Fig Jam and Foxtrot

by Lynn Bedford Hall

2 ml (½ tsp) ground coriander

  60 ml (4 Tbsp) seedless raisins

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) chopped fresh coriander leaves and stems

  60 ml (4 Tbsp) sunflower seeds

  Rinse the stampkoring and soak, generously covered in cold water, for at least 2 hours. Bring the 700 ml (24/5 cups) water to the boil in a deep, heavy saucepan, adding the turmeric, salt and dash of oil. Drain the soaked stampkoring, tip into the boiling water, give it a quick stir, and reduce the heat to very low. Simmer, covered, for about 45 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the grains are soft. (Once ready, it will burn, so keep an eye on it.) Meanwhile, heat the 60 ml (¼ cup) oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, red pepper, garlic and courgettes. Toss until softening and glistening, then add all the spices and the raisins. Stir briefly over low heat until aromatic. If the stampkoring isn’t ready, cover the frying pan and set aside. Tip the cooked stampkoring into a large bowl and immediately fork in the hot, spicy vegetables in oil. Add the coriander and sunflower seeds, check for salt and perhaps a little lemon juice, then set aside and, when it stops steaming, cover loosely. Serve at room temperature. The salad may also be refrigerated overnight, in a covered glass bowl. Serves 4–8, depending on the occasion.

  SAUCY, CRUMB-TOPPED BAKED FISH FILLETS

  This may be fairly quick and easy, but it’s also deceptively rich and rather elegant. The basics are fresh fish fillets, covered with a nutty/crumby/herby mixture and baked on a mushroom-tomato sauce. The quantities are modest, and the flavours quite mild – and yet, as you eat, they seem to develop and quietly introduce themselves, and the end result is just hugely satisfying. Cape salmon and kabeljou (kob) are good choices, and the fillets must be skinned, so that all the flavours can penetrate.

  4 large, skinned fish fillets, about 700 g

  sea salt and milled black pepper

  slivers of butter

  SAUCE

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil

  2 leeks, thinly sliced

  250 g mushrooms, white or brown, chunked

  400 g ripe and juicy tomatoes, skinned and chopped

  sea salt, milled black pepper and a pinch of sugar

  TOPPING

  3 thin slices crustless bread, white or brown, and rather stale

  1 slim slice onion

  grated rind of ½ large lemon

  24 unblanched almonds a small handful of parsley tufts

  3 ml (a rounded ½ tsp) dried dill (or about 15 ml (1 Tbsp) chopped fresh dill)

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil

  To make the sauce, heat the oil and soften the leeks, then add the mushrooms, tomatoes, seasoning and sugar. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then to mash up the tomatoes; the result should be a juicy sauce, not thick. Pour into a medium-sized baking dish to cover the bottom quite thickly.

  To make the topping, put the bread, onion, lemon rind, almonds, parsley and dill into the bowl of a processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until very finely crumbed, then add the oil and pulse just until moistened. Place the fish on top of the tomato sauce and season lightly, then spread the crumb mixture over the top of each fillet, patting down lightly and dividing equally. Arrange a few slivers of butter on top and bake at 180 °C for 25–30 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. Serve with the sauce and a green veg or salad and, if that’s not enough, you could boil a few potatoes, slice them into wedges, brush with a little oil and bake at the same time as the fish. Serves 4.

  SIMPLY SUPER FISH DISH

  At heart this is a basic, well-known oldie from every Granny’s cookbook: hake, mushroom sauce and cheese, but an updated spin on the ingredients results in something really special. In this recipe, chunky portabellini mushrooms add amazing texture to the creamy sauce, which is poured over a whole side of firm-textured yellowtail. The topping of cheddar remains, and the quick browning under the grill. If preferred, use another type of mushroom, or fish, but this combination is really good.

  1 side of yellowtail, skinned and filleted, 600–700 g (prepared weight)

  sea salt and fresh lemon juice

  uncoloured, grated cheddar cheese for topping

  SAUCE

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil and a nut of butter

  1 bunch spring onions or 2 bunching onions, chopped

  250 g portabellini mushrooms, wiped and quartered

  a pinch of dried dill

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) flour

  375 ml (1½ cups) milk (preferably low-fat, it’s a rich dish)

  10 ml (2 tsp) Dijon mustard

  10 ml (2 tsp) tomato paste

  a pinch each of sea salt and sugar

  Place the fish, skinned side up, in a lightly oiled baking dish in which it will lie flat. Season lightly and sprinkle with lemon juice, then bake at 180 °C until just cooked through; test with a fork – yellowtail, especially, dries out if overcooked.

  While the fish is in the oven, make the sauce. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy saucepan, add the onions, mushrooms and dill, and cook, tossing gently over low heat, for several minutes, then sprinkle in the flour. When absorbed, slowly stir in the milk, then the mustard and tomato paste. Allow to bubble away over low heat for a few minutes until you have a medium-thick, faintly pink sauce. Season as necessary, and pour the sauce over the cooked fish. Sprinkle modestly with cheese and slide under a preheated grill until golden brown. This happens very quickly, so don’t go away. Serve with brown rice and a green veg, or a salad. Serves 4.

  BIG JOE’S CHICKEN CASSEROLE

  Colourful comfort food – everyday ingredients, lots of sauce, slightly tangy, slightly sweet and perfect with mash and veg.

  a dash of oil

  1–1.2 kg braai pack of free-range chicken, trimmed

  sea salt and a few grinds of black pepper

  1 large onion, finely chopped

  2 medium carrots, finely diced

  45 ml (3 Tbsp) flour

  250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock

  1 x 410 g can chopped, peeled tomatoes

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) whole grain mustard

  45 ml (3 Tbsp) Mrs Ball’s chutney

  10 ml (2 tsp) Worcestershire sauce

  20 ml (4 tsp) caramel brown sugar

  60 ml (4 Tbsp) seedless raisins

  a little sea salt

  chopped parsley for sprinkling

  Heat just a slick of oil in a frying pan and brown the chicken lightly, skin side first, to release any excess fat. Arrange the pieces, skin side down and fairly close together, in a large baking dish, deep enough to take the generous sauce. Season lightly. Add the onion and carrots to the pan drippings and toss over a low heat until just starting to colour and soften, then sprinkle in the flour. When absorbed, add the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, mustard, chutney, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, raisins and salt. Stir to mix while bringing to the boil. Pour over the chicken, which should be almost completely covered by the sauce. Cover the dish with a lid, or with a sheet of greaseproof paper and then foil, and bake at 160 °C for 1¼ hours. Turn the chicken pieces, increase the oven temperature to 180 °C and bake, uncovered, for a further 15–20 minutes. If the sauce looks at all greasy, simple flick a paper kitchen towel over the top. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. Serves 5–6.

  SPICY LAMB, BUTTER BEAN AND CAULI CURRY

  Call it old-fashioned, but this is just the stuff that memories are made of – warming, comforting food without any disconcerting frills. And it really is very good. The only possible hiccup is the need for an exceptionally wide saucepan so that the ingredients don’t lie on top of each other, but can wallow in the lovely sauce. Otherwise it’s hassle-free.

  8 lamb chump chops (800 g) (not braai chops, but those meaty little slabs with a tiny marrow bone in the centre)

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil

  1 large onion, sliced into thin rings

  1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) curry powder

  5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin

  2 ml
(½ tsp) each ground cinnamon and turmeric

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) flour

  375 ml (1½ cups) hot beef stock

  150 ml (3/5 cup) tomato purée

  2 cloves garlic, crushed

  sea salt and a little sugar

  1 x 410 g can butter beans, rinsed and drained

  200 g small cauliflower florets

  a generous sprinkling of fresh coriander leaves

  Slice the chops in half. Bring the oil to a gentle heat in that very large pan. Add the onion, chilli and all the spices, toss briefly, just until smelling gorgeous, then add the lamb and brown on both sides. If the spices start to scorch, add just a dribble of water, but do brown the lamb well. Reduce the heat to very low and sprinkle in the flour. Toss, and when the flour has been absorbed, slowly add the stock, tomato purée, garlic, salt and sugar. Cover, and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour, stirring from time to time. Mix in the butter beans and cauliflower – there should be no need to add extra liquid, the slow simmer should have resulted in a medium-thick, plentiful sauce. Cover, and simmer for a further 20 minutes or so, to cook the cauliflower, then check the seasoning. If it is tart, add a dribble of honey, it does wonders; and if time allows, and you are using a non-reactive pan, allow the curry to cool down a bit. Reheat just before serving, sprinkle with the coriander, and serve from the pan with yellow rice and chutney. Serves 4–6.

  MUSHROOM AND SPINACH NOODLE BAKE

  A layered pasta casserole is a fine example of comfort food, and this dish, with its succulent mix of vegetables, noodles and a blanket of sauce has a lot more style than macaroni cheese. As it can be completely assembled in advance, and sits very well alongside a salad and bread, it offers a happy choice for informal entertaining.

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil

  1 large onion, finely chopped

  2–3 cloves garlic, crushed

  1 small or ½ large green pepper, seeded and diced

  250 g brown mushrooms, wiped and sliced

  2 ml (½ tsp) dried mixed herbs

  250 g ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) tomato paste

  5 ml (1 tsp) each sea salt and sugar

  a grind of black pepper

  2 bay leaves

  60 ml (¼ cup) red wine

  500 ml (2 cups) shredded baby spinach

  200 g spinach tagliatelle

  grated nutmeg and parmesan cheese for topping

  CHEESE SAUCE

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil and a nut of butter

  45 ml (3 Tbsp) flour

  5 ml (1 tsp) mustard powder

  500 ml (2 cups) warmed full-cream or low-fat milk

  100 g cheddar cheese, grated

  sea salt and white pepper

  Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and green pepper, toss until softening, then add the mushrooms and herbs. Reduce the heat and toss until aromatic, then add the remaining ingredients, except the spinach and pasta and topping. Cover and simmer, stirring off and on to mash up the tomatoes. Keep the heat very low to retain the succulence – 15 minutes should do it – and just before it comes off the heat, remove the bay leaves, stir in the spinach and allow it to wilt. While the sauce is simmering, cook and drain the pasta.

  Make a white sauce as usual, adding the cheese and seasoning last. Lightly oil a deep baking dish, about 28 x 18 x 6 cm. Cover the base with half the vegetable sauce, top with half the noodles; repeat the layers, then pour the cheese sauce over the top, to cover. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg, and then parmesan, and bake at 180 °C for 35 minutes. Leave to settle for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

  CUSTARD TART

  Closely linked to an unbaked melktert but with unexpected touches – like the crumb crust instead of pastry, and the crunchy almond topping. It’s not as fluffy as a melktert, and making the custard does require some care, but the result is a good, smooth-textured, orange or lemon tart. Perfect for a simple, quickly made dessert, or instead of cake for tea.

  CRUST

  125 ml (½ cup) fine biscuit crumbs

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) melted butter

  FILLING

  500 ml (2 cups) milk

  10 ml (2 tsp) butter

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) cake flour

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) cornflour

  90 ml (6 Tbsp) castor sugar

  a large pinch of sea salt

  5 ml (1 tsp) very finely grated orange rind (about 1 large orange), or 2 ml (½ tsp) very finely grated lemon rind (about ½ large lemon)

  2 XL free-range eggs

  5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

  toasted almond flakes and ground cinnamon for the topping

  To make the crust, mix the crumbs and melted butter and press firmly onto the base of a lightly buttered pie dish, 18 cm diameter, with sloping sides – the old-fashioned glass pie dish, in fact. Bake for 10 minutes at 180 °C, then cool.

  To make the filling you’ll need a deep, medium-sized, really heavy saucepan. Rinse with water – this helps to prevent the milk from scorching. Heat half the milk with half the butter. Meanwhile, whizz the remaining milk, the cake flour, cornflour, castor sugar, salt, orange or lemon rind and eggs in a blender until smoothly mixed. Pour into the heated milk and then stir continuously, over low heat, until the mixture starts to thicken. At this stage, it’s best to use a balloon whisk to achieve a smooth, lump-free custard. When it starts to pop and becomes as thick as really dense porridge, remove from the stove, beat in the remaining butter and the vanilla essence and pour onto the crust. Work quickly, as the custard firms up quickly. Spread evenly, and immediately sprinkle with the almonds and dust with cinnamon. Cool, then refrigerate before serving. Makes 8 wedges.

  GREEN FIG AND GINGER CHEESECAKE

  Fig and ginger preserves combine superbly, and here they add amazing flavour and an ethnic touch to a plump, fluffy cheesecake.

  CRUST

  125 ml (½ cup) each ginger biscuit and plain biscuit crumbs

  75 ml (5 Tbsp) melted butter

  FILLING

  25 ml (5 tsp) gelatine

  75 ml (5 Tbsp) cold water

  a knob or two of ginger preserve*

  1 x 370 g jar green fig preserve*

  2 XL free-range egg whites

  200 ml (4/5 cup) castor sugar

  250 g cream cheese

  250 g smooth, low-fat cottage cheese

  250 ml (1 cup) cream

  7 ml (1½ tsp) vanilla essence

  sliced figs and ground cinnamon for topping

  Mix the biscuit crumbs and butter, press firmly onto the greased base of a fairly deep 22–23 cm pie dish, and chill.

  To make the filling, sponge the gelatine in the cold water, then dissolve over simmering water. Rinse off the syrup, pat dry and finely chop enough ginger and figs to give you 30 ml (2 Tbsp) of each, and set aside. Whisk the egg whites until stiffening, then gradually whisk in half the castor sugar to make a glossy meringue. Whisk the remaining castor sugar with both tubs of cheese, the cream and the vanilla essence until smooth. Slowly, while whisking, add the cooled gelatine, then fold in the meringue. Pour half this mixture onto the chilled crust. Sprinkle over the chopped ginger and fig preserve, then cover with the remaining creamy mixture, spreading evenly. (Work quickly as it firms up fast.) Chill until set. Rinse, pat dry and slice 3–4 of the remaining figs into thin rounds, arrange in a circle round the edge of the cheesecake and sprinkle the centre with cinnamon – either do this just before serving, or decorate and chill again until required, although the colour will then fade a bit. Slice into wedges and carefully remove with a spatula. Serves 10.

  * It is important to pat the preserves quite dry, so that they don’t ‘weep’, and if chilling overnight, the crust will soften but this won’t affect the delicious flavour.

  BAKED SAUCY CHOC-NUT PUDDING

  A sweet and fudgy old-timer; serve hot, in syrupy scoops, over vanilla ice cream.

  60 g very soft butter

  125 ml (½ cup) castor sugar

  1 XL free-range eg
g

  5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

  250 ml (1 cup) cake flour

  5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder

  2 ml (½ tsp) ground cinnamon

  a small pinch of sea salt

  20 ml (4 tsp) cocoa powder

  80 ml (1/3 cup) milk

  40–50 g chopped walnuts

  SAUCE

  125 ml (½ cup) light brown sugar

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) cocoa powder

  300 ml (11/5 cups) boiling water

  Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and castor sugar until pale. Beat the egg with the vanilla essence and whisk into the butter mixture, combining to a soft, smooth consistency. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and cocoa right into the creamed mixture. Give a quick whisk to combine, then add the milk and give another quick whisk to smooth out. Fold in the walnuts and then turn the batter – which will be quite thick – into a lightly buttered 20 cm pie dish (not less than 5 cm deep, as once it’s in the oven the syrup will gurgle and bubble up quite fiercely round the edges).

  Stir together the ingredients for the sauce and, as soon as the sugar has dissolved, pour carefully over the batter. Bake at 180 °C for 25 minutes, until risen and firm. Serves 6.

  SYLVIE’S BISCUIT TIN

  All the biscuits are made using an electric whisk.

  Honeyed gingers

  Very moreish caramel-coloured cookies, made with really basic ingredients.

  250 ml (1 cup) cake flour

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) ground ginger

  a pinch of salt

  1 ml (¼ tsp) ground cinnamon

  125 ml (½ cup) light brown sugar

  125 ml (½ cup) wholewheat flour

  125 g soft butter

  5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

  15 ml (1 Tbsp) honey

  30 ml (2 Tbsp) hot water

  Sift the cake flour, ginger, salt and cinnamon. Add the sugar and wholewheat flour. Mix in the butter, whisking until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix the bicarb and honey into the water and, when it fizzes, mix into the flour mixture. Mix well to a soft dough. Shape into a ball, pinch off pieces, roll into balls and place on baking sheets that have been first oiled and then lined with two sheets* of baking paper, leaving room for spreading. Press down with a fork, and bake at 180 °C for 18–20 minutes until a rich caramel colour. Carefully remove to a rack to cool. Makes 20.