Crayfish Soup

1 pound crayfish tails

1 teaspoon salt

4 ounces butter

1 cup onions, thinly sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salad herbs

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 piece lemon rind

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup light cream

Heat 1-1/2 quarts water in a large saucepan to boiling. Add the lobster tails and salt, and simmer until tender. Remove lobster tail meat from shells, coarsely chop and set aside. Reserve stock.

In another large saucepan, heat the butter and sauté the onions for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, herbs, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and lemon peel. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the wine and 4 cups lobster water. Boil soup and cook for 10 more minutes. Force soup through a food mill, then return to the pot.

Vis Kop Sop (Fish Head Soup)

Bones and head of medium size Yellowtail

1 liter water

1 liter milk

3 medium potatoes, peel and dice

1 medium onion, peel and dice

1 stalk celery, diced

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 teaspoons Robertson's fish spice (optional)

Salt and pepper

1 cup cream

Place bones and head of yellowtail in a medium saucepan, add water and boil for 30 minutes.

Add the milk and boil mixture for a further 10 minutes.

Strain the liquid to remove the head and bones.

Return the liquid to the saucepan and add, potatoes, onion, celery, parsley.

Boil until the potatoes are soft.

Working in batches purfify the liquid in a blender, then return to the saucepan.

Add cream and then season to taste with salt and pepper and fish spice.

Cape Kedgeree

2 ounces butter

4 cups cooked fish, flaked

2 cups cooked rice

4 hard-boiled eggs, separated into whites and yolks

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the fish and rice and stir gently to combine. Chop the egg whites and add to the pan, along with salt, pepper, and milk. Stir gently until heated through. To serve, garnish with egg yolks, passed through a fine wire sieve.

Gesmoorde Snoek

4 Large Onions, Finely chopped

250 grams Butter

4 Large Potatoes, Boil, Skin, Cube

1 Kilogram Smoked Snoek, Boned and Flaked

Worcestershire sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Nutmeg

Fry onions in 60g butter un til translucent. Add potatoes and snoek, ,with with a fork. Add remaining butter, Worcester sauce, pepper and nutmeg, stir over heat until butter has melted and mixture is well combined. Serve at once.

Serve with Rice and Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

Try using smoked salmon instead of the Snoek.

Tomato Bredie

1 kilogram beef or mutton shoulder

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon butter

2 teaspoons sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 onions -- chopped

6 ripe red tomatoes

1 70 gram can tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

1 1/2 cups water

1 chicken stock cube

3 potatoes -- diced

1 tablespoon potato flour

Cube the meat. Heat the oil / butter mixture in a big, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the butter discolors.

Add the meat in batches and stir-fry until brown. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Season the browned meat with salt and pepper.

Brown the onions in the remaining oil. When golden, soft and glazed, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, chili, paprika, garlic, herbs, water and stock cube. Bring to a slow simmering boil.

Add the prepared meat. Simmer the bredie very slowly for 2 hours. Add the cubed potatoes and continue simmering for another 1/2 hour.

Thicken the gravy with a little potato flour mixed with water.

The bredie improves with keeping. Prepare a day in advance and leave to mature in the refrigerator.

Reheat and serve with fluffy steamed rice to which a handful of chopped parsley has been added.

Cape Curry

Meat

1 kilogram beef, mutton or chicken

1 onion -- chopped

1 bay leaf

6 peppercorns -- coarsely ground

2 cups stock or water

Curry Sauce

4 medium onions, chopped

4 tablespoons oil

4 cloves crushed garlic

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon meat masala

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mixed herbs

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon cinnamon

6 cardamom seeds, cut open

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon sugar

5 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped

1 cup grated carrots

1 green pepper, diced

juice of 1/2 a lemon

2 cups stock from cooked chicken or meat

To Make Meat

Simmer the chicken or meat with the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns in the water or stock until done.

Remove all skin (in the case of chicken), bone and gristle.

Cut or break the meat into finger-sized strips or cubes.

Reserve the stock.

To Make Curry Sauce

Saute the onions in the oil. When limp and golden-brown, add all the spices from garlic to the sugar. Stir fry lightly to develop the flavour. Add the vegetables, lemon juice and reserved stock and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

Add chicken or meat and bring to the boil. Then shut off the heat and allow to mature overnight (in a non-reactive container).

Reheat just before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve with rice and sambals.

Frikkadels

750 grams minced beef

45 milligrams butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 thick slice white bread

2 large eggs

5 milligrams salt

1 milligram ground pepper

1 milligram ground allspice

Heat 15 ml of the butter in a large frying pan and saute the onion in it for about 5 minutes. Soak the bread in a little water and squeeze dry, then mash with a fork. Combine the onion with the mince, bread, eggs, salt, pepper and allspice and shape into balls. Heat the remaining butter, margarine or oil in the frying pan and brown the frikkadels, a few at a time for about 5 minutes on one side. Turn them over and brown the other side, then turn down the heat slightly and continue cooking the frikkadels for about 10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes and an onion and tomato sauce (train smash)

Sousboontjies

200 grams dried sugar beans

30 milligrams butter

30 milligrams sugar

30 milligrams water

60 milliliters brown vinegar

2 milligrams salt

Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain, and cover with fresh water in a saucepan and cook for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve hot as a vegetable or cold as a salad.

The beans can also be packed into jars, sealed, sterilized and stored. Store in the refrigerator once opened.

Bobotie

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 tablespoon butter

500 grams mince (combination of beef and lamb)

2 onions -- chopped

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 cup grated carrot or apple

Spices

2 teaspoons curry powder1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch red chili powder or cayenne pepper

Seasonings

1 tablespoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper1 tablespoon wine vinegar

2 slices white bread

2 bay or lemon leaves

Topping

1 cup sour cream or 1/2 cream + 1/2 yoghurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch pepper

2 eggs

Stir-fry the mince in the oil and butter until loose and crumbly, using a fork. Add the chopped onion and stir-fryuntil limp and glazed. Add the garlic, grated carrot and spices. Continue cooking very briefly to develop all flavours.Season with salt, pepper and wine vinegar or lemon juice to taste. Soak white bread in water, lightly squeeze out water and mash with a fork, then add to mixture.

Spread the mixture into a flat ovenproof dish. Tuck the bay or lemon leaves into the mixture.

Beat together all the ingredients for the topping with a fork.

Pour the topping over the bobotie and bake uncovered at 190 C (375 F) for 35 minutes until the custard topping is firm and golden-brown.

Serve with yellow rice, chutney, sliced bananas and a diced tomato and onion sambal.

Oxtail Potjie                 

6 pounds Oxtails cut 2 ½ inches thick pieces

10 slices Bacon cut in 1 inch piecs

1/2 cup Flour seasoned with salt and pepper

1 litre Beef stock

1 can Hunt's tomato sauce

1Bay leaf

6 Black Peppercorns

1 Bouquet Garni

6 large Leeks, chopped coarsely

2 large Onions, chopped coarsely

6 large Carrots, chopped coarsely

20 Button mushrooms

1 cup Red Wine

1/2 cup Sherry

1/2 cup Cream

2 tablespoons Butter

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Crushed garlic

Dry oxtails with paper towel.

Put seasoned flour in a Ziplock bag, then add the Oxtail and shake to coat with flour.

Heat butter and olive oil and saute bacon pieces.

Remove bacon and brown Oxtail in resulting fat, remove and drain.

Finely dice 4 of the carrots. Coarsely chop the onions and the leeks.

Add the finely diced carrots, leeks, onions and saute until softened

Add Oxtail, bacon, bouquet garni, bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, tomato sauce, red wine, sherry.

Bring slowly to a boil and cook slowly for 3 - 4 hours.

1 hour before serving cut the remaining carrots into 1 inch pieces, add them and mushrooms and continue cooking slowly.

Just prior to serving, add cream and stir in.

If you want to thicken the sauce mix some cornstarch with the cream before adding.

Sosaties

2 pounds lamb, cut into 1" pieces

1 pound pork, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 garlic clove, peeled

Salt, pepper

4 tablespoons oil

1 cup onions, chopped

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

2 cups white vinegar

2 tablespoons apricot jam

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in

2 tablespoons red wine

1/2 pound dried apricots

1/2 cup dry sherry

Place the lamb and pork pieces in a large bowl that has been rubbed with the clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.

In a saucepan, heat the oil. Add the onions and sauté for 5-6 minutes, then add the curry powder and garlic. Sauté for another minute. Add the sugar, tamarind paste, vinegar, and jam and stir well. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the onions, and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens. This should take about 3 minutes. Cool, then add to the meat and toss well. Marinate for 2-3 days.

One day before preparing the sosaties, combine the dried apricots and sherry in a small bowl, cover, and let sit overnight in the refrigerator.

Drain meat from sauce and reserve. Thread lamb, pork, and apricots on skewers. Grill over charcoal until browned on all sides. Serve with heated marinating sauce.

Crayfish Salad

8 - 3 ounce crayfish tails (Use rock lobster if in the USA)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup celery, cut into 1/2" dice

1/2 cup honeydew melon, cut into 1/2" dice

Lettuce, for presentation

Lemon wedges

Bring water to boil in a large stewpot. Add lobster tails, salt, and lemon. Cover, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Cut around the edge of the underneath side of the shell and remove the meat. Cut into 1/2" pieces. Place in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the curry powder, paprika, and ginger. Add the mayonnaise to the lobster, and add the celery and melon. Combine gently. To serve, place lobster mixture on bed of lettuce, along with lemon wedges.

Melon Salad

1 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups water or fruit juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 Spanspek (Use cantaloupes if in the USA)

1/4 watermelon

Salt, pepper

2 tablespoons muscadel or port

Mint, for serving

In a small saucepan, place the sugar, water, lemon juice, vinegar, and ginger. Heat to a boiling, stirring well. Continue boiling for about 5 minutes, then strain syrup through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl. Cool.

Meanwhile, de-seed the cantaloupes and watermelon. Using a melon baller, collect balls and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then sprinkle on the muscatel. Toss gently. Pour syrup over melon balls and refrigerate for several hours before serving. To serve, decorate with mint sprig.

Mielie Bread

2 cups biscuit mix

1 cup creamed corn

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup whole milk

2 ounces butter, melted

In a large bowl, place the biscuit mix, creamed corn, and sugar. Add the egg and milk, and

stir just until combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9" baking pan. Place mieliemeal mixture into the

pan, and coat with the melted butter. Bake for 20 minutes.

Soetkoekies

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup brown sugar

4 ounces chopped almonds

1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup port or sherry

1 egg white, beaten

Combine the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, brown sugar, and almonds in a large bowl. Add the butter and cut into the flour mixture. Add the beaten eggs and red wine and mix dough together vigorously until it can be formed into a ball.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a rough circle about 1/4" thick. With a cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2" rounds. Arrange the rounds about 1" apart on a buttered cookie sheet. Continue cutting cookies, then brush each gently with the egg white. Bake for 15 minutes - until golden brown. Remove to a rack to cool completely.

Melktert

500 grams puff pastry

7 milligrams butter

1 milligram salt

1 stick cinnamon

750 milliliters boiling milk

10 milligrams custard powder

15 milligrams corn flour

15 milligrams cake flour

25 milliliters cold milk

125 milligrams sugar

4 large eggs, separate out yolks

2 milliliters almond extract

cinnamon sugar

Line the bottoms and sides of 2 pie plates with the puff pastry and make a raised edge for each.

To make the filling, add the butter, salt and cinnamon to the boiling milk. Mix the custard powder , cornflour and cake flour to a paste with the cold milk. Stir in a little of the milk mixture. Stir the custard mixture into the hot milk, add 50 ml of the sugar and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Remove from the stove when it has thickened and discard the cinnamon. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar. Beat the egg yolks lightly and stir in a little of the custard mixture. Stir the yolks into the custard mixture, then add the almond extract. Carefully fold in the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the pastry cases and bake at 200 C for approximately 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 180 C and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the filling has set. Cool slightly and sprinkle the tart with cinnamon sugar.

Rusks

2 cups unbleached white flour

2 cups whole wheat bread flour (coarsely ground if possible)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup melted butter

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the dry ingredients. Combine all the wet ingredients, pour them into the dry ingredients, and stir until you have a soft dough, similar to biscuit dough. Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll or pat it to about a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut the dough into rectangles about 2 by 4 inches. Bake the rusks about 2 inches apart on buttered baking sheet for about 25 minutes until the tops are crisping and browning a little. Now, eat a few "soft" rusks warm from the oven. Loosely pile the rusks on a baking sheet and keep them in a 200 degree oven all day or all night (about 12 hours) to dry. The finished rusks should be very dry and hard. Cool and store in an airtight container. Rusks will keep for weeks.

Variations

Oatmeal-Raisin Rusks: Reduce the white flour to 1 1/2 cups and add 2 cups rolled oats and 1/2 cup currants or chopped raisins.

Almond Rusks: Add 1 cup chopped almonds and omit the cinnamon.

Peanut Rusks: Add 1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts.

Anise Rusks: Omit the cinnamon and almond extract and add 2 tsp. pure anise extract or 1 Tbsp. anisette.

Souskluitjies

120 g cake flour

10 ml baking powder

2 ml salt

15 g butter

1 egg

125 ml milk

butter and cinnamon sugar to serve

Sift the dry ingredients together and mix in the butter with vinegar’s until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix egg and milk and add to above. Boil water (must be about 3 cm deep) with a pinch of salt in a casserole with a lid. Use a teaspoon dipped in boiling water to put spoonfuls of the dough into the boiling water. Cover with tight fitting lid and cook slowly for 10 minutes (Don’t peek, as this will cause the dumplings to "fall down" and become rubbery) Remove from heat, pour into a serving bowl and put dots of butter on top. Sprinkle a lot of cinnamon sugar over and serve with vanilla custard.