Johannesburg - TV chefs Rachel Khoo and Siba Mtongana, who will be appearing at the Delicious Food & Music Festival this Saturday (May 31), each share a recipe.
RACHEL KHOO’S MINI ORANGE TRIFLES WITH CANDIED CARROTS
Serves 4
Candied carrots
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
150g castor sugar
150ml water
Orange jelly
2 large oranges
3 leaves of gelatine
Meringue topping
60g castor sugar
1 egg white
Place the carrots, sugar and water in a large saucepan over a gentle heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to the boil, then simmer briskly for around 10 minutes until they look candied and almost translucent.
To drain, pour them into a sieve over a bowl to collect the syrup from the carrots (you need about 100ml).
Halve the oranges and juice them carefully (you want to maintain their shape). Strain the juice through a sieve and set to one side (you need 150ml).
Using a teaspoon, scoop the membrane out of the orange halves until you are left with just a thin layer of pith and the skin. Take a little slice out of the base of each orange half so that they sit upright.
Soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
Combine the reserved carrot syrup and the orange juice. You need 250ml so top up with orange juice or water if you’re short.
Place in a small pot and warm to just above blood temperature. Squeeze out the soaked gelatine sheets and stir them into the liquid. Stir until dissolved.
Place empty orange skins on a tray, fill with jelly mixture and take to the fridge. Leave to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 100°C.
Spread the sugar out on a baking tray and heat for about 10 minutes.
Whisk the egg white until frothy and add the hot sugar one spoonful at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Continue to whisk until totally cool and glossy.
Place the meringue in a piping bag. Pipe a large dollop of meringue onto the top of each orange jelly.
Use a blow torch to lightly “brûlée” the tip of the meringue.
Decorate with a few strips of the candied carrot.
SIBA MTONGANA’S PESTO PASTA CHICKEN
Pesto
200g fresh basil
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
salt and freshly ground pepper
100g pine nuts, toasted
100g Parmesan cheese, grated
1 green chilli, deseeded
160ml olive oil
Chicken
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs
salt and pepper to taste
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
500g penne, cooked until al dente
juice and rind of 1 lemon
Parmesan shavings, to serve
fresh basil, to serve
PESTO: Put the pesto ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Process to form a rough paste.
With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady stream.
Transfer to a sterilised jar and cover with a layer of oil to seal. Store in the fridge until needed.
CHICKEN: Heat 1 tbsp of the pesto oil in large saucepan and sauté the garlic for a minute.
Add the chicken strips and season with salt and pepper and dried Italian herbs and fry for around 5 minutes until almost cooked through.
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Mix with the cooked penne and enough basil pesto to coat the pasta generously. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
Finish with Parmesan shavings and basil leaves and serve while still warm. - The Star
* Watch Siba’s Table on DStv channel 175
* Catch Rachel Khoo’s new show, Kitchen Notebook, starting on Tuesday, June 24 on BBC Lifestyle, DStv channel 174.
* See www.deliciousfestival.com