Angela Day
Entertaining on a budget can be quite a challenge, as I discovered when I set myself a budget of R300 to feed six guests.
First I had to see what cut of meat was affordable. In the end I decided roast beef would do. However, this took nearly half my budget so I was left with about R150 for a starter, sides dishes and dessert.
Buying seasonal produce was the best way to go.
I wanted to cook the pears I bought in red wine but found I had used the allotted budget and had to make do with what I could find in the kitchen to make them interesting. I found an old pomegranate, which was not great for eating but was perfect for juicing. It helped give the sugar syrup a lovely pink colour.
The oranges I bought for the salad turned out to be blood oranges which looked rather pretty on the plate but ordinary oranges would be fine. I also used the orange rind to add flavour to the pear syrup.
The Yorkshire pudding was made special by the addition of chopped fresh herbs from our garden.
Note: The cost of the ingredients excludes basic store-cupboard ingredients (but does include the horseradish sauce as a purchase). Prices may vary from store to store and region to region.
STARTER
SPINACH AND BROCCOLI SOUP
Serves 6
30ml olive oil
30g butter
1 large onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
60ml flour
1 litre vegetable stock
400g broccoli, broken into florets
salt and pepper
300g spinach, cleaned and chopped
grated fresh nutmeg
125ml cream or plain yoghurt
toasted baguette to serve
Heat the oil and butter in a pot and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the flour and cook for a minute. Add the stock, stirring until the mixture boils.
Add the broccoli and seasoning.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the broccoli is soft. Add the spinach and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
Remove from the heat and puree until smooth using a stick blender.
Adjust seasoning and stir in the nutmeg and cream or yoghurt. Serve with slices of toasted baguette.
MAIN COURSE
ROAST BEEF
Serves 6
1.2kg piece of roast beef
salt and pepper
60ml olive oil
60ml chopped mixed fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and parsley)
10ml chopped garlic
250ml water
250ml beef stock
30ml cornflour mixed with water
knob of butter
Season the meat all over with salt and pepper. Combine the olive oil, chopped herbs and garlic and mix well. Rub this into the meat.
Place the meat fat side up in a roasting pan. Add the water to the pan and roast in a pre-heated oven at 190degC for 20 minutes per 500g, about 40-50 minutes depending on how rare you like your meat. Remove the meat from the oven and cover with foil to rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.
Drain any pan juices through a sieve into a pot. Add the beef stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cornflour mixture and bring to the boil. A knob of butter stirred into the gravy at this point makes it shiny and silky. Serve with the meat.
HERBED YORKSHIRE PUDDING
Makes 12
300ml flour
5ml salt
a good grinding of black pepper
3 eggs
250ml milk
60ml chopped fresh herbs
oil for cooking
Put the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix together the eggs and milk and add to the flour. Mix until a smooth batter is formed. Stir in the chopped herbs. Cover the mixture and set it aside for an hour.
Fill 12 muffin cups each with about 10ml of oil. Place the muffin tray into a pre-heated oven at 200degC for 10 minutes to heat up the oil.
Quickly divide the batter between the muffin cups, filling them about half way.
Return to the oven for 20-30 minutes until puffed up and golden.
PARSNIP AND HORSERADISH MASH
Serves 6
8 parsnips, peeled and chopped
80g butter
125ml milk or cream
30ml horseradish sauce
salt and pepper
45ml chopped chives
Place parsnips in a pot with cold water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes or until very soft.
Drain off any excess water. Mash well.
Stir in the butter, milk and horseradish sauce. Season to taste. Mix through the chives and serve.
DILLY CARROTS
Serves 6
4-6 carrots, peeled and cut into matchstick strips
125ml water
45g butter
30ml honey
salt and pepper
45ml chopped dill
Place the carrots in a pot with the water and bring to the boil.
Add the butter and honey and simmer covered over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender.
Remove the lid and cook until all the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are glazed. Season well and stir through the dill.
ORANGE AND FENNEL SALAD
Serves 6
4-5 oranges
1 large fennel bulb
60ml orange juice
30ml olive oil
5ml chopped garlic
10ml honey
salt and pepper
a handful of toasted almonds, roughly chopped
To peel the oranges, slice the top and bottom off the fruit just below the pith and into the flesh. Stand the orange on a board and, using a small sharp knife, slice off the peel in strips following the curvature of the orange. Cut the orange into 5mm-thick slices.
Trim and clean the fennel bulb. Save a few fronds for serving. Thinly slice the fennel lengthwise using a sharp knife or a mandolin.
Combine the orange juice, olive oil, garlic, honey and seasoning and mix well.
Arrange the oranges and fennel on a serving plate. Pour over the dressing and scatter over the almonds.
DESSERT
PINK POACHED PEARS
Serves 6
500ml sugar
1 litre of water
1 cinnamon stick
15ml grenadine or seeds from 1 pomegranate, juiced
strips of rind from 1 orange
6 pears, peeled, with stalks intact
a few pomegranate seeds for serving
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and place over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil.
Add the cinnamon, grenadine or pomegranate juice and orange rind.
Add the pears, turn down the heat and cover, simmering gently until the pears are soft.
Remove pears. Return the poaching liquid to the stove and turn up the heat. Boil rapidly until the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency.
Remove and cool completely.
Serve drizzled with a little syrup and scattered with a few pomegranate seeds.
ANGELA DAY
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.
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