January

Chimichurri

Makes 300ml

Ingredients

125ml olive oil

30ml red wine vinegar

125ml parsley, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

5ml fresh red chilli, finely chopped

5ml dried oregano

5ml flaked salt

black pepper, to taste

Method

Blend all the ingredients together in a food processor until combined

Rest the mixture for 5 – 10 minutes to allow infusion of flavours before use

This allows the oil to be infused with the additional ingredients

Alternatively, store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month

Serving suggestions

Marinade for grilled red meat such as beef or lamb
Use as a flavouring for vinaigrettes, dressings, mayonnaise and dips
Use it as a basting for seafood & fish
Combine with butter to use as a compound butter
Use as a condiment

Chimichurri is a piquant green sauce or marinade originating from Argentina. The dominating flavours are parsley and garlic.

Chimichurri falls under the classification of an uncooked green sauce. There are several varients of a typical green sauce based on their origin.

Italy – Pesto

Mexico – Salsa Verde

Morocco – Chermoulah

Yemen – Zhoug

February

Young Pickled Vegetables

Yield: 1kg

Ingredients

glass jar/s with lids, large enough to hold the vegetables

1kg mixed young vegetables (carrots, radish, turnip, cauliflower florets, fennel)

300ml white wine vinegar

600ml water

300ml granulated sugar

1ml salt

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

5 slices fresh ginger, peeled (3mm thick)

6 whole cloves

5 whole peppercorns

5ml coriander seeds

5ml yellow mustard seeds

3 fresh bay leaves

Method

Preheat the oven to 120°C.

Place the jar/s and lids in the oven for 15 minutes to sterilize. Keep in the oven until needed.

Wash and peel the vegetables and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, ginger and spices.

Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil, while stirring continuously. Set aside.

Carefully remove the sterilized jar/s from the oven.

Arrange the prepared vegetables into the jar/s alternately.

Pour the hot pickling liquid over the vegetables into each jar.

Make sure to fill each jar with the pickling liquid to the top.

Secure the lid onto the bottle and invert the bottle to allow for even distribution of the pickling liquid.

Allow to pickle for 5 – 7 days, depending on the size of the vegetables.

Basic Sweet Pickling Liquid Ratio

1 part vinegar (of your choice)

1 part granulated sugar

2 parts water

whole spices and aromatics, to taste

Basic Savoury Pickling Liquid Ratio

1 part vinegar (of your choice)

1 part granulated sugar

2 parts water

1ml salt, for every 300ml of vinegar

Pickling is the process of preserving food by either submerging it in a brine or a vinegar-based liquid. This allows for the shelf-life of these items to be prolonged. Pickling liquids are usually made using a combination of vinegar, sugar, water, salt & flavourings. Flavourings such as whole spices, and aromatics e.g. ginger and garlic are often used to impart flavour. Vinegars such as wine, apple cider, malt, balsamic or rice wine vinegar can be used to make a pickling liquid.

March

Sage Compound Butter

Makes 500g compound butter

Ingredients

Butter

1L fresh cream (raw is best)

5ml buttermilk

Compound butter

500g butter, room temperature

10g fresh sage, finely chopped

salt, to taste

Method

Butter

Combine the cream and buttermilk together in a bowl.

Pour the mixture into a food processor or blender.

At medium speed, whip the cream.

Continue processing the cream until the butter separates from the whey.

Remove the butter pieces from the bowl and knead together to combine.

Knead the butter for three minutes, or until buttermilk is no longer separating from the butter.

The prepared butter is ready to use, unsalted as is, if preferred.

To produce a compound butter, follow the process below.

Compound butter

Soften the butter in a food processor.

Combine the butter and the chopped sage in a food processor until it comes together.

Season with salt to taste.

Shape or mold the butter to preference.

Uses

Finish off dishes like Gnocchi, Meat & Risotto.
Incorporate into pastry or biscuits.
Use as a base for sauces utilizing butter as ingredient, e.g. Bechamèl.

Suggested flavour combinations

Lemon zest and fennel
Smoked paprika and chili
Garlic and rosemary
Lavender flowers

A compound butter can be made by whipping additional elements, such as herbs, spices or aromatic liquids, into butter.

April

Mustard Seed “Caviar”

Makes 500ml mustard seed “caviar”

Ingredients

500ml glass jar with lid

250ml white wine vinegar

125ml apple cider vinegar

125ml granulated sugar

5ml salt

125ml yellow mustard seeds

125ml brown mustard seeds

water, as needed

Method

Preheat the oven to 120°C.

Place the jar and lid in the oven to sterilize.

Combine the white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar and salt.

Bring the mixture to a boil and stir continuously until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the mustard seeds to the boiling liquid.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often and adding water by tablespoonfuls if the mixture becomes too dry.

Allow the mixture to simmer until the mustard seeds are plump, approximately 45 minutes.

Pour the warm mixture into the sterilized jar.

Secure the lid onto the bottle and invert the bottle to allow for even distribution of the pickling liquid.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Variations

The pickled mustard seeds can be used in different condiments, sauces and dishes.
Use it to prepare flavoured mayonnaise, vinaigrette or a marinade.

Yellow mustard seeds have a milder flavour than brown and black mustard seeds. Yellow mustard seed are often used in vinaigrettes, mayonnaise and curries or sprouted and used in salads, whereas brown mustard seeds are more often used in pickles, brining and meat roasts.

May

Lavender Sugar

Makes 250ml of sugar

Ingredients

250ml granulated sugar

5ml lavender leaves, picked

Method

In a bowl, combine the 100ml of the sugar and the picked lavender leaves.

Place the sugar mixture on a chopping board and chop until the lavender is fine and evenly dispersed.

Add the remaining 150ml of sugar to the lavender mixture and mix well.

Store in an airtight container in well ventilated area.

Uses

Lavender sugar can substitutedgranulated sugar in any suitable recipe, to prepare biscuits, custards, meringue and beverages.
Other herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary and tarragon can also be used to prepare flavoured sugars.
Additional flavouring ingredients can include citrus zest, ground spices and edible flowers.

Essential oils can be extracted from herbs, spices and tree bark and can then be used in food, perfumes and soaps. Lavender is a fragile herb – by chopping the leaves and breaking the cell walls, the essential oils are extracted and combined with the sugar. Other methods of extraction include steam, infusion and cold-pressing.

June

Spiced Noodle Broth

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

Spiced broth

2kg beef bones

150g fresh ginger, halved lengthwise

1 head of garlic, halved crosswise

2kg brown onion, halved lengthwise

4 cinnamon sticks

30ml black peppercorns

6 whole star anise

salt

30ml fish sauce

250g rice noodles

For serving

100g bean sprouts

16 pak choi leaves, rinsed

150g brown or exotic mushrooms, sliced and sauteèd

80g red onions, thinly sliced

1 medium green jalapeno, thinly sliced

10g fresh basil leaves

1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

Place the beef bones in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by 5 cm.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes to blanch the bones and remove any impurities.

Preheat the oven to 200°C on the grill setting.

Drain the bones in a colander and rinse under cold running water.

Return the blanched bones to the pot.

Place the ginger, garlic, and onions cut-side up on an oven tray and place in the top half of the oven.

Grill until lightly charred, or for approximately 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add to the pot with the bones.

Combine the cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, and star anise in a pan. Toast the spices over a high heat until fragrant. Add the toasted spices into the pot with the bones and aromatics.

Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover everything by 2 cm.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium to maintain a gentle simmer.

Skim any impurities or oil off the top of the broth throughout the cooking process.

Continue to simmer the broth for approximately 4 hours.

Using tongs, remove and discard the bones and aromatics.

Slowly strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer set over a large pot.

Skim and discard the fat from the broth, then stir in the fish sauce. Taste and add more as desired.

Divide the noodles among 4 bowls.

Spoon the hot broth over the noodles.

Garnish the bowls with the sprouts, pak choi, mushroom, red onion, jalapeno, basil and lime wedges.

Serve immediately.

Most seeds, barks, roots and other hard or solid spices can be toasted. Some examples are cumin, coriander, fennel, black peppercorns and cloves. There are some exceptions.

Tip:

When the spices are done toasting remove them from the pan immediately because they will continue toasting if they are left in a hot pan.

Spices with a very high oil content like cloves and sesame seeds toast more quicker. Be careful to burn the spices.

Warm the dry pan on a burner over medium heat, and then add the spices. Shake the pan or stir the spices frequently to ensure even toasting on all sides.

Tip:

By combining dark spices like black peppercorns with lighter ones like cumin or coriander, you can use the color change on the lighter spices to tell when the dark ones are done.

July

Rosemary Madeleines

Yields 60

Ingredients

Rosemary Dust

20g fresh rosemary sprigs

20g icing sugar, sieved

Madeleines

65g cake flour

2.5ml baking powder

2 large eggs

65g castor sugar

½ lemon, zested

65g butter, melted

Method

Rosemary Dust

Preheat the oven to 50°C.

Cut the fresh rosemary into 2cm sprigs

Spread the sprigs out on a lined baking sheet.

Place in the oven and dry for approximately 2 – 4 hours. Once completely dry the needles will easily fall off the sprigs.

Separate the leaves from the stems.

Place the leaves in a Pestle & Mortar and grind until fine.

Sieve the ground rosemary to ensure a fine dust.

Sieve the icing sugar and rosemary dust together.

Store in an airtight container.

Madeleines

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Sift flour and baking powder.

Whisk eggs and sugar to ribbon stage.

Add lemon zest.

Fold in flour in three batches, adding melted butter with the last batch.

Chill for 20-30 minutes until butter hardens and batter stiffens.

Spoon into Madeleine moulds until 2/3 full.

Bake ±5 minutes.

Allow to cool completely.

Sieve an even layer of the rosemary dust over the madeleines.

Serve immediately.

Uses

Flavoured sugar mixtures can be utilized in various ways including replacing the sugar that is used in baked products, for example biscuits, tuilles, butter icing and cakes.

The Madeleine is a traditional small cake originating from northeastern France. By using a flavoured sugar dust a new flavor experience is created, thus allowing versatility within a classic. Apart from Rosemary, other dusts such as berry, citrus or fruit dusts can be used to add flavour to a dish.

August

Garam Masala Spice

Makes 125ml

Ingredients

75ml cinnamon

10ml cumin seeds

10ml cloves

5ml black peppercorns

75ml cardamom seeds

2ml ground nutmeg

Method

In a coffee grinder, grind all the ingredients to a fine powder and keep in an airtight container.

Uses

Garam Masala can be used in a wide variety of dishes including curries, soups and roast. Most often it is used to add flavour to curry dishes.

Basic Indian Vegetable Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

30g clarified butter

150g onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, creamed

10ml ginger, minced

25ml red chilli, finely chopped

15ml Garam Masala spice mixture

250g assorted vegetables, cut as desired (baby marrow, brinjal, green beans, cauliflower, potato)

100ml plain yoghurt or vegetable stock

salt to taste

fresh coriander leaves to taste

Method

Melt the clarified butter in a saucepan.

Fry the onions for 5 minutes, or until they become translucent.

Add the garlic, ginger and chilli. Fry for a further 5 minutes over moderate heat until light brown.

Stir in the spice mix and fry for ±2 minutes.

Stir in the vegetables, then the yoghurt or stock.

Stir occasionally and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

Season to taste.

Serve topped with fresh coriander leaves.

Garam Masala is usually added to a dish towards the end of the cooking time. The spice and other seasonings are ground together to provide the base of a northern Indian dish. Nutmeg is a versatile and delicious spice, commonly added to desserts, pies, cakes, biscuits, bread and custards. It works just as well in savoury dishes.

September

Edible Petal Salts – Chive & Onion Blossom Salt

Makes

Ingredients

15ml chive blossoms, dried

15ml onion blossoms, dried

50ml maldon salt

Method

Dried blossoms

Trim the chive and onion blossoms from their stems and place on a lined baking sheet.

Leave in a cool, ventilated area to dry for approximately 1 week.

Toss every couple of days so that all sides are exposed to air.

Edible Petal Salt

Pick the dried chive and onion blossoms from their stalks.

In a bowl, combine the chive and onion blossoms with the maldon salt.

Store in an airtight container.

Uses

Flavoured salts can be used in marinades, dry rubs, pickles, sauces and as seasoning when cooking.

Use petals that are in season to create a variety of flavoured salts to use in different dishes throughout the year.

Not all flowers are safe to eat, but those that are can add a fresh burst of flavour and colour to salads, sauces, beverages and seasonings. Edible Blossoms that are ready for the picking in summer months include pansies, chives, onions, marigolds, nasturtiums, thyme, lavender and rosemary.

October

Aromatic Curry Pastes

Makes 50ml curry paste

Ingredients

Thai Green Curry Paste

5ml coriander seeds

3ml cumin seeds

4 fresh green jalapeno chili, finely chopped

2 fresh green bird’s eye chili, finely chopped

3 shallots, chopped finely

1 stalk fresh lemon grass, cut into thin rings

2cm fresh ginger, finely chopped

15ml fresh coriander with stems, finely chopped

1 lime, zested

5ml salt

3ml freshly ground black pepper

3ml grated nutmeg

5ml shrimp paste

Method

Place the coriander seeds in a small frying pan without fat and dry fry over high heat for about 2 minutes.

Crush the cumin and toasted coriander in a pestle & mortar.

Gradually add the chillies, shallots, lemon grass, ginger, coriander and lime zest.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg & shrimp paste and continue to grind to a creamy paste.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Optional: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Ingredients

Thai Red Curry Paste

5ml coriander seeds

3ml cumin seeds

8 dried red chillies, finely chopped

750ml boiling water

3 shallots, finely chopped

1 stalk fresh lemon grass, cut into thin rings

2cm fresh ginger, finely chopped

15ml fresh coriander with stems, finely chopped

1 lime, zested

5ml salt

3ml freshly ground black pepper

3ml grated nutmeg

5ml shrimp paste

65ml reserved chilli soaking water

Method

Place the chopped chillies in a large bowl and pour over 750ml boiling water. Leave to soak for approximately 30 minutes.

Remove the chillies and reserve the water.

Crush the cumin and toasted coriander in a pestle & mortar.

Gradually add the chillies, shallots, lemon grass, ginger, coriander, lime zest and 65ml chilli water.

Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg & shrimp paste and continue to grind to a creamy paste.

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Optional: Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth paste.

Basic Thai Vegetable Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

10ml vegetable oil

30ml green or red curry paste

250g vegetables, cut as desired (carrot, mange tout, eggplant, baby marrow, Chinese cabbage)

250ml coconut milk

10ml palm sugar

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil leaves, for serving

Method

In a saucepan or wok, heat the oil.

Fry the curry paste for approximately 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables and simmer on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in coconut milk and warm through.

Season to taste with palm sugar, salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve immediately.

Chillies are rich in various vitamins and minerals, the highest of which are vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin K and Potassium. Fresh curry pastes allow for more fragrant and aromatic curries than their premade counterparts.

November

Basil Cordial & Black Pepper

Makes 1L cordial

Ingredients

1L glass container

1L water

500ml granulated sugar

15ml citric acid

12 black peppercorns

750ml fresh basil leaves

Method

Sterilize the glass container by heating it in the oven at 180°C until needed.

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, citric acid and peppercorns over low heat.

Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Boil for 1 minute.

Remove from the heat, add in the basil leaves and stir well.

Allow basil leaves to steep until the mixture has cooled down completely.

Strain through a sieve to remove the basil leaves and peppercorns.

Pour into a sterilized glass container.

Store in the refrigerator.

Serve chilled with fresh basil leaves.

Uses

The cordial can be used to spice up any cocktail, beverage or sparkling drink.

Basil is a fragrant herb with notes of pepper, anise and mint. It’s also well-known for its immunity-enhancing properties, especially being anti-inflammatory as well as anti-bacterial.

December

Eggnog Ice Cream & Speculaas

Makes 6 portions

Ingredients

Eggnog Ice Cream

1L full cream milk

600ml cream

2ml vanilla essence

3 cinnamon sticks

5ml ground nutmeg

16 egg yolks

250g granulated sugar

Method

Scald the milk and cream while infusing the cinnamon (Allow to infuse for 2 minutes with the lid on)

Beat the eggs yolks then add the sugar little by little until fluffy and light in colour.

Strain the cinnamon out of the milk mixture.

Temper the warm milk mixture with the egg mixture, whisking continuously.

Return the custard to the heat and stir continuously until cooked (Nappè)

If using vanilla essence add at this stage.

Cool the custard and churn.

Pour the ice cream onto a lined baking tray and spread approximately 1cm thick.

Store in the freezer.

Optional Method

Should you not have an ice cream churner – scald only the milk when making the custard.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the cooled custard mixture before freezing.

Freeze in an airtight container overnight.

Place the frozen mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour the ice cream onto a lined baking tray and spread approximately 1cm thick.

Store in the freezer.

Ingredients

Speculaas

250g cake flour

2,5ml baking powder

pinch of salt

5ml ground cinnamon

5ml ground ginger

2,5ml ground nutmeg

2,5 ml ground cardamom

5ml mixed spice

100g light brown sugar

75g butter, cold

±30ml ice water

Method

Sieve together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.

Add the sugar and mix through.

Rub the butter into the flour mixture until fine crumbs form.

Add ice water little by little until the mixture comes together.

Form into a flat disc, cover and refrigerate for ±30 minutes until firm.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Roll dough out until ±3 mm thick.

Cut out 6cm rounds and place on baking tray.

Refrigerate for ±20 minutes until well chilled.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack and set aside.

Assembling

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and unmould.

Cut out 6cm rounds of ice cream.

Sandwich an ice cream round in-between 2 speculaas biscuits.

Place in the freezer and allow to freeze before serving.

Glossary

Nappè: The desired consistency of a sauce, at which it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Scald: To heat liquid almost to the point of boiling

Temper: To heat gently or gradually. May refer to the process of incorporating a hot liquid into an egg base.

Churn: A vessel or device in which a base mixture is placed and agitated in order to make ice cream.

Transforming warm Christmas spices into the perfect summer Christmas dessert. This is a very versatile recipe as the biscuits and ice cream flavours can be adapted to suit your taste.

Additional flavour combinations:

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Rooibos & Honey

Chocolate & Orange

Dark Chocolate & Mint