 ml (¼ cup) castor sugar
125 g soft butter, cubed
Fig Jam and Foxtrot Page 3