BILTONG QUICHE
Serves 4-6
400g frozen short crust pastry, defrosted
30ml olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
250ml grated cheddar cheese
250ml frozen corn
45ml chopped parsley
80g sliced biltong
4 eggs
250ml cream
salt and pepper
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 22cm quiche pan. Prick the base. Cover with a sheet of non-stick baking paper, fill with dried baking beans and bake blind at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until pale golden brown. Remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for 5 minutes to dry out the base. Allow to cool. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Cover the base of the pastry with the cheese.
Add the cooked onions, corn, parsley and biltong. Beat the eggs and cream together and season well. Pour into the pastry case and return to the oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until filling is set. Cool slightly before serving.
MAIZE MEAL BAKE
Serves 6
750ml water
10ml salt
30g butter
500ml maize meal
15ml olive oil
200g chorizo sausage
1 onion, chopped
1 green, red and yellow pepper, diced
5ml dried oregano
250g mushrooms, chopped
410g can whole kernel corn
1 chilli, chopped
410g can tomato and onion mix
250ml grated cheese
Bring the water, salt and butter to the boil. Add maize meal, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring regularly. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chorizo until crisp. Add the onion, peppers and oregano and fry for a few minutes. Add the mush-rooms and fry. Stir in the corn and chilli. Stir the chorizo and vegetable mixture into the maize mixture and spoon into a greased oven dish. Spoon the tomato and onion mix on top and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melted and golden.
LEMON MERINGUE PIE
200g packet of tennis biscuits, crushed
100g butter, melted
385g can of condensed milk
125ml lemon juice
5ml grated lemon rind
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
160ml castor sugar
Combine the biscuits and melted butter. Press into a greased ovenproof dish. Combine the condensed milk, lemon juice, rind and egg yolks and mix well. Pour this onto the biscuit base.
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then gradually beat in all but 15ml of the castor sugar.
The mixture should be thick and glossy.
Pile the mixture on to the filling and sprinkle with the reserved castor sugar. Bake at 160°C for 20-30 minutes until pale golden.
Switch off the oven and allow the pie to cool in the oven for another hour, before removing.
MILK TARTLETS
PASTRY CRUST
100ml castor sugar
150g soft butter
1 egg
500ml flour
FILLING
1 tin condensed milk
500ml milk
15ml butter
50g cornflour
2 eggs
5ml vanilla essence
cinnamon for sprinkling
PASTRY CRUST: Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well before adding the flour. Divide the dough into four portions. Gently roll out a portion of the dough on a well-floured surface, roll the dough loosely on to the rolling pin, then roll it out over a 12cm mini pastry case.
Press the dough into the corners, trimming the edges. Repeat with remaining portions of pastry. Bake blind for 20 minutes at 180°C.
FILLING: Combine the condensed milk, 450ml of the milk and butter in a small pot and allow to come to boiling point. Mix the remaining 50ml milk with the cornflour, then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, return it to the pot and allow it to thicken while continuously stirring.
It should take about 5-7 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon. Refrigerate until set.
Angela Day, The Star