Angela Day comes up with five enticing recipes, using plants valued for their flavour and scent.
Herbed beef roast
Serves 4
1 bunch or packet of Italian parsley
1 bunch or packet of basil
1 handful of oregano
10ml chopped garlic
15ml capers, drained
3 anchovy fillets
pinch of chilli flakes
45ml lemon juice
125ml olive oil
salt and pepper
800g whole Picanha rump
Place the herbs, garlic, capers and anchovies in a mini chopper or blender and chop finely.
Add the chilli flakes, lemon juice and olive oil and blend well. Season to taste.
Score the fat on the meat into a criss-crosspattern.
Place in a plastic bag.
Pour in half the herb sauce and massage well into the meat.
Set aside to marinate for a few hours.
Place the meat and marinade into a roasting pan and roast at 200degC for 20-25 minutes, or until done to your liking. Remove from the oven.
Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Serve with the remainder of the sauce.
Herb-baked trout
Serves 4
4 trout fillet portions
30ml fresh sage
30ml fresh oregano
15ml fresh thyme leaves
45ml olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
15ml chopped chives
Place the trout fillets in a dish.
In a food processor, pulse the sage, oregano, thyme, olive oil, lemon zest and juice together until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the chopped chives and spoon over the trout fillets.
Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200degC. Line a baking tray with foil and lightly brush with olive oil.
Place the trout fillets on the prepared baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Remove.
Serve with extra herbs and olive oil.
Basil panna cotta with poached peaches
Serves 6
12ml gelatine
40ml water
125ml castor sugar
grated rind of 1 orange
375ml cream
80g basil leaves
125ml thick Greek yoghurt
Peaches:
250ml white wine
180ml castor sugar
a few strips of orange rind
6 white-fleshed nectarines
raspberries for serving
Sprinkle gelatine over water and set aside to become absorbed.
Dissolve in the microwave on a medium setting.
Put the castor sugar and orange rind into a small pot and mix well. Set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
Add the cream and basil leaves to the pot and heat gently until it just reaches boiling point.
Remove from the heat and stir in the dissolved gelatin.
Using a hand-held blender, blend until smooth.
Press the mixture through a sieve.
Stir in the yoghurt and mix well.
Pour the mixture into 6 ramekindishes.
Refrigerate for 4-6 hours until set.
Unmould onto a serving plate and serve with the peaches and someraspberries.
Peaches: Combine the wine, castor sugar and orange peel in a small pot.
Bring to the boil. Add the peaches, turn down the heat to low and gently poach the peaches covered until they are soft.
Remove the peaches from the liquid and set aside to cool.
Remove the skins and discard.
Return the syrup to the heat and simmer uncovered until reduced and thick.
Cool completely.
Tarragon and mint ice cream
1 large bunch of tarragon leaves
1 large bunch of mint leaves
500ml cream
395g tin of condensed milk
pinch of salt
Bruise the herbs with the back of a knife. Place into a saucepan with half the cream and bring to a near boil.
Remove from the heat, cover and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
Strain the herbs out and cool completely in the fridge. Meanwhile, beat the remaining 250ml of cream until stiff.
While beating, slowly pour in the cooled cream and the condensed milk.
Add the pinch of salt. Place the mixture in a dish and into the freezer, or into an ice cream machine.
Salty herb shortbread
Makes 15-20
125g butter
60ml sugar
300ml flour
45ml chopped fresh herbs (rosemary, lemon thyme and lavender)
a generous pinch of salt flakes
sugar for dipping
Cream the butter and sugar well. Mix in the flour and herbs.
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on greased baking tray.
Grease the bottom of a glass and dip in sugar.
Press balls flat with the glass, repeating sugar dip as needed.
Bake at 180°C for 15 to 20 minutes, until pale golden brown.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.