A host of local and international celebrity chefs will be appearing at The Good Food & Wine Show taking place at the Coca Cola Dome in Johannesburg from Thursday to Sunday.
They are Cake Boss Buddy Valastro, spice prince Reza Mahammad, Sweet Mandarin sisters Lisa and Helen Tse, Siba Mtongana of Siba’s Table, Giggling Gourmet Jenny Morris and Masterchef stars – Australia’s Matt Preston and locals Deena Naidoo and Leandri and Seline van der Wat.
Entrance tickets cost R125 for an adult, R50 a child under 12 and is free for children under 3. Tickets can be bought through Computicket or at the show.
For more information about the show and the chefs, visit www.goodfoodandwineshow.co.za
Here, Angela Day cooks up tasty recipes from some of the chefs who will be at the show.
BUDDY VALASTRO
The star of the TV show Cake Boss, he made his mark with the motto, “nothing is impossible”, when it comes to creating special-occasion cakes. We have all marvelled at the dimensions and magnitude of some of the cakes he has produced on the shows.
Carlo’s Bakery in New Jersey propelled Buddy and his family bakery to fame and fortune.
He now has five additional stores, a restaurant, appears in multiple TV shows and has written numerous cookbooks.
I tested his decadent double chocolate chip cookie recipe and found them quite addictive.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Makes 16-18
250g butter
250ml white sugar
125ml brown sugar
80ml dark cocoa powder
1 egg
5ml vanilla extract
30ml milk
500ml cake flour
3ml baking powder
250ml chocolate chips
Cream the butter and the sugars until light and fluffy.
Add the cocoa, egg, vanilla and milk, and mix until combined.
Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on to a greased baking tray, allowing room for spreading.
Bake at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray.
Store in an airtight container.
DEENA NAIDOO
This IT specialist was the winner of the first MasterChef SA competition.
After the win, Deena found his life at a crossroad. He had been given a restaurant in Joburg, but his life and family were in Durban.
Deena chose to stay in Durban, but still have an input in his restaurant, developing signature dishes and visiting regularly.
Deena recently joined the Fry’s company where he is developing a range of Durban-inspired products.
I tested his recipe for mussels and was impressed at how easy it was to prepare and how finger-licking good the sauce was.
MUSSELS IN CREAMY WHITE WINE SAUCE
Serves 4
60ml olive oil
20g butter
4 spring onions, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
3ml salt
45ml crushed garlic
100g button mushrooms, finely chopped
300ml white wine
15ml mixed dried herbs
10ml fish spice
800ml fresh full cream milk mixed with 1 packet of white onion soup
100ml fresh cream
15ml Dijon mustard
125ml grated Gouda cheese
20ml chopped parsley
salt and pepper
500g mussels in shell, washed
Heat the olive oil and butter. Sauté the onion, celery and carrot for 3-4 minutes. Stir in salt and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms and heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour in white wine and allow to cook out. Add dried herbs and fish spice.
Pour in milk and white onion mix and the cream. Simmer until slightly thickened.
Stir in mustard and cheese.
When cheese melts, add parsley, season if necessary.
Add the mussels and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
MATT PRESTON
Matt Preston, judge of the hugely successful Australian MasterChef, is as well known for his stylish attire and charming personality on the show as he is for his delicious food.
He is an award-winning food journalist, restaurant critic and the author of numerous cookbooks.
Matt’s recipe for couscous was simple to prepare, very tasty and a dish I will use again because it contains all my favourite ingredients.
JEWELLED COUSCOUS SALAD
Serves 4-6
250ml couscous
500ml boiling water
40g butter
15ml honey
2 carrots, quartered lengthwise, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 Lebanese cucumbers, diced
15ml cumin seeds, toasted and crushed
75g currants
70g pistachios
60g slivered almonds, toasted
zest of 1 orange
125ml coriander leaves
125ml mint leaves
salt and pepper
DRESSING
250ml Greek yoghurt
handful of finely chopped mint
Put the couscous in a glass bowl. Pour over the boiling water, stir and cover with cling-wrap.
Allow to stand for a few minutes until the couscous absorbs all the liquid. Fluff with a fork.
Heat the butter in a frying pan until melted, add the honey and carrots and cook over medium heat until the carrots are softened. Season well.
Combine all the ingredients just before serving so salad doesn’t get soggy and maintains its riot of textures.
DRESSING: Combine yoghurt and mint and serve on the side to splash on the couscous.
LEANDRI AND SELINE VAN DER WAT
These two sisters endeared themselves to both the viewers and judges on season 2 of MasterChef SA.
They may not have won the competition – they finished second and third – but they certainly used this opportunity to launch themselves in the food industry, becoming food writers, cookbook authors, TV presenters and brand ambassadors for Robertsons Herbs & Spices.
I prepared the sisters’ recipe for a seafood pasta and, even though I didn’t make the pasta from scratch, it still turned out delicious.
SEAFOOD PASTA WITH A GRAPE AND WHITE WINE SAUCE
Serves 4
300g tagliatelle
SAUCE
100g butter
half an onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of seedless white grapes, cut in half
half a teaspoon garlic flakes
half a teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt
half a teaspoon black pepper
250ml white wine
500g clams
200g baby squid
200g mussels
60ml cream
half a lemon, juiced
dill
1 fresh fennel bulb and chopped fennel leaves, to serve
Bring a pot of water to the boil with a good helping of salt. Boil the tagliatelle until al dente, according to the instructions on the packet. Remove and drain.
SAUCE: Heat the butter in a heavy-based pot and fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
Add the grapes, garlic flakes, dried parsley, salt and pepper and cook on a gentle heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the wine and cook for a further 10 minutes on a low heat.
Add the seafood at this point (maintaining the low heat) and cook for 5 minutes, until opened.
Finish the sauce off with the cream and toss through the cooked pasta. Add lemon juice to taste.
Serve immediately with some dill, some fresh fennel leaves and some thinly shaved fennel bulb.
The Star