Just add fresh herbs - recipes

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Chef Tony Kocke in the herb garden at Sibaya. Picture: Jacques Naude

Durban - Tony Kocke, executive chef at Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom, has been busy in the garden. Here are some of his recipes

Thyme Marinated Baby Chicken

(Serves 2)

1 whole baby chicken

50g thyme

60ml olive oil

Thyme Marinated Baby Chicken

.

5ml soya sauce

20g each salt, pepper, and garlic

10g lime zest

½ butternut

60g each green peas, green beans, potato

100g butter

The marinade:

Combine in a bowl the thyme, olive oil, soya sauce, black pepper, crushed garlic and lime zest.

The chicken:

Separate breast from thigh and drumstick, place in marinade for 90 minutes in the fridge. Then place chicken pieces on a roasting tray in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 25 minutes.

The butternut mash: Cut the butternut into quarters, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and roast for one hour. Then separate flesh from the skin and mash, adding a piece of butter.

The green beans:

Boil in salt water with thyme until cooked, drain, toss with butter. Season with salt.

The potato:

Peel, cut into 1cm cubes. Fry in olive oil for 10 to 14 minutes, then season with sea salt.

The peas:

Boil in salt water for 5 minutes and season with salt.

Winter Duck on potatoand Rocket Salad

(Serves 4)

1 whole duck

80g each onion and apple

60g oregano

10g salt pepper

40ml olive oil

60g butter

50g chervil

40ml red wine

1 orange

200g each rocket and cos lettuce

250g potatoes

To roast the duck:

Trim all excess fat. Stuff with orange and apple slices. Season with salt, olive oil, oregano and place in the oven for 75 minutes at 180ºC. Baste with its own juice till golden and crisp.

The potatoes:

Peel and slice the potatoes into 5mm thick disks, place in the pan with butter and cover with chicken stock. Cook for 20 minutes, topping up stock.

The dressing:

Mix red wine vinegar, honey and olive oil and add finely chopped oregano with salt and pepper.

The salad:

Wash cos and rocket, drain well. Place leaves on plate, put potato slices on leaves and top with chervil. Slice duck and place pieces on the potatoes. Drizzle with the dressing.

Chimmichurri beef roast

(Serves 4)

50g parsley

50g oregano

50g garlic

20ml lime juice

10g lime zest

10g salt pepper

60g onion

10g deseeded red chilli

20m tarragon vinegar

1kg sirloin

The chimmichurri:

Take the parsley, oregano, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, lime and vinegar and pulse in a food processor until it becomes a rough paste. Mix paste with olive oil and chillies. Let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.

The roast rolled beef:

Take the sirloin and butterfly it, then cover the inside of the beef with the chimmichurri paste. When finished, roll the beef, tie and secure with butcher’s string. Season the beef roll with salt and pepper on the outside and roast in the oven for 40 minutes at 180º until medium. Take the meat out the oven, cover with tin foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. Then slice and serve with the remaining chimmichurri. - The Mercury