Sophia Lindop - A Unique Food Experience

Before and after...

So there you were thinking I was doing very little for the first few days of June...wrong!  We have been busy with the most exciting renovations to my kitchen facilities in order to enhance my cookery courses.  Although I have sand, dust, paint and metal screws strewn everywhere, my kitchen is a stunner!  Soon it will all be done, and the first courses have been booked! 

 

We also created an Italian kitchen on the side, and what started out as a scary hole in the wall (above), is now a voluptuous pizza oven (below)!

 

So, today the cupboards are being painted, the extractor fan and the hob are going in, and the light fittings are being installed - and soon the house will be clean, neat and tidy again, and I can't wait to welcome many cookery school participants into our new space in the very near future!

Chat again soon...

Skewers of Calamari with an Olive Oil and Oregano Dressing

 
I love these skewers of calamari with an olive oil and oregano dressing!  I got the idea from 'Paddy and Rick Stein's book' (yip, he actually let me page through it!!), and had fun playing with the idea.  Here's version 2 according to chef Sophia...

Serves 4
Serve 1 skewer per person
Difficulty - not at all!  The hardest thing is to find good quality calamari!
Preparation time - about 15 minutes
Cooking time - 30 minutes for the entire dish
Wine as accompaniment - a good Sauvignon Blanc

Ingredients
150 g to 200 g calamari per person
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
1 lemon to squeeze
1 small fresh red chilli, pips removed and chopped
450 g firm, yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut into slices of about 10 mm thick
About 6 large leeks, cut into thin slices
Oil to fry the leeks in
I found baby parsnips, and peeled about 4 per person (optional)
For the dressing
5 T extra virgin olive oil
1½ T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh oregano, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1.  Steam the potato rounds and the baby parsnips for 30 minutes.
2.  In the meanwhile, score the calamari with the tip of a sharp knife into a fine diamond pattern.
3.  Roll up the calamari, scored side outside, and thread onto four long, fine metal skewers.
4.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with the chillies, and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Set side.
5.  Heat a griddle pan until very hot.  Cook the skewers on the griddle, quickly, and over a high heat.
6.  Fry the leeks in a saucepan until brown, using olive oil.
7.  For the dressing: Whisk the extra virgin olive oil, the red wine vinegar and the oregano together and season.
8.  To assemble, toss the potatoes and parsnips in part of the dressing and place on a plate.
9.  Sprinkle with fried leeks.  Add one skewer per plate and drizzle with the remainder of the dressing.  Serve.

You might need more salt, so keep the Maldon sea salt handy.  The colours were beautiful, and I loved this dish!  I will definitely make this again!

Enjoy!!!

The Decanter World Wine Awards...hats off to SA!

The Cape Times reported on Monday May 18th 2009 that South Africa wines won 34 gold medals at The Decanter World Wine Awards that were announced at the London International Wine Fair the week before.  Hats off to our winemakers!!!  And to think that not too long ago, we were producing wine in a country that was spurned by the rest of the world! 

The Decanter Awards is one of the largest wine competitions in the world, with 10 285 entries this year from 2240 wineries internationally.

Here are some of the results:
    Tokara - 2 gold medals and 5 silver medals
    Cederberg - 3 golds and 1 silver 
    Fairview - 2 golds and 2 silvers
    Kanonkop - 2 golds and a silver
    Kaapzicht - 2 golds

And the great news is that Pinotage, the only truly South African cultivar, fared extremely well in spite of the fact that it has always been criticised by the international wine press.  Kaapzicht Estate Steytler Vision 2006 Pinotage won the South African Red Single Varietal in the more expensive category, and Kanonkop's Pinotage 2005 also won a gold medal!

Congratulations to all the winners!

Smoked Trout Bulbs

 

These Smoked Trout Bulbs are my latest 'invention' and I must say, one I am very excited about!  Here goes...

Serve one bulb per person
Difficulty - easy!
Preparation time - all of 15 minutes!

Ingredients
Smoked salmon, about two ribbons per serving
Cream cheese, about 2 heaped tablespoons per serving
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
Chives, finely chopped
Dill, finely chopped
Lemon and chives for presentation
Baguette rounds of about 5 mm thick, lightly brushed with olive oil for crostini

Method
1.  Cut a square of about 20 cm x 20 cm cling film per person.
2.  Cut the ribbons of trout in half and pack a square in the middle of the cling film of about 12 cm x 12 cm.
3.  Mix the cream cheese, the chives, the dill, a dash of lemon juice and the black pepper together.
4.  Place about 2 heaped tablespoons in the middle of your trout squares.
5.  Fold the four corners of the cling film together and twist to form a ball.
6.  Set aside to rest.
7.  Heat a pan.  Cut rounds of baguette (about 5 mm thick), brush lightly with olive oil, and brown in the heated pan.
8.  Place the crisp crostini on a plate, top with the trout bulb, and add a slice of lemon, chives, and a sprinkling of black pepper.

It was really yummy - my husband was impressed!

 

Kalinka in Oudtshoorn - a shrine of gastronomy!

 

Meet Olga...  My new friend and chef at Kalinka in Oudtshoorn.  Olga is from Russia, and started this restaurant a few years ago in this Karoo village.  A few years ago Paddy and I were driving through Oudtshoorn on our way to Prince Albert when we stumbled upon this shrine of gastronomy.  What was supposed to be a quick bite ended 3 hours, a bottle of wine, and 3 courses of beautifully executed cuisine later!  We also had the best service we had ever had from a waiter there!! 

So, en route from Prince Albert to Knysna last Friday, we called Kalinka only to listen to an answering machine that shared the sad news that Olga was only open or dinners...  Paddy missed part of the message so he called back, and Olga happened to answer.  She was in the kitchen preparing dinner.  When she heard it was us, she invited us to come for lunch, telling us that she would prepare something especially for us.  What a privilege!  She prepared 'our table' on the veranda of the beautiful Oudtshoorn home and we sat back and enjoyed whatever she brought from her kitchen...we're such suckers!

We cruised in there and left again 2 hours later, only 'cause we had to get to Knysna!  Olga's style is fresh and uncomplicated, and she produces the most amazing flavours!  Her wine list is exceptional - we enjoyed a 2005 Haute Espoir Reserve Chardonnay, with a rich golden colour!

When asked about the amazing service, Olga laughed and said, "It's my mom.  She 'owns' the waiters!"  Her mom trains the waiters and accepts nothing but the best!

I invite you to visit her website, but more than that, I urge you to visit her restaurant!  It carries my stamp of approval!

Spaghettini with Anchovies, Parsley and Crisp Breadcrumbs

 

This Spaghettini with Anchovies, Parsley and Crisp Breadcrumbs from Rick Stein's Mediterranean Escapes is one of my favourites!  In fact, this book has Paddy so inspired and excited that I have virtually been banned from my kitchen by my husband, who disappears into a cloud of steam and garlic vapours, and emerges some time later with the most scrumptious dishes - he has taken me on a joy ride of the Mediterranean.  This recipe is from Sicily...

Serves 4
Difficulty - easy!
Preparation time - about 30 to 40 minutes
Wine as accompaniment - a crisp little Italian number works well!  We had a little Grillo from Sicily

Ingredients
For the sauce
2 T tomato paste (and 2 T hot water)
5 T olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
10 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
175 ml water
400 g dried spaghetini
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the breadcrumbs
4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled
6 T extra virgin olive oil
225 g white breadcrumbs, made from a day-old white bread
8 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained
4 T chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method
1.  Bring 4,5 liters water to the boil in a large saucepan with 8 teaspoons salt.
2.  For the breadcrumbs, lightly crush the garlic under the blade of a large knife and place into a large frying pan with 5 tablespoons of the oil and place the saucepan over a medium heat.
3.  Fry the garlic until it just starts to colour, then remove and discard.
4.  Add the breadcrumbs to the oil and fry over a medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until crisp and golden.
5.  Spoon onto a plate and wipe the pan clean.
6.  Chop the anchovy fillets.  Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the chopped anchovy.  Cook over a low heat, breaking them up a little with a wooden spoon, until they have dissolved into the oil.
7.  Return the breadcrumbs to the pan, add the parsley and a little seasoning, and stir together well.  Set aside and keep warm.
8.  For the sauce, mix the tomato paste with 2 tablespoons hot water until smooth.
9.  Put the oil and garlic into another frying pan and place over a medium heat.  As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the tomato paste, anchovies and 175 ml water and leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
10.  Meanwhile, drop the spaghettini into the saucepan of boiling water and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until al dente.  Drain well and return to the pan.  Add the sauce and toss together well.
11.  Place the dish into a large pasta bowl or 4 individual bowls and sprinkle with with some of the anchovy breadcrumbs - serve the rest separately.

I salute my husband for executing this so well!!  It was delicious!!!!

Chicory and Green Bean Salad

 

This beautiful pastel-coloured Chicory and Green Bean Salad had my husband's jaw on the table last night!  It was refreshing and the flavour combinations were spectacular!  Here's what I did...

Serves 2 to 4
Difficulty - so easy!
Preparation time - about 15 minutes
Wine as accompaniment - Van Loveren Neil's Pick Colombar 2008

Ingredients
2 chicons of chicory, washed and separated into 'leaves'
180g fine French green beans, topped
Handful of pinenuts
Half a red onion, finely sliced
Avocado, sliced
White wine vinegar
Grapseed oil
Olive oil
Balsamic glaze
Maldon salt and lemon rind mixture (see last Blog post)

Method
1.  Heat the Grapeseed oil in a pan and flash fry the beans until tender.
2.  Add the pinenuts and cook until they turn golden brown.  Set aside and allow to cool.
3.  Sprinkle with Maldon salt and lemon rind mixture and toss.
4.  Place the chicory 'leaves' on a platter, and scatter the beans and pinenuts on top.
5.  Toss the onions in a dash of white wine vinegar (it neutralises most of the burn of an onion.)  Scatter on top of the salad.
6.  Toss the avocado slices in the left-over vinegar mixture and scatter over the salad.
7.  Drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

Enjoy!  Some people don't like the 'bitterness' of the chicory, but it truly is a fascinating flavour, and it helps when serving something slightly rich - it cuts through the richness and leaves one feeling less 'heavy'.  Hope you love it, or at least make an honest attempt to fall in love with it soon!

Lemon Infused Maldon Sea Salt

 

Maldon Sea Salt is one of those ingredients I cannot do without!  Have you seen the smoked version that has appeared here recently?  Anyway, my staff made way too much lemon rind at my function last Thursday evening, so I brought the rest home 'cause I would never forgive myself for tossing something that valuable!!  Anyway, here's what I did and a wonderful idea for you to try -

Lemon Infused Maldon Sea Salt

Quick and oh so easy!

Ingredients
Maldon Salt
Lemons

Method
1.  Use a microplane grater to make the rind.
2.  Allow the lemon or lime rind to dry a little so as to not add moisture to the salt. 
3.  Infuse Maldon salt with the rind, using proportions that work for you - I love lemon rind, so I used quite a bit.  Mix well and store. 

Use on salads, on lamb, beef or chicken, in pasta, with risotto and more.  Just remember that lemon rind turns bitter when cooked for too long, so add at the last minute.  This is also a great gift idea!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we are!

Tongue...

 
Late in 2008 I was asked to predict food trends for 2009, and here's the article that was published on the iAfrica website.  Number one on my list was ox tongue, and although many of you who are under 40 may be cringing right now, a lot of us grew up enjoying ox tongue prepared in a variety of ways.  I had two in my freezer that my mom had brought on their last visit, so I decided to play and have fun and come up with something new to do with tongue this year...  It was delicious!

Serves about 6 to 8
Preparation time - about 20 minutes
Cooking time - 5 to 6 hours for the tongue to cook, and about 30 minutes for the sauce

Ingredients
1 ox tongue 
250ml dry white wine
2 bay leaves
4 whole cloves of garlic
Half an onion cut into two
6 x black pepper corns
3 x all spice
Water to cover
For the sauce
1 red onion, finely sliced
Grapeseed oil to cook onion in
1 cup dry white wine (I used Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc)
2 cups stock (from the tongue) 
2 tablespoons treacle sugar
2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
125g pitted prunes
Salt to taste
250ml fresh cream

Method
1.  Combine all the ingredients for the tongue, and boil the tongue slowly for between 4 to 6 hours.  Peel the outer skin off and place aside to rest.
2.  To make the sauce: preheat the oven to 180°C and fry the finely sliced onion in the oil until golden brown; add the stock and the wine and boil vigorously for 15 minutes to reduce.
3.  Add the treacle sugar, the wholegrain mustard and the prunes.  Season with salt.
4.  Reduce for a further 15 minutes while also allowing the flavours to mingle.  Add the cream, heat through and set aside.
5.  Slice the tongue into slices of about 1cm thick.  Place in an oven dish.
6.  Pour the sauce over and bake in the preheated oven to heat through.

Serve on rice and with steamed broccoli stems and roasted beets.

Now sit back and feel proud - your great grandmother is looking down on you with a smile!

Chocolate Mousse (or Mouse, as Paddy calls it!)

 

I must confess, I have never made chocolate mousse before - mainly because every time I open the dessert menu of one of the many unimaginative restaurants and see chocolate mousse, I want to run away!  I have always felt that desserts and vegetarian meals are the most neglected sections on most menus.

But, last week I buried my disgust and made choc mousse for my cousin and aunt who were visiting from New Zealand.  I will definitely make it again!  A quick tip: this dessert is so rich and really doesn't need to be spoilt by serving it with cream or ice cream!  Here goes...

Preparation time - 20 minutes max
Setting time - about 5 hours
Difficulty - anyone can do this!
Serves 6

Ingredients
250g dark chocolate
250ml fresh whole cream
30g salted butter
2 extra large egg whites
60ml castor sugar
Optional: 15ml brandy or your favourite liqueur

Method
1.  Break the chocolate into blocks.  Add the butter.
2.  Place in the microwave on a low setting and melt by opening and giving it a shake or a stir every 30 seconds or so - remember that chocolate burns easily, so this is a necessary step.
3.  Slowly add the cream and place back in the microwave to heat a little - stir until all is melted and smooth.
4.  Beat the egg whites until peaks form.
5.  Add the castor sugar to the egg whites slowly and beat until the mixture is firm and shiny.
6.  Fold the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture.
7.  Now add the brandy or liqueur if you choose - I didn't.  Do not stir too much.
8.  Dish into martini glasses or espresso cups (or any other small bowl) and place in the fridge to set (about 5 hours.)  Garnish and serve...

Notes: 
a)  I used the Cadbury's chocolate which is sweeter - next time I will use a more bitter one...just personal taste.
b)  This is ideal to prepare early in the day, or even the day before your dinner.
c)  You can also melt the chocolate, butter and cream in a glass bowl placed over a saucepan filled with boiling water - I just find the microwave easier and quicker!

Hope you enjoy this recipe from my kitchen!