Cape Town - Summer seems to have been particularly tardy in arriving in the Western Cape this year, but at last there are days when the temperature soars sufficiently to let thoughts turn to salads and light, colourful fare, savoured outdoors, if possible.
Apart from the weekend braai, there are at least half a dozen suppers to produce each week, and most of them can be easily and speedily prepared by family cooks.
While it’s tempting to turn to leaves and other salad ingredients, tossed with oil and lemon juice and served with a sausage or two as the protein element, it’s important to keep a variety of veggies, pulses and healthy grains in the mix, even as the weather hots up.
The pace at this time of the year is hectic, with exams being written and offices and factories meeting end-of-year deadlines. Appetising, varied, vitamin-rich fare is required, that is also seasonal and preferably locally sourced.
What do contemporary and talented cooks recommend? Turning to two new just-published cookbooks written by enthusiastic local cooks, I found plenty of inspiration for the meals we need right now.
MasterChef SA finalists Sue-Ann Allen and Ilse Fourie met in Joburg, became roommates and pillars of support for each other during the stressful competition.
The two combine their cooking styles in an appealing collection, Gourmet Sisters, published by Human & Rousseau, which has also released Everyday Delicious by Christine Capendale. “Inspired by the West Coast” is the sub-title of her compilation, and this trained chef made her name with cooking classes in Langebaan.
Here is a quartet of recipes from these new additions to our ever-increasing list of homegrown gastronomic titles. - Myrna Robins
Roasted butternut and feta frittata
Frittatas always come up trumps when one has little time to shop or cook, and this meat-free example uses ever-popular butternut as its main filling ingredient, an affordable and nutritious staple vegetable.
You could add a little coarsely-chopped onion to the roasting pan as well, if preferred. Add a green leafy salad and wholewheat rolls to complete the meal.
Use a frying pan with an ovenproof or removable handle. This is Christine Capendale’s recipe.
1 medium butternut, peeled and diced
5ml (1tsp) sugar
salt and black pepper
20ml (4tsp) olive oil
50ml (3T plus 1tsp) butter
8 eggs
100ml milk or fresh cream
250ml (1 cup) grated cheddar cheese
200ml cubed feta cheese
10ml (2tsp) chopped fresh sage or chives
additional feta and sage or chives to garnish
Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix the butternut with the sugar, salt and pepper and olive oil, place in a large roasting pan. Roast for about 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C. Roast a further 15 minutes until lightly charred.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Mix the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together. Add the cheddar, roasted butternut, feta and sage to the egg mix and pour into the pan. Cook over low heat until the mixture is half-set. Place the pan in the oven and bake about 10 minutes at 180°C until egg has set. Cool slightly, then cut into wedges and garnish with fresh sage and crumbled feta. Serves 6.
Creamy green bean salad with bacon and walnuts
From Sue-Ann Allen, who loves green beans – on their own or in a stir-fry or with garlic, oil and parmesan cheese.
Here she combines this wholesome spring vegetable with nuts, bacon and cheese, adding up to a nutritious and well-dressed dish offering acidity, sweetness, salt and lots of crunch.
Check that the walnuts you buy are fresh: if in doubt, replace with locally grown pecans.
350g slim green beans
juice of 1 lemon
80g walnuts
150g bacon, diced
Parmesan cheese, shaved, to serve
Dressing:
10tsp nut or canola oil
2tsp honey
1tsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic
10tsp plain yoghurt
juice of 1 small lemon
half tsp salt
half tsp ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Trim the beans and add to boiling water with the lemon juice, and cook briefly until tender yet crisp. Spread the walnuts on a baking tray and roast for about 8 minutes.
Keep an eye on them as they burn quickly. When they turn a couple of shades darker, they are ready to remove from the oven.
Fry the bacon in a non-stick pan over medium heat until crisp, then set aside.
For the dressing, place the oil, honey, mustard, garlic, yoghurt, lemon juice and seasoning in a salad shaker or blender and blend until emulsified.
Toss the beans, nuts and bacon with dressing and serve with parmesan shavings .
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side dish.
Greek-inspred aubergine salad with herbed crostini
Sue-Anne Allen created this after her mother-in-law described enjoying it in Greece. It’s a balanced meal, suitable for slimmers, with low-kilojoule brinjals adding some calcium, magnesium and potassium, and feta providing low-fat protein. With its generous quantity of garlic and olive oil, it’s a robust yet light lunch on its own and would complement grilled hake nicely for supper.
2 aubergines, quartered and cut into blocks
olive oil
1T dried oregano
salt and pepper
300g vine cherry tomatoes
5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup basil leaves, large ones finely sliced
100g feta cheese, crumbled
juice of 1 lemon
Crostini:
1 cup olive oil
two-thirds cup basil leaves
half-cup flat-leaf parsley
2 cloves garlic
ciabatta, thinly sliced and slices halved.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss the diced aubergine in olive oil and the oregano, season with salt and pepper and arrange on a baking tray. Roast for about 15 minutes.
Toss the tomatoes and chopped garlic in olive oil and add to the aubergines, then return to oven for five minutes. Remove the tray and leave to cool.
Add the basil and feta to the roasted vegetables, and dress the mixture with 2 tablespoons of olive whisked with the lemon juice. Season to taste.
Make the crostini by heating the second measure of olive oil in a small pan, then add the basil parsley and garlic, and heat until the oil starts to bubble. Stir, and remove from heat.
Dip the sliced ciabatta into the herbed oil, then lay on a baking tray and place under a preheated oven grill for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Serves 4.
Beetroot, baby bean and macadamia salad
Young green beans feature in this appetising meal-in-a-salad from Everyday Delicious, complementing beetroot, with its many health-giving properties. Nuts add crunch, mushrooms and fresh asparagus lend a luxurious touch and cream cheese or Danish feta add protein. The dressing is delicious as well.
30ml (2T) butter
250g mushrooms, sliced if large
200g fine green beans
200g green asparagus spears
1 small pack mixed salad leaves
30g wild rocket leaves
250ml (1 cup) peeled, diced, cooked beetroot or baby beets
100g salted, roasted macadamia nuts
30g spring onions, cut into strips
125g Kiri cream cheese, cubed, or Danish feta
Dressing:
50ml good mayonnaise
40ml fresh cream
30ml (2T) honey
10ml (2tsp) balsamic vinegar
5ml (1tsp) curry powder or to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed
Heat the butter and sauté the mushrooms until just cooked, then remove from heat and cool. Steam the green beans for a few minutes, then refresh in iced water to retain their colour. Repeat process with the asparagus.
Combine the mushrooms, beans and asparagus, with remaining salad ingredients, in a large bowl. For the dressing, mix all the ingredients together and drizzle over the salad. Serves up to 6. - Cape Argus