Waterblommetjie risotto

When I visited Seychelles last year on a Top Billing photo shoot, I ate bat curry. Yes, you read right – bat; those winged, eerie, blood-sucking creatures that live in caves. It's a treasured delicacy on the island and a story that, when recounted, either earns me mucho brownie points in foodie circles or garners an open-mouthed stare or instant gasp-and recoil reflex.

China has birds nest soup and tuna eyeballs, Cambodia has fried tarantulas, maggot cheese or Casu Marzu is a delicacy in Sardinia while thousand year old eggs are big in Asia - bat isn't sounding so bad right now is it? And while it may not be as shocking to us locals, it's still a little weird that here in South Africa we eat.... pondweed. Also known as waterblommetjies.

Not being Afrikaans, I didn't grow up with ouma's waterblommetjie bredie simmering on the stove. So when I first found myself confronted with a bowl of waterblommetjies, I recoiled in horror at what I was told was wild plants that were harvested from a dam or pond. To be fair, put the word 'pond' or 'weed' on the end of any word and it does not sound like something I want on the other end of my fork. But, dunk the fleshy green bulbs into a frothy tempura batter and deep-fry until crisp and golden, then sprinkle the light batter with a generous squeeze of zesty lemon and a sprinkling of sea salt and waterblommetjies turn into a sublime delicacy. The supermarket shelves are now bulging with fresh, seasonal waterblommetjies so try them in the easy-cheesy risotto below, pair it with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and you'll earn some serious culinary credentials in my eyes. Enjoy!

(serves 4)

500g waterblommetjies, washed well

5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 onion, finely chopped

4T butter

1 head of garlic, halved and roasted in foil until golden

1 ¼ cups Arborio or risotto rice

1 cup white wine

zest and juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup grated gruyère cheese

¼ cup crumbled goat's cheese (optional)

2T chopped parsley

Cook the waterblommetjies in the boiling stock until tender. Refresh the waterblommetjies in ice water and set aside. Bring the stock to a simmer again. Saute the onion in the butter until soft. Squeeze the roasted garlic from the cloves and add to the onion. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until completely evaporated. Stir in ½ cup of stock at a time and simmer gently while stirring until completely absorbed before adding more. Keep adding until the rice is al dente. Stir in the chopped, cooked waterblommetjies and the rest of the ingredients. Season well and serve with tempura waterblommetjies, if desired.

TIP: For a quick tempura batter, sift 85g cake flour and 1T cornflour with a little salt. Whisk in 200ml ice-cold sparling water and whisk with a fork until just combined (a few lumps are fine). Dip the waterblommetjies into the batter and deep-fry in hot oil until golden. 

Rose madeleines

When I think of roses I always think of the breathtakingly beautiful garden my grandfather used to tend to in their home in Tamboerskloof. The beds were filled with stunning roses of every name and colour; the gorgeous old-fashioned kind that filled the air with a thick sweet scent and whose buds bloomed into big, full roses with large petals that attracted butterflies and bees. The aroma also brings fond memories of my grandmother who used to wear the perfume of roses on special days and trips to town when the pearls and hair curlers came out too.

Perhaps it is these special memories then that began my love affair with rose water. A twist of the cap and I'm swept right back to that scented garden in the heat of summer, or enveloped in my grandmothers smell just as I used to be when caught in a big warm hug. With Women's Day on the calendar this week, I can't think of a more feminine and graceful ingredient to use for the occasion. And with it being Ramadan, the supermarket shelves are well stocked. So, treat the lady in your life (or even yourself) to a batch of these delicate, dainty and buttery Madeleines which have been perfumed with rose water and hopefully I won't be the only one looking at this ingredient through rose tinted glasses.

Rose madeleines
(makes 24)

185g butter

2 eggs

¾ cup castor sugar

1 cup cake flour, sifted

1T rose water

1t vanilla extract

icing sugar, to dust

Melt the butter in a small saucepan until it starts to bubble and turn brown. When it smells like roasted nuts, remove from the heat and strain well. Bea the eggs and sugar until very thick and pale. Fold in the sifted flour and butter followed by the rose water and vanilla. Spoon into a greased madeleine tin or greased antique serving spoons. Bake at 200C for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with pink rose water icing to drizzle or dip.

Ode to Toast

Jamie Oliver calls his 'bruschetta', Nigel Slater insists on only using whole mushrooms (no fancy funghi please!) and slightly burnt government white loaf toast for his, while Gordon Ramsay's Italian version swops bread for chargrilled polenta. And although Jamie's lisp stole my teenage heart, Nigel's writing my soul and Gordon Ramsay's mouth my, er, innocence, none of my culinary heroes have hit the mark quite like Luke Dale Roberts did this past weekend.

What is humbly dubbed 'Mushrooms on toast, grated lemon, parmesan, procini dust' on the menu is in fact the reason I have been dreaming about my meal at The Pot Luck Club & Gallery for the past 3 days. Imagining slabs of toasted buttery brioche topped with sherry glazed mushrooms and drowning in dredgings of Parmesan cheese wafting out of the kitchen and into my mouth, is a tad extreme, even for a food nerd like me. To put a halt to these crazy funghi fantasies, I decided to douse the craving with my own midweek (meat-free Monday) version of this dreamy mushrooms on toast dish. So here it is, my ode to toast; simplicity at its best!

Photograph: The Pot Luck Club & Gallery

Posh mushrooms on toast

(serves 4)

6-8 slices ciabatta, sliced

olive oil, for drizzling

250g mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 glug of old brown sherry

1 knob garlic parsley butter

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper, to taste

crumbled feta cheese or Parmesan and rocket, to garnish

Drizzle the ciabatta slices with olive oil and toast until golden brown. Heat a little oil in a pan until smoking hot and saute the mushrooms until browned. Add the sherry and allow the alcohol to evaporate completely before stirring in the butter, zest and seasoning. Add a spoonful of water and stir to thicken before toppin the ciabatta toast with the mushrooms and crumbling over the feta. Place under the grill again until golden and bubbly. Serve with the rocket.

Chocolate brownie in a cup / Choc chip cookie in a cup

I absolutely love baking up a storm but my family can attest to the fact that I seriously despise washing dishes. As a child I used to put on my own cooking shows in our family kitchen with every ingredient precisely weighed out into its own neat little bowl – just like I'd seen Delia Smith do on her show. This used to drive my mother mad as no matter how many times I'd swear on my spatula to wash the mound of dishes I'd dirtied, it would never happen and my poor mother would be left washing a million condiment bowls while silently praying for a dishwasher. Now that I have to wash my own dishes at the end of a baking marathon, I have a whole lot more appreciation for the recipes that promise minimal time at the kitchen sink. This is one of those – a chocolate chip cookie recipe made in a cup. It is not only perfect for those times where you're craving something to dunk into your tea, coffee or hot chocolate on chilly evenings, but also great for keeping kids busy in the kitchen during the school holidays. And because it's made in the microwave, there is no danger of little fingers being burnt (and the fact that you'll be left with only a few cups and spoons to wash is a huge bonus!). Replace the butter with peanut butter, swop out the chocolate chips for raisins, smarties or whatever the kids' imaginations can conjure up! And once they've mastered the 'cookie in a cup', let them try the 'chocolate brownie in a cup' recipe below – it is delicious!

Choc chip cookies in a cup

(makes 3)

1T butter

2T brown sugar

few drops vanilla essence or extract

pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

¼ cup cake flour

2T chocolate chips

Place the butter in a mug and melt in the microwave. Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and stir with a fork. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips. Lightly grease a microwave safe plate and place 3 mounds of the cookie dough on the plate, leaving enough space in between each. Cook in the microwave on full power for 40 – 60 seconds or until cooked. Remove from the plate with a spatula and allow to cool completely or eat while still hot and gooey! Serve with at tall glass of milk for dunking.

Chocolate brownie in a cup

(makes 1)

4T cake flour

4T brown sugar

2T cocoa powder

2T oil or melted butter

2T water

pinch of salt

few drops vanilla extract

2T chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Place the flour, sugar and cocoa in a cup and mix well. Add the oil, water, salt and vanilla and stir together with a fork until thoroughly mixed. Place the cup in the microwave and cook on full power for 45-60 seconds until cooked through but still a bit gooey in the middle and moist. Allow to cool slightly and serve immediately with cream or ice cream.

Hot toddies for chilly evenings

Like a comforting hug, or your favourite snuggly slippers, hot toddies are perfect for warming up cold hands and feet when coming in from the cold. I've compiled my 6 favourites to suit all kinds of moods and hopefully you'll find the one for you! The chamomile honey vanilla latte is one of my favourites to cozy up to just before bedtime – chamomile is known for it's sleep inducing properties and will ensure sweet and peaceful dreams while the apple mint green tea is less indulgent – for those moments when you're watching the waistline. Hot coco is my take on hot chocolate, made with coconut milk for something a bit different. Of course, always make sure to use fat-free milk to keep the calories down. My homemade spicy chai is better than anything you'll find on a supermarket shelf; you'll have all the spices in your storecupboard already and it really tastes wonderful. The hot butterscotch is for those spoil-yourself moments and makes a great replacement for dessert when entertaining. And last but not least, the classic hot toddy, Gluhwein is a sure way to warm up body and soul and even better when sipped in front of a roaring fire. What are your favourite winter hot toddies?

Photography by Katelyn Williams

Apple mint green tea

Break open 2 tea bags of mint green tea and place in a saucepan with ½ sliced Granny Smith apple, pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon and bring to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside and allow to steep until fragrant. Strain and sweeten with honey, to taste.

Chamomile honey vanilla latte

Brew ½ a pot of strong chamomile tea made with two tea bags. Heat 300ml of fat-free milk with a vanilla pod or few drops of vanilla extract. Divide the strong chamomile into 2 mugs and top with the vanilla milk. Drizzle honey ontop to taste

Hot coco

Heat ½ tin reduced fat coconut milk and 1 cup of fat-free milk with 75g good-quality dark chocolate and a cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for a few minutes until fragrant. Alternatively, replace the chocolate with cocoa powder and adjust the sweetness with honey. Garnish with toasted coconut shavings or for a decadent addition, serve with toasted coconut covered marshmallows.

Homemade spicy chai

In a saucepan, combine 1/4t ground cardamom (or 2-3 cardamom pods, crushed), 4-6 black peppercorns, 4-6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1T brown sugar (or to taste), the leaves from 2 Darjeeling or Assam tea bags and 2 cups of fat-free milk. Heat gently over low heat for 2 minutes and set aside to brew for 10 minutes before straining, reheating and serving.

Hot Butterscotch

Coat the sides of 2 mugs with tinned caramel or butterscotch sauce (for a quick and easy recipe and step-by-step video click here). Heat 2 cups of fat-free milk with a dash of vanilla extract and pour into cups to serve. For something a little different, serve with a sprinkling of sea salt for a salted caramel version – salt and caramel are perfect partners so give it a try!

Gluhwein

In a saucepan, gently heat 3 cups red wine, 1 stick cinnamon, 2T brown sugar, 2-3 cloves, 4 star anise and the peel of 1 orange for 5 minutes. Set aside to infuse before straining, reheating gently and serving.

Some more ideas:

Hot chocolate is a great way to experiment – try infusing the milk with dried chillies, basil leaves or fresh mint before adding the chocolate. Adding liqueurs is also a decadent treat every now and then and the wide variety of flavours mean you can get creative with combinations.

Purchase inexpensive spoons and dip them into dark or white chocolate a few times (allow to set inbetween) and tie together with a pretty ribbon. Package them with some marshmallows and you'll have a thoughtful gift for someone special. 

One Pot Wonder: Harissa chicken with olives and mint yoghurt

My mother is the queen of one pot wonders – give her a bag of groceries and she can have dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat. These skills are more attributed to the fact that cooking is a chore for her (yes I often wonder if I'm adopted because of this), however, my dish-free dinners are rather attributed to the fact that I despise washing up. No need to raise your rubber glove-clad hand if you agree – I know I'm not alone. This recipe is one of my favourites because it's big on flavour and low on effort: a chopping board, knife, casserole dish and small bowl is all that will land up in your sink. If you've never cooked with harissa before, you're in for a treat. It's a condiment used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking. Chillies, oil, garlic, coriander and cumin are ground into a paste and used to season meat such as lamb, chicken, beef, or tossed through roast vegetables and couscous. Quite a few supermarkets stock it in the spice section but if you can't find it, I've included a substitute below so you can give it a try. And if you're wonder woman with a wok or turn into superman with a saucepan in your hand then post your one pot winners in the comment box below – sharing is afterall caring. Happy cooking!

(serves 4-6)

6-8 chicken pieces

1 head of garlic, halved

1 cup black olives

¼ cup tomato paste

1T harissa paste

1T brown sugar

½ cup chicken stock

salt and black pepper

250g baby tomatoes, halved

4-5 sprigs thyme

1 cup plain yoghurt

zest of 1 lemon

2T chopped parsley

1T chopped mint

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the chicken pieces in a casserole or baking dish and add the garlic, olives, tomato and harissa paste, sugar, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Toss to combine with half the tomatoes. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and place in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid/foil, add the rest of the tomatoes, thyme and roast until golden and sticky. For the yoghurt, combine the rest of the ingredients and season well. Serve the chicken with the minted yoghurt on the side.

Homemade harissa

10-12 dried red chillies

1/2t salt

2T olive oil

1t ground corinader

1t ground caraway seeds

1/2t cumin

Soak the dried chillies in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Remove the stems and seeds and combine in a food processor or pestle and mortar with the garlic, salt and olive oil. Add the rest of the spices to form a smooth paste. Store in an airtight container and drizzle the surface with olive oil – this will seal it and keep it fresh. The harissa paste will last up to a month in the fridge and is best when rested for 12 hours before using.

Buttermilk Bran Rusks

Like most food lovers, autumn (and winter) is my favourite time of the year. As the leaves turn and the cold weather rolls in, everything slips into a slow slumber and rich stews and soups simmer away on my stove. While growing up though, there was only one sign that the chilly weather was approaching and that was the gentle sweet smell of my mother's wholewheat buttermilk rusks drying in the oven for what felt like days on end. In our home, rusks are reserved for winter (for whatever reason) and I remember them tasting the best when dunked into milky tea on pitch black, ice cold mornings while sitting in front of the roaring fire my dad lit in the fire place before my sister and I went to school. Every year since leaving home, without fail, a large package of mom's rusks arrives just when the weather starts to turn and I know it's time to unpack my boots, woolly jerseys, scarves and thick blankets. 

But what makes these rusks so magical is that I can never make them myself. The recipe is one of a handful in my mother's cookbook that I simply cannot replicate. One would think that with all my chef training and culinary knowledge that would be impossible. And you would be wrong. Measuring with scientific precision and following the instructions exactly just doesn't help - they simply don't taste the same as my mother's. I'm sharing this precious recipe in the hope that it will find a special place in your family cookbook and that one day your children might also complain of not being able to make them 'just like mom or dad'. That surely must be the biggest compliment; to fill a biscuit tin with so much love it is unrivalled. 

Photographs by Angie Lazaro

Williams Wholewheat Buttermilk Rusks

(makes 50)

4 cups wholewheat flour

4 cups cake flour

3 cups All-bran flakes

3 cups bran

3 cups muesli

50ml baking powder

2t bicarbonate of soda

1½ cups light brown sugar

2 cups melted butter

2 cups buttermilk

1T vanilla extract

1 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Mix the dry ingredients together. combine the melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla and mix into the dry ingredients. add a little milk, if necessary, to form a soft dough. Press into a greased roasting tray and bake at 180°C for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Slice into fingers when cool and place in a low oven with the door ajar until crisp and dry.

It was my desperate craving for my mom's rusks that led me to developing my own recipe for Buttermilk bran rusks; one that nobody can mess up - not even me. It uses the fantastic Sasko Quick Treats Bran muffin mix as a base with a few simple additions. In fact, you can watch me making them on Tuesday 24 April on Expresso Breakfast Show on SABC3 at 06h45 in the Sasko baking slot.

Buttermilk Bran Rusks

(makes 30)

1 x 500g Sasko Quick Treats muffin mix

½ cup bran flakes

½ cup mixed seeds or nuts

200ml buttermilk

½ cup melted butter

1 egg

1t vanilla extract

Combine the Sasko Quick Treats muffin mix with the bran flakes, seeds or nuts and mix well. Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter, egg and vanilla extract together and add to the dry ingredients. Press into a greased 20 x 20cm baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Turn out and allow to cool slightly before cutting into fingers. Arrange on a baking tray and dry at 60°C for 4-6 hours or until crisp. Store in an airtight container.