Alix Verrips has cooked on yachts, mansions and everywhere you can expect the 1% to live.
Cooking for the wealthy, has given her so many great recipes, that she decided to share them with the world in her book, Brunch Across 11 Countries.
Tumbet
Ingredients
500 g brinjals, cut lengthwise into 5-mm slices
1 kg potatoes, cut into 5-mm slices
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6–8 cloves garlic
125 ml olive oil
500 g red peppers, cored and seeded
500 g baby marrows, cut lengthwise into 5-mm slices
1 x 400-g can chopped or crushed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
15 ml sugar (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley for garnishing
Method
Salt the brinjal slices and place in a colander for 10–15 minutes to draw out some of the moisture and bitterness.
Season the potato slices with some salt and pepper.
Add 1 squashed garlic clove to the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan, heat over medium and fry the potatoes until lightly browned and nearly tender.
Drain on paper towels.
Remove the squashed garlic clove from the oil and replace it with a new one.
Fry the peppers in the oil, flipping them over occasionally, until their edges start to brown.
Repeat the whole procedure with the baby marrows as well as the brinjals.
Remember to rinse the brinjals well and dry them before attempting to fry the slices.
Once all the vegetables have been slightly cooked and browned, slice the remaining garlic cloves and add to the oil along with the tomatoes, bay leaf and sugar.
Simmer for 20–30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
Remove the bay leaf and break the tomato sauce down slightly by using a potato masher or a hand blender.
Cover the base of a large baking dish with some of the sauce, layer the potato slices on top, followed by the brinjals, baby marrows and peppers.
Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the vegetables, cover with foil and bake for 30–40 minutes. Remove the foil after 20–30 minutes to brown the top slightly.
Serve garnished with freshly chopped parsley and fried garlic slices.
Recipe from Brunch Across 11 Countries by Alix Verrips.The book is available for R339 on Loot.co.za. Click here to purchase