tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1870109749152136542024-03-13T23:12:01.566+02:00Ziets' RamblingsHere you will find travel stories and recipes. Lots of foody stuff that you can cook aboard. And some yarns.
Especially those that come out during the wee hours on watch.
And these are all mixed up. Enjoy your sojourn!
The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.comBlogger277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-81717015331592825062021-11-29T13:19:00.000+02:002021-11-29T13:19:08.202+02:00A Variation on a Theme: Gujarati Inspired Fish Curry<div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9q0u8CAg3oa5wWLMGfz1CUwq_rEHo_bpB3DG_h80Fz9uwgqIiOPuGUDe3kd87dZgZ7D3muKk-KmhcqcSMuDOCqyk72LgXModxTUIlPolGxSMK9Homx_FjDYnA0C0-XOZlfPSe9U6EdAh/s640/Yogurtfishcurry+4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ9q0u8CAg3oa5wWLMGfz1CUwq_rEHo_bpB3DG_h80Fz9uwgqIiOPuGUDe3kd87dZgZ7D3muKk-KmhcqcSMuDOCqyk72LgXModxTUIlPolGxSMK9Homx_FjDYnA0C0-XOZlfPSe9U6EdAh/w640-h480/Yogurtfishcurry+4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />The inspiration for this wonderful dish came from a recent<a href="https://poonambachhav.blogspot.com/2021/11/gujarati-kadhi-recipe.html?fbclid=IwAR2nHAQVhSu2YzRLaEyDofUJ1VzvBzCAtnFH36p3ERDjPPRwCBx73so1vjE" target="_blank"> Facebook post by Poonam Bachhav</a>. We love curries in various guises and formats, and this recipe offered an opportunity to experiment.<div><span id="docs-internal-guid-01ddb775-7fff-d842-2a33-051bdc1f4b14"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Living in the Cape Town area in South Africa has its advantages. In terms of food-related advantages, the Cape Colony was established as a halfway station for replenishment of shipping traffic on the spice route. We have a fusion of culinary arts known as the Cape Malay cooking style as a direct result, not to mention the availability of interesting herbs and spices. However, the availability is seasonal, and not all the herbs and spices of the Orient are available here. We also tend to fall into culinary habits and stop experimenting.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this case, the Gujarati Kadhi recipe really interested me. While it is a dish on the sweet side, and vegetarian to boot, I thought that such a dish may serve as the basis for a fragrant fish curry. I am a serious meat eater, but not averse to using purely vegetarian dishes as a side to a main meal of meat, especially as a side to meat done on the coals. It is summer here and braais are the in thing. This dish also goes easy on spices, stepping away from the big, bold flavors of the Cape Malay or Durban style curries that we are used to here. It also provides a welcome change from the traditionally heavy meals that we eat here.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was so excited about the possibilities of this dish that bought a fresh hake and had it filleted. This fish is light and cooks to a flaky consistency, which presents a risk of disappearing into the dish when overcooked. My thoughts went out to people living inland, who may not have access to fresh sea fish. This recipe will also work with carp or bass. Carp also flakes when cooked. All the inland fishes will work, but the skins need to be removed, else the food will taste muddy. Carp and hake need to be firmed up, bass not so much, as it is a game fish. Do this by thawing the fish to room temperature, then placing it on a paper towel and salting with coarse or rock salt to cure for at least an hour. The salt will extract some juices from the fish and the flesh will firm up.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This specific dish is made with curd, buttermilk, or yogurt as the main body of the sauce. This sauce is flavored with spices of choice, then thickened with gram flour. I reckoned that such a thick sauce would be wonderful for poaching delicate fish. The only problem that I had was that such a dish would be mushy, with no texture. However, that problem was soon solved by the inclusion of peas and sugar snap peas. These also cook fast and provide sweetness instead of the palm sugar in the original recipe.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />As this was a new experiment, I decided on a simple flatbread made of yogurt, wheat flour, water, and salt to serve as a side dish. This is an easy dough and can be made earlier to allow time for resting.</span></p><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ingredients</span></h1><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the curry</span></h2><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">800 g - 1 kg fresh hake fillets, cubed</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 cup plain yogurt</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 shallots, roughly chopped</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 thumbs fresh garlic, grated</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼ bell pepper, diced</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 dried lime leaves</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 dried chilies</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A thumb of fresh ginger, grated</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thumb length of cinnamon bark</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5xqyuGmPt9PhKVIOmYdF0My0g-ibOBtyHkHfWr0Kl7QQ4sLGDrNhLR-pzZSEW8tSgENfN1x3SvC8x_7ZBFn8hA7sIwjDwAbuye_oWndIrxWT3Azc3MkYWjpzd7UgkMJKq9sq3BGUstg4/s640/Yogurtfishcurry+3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz5xqyuGmPt9PhKVIOmYdF0My0g-ibOBtyHkHfWr0Kl7QQ4sLGDrNhLR-pzZSEW8tSgENfN1x3SvC8x_7ZBFn8hA7sIwjDwAbuye_oWndIrxWT3Azc3MkYWjpzd7UgkMJKq9sq3BGUstg4/w320-h240/Yogurtfishcurry+3.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ - 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">¼ teaspoon turmeric</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ cup fresh peas</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DX5pKZE1wzBbtcOQ4jHT_BFeVDuNzkvpGKQhXIVIKqJ8lCKQLCCJF6Ypd8AcjTyEst3ktS6wUeR26IB9Y-ui5JqMpvveBZLQzRdyhgmEjuRU_gt9QyTyZ3aILhEIll18fW_tl15-WIrY/s640/Yogurtfishcurry+2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DX5pKZE1wzBbtcOQ4jHT_BFeVDuNzkvpGKQhXIVIKqJ8lCKQLCCJF6Ypd8AcjTyEst3ktS6wUeR26IB9Y-ui5JqMpvveBZLQzRdyhgmEjuRU_gt9QyTyZ3aILhEIll18fW_tl15-WIrY/s320/Yogurtfishcurry+2.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ cup sugar snap peas</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2x star aniseed</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 cardamom pods, bruised</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1x finger length lemongrass stalk cut lengthwise and bruised</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 ½ teaspoon garam masala</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some cayenne pepper or chili powder to taste</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sprig of coriander leaves for garnish</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ lemon or whole lime for the zest and the juice</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 - 4 tablespoons gram flour to thicken the sauce</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salt and pepper to taste</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water as required</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></p><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 18pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the bread</span></h2><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 cup wheat flour</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ cup plain yogurt</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">½ teaspoon salt</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water as required</span></p><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-top: 20pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Method</span></h1><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cube the fish, lay the cubes on some paper towel, salt it using coarse salt, then set it aside to cure for at least an hour, preferably longer. Now the bread dough may be made and also set aside to rest. Take care not to make the dough sloppy, as it will go softer as it rests. You need soft dough for this bread.</span></p><div><span><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YErowvMei6kNqpe2hXiETiLjX5-TI7HbPfL-LN4I-St8hzD1tyatytmq_JBJLoPdlfjIXxz_oZznCnUXAMaBfzFcdaU12qHwGmldV_PyZ08u7kS8LISWKy05_Uw4U0Pr_pZe1pKP-b1b/s640/Yogurtfishcurry+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YErowvMei6kNqpe2hXiETiLjX5-TI7HbPfL-LN4I-St8hzD1tyatytmq_JBJLoPdlfjIXxz_oZznCnUXAMaBfzFcdaU12qHwGmldV_PyZ08u7kS8LISWKy05_Uw4U0Pr_pZe1pKP-b1b/w400-h300/Yogurtfishcurry+1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fry the whole spices in a dollop of oil or ghee until fragrant. Add the grated ginger, garlic, and dried chilies and fry until fragrant, then add the onions. Fry until translucent, then add the yogurt. Lower the heat and add the turmeric, lemongrass, and lime leaves. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is where things may get tricky. The thickness of the sauce needs to be adjusted by adding the gram flour. Cornflour may also be used. This is the last time that the dish can be stirred. After the fish is added, stirring will break the fish up into a mushy mess. The salt should now be adjusted to taste, as well as pepper and spiciness using chili powder. Add the garam masala, the zest from half a lemon or a whole lime at this point too. The lemon or lime juice may be added later, just before serving.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD08FjryxWy7OqCG7KQ8d3mOyXL1Z6_9yZxeJI34Jniaw8lht48QzQxxSMwmJz5lH5HcDoYJcJ7zSURfAMALbsZOYnZZjgDjVpeKnRf_71YyTAuBiDe19VwAkPY8UCP_3SkmN3smmHgclb/s640/Yogurtfishcurry+5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD08FjryxWy7OqCG7KQ8d3mOyXL1Z6_9yZxeJI34Jniaw8lht48QzQxxSMwmJz5lH5HcDoYJcJ7zSURfAMALbsZOYnZZjgDjVpeKnRf_71YyTAuBiDe19VwAkPY8UCP_3SkmN3smmHgclb/w400-h300/Yogurtfishcurry+5.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once you are happy with the taste and flavor profile of the dish, add the peas, sugar snap peas, then the fish. Make sure that the mix is boiling before adding the fish. Turn down the heat and wait five minutes, then shut the stove off. There will be enough heat in the sauce to cook the peas and fish to al-dente consistency.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To make the bread, simply take golf-ball-sized dollops of dough and roll it out to resemble a pancake. Fry this in a dry pan until done. The yogurt in the dough gives the bread a roti-like consistency.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dish up and serve with the chopped coriander leaves as garnish.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bon appetit!</span></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Authored by Johan Zietsman</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Last edited on 29 November 2021</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-30589187833246522492020-10-25T22:01:00.004+02:002020-10-25T22:01:59.073+02:00A Celebratory Dinner: Lamb Korma and Crusty Persian Rice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bbKb3qnyrUmrtoH-wonqmPrgFKX1xEFwfuaxV0TlEORx7Vi0VBxrhLujdjeZlqEY2CW9afxZI1Fb5Up8YFkjjVJr1pvtdG6hDjEqkaC7pxXkvOpa7AyXnYErv_eeqmH1GH7yZLhK0evr/s2048/20201025_191605-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-bbKb3qnyrUmrtoH-wonqmPrgFKX1xEFwfuaxV0TlEORx7Vi0VBxrhLujdjeZlqEY2CW9afxZI1Fb5Up8YFkjjVJr1pvtdG6hDjEqkaC7pxXkvOpa7AyXnYErv_eeqmH1GH7yZLhK0evr/w640-h480/20201025_191605-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Today, forty-two years ago, I asked a girl out on a date. The rest is history. So, we had this small anniversary coming up and I was thinking of something out of the ordinary. Especially in the light of the COVID-19 lockdowns and its side effects.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now, forty-two years is not as special a date as a twenty-five or fifty, but there you go. It came to me that expressions of love are not limited to physical efforts or presents. It also comes in giving something of yourself in appreciation. And what better way than cooking a special dish for your loved one. Then both of you can share the joy. In the end, the effort is not in the physical work involved, it is more in applying the mind to come up with a proper recipe, something out of the ordinary. Kahneman wrote at length about his.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">My choice fell on a korma, with a special rice dish. Lamb korma with a nutty sauce and a flavourful and crusty Persian rice. Tahdeeq. These are dishes that I have not come across often in an eight-year foodie adventure. Time for shaking the tree, I thought.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The korma is made with lamb in this case. Make sure the meat is at room temperature and quite dry before you start. Get meat with some bones in, the bones add extra flavour to the dish. Roast the nuts, it adds a proper flavour to the dish. I used cashews for this dish. Almonds also work. Fry the meat in a dry pan in small batches, else it boils. You need the caramelisation in the pot, this becomes the stock. </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Remember some salt while you are frying the meat. You also need to get the sauce up to standard before simmering the meat in the flavoured sauce. Some of the nuts may be held back to use as a garnish, the rest is blended with the onions to make a thick sauce. </span>The garlic/chili/ginger mix needs to be 1 chili, ½ ginger, ¼ garlic by volume. <a href="https://www.the-hungry-sailor.com/2012/01/green-masala-and-cooking-with-hot.html" target="_blank">Get a recipe here</a>. I would not venture into the variations of dry masala powder. Just use your favourite. This dish needs to be flavourful, but not strong and spicy. Remember, you are working with very light and subtle spices.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmX7EaxfF-JTGWKC5tIw2WlXsr5Q_1A9U_uR-O1SYK7Bl44o8dVXVodmMIt0MZNZhnkQ3rWiCdtNH3KS-wsDLHXo0VXK4xvOs3pVd54BW-xEChN3Rmak5xegzz8NButpqRg4lmRBS0o512/s2048/20201025_160732-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmX7EaxfF-JTGWKC5tIw2WlXsr5Q_1A9U_uR-O1SYK7Bl44o8dVXVodmMIt0MZNZhnkQ3rWiCdtNH3KS-wsDLHXo0VXK4xvOs3pVd54BW-xEChN3Rmak5xegzz8NButpqRg4lmRBS0o512/w320-h240/20201025_160732-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The process for the </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">rice </span><span style="font-family: arial;">is quite simple, with a cheat to make it easy. The rice needs a crust, which tends to stick to the pan. I get around this little problem by lining the pot with waxed paper. No sticking, and it is easy to lift the rice out of the pot and invert it on a plate. The rice uses coconut powder. You can use coconut milk to boil the rice, but it is lost when the rice is rinsed. The rice is steamed at the end, which calls for a lid that seals properly. Use a wet tea towel if you are uncertain.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">These two dishes require the same effort and time as any alike everyday dishes, but some extra care is required in the sequence of the process. The korma is done first, then the rice is started only when the meat part is done. This is done deliberately to allow the korma to rest and develop flavour, so do plan enough time for this sequence of cooking.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The result is absolutely worth the extra bit of effort.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>For the korma</b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">750 g lamb shoulder, cubed</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 ½ cup plain yogurt</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 ½ cup cashews, roasted</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 onions, finely chopped</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 ½ tbsp. of your favourite garlic/chili/ginger mix or your own fresh stuff</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 ½ tbsp dry masala, your favourite mix</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 tsp garam masala</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 tbsp rose water</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">¼ cup apple cider or white vinegar<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2 black cardamom pods (black elachi)</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Seeds from 3 pods green cardamom, shelled and roasted</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 cinnamon stick</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A sprig of fresh coriander leaves for garnish</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Salt to taste</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pepper to taste</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Oil/ghee</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>For the Persian crusty rice</b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1 cup basmati rice</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2-3 tbsp coconut powder</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I cinnamon stick</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3-4 pods cardamom (green elachi)</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Pinch of saffron, powdered and steeped in ½ cup hot water.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Dollops of butter</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Oil/ghee</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Coarse salt</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some fine salt to taste</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Waxed paper to line the pot. Proper waxed paper.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Here is what you do</b></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Roast/fry the cashews in a dry pan until they start to show dark brown stains, then set aside to cool. Ensure the meat is quite dry, then fry the cubes in a dry pan. They will start to caramelise and leave some caramelisation in the pan. You need to do this in batches, else there will be too much fluid in the pan and the meat will go grey. Set the meat aside while preparing the sauce.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRWp-BtFwkbajgHRk6UEkHbfNLz-Y1iIWEsrFmSIVpGNAb8ohV8m5G8gHAz8fD2ZyDrkOQZyInitSjBXJrbZEiRyg5pyeT0-TJwOwNeTmsBqJ5Xq6LFknfsHen3yaYyNkzeF1JmJ57Ae7/s2048/20201025_180325_HDR-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYRWp-BtFwkbajgHRk6UEkHbfNLz-Y1iIWEsrFmSIVpGNAb8ohV8m5G8gHAz8fD2ZyDrkOQZyInitSjBXJrbZEiRyg5pyeT0-TJwOwNeTmsBqJ5Xq6LFknfsHen3yaYyNkzeF1JmJ57Ae7/s320/20201025_180325_HDR-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygGyKHokcNV4bfn1doHrhLgTYxOvDSxV5TO1W-wC5xg1s21bX9zz7CD4brpt4n3DpHiv-lHUv9f3m2XbfBrF2b8U3yDkM6L3r1hJW0YIaRf-srdOciJPF0uGVk3NAfXquh6HN6CqEsu4m/s2048/20201025_180701-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiygGyKHokcNV4bfn1doHrhLgTYxOvDSxV5TO1W-wC5xg1s21bX9zz7CD4brpt4n3DpHiv-lHUv9f3m2XbfBrF2b8U3yDkM6L3r1hJW0YIaRf-srdOciJPF0uGVk3NAfXquh6HN6CqEsu4m/s320/20201025_180701-01.jpeg" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The sauce, in this case, is onions, fresh garlic, ginger, and chili, along with the cardamom (elachi) and cinnamon. Add some oil to the caramelised pot, add the dry whole spices and fry for 20-30 seconds until the flavours come out, then add the onions. Fry until translucent. Add the fresh spices or spice paste and fry for another minute or two. Add the vinegar to deglaze the pot. You want the caramelisation in the sauce as stock. Now add your favourite dry masala, the yogurt and the roasted cashews. The cashews may be substituted with roasted almonds. Keep a few nuts for the garnish in the presentation. Mix thoroughly, then blitz this lot with a blender. Check for sufficient salt. If you don’t have a blender you need to chop the onions quite fine or grate them before frying. The cashews may be crushed in a coffee mug with the back end of a spatula or your chef’s knife. Or use your favourite mortar and pestle. The coffee mug idea works a treat and you get a crunchy texture in the sauce. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To this lot add the meat, turn the heat down and simmer the meat until quite soft. Dilute the sauce with water if required and make sure it doesn’t catch. If it does everything goes bitter and you will have to start over. When the meat is done to your satisfaction, add the garam masala and rose water, douse the gas hob, and allow the dish to rest.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVenyJB6gJcYhhE-RxQzx9Pyc84okYLlsKnvB3o5TrIRcwqC1x1O2JyfscWoJPuBeqyQqUeRPr2NKfUCqfWsEQ0qPBpdQ26uG2Qd4gg0LYrbCl-dqSw-EL2uao0hw-YqEwxxu8RX3MiUAs/s2048/20201025_191244-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVenyJB6gJcYhhE-RxQzx9Pyc84okYLlsKnvB3o5TrIRcwqC1x1O2JyfscWoJPuBeqyQqUeRPr2NKfUCqfWsEQ0qPBpdQ26uG2Qd4gg0LYrbCl-dqSw-EL2uao0hw-YqEwxxu8RX3MiUAs/s320/20201025_191244-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now you start with the rice part. Add water, rice, and some salt and the cinnamon and cardamom. Boil this until the rice is partly done. Now rinse the rice. It will stop cooking. This is where the cheating part of the process comes in. Clean </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkG5XBAJUGVHQK2asatiApoxRJxCIEopOxLH0aiddYd_-tR8EtlZvZPvQ1BYCPZ_GpUxzgYIeqls6ceJmFOkMXvgyGooVhnpV9wlWynTd1KICBRUWyzLk5PJ-5PheHE-4V_TQpeOo_mhL/s2048/20201025_191157-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZkG5XBAJUGVHQK2asatiApoxRJxCIEopOxLH0aiddYd_-tR8EtlZvZPvQ1BYCPZ_GpUxzgYIeqls6ceJmFOkMXvgyGooVhnpV9wlWynTd1KICBRUWyzLk5PJ-5PheHE-4V_TQpeOo_mhL/w320-h240/20201025_191157-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a>the rice pot, then line it with waxed paper. Use proper waxed paper, else the paper will wilt into the rice. Into this goes a dollop of cooking oil or ghee and about a dessertspoon of coarse salt, sprinkled around. Do not use olive oil, the flavours clash with the rest of the dish. Some dollops of real butter are then added before the rice is sprinkled on top. Check and adjust for saltiness. Steep the saffron in ¼ cup of boiling water. Add the coconut powder to this, then sprinkle this over the rice in the pot. Set a tight-fitting lid and cook at medium heat for another 15-20 minutes. Don’t lift the lid, you want to steam the rice in pilau-style. When the rice is done, lift the whole lot out of the pot by the wax paper and invert the rice between two plates. The waxed paper will come away freely and you will have a wonderful crusty rice dish with an intact Tahdeeq.</span></p><br /><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For dishing up you put the korma in a dish for the table and garnish with coriander leaves and the rest of the nuts. Serve the rice next to this. After all, this is for a special occasion and the presentation of the food is as much part of the experience as the aromas and flavours.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope that you will enjoy this as much as we did.</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPinP14Jlii7FM3NdUsrmn5-sBmS4C2JB8ilvfUDeyxphe038mN3ifE4D3nwjZ2_p0G_mNd5_UAgPh-xPvmxhSCW75o2Qu26UisDRffRZuENttAGyseARkYTolZpogZHQP1SU0AyaxBBxz/s2048/20201025_191946-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPinP14Jlii7FM3NdUsrmn5-sBmS4C2JB8ilvfUDeyxphe038mN3ifE4D3nwjZ2_p0G_mNd5_UAgPh-xPvmxhSCW75o2Qu26UisDRffRZuENttAGyseARkYTolZpogZHQP1SU0AyaxBBxz/w300-h400/20201025_191946-01.jpeg" width="300" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Bon Appetit! <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Authored by Johan Zietsman</span></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Last updated on 2020-10-25</span> </span></p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><br /><p></p>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-55111951485436281802020-07-08T23:31:00.001+02:002020-07-08T23:31:18.833+02:00Spinach, Peas and Bacon Risotto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLC_6q15q2tTiAGsVHmIr4wGZ-s3vKArIwaw-T6chvk9x-TSRogrCyNuaJYSDF5nCciajxxocWeiRjTR91qIVKv6egxtzwdTqapXSSsGu-7rYB2A0YsrTkoi8m8Qz7Rokg2FN_srkKUkC/s800/20200707_200855.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLC_6q15q2tTiAGsVHmIr4wGZ-s3vKArIwaw-T6chvk9x-TSRogrCyNuaJYSDF5nCciajxxocWeiRjTR91qIVKv6egxtzwdTqapXSSsGu-7rYB2A0YsrTkoi8m8Qz7Rokg2FN_srkKUkC/w625-h469/20200707_200855.jpeg" width="625" /></font></a></div><font face="arial"><br /></font><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">These lockdown times play weird tricks on one’s mind.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The limit on movement outside one’s property is taking its toll but also making space for some creativity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In my case, it is yet another dish.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We all love food, so I guess it is to do a little experimenting in the kitchen.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font face="arial"><br /></font></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial"><span class="Apple-converted-space">Risotto is one of those soul-food dishes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If you slap it together you get back a tasteless dish.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You have to prepare this dish with love and care.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> I</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">t is also quite simple to make and use but a few ingredients, hence the caveat. The dish is also quite easy to mess up.</span></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">I have made plenty of risottos of many descriptions over the past few years, but never a green one.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A brief internet search revealed plenty of recipes with green colour; so I thought a green dish will be in order.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> I also thought it good to do another experiment with spinach.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have had my fill of leafy creamed spinach dishes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They all taste the same to me.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A rice dish has more elements to play with, so there are more options for getting some excellent flavours along with the nourishment of spinach. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><font face="arial"><br /></font></span></p><font face="arial"><br /></font><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">My choice fell on a variation of risotto with peas, pancetta, and taleggio cheese. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The taleggio is not available in our neighbourhood, so I substituted that with camembert.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I also did not have pancetta, so I used some locally made smoked bacon.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For those that do not eat pork, this may be substituted with any smoky bacon style meat.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The meat itself is almost a garnish, you need the flavours and saltiness in the meat.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I also like some onion flavours in the dish, so I used half a brown onion and two leek sections of about six inches long (150mm).</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">For the de-glazing, I used dry white wine, but half a cup of apple cider vinegar works a treat too.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This dish does not get cream, but that was again my option of staying on the less rich side.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I used the camembert cheese for the rich, creamy part.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> </span></font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheibqrfcR9Za4_vn2zJhl8iRMVQLeL6r2nfRqZrGoX0n26-HIqZz3jO3QcaQRhqm6ZbG-LkOH98ggt_DWFO_eB6bt9w-SrcoZ6Y8vzBaITdreYRCkZoDxkjQBqB0r2ecCJumq7uFUpI0tk/s800/20200707_190308.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><font face="arial"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheibqrfcR9Za4_vn2zJhl8iRMVQLeL6r2nfRqZrGoX0n26-HIqZz3jO3QcaQRhqm6ZbG-LkOH98ggt_DWFO_eB6bt9w-SrcoZ6Y8vzBaITdreYRCkZoDxkjQBqB0r2ecCJumq7uFUpI0tk/w400-h300/20200707_190308.jpeg" width="400" /></font></a></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">The quantities here are enough for eight to ten servings, depending on whether you have to feed hungry teenagers or more sedate adults.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You also may take a shortcut by parboiling the rice separately, then adding it to the dish.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have not done it this way, so I am not able to vouch for the resultant flavours of the shortcut.</font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><font face="arial">Ingredients</font></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><font face="arial"><br /></font></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">1 ¾ cup arborio rice</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">1 cup fresh or frozen peas</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">150g spinach</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">250 g bacon, chopped</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">½ brown onion coarsely chopped</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">2 sections leek, cut into thin wheels</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">500 ml chicken stock</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">½ cup dry white wine or apple cider vinegar</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">150 g camembert cheese, chopped into small blocks</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">1 clove garlic, finely grated</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">¼ tsp chilli powder or cayenne pepper</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Salt<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Black pepper to taste</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Some oil or ghee for frying</font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Some grated parmesan cheese for garnish</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQW-fSoOY-nrEVc0sYVL3tGEpk7uIynh_TJA4g80527_ciRCdcdliCa5Q73OkVqa0eIIG25hfa14dz-bfswUksZCC511X3I5cxG2KmsygJb2KJcm3Ds3PEuNeTP7E9RYiJZ8eYp4gGT0Z/s800/20200707_191319.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQW-fSoOY-nrEVc0sYVL3tGEpk7uIynh_TJA4g80527_ciRCdcdliCa5Q73OkVqa0eIIG25hfa14dz-bfswUksZCC511X3I5cxG2KmsygJb2KJcm3Ds3PEuNeTP7E9RYiJZ8eYp4gGT0Z/w400-h300/20200707_191319.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial"><b><br /></b></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial"><b>Process</b></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial"><b><br /></b></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial"><br />Wash the spinach, wilt it in hot water, then blitz it in the blender to get a fine paste.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Keep it aside.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Fry the bacon bits in light oil till it is done.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Take care not to overdo this, it is not intended for crispy bacon at breakfast.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Remove the bacon from the pan and keep it aside.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Now fry the onions and leeks in the pan. Add some oil if the pan is too dry. Don’t mind the caramelisation from the bacon, this will become extra stock. Add the garlic for the last minute of frying, then add the rice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Fry the rice lightly and stir to ensure that all the grains get some flavour.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></font><font face="arial">Remember to add some salt at this stage.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Now add the wine to deglaze the pan.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>All the caramelisation should be coming off and into the stock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The heat now is turned to low, no need for heavy boiling.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Add the chicken stock in smallish quantities and stir the rice to ensure even absorption. </font><span style="font-family: arial;">Add the cayenne pepper or chilli powder.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Keep on adding stock in little quantities and stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the pan and burn.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a mushy dish; it will burn quite easily.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">The bacon now comes back, as does the peas and the blended spinach.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Taste for saltiness after adding all the ingredients.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Remember that the bacon adds a lot of salt too. Add some black pepper too.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-6_JvJtLxenWGsPoXZF2NRW4GO3jAoo2O-giTVdx0PbIGHziwjbtX-IAdb8hFntOwKMXVq7rbTArgVsMUFKlBq1gooGVxoo-wLWg2xd2s3OUfhpYK8cczxwcvioF0qIYEeW8AmeMHEE5/s800/20200707_200938.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-6_JvJtLxenWGsPoXZF2NRW4GO3jAoo2O-giTVdx0PbIGHziwjbtX-IAdb8hFntOwKMXVq7rbTArgVsMUFKlBq1gooGVxoo-wLWg2xd2s3OUfhpYK8cczxwcvioF0qIYEeW8AmeMHEE5/w400-h300/20200707_200938.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">When the rice is almost done the camembert is added.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Stir it through properly and give it time to melt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I shut down the stove and allowed the dish to rest with the heat in the pan and its own heat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I like to think that this helps to develop flavour.</font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Then dish up, garnish with some parmesan cheese and enjoy your green risotto.</font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Bon Appetit!</font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Authored by Johan Zietsman</font></p><p class="p2" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><font face="arial"><br /></font></p><p class="p1" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><font face="arial">Last updated on 2020-07-08</font></p>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-17125880033808049352020-06-03T23:13:00.002+02:002020-06-03T23:14:30.710+02:00Lockdown Green Chicken Curry<p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_KKRxwkmCRTqY0sAiGD07uCKUpmMAykcIx55R1bR6mg4J0jRpPooQHohI7ijAq7TY2QBChUHQi4UN-8_6YHDBO3-E_VUdOeZYNCpyqKdRfAikXn7c4hDR0fcK84t8sSC5dRyZJpO2Wno/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_KKRxwkmCRTqY0sAiGD07uCKUpmMAykcIx55R1bR6mg4J0jRpPooQHohI7ijAq7TY2QBChUHQi4UN-8_6YHDBO3-E_VUdOeZYNCpyqKdRfAikXn7c4hDR0fcK84t8sSC5dRyZJpO2Wno/w640-h480/20200603_200157-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 24px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">It is winter her in the Cape Town area. We are making hot food, soul food. ‘Tis the time for stews, while all my foodie friends in the northern hemisphere are raving about summer fruit and vegetables, and fruity drinks alfresco.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">This dish is the direct result of a challenge on handwriting, where I stuck my neck out on a dish that I have never made before. A green curry using spinach. Yes, that stuff that nobody wants to eat. So much for keeping a low profile. An abject lesson in system linkage; news tends to travel across social boundaries. I should have known.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke: 0px rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font: 400 16px helvetica; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; float: right; font-family: times; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: right; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEsMXcMSD0uQmnNqU8malNP-XYt4Bq5qwPRfxpp7wccf4YJerqRLnnNpOwf4yQsNpJU9PAP8tQCi9BmsIBmH-DigAxJSxNylN6UN7iQsW27uQuwQfBvYDU7GbK56XxN1vGEeHtdC8_U26/" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 24px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIEsMXcMSD0uQmnNqU8malNP-XYt4Bq5qwPRfxpp7wccf4YJerqRLnnNpOwf4yQsNpJU9PAP8tQCi9BmsIBmH-DigAxJSxNylN6UN7iQsW27uQuwQfBvYDU7GbK56XxN1vGEeHtdC8_U26/s320/20200603_181820-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blended spinach. I doubled this quantity<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">A quick Google search came up with a load of recipes of varying ingredients. I decided on my own fusion of flavours. A basic dish using spinach, coriander leaves, and mint as the base for the sauce. Add to this some roasted cashews for flavour, a dash of lemon juice and yoghurt for the sauce and we are in business. I decided against lamb for the meat, as it takes long to cook. More of this option later. I opted for chicken breasts with the bone on. The marrow and the cartilage add flavour and some texture to the sauce. The sauce needs to be mushy, so take care not to burn the sauce.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">This was an out-and-out experiment. One of the better experiments in the kitchen I have ever had, if you will. The dish is easy to make, and the result is astounding. A serious contender for the top of my default recipe log. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD9Og-K_5r8FQ0GoKVuFO7a27j1Dcp_Mpqhs2KJqY3GWLl446AnR-31RPq6Hs1j3NhJJRLQBoVTrBQe_LXntYjRrT7uSt67rNwuu7sllRtlnZTKwr7HlMejgrQ4LFvE9EbgDYNT6TFz21/" style="clear: right; font-size: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguD9Og-K_5r8FQ0GoKVuFO7a27j1Dcp_Mpqhs2KJqY3GWLl446AnR-31RPq6Hs1j3NhJJRLQBoVTrBQe_LXntYjRrT7uSt67rNwuu7sllRtlnZTKwr7HlMejgrQ4LFvE9EbgDYNT6TFz21/w320-h240/20200603_181224-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dry roasted cashews<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Asian spice dish recipes tend to come with a list of ingredients that is quite long, as they use their own mix of spices to make their masalas. I have a masala that I make according to a Cape Malay recipe from Cass Abrahams, which I use for all my curries. You may use your own. The supply of chillies suitable for curry is intermittent here in my neck of the woods, so I standardised on a curry paste that will keep a month or two in the refrigerator. <a href="https://www.the-hungry-sailor.com/2012/01/green-masala-and-cooking-with-hot.html"><span class="s2" style="color: #813a5f; font-kerning: none; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">You can find the recipe here</span></a>. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The green ingredients for this dish are all leafy. So, we blitz the sauce with a blender to get a smooth consistency. For flavour, I added dry roasted cashew nuts. Just a ¼ cup will do. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">The meat can be either chicken or lamb. I opted for chicken on this round, as the chicken cooks quite fast. This time I used chicken breasts cut into bite size portions. I left the skin on, as the fat adds some flavour to the dish. You will need a napkin and a dish for the bones, and you will need to use your hands. Remember to lick your fingers clean before you start eating…</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLp3H0029ed5HLUcm0Kmg0WY6UiuJVWCB1pTfGfhUhLBb283ue4nje9ZJbOoA8V0UCGhzFOmSSXJHOTlIgyPMFKl-WbwbYXwRGkSFAkFJef4TyAnCcyZy3bT3uq3v49ELqsRrhyphenhyphen26yXHL/" style="clear: right; font-size: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLp3H0029ed5HLUcm0Kmg0WY6UiuJVWCB1pTfGfhUhLBb283ue4nje9ZJbOoA8V0UCGhzFOmSSXJHOTlIgyPMFKl-WbwbYXwRGkSFAkFJef4TyAnCcyZy3bT3uq3v49ELqsRrhyphenhyphen26yXHL/w320-h240/20200603_181732-01.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blended coriander and mint<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Fry the meat in batches until it gets brown, then keep aside. If you want to use lamb, do the same, but then simmer the meat in some water until it is tender. The sauce of this dish is too thick to stand long simmering, it may burn. Keep the stock from the lamb, you will need it to dilute your sauce as required.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">I blended the green ingredients separately, but there is no need for that with a little planning beforehand.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Here is the recipe.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Ingredients</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">750 g chicken breasts, bone in, cut into bite sized portions</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">1 large onion, coarsely chopped</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">¼ cup fresh mint leaves</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">1 medium size very ripe tomato, finely chopped</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">½ cup fresh coriander leaves</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">1 cup fresh spinach destemmed and coarsely chopped. Maybe more. I used about 120 grams.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">1-2 tbsp chilli, garlic & ginger paste</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">2 tsp dry masala powder, your choice of flavours</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">½ cup plain yoghurt</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Juice of ½ lemon</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">¼ cup cashew nuts, dry roasted</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">1-2 tsp garam masala to taste</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Oil/ghee for frying</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Salt</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxbfYkDPWt9DXo5quTR18JvN9QEqT6lukTqCPntiUJXJ-rFerE-TfU-o24RRaXUAJLGsSFjL1ninJrZAFedGELcoUTgz2ywD1bSo_YiZOY22QCKOGkgihEVdmfDnNGPHFAqsX-VxBA8aG/" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 24px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxbfYkDPWt9DXo5quTR18JvN9QEqT6lukTqCPntiUJXJ-rFerE-TfU-o24RRaXUAJLGsSFjL1ninJrZAFedGELcoUTgz2ywD1bSo_YiZOY22QCKOGkgihEVdmfDnNGPHFAqsX-VxBA8aG/s320/20200603_182107-01.jpeg" /></a><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Process</b></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">This is the easy and fast version, not what I did.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Fry the chicken in batches in ghee/oil until it gets brown. Set aside. Fry the onions until they start getting brown, then add the curry paste or fresh spices and the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Remember to add a little salt. Stir fry for thirty seconds or so, the add the spinach, tomato and some yoghurt. The acid in the tomato will pick up the caramelised meat from the bottom of the pan, adding to your stock. The mix will be quite dry, so you may need to add a touch of boiling water or yoghurt. Not too much, the sauce needs to be mushy. Add the dry masala and the roasted cashews. Stir carefully to prevent burning. Then blitz with the blender until you have a smooth, mushy sauce.</span></p><br /><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Now add back the meat and turn down the heat to very low. Add the lemon juice. Simmer this for about half an hour or until the meat is tender. In the case of lamb, you would have cooked the lamb until tender before adding to the mushy sauce. When the meat is done, add the garam masala, mix through and turn off the heat. Let the dish rest while you cook the rice. My version came out slightly off-green, as my spice paste is made from red chillies. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3i3o_F-Di6jZo5G8LYgSRT4HCrBmPw3UJgiZXFwNDi0bSnqukeICi5ZKJ3FvqBpkQbU3y6UgSVCez3DyMyECyY0z1EYLJ_gZXk1CxUPJtDJlMPZnK9kjme2bw7ffOA-lmCxp5F1Pz9_w/" style="font-size: 24px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ3i3o_F-Di6jZo5G8LYgSRT4HCrBmPw3UJgiZXFwNDi0bSnqukeICi5ZKJ3FvqBpkQbU3y6UgSVCez3DyMyECyY0z1EYLJ_gZXk1CxUPJtDJlMPZnK9kjme2bw7ffOA-lmCxp5F1Pz9_w/w400-h300/20200603_200150-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">While the dish is resting, cook the rice. I used basmati rice. Don’t even bother to flavour the rice, the main dish has overpowering flavour. However, with the thick sauce a roti may just be the optimal answer.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Now dish up. I did not have the inclination for any additional side dish tonight. This was enough balm for the soul on this cold Cape winter night.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Bon Appetit!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Authored by Johan Zietsman</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;">Last updated on 2020-06-03</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: helvetica; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-kerning: none;"> </span></p>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-76956272996076529132019-12-24T17:27:00.000+02:002019-12-27T16:11:00.276+02:00Beef Braciole: A Classic Italian Dish<style type="text/css">
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The holiday and festive season being upon us again, boredom sets in.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Rather quickly, once the office year-end parties and club end-of-year functions have taken their toll.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In South Africa, this is the time of rich dishes and too much food.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And afterwards everybody goes: “ugh, I had too much to eat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Again.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Perhaps then it is time for a not-so rich, but flavourful and wholesome dish that is easy to prepare, yet classier than mac and cheese.</div>
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Beef braciole is a classic Italian dish of this nature.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It requires some effort but is reasonably quick and easy to prepare.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The dish consists of an Italian version of what we here in South Africa know as beef olives, stewed in a wholesome tomato-based sauce.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The internet abounds with various versions of the sauce.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I chose a standard standby, this time adding a little red wine to deglaze the pan.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This may be substituted by a little apple cider vinegar. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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The dish is usually made using a whole flank or a round cut. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>You may opt for a large roll or several small ones.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I went for the small rolls, rather like the beef olives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The beef may be substituted by mutton or pork of a suitable cut.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The rolls always have a savoury filling.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I chose prosciutto and breadcrumbs inundated with garlic, some grated hard cheese like parmesan and some finely chopped parsley.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I also added a drop of olive oil, as the filling looked a bit dry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The breadcrumbs will soak up the sauce, so be sure to make a sauce that will penetrate.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The prosciutto may be substituted for any smoked flavour meat.</div>
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As for the cut of meat, I opted for beef topside, which I sliced across the grain.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This gave me several narrow pieces, in addition to some small offcuts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The slices of beef are then rolled out using a rolling pin to get thin slices, rather like carpaccio.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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The sauce is made from peeled tomatoes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I made my own variation by frying some onions, grated carrots and chopped celery, before adding the tomatoes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I also added a dollop of cayenne pepper/dried chilli powder and a bay leaf.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For the main flavour I pounded two small sprigs’ worth of oregano leaves from the garden in a mortar and pestle and added this to the sauce.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Oregano is a hard herb, normally used in larger quantities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This time I decided on a little experiment, which worked beautifully.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The oregano flavour came through, but not overpoweringly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5ejGFmWM2g9sX14Hpqs1KsxG36jTxiG5DTEFsifRuj2L0frMCzBc95kTYdXAD4SlcWAym8cyEWOy_e8Snl-WzxVmCNy-C3RPdKTM29EzYlaIVY3Pa9lx0vpD9Cr0gLRq5VXLbqtlbx-e/s1600/beef+braciole-03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5ejGFmWM2g9sX14Hpqs1KsxG36jTxiG5DTEFsifRuj2L0frMCzBc95kTYdXAD4SlcWAym8cyEWOy_e8Snl-WzxVmCNy-C3RPdKTM29EzYlaIVY3Pa9lx0vpD9Cr0gLRq5VXLbqtlbx-e/s400/beef+braciole-03.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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400 g topside beef</div>
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120 g prosciutto ham</div>
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½ cup breadcrumbs</div>
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2 cloves garlic, minced</div>
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Sprig of parsley, chopped</div>
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½ cup finely grated hard cheese</div>
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1-2 cans whole peeled tomatoes (my shortcut)</div>
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1-2 bay leaves</div>
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2x fingers celery, thinly sliced</div>
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1 carrot, coarsely grated</div>
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Leaves from two small sprigs of oregano, mashed</div>
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½ cup red wine or apple cider vinegar</div>
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Some salt to taste</div>
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Some pepper to taste</div>
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Some olive oil for frying</div>
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500 g pasta for serving</div>
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<b>Process:</b></div>
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Slice the meat in thin slices across the grain.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is always a good idea.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Use a rolling pin to roll the slices even thinner.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Arrange the slices flat on the work area and top each with a slice of the prosciutto.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Top this again with a layer of breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and the mashed garlic.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Then roll up the olives into small rolls and stick a toothpick through to keep each one together for frying. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Heat up a frying pan and fry the olives in light olive oil.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The meat needs to caramelise and there should be some caramelisation in the pan.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The offcuts from the cut of meat may be chopped finely and fried with the last batch of olives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Remove the olives from the pan and fry the onions, carrots, and celery, but leave the small meat grits, they add to the stock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When the onions are translucent, add the wine to deglaze the pan.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Then add the tomatoes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Mash them with a potato masher.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Add the mashed oregano and the bay leaves. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Salt to taste.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>This is where you add the cayenne pepper or dried chilli. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Bring to the boil and allow the sauce to reduce a little. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When the sauce thickens a little, add the olives back, turn the heat down and simmer for at least forty minutes. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL0Qpvy1PRjtQMVdVKT2SUxEI33ePYHzQodP2hbERHQfqQpDLP2HAiiN4uaRyHQWFuvbU41oBkzQgj9wHfz-zLhLdgVW-ockhkW7SqNVYRd8SITLK84cB2fYKvrBaTDdB2VYSI4imnJZ1/s1600/beef+braciole-04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSL0Qpvy1PRjtQMVdVKT2SUxEI33ePYHzQodP2hbERHQfqQpDLP2HAiiN4uaRyHQWFuvbU41oBkzQgj9wHfz-zLhLdgVW-ockhkW7SqNVYRd8SITLK84cB2fYKvrBaTDdB2VYSI4imnJZ1/s400/beef+braciole-04.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></div>
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This dish is served with pasta of your choice.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As it is a chunky dish, I opted for penne.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>These I cooked separately, then strained and added it to the main dish as a mix.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Garnish with some more grated cheese and serve hot.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A hearty and delicious family meal. It goes well with a medium bodied red wine.</div>
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Bon appetit!</div>
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Authored by Johan Zietsman</div>
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Last edited on 2019-12-24</div>
<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-51649217359718384252019-05-19T15:40:00.000+02:002019-05-21T12:57:55.670+02:00Jewelled Rice and Tandoori Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XmicQdAMMkIE7bdEo29HrQyScaZR9t_h58QTY7vmww8Js5ncVHtQmrGF5WR9V8UED9GBFi4ld9Is2CC5GA_Nks9W3vd4xzUqSVi52ugIv3Br8echescD8LBQN9Jr3kFwcyFQQCH_CJA3/s1600/20190512_182140-03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XmicQdAMMkIE7bdEo29HrQyScaZR9t_h58QTY7vmww8Js5ncVHtQmrGF5WR9V8UED9GBFi4ld9Is2CC5GA_Nks9W3vd4xzUqSVi52ugIv3Br8echescD8LBQN9Jr3kFwcyFQQCH_CJA3/s640/20190512_182140-03.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These two dishes together must surely be the epitome of a reasonably easy, but special course for a special occasion.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently, I had the chance of such an occasion, being Mother's Day. This also fell on the eve of a planned and long-outstanding knee-op for myself. So Mother's Day offered a suitable opportunity to experiment in the kitchen, with my long suffering wife as the guinea pig.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this instance the experiment was not eclectic in any way, as the preparation of either dish appeared to be reasonably simple, if involved. And so it turned out to be.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The recipe started yet again with a brief search on the internet for jewelled rice recipes. I eventually settled for ingredients which I had in hand or easily available. Again, what struck me is that the eventual flavours are determined more by the process of preparation, than the ingredients themselves.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rice part was completed by basmati rice. As for the rest of the ingredients, I had to be somewhat more creative. The nuts part were filled by some almonds and cashews. The dried fruit contained raisins and dried cranberries. I toyed with the idea of adding some fruit cake mix, but decided that doing so would be stretching my luck. The carrots were coarsely julienned, the onions finely chopped. The spice contingent was made up of cinnamon sticks, saffron, turmeric, some sugar </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">and dried citrus peel. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The dried citrus peel I made myself some time ago. This is a very Cape Malay spice, widely used in sweet dishes. This is made by drying citrus peel. Especially the soft citrus peel, which does not have the bitter white inside of lemon and orange peel. You dry the fresh peel in the microwave oven, taking care not to fry the fresh peel. The dried peel is then blitzed in the blender or coffee grinder until the required fine-ness. Very personal taste, I guess. This dried powder may then be used in rice or any sweet dishes to enhance the flavour. This Cape style food habit of drying fruit and making a <a href="https://www.the-hungry-sailor.com/2012/01/green-masala-and-cooking-with-hot.html" target="_blank">pesto or paste for curries</a> stems from the intermittent supply of suitable ingredients in the old days, giving rise to a whole fusion of culinary styles. For which I am eternally grateful.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh251VoNZ9_qNTCOHtVB3scekKN9VG1PPv6UxuGVKth2jgPSWHAto7kQtkZRTD3qrqhPDYpoEzxI6W9nOXHNyKaEKYPSAFlnHe7dK1tt-MZvc-iMfsupBgT5ipg1tZ_EAulcyR1qD77Qn6y/s1600/20190512_182104-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh251VoNZ9_qNTCOHtVB3scekKN9VG1PPv6UxuGVKth2jgPSWHAto7kQtkZRTD3qrqhPDYpoEzxI6W9nOXHNyKaEKYPSAFlnHe7dK1tt-MZvc-iMfsupBgT5ipg1tZ_EAulcyR1qD77Qn6y/s400/20190512_182104-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here goes:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Jewelled Rice with Tandoori Chicken</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tandoori Chicken</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6 Chicken drum sticks/thighs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">250 ml plain or double cream yoghurt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 tablespoon <a href="https://www.the-hungry-sailor.com/2012/01/green-masala-and-cooking-with-hot.html" target="_blank">masala paste</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jewelled Rice</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3/4 cup basmati rice, soaked and rinsed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 medium onion, finely chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 medium carrot, coarsely julienned</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3 cinnamon sticks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/4 teaspoon turmeric</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">pinch of saffron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4 green cardamom pods, whole</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">some sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 tablespoon dried citrus powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup raw almond shavings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup unsalted cashews</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup raisins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1/2 cup dried cranberries</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">some oil for cooking</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Process</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The chicken is thawed properly, then cut through the skin to allow the marinade to penetrate. The marinade is the yoghurt, add some salt and add the masala paste. The chicken is thoroughly bedaubed with the marinade and then left to marinate until the rice is done. I cooked the chicken over medium coals on the griddle outside, while the rice was resting, before dishing up. The chicken on the braai griddle was a culinary adventure on its own, providing suitable psychological torture to the rest of the neighbourhood.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The jewelled rice was a new adventure altogether. I had these ghosts of past experiments in the back of my head, where I was confronted afterwards with bitter resentment of the many dirty dishes and a dirty kitchen. Jewelled rice calls for several ingredients to be cooked and prepared before final assembly, so some thought about sequence are in order. The nuts provide much more flavour when they are freshly roasted, so this happens first. T</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">he nuts were ground coarsely in a mortar and pestle, then </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">roasted in a dry pan until they started to caramelise, then set </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">aside until </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">cooled.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods were fried in a lightly oiled pan until the flavours come out, then the carrots added. To this lot I added some sugar and the dried citrus peel and fried until the sugar caramelised, then came the dried fruit. This was also set aside as soon as the dried fruit and citrus peel started to show flavours.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAgdSumsdABsa3aNWBDa_93_li8yBJkad6JC-Ywogk-ysAmDNtRZJY1zMKxsbqnD4DBk-9dxULC-dD4-zwFpocuGFeMAhNCSiBvjo_JJpo2ERZ5cnKPs6BBehA3GS1LSgh63zhCMMaYmQ/s1600/IMG_20190513_125302_313-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAgdSumsdABsa3aNWBDa_93_li8yBJkad6JC-Ywogk-ysAmDNtRZJY1zMKxsbqnD4DBk-9dxULC-dD4-zwFpocuGFeMAhNCSiBvjo_JJpo2ERZ5cnKPs6BBehA3GS1LSgh63zhCMMaYmQ/s400/IMG_20190513_125302_313-01.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The rice was soaked and rinsed during all this preparation. The next thing was to start the final assembly of the dish. The onions were fried until they started to caramelise, after which I added the turmeric. This was fried until the turmeric was taken up by the onions, about fifteen seconds or so. The soaked and rinsed rice went in next to pick up some of the flavours. While this was going on, the pinch of saffron got ground along with some sugar in the mortar and pestle, then boiling water added to steep the flavours out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As soon as the rice was sufficiently fried to my taste, I added some boiling water to the pan and started the dish in pulao style. I deemed this an appropriate way of getting flavours into the rice. Once the first dollop of water was absorbed, the saffron water went in. Check for salt. Add some water as the rice dictates, little by little. When the rice is almost cooked, the carrots, raisins and nuts are added. Then no more water goes into the pan. The lid goes on the pan and the burner turned low for a few minutes, then off. This dish has to go fluffy with the steam inside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While this went on, I started a fire and cooked the chicken outside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then we had dinner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having read a lot about the Persian style dishes and their sweetness, I had some idea of what to expect. However, my wildest dreams could not reach the flavour profiles we experienced during this meal. The chicken provides a salty but soft angle, while the saffron and the cardamom puts the rice in a different category altogether.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A recipe to keep. For sure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bon appetit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Authored by Johan Zietsman</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last updated on 2019-05-19</span>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-53246375445817053662018-11-10T12:05:00.000+02:002019-05-19T13:53:19.449+02:00A Question of Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Authored by Johan Zietsman</div>
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Last updated on 2018-11-10</div>
<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-42080807790691700382017-05-25T12:26:00.000+02:002019-05-19T12:06:01.341+02:00Tropical Pilaf With Chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Living here in the Western Cape we are surrounded by the Cape Malay style cooking, in a geo-culinary way. Which means that we literally have access to all the ingredients that make up the Cape Malay menu.</div>
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And we are not really expanding our domestic menu. Not very clever, one would venture.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_njL4rUffvL23Yqnryhh3o0qioPHMAJDlx7ThetRpxOQDzYpSxXWWjXzOSSskAHgggxRxvQ5-Nu-cQCK8zCdPqmaQ8fkIo86b7u2jSdIxnvtZ0tngtEDkbtZjjIqJRL3LlnvWSgbEBA1Y/s1600/ChPilaf_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_njL4rUffvL23Yqnryhh3o0qioPHMAJDlx7ThetRpxOQDzYpSxXWWjXzOSSskAHgggxRxvQ5-Nu-cQCK8zCdPqmaQ8fkIo86b7u2jSdIxnvtZ0tngtEDkbtZjjIqJRL3LlnvWSgbEBA1Y/s400/ChPilaf_01.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
So, with this realisation in mind and having the creative urge again, I did some brief research. Meaning I actually opened two of my cook books and perused the contents in a scholarly fashion, rather than a drooling hungry sailor fashion.<br />
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In our home we have regular curries with plain rice. But also we make biryanis, risottos and paellas, not forgetting stir fried rice with veggies. All of these are dishes that contains some form of sauce, making them on the juicy side. From my brief research the missus and I then decided to broaden our scope of rice dishes by trying a drier variety of rice dish and specifically pilaf. This dish has a myriad of variations and flavours and can be served as a side with just about any main by just varying the spices. The dish also has different styles and names, depending on where in the world you are. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilaf" target="_blank">Wikipedia has some interesting facts on this dish.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAeTqp4m7EfCwFvjUI1Doxn7UUR_jEZXhP5lZe3FUvE9QeQ5jxibhZaz-X5mF-QCmZfO1t-5neB0qU1uMjVh9yx4r67l7FvlsmcQ4aGr_BlDV6iU1t5dTdMiRi7JKhR957AZ6bkBEe_mR/s1600/ChPilaf_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAeTqp4m7EfCwFvjUI1Doxn7UUR_jEZXhP5lZe3FUvE9QeQ5jxibhZaz-X5mF-QCmZfO1t-5neB0qU1uMjVh9yx4r67l7FvlsmcQ4aGr_BlDV6iU1t5dTdMiRi7JKhR957AZ6bkBEe_mR/s200/ChPilaf_02.JPG" width="133" /></a>We decided on a version with chicken, where the chicken is steamed in the rice. This makes it a complete one pot main. No extra cleaning up required! And just for fun I decided on a sweet and fruity version. Complete with coconut milk and mangos.<br />
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This dish will go very well with any fried or barbecued fish as a side dish. Especially in a tropical setting. The ingredients are simple and the process is almost a no-brainer. Preparation and cooking time is about half an hour.<br />
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The standard pilaf consists of raw rice fried in a flavoured oil, then slowly simmered in a stock till done. The rice comes out fluffy and loose, with all the flavours blended in. I chose to use coconut milk and some chopped dried mangos as main flavours to enhance the nutty flavour of the basmati rice.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHH283KYfcYP7m1H_OceNZkOMrIwigdJsk0PnZCf_o8vitI7gKELPgHxJ2MECZAcQdTJz-4Y0SBOZd-QPYjGputK2q8Xp8ISW23dv7qqukCS06qaH9KRwMJ7fwYQIRZ7GVDox_bwk1Kwe/s1600/ChPilaf_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjHH283KYfcYP7m1H_OceNZkOMrIwigdJsk0PnZCf_o8vitI7gKELPgHxJ2MECZAcQdTJz-4Y0SBOZd-QPYjGputK2q8Xp8ISW23dv7qqukCS06qaH9KRwMJ7fwYQIRZ7GVDox_bwk1Kwe/s200/ChPilaf_03.JPG" width="133" /></a><br />
Part of the stock for this dish comes from the caramelised meat sticking to the pan in the beginning.<br />
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The ingredients for this dish are simple and few, which is what makes pilaf so popular, I guess.<br />
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So here goes:<br />
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Tropical Pilaf With Chicken</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LLsdXm5sSBEt0fDkuMX2xbZq5CArxb2LopKxB94QfNqHnuXUg2v4scYI1rPrjZUIVAodDHBdJ3BGqgPG-MPiazRLmTjV2-zNDFapS9oBekJ_UmLTIfIs18ZmsGF-m_mWwzeTc5cTe68F/s1600/ChPilaf_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0LLsdXm5sSBEt0fDkuMX2xbZq5CArxb2LopKxB94QfNqHnuXUg2v4scYI1rPrjZUIVAodDHBdJ3BGqgPG-MPiazRLmTjV2-zNDFapS9oBekJ_UmLTIfIs18ZmsGF-m_mWwzeTc5cTe68F/s200/ChPilaf_04.JPG" width="200" /></a>Ingredients</h4>
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400g chicken breast fillets, diced<br />
1 to 1¼ cup basmati rice<br />
¾ cup fresh peas<br />
400 ml (1 can) coconut milk<br />
3-4 slices dried mango, chopped<br />
1 medium onion, diced<br />
1 tsp whole cumin seeds (jeera)<br />
1 tsp whole mustard seeds<br />
3 pods cardamom (elachi), seeded<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIYdgesLOy6Ob22kWuWClTFLfaJDq2afh_1dMiwP7o3kgMgiKEeb8V7wEX2GjJ-qTTu0OTqX4B-9Kegn-mzpqZLLmNXBbQ_5bXnHPNzRnBIxN030oa4w7Eu79Wg3a0WW-spfitT4pn3zf/s1600/ChPilaf_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIYdgesLOy6Ob22kWuWClTFLfaJDq2afh_1dMiwP7o3kgMgiKEeb8V7wEX2GjJ-qTTu0OTqX4B-9Kegn-mzpqZLLmNXBbQ_5bXnHPNzRnBIxN030oa4w7Eu79Wg3a0WW-spfitT4pn3zf/s200/ChPilaf_05.JPG" width="200" /></a>1½ tsp turmeric<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
ghee, butter and oil for frying<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAmKvFLQEixKncTD4vWBPL4YAouyunaTNbl4wUekniHYSf4KLopQ-Zg9XX6NnN_3y6BKmjZA33nsaJxtfCAZ7JpoQYYT094gy5826_TFCev2hjJhr4UrxtR0Cyj7iT6QibZOxnOwBFhs7/s1600/ChPilaf_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirAmKvFLQEixKncTD4vWBPL4YAouyunaTNbl4wUekniHYSf4KLopQ-Zg9XX6NnN_3y6BKmjZA33nsaJxtfCAZ7JpoQYYT094gy5826_TFCev2hjJhr4UrxtR0Cyj7iT6QibZOxnOwBFhs7/s200/ChPilaf_06.JPG" width="133" /></a>Process</h4>
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Pat the chicken quite dry, then fry the cubes in a dry pan until they are brown. Set aside. Now add some ghee or butter and a small amount of oil to the pan and fry the onion until at least translucent. Add the whole spices and fry them until the fragrance fills the kitchen. Now add the raw rice and stir fry until all the kernels are coated with oil. This will help with flavour and with the separation of the kernels. The flavours of the rice should begin to fill the kitchen too.<br />
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Now add the coconut milk and the chopped mango and the turmeric. Check for salt and add as required. Mix through and check again. This will be the last of stirring the pan. Add back the chicken and cover the pan.<br />
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Turn the flame down to a minimum, the lowest it will go on the smallest burner.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1MBDYbwbOGqCP42XQm4XD07he-M075DsiIJxesEzm9bEGwjenhNwC2iodhpd3jXXiLLEwXurHKh93ZXiCc9qUiCu-3XcC_uhe4pWS0yLHG4CoC0b9gDItBfltFXWjIEawyiDVW_nbYbd/s1600/ChPilaf_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1MBDYbwbOGqCP42XQm4XD07he-M075DsiIJxesEzm9bEGwjenhNwC2iodhpd3jXXiLLEwXurHKh93ZXiCc9qUiCu-3XcC_uhe4pWS0yLHG4CoC0b9gDItBfltFXWjIEawyiDVW_nbYbd/s200/ChPilaf_07.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
The rice will swell out and absorb the fluid, so you will need to check that the dish doesn't burn. Add some boiling water as required. The peas are added when the rice is almost done. Peas cook quite fast and you want them not to be soggy and lose their flavour.<br />
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The most important part comes now. Once the rice is done, turn the stove off and leave the dish to rest for at least fifteen minutes. Some recipes even call for covering the pan with a dishcloth before putting the lid on. The dishcloth will absorb the steam and not allow the condensed water to drip back into the pan. This all is designed to allow the rice to turn fluffy.<br />
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Now dish up in bowls and garnish with some fresh coriander leaves.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4gtP8BskSA2wVdSYbCnmKdSvzjaZBCW8uxHZQmf5-K9p1hpWxcA4SqwteaN3lDtmYCTlixh_DJ_Gstel1b3Y1Lok0Bfi03RUwEQGLfQS22zRoFt-yWO-pqgHWEzkH6iaMoJkQr9Pr575/s1600/ChPilaf_09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4gtP8BskSA2wVdSYbCnmKdSvzjaZBCW8uxHZQmf5-K9p1hpWxcA4SqwteaN3lDtmYCTlixh_DJ_Gstel1b3Y1Lok0Bfi03RUwEQGLfQS22zRoFt-yWO-pqgHWEzkH6iaMoJkQr9Pr575/s320/ChPilaf_09.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
And then understand why pilaf may just be the prince of rice dishes.<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2017-05-25<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-9878801294325615282017-03-06T20:36:00.001+02:002017-03-06T20:36:49.224+02:00Soul Food on A Cool Night: Chicken Korma<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJorxVklnuOiA0ZPyrjHsvoQ0xZ1bQBQGUEQPObuvbI5mivsd5CyZ23GbQ-brzQu0eLcgFOybUODuu_lKX3Vft58zIl0xlJqTvDZ1AZy7SNbc9h61cClp89GXrHIR2UItRWytwRBmhhXIB/s1600/ChKorm_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJorxVklnuOiA0ZPyrjHsvoQ0xZ1bQBQGUEQPObuvbI5mivsd5CyZ23GbQ-brzQu0eLcgFOybUODuu_lKX3Vft58zIl0xlJqTvDZ1AZy7SNbc9h61cClp89GXrHIR2UItRWytwRBmhhXIB/s640/ChKorm_08.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
I had the privilege recently of having a long discussion about good food. Almost as good as eating the same.<br />
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This time around it was a lively discussion around food on board. A passion of mine. The company consisted of myself and a bunch of sailors from India, no less. These sailors were asking questions about food on board and provisioning. This after they had just completed the Cape to Rio Yacht race and brought the boat back via the notorious southern Atlantic ocean. A feat not to be sneezed at.<br />
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After some time, during the discussion, I came to the realisation that they sailed the boat from India to Cape Town, then participated in the Cape to Rio race, then sailed the boat back to Cape Town, all without a refrigerator on board. Around ten thousand nautical miles across the sea. Now they have to sail the boat back to India. Another voyage of around thirty-five days at sea, non-stop. It took a moment or two for me to realise the enormity of the provisioning problems on hand. A very interesting exchange of ideas, especially for a relative novice like me.<br />
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The conversation went around dried meat and other dried provisions, pickling of fish, baking bread and growing sprouts, amongst other things.<br />
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Of course, then we got hungry from the talk and the topic morphed to recipes. Why am I not surprised?<br />
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We discussed at length the merits of the various spices and their uses, and then I struck gold. We exchanged recipes.<br />
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Chicken korma. One of my favourite recipes. No heavy spice, just an explosion of aromas and flavours. And the weather here in Cape Town has taken a turn to cool. Opportunity, indeed!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpu_P3SwbtODFmEffqUJ0MM4ZZEDPGNZQUMKijDYhl3dO6gN2e6tQPR0w20R3PR5cxYh6mF4HjAw2C64Hq1zYo-p7yDdK-ycx0cQKAcNP3Lbr0bE1acv7qVnkZhxWSQhe8kGMMRkPDCM2y/s1600/ChKorm_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpu_P3SwbtODFmEffqUJ0MM4ZZEDPGNZQUMKijDYhl3dO6gN2e6tQPR0w20R3PR5cxYh6mF4HjAw2C64Hq1zYo-p7yDdK-ycx0cQKAcNP3Lbr0bE1acv7qVnkZhxWSQhe8kGMMRkPDCM2y/s200/ChKorm_01.JPG" width="112" /></a>I have made this dish several times before. All very tasty. This time around I got some proper info on what the locals do in India. My own interpretations appear to be but a watered down version of what the dish should be.<br />
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This dish is soul food par excellence. And one has to prepare it with passion. Otherwise just go and get a take-away sandwich. The dish is simple to make, with some preparation required. Nothing onerous. The preparation is where the passion comes in. The flavours all comes with the preparation and process. Simple spices, commonly available.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7ttufxW8Ge3Tcx-gg0cc7wlfwH6NQz7-33qd7YD-a2tpb7sSPyBe4siy58N60V3NTBKyaMM0II9Iftza3b2Bg64S3ybzPHWN4Qken8gvFLh88sCR7tM_DD4bf6xpQXU61Q1f4F65HOHm/s1600/ChKorm_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7ttufxW8Ge3Tcx-gg0cc7wlfwH6NQz7-33qd7YD-a2tpb7sSPyBe4siy58N60V3NTBKyaMM0II9Iftza3b2Bg64S3ybzPHWN4Qken8gvFLh88sCR7tM_DD4bf6xpQXU61Q1f4F65HOHm/s200/ChKorm_02.JPG" width="112" /></a>The first rule for this dish is to roast the whole spices, including the almonds, then grind them to a powder before use. Roast them separately, as the grain sizes differ and therefore the roasting time will differ.<br />
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Then fry the onions before taking the blender to them. Along with the roasted almonds. This time, after my discussion with the intrepid Indian sailors, I used coconut cream instead of water. The dish needs a very thick onion sauce to cook the chicken.<br />
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But I am getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning. Ingredients first.<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
<h3>
Chicken Korma with coconut cream</h3>
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<h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkE7q8U_gps5TE1J6vN5ltYoawbTvbCcimueeG-o7fp97jBGKoHfV69rL4eVOafftJNv-oQNvCoVGrHulPuZittnxkm4Eb44Ufdg953itOtS2wC7oBkEc2Kuqvqj1IWXsQyIh6LF2bRrq/s1600/ChKorm_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkE7q8U_gps5TE1J6vN5ltYoawbTvbCcimueeG-o7fp97jBGKoHfV69rL4eVOafftJNv-oQNvCoVGrHulPuZittnxkm4Eb44Ufdg953itOtS2wC7oBkEc2Kuqvqj1IWXsQyIh6LF2bRrq/s200/ChKorm_03.JPG" width="112" /></a>Ingredients</h4>
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600 g chicken breast fillets<br />
2 large or 3 medium onions, chopped coarsely<br />
1 cup yoghurt<br />
½ cup almond slivers<br />
2 cups coconut cream (1 can)<br />
2 tsp coriander seeds (Whole dhania)<br />
2 tsp cumin seeds (Whole jeera)<br />
1 tsp whole jeera (Another, keep separately)<br />
1 tsp black mustard seeds<br />
¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud3_339Q3Phiy6Aklv5kC04uyW2VDT7KgaaHugZgtE8klu1i3sqCIX97JHoCVbULsUxE7GeopDaL-OSYxbR68Kzv9KezbvkwiTPBN2HJ-42aQO5q7bYlXKs6cwl-EMMGCyoDs4JpO86mE/s1600/ChKorm_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud3_339Q3Phiy6Aklv5kC04uyW2VDT7KgaaHugZgtE8klu1i3sqCIX97JHoCVbULsUxE7GeopDaL-OSYxbR68Kzv9KezbvkwiTPBN2HJ-42aQO5q7bYlXKs6cwl-EMMGCyoDs4JpO86mE/s200/ChKorm_04.JPG" width="112" /></a>2 tsp turmeric<br />
5 green chillies, finely chopped<br />
3 cinnamon sticks<br />
1 ½ tsp freshly ground garlic<br />
1 tsp freshly ground ginger<br />
1 tsp red chilli powder. (Cayenne pepper will work for the South Africans)<br />
salt<br />
some water<br />
some butter, ghee or cooking oil<br />
some coriander leaves for garnish<br />
basmati rice<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj19LsAwQpJf2Wsz2PInKy71ZQB9IIju9XEsjDvOvjnR4x4Clzlm4SxEkPG-XTNthd84aRCKsFpUmD5YMMqOKLCTmGsXCgDVO-LVQJl0eifQwhMCfUahqcyBqtmmq1sqtsGYCm9hrXx7W/s1600/ChKorm_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj19LsAwQpJf2Wsz2PInKy71ZQB9IIju9XEsjDvOvjnR4x4Clzlm4SxEkPG-XTNthd84aRCKsFpUmD5YMMqOKLCTmGsXCgDVO-LVQJl0eifQwhMCfUahqcyBqtmmq1sqtsGYCm9hrXx7W/s200/ChKorm_05.JPG" width="112" /></a><br />
<h4>
Process</h4>
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Cut the chicken into thumb size bites and marinade in the yogurt with the turmeric and red chilli powder. Leave for 30 minutes while you prepare the sauce and the dry spices.<br />
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Roast the mustard-, coriander- and cumin seeds separately in a dry pan, then grind it all to a fine powder. Add the hing. Roast the almond slivers. Keep the almond separate from the rest of the spices. All this effort is what will determine the eventual flavour, so take care. And this is the bulk of your effort, the rest is a no-brainer.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC1exgH2sHvtnhHcVhwMeg5lEREvOvCPyYiO8B-ikJtUReENg7WEXKvpYsBr-5PPFTnIPxv5OiqaHvkCfLwMrvuo1ImU3jUyaPq5E7v20t5_mGi-pVxcMVihOZplccmaV9IIvIr_odSoK/s1600/ChKorm_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuC1exgH2sHvtnhHcVhwMeg5lEREvOvCPyYiO8B-ikJtUReENg7WEXKvpYsBr-5PPFTnIPxv5OiqaHvkCfLwMrvuo1ImU3jUyaPq5E7v20t5_mGi-pVxcMVihOZplccmaV9IIvIr_odSoK/s200/ChKorm_07.JPG" width="112" /></a><br />
Fry the onions and cinnamon sticks in the butter until the onions turn brown, then add the fresh chillies, garlic and ginger. Fry these for another 30 seconds, then add the almonds. Add the coconut milk, then blend the onion, almond and spice mix to a thick sludge. If the sludge is too thick, add a little water. You need a thick sauce for this dish.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVDJMW_E6a0bGORAofBrRXNECbwS-KK7isCGjav6ToQonICh_dfL7eHaK4lPvyykAqHEvDiZAv2NMNcqhKStAhHd2iNutOsFIspCQBXuBoArBa_BlwNdEvn-PWjNQhJWVH6OBrtkdQVqC/s1600/ChKorm_10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVDJMW_E6a0bGORAofBrRXNECbwS-KK7isCGjav6ToQonICh_dfL7eHaK4lPvyykAqHEvDiZAv2NMNcqhKStAhHd2iNutOsFIspCQBXuBoArBa_BlwNdEvn-PWjNQhJWVH6OBrtkdQVqC/s640/ChKorm_10.JPG" width="360" /></a>Bring this lot to a slow boil, then add the ground spices to the sauce. Mix through, then add the marinade with the chicken. Add salt to taste. Turn the heat down so that the dish only just bubbles. Now add the raw cumin seeds.<br />
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Cook until the chicken is done.<br />
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In the meantime, soak the rice and cook as per instructions.<br />
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Dish up with some fresh coriander leaves as garnish.<br />
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And be careful, there are a lot of sensual flavours that creep out of this dish and through your soul. And you may have made too little food...<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2017-03-06<br />
<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-20741021075864852292017-01-01T16:32:00.001+02:002017-01-01T16:53:04.402+02:00Boeuf Bourguignon in Cape French Style<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbkWQG18YY4HezFcOKZM_TcIbCoKgG4ht8HKVS80GgNeINknQM3L9EG7nn94JEEH2BqhEC5NYPvHskt47DrRoEXBkfdjMVAAV7VMfKNa5kG7fq1FvWbOxSfszm2jM4UEJeofL3fh1YipL/s1600/bfbrgCape_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbkWQG18YY4HezFcOKZM_TcIbCoKgG4ht8HKVS80GgNeINknQM3L9EG7nn94JEEH2BqhEC5NYPvHskt47DrRoEXBkfdjMVAAV7VMfKNa5kG7fq1FvWbOxSfszm2jM4UEJeofL3fh1YipL/s640/bfbrgCape_05.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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It has been a while since my last posting. Nursing a torn shoulder muscle saps away one's energy like nothing else. This injury put a serious crimp on my sailing activities. However, it is a new year and time for another cooking adventure.<br />
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We have high summer here in Cape Town around this time of the year, so making a stewed dish may sound somewhat eclectic. However, this one is very easy to make, requires but a few ingredients, and will feed the hungry hordes on their return from the beach or their other outdoor activities. And I probably have very little convincing to do to my northern hemisphere readers!<br />
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Another hearty dish originating in France, now used all over the world. I have made similar dishes with great success without wine, using soy sauce and tomatoes instead.<br />
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This dish may be made a day before serving. It ages and develops flavour if left in the refrigerator overnight and takes well to freezing.<br />
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So this is another one of my few experiments in cooking with wine. Somehow I have not yet explored that avenue of the culinary arts properly.<br />
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Most of the recipes on the internet use beef chuck as the main ingredient, so I opted for the same cut. It is one of the cheaper cuts from the carcass and quite flavourful. Basically any juicy cut from the forequarters will do. I also keep some of the bones. They tend to enrich the sauce part of the dish. Just be careful of too much fat. I usually trim most off. Between the bacon fat and the marrow you probably have sufficient fat for a delicious combination.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJF83kkbuqCq-KT8WZ7vAL-dDP5ufKpg1SWLpN54scGxp830xkQXhVzjfyPGROGmaqbBK-zIPcz4t_Rl3UCKjXa5qg2R_ZdmjOMjsDAFckN-xbDnasrcDnTiiJd8qvT8qeY22JaeZab3f/s1600/bfbrgCape_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJF83kkbuqCq-KT8WZ7vAL-dDP5ufKpg1SWLpN54scGxp830xkQXhVzjfyPGROGmaqbBK-zIPcz4t_Rl3UCKjXa5qg2R_ZdmjOMjsDAFckN-xbDnasrcDnTiiJd8qvT8qeY22JaeZab3f/s320/bfbrgCape_01.JPG" width="256" /></a><br />
As for the bacon, most recipes propose pancetta. Over here in Cape Town, pancetta tends to be more expensive than the standard smoked bacon bits that can be obtained from your friendly chain store grocer.<br />
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You don't really need fancy cuts of bacon or beef, as you will be stewing it in wine anyway. I opted for a less pricey version of both.<br />
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Talking about the wine, there is much fuss. Some recipes specify quite fancy wine, others specify cooking wine. Others specify cognac as well. The reason for using the wine lies in the acidity and some flavour. The acidity will help to de-glaze the pan. The flavour of the wine itself is of less importance, as the dish contains a lot of other strong flavours that will overwhelm the wine. There is a caveat, however: The stuff sold as cooking wine may not be drinkable as a result of added chemicals. You don't want to use such concoctions. Use wine that you will drink yourself. While some French recipes specify burgundy, any easy quaffing dry red will do.<br />
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For this dish I specifically did not use tomatoes. It is up to the cook to decide. Both Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey has recipes on the net that use tomatoes. After a long chat about this subject recently to a French student of mine, I decided to go without tomatoes.<br />
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As for stock, I follow the school of thought that the preparation procedure creates sufficient stock to thicken the sauce, so no additional stock is required. So far this line of thinking has stood me in good stead.<br />
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The vegetables I cut into chunky, coarse bits. The meat is chunky, so the chunky veggies add to the texture. I did not have fresh thyme, so had to use the dried herb.<br />
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I always add some chilli to my stewed dishes, it brings out the other flavours. There is a caveat again: you need to have only a tiny amount in the dish. Once you start tasting the chilli, you have too much. If you are too scared, used a tiny bit of cayenne pepper instead, it is much more user-friendly.<br />
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So here goes.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvdjrALwQeT_uq4ox9XHMYy0MJC8_63wnav9yX72FTWm_3Y_qskUYg2fj17iNuCY8simyxAB-rwPmSsue4HqZCuKUAR4CzznblgNxprVj8NnbWbt_3McJ8PUyYJsXEPNeWJMuSJFg59-D/s1600/bfbrgCape_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrvdjrALwQeT_uq4ox9XHMYy0MJC8_63wnav9yX72FTWm_3Y_qskUYg2fj17iNuCY8simyxAB-rwPmSsue4HqZCuKUAR4CzznblgNxprVj8NnbWbt_3McJ8PUyYJsXEPNeWJMuSJFg59-D/s320/bfbrgCape_02.JPG" width="180" /></a><br />
<h2>
Boeuf Bourguignon in Cape French style</h2>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
1 kilo beef chuck cubed into 20mm cubes<br />
250g bacon bits<br />
250 g small brown mushrooms, quartered or halved<br />
2-3 cups red wine<br />
4 cloves garlic<br />
2-3 brown onions, medium sized, chopped coarsely<br />
3-4 pickling onions<br />
sprig parsley<br />
4 medium carrots, julienned coarsely<br />
4 stalks celery, chopped<br />
½ cup plain cake flour<br />
1 tablespoon dried thyme<br />
4 bay leaves<br />
½ hot Thai chilli, chopped.<br />
salt & pepper<br />
<h3>
Procedure</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6JL38K4bn4QBZ5xs-mVx3ximS13RpY7SL3IhvuTCtq1DVkhx4pq5_Ac5sttXdPI5lI7-yycq48XOc6uOMi2ekCYhDGms063R90iPD93kqcYLFhgfsOqUwqjjEsVwH9RM4CEYnybP_lND/s1600/bfbrgCape_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh6JL38K4bn4QBZ5xs-mVx3ximS13RpY7SL3IhvuTCtq1DVkhx4pq5_Ac5sttXdPI5lI7-yycq48XOc6uOMi2ekCYhDGms063R90iPD93kqcYLFhgfsOqUwqjjEsVwH9RM4CEYnybP_lND/s320/bfbrgCape_03.JPG" width="180" /></a>Fry the bacon bits in a medium hot pan until the fat has run out. Remove the bacon from the pan and keep aside. While the bacon is frying, pat the meat cubes dry with paper towels and roll them in the flour. This is the only tricky part. The meat has to be quite dry before dusting with flour. If not, the meat will not brown properly and your dish will not have the rich flavours that you want.<br />
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Now fry the meat cubes in the bacon fat until they are nice and brown. You have to do this in batches, otherwise the meat juices will make enough water in the pan to boil the meat, not fry it. Add a dollop of olive oil if the fat seems too little. The bottom of the pan will now get a layer of caramelised meat and flour. Don't worry, this is your stock forming. Just watch that this layer doesn't burn. Keep the temperature low enough.<br />
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Once the meat is done, fry the onions in the remaining fat/olive oil. Once the onions go brown, fry the chopped garlic and the chilli, then remove from the pan. Now add the mushrooms and fry them for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove them from the pan as well and keep aside.<br />
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Once this is done you may turn the heat to low and add the wine. This will de-glaze the pan and you should have a thick-ish sauce.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTeWI-erVvqC8SpwqjUmyRMUcab3W1CORdhYJDfYSCJlsHRhX5nON4UfRRi6S4PbIawIZB5LKYeH3JDB5wWRvOmThk8qqP1H1qwYQ9aK6wDpiumXB6UbpdBS0B2nlvescoJrBK5tVNxSy/s1600/bfbrgCape_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidTeWI-erVvqC8SpwqjUmyRMUcab3W1CORdhYJDfYSCJlsHRhX5nON4UfRRi6S4PbIawIZB5LKYeH3JDB5wWRvOmThk8qqP1H1qwYQ9aK6wDpiumXB6UbpdBS0B2nlvescoJrBK5tVNxSy/s320/bfbrgCape_04.JPG" width="180" /></a>Add back the beef cubes and bring to the boil. Now add the chopped carrots, celery and the bacon. Here you may add either boiling water or more wine, as you prefer. The dish needs to simmer in juice, so check it frequently. This simmering must really be just a simmer: very slow indeed. Budget at least two hours and keep the lid tightly on the pan.<br />
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Once the meat starts going tender, add the mushrooms and some chopped parsley. Close the lid and wait another twenty minutes or so.<br />
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In the meantime you may prepare the accompanying side dish. This may be in the form of pasta, toasted bread, potato mash or any other starchy side dish that you prefer. This is a very juicy dish, so any starch that will absorb sauce will work. I opted for baby potatoes boiled in the skin.<br />
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It is always good practice to allow the dish to repose for at least half an hour before dishing up. This will allow the flavours to develop. However, if you have hungry hordes to feed, you may just be outnumbered and swept aside!<br />
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Now dish up. Of course, not to forget that you will need at least another bottle of red wine to go with the dish...<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2017-01-01<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-46018212411743644722016-04-06T13:14:00.001+02:002016-04-06T13:32:22.796+02:00On Being A Food Snob<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIJQBxJXP29nxDJzAk6Q8jmVLJYxhDjGzZd4B1I7cx5teSQApqOCZzBqCCqR1sS3pz0jvMs7i9W0AlIjyt78wvRLt5Ie0RJpVjzvae84JYUZGv8QuTNdZx3aBFW8XOcRX9TSUny0kZRzC/s1600/Filet_09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilIJQBxJXP29nxDJzAk6Q8jmVLJYxhDjGzZd4B1I7cx5teSQApqOCZzBqCCqR1sS3pz0jvMs7i9W0AlIjyt78wvRLt5Ie0RJpVjzvae84JYUZGv8QuTNdZx3aBFW8XOcRX9TSUny0kZRzC/s640/Filet_09.JPG" width="640" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Often-times, one hears about a person being a food snob. Specifically food bloggers. I never cared much for such talk, being rather laid back about criticizing other people's efforts. Everyone has a right to do as they please, including preparing food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Until a recent dining experience made me think again about my norms regarding food and dining. The missus and I went out to celebrate an anniversary and decided to splash a bit and have a proper meal without having to clean up afterwards. We had some pre-dinner drinks, then ordered food. I decided on a rare steak. This time around, the establishment got the dish sort of right on the third try. The first one was overdone and the second one was raw. By round three there was no veggies on the plate, only the steak. The worst part was that the missus had finished her food by that time, so I dined alone. Not good.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was about to complain bitterly, then held my thoughts in check. My reason said that the dish could be difficult to make, and perhaps before complaining I should try my hand at the same dish before passing comment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The dish in question was a pan fried fillet, so that set the scene for an experiment at home. The requirements were easy: fifteen minutes time lapse from order to serving a pan fried fillet, rare, complete with side dishes.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOP2fEMK-fA1b7pfJ1iPGmPouqe1ZeSMue6A2Frknfh4pIWqx5hmSobL4VmSnPvT1IM99ezNoTvpyKIVwDCMQjdU3Sswrf_FF0lKIv_7CJ9YkWAVTx54HFvSqGaBQwOmKnnxO-BsCZwtH/s1600/Filet_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOP2fEMK-fA1b7pfJ1iPGmPouqe1ZeSMue6A2Frknfh4pIWqx5hmSobL4VmSnPvT1IM99ezNoTvpyKIVwDCMQjdU3Sswrf_FF0lKIv_7CJ9YkWAVTx54HFvSqGaBQwOmKnnxO-BsCZwtH/s320/Filet_01.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now everybody and their mate here in South Africa pride themselves on being able to produce such a dish on the braai. This one had to be cooked in a pan, which makes it slightly more tricky if you are not used to using a pan. I perused the internet via Google, a wonderful source of information. And who better qualified as the Braai Master champions. In this case they actually won the competition by preparing a similar dish to what I had in mind.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe1QBEoRqu_3AWeK9qKa_IBWauvuyWJN-GNvCa8P-Ob96vgR8J5VzXFCx2GHgTzswL251eSGO13kNZV_NcBgeHVXSlk1DDasprbKlf68DS5qQ51LCKmY6jy9vagmPnY6g5bNW1naOX0n8/s1600/Filet_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFe1QBEoRqu_3AWeK9qKa_IBWauvuyWJN-GNvCa8P-Ob96vgR8J5VzXFCx2GHgTzswL251eSGO13kNZV_NcBgeHVXSlk1DDasprbKlf68DS5qQ51LCKmY6jy9vagmPnY6g5bNW1naOX0n8/s320/Filet_02.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Steak can be cooked in the oven, in a pan or grilled over coals. All of these methods have their own intricacies and there are tomes written about each. My book on basic methods is quite old, but still has a paragraph or two about preparing steak.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Braai Master winners had a different approach to the cooking process, which I since used in several experiments using other cuts of steak. Needless to say, they all worked very well. The method involves searing the outside of the cut to seal the juices in, then allowing the meat to rest before completing the cooking process. In this way, hardly any juices are lost and the meat cooks in its own juices, making for a very juicy steak. This makes a sauce really superfluous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In my experiments with other cuts, I found that one needs to get a rather thick steak, of about 40 mm/1½ inches thick. The method also works for a thinner steak, but the thick cut makes things easier. Of course, this means that the cut is too large for a single portion. No problem. You cut the meat into 12 mm thick slices before serving. Then guests may choose how much meat they really want. Makes life at the table a bit easier. There is a caveat, though. Sirloin and rump has so much juice, you need to be careful when cutting the meat, as the juices will run all over the table if your cutting board does not have a furrow around the edges.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Back to the fillet. For this one I decided on a home-grown rub. Whole spices are ground in a mortar and pestle, after which some coarse salt is added. The coarse salt will be ground to a powdery consistency if ground with the whole spices. This will make the steak too salty, so take care with the sequence of the work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The steak can be fried in real butter and herbs in the pan, which will make the dish really rich. The choice is yours.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sear in a very hot dry pan</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before the time we prepared spicy rice, garnished with onions, sweet pepper, carrots and mushrooms fried together to serve as the main side to the steak. This was accompanied by steamed cauliflower and broccoli with a Hollandaise sauce. All prepared while the steak was resting. Bear in mind that the experiment was about preparing a dish similar to what one would expect in an upmarket restaurant, in the same time frame.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Searing bonfire</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So here goes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pan fried beef fillet with vegetables and Hollandaise sauce</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">500g fillet steak</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dollop of olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dollop of butter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the rub</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">½ teaspoon whole cumin (jeera) seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon whole black mustard seeds</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">some coarse salt to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the Hollandaise sauce</span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 egg yolk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 dessert spoons water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 dessert spoons real butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">small pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1 dessert spoon chopped fresh parsley</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cauliflower and broccoli rosettes for two servings (About 300g)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCpwtxE9vYZutilH5nRZNB9XDNCx2diaYn8wueWKrfj7o5PlC1bnlVDRumXCZyv_meMkXH0tnyjTrJdgi0bxT1-Ndf-iEKeuvtRMo2DYc0F6n16mphiD57ZDlbJYVfJQDBN3rrY4pf4j5/s1600/Filet_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyCpwtxE9vYZutilH5nRZNB9XDNCx2diaYn8wueWKrfj7o5PlC1bnlVDRumXCZyv_meMkXH0tnyjTrJdgi0bxT1-Ndf-iEKeuvtRMo2DYc0F6n16mphiD57ZDlbJYVfJQDBN3rrY4pf4j5/s400/Filet_05.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Juices sealed in, resting away from heat</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Process</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take the meat out of the refrigerator and allow to settle to room temperature. Pat the cut completely dry, else the meat will not brown. Heat a dry pan to very high heat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make the rub by grinding all the whole dry spices in a mortar. When the spices are ground fine enough to your taste, add the coarse salt. I used Malden salt. Roll the meat in the rub. When the pan is sufficiently hot, sear the steak in the pan all around for thirty seconds. Not longer. Then dab a dollop of olive oil on the meat, making sure that the cut is covered all around. Hold the meat over the open flame to cause the oil to flame. This will sear the outside of the meat and seal in the juices and flavours. This should last for about fifteen seconds only. Quite fast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now remove the steak from all heat and set it aside to rest while you prepare the Hollandaise sauce and the veggies. It does not matter if the steak goes stone cold during this time. It will cook and the temperature will settle while still hot. You have now shocked the meat, not cooked it. The final cooking comes later. Turn down the heat and allow the pan to cool to medium heat.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21szbds8YRuQV7-lk0GdX0DU-OIRs37AogSBS7UeaUqHlpoa-nPJR80ldZUHT1jUTV46XVFEnrVZTxL1XNwkj17YYHHvmEevCvQfZPT422rUGKOFGLQd3df-FR6Pf0vyPN7pzfYWO9tuJ/s400/Filet_06.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut the large steak into thinner strips</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21szbds8YRuQV7-lk0GdX0DU-OIRs37AogSBS7UeaUqHlpoa-nPJR80ldZUHT1jUTV46XVFEnrVZTxL1XNwkj17YYHHvmEevCvQfZPT422rUGKOFGLQd3df-FR6Pf0vyPN7pzfYWO9tuJ/s1600/Filet_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The veggies are steamed in a colander over a little water in a saucepan. While this is on the go, you make the Hollandaise sauce. Add the egg yolk, butter, water and lemon juice to a small saucepan. You can use vinegar instead of lemon juice, but then the sauce is called Bearnaise sauce, so I am told. Heat this very slowly while stirring vigorously. The sauce must not be lumpy. I don't have a double cooker, so this is how I prepare the sauce. Take the pan away from the heat if things seem to get too hot. If this sauce boils, you start over. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the time the sauce is ready the steak would have rested sufficiently. You now put the steak back in the frying pan and gently fry it to your taste. This may be tricky, as the meat is now sealed and hardly any juice will come out to give an indication of how far it has cooked. The meat will also be quite stiff and my look bloated as a result of the steam trapped inside. Here is where one may add some butter and herbs if you prefer a different flavour. This should not take more that five to eight minutes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are still within the restaurant time frame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Allow the meat to rest again before cutting it into strips. You may need to warm it again slightly if the weather is cold. Or use a heated plate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now dish up and enjoy the fruits of your efforts. This dish goes very well with a full bodied red wine and a loved one to make a romantic dinner.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL9GuFlHlMk4RoftRZ4B0oSr0fq3QXZtkSwPPsHAqyrk_vS8FVyEQd2uOofcwyK_lWe3urKozeIgc7MRNHViL-UsLsMdArfYBx27KtDTQnYqkWLbyhft440uN9QwjKdHln-T6rQ3fUCOs/s1600/Filet_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrL9GuFlHlMk4RoftRZ4B0oSr0fq3QXZtkSwPPsHAqyrk_vS8FVyEQd2uOofcwyK_lWe3urKozeIgc7MRNHViL-UsLsMdArfYBx27KtDTQnYqkWLbyhft440uN9QwjKdHln-T6rQ3fUCOs/s400/Filet_08.JPG" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then, the next day, come tell me all about being a food snob...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bon Appetit!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Authored by Johan Zietsman</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Last updated on 2016-04-06</span>The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-12509892913281582952015-12-03T11:11:00.002+02:002015-12-03T11:34:45.369+02:00Real Men Don't Eat Quiche<h2 style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
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Real men don't eat quiche. Indeed. This was the title of an article in a girlie magazine of way back when. The idea was reiterated recently in a local beer ad here in South Africa that had it that real men don't drink pink drinks.</div>
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The idea probably rides on the macho image of South Africans as serious meat eaters. I tend to agree, but certainly took this magazine article as a challenge. The same sort of challenge that our English language teacher posed to us in class on the subject of essay themes.</div>
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He would set us a theme, then add that it stands us free to rather write an essay under the title “My Dog Spot” instead. He offered to then mark such essay accordingly. I often toyed with the idea of writing such essay in addition to the regular set theme, then hand it in, marked as my entry to his challenge. Sadly, I never did. It would have been a great opportunity to write something extraordinary and creative on such an inane subject. A chance to really think up something with a twist.</div>
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On a recent upcountry road trip we chanced to stop for lunch in the delightful town of Senekal in the Free State province. It was a balmy day and we were on our way to the stopover at Colesberg, still some distance away. At the bottle store we made enquiries as to a quiet place for a light lunch and was directed to a local coffee shop where we had the most delicious quiche imaginable.</div>
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The old magazine article immediately sprung to mind and the idea of a challenge was born. Busting some myths, no less.</div>
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Real men don't eat quiche. Yea, right.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eWSeXxxVE2JU0C-5Y_Pq8DMJ89p6uNDyQgFi5hwQi0321rAYiUyZ_AUojrq2bG_dYt9rGUO0Cmjv4RjDzcqRIWoaxQGeUluTmqw7uTgYXOPiFwicYDXFSYC8kmLDSzf-M5gJsp9_eBWF/s1600/QcheLor_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eWSeXxxVE2JU0C-5Y_Pq8DMJ89p6uNDyQgFi5hwQi0321rAYiUyZ_AUojrq2bG_dYt9rGUO0Cmjv4RjDzcqRIWoaxQGeUluTmqw7uTgYXOPiFwicYDXFSYC8kmLDSzf-M5gJsp9_eBWF/s400/QcheLor_01.JPG" width="225" /></a>So, having taken up the challenge, I did some searching on the internet and found, as usual, a myriad of recipes. There are plenty examples of quiche using various vegetables as well. Having taken bold the step of going outside of manly machismo, I decided to make a classic quiche, just because of the value of the challenge. Perhaps also because it is the festive season and holiday weather here in the Cape. And, after all, it is some form of culinary adventure. The recipe is adapted from several on the internet, with a view of having a classic rich version that is easy to make.</div>
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Here is my humble attack on the myth of real men not eating quiche.</div>
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Quiche Lorraine a la The Hungry Sailor.<br />
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Ingredients</h3>
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For the crust</h4>
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1 cup cake flour</div>
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1/3 cup real butter or shortening</div>
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1/4 teaspoon salt</div>
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2-3 dessert spoons water as required.</div>
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For the filling</h4>
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250 ml cream</div>
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250 ml full fat cottage cheese</div>
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3 large eggs, slightly beaten</div>
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Sprig of parsley, chopped</div>
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½ of a medium size onion, grated</div>
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1 cup bacon, diced</div>
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¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg</div>
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½ cup grated cheddar cheese</div>
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½ teaspoon smoked paprika</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_so07DJ4RpLPK68z0KPgXF4bRVWisNU2215ZHYChLr7apJBmmMrYCicunRRfzjDZPrX4TLJho9juXUhNUJxBd3nZxcATagEnqQod1UBWWBXiwDArI4ozGvBg7un54xCo-NQMB1OjDIeh/s1600/QcheLor_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1_so07DJ4RpLPK68z0KPgXF4bRVWisNU2215ZHYChLr7apJBmmMrYCicunRRfzjDZPrX4TLJho9juXUhNUJxBd3nZxcATagEnqQod1UBWWBXiwDArI4ozGvBg7un54xCo-NQMB1OjDIeh/s400/QcheLor_02.JPG" width="400" /></a>Process</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpElbzlTURfvZuntqtCG32uM5wfm9ny0swxpGpuZKrkEqKKW7Xz5ps6qV1pe3Bx-koNamhUsrawkKX70vfvjw2MG-YnpqwdGnZbSq1LXvx0QdUe_gPh5R92pWY2UvbpB_SEiZdb0PX3rhq/s1600/QcheLor_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpElbzlTURfvZuntqtCG32uM5wfm9ny0swxpGpuZKrkEqKKW7Xz5ps6qV1pe3Bx-koNamhUsrawkKX70vfvjw2MG-YnpqwdGnZbSq1LXvx0QdUe_gPh5R92pWY2UvbpB_SEiZdb0PX3rhq/s400/QcheLor_03.JPG" width="400" /></a>We start with the crust. I made this one in an aluminium foil pie dish, as I do not possess a porcelain or stoneware version. Dice and chill the butter. Mix the flour and salt, then rub the butter into the flour. Add just enough water to make it the consistency of dry wall plaster or dry-ish plasticine. It should not be runny at all. Spray the pie dish with a suitable release agent or butter the dish. Line the pie dish with the dough, pressing it down and making sure it has an even thickness all around. Roll it out flat if you want to. Park this in the refrigerator while the oven heats up.</div>
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The oven should be heated to 200ºC/400ºF. Bake the cold crust for ten minutes, then remove from the oven. Allow the crust to cool. Remember that it is now very brittle, so don't bump it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3H9ROnNFeQYWlwpayukzvag827ZVOE-wHOLMpluFiP8CFmj9ZRsVtv4Cx97_wuv2vp_NG2G2UdCbu8yhLXWQPf1Jnoge7kCDO7GyrGxxrpXJ7gSnFocUVQxBa2TJN0d_pzCh4ggfJbNx/s1600/QcheLor_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3H9ROnNFeQYWlwpayukzvag827ZVOE-wHOLMpluFiP8CFmj9ZRsVtv4Cx97_wuv2vp_NG2G2UdCbu8yhLXWQPf1Jnoge7kCDO7GyrGxxrpXJ7gSnFocUVQxBa2TJN0d_pzCh4ggfJbNx/s400/QcheLor_04.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The filling is prepared as follows: Fry the bacon lightly until almost done, then drain on a piece of paper towel. Grate the onion and drain it on some paper towel as well. You don't want too much of the onion water in your filling. If you have reservations of grating the onion, just chop it finely, like I did. The onions go into the filling raw, so you don't want large pieces.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfZ7UuKycsWyTR3MIlrGQeYeCE_C289f8wfMV95k15cljMNl8MQyDBioaj0CI2IqqezVTjHzx9mVynCtoFrg3yBfutoVcxF464C9EqCJFnYmBxkdz2t-SfHoRKHckVzlexlT2qdN0IhLR/s1600/QcheLor_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfZ7UuKycsWyTR3MIlrGQeYeCE_C289f8wfMV95k15cljMNl8MQyDBioaj0CI2IqqezVTjHzx9mVynCtoFrg3yBfutoVcxF464C9EqCJFnYmBxkdz2t-SfHoRKHckVzlexlT2qdN0IhLR/s400/QcheLor_05.JPG" width="400" /></a>Mix the cottage cheese and cream thoroughly. Add in the eggs. You may beat the cream beforehand till it just goes slightly stiff. Now mix in the onion and parsley and add some nutmeg to taste.</div>
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Building the final product is easy. Spread the bacon in the bottom of the crust, then pour in the cream and cheese mix. Sprinkle some grated cheddar cheese on top, along with a whiff of smoked paprika.</div>
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Carefully put this assembly into the oven at 180ºC/350ºF. If you think you may have a mishap and break the crust or spill the filling, assemble the quiche on the oven rack itself. It may make your life easier. Use an oven pan under the dish, as it may spill as it cooks. Now bake this for about 20-25 minutes. Allow the quiche to cool down properly before attempting to cut it. It is good when warm, but it will be quite brittle and soft when you take it out of the oven.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgfcIZSUf6a0t42FcyBIOU4STDamlSjtsBW2ii184livMDK-KbWOQMG9o97S96hDRXOl2Aq6gz_z5hTfdhC5AX8H86VhyphenhyphenolORfkNKCtOnyspgpT-Ix6mSP0bCRrTe6gm_yc55oKMV0J95/s1600/QcheLor_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgfcIZSUf6a0t42FcyBIOU4STDamlSjtsBW2ii184livMDK-KbWOQMG9o97S96hDRXOl2Aq6gz_z5hTfdhC5AX8H86VhyphenhyphenolORfkNKCtOnyspgpT-Ix6mSP0bCRrTe6gm_yc55oKMV0J95/s400/QcheLor_07.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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This quiche was easy to make, my first one. It is quite tasty and not nearly as rich as one would imagine. Goes well with a fresh garden salad. This dish can be eaten cold as well.</div>
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Bon appetit!</div>
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Authored by Johan Zietsman</div>
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Last updated on 2015-12-02</div>
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The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-47288203098595529812015-07-29T14:31:00.000+02:002015-07-29T14:31:20.153+02:00Poor Man's Roast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7ac2PlfyDrCdn4D0_g71XUYkjxZe9TGcFUwf4Ny616AGRAEDjM7wOGXqM_BC8ig6nOPQOvPoN-JPj_e02jasglE-3bedMD6CA5YwfFyjBQaJ2yXOQ5o1M5yB-ejtFrlF3BbjIe24ITXv/s1600/PersnRst_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7ac2PlfyDrCdn4D0_g71XUYkjxZe9TGcFUwf4Ny616AGRAEDjM7wOGXqM_BC8ig6nOPQOvPoN-JPj_e02jasglE-3bedMD6CA5YwfFyjBQaJ2yXOQ5o1M5yB-ejtFrlF3BbjIe24ITXv/s640/PersnRst_05.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
Having a small family is sometimes a hindrance to a food blogger. With just the missus and myself, things get tricky when thinking up new ways to prepare food, given the small quantity required.<br />
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The normal way around the problem is to invite friends or family over for dinner. However, that avenue has its own dangers, not the least of which is the cost of having a weekly “Come dine with me” episode playing off in your humble abode.<br />
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After some thinking and taking into account that I am under orders not to make another stewed dish, I came up with the idea of a slow roast. This one conjures up visions of a piglet, complete with apple in the mouth and so on. My humble budget does not stretch that far and I have this suspicion that most people do not have an oven that big anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdl1sogXpHc1R1HnI8J3hQkmJTmPNFa-PnG-1_bJY7UDW3s3dKDRB5Me_k8yoQYHhOiWCqlm_XppOM0_AJMVHbfOTAS7AniZVgiWYhCl81aBYWkcKVL7VflbFl_zVitRE92OuXv7Af7go/s1600/PersnRst_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdl1sogXpHc1R1HnI8J3hQkmJTmPNFa-PnG-1_bJY7UDW3s3dKDRB5Me_k8yoQYHhOiWCqlm_XppOM0_AJMVHbfOTAS7AniZVgiWYhCl81aBYWkcKVL7VflbFl_zVitRE92OuXv7Af7go/s400/PersnRst_02.JPG" width="266" /></a>So, after some more reasoning, the idea formed that one can make a roast without having to buy a whole leg or shoulder cut. Chops will do if you stack them in a solid pile. One is then able to purchase only enough for the guests in the house, as you can buy chops in individual portions. Having said this, one should realise that the stack of meat should be sufficiently bulky to resemble a whole shoulder, for example.<br />
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In my case I opted for the cheapest lamb or mutton chops I could lay my hands on. Shoulder and leg chops will do just fine. The reasoning is that the slow roasting process will take care of any toughness anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6edvWEZNUSJp4zt9fLHIL7QaRfe7tFMpGp5_Cfi68A4OWbpYbtl69cKDxkvwklu61wvABoz0mIlKY9VZ89qFa0FkNNirlUfiECoT82wDqP_6T6g1EbkQXU2Y4qkE9t9tpMMbsMMVGno5V/s1600/PersnRst_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6edvWEZNUSJp4zt9fLHIL7QaRfe7tFMpGp5_Cfi68A4OWbpYbtl69cKDxkvwklu61wvABoz0mIlKY9VZ89qFa0FkNNirlUfiECoT82wDqP_6T6g1EbkQXU2Y4qkE9t9tpMMbsMMVGno5V/s400/PersnRst_03.JPG" width="266" /></a>Having decided on the process and the cuts, the world is open for deciding on the style and flavours. If you have a tagine at hand, that will work brilliantly, the lid keeping the juices inside and allowing for a slow steaming process. I do not own such equipment, so I used a ceramic baking dish of suitable size. The dish has no lid, so I just covered it with some aluminium foil. A cast iron pot or saucepan will also do, as these come with a lid.<br />
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That takes care of your cooking utensils.<br />
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As for flavours, I decided on a Persian style spicing. I like the spicy flavours, but again I am under orders to prepare some less spicy dishes. This one has a perfumed spicing, very flavourful and quite rich. It goes well with the fatty meat cuts. The recipe is adapted from the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Persiana-Recipes-Middle-East-beyond/dp/1566569958/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1438168767&sr=1-1&keywords=persiana+recipes+from+the+middle+east+%26+beyond" target="_blank">Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour</a>. A welcome birthday present and addition to my library from my son and his fiance.<br />
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I was not able to find all the spices listed in the recipe, so I substituted some after some discussion with my local spice merchant. The lime powder was substituted with dried citrus peel. This dried citrus peel is of my own making, being mandarin orange and satsuma peel that I dried in the oven, then blitzed in the blender.<br />
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Edible dried rose petals are also not really a part of the local cuisine, so I substituted rose water, which most larger grocers sell here in South Africa.<br />
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Sumac was something new to me, not having heard of it before. It turns out to be ground-up berries of the Anacardiaceae family of plants in the Rhus genus. Check it out on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a> and on the <a href="http://www.thespicehouse.com/spices/powdered-sumac" target="_blank">Spice House web site</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-qdMJ0XYy8-UI82H4Ahtl5ePtUgSBJ1kd_asx5_nHjVQmYKTinix_H8kfVmSAYYNbzd6pBbievE01JDW9NuXYWR-ODb_JggAzQQ-SKYND5zCrWJFfXvoc9zo-GbtjSJ0DcL98Zthg1W4/s1600/PersnRst_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-qdMJ0XYy8-UI82H4Ahtl5ePtUgSBJ1kd_asx5_nHjVQmYKTinix_H8kfVmSAYYNbzd6pBbievE01JDW9NuXYWR-ODb_JggAzQQ-SKYND5zCrWJFfXvoc9zo-GbtjSJ0DcL98Zthg1W4/s320/PersnRst_01.JPG" width="320" /></a>This dish was served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. I kept the portions medium to small, as the meat came out very rich. You may want to make this dish when the neighbours are all at home; it will count as psychological torture! The flavours emanating from the kitchen are really something special, as is the taste.<br />
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Spice Perfumed Poor Man's Roast</h3>
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1 kg lamb/mutton shoulder or leg chops<br />
1 heaped tablespoon sumac<br />
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon ground cumin<br />
1 teaspoon dried & ground citrus peel<br />
2 tablespoon rose water<br />
some salt flakes<br />
some cooking oil<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRv3oF_6NUGds0LncoPJwSDK3D6CrV64pTNOSeFZ533z-qnFLYFS2CE7iKg6Eu84aVoJWUTcluW3htR5l-2pFSQMQV9DeqfeHejKmjsGeptNsJJVlFisqobB-q3o-0z3d3pGvaLoajQo3/s1600/PersnRst_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxRv3oF_6NUGds0LncoPJwSDK3D6CrV64pTNOSeFZ533z-qnFLYFS2CE7iKg6Eu84aVoJWUTcluW3htR5l-2pFSQMQV9DeqfeHejKmjsGeptNsJJVlFisqobB-q3o-0z3d3pGvaLoajQo3/s400/PersnRst_06.JPG" width="266" /></a>Process</h3>
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Mix the spices thoroughly, then add some oil to make it into a paste. Add the rose water and mix well. The spices will ensure that the rose water/oil mix does not separate. Cut the sinews and fat layers of the chops to stop them from curling up during the cooking process. Coat each piece of meat thoroughly and stack them tightly in the baking dish. Add some salt flakes between layers. Cover the dish with aluminium foil or put the lid on. Allow this to marinate for and hour or so. In this case you have lots of thin layers, so it is possible to overdo the marinating time.<br />
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Set the oven to 160<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>C/320<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>F and pop the roast in the oven for three to four hours. By this time the meat should be almost falling off the bones. No need to use a knife here, you flake the meat using two forks.<br />
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This I served with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables steamed over the boiling potatoes. A simple dish with lots of flavour and very little work in the kitchen. It gave me time to enjoy a glass or two of red wine with the missus.<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-07-29<br />
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The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-69103512295393577172015-06-24T12:56:00.002+02:002015-06-24T12:56:57.700+02:00Flavours of Africa: Oxtail And Samp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Winter arrived properly here in the Cape yesterday, along with the associated rain and cold. Today we have had some thunder and lightning already, with heavy clouds over the Helderberg.<br />
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Time for a real winter stew.<br />
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For a while now I have been thinking of traditional African stews. A search on the internet revealed very few local recipes. Those that are listed vary from having very simple ingredients to some exotic spicy versions. Mostly the dishes are from outside of Africa.<br />
<br />
So I decided to have yet another version. A stew with an East African slant, if you will. This means that there needs to be a hint of the Middle East in there, with some exotic flavours, but not too spicy. Having reasoned thus far, the ingredients started to settle in my mind.<br />
<br />
<br />
Lots of cumin, smoked paprika, mixed Madagascan pepper, some garlic, a hint of cinnamon, then some sage and coriander leaves at the end. Coarse sea salt. A dollop of soy sauce. Done. To give this dish an African flavour, I added red kidney beans as well. My reasoning was that the dish will be served with samp, the broken cooked maize kernels that are so traditional in Africa. Mixed samp and beans is quite popular too, but I decided against this as there was beans in the main dish anyway.<br />
<br />
Samp is soaked in salt water for two to three hours prior to cooking. The kernels will soak up some water and wash off some starch. This is discarded and fresh water added for the cooking, which also takes one and a half to two hours. At the end the kernels are nicely swollen and quite chewy. To this I added a dollop of fresh cream and a knob of real butter. This makes for a rich creamy flavour to soak up all the juices from the oxtail.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUHEqP_ZAbX8LNHpDiaaETlmS_Zt5lVjqQ2W3Q9DOftuD0pin-33tr4Qz4OOAYnA3a-Nm6YG6uQ4z9VE21v0Ye9-w-POyKgEaoCxqGV6mYDKeqqJdSx7lAO4EC_hsuYp3fe6LkLhvxg9v/s1600/Oxtail_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUHEqP_ZAbX8LNHpDiaaETlmS_Zt5lVjqQ2W3Q9DOftuD0pin-33tr4Qz4OOAYnA3a-Nm6YG6uQ4z9VE21v0Ye9-w-POyKgEaoCxqGV6mYDKeqqJdSx7lAO4EC_hsuYp3fe6LkLhvxg9v/s400/Oxtail_01.JPG" width="400" /></a>Oxtail tend to be very tough and has lots of fat. You may not want all the fat in your dish, but do not despair. There is no need to cut the fat off, the process will take care of this. The beauty of oxtail is that one cooks the meat to a very gelatinous consistency, giving the dish an almost creamy texture. In this case I patted the meat quite dry, then fried the pieces in butter and cooking oil until it turned a nice toast colour of brown. The meat is done in batches to not have juices soaking up the heat and causing a cooking, rather than frying process.<br />
<br />
The meat is then set aside to rest while you prepare the sauce. Discard the contents of the skillet, that is where most of the unwanted fat will be. This leaves the meat less fatty and nicely caramelised on the outside.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTT2hcpDhVBRbmZniYUmyFBGLpaIu5qD01pTmsN7bY-tmuyfyJIahNBJhrX4rBSySgTi8HW_ElHschlIFydlm0-z3Fm8537fkFz9FODTDVuU7hap_vVvsxJjulV5pTyR-xggu29D7-moI/s1600/Oxtail_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTT2hcpDhVBRbmZniYUmyFBGLpaIu5qD01pTmsN7bY-tmuyfyJIahNBJhrX4rBSySgTi8HW_ElHschlIFydlm0-z3Fm8537fkFz9FODTDVuU7hap_vVvsxJjulV5pTyR-xggu29D7-moI/s400/Oxtail_02.JPG" width="225" /></a><br />
There is another angle to this dish: I made it the day before. This allowed the flavours to develop overnight. When cooking with spices, the flavours tend to be on the sharp side as a result of the frying which lets the oils out of the spices. Allowing the dish to rest will get rid of the very sharp essential oils and leave the basic flavours to marry. The meat also gains some texture, as it relaxes and is therefore a bit more tender.<br />
<br />
On the cooking process there is much argument and debate. Some people use a pressure cooker, others like me don't. Some people will have the dish on relatively high heat, while others will use only the barest minimum. I follow the slow route. I believe that cooking any meat fast will cause some chemical changes and the meat will turn out like rubber if you are not careful. Also, I am told, the meat needs to be at room temperature before you start cooking or frying, otherwise it may go tough anyway. Oxtail specifically is quite tough and I have had some very rubbery meat served to me on the odd occasion.<br />
<br />
Prepare your food with care and your efforts will be rewarded by the flavours.<br />
<br />
So here goes.<br />
<br />
<h2>
East African Oxtail And Samp</h2>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAQ8Mc4Giy24Ss876OC_UajVBrL6o3lj-bzy2I7rCFP6SgmceoYTE_Bo7JqqQsodR02B4pq0jqTVczKL4kfAJ6-VZqU1mK84JdI1TElcVg8fL7fcDl4PGLKvPtJMr1wSYb5NOw-_xkIix/s1600/Oxtail_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAQ8Mc4Giy24Ss876OC_UajVBrL6o3lj-bzy2I7rCFP6SgmceoYTE_Bo7JqqQsodR02B4pq0jqTVczKL4kfAJ6-VZqU1mK84JdI1TElcVg8fL7fcDl4PGLKvPtJMr1wSYb5NOw-_xkIix/s400/Oxtail_03.JPG" width="266" /></a>750 g oxtail at room temperature<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
½ green pepper, chopped<br />
½ cup chopped celery sticks<br />
½ cup chopped carrot<br />
½ cup of carrot, cut into sticks<br />
1 small hot chilli, chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, chopped and mashed<br />
1 can whole peeled or chopped tomatoes<br />
2 medium sized fresh tomatoes<br />
1 sachet tomato paste<br />
1 can red kidney beans<br />
some coarse sea salt<br />
some freshly ground pepper<br />
30 ml soy sauce<br />
1 cup strong beef stock<br />
4 bay leaves<br />
small piece of cinnamon bark<br />
3 teaspoons ground cumin<br />
1 heaped teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
½ teaspoon coriander seeds<br />
small sprig of fresh sage<br />
sprig of fresh coriander leaves<br />
50g butter<br />
oil for frying<br />
1½ cups dry samp<br />
<br />
<h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcr5AujapCvrholrWzuWynYeoV6p1XyOxT4kdpnFzWtt8cYfMjjbhe7EU5H2eTJJKctFcE7SqnLFaRb4R3QY20h1XksOXhl1YlYyoumVZKkcRxDE8tAphJkmpZHYB_TclDOVsozNMh3NfJ/s1600/Oxtail_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcr5AujapCvrholrWzuWynYeoV6p1XyOxT4kdpnFzWtt8cYfMjjbhe7EU5H2eTJJKctFcE7SqnLFaRb4R3QY20h1XksOXhl1YlYyoumVZKkcRxDE8tAphJkmpZHYB_TclDOVsozNMh3NfJ/s400/Oxtail_04.JPG" width="266" /></a>Process</h3>
<h4>
For the oxtail</h4>
<br />
Heat up a knob of butter and a dollop of oil in a skillet. Fry the pieces of oxtail until they are nice and brown outside. Fry them in batches if needs be. They must be brown, not grey. Set them aside to rest. Discard the juices from the skillet.<br />
<br />
The sauce is started by heating up some butter and oil in your saucepan. Fry the onions, green pepper, celery and carrot until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, chilli and the coriander seeds and fry for another twenty seconds. Now add all the tomato and the rest of the dry spices. Add the dollop of soy sauce and the beef stock. Bring this lot to the boil, then add the meat back in. Ensure that the meat is covered in the sauce. Add some water if necessary.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8qHEKDt7mSR36dQf6eCaPTyqXc2PmJEp3SgfK6GxQbIvmaLVuvpwN1INcxzQDa0xPQ5gjBrrn49jeNNgeegwmHLc2ZSDaPacd93w-BgRmUIu9Czj5MaMRTU-VRslgVwcgRGZteRGvdxh/s1600/Oxtail_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP8qHEKDt7mSR36dQf6eCaPTyqXc2PmJEp3SgfK6GxQbIvmaLVuvpwN1INcxzQDa0xPQ5gjBrrn49jeNNgeegwmHLc2ZSDaPacd93w-BgRmUIu9Czj5MaMRTU-VRslgVwcgRGZteRGvdxh/s400/Oxtail_06.JPG" width="266" /></a>Turn the heat down and allow the dish to simmer for three hours. Then turn the heat off and allow the dish to rest overnight.<br />
<br />
On day two, bring the dish to the boil and add the carrot sticks,some chopped coriander leaves and the chopped sage leaves. Allow to simmer for another one and a half to two hours, then add the beans. Wash the beans of its juice before adding it to the dish, this will probably cause the dish to burn. You don't want that at this stage of the proceedings. The sauce may be allowed to reduce some at this stage, making for a thicker sauce. Check for the saltiness after the beans have been added. The meat should be falling off the bones by this time.<br />
<br />
Bring to the boil, then turn the flame off and allow the dish to rest again for fifteen minutes.<br />
<br />
<h4>
For the samp</h4>
<br />
Soak the samp for two hours in salty water. Drain the starchy water and replace with fresh water. Add some salt, then bring to the boil and boil slowly for two hours or until the maize kernels are nicely puffed and chewy. Drain the excess water and add a good helping of butter and two to three dessert-spoons of cream. Mix this thoroughly. The result should be a very rich smelling and creamy tasting chewy maize dish.<br />
<br />
Now dish up. This dish goes well with a full bodied red wine and good company.<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2015-06-24<br />
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The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-66325823577918077362015-05-27T09:54:00.000+02:002015-05-27T09:54:07.763+02:00A New Life, A New Beef Dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEXWVUMv9kpODbCB_uLODeZ9qffnm3xSsiFVc9MMSQ_tzDsz4kwAi5zlmY6wwMJYEZ2n6G7t_es3A-W5ihrHQAJmmDYGxwZ5odMl4CWNglpOJINDM3NSSyRAyz5eU-3FT6gyej1va-Q-J/s1600/OssoBuco_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGEXWVUMv9kpODbCB_uLODeZ9qffnm3xSsiFVc9MMSQ_tzDsz4kwAi5zlmY6wwMJYEZ2n6G7t_es3A-W5ihrHQAJmmDYGxwZ5odMl4CWNglpOJINDM3NSSyRAyz5eU-3FT6gyej1va-Q-J/s640/OssoBuco_01.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
I recently seemed to have lost my zeal for cooking. Perhaps I lost my muse, as authors and artists would have it.<br />
<br />
Or perhaps the two major surgical procedures and the large amounts of anaesthetic in my body had something to do with this loss of muse. Or it could have been the scare of finding a large cancerous tumour on my kidney and having it removed.<br />
<br />
Whatever the case, after a two month sabbatical from cooking and from sailing, I am back. The recent spell of cold weather in the Cape triggered a primordial urge for a hearty stew. It is as if the cold weather creeps into your bones and your body tells you this cold will only be chased away by a hearty stewed dish.<br />
<br />
After a short internet search, I had the idea. Osso buco. That very Italian dish that warms the cockles of your heart with the meat almost melting in your mouth.<br />
<br />
The internet search was short, simply because I was very hungry. So I searched for stewed beef dishes. The standard recipe calls for veal. I summarily dismissed the idea and went and bought beef shin. Here in South Africa beef shin is relatively cheap. The cut need not be very tender, as the stewing process will see to that.<br />
<br />
The process is what makes the dish. Spices are very simple. On one of the myriad web sites quoting a recipe, the author remarked that there appears to be an ongoing, raging debate on whether to use tomato or not. Then some recipes call for fennel, some not. Some require sage, others not. And so on.<br />
<br />
Being of a somewhat eclectic bent, I decided that my recipe will be a fusion version. There will always be some chilli in my stewed dishes and mostly not any wine. I use soy sauce instead. The soy sauce has a slightly richer texture and a fuller flavour.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BsRRiJcJZcU4Y0HM-uaiowWacfDj5QjCETrnLx5Tn1V1yeXFsxUsvYeR4yfpbYyKeWzTfqXw72isLwzUd4JI95vq8ZTFmMEMmqISASMulH77HddQlEEQbKLZ5For_iQBc0Slf-C1_4B/s1600/OssoBuco_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6_BsRRiJcJZcU4Y0HM-uaiowWacfDj5QjCETrnLx5Tn1V1yeXFsxUsvYeR4yfpbYyKeWzTfqXw72isLwzUd4JI95vq8ZTFmMEMmqISASMulH77HddQlEEQbKLZ5For_iQBc0Slf-C1_4B/s400/OssoBuco_05.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dial Rock, Saldanha bay. It is good to be out on the water again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Osso buco is basically beef shin or veal stewed in a bed of vegetables. Notably celery and carrot. These hard vegetables do not cook away, so you have some chewiness at the end of the cooking. Again, allow the dish to rest for at least half an hour before dishing up. This will allow the initial sharpness of the ingredients to calm down and allow the more subtle flavours to come out.<br />
<br />
As for cooking, most recipes will have you simmer this dish in the oven for a long time at reasonably low temperature. I chose to cook the dish in a cast iron casserole on the burner. Again at low temperature for a long time. I used the same dish for the initial frying of the meat and the subsequent cooking. This will have the caramelised bits of the frying as part of your dish. The dish then makes its own stock, thereby enhancing the flavours.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbWHX7_eQeqzax1-d6MljTZY2MG6iBX14G7PYt9WvpoZWFhIF0C6vdzp52Mxzk5BkyID8UyFZkwlLT_qbI1hOliyFr3ccFVf7eMps5ibe-hDz2u8owj3RphFlnzRhDU_qzoPDaUc_iDpQ/s1600/OssoBuco_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbWHX7_eQeqzax1-d6MljTZY2MG6iBX14G7PYt9WvpoZWFhIF0C6vdzp52Mxzk5BkyID8UyFZkwlLT_qbI1hOliyFr3ccFVf7eMps5ibe-hDz2u8owj3RphFlnzRhDU_qzoPDaUc_iDpQ/s400/OssoBuco_02.JPG" width="225" /></a>The Milanese version of the dish serves it up on a bed of saffron risotto. I chose stock standard mashed potatoes. There is something earthy in mashed potatoes don't you think? This mash was made with milk and real butter, making it rich and creamy.<br />
<br />
<br />
Osso buco needs a gremolata as well. I have never made this, so all was a bit new. Gremolata is quite simple. Mashed raw garlic mixed with finely chopped parsley. A no-brainer. However, this one has some trick to it to make the flavours come out. I use a little table salt with the chopped garlic when mashing it. The salt prevents the garlic from splattering all over the place. The salt also draws some juices out of the garlic. Add the finely chopped parsley and the salt keeps on doing its magic. For this recipe I added some very finely chopped up citrus peel to the gremolata. Make the gremolata while the meat is cooking. This will allow the gremolata's flavour to develop as well. The gremolata is served as a garnish on top of the plated food. I put half of the quantity into the casserole when I turned off the flame.<br />
<br />
So here goes.<br />
<br />
Osso Buco alla the Hungry Sailor<br />
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<h4>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihswfFlWkHtB3gd9oD1H50D971fzpQ8cZtbSyZEhXuYP123Sf4ynk6sOkgOIqRmKgFOb4PdejdsveHf20Uu_gGSOGHLPQ3P4NWaLMeEfJrDZalp6UnSVWDMMk3xWCwaPmQkvCJvrdn2iFB/s1600/OssoBuco_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihswfFlWkHtB3gd9oD1H50D971fzpQ8cZtbSyZEhXuYP123Sf4ynk6sOkgOIqRmKgFOb4PdejdsveHf20Uu_gGSOGHLPQ3P4NWaLMeEfJrDZalp6UnSVWDMMk3xWCwaPmQkvCJvrdn2iFB/s400/OssoBuco_04.JPG" width="225" /></a>For the osso buco</h4>
500-600g beef shin with bone in<br />
1 large onion, chopped<br />
3 celery sticks chopped. You need about ¾ cup of chopped celery.<br />
½ large carrot finely chopped. Again about ¾ cup of chopped carrot will do.<br />
1 small hot chill, finely chopped<br />
3 buttons garlic, chopped<br />
2 medium fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped<br />
1 400g can of whole peeled tomatoes<br />
1 50 ml sachet of tomato paste.<br />
Dollop of soy sauce<br />
dollop of olive oil<br />
50 g butter<br />
1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock.<br />
4 fresh sage leaves<br />
sprig of fresh fennel<br />
Some oregano<br />
Some hot water<br />
25 ml of fine flour<br />
pepper<br />
salt<br />
<br />
<h4>
For the gremolata</h4>
2 buttons fresh garlic.<br />
Sprig of fresh parsley<br />
Zest of half a lemon. I used some dried citrus skin, finely chopped.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Process</h3>
<br />
Pat the meat as dry as you possibly can, then dust the meat with the flour. Make sure than all the surfaces are covered. Get the casserole up to heat and add the olive oil. The casserole should be of such a size that the meat can lie flat inside without being bundled up. Now fry the meat both sides until it is nice and brown. Take c are not to burn the meat. The flour may burn earlier than the meat, so your close attention is required.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8nDchRTJq6ejn8J1Bc722DP0uWFftmj4e62eYAXjq0IVrET9NCQwWPxTdKMQVjovHWJ_4tU9W16mCuNF0sEPUNUM48zZdk7O8Qr4tSYjef8X2tXuFgkMjOudXF_0CXi155LImkuTW9Ge/s1600/OssoBuco_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8nDchRTJq6ejn8J1Bc722DP0uWFftmj4e62eYAXjq0IVrET9NCQwWPxTdKMQVjovHWJ_4tU9W16mCuNF0sEPUNUM48zZdk7O8Qr4tSYjef8X2tXuFgkMjOudXF_0CXi155LImkuTW9Ge/s400/OssoBuco_03.JPG" width="225" /></a></div>
Remove the meat from the pot, then add the butter. Turn the heat down if required. The butter must not burn. Allow the butter to melt, then add the chopped onions, celery and carrots. Fry these gently until the onions go translucent. Then add the garlic and chilli. Fry these for fifteen seconds or so. Now add the chopped tomatoes, the can of tomatoes and the dollop of soy sauce. Allow this lot to reduce to about half the volume, then add the stock. Mix through thoroughly.<br />
<br />
Now place the pieces of meat on top, making sure that the meat is covered in fluid. The parts that stick out will not cook properly. Add the juices that oozed out of the meat while resting. At this stage I added some small onions whole, just for garnish. Add the tomato paste now. Add the sage and the fennel, tearing them by hand. Sprinkle some oregano over the lot.<br />
<br />
Turn the heat down to minimum on your smallest burner and put the lid on. Check every half hour for sufficient fluid in the pot and ladle some of the juices on top of the meat. Now make the gremolata.<br />
<br />
<br />
Chop up to buttons of garlic, using some table salt to keep the bits together during mashing. Add the chopped parsley and the lemon zest. Mix this thoroughly. The quantity should be around three table spoons.<br />
<br />
The test for readiness is the tenderness of the meat. The meat should be marrow soft. This will take about two to three hours. Turn off the flame and sprinkle half of the gremolata on top. Close the lid and make the potato mash. Remember to add some real butter to the mash.<br />
<br />
Then dish up. Sprinkle some gremolata on each serving as a garnish. This one goes very well with a full bodied red wine and low lights. Like candles.<br />
<br />
Bon appetit!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2015-05-27<br />
<br />
All images taken with LG G3 smart phone and processed with Photoshop Express.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-12849045836456859872015-03-29T18:48:00.000+02:002015-03-29T18:56:31.697+02:00Traditional Easter Fare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZTCLKkjOrAVTmANlYeWcUuNT6eX6eZ8quXrPJjZZaxacKtrRIeFq_M7Rx9cOBNGPC8hT5daueSMk-vLp6ys1o6h35xmzFBxIMCE94JFVxVywsJrxt2ZrgAcxOYo5CXoYhVdhr5WWud8S/s1600/20150327_215339_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZTCLKkjOrAVTmANlYeWcUuNT6eX6eZ8quXrPJjZZaxacKtrRIeFq_M7Rx9cOBNGPC8hT5daueSMk-vLp6ys1o6h35xmzFBxIMCE94JFVxVywsJrxt2ZrgAcxOYo5CXoYhVdhr5WWud8S/s1600/20150327_215339_1.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It is that time of year again. Easter. For some reason Easter is celebrated in South Africa almost like Thanksgiving in The United States; Lots of family gatherings and lots of food.<br />
<br />
Perhaps it has much to do with being the end of the harvest season. Us city- and seaward oriented folks tend to get somewhat dislodged from Mother Earth and the seasons. But the religious festivals help to keep us in line with the seasons.<br />
<br />
For one, I know this festival is very close to the first equinox of the year which falls on 21-22 March. That is when the sun crosses the equator on its way to the northern hemisphere for their summer. It is also the first star gate of the year for some religions.<br />
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But here it is Easter. Time for wonderful celebrations and always accompanied with good food and wine. The Cape is no exception and Mother Nature played along very nicely this year and provided lots of good fishing recently. This played magnificently into the tradition to have pickled fish and bread for a picnic lunch in the balmy autumn weather here in the Cape Town area.<br />
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I am not a fisherman, so I went to the local fish market by the jetty and bought a fish. Pickled fish appears to be like South African potjiekos, a very personal dish with jealously guarded recipes.<br />
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Luckily for us, not all recipes are so closely guarded and we have the famous Cass Abrahams, who published her recipe for pickled fish. This one is special also because it is one of the very traditional Cape Malay dishes, steeped in history.<br />
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For me, this was the perfect opportunity to test the Cape Malay style spiciness. The spice mix is simple, the preparation easy and the waiting time forever. I did not even bother doing an internet search, as I had a proper reference handy right on my bookshelf: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Cass+Abrahams+" target="_blank">Cass Abrahams cooks Cape Malay, by Cass Abrahams. The book is available from Amazon books</a>. This recipe is adapted from this book.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9j-psKYy-AuSkZiaUCQTq3jvnCz6Y8H1w5GQv5C_dmlV8WXC7pY8ISO2k5WNdz09Qo1KUNy9Hm1nB4T81vPSWGJHVhnv_0Oq2EddHBQDmDtLfauMGO8EMUmIVqt9Krc5X4jpGi4j9JK6/s1600/20150326_143148_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9j-psKYy-AuSkZiaUCQTq3jvnCz6Y8H1w5GQv5C_dmlV8WXC7pY8ISO2k5WNdz09Qo1KUNy9Hm1nB4T81vPSWGJHVhnv_0Oq2EddHBQDmDtLfauMGO8EMUmIVqt9Krc5X4jpGi4j9JK6/s1600/20150326_143148_1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a><br />
This dish is normally made using cheap fish. The book calls for snoek, which in other parts of the world is called queen mackerel. However, any fish will do. Especially game fish as they have firmer flesh. The recipe may be made by frying the salted fish in butter or in a light batter. It does not make a difference. I opted for the plain frying in light oil as per the recipe. The dish also calls for vinegar, for which I used apple cider vinegar. This gave a very fruity taste to the dish and I had to add a little regular vinegar to get the acidity levels up. The sugar is added to your own taste, so take care. It is easy to have too much sugar. You can always add some later when the dish has cured for a day or two.<br />
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The solid ingredients need to be submerged in the pickle. If not, add a little vinegar and turn the whole lot around. This will get the bottom pieces to the top and allow the top ones some better soaking and curing. Be careful not to break the pieces of fish, else you end up with flaked fish in brine.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RMSvNp9mgsAjQVSxmgQn62adcLhRvkpt7igeBq_DF-P7U5oQCAyeK6ze0wIsp3rnI0Fm9GE62poAT5o57D0rtI2_d48IOY4qY1yw_g-oKjEknfjV8B_bCTcZtNUUxRa3ARJQh8bYBImZ/s1600/20150326_143207_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RMSvNp9mgsAjQVSxmgQn62adcLhRvkpt7igeBq_DF-P7U5oQCAyeK6ze0wIsp3rnI0Fm9GE62poAT5o57D0rtI2_d48IOY4qY1yw_g-oKjEknfjV8B_bCTcZtNUUxRa3ARJQh8bYBImZ/s1600/20150326_143207_1.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a><br />
Very important: The skin needs to be taken off game fish. The brine or pickle will not penetrate the skin and thus leave your fish not cured and tasting bland. I tend to always skin the fish. You may do this by soaking the cuts in boiling water for a minute or so. The skin will then come off easily. The size of the cuts does not matter. However, I like to have all the cuts with at least one dimension under my control. This means I cut all the pieces to the same thickness, which, in my case, is about 20mm or ¾ inch. This will ensure a similar curing time for all the cuts. Over-curing does not matter, but under-curing does. And make sure the onions are properly cooked, otherwise you end up with very crunchy bits! The onions may be fried in butter before adding to the pickle, if one so prefers.<br />
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So here goes.<br />
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<h4>
Ingredients</h4>
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1 kg game fish. I used yellowtail<br />
2 large onions, sliced into rings<br />
5 thumbs garlic, mashed<br />
250 ml vinegar<br />
125 ml water<br />
10 ml coriander powder<br />
10 ml cumin powder (jeera)<br />
15 ml masala<br />
5 ml turmeric<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
4 pimentos<br />
4 cloves<br />
1 ml peppercorns<br />
Sugar to taste. I used brown sugar<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5gtV4b4p063hiiqVnnYpqGHFRtjw0ZUWFoEBvbj3QJz1HIkleDFIzu-LJYc8yE_RwwuNDBBH0F8veAHu3atjnxFLIOcEsx8fQTg5ZV9k4sY4eYNoN_PGa4fOt1Fi0qMQdtqcJrki8eAS/s1600/20150327_215238_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5gtV4b4p063hiiqVnnYpqGHFRtjw0ZUWFoEBvbj3QJz1HIkleDFIzu-LJYc8yE_RwwuNDBBH0F8veAHu3atjnxFLIOcEsx8fQTg5ZV9k4sY4eYNoN_PGa4fOt1Fi0qMQdtqcJrki8eAS/s1600/20150327_215238_1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a><br />
<h4>
Process</h4>
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Salt the fish and fry until done. I did mine in batches. Keep these to the side and keep the frying oil. Add the fluids and the dry ingredients, except the sugar, to a saucepan and set to boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for a few minutes until the onions are translucent but still firm. Add sugar to taste.<br />
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Pour the hot sauce over the fish and ensure that every piece is properly coated with the pickle. Allow to cool and set into the refrigerator for three to four days. This will allow the flavours to develop and help the fish and onions to cure. Turn the lot every day to get the pickle soaking in properly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQr5gW4_voB-ryiPUJQzgRWlx1cW_hj6Dsas91zMeLFWR-9H9-S2bi7leHQ3i4Q-3ya-4dUHGGvOOZTFr_GhpJOxWOFRiFW9ZwfAQ2dwFBP4A2MBa3U4XbpDQ5KMP1NSGUe2OlSBmDb_W/s1600/20150327_215311_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQr5gW4_voB-ryiPUJQzgRWlx1cW_hj6Dsas91zMeLFWR-9H9-S2bi7leHQ3i4Q-3ya-4dUHGGvOOZTFr_GhpJOxWOFRiFW9ZwfAQ2dwFBP4A2MBa3U4XbpDQ5KMP1NSGUe2OlSBmDb_W/s1600/20150327_215311_1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
Simple.<br />
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This dish goes well with an artisan loaf of bread, real butter and an off-dry white wine.<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-03-29<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-9248587214273966282015-03-20T12:00:00.000+02:002015-03-20T12:00:09.388+02:00Bread And Butter Pudding? Not Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh41szilEWLxxTdzhYIeEjgLox98bbHypbdqHvq0gz9NrXkgDirF-efwNNIhJca-sdyktaLkkL2GgGEIHST2meb4GSuZcyKOVORysP6-0m1TBS7nFn3uAQn9WsRgsPuPH3u2djI7QjJvpr/s1600/BrednBut_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh41szilEWLxxTdzhYIeEjgLox98bbHypbdqHvq0gz9NrXkgDirF-efwNNIhJca-sdyktaLkkL2GgGEIHST2meb4GSuZcyKOVORysP6-0m1TBS7nFn3uAQn9WsRgsPuPH3u2djI7QjJvpr/s1600/BrednBut_07.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, again. One of the simplest puddings in the world. Not Banting style, for sure. But this is a dessert after all.<br />
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The idea for this dessert came up recently with small cold fronts reminding us that the summer is over and that it is time for some hearty winter fare again.<br />
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This one started, as usual, with an internet search. I was certainly not going the traditional way of using slices of bread, buttered and some apricot jam spread over, all squashed in a suitable dish, egg batter added and baked.<br />
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The internet search revealed a myriad of recipes. After surfing this mass of information for about five minutes I was salivating all over the keyboard! Never did I think that this humble dessert would attract so much attention. The ingredients vary from simple to intricate and exotic. Fillings vary from jam through dried fruit and frozen fruit to fresh fruit and nuts. There are some versions that resemble more of a main dish than a dessert, using some meaty filling.<br />
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Mine was going to be a dessert, simply made, but with some deviation from the very staid traditions.<br />
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Some versions use baking powder to get some fluffiness into the dish. I opted for going the traditional way to keep it simple and away from all kinds of chemicals. The bread itself is sufficiently refined. Speaking of the bread, most recipes call for stale bread. One blogger stated firmly that there is no such thing as stale bread, just another opportunity to creatively use bread with character. I agree with him. And did you know that you cannot make a decent hamburger using fresh bread? The crumb is simply too soft. You have to let the bread mature for at least a day before it will be firm enough to make a hamburger.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEP0AO4iyc0_OnjsS0cl-bfVwanHRaVEmSMGha-6lTKZsxM0E1gGNs7hQMKXPNuhJzdpDHz0lvbohyphenhyphenlBVPTnU83EASdqTsHywCQZuJ8QyH64ihOftwAXCFyb0_iu-__MF0898O3VFeG83y/s1600/BrednBut_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEP0AO4iyc0_OnjsS0cl-bfVwanHRaVEmSMGha-6lTKZsxM0E1gGNs7hQMKXPNuhJzdpDHz0lvbohyphenhyphenlBVPTnU83EASdqTsHywCQZuJ8QyH64ihOftwAXCFyb0_iu-__MF0898O3VFeG83y/s1600/BrednBut_03.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mash the blueberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So here I am in this creative mood, salivating already just from the thought of a deliciously warm and hearty dessert.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m9xp32BXk7Qs1HEu7Dbfl9iEKmFsfjKFf8K8oAX2Oq7G_9pWRMdwyCitppXg60PU4DZ7aVQ6dGtamecz1POkMCwLG8GJu9M272Y56id-w7eox31Elk8tC2B0LdIsjCYxraOL_KvKP-Jb/s1600/BrednBut_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m9xp32BXk7Qs1HEu7Dbfl9iEKmFsfjKFf8K8oAX2Oq7G_9pWRMdwyCitppXg60PU4DZ7aVQ6dGtamecz1POkMCwLG8GJu9M272Y56id-w7eox31Elk8tC2B0LdIsjCYxraOL_KvKP-Jb/s1600/BrednBut_01.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use butter liberally</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My design instincts told me that the pudding needs to be as light as possible. I was slightly snookered here, as I did not have three day old bread and had to buy a fresh loaf. I scoured the fruit shelves of my local vendors, but no obvious fruit came into view. In the end I opted for some blueberries. These may be found year round on supermarket shelves nowadays. I also had dried fruit in the form of fruit cake mix. My packet of cake mix is quite old and the fruit had crystallized. This would be useful as well. And then I topped the list of ingredients off with real vanilla from pods I bought in Madagascar while on my last ocean voyage.<br />
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The saucy part of the dish needs sufficient egg to bind the lot. Some recipes use about one egg for every two slices of bread. This seems a bit over the top and I settled for three eggs for the eight slices of bread I used. For the milk I used a mix of fresh cream and milk, mixing this into the stirred eggs and adding in the vanilla seeds from one pod.<br />
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The blueberries were mashed in a mortar and pestle. I use one from <a href="http://www.lecreuset.co.za/products/stoneware/preparation-items/mortar-pestle" target="_blank">le Creuset</a> as it has the right size for my needs. Save some of the blueberries for garnish.<br />
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This recipe is sufficient for about six servings. I used a small stoneware dish, also from <a href="http://www.lecreuset.co.za/products/stoneware/new-cotton-stoneware/heritage-dish" target="_blank">le Creuset</a>, for the baking. The dish comfortably holds eight slices of bread. Bear in mind that the dish does rise a bit during baking, so use your common sense in the choice of dish for the baking.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqr7-A0HbJSCs6l9ym0zOxW0_TXClPbR-if1c22YYbgsAJEbgwtNexd6GBJiihwMoA-uPb3jPpV1fYjB7cMT8bAweK8FUSMXPkXTnmGGYsxZ7RVLAgWuAeg5G8NfmkJdePuqDl8XHdg6T/s1600/BrednBut_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqr7-A0HbJSCs6l9ym0zOxW0_TXClPbR-if1c22YYbgsAJEbgwtNexd6GBJiihwMoA-uPb3jPpV1fYjB7cMT8bAweK8FUSMXPkXTnmGGYsxZ7RVLAgWuAeg5G8NfmkJdePuqDl8XHdg6T/s1600/BrednBut_02.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cut into small triangles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So here goes.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
8 slices stale bread<br />
3 large eggs<br />
100 ml fresh cream for the sauce<br />
200 ml fresh full cream milk<br />
butter for the bread<br />
150 g fresh blueberries. This is about a cupful<br />
3 dessert spoons dried fruitcake mix<br />
1 pod vanilla or one teaspoon vanilla essence<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XBRRuJXw5RAgTJEhNn569vXF63qx1spR-u65y3U3kxll-EFiC4quWKAYZLNkp61GyWYRPezRjxX2EwteKCCawZlGPjRre5wpS8dgD3QcCK95uetwoJsRb7dyLveuU6pzBOUCNmbGYG5C/s1600/BrednBut_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XBRRuJXw5RAgTJEhNn569vXF63qx1spR-u65y3U3kxll-EFiC4quWKAYZLNkp61GyWYRPezRjxX2EwteKCCawZlGPjRre5wpS8dgD3QcCK95uetwoJsRb7dyLveuU6pzBOUCNmbGYG5C/s1600/BrednBut_04.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Build the pudding in layers. Add garnish.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Process</h3>
Spread the butter liberally on each slice of bread. Arrange the slices in the dish, butter side down. Add a dash or two of blueberry mush on each layer of bread, along with some of the dried fruit. The last layer of bread may be arranged in some artistic way to enhance the appearance of your dessert before serving.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWyZ_ZOj4zOUWcd3xNC43Ydg3Nwx8hjOwH2wgtuDDenZHmgKckkt4SvRKBvZmizJUvbGvrY4KvFXBapvjUh2aCAowT01GpgWKV7pQeK6pGDboey_BQo2cHKVR8wLoFx1UnYbvrRCJZX-j/s1600/BrednBut_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAWyZ_ZOj4zOUWcd3xNC43Ydg3Nwx8hjOwH2wgtuDDenZHmgKckkt4SvRKBvZmizJUvbGvrY4KvFXBapvjUh2aCAowT01GpgWKV7pQeK6pGDboey_BQo2cHKVR8wLoFx1UnYbvrRCJZX-j/s1600/BrednBut_05.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add the egg batter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mix 100 ml of the fresh cream with the milk. Add in the seed from one vanilla pod or use a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Pour this lot over the bread. Do it slowly to allow the bread to soak up the fluid.<br />
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Now pop this into the oven at 175<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>C/350<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>F for twenty minutes. Then turn the oven up to 200<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>C/400<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">°</span>F for another ten minutes. This will bake the top of the dessert to a nice brown caramel state. I then switched off the oven, leaving the dish inside to sweat a little before I removed it to cool down. Remember. The dish may very well be soggy after the baking. You need to allow the boiling juices inside to finish boiling and for the steam to evaporate. The dish will then solidify and the consistency would be that of a juicy cake.<br />
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Serve this up with a dash of the remaining cream and enjoy. This one came out much better that I expected, with the blueberry juices nicely dispersed by the cooking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4B_1sQj6y6-YsgFy_CCOhbLPuHyNcD9t-2H7IzK8J25ZeayVdmt14YL2rvNMP9JbeyW-oRkjnC_oyve642KjScIOwuXqzQL7nmefZLrJKykheDkK6kHupZpYaplQ8K65QDmnOf4L7xYxW/s1600/BrednBut_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4B_1sQj6y6-YsgFy_CCOhbLPuHyNcD9t-2H7IzK8J25ZeayVdmt14YL2rvNMP9JbeyW-oRkjnC_oyve642KjScIOwuXqzQL7nmefZLrJKykheDkK6kHupZpYaplQ8K65QDmnOf4L7xYxW/s1600/BrednBut_08.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a><br />
And remember, above all, use real butter.<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-03-20The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-893541727367738982015-02-17T10:13:00.000+02:002015-02-17T10:13:40.563+02:00Sailing In English<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TGWDZbot-ipr5UNSJnQyA3FB6YICRMGXPTIy3-Kxp2m186SX6SqO9HlsSziml8b-RPz3qa0qGPqNsdNalUCUWzkvuzCl8PWgi6VBhvga84emtK1BPlUzS61A47gLxndq_gbAvGyL3Lx/s1600/sailEng_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4TGWDZbot-ipr5UNSJnQyA3FB6YICRMGXPTIy3-Kxp2m186SX6SqO9HlsSziml8b-RPz3qa0qGPqNsdNalUCUWzkvuzCl8PWgi6VBhvga84emtK1BPlUzS61A47gLxndq_gbAvGyL3Lx/s1600/sailEng_04.JPG" height="356" width="640" /></a></div>
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Sometimes I wonder just how language affect our normal thinking and the way we go about our business. The last week is a case in point.</div>
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I already know about negative self talk and language. The stuff that the little voice in the back of your head tells you to scare you. You go surfing, for example, and when you see the size of the waves the little voice goes: “You're gonna get dumped.” And, of course, you do. It is because one tends to listen to this little voice, instead of ignoring it.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq70wCjGW4IF3BpLM4u2arHme-y__7ctfqeXa9skahOarzRe5jUmsWnzKUx4dX1Jr86Cx4c7je9tZnuEKhmNMuWjZvEBHSIyjS1KTqI70bA5mMNDIZEyMZJoF3UR1hJ80iNRbSMf_Nr3W5/s1600/sailEng_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq70wCjGW4IF3BpLM4u2arHme-y__7ctfqeXa9skahOarzRe5jUmsWnzKUx4dX1Jr86Cx4c7je9tZnuEKhmNMuWjZvEBHSIyjS1KTqI70bA5mMNDIZEyMZJoF3UR1hJ80iNRbSMf_Nr3W5/s1600/sailEng_02.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idyllic dusk scene at Saldanha Bay Yacht Club</td></tr>
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From what I read, this little voice is actually your ego.<br />
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Your inner self is strong enough to ignore this voice. Train yourself not to react to every input that you get from this part of your environment. Just like you train yourself not to listen to your small child misbehaving in public.<br />
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When you get to this same idea applied to a group, things get more interesting. You are now faced with a group-wide thinking pattern and group behaviour. Add in a sailing vessel of suitable size and you can have lots of fun.<br />
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Which is what happened the last week.<br />
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The boat was in Langebaan area about sixty odd nautical miles from Cape Town and had to be brought back to base. Not a big problem, I have done the trip several times. However, this time I had people on board that literally got on a sail boat the day before. This was not my making, but dictated by a suitable weather window. You wait for a north-westerly breeze to have a down-wind or broad reach sail back to home.<br />
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I made a very shortened lecture on docking the boat and reefing the sail, a long lecture on basic safety aboard, smoking practice and so on, then we set off. I taught these students basic knots on the way, names of the parts of the boat and as well as the names of the various lines. All a bit backwards, as I normally do these things on the first day and a half, before we go sailing. This helps with getting the new knowledge sinking in.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBNbofyCHUrG4r1KoCen2DZ380y2LMNgHphAj5VtkmzI6FGvawjZvNn1RpeAY4F3ps4WS_1WLy_uslC2b1UMqR3h3zUF4SYsxQi8AF49qdsF55zDXlnls8mZBvrxUFlshuD-3qL2_jxnh/s1600/sailEng_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBNbofyCHUrG4r1KoCen2DZ380y2LMNgHphAj5VtkmzI6FGvawjZvNn1RpeAY4F3ps4WS_1WLy_uslC2b1UMqR3h3zUF4SYsxQi8AF49qdsF55zDXlnls8mZBvrxUFlshuD-3qL2_jxnh/s1600/sailEng_01.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our favourite seal</td></tr>
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We had a wonderful sail down the coast in bright sunny weather, arriving in Cape Town an hour or two after dark. Quite an experience for these young people. Did I mention the seasickness?<br />
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Then, on the next day, the fun started.<br />
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Not having gone through the mill of getting the names and uses of the various lines under the belt properly, my intrepid group of students now had to remember the names of the lines very fast. I found a corner of Table bay with a breeze gusting to twenty knots where we could play around learning to sail.<br />
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Needless to say, I had a few glorious laughs watching the students' eyes grow wide in fear of the boat capsizing. We dipped a rail several times and had the mast just off the water once or twice. I had to step in several times to undo cleated lines. This dumps the wind out of the sails and gets back control of the boat. Of course, with the mast almost down to the water, things start to fall out of shelves and into the bilge water slopping about.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy25530RgKKjdk00bSt4K_ynlOGnTGf34HaJwLu8wl6DNHFs1-Ex5TxmgCVZLHiRELYbdJ4tx0OmMoYGeCQgN_dhXew4lnFnjptJ7u2bGeSSvmOvXQb0PwTXURU5zxXXZidzDhwov9K_v/s1600/sailEng_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy25530RgKKjdk00bSt4K_ynlOGnTGf34HaJwLu8wl6DNHFs1-Ex5TxmgCVZLHiRELYbdJ4tx0OmMoYGeCQgN_dhXew4lnFnjptJ7u2bGeSSvmOvXQb0PwTXURU5zxXXZidzDhwov9K_v/s1600/sailEng_03.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ecstasy of surfing a 4.5 ton boat</td></tr>
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It was only afterwards, when I did a rehash of each manoeuvre, that I realised just how large effect language has on our daily drudgery.<br />
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Each time I asked the student in question what his or her impression was about what had gone wrong. And as sure as God made little green apples, I would get an answer in a sentence that does not contain any verb. Very disconcerting indeed. The person is not able to communicate to the outside world in a form of language that is understandable to another person.<br />
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After some reflection on this, I had the idea that it could be partly the influence of the electronic media available to people. Almost all of these young people use a mobile phone to communicate. And they use an abbreviated language. Probably without proper grammar and without verbs.<br />
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I then changed my style of lecturing to teach language skills rather than sailing. I taught them that the words “ease,” “dump,” and “release” are verbs, and that those words, used in conjunction with the words “main sheet” and “jib sheet,” which are nouns, not verbs, have certain semantics associated with such use. And that these terms, used in normal communication aboard, make life a lot easier on a sail boat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAtPyA1eEeUvSMCbEefc8Av-uUOmPAmJvLldDzfXzZgP8fF1IiffyxVrcT8pnnDnU3-WqOh2bp53dk5EYM6Kc58KDMu0lb0dTmJrSfPUM53xUxYlQCaW_USGYoZChTQ_LY4ikPnBZ-f1v/s1600/sailEng_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAtPyA1eEeUvSMCbEefc8Av-uUOmPAmJvLldDzfXzZgP8fF1IiffyxVrcT8pnnDnU3-WqOh2bp53dk5EYM6Kc58KDMu0lb0dTmJrSfPUM53xUxYlQCaW_USGYoZChTQ_LY4ikPnBZ-f1v/s1600/sailEng_05.JPG" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusk near Cape Town</td></tr>
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Arranging the course experiences around language of course has its own pitfalls. Everyone had to make changes to their way of talking, which meant changing thinking patterns as well. The students quickly cottoned on to what was happening and by the end of the course they were smiling again and could tack the boat without getting themselves knotted in the vagaries of the English language.<br />
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Perhaps their experiences on the boat helped them to made the change in their consciousness to a place where they can now communicate on a more level plane than before.<br />
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And here I was under the impression that a sailing vessel is very old technology, almost fading into the mists of time, to be fondly remembered as some sort of ancient transport.<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-02-17<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-50275998020998668912015-02-07T18:41:00.000+02:002015-02-07T18:45:45.787+02:00French-Moroccan Style Food Aboard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE08Erx3mqugJsl6bFDZTsO13JP9Mzy57R_QGRUGFlWfntWodBW96QC2y1vSPP23aAoffoxFGNn7pnWnvou7KnaVNhMo87dSXwnQgra797RBcW4_AnPy5SINhXXzKOARqAQYcI96aNzHw/s1600/FrMoroc_11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSE08Erx3mqugJsl6bFDZTsO13JP9Mzy57R_QGRUGFlWfntWodBW96QC2y1vSPP23aAoffoxFGNn7pnWnvou7KnaVNhMo87dSXwnQgra797RBcW4_AnPy5SINhXXzKOARqAQYcI96aNzHw/s1600/FrMoroc_11.JPG" height="640" width="360" /></a>The last week saw me yet again playing the sailing instructor to a boat load of young people. Young, healthy people with appetites to match. Put in some physical sailing exercises, anchoring off Grainger Bay for a light lunch, then pulling up the anchor by hand before some more sailing. Add a dose of the wonderful Cape Town weather at this time of year, and you have five ravenous mouths to feed. Six if you include your favourite sailing instructor.<br />
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Not that that is a problem, of course. Part of the course is to do the provisioning planning. This effort naturally includes finding out dietary constraints and then matching the provisions to suit.<br />
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In this case we had a crew member not eating red meat. Pork and chicken, yes. But no red meat. Matching this requirement with our standard list of single pot meals could pose a problem. Our food stipend for the week does not amount to much and one does like to keep the food within that budget. Part of learning to make do in a minimalist way.<br />
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So boerewors and mash, spaghetti Bolognese and chilli con carne were out of the question. After some deliberation, I remembered that the French has a dish they call cassoulet, made with beans and pork. A stewed dish, eminently suited for preparing on board. Of course, no proper sailor would go without some spice, so here was some more room for creativity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMAORSBRIbs9BQ119j4lExI8VO31j3wDY4Uj6fv1rmcj_jAZDjS5yZlpImK_iJCZKuqdw_JRLpUJ-y6TZ8S8ODaaIszQghXDGq78sMyPjqnwG-JudOsBQeamSYqzzv1Y1FbD70zktM_uC/s1600/FrMoroc_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMAORSBRIbs9BQ119j4lExI8VO31j3wDY4Uj6fv1rmcj_jAZDjS5yZlpImK_iJCZKuqdw_JRLpUJ-y6TZ8S8ODaaIszQghXDGq78sMyPjqnwG-JudOsBQeamSYqzzv1Y1FbD70zktM_uC/s1600/FrMoroc_05.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
The North Africans are famous for their wonderfully flavoured stewed dishes. That gave me the idea of a fusion dish: French-Moroccan style chilli beans and pork. Something away from your standard chilli con carne using beef mince.<br />
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For this dish we added some thinly sliced potatoes as starch, thereby making it a one pot dish. The ingredients are kept simple, as we have but a small two-burner gas stove on board and no refrigeration to speak of. A cooler box with ice, I'll have you know. Work space for preparing food is also at a premium.<br />
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In addition, I have stopped using cooking oil on board, using butter instead. Partly due to the fire hazard of hot oil on a bouncing and rocking stove, and partly because the butter imparts better flavour. I have also found that people eat smaller portions when I use butter in the cooking. Banting again, no less.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQFY58YS0To6kThc2hu_WKAS5iXqQ6ziQ5p6udIbNeD4xxg2vsmHnTTxtHgdUkI7qwGgRlUa2LX7XBaiaD00hs0Hfftmlc0Y4bsgPix7kfD4YpkAFWmS58DqhY8q7cUpbhhsD6K5ZNCVI/s1600/FrMoroc_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLQFY58YS0To6kThc2hu_WKAS5iXqQ6ziQ5p6udIbNeD4xxg2vsmHnTTxtHgdUkI7qwGgRlUa2LX7XBaiaD00hs0Hfftmlc0Y4bsgPix7kfD4YpkAFWmS58DqhY8q7cUpbhhsD6K5ZNCVI/s1600/FrMoroc_01.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Space is at a premium</td></tr>
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You may omit the potatoes in favour of couscous. We did not have any, but it will work well with this dish.<br />
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Here the flavours lie in the process as much as in the ingredients. Just mixing it all in and cooking it will not bring out the flavour and you will have a bland dish that burns your tongue.<br />
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And thus French-Moroccan style spicy pork stew was born. This quantity will feed six hungry sailors.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
750g pork leg chops, cubed to 15mm/½ inch size and trimmed of fat.<br />
1 can red kidney beans<br />
1 can butter beans<br />
1 can baked beans in tomato sauce<br />
1 can whole peeled tomatoes<br />
1 sachet tomato paste<br />
2 medium size fresh tomatoes, coarsely diced<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
1/3 Green pepper, chopped<br />
2 medium potatoes, sliced to the same thickness as the pork.<br />
1-2 thumbs garlic, chopped and mashed<br />
4 small chillies, finely chopped<br />
1 teaspoon coriander powder<br />
1 teaspoon smoked paprika<br />
1 ½ teaspoon cumin powder<br />
Some salt to taste<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr8h1PCmBZxVwEyE0Z8FGTjGbgo8jVsanBqkDIIhVuz1a7kbbr8ELmRVtvNO9GTaEeqiaCmQr5Rj6d_2yThctVP46O9cU7Xev1EjY026Exb1w1CzBaGe6jj_zmjQLj6luZgo2b97lPcYW/s1600/FrMoroc_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr8h1PCmBZxVwEyE0Z8FGTjGbgo8jVsanBqkDIIhVuz1a7kbbr8ELmRVtvNO9GTaEeqiaCmQr5Rj6d_2yThctVP46O9cU7Xev1EjY026Exb1w1CzBaGe6jj_zmjQLj6luZgo2b97lPcYW/s1600/FrMoroc_02.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Small stove and galley area</td></tr>
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Pepper to taste<br />
2 dessert spoons butter for frying.<br />
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<h3>
Process</h3>
Heat up the pot or pan that you will be using. Add a little butter. Fry the pork in small batches until they are brown. Set the fried pork aside to rest.<br />
Using the same pot, which will now contain a nice layer of caramelised pork, add some more butter and fry the onions and green pepper until brown. They will pick up the caramelised bits of pork. Add the garlic and chillies and fry them for thirty seconds. Add the dry spices and fry these for fifteen seconds, then add the tomatoes, the potatoes and the pork. Reduce the heat when the the pot starts to boil and simmer until the potatoes are done. Check for sufficient saltiness, the potatoes may make the dish somewhat fresh.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDh-lI2GY_mM4sA6MiI9Fui1T5OGf_3lkCgxBEtKxQETvyag2sSgJeGl0WXLLdOaQdmsoVSE_ieTQmDGOveYrq9b_-HH315-6dguf5CH-tZGSs_Yl4vEJLuHELRACXmT6isn4OhdHtBNE/s1600/FrMoroc_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDh-lI2GY_mM4sA6MiI9Fui1T5OGf_3lkCgxBEtKxQETvyag2sSgJeGl0WXLLdOaQdmsoVSE_ieTQmDGOveYrq9b_-HH315-6dguf5CH-tZGSs_Yl4vEJLuHELRACXmT6isn4OhdHtBNE/s1600/FrMoroc_07.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a>Only then add the beans. Drain the fluid from the kidney- and butter beans. The baked beans go in complete with the tomato sauce. Mix thoroughly. The sauce will thicken substantially towards the end, so do make sure that nothing sticks to the bottom and burns.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwmnVj6fMWSgstgrDuR02zs68kE3U50E1tsErX-K4Z1SdgeqY2PUdfty1xbNtIH147P4XvPwpNDx9KxK3pja2f4Q0Hoj3DgCjpq7t2Sg-_ztxFaCX4RFp2oXRPrALhjsdX_R4PAhq58ch/s1600/FrMoroc_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwmnVj6fMWSgstgrDuR02zs68kE3U50E1tsErX-K4Z1SdgeqY2PUdfty1xbNtIH147P4XvPwpNDx9KxK3pja2f4Q0Hoj3DgCjpq7t2Sg-_ztxFaCX4RFp2oXRPrALhjsdX_R4PAhq58ch/s1600/FrMoroc_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>Allow the dish to cook through, then take the heat away and allow the dish to rest. This may not be easy, as by now the whole boat or kitchen will be pervaded by a delicious aroma.<br />
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Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-02-07<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-30721127566150187762015-01-30T15:10:00.001+02:002015-01-30T15:10:06.594+02:00On Being A Skipper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9ieHl7zhUBbPBmyxq8cNipAz1SvYyNdXKN1i18FDHOcjIiLnpt6FfH1Xa9ce-9M8pr_vz5thV4vQieB7XBfY1z7NThwwnyovFdVHhlXLtV7W8_XP43GCTYiK5jpbW1M1eC0tvWVG_LKb/s1600/BeSkip_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9ieHl7zhUBbPBmyxq8cNipAz1SvYyNdXKN1i18FDHOcjIiLnpt6FfH1Xa9ce-9M8pr_vz5thV4vQieB7XBfY1z7NThwwnyovFdVHhlXLtV7W8_XP43GCTYiK5jpbW1M1eC0tvWVG_LKb/s1600/BeSkip_04.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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Many of us dream about a seawards life, independent of the land and making your own decisions. Programming your own life in accordance with your dreams, bowing only to the wind and the waves.<br />
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An idyllic life, no less.<br />
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I did exactly that. I changed my lifestyle from being a suburban dweller, commuting daily to and from a bureaucratic institution, to the life of a sailor. Granted, I do not own a boat. And I operate from a fixed base. I introduce and instruct others in the gentle art of sailing. Quite satisfactory, one would argue. Sailing for a whole week at a time and getting paid for leading this idyllic life style.<br />
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Yea, right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7FUMtub8GEKhnOixjY4d-iBTGnFjBoTZVqEpNh7Etx_6Yw8wk9T0eTkKDGQeGA35OECwEnZFHHiZbbiE5YYSch0Avs-cr9fDd2417lbxCTFWj_mtGEmdTcgO78jDjO1Nd9-NuUOACluB/s1600/BeSkip_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7FUMtub8GEKhnOixjY4d-iBTGnFjBoTZVqEpNh7Etx_6Yw8wk9T0eTkKDGQeGA35OECwEnZFHHiZbbiE5YYSch0Avs-cr9fDd2417lbxCTFWj_mtGEmdTcgO78jDjO1Nd9-NuUOACluB/s1600/BeSkip_01.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Idyllic Hout Bay afternoon</td></tr>
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Nothing in this life is free. Including this life style. There is a pound of flesh to be paid in return. And this comes in the form of responsibility. Accountability also, if you wish to play with semantics.<br />
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Who gets to explain when things go wrong? The skipper. And who is to blame if there is no more food on board? The skipper, of course. When someone gets hurt?<br />
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Always the skipper. As an aside, keel boats can kill you if you are careless, they are not dinghies that will simply capsize to tell you that you have done something stupid.<br />
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A heavy burden, if you are not alert. And even skippers get overloaded when they are not careful.<br />
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My experience of the last week is a case in point. I have the doubtful privilege of losing the Danbuoy, MOB light and life ring. The very safety equipment that is used to assist a person after falling overboard, the Danbuoy being a flag on a floating staff to keep a position indication of the person in the water.<br />
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It happened in broad daylight in a sheltered bay. So, how come the equipment was lost? The answer is “very easy,” actually.<br />
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We were doing some MOB (Man OverBoard) drills in Hout Bay, our neighbouring harbour. A sheltered bay on the Cape Peninsula. Also notorious for heavy winds. At the time of the exercise the wind was blowing 10 knots, gusting 15 in glorious sunshine. We were happily doing the MOB exercises, the day skipper students taking turns at the helm.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Quiet Hout Bay morning<br /></td></tr>
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Then the wind picked up and went from 10 knots gusting 15 to blowing 20 knots gusting 25 within ten minutes. I ordered two reefs in the main. While we were reefing the main, the wind went from 20 knots gusting 25 to 27 knots gusting 35 and picking up. We were in the process of reefing, so I ordered the mainsail to be stowed. The jib had unravelled itself while still being furled, with a piece of sail flapping in the wind on either side of the sheets wrapped around the middle on the furler.<br />
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After all that was secured, we set out to retrieve our equipment still floating in the water. However, by this time, which was under ten minutes time span, we had lost sight of the danbuoy. The water had turned to a frothy half a metre chop by then, obscuring everything that was floating lower than half a metre out of the water.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hout Bay in 33 knots of wind</td></tr>
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We set out on a rectangular search pattern, but gave up after an hour, the equipment lost. We made an official report to the Maritime Safety authorities and the NSRI (National Sea Rescue Institute) after docking safely back in Hout Bay harbour. This to ensure that they do not launch a search and rescue mission in the event that somebody else retrieves the equipment. Heavy liability there, if you forget and there is a fruitless expense on the side of the autorities. The authorities treat this in the same vein as a bomb scare. So we were covered there, at least.<br />
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All crew safe and sound, the boat back in harbour, tied alongside safely. Search parties sent out to check on the shore and harbour wall returned with empty hands. We then performed a lessons learned debriefing on board.<br />
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We were basically prevented from all sailing until we could obtain another set of equipment. Safety first and foremost.<br />
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Having had this experience, I then asked myself what could have been done differently to prevent this. And I did some very deep soul searching.<br />
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In the end, the answer is very easy: It was the skipper's fault. Mine. So, why did I not get this one right?<br />
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A very easy management problem to solve, viewed from an armchair. Don't overload yourself as the skipper. There is a crew. Use them. Delegate.<br />
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And make very sure you understand the vagaries of your local waters, even if you think it is OK, it's your own back yard and you understand the weather.<br />
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I did not, with results to show.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another deceptively quiet early morning, leaving Hout Bay</td></tr>
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And above all, remember that a person in the water will not be visible at fifty meters away from the boat in a half meter choppy sea with foam. Even in broad daylight.<br />
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A scary enough thought to give me nightmares.<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-01-30<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-86496148587034355582015-01-18T12:19:00.001+02:002015-01-18T12:25:52.897+02:00Ciabatta: The Next Experiment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It has been a while since I made ciabatta.<br />
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There were lots of experiments with other types of bread, some more successful than others. I also made friends with the small gas ovens on several sailing yachts. These are a law unto themselves and one needs to be very careful to allow for free air flow around your baking, lest your food turns into burnt offerings.<br />
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My experiments with yeast and flour have been a growing success. At least, this is what I think. I specifically try to keep the process simple in order for the recipe to be accessible to the normal yachtie and amateur baker. The process needs to simple and not require any special tools or fermenting equipment. Like a refrigerator, for example. Most yachts do not have sufficient refrigeration space to allow overnight slow fermentation of your dough. Perhaps it is in these endeavours that I am struggling with an appropriate process to achieve the special results that I am searching for.<br />
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Talk about pioneering in a new field!<br />
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I have made several experiments in baking a proper ciabatta. Most have been successful, but the elusive big, shiny fermentation holes have always escaped me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very soft dough, second rise using<br /> a plastic bags and a place mat<br /> to keep the shape</td></tr>
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So this time around I decided to go to a softer dough with higher hydration. In addition, I used a finer flour. All of the loaves I baked previously were quite tasty, but somewhat on the heavy side. After some consultation and interpretive reading of various recipes and methods, I decided on a mix of cake flour and white bread flour. Here in South Africa we don't get the 00- and 000-classification of flours. The list consists of cake flour, white bread flour, brown bread flour and whole wheat flour.<br />
You may get sifted and unsifted variations, stone ground and non GM. That's about it.<br />
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For this experiment I used whole wheat unsifted stone ground non GM flour. Long words for decent flour. Four cups of cake flour and two cups of white bread flour made up the mix. That is enough for two large loaves or three to four smaller ones.<br />
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After perusing my copy of<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Reinhart/e/B001H6W6I0" target="_blank"> Peter Reinhardt's books “Crust and Crumb” as well as “The Bread baker's Apprentice,” </a>I decided on a modified version. The recipes use a biga or a poolish. Both pre-ferments require overnight fermentation in a cool environment. This is difficult to achieve on a small yacht, so I settled for a direct method.<br />
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The ingredients are flour, water, salt, yeast. Some butter or other animal fat. That's it. Very primitive. Simple ingredients, focussing on the method and the relative quantities.<br />
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Making ciabatta requires a very soft dough. So this time I made a dough by measuring out the required amount of flour using a cup. Then I added salt and the yeast. After mixing these dry ingredients thoroughly, I added the soft butter and rubbed it in thoroughly by hand. Then I added water a little at a time, mixing it through every time until the dough had some even consistency. This I kept up until the dough was almost runny.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzQ7eyAQ2FooK5322o-bACCwfMWZWEIxGuAa95LpCxPK8VyczVUt_W1FxVzt3fITYf02GrKqrWsOHBTali1bynlOF565sIHtrXHX0uxnljnuUMCG74w64WFMmNPWFOnLhnJhG-gTsWv8v/s1600/CiabNxt_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDzQ7eyAQ2FooK5322o-bACCwfMWZWEIxGuAa95LpCxPK8VyczVUt_W1FxVzt3fITYf02GrKqrWsOHBTali1bynlOF565sIHtrXHX0uxnljnuUMCG74w64WFMmNPWFOnLhnJhG-gTsWv8v/s1600/CiabNxt_02.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Very soft loaves, very hot bricks in the oven</td></tr>
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I left the dough to rest for a few minutes while gathering my wits. This dough is not kneadable at all. You fold it using a wet ladle or a wet hand. Clean an appropriate area on your work surface and keep a jug of water ready. This is for wetting your mixing utensil and your hand.<br />
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At the start of kneading it is almost runny, getting somewhat stiffer during the folding process as the gluten develops. Eventually I transferred the dough to the well floured kneading board. By this time the dough was not really picking up much more flour from the kneading board and I was able to continue folding the dough for another five odd minutes. The test for the readiness is to take a small piece of dough and do a stretch test. Stretch it and see if you can get it to keep an almost translucent film. If you can, the dough is ready for the rise.<br />
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I sprayed some spray-and-cook stuff on the dough ball to limit drying out before covering the dough and putting it aside to rise.<br />
After the rise you need to form the loaves. This is where you may get into more trouble by losing the fermentation holes already formed. Handle the dough with care, it is still very soft. After this rise you may need a peel to transfer the loaves to the oven. They will be very tender and you will not be able to manhandle them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAi2rQ83X9cFMhOyNPzZk9s2MEirhr0IBtDphbmSXZYzWT3fs2iOku3maJDqGZxcp8ENAPvMufh7BgRy9zApBJhh2AY1z1lnfKPWTiuc5nDacbhkmsx-hQwmRR7u6G94xHcd3bxKbYjLd/s1600/CiabNxt_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOAi2rQ83X9cFMhOyNPzZk9s2MEirhr0IBtDphbmSXZYzWT3fs2iOku3maJDqGZxcp8ENAPvMufh7BgRy9zApBJhh2AY1z1lnfKPWTiuc5nDacbhkmsx-hQwmRR7u6G94xHcd3bxKbYjLd/s1600/CiabNxt_04.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a>Perhaps this is where the biggest problem lies. Dividing, forming and handling the soft dough may lose the gas in the dough. So there is a caveat.<br />
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The oven may be set to quite hot. I baked these loaves at 230<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">º</span>C/450<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">º</span>F for fifteen minutes, then set the oven temperature lower to about 180<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">º</span>C/350<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">º</span>F for another twenty minutes. And I used paving bricks in the oven as heat capacity to get the required oven spring.<br />
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Check the loaves towards the end. If they echo with a solid sound when tapped, they are ready. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about twenty minutes to half an hour. They are still cooking and are filled with steam. This makes them very brittle. The steam needs to evaporate for the crumb to develop into something elastic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eAmTWvGBYESPcScprQOGjx_wH2BTugFoG9TThQh0ZI0PrRsY7Lycw2jQ1u0F6fXWk4E9oMgXurVCPtkz-PNeLt1C8q8CubmgNp-UVSl9rTl7-nsDKTf1MfmX9p6Qsuia9uTCTB3FWspt/s1600/CiabNxt_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4eAmTWvGBYESPcScprQOGjx_wH2BTugFoG9TThQh0ZI0PrRsY7Lycw2jQ1u0F6fXWk4E9oMgXurVCPtkz-PNeLt1C8q8CubmgNp-UVSl9rTl7-nsDKTf1MfmX9p6Qsuia9uTCTB3FWspt/s1600/CiabNxt_05.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a>These loaves came out the best I ever achieved. Very nice crisp crust, very soft, sweet crumb. But the elusive large fermentation holes have yet again escaped me.<br />
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So now I sit here and ponder my next experiment with a cup of coffee and a generous slice of fresh bread covered in real butter.<br />
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Remember, always use real butter.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wildyeastblog.com/yeastspotting/" target="_blank">This post also linked to YeastSpotting!</a><br />
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All images taken with a Samsung S4 smart phone, Snapseed and ViewNX2 edits.<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
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Last updated on 2015-01-18<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-64445658415747768442015-01-12T11:06:00.001+02:002015-01-12T11:07:28.246+02:00Withdrawal Symptoms: Sailing Into The New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This last Christmas season saw me doing nothing. Yes, nothing. Perhaps it is the Cape Town spirit getting to me at last.<br />
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This doing nothing included final convalescence from my torn biceps muscle, with a shakedown cruise across False Bay to Simon's Town. A wonderful trip indeed. The do nothing bucket list also included lots of beer. It is high summer here after all.<br />
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There is something to say for doing nothing along with your nearest and dearest.<br />
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However, the laziness eventually gets you. One can only read so many books and do thus many crossword puzzles before the withdrawal symptoms catch up. I had to take a deep breath and count to ten many times to just calm down.<br />
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<a href="http://www.oceanstarsailing.com/" target="_blank">How wonderful it was when the sailing school contacted me</a> to book my time for instruction in the new year! Sailing again. Out of a wonderful place too.<br />
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The Cape Town waterfront marina has something special to it. There is a serene quietness in there at both ends of the day. Being at the back of the main harbour activities, the noise from industrial vehicles and -activities and so on does not reach the marina. Couple this with Table Mountain and Signal Hill standing guard over us and you get the idea of a peaceful, almost Zen-like mood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqzfpOv7ZUD-Ei4WrYn5Du4lqycBisC1dgPqGPv5jmnUG8s4qh9b2tK1n0NuSAdjdA50DKhtzk7p6jmeLwCZXe4h2fCWnVVKBSdNSqQc7xKHD-O6wH6MMbmjH082UdSqpS-Gx-snLxbuF/s1600/withdraw_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeqzfpOv7ZUD-Ei4WrYn5Du4lqycBisC1dgPqGPv5jmnUG8s4qh9b2tK1n0NuSAdjdA50DKhtzk7p6jmeLwCZXe4h2fCWnVVKBSdNSqQc7xKHD-O6wH6MMbmjH082UdSqpS-Gx-snLxbuF/s1600/withdraw_04.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clifton beach with Table Mountain standing guard</td></tr>
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Of course, the sailing is exquisite, as always. I had a group of students on competent crew course, which always has some adventure looming. This time was no exception.<br />
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The competent crew course is very interesting to taxing, as the students literally have not ever been on board a boat. It is up to the instructor to get these young people to a level where one can begin to enjoy the sailing, as opposed to having the fear of God put into them due to their lack of knowledge and experience.<br />
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We got past this hurdle quite fast and was able to have a sail in decent wind of twenty seven knots, gusting thirty on the second day of the course. Everybody had a whale of a time after the first ten scary minutes of worrying that the boat will capsize. Then the real fun started.<br />
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The jib furler came adrift and I had to send someone forward to go and clear and stow the sail.<br />
This was done with some splashing as expected. We carried on sailing, doing some point of sail manoeuvres, then motored back to our mooring.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner. Chile con carne a la The Hungry Sailor</td></tr>
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There I sent one of the students up the mast to retrieve the furler. All on the second day of their course. Talk about adventure!<br />
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The next day we sailed to Clifton, one of the most picturesque beaches in the world. We were blessed with a balmy day too. The whole world and their friend also had the same idea, so it was quite festive with all the boats at anchor off the packed beaches. The students took a quick dip in the cold Atlantic water before making a scrumptious picnic lunch. Much fun was had by all, until we hoisted the anchor.<br />
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Or at least, we tried to. The anchor was stuck fast and I had to make a fast plan before everyone else departed the anchorage. Our neighbour helped with pulling a spare mooring line doubled around the anchor chain in the opposite direction. Soon the recalcitrant stuck anchor was tripped and we could sail home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GciDBY8FNkM46eW0HNdRk2icqoDf5MIXpyLSdvHbcbCS3vOYiYD_cX-PxNmjk_5UA5tMTF8F3WdxAgsoxgNJp7puwymMPzgAXlbvK5s2q4Jtofa7tcwxbT1wUK7oB4zEZJf9KVjNTI-L/s1600/withdraw_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_GciDBY8FNkM46eW0HNdRk2icqoDf5MIXpyLSdvHbcbCS3vOYiYD_cX-PxNmjk_5UA5tMTF8F3WdxAgsoxgNJp7puwymMPzgAXlbvK5s2q4Jtofa7tcwxbT1wUK7oB4zEZJf9KVjNTI-L/s1600/withdraw_01.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a>By Friday afternoon these students had broad smiley faces and little skin left on their palms. The vagaries of an introduction to yachting.<br />
<br />
These adventures really set me thinking about what I do. I am the instructor and normally are quite tired by the end of the course, both physically and mentally. Yet I cannot remember when last it was that I enjoyed a week on the water so much. Not even mentioning the fact that, really, a bad day on the water beats any desk job ever.<br />
<br />
I got home and sat in wonder for a while, counting blessings. Perhaps one gets a bit blasé about the sailing and then needs a break from sailing altogether. Just to clear the mind.<br />
<br />
But your soul tells you it is time to get back on the water. And Kenneth Graham's story “The Wind in the Willows” comes to mind. I quote from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messabout" target="_blank">Wikipedia</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLhOfOIXoZagPuF38w1-49J0H_SFiZQxMfDUQSxWs4H7eWO1V0y3aqlv4ev14oBxamrgjE4XT_HYEt5rGC0oAeyi6gfmjbhEd9mIxMrvTddSXdFwRc4vibYdayTdfJ80rOGkxIjqE7Zus/s1600/withdraw_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxLhOfOIXoZagPuF38w1-49J0H_SFiZQxMfDUQSxWs4H7eWO1V0y3aqlv4ev14oBxamrgjE4XT_HYEt5rGC0oAeyi6gfmjbhEd9mIxMrvTddSXdFwRc4vibYdayTdfJ80rOGkxIjqE7Zus/s1600/withdraw_02.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a>In the story, Mole and Rat are rowing up the canal in Rat's boat. They are discussing nautical things and life in general when Rat is heard to utter:<br />
<br />
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing... about in boats — or with boats. In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not.”<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2015-01-12<br />
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The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-335079340394706312014-12-24T10:14:00.001+02:002014-12-24T10:23:09.814+02:00Sail Cruising False Bay: Simon's Town <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXkTw-1Ketce18UrJom-FK7QREjd4xWH8RqK1GcAGkhiqmT_VKFNlTYXZwkWycFRoeuSv_bk9ODiNknKj6ZUspyyNSJKGionWDMs7y9na-W19CCwuhO1Em_zQcHCVGkH2SkAECF23wvXI/s1600/STown+crse_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXkTw-1Ketce18UrJom-FK7QREjd4xWH8RqK1GcAGkhiqmT_VKFNlTYXZwkWycFRoeuSv_bk9ODiNknKj6ZUspyyNSJKGionWDMs7y9na-W19CCwuhO1Em_zQcHCVGkH2SkAECF23wvXI/s1600/STown+crse_08.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span>
<span style="text-align: center;">Yearning for an exotic cruise on a sail boat? Look no further than your own back yard.</span><br />
<br />
Literally.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVzsCRENja3XvY5SgVJkxUZRNu1J9NXdX51uYTf7BBtTc2_zs0MOqfdNilY9M6jnQwFxf192BJRwXHL8zaycwNIEsaDkcRCu8_QZ71E8WQ1wZoNfJCcvxgANmqpTA11bAIwWLj3V2dHup/s1600/STown+crse_09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKVzsCRENja3XvY5SgVJkxUZRNu1J9NXdX51uYTf7BBtTc2_zs0MOqfdNilY9M6jnQwFxf192BJRwXHL8zaycwNIEsaDkcRCu8_QZ71E8WQ1wZoNfJCcvxgANmqpTA11bAIwWLj3V2dHup/s1600/STown+crse_09.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seal Island up close. The home of the great whites in False Bay</td></tr>
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After long discussions through the year, the opportunity came up for a short break into cruising. So a friend and I set off in his boat. A three day trip with no cellphones and hardly any internet.<br />
<br />
<br />
Provisioning the boat was easy. Two dinners and two breakfasts, some snacks. Water. And, of course, a few beers. It is a holiday after all!<br />
<br />
After calling False Bay Yacht Club to arrange a mooring just to find out that there is none, we set off anyway. Real cruising by real sailors.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXeac13cw-lIF0AEZPnNt1-2t7bgJ9sAsZg6amOUSN66C_ohV7zX1oOiiNCqsRsCfDn5gU48YCNyucjiehov4u1anHQJxvpjzajvIaoA63K9IZuaXceOh0PHTAx1-pALzDzMTR_kx3HCu/s1600/STown+crse_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioXeac13cw-lIF0AEZPnNt1-2t7bgJ9sAsZg6amOUSN66C_ohV7zX1oOiiNCqsRsCfDn5gU48YCNyucjiehov4u1anHQJxvpjzajvIaoA63K9IZuaXceOh0PHTAx1-pALzDzMTR_kx3HCu/s1600/STown+crse_05.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peaceful afternoon sailing</td></tr>
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Along the way we experimented with a stays'l arranged to be self-tacking. This makes for a lot less work when turning the boat. This had us sailing merrily along the beach front at the coastal town of Strand where I live. Wonderful views from the seaward side, the Helderberg basin making for an exotic backdrop to the golden beach. The wind freshened to seventeen knots, gusting twenty, from a southerly direction. Exquisite sailing weather indeed, not a cloud in the sky and I am sure lots of holidaymakers from upcountry enjoying the weather too.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNOj1e-jOf2PiO0_r3sS4O_PE5v7rpLpUprTZzkbIdznrMuue9Qj40lXaFhfxr3-Y-JoHyJX1PkLmrGZvqgRS0nsHkk8OH80LnBdDm8KPgkyw8JmvXZMYVLHz29xdKhdy3WV_pzA7lrtj/s1600/STown+crse_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieNOj1e-jOf2PiO0_r3sS4O_PE5v7rpLpUprTZzkbIdznrMuue9Qj40lXaFhfxr3-Y-JoHyJX1PkLmrGZvqgRS0nsHkk8OH80LnBdDm8KPgkyw8JmvXZMYVLHz29xdKhdy3WV_pzA7lrtj/s1600/STown+crse_01.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balmy weather</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOXkTw-1Ketce18UrJom-FK7QREjd4xWH8RqK1GcAGkhiqmT_VKFNlTYXZwkWycFRoeuSv_bk9ODiNknKj6ZUspyyNSJKGionWDMs7y9na-W19CCwuhO1Em_zQcHCVGkH2SkAECF23wvXI/s1600/STown+crse_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>
Soon we were close to East Shoal, a rocky outcrop about half way across the bay to Simon's Town. We had to make a choice of going north of this shoal and north of Seal Island. This would put us substantially downwind of Simon's Town, so we opted to bear into the wind and beat it southwards. One reef in the main and a bit of the genoa rolled away had us sailing about thirty degrees off the apparent wind at between five and six knots. The stays'l was still up, balancing the rig beautifully and we sailed for an hour and a half without touching the helm. The boat sailed like a dream, making happy noises while punching through the small choppy seas.<br />
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We sat quietly in the cockpit, having a grand old conversation about small things and big ideas, just enjoying the calming rythm of the sea and the boat. A balm to the soul, this felt like a continuous meditation in an idyllic atmosphere.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeZoHEYNuDJP4CggVGfY_spwUwRD5VcxjiOdnrpGPCPmPJewPpMDOU54Lu6Oy4uzOiYiFCNEdLagfXrsooPkOy1v4MvMxHMpd0kc-9aMhanA_iq2ypoNc4LspJ38Ecclb9a-BJQFwNLjK/s1600/STown+crse_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeZoHEYNuDJP4CggVGfY_spwUwRD5VcxjiOdnrpGPCPmPJewPpMDOU54Lu6Oy4uzOiYiFCNEdLagfXrsooPkOy1v4MvMxHMpd0kc-9aMhanA_iq2ypoNc4LspJ38Ecclb9a-BJQFwNLjK/s1600/STown+crse_03.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look Ma, no hands!</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENgua07ed89FehyvQXLlDUsRMfNjmqMloYJ_D55dz4GxV6H5wlAkRX1XqXaXcYaSxckbEzB0xCziJHlpwEQPrWzJTxpyIWsLbGqHA-Ts8zZ5E9pIINMGEd6d92G7cpE6QxQMCnmxhFSIA/s1600/STown+crse_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhENgua07ed89FehyvQXLlDUsRMfNjmqMloYJ_D55dz4GxV6H5wlAkRX1XqXaXcYaSxckbEzB0xCziJHlpwEQPrWzJTxpyIWsLbGqHA-Ts8zZ5E9pIINMGEd6d92G7cpE6QxQMCnmxhFSIA/s1600/STown+crse_02.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strand beachfront scenery, the Helderberg as a backdrop</td></tr>
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Not too long after, we had cleared all the islands and rocks along the way and had to start stowing sails before anchoring. With the Governor's Cup race imminent, the marina looked a-buzz with activity. We opted to anchor in the outer anchorage, next to another boat clearly on a cruise as well. We had left our dinghy back on the quay at home, so we had to arrange the water taxi from the club. We were too late for that, so we just sat and enjoyed the scenery.<br />
<br />
It is at times like this that one is reminded of the peace and quiet of an anchorage. A marina is very different, with people walking about, the and the creaking noises from the strain of the boats tugging at the quays. Here in the anchorage it is quiet. We could hear people talking on the beach about two hundred meters away.<br />
<br />
Dinner consisted of chilli con carne and a loaf of bread that we baked while the chilli was resting. The evening breeze made small swishing sounds as it caressed the rigging, wafting us into a proper sleep.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kBnzDCu_-soDb4o5v0rrAnK4HB_qMl1kmGMdFku3vf5iIIFx1ElC1KvkK2L0Q3S3t7nNuftbGecZwlmZkOjGNfealVtVlA7xppl5NxCb3U_mVzM9zPlXVkOFijeq-cCF9qAMATk0jfGh/s1600/STown+crse_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1kBnzDCu_-soDb4o5v0rrAnK4HB_qMl1kmGMdFku3vf5iIIFx1ElC1KvkK2L0Q3S3t7nNuftbGecZwlmZkOjGNfealVtVlA7xppl5NxCb3U_mVzM9zPlXVkOFijeq-cCF9qAMATk0jfGh/s1600/STown+crse_04.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Some decent speed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next morning we caught the water taxi ashore and had a nice warm shower in the club. This left us with the rest of the day just to relax, explore the town and do nothing. It is surprising just how busy you can get just doing nothing, passing the time of day with a friendly chat to the odd shopkeeper and passers-by. Coffee was in order, then some shopping for more provisions.<br />
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<br />
We had invited our neigbours over for a braai on board that evening, which called for additional provisions. This proved to be more difficult than anticipated, as Simon's Town does not have a butchery in the town. The nearest shop that sells meat is about five kilometers away.<br />
<br />
<br />
No problem, we caught a minibus taxi to Fish Hoek, the next town. Yes, one of THOSE minibus taxis.<br />
<br />
Very cheap fare, we had a wonderful time chatting away with the other passengers and the driver. Our shopping took all of ten minutes, after which we simply caught another taxi back to Simon's Town.<br />
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Our stress levels were hitting rock bottom by this time. The weather played along and we had a balmy afternoon. We even had time to read a book. I managed to finish Ayn Rand's Anthem. A wonderful short read.<br />
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Our dinner guests arrived shortly before sunset and we had meat on the griddle. How else, this is South Africa in summer. The meat was complemented with a salad and yet another freshly baked loaf of bread.<br />
<br />
Wonderful company to share the dinner, our guests turned out to be a couple from California on a world cruise. Lots of stories were exchanged before they rowed their dinghy back. Yes, rowed. No outboard motor to kill the quiet sounds of the anchorage.<br />
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The next morning we hoisted the anchor, set our sails and had yet another wonderful sail back home. The wind was the same as two days before, seventeen knots gusting twenty from a southerly direction. Again, I was pleasantly surprised at the boat's performance. We were going at over seven knots average, peaking at seven and a half knots speed over ground as measured by the GPS. Decent performance from a seven and a half ton cruising boat.<br />
<br />
This was a wonderful cruise. My first proper cruise where we did nothing and just relaxed. We did not even visit the pub in the yacht clubAnd it is on our own doorstep.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeb6BMnVtBZ02ZSFCDj0BfK7VVnVlz9yTBxrooCRIcxoZIlWCTnB59dskXXjoOCYhrzNQ6Ncqxb5MGmkOKJ2Uh_4ArrpGK7uUK9y69t1xpDhL9IS7BKdnC20jwZZ5IB1HvY8Y_GQBTD-E/s1600/STown+crse_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeb6BMnVtBZ02ZSFCDj0BfK7VVnVlz9yTBxrooCRIcxoZIlWCTnB59dskXXjoOCYhrzNQ6Ncqxb5MGmkOKJ2Uh_4ArrpGK7uUK9y69t1xpDhL9IS7BKdnC20jwZZ5IB1HvY8Y_GQBTD-E/s1600/STown+crse_06.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshly baked bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Having done this has now rekindled the wanderlust in me. This cruising thing grows on one. I started reading the sailing directions for False Bay and found lots of other nooks and crannies where one can spend a night or two, given the right conditions.<br />
<br />
Increasingly, I get the impression that fewer people do these little overnight trips, opting for far more expensive long trips, flying overseas.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-T3YUiM-JZAXPlHAiV2TRFQJBGMKyogBWKho-LUrrTO4Ooxn2mjUjPudsbP3rHWZcF0zLlUv_hiNdeDCDP34memzycl2bkwmcdAYJCqSpMqUiOLX5MvO84k_i8EHv5Njxkw5qt982mO6/s1600/STown+crse_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-T3YUiM-JZAXPlHAiV2TRFQJBGMKyogBWKho-LUrrTO4Ooxn2mjUjPudsbP3rHWZcF0zLlUv_hiNdeDCDP34memzycl2bkwmcdAYJCqSpMqUiOLX5MvO84k_i8EHv5Njxkw5qt982mO6/s1600/STown+crse_07.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">False Bay Yacht Club marina, Simon's Town</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For my money, I am rich in time and have enough money to enjoy my own back yard.<br />
<br />
One of the most beautiful places in the world.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2014-12-24<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-12760199461067778752014-12-14T09:04:00.000+02:002014-12-14T09:04:13.883+02:00Pagan Style Lamb Chops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitviUiPp_A6dMS35wlrUzCo6IUJlfBXLdRCCkDx0M98z3Fh624qCSV88EUveBtEH3T6Sn-e9TbNTt2Pxa-TxAjGKdV1R3_erwEUMmTb4KyRqLkMqt-2plgnQJRQH95yUcMvMSW9gmP0vf8/s1600/Pgnnchop_10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitviUiPp_A6dMS35wlrUzCo6IUJlfBXLdRCCkDx0M98z3Fh624qCSV88EUveBtEH3T6Sn-e9TbNTt2Pxa-TxAjGKdV1R3_erwEUMmTb4KyRqLkMqt-2plgnQJRQH95yUcMvMSW9gmP0vf8/s1600/Pgnnchop_10.JPG" height="428" width="640" /></a></div>
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I like lamb chops on the braai. But forever the meat is overdone by the time the layer of fat on the outside is done properly.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWVbqGELK9ZzqdWk_dkuGxCj2bucjayLaOfoz7otUkHuulXp3e-7vpBJKSptzid-2VI9_3EJ8n9LJyNHqUfV2x0mCd_kC0kF49AZeyQOfwVD2awIJTP487CKArgNGn2YU1GDUAwf-f1AU/s1600/Pgnnchop_01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnWVbqGELK9ZzqdWk_dkuGxCj2bucjayLaOfoz7otUkHuulXp3e-7vpBJKSptzid-2VI9_3EJ8n9LJyNHqUfV2x0mCd_kC0kF49AZeyQOfwVD2awIJTP487CKArgNGn2YU1GDUAwf-f1AU/s1600/Pgnnchop_01.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Use simple ingredients</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Then the chops are definitely not OK. Cooking them until the meat is to your taste leaves the fat still mostly underdone. The chop is also then too fatty to my tastes. Even though we tend to the Banting side of diet, we still eat less fat than the French, I think.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUY6mk96CX7R1JkVmfFA6M5029VPha14Y9Q9IerahNBBRBYaS7fAoutLNmWKLmHyQKn-IuyqDlB26YN81ftYIJ75wfiLXbLJ8r0C8Rxrz6cQq42x8nJSF6wyqxb2fiDbmVg09a7W_u8_H3/s1600/Pgnnchop_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUY6mk96CX7R1JkVmfFA6M5029VPha14Y9Q9IerahNBBRBYaS7fAoutLNmWKLmHyQKn-IuyqDlB26YN81ftYIJ75wfiLXbLJ8r0C8Rxrz6cQq42x8nJSF6wyqxb2fiDbmVg09a7W_u8_H3/s1600/Pgnnchop_02.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You need hot coals</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So here was an opportunity for some real creativity in preparing food. After some deliberation and much consumption of red wine and, especially at this summery time of year, lots of beer. Specifically around the braai fire. South African men treat the braai and their methods like a religion. A very serious subject indeed.<br />
<br />
I think that the late professor Marthinus Versfeld, one of the most noted philosophers of South Africa, had it right. He reckoned that this passion for cooking meat on a braai is a leftover from primal days where our pagan forefathers regularly built an altar and offered meat to their gods. Even the Bible states this, adding that the meat was then consumed by the people. This now after the gods that be blessed the offering. Even so for the fledgling Christians of those times. The first murder also was perpetrated as a direct result of a dispute arising from an argument ensuing during a braai.<br />
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We need to heed these things, they play an important role in our daily lives.<br />
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While the braai itself is very important, the end result is even more so. Imagine dishing up an overdone lamb chop to your loved ones. My wife will simply not eat it. These disputes then rage long after the braai.<br />
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So, as you will understand, this subject is very near and dear to my heart.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttbAFuSUCdBL52UCR0U3YajKAdfke0Suq-5N0jFIhblS3r07sSpuhrj6eUtcdp6c7wH_V5E9RW4zQDlefL04l1EAW7KaJm-nTt3qD8mkGXNn99fJGmIItPqdxP-aXWr4dpu58Nas1Z00/s1600/Pgnnchop_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfttbAFuSUCdBL52UCR0U3YajKAdfke0Suq-5N0jFIhblS3r07sSpuhrj6eUtcdp6c7wH_V5E9RW4zQDlefL04l1EAW7KaJm-nTt3qD8mkGXNn99fJGmIItPqdxP-aXWr4dpu58Nas1Z00/s1600/Pgnnchop_03.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cook the meat on all sides</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Preparing meat on a bed of coals is not a simple matter for some. In this case, the answer was not that difficult. In the end, the trick is to understand heat transfer and keeping the soft parts of the meat away from heat until the fat is done to a nice crisp state. Then the meat part is done. A two stage process.. Once I had figured this, the rest was easy. <span style="text-align: center;">You assemble the chops back to a block as for a roast. Use some kebab skewers. Or you buy a roast from the start. For this experiment I used a lamb rib roast.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxumLbPTEY-VJ4Aei3xw1X4a0vHmdD8YkWVOVbM6K_kN-VFrTFs2QPfqJUtIz-d2S9cQu3iJJthsySM3lPAL6kzDwdZV8FcjIeaOMZsbd70U7AATqzd5clqDvoRh2_-2wI9oIIK8fFkSEd/s1600/Pgnnchop_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxumLbPTEY-VJ4Aei3xw1X4a0vHmdD8YkWVOVbM6K_kN-VFrTFs2QPfqJUtIz-d2S9cQu3iJJthsySM3lPAL6kzDwdZV8FcjIeaOMZsbd70U7AATqzd5clqDvoRh2_-2wI9oIIK8fFkSEd/s1600/Pgnnchop_04.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All sides...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Pat coarse salt all over the outside of the cut, then put it fat side down over very hot coals. Use a can of water placed among the coals to help with preventing flames. The steam will displace some of the air, so this helps. Make sure you don't scorch the fat, it will go bitter. Braai the cut on all sides. The bony parts may be well done, it is OK. They keep the heat away from the inside.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSFrFpjBob4HewwSHc2YPUOY0K3kC_Y84rNBHB9JQ5YVgOPuytco0eLtAfjGkzyeeC6DWzPRVIcBy9vX4JOrBEbsgTwd1-6mMlitKIygHLELIcGQYZ-uJEiiDApUUsG5DOf6rhpz4XAZR/s1600/Pgnnchop_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSFrFpjBob4HewwSHc2YPUOY0K3kC_Y84rNBHB9JQ5YVgOPuytco0eLtAfjGkzyeeC6DWzPRVIcBy9vX4JOrBEbsgTwd1-6mMlitKIygHLELIcGQYZ-uJEiiDApUUsG5DOf6rhpz4XAZR/s1600/Pgnnchop_05.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't scorch the meat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Once the fat and both bony sides are done to your satisfaction, you take the meat off the fire and cut it into chops. Or remove the skewers.<br />
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Now is the time to spice and salt your chops with your favourite braai salt or other condiments. I opted for a Spanish style basting. This is made with equal amounts of freshly crushed garlic, olive oil and red wine vinegar. If you don't have red wine vinegar, use normal vinegar and add a dollop of wine from your glass.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4O1T97lvV1-kKAhp1azgMnWM2ITS4rGTlQXveQzZCMZMJtCllZjfKOkKWEnpNOEFZTI2Xv3Wk11ivqXy4RnvRFYq1Ym13tsr5D_4hf9ZYzwuhswy07OjxqgcSDUBIubRBRsZN84y0TUU/s1600/Pgnnchop_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4O1T97lvV1-kKAhp1azgMnWM2ITS4rGTlQXveQzZCMZMJtCllZjfKOkKWEnpNOEFZTI2Xv3Wk11ivqXy4RnvRFYq1Ym13tsr5D_4hf9ZYzwuhswy07OjxqgcSDUBIubRBRsZN84y0TUU/s1600/Pgnnchop_06.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The inside is still raw</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Baste regularly and royally. This activity forms part of the psychological warfare that you wage against the rest of the neigbourhood downwind of your braai, so take care. Also, if you make a mistake here, the whole neigbourhood will know, even upwind of where you are. I don't know how this works, I just know that this type of bad news travels in weird directions.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TygHKbeY1SYc7LzuQ1jL0dsOupNtvgtS9SoH9R6GvHylD2fESmFN3Yyhv3w74ly4PRNQHT3w8NYWzuSwzoznzabsZ1jNj6QQ-a0gPDcfAr1p7F3ZIJp2Gnmh9dHNFSdZhdUVwvE6_uS8/s1600/Pgnnchop_07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TygHKbeY1SYc7LzuQ1jL0dsOupNtvgtS9SoH9R6GvHylD2fESmFN3Yyhv3w74ly4PRNQHT3w8NYWzuSwzoznzabsZ1jNj6QQ-a0gPDcfAr1p7F3ZIJp2Gnmh9dHNFSdZhdUVwvE6_uS8/s1600/Pgnnchop_07.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simple basting, applied with a sprig of rosemary</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
By this time your coals would have cooled down sufficiently to make the rest of the cooking process a cinch. Cook the meat to your taste, then remove to the side of the coals to keep them warm and allow them to repose. This will help to develop the flavour and allow the heat to disperse evenly through the meat. The colour of the meat will also go to red as opposed to being a dull, unappetising grey.<br />
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I served this with blinis and sour cream, adding some steamed broccoli. Nothing to be scared of, a blini is a form of Russian bread. There is a gazillion recipes on the internet. My version was making a basic flapjack batter, adding grated baby marrows and some chopped grass onions. Spices were some coriander and cumin powder, salt and pepper.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IPY_WRL-7HxVtoDm_L6BP2bKcrkWmYtfndfyEqmyVVpnmWpehEYN-J_qIorbaTyPuMc253ONmnHVgqPh9-vHZOBy6LVPlIJiZFfPMdX0Pw8_IxYE3oHShFQ_0P5AW5hIUCKhIcqovzUL/s1600/Pgnnchop_08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5IPY_WRL-7HxVtoDm_L6BP2bKcrkWmYtfndfyEqmyVVpnmWpehEYN-J_qIorbaTyPuMc253ONmnHVgqPh9-vHZOBy6LVPlIJiZFfPMdX0Pw8_IxYE3oHShFQ_0P5AW5hIUCKhIcqovzUL/s1600/Pgnnchop_08.JPG" height="267" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do the meat to your taste</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
These were baked in a dry pan, scooping spoonfuls of the batter onto the hot pan. These you can do beforehand, they warm up nicely afterwards. Dish up with some sour cream and onions, tzatziki or the like.<br />
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The meat is quite rich, so beware of mixing this with red wine and beer.<br />
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There, you are done. This dish goes well with a full bodied red wine.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkn2UBf7g7ky8-79EGlbbnvsi1MBsjB8Zgo2uYLvLEviJ9B1-CCLBLb9WhK5iDl8D1OpEgmEKmndKkcYsMK6SBu8HvyWufUlilwYQ25OJW4pw1cQLhVw_nigVApMqd9jDItPHEnseC6tm/s1600/Pgnnchop_09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkn2UBf7g7ky8-79EGlbbnvsi1MBsjB8Zgo2uYLvLEviJ9B1-CCLBLb9WhK5iDl8D1OpEgmEKmndKkcYsMK6SBu8HvyWufUlilwYQ25OJW4pw1cQLhVw_nigVApMqd9jDItPHEnseC6tm/s1600/Pgnnchop_09.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
Bon appetit!<br />
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Authored by Johan Zietsman.<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2014-12-14<br />
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The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187010974915213654.post-12311495639625306942014-11-17T10:06:00.003+02:002014-11-17T10:27:45.793+02:00Taking the plunge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAixly86a6-TTJYQHqvmNhFSsdVIDhRaojHuNXBAJ0ek1zQXRcxMMSqnE0we2ORulfRwC2FZ50PbEyUAzaS4kJ6Ve9xs1ZEkUZohNzlUF4iFPsVrz1XHFp8fjTCJyvikLs8qAAT3XuON5/s1600/plunge_05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFAixly86a6-TTJYQHqvmNhFSsdVIDhRaojHuNXBAJ0ek1zQXRcxMMSqnE0we2ORulfRwC2FZ50PbEyUAzaS4kJ6Ve9xs1ZEkUZohNzlUF4iFPsVrz1XHFp8fjTCJyvikLs8qAAT3XuON5/s1600/plunge_05.JPG" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
I was recently approached by a friend to participate in his campaign to participate in a long distance ocean race. Starting in the historic Simon's Town, the race then continues around the famous and awesome Cape Point and continues to the distant island of Saint Helena. One of the most remote places in the world. Only reachable by sea.<br />
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There is no airport on the island. However, this will soon be changed forever. Construction work on the airport is well under way.<br />
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So this opportunity knocks on my door. To sail in a race to this remote place, steeped in history.<br />
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I have been to the island several times, stopping there on the way across the Atlantic ocean. Not much to see on the island. Napoleon's house, the Anglo Boer War graveyard in the dell, Plantation House with the world's oldest tortoise. Interesting, but limited.<br />
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But the visit is not about the tourist attractions. It is about the getting there.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOZ9CEupmaOQUZ0wY2YlJcMWgDmO9psozLCN_IvwYX4yAk2ovmJVmZGGQCLkWpMvFHLj7XrWG18ub8R_1Zm7PnB6QIMmJSqyt7c6DS2kA0Brf7e85dVJENNjvVhC0gA09me9whMnU0Y-j/s1600/plunge_03.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOZ9CEupmaOQUZ0wY2YlJcMWgDmO9psozLCN_IvwYX4yAk2ovmJVmZGGQCLkWpMvFHLj7XrWG18ub8R_1Zm7PnB6QIMmJSqyt7c6DS2kA0Brf7e85dVJENNjvVhC0gA09me9whMnU0Y-j/s1600/plunge_03.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a>This will be the first time that I shall go there just to get there. The island is the end of the voyage. Once one starts to think about this a little, one then realises that that is not quite the whole picture.<br />
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You have to get back home again.<br />
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And therein lies the rub.<br />
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Going to the island is relatively easy, the voyage is basically downwind and with the ocean currents. Going along with prevailing weather patterns, following the trade routes of old.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmlWBX4pDiNVF7S40b4a2Zj73MSS-f80dIOoc742wZb0IpHigDwufYApuIM7-WceilO7S9OTCLkpkBs2ixPDqGXFMxmUe7VczG58CwnxFT-MoG1eQCRUTAcOjcBWnQlvWiOpyPn_qJGpD/s1600/plunge_06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmlWBX4pDiNVF7S40b4a2Zj73MSS-f80dIOoc742wZb0IpHigDwufYApuIM7-WceilO7S9OTCLkpkBs2ixPDqGXFMxmUe7VczG58CwnxFT-MoG1eQCRUTAcOjcBWnQlvWiOpyPn_qJGpD/s1600/plunge_06.JPG" height="400" width="225" /></a>Getting back is a different story altogether. You travel from the island due south until a day after you see the first albatross, then turn sharply to port and continue on to Cape Town. This will take you right down to just north of the roaring forties in the South Atlantic ocean. With the swells higher than the boat's mast. Following a route just north of Gough island and Tristan da Cunha, you then turn slightly north again to reach Cape Town. A far longer voyage than the race itself.<br />
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Or you can sail back whence you came, making a landfall at Walvis bay on the Namibian coast. This route is much shorter and will allow you to replenish supplies at Walvis Bay. However, this route will take you against the wind and the ocean currents. Not an easy route either.<br />
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From Walvis Bay you then do what is known as harbour hopping. Wait for a suitable weather window, then dash to the next harbour.<br />
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Altogether an interesting voyage. Supplies in St Helena are very scarce, with sketchy supplies to the local market. Almost all their fresh produce comes from Cape Town and Britain, which makes food very expensive.<br />
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So the provisioning for the race must then include provisions also for the voyage to Walvis Bay.<br />
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Interesting thinking required here.<br />
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All of these thoughts washed around in my head before I answered the question. Shall I or shall I not?<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXlfcX7L1XdX1-w5SFztYV5mdhoLg19KHVIY_ndk_gosvynW1sj2aR44shvNU7pWHN9ZiM9g-i7NDMBWdQDUmaKDaLBwyoesxsfRWtbYIHm6-Yw4vnju8X1EMY4bqC6I9-aFezSAigNIg/s1600/plunge_04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXlfcX7L1XdX1-w5SFztYV5mdhoLg19KHVIY_ndk_gosvynW1sj2aR44shvNU7pWHN9ZiM9g-i7NDMBWdQDUmaKDaLBwyoesxsfRWtbYIHm6-Yw4vnju8X1EMY4bqC6I9-aFezSAigNIg/s1600/plunge_04.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a>Eventually my sense of adventure prevailed. My friend is a sly old fox and read my instincts correctly.<br />
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So I took the plunge. Again.<br />
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Having said this, I started to wonder just how many of us face similar opportunities and do not even recognise them. This opportunity is probably the last time that one will visit the island in its present state. Soon, people will travel there by air. Already there is talk of a five star hotel advertising the most remote golf course in the world. The time capsule of almost medieval culture will then be exposed to big money and the tourist business.<br />
<br />
People often come up to me and tell me that I am living a dream. Interesting, this phenomenon.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5D2pn1WDlcM6ZASoQMFMQ3yc8iKvxIGo61O58uHtmnZQjHsp1iU-nTCe8lL9RFVtN1KdVERfwexEki4vt03N_LPpt7ELEp-eDNxwmcAvawr8rrNDMwN_k1MUwmP-E0YRWCil3SKapFOCM/s1600/plunge_02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5D2pn1WDlcM6ZASoQMFMQ3yc8iKvxIGo61O58uHtmnZQjHsp1iU-nTCe8lL9RFVtN1KdVERfwexEki4vt03N_LPpt7ELEp-eDNxwmcAvawr8rrNDMwN_k1MUwmP-E0YRWCil3SKapFOCM/s1600/plunge_02.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a>I live my dream, yes. And I used to think that other people are also doing the same thing, not just eke-ing out an existence. After some reasoning and deep thought, I realise that lots of people have, like me, buried their dreams deep inside themselves and are working hard to conform to some social needs fired by urban civilisation. Some, it seems, die at twenty, but is only buried at eighty.<br />
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It took two knee replacements and the passing away of one of my children before I realised that life is terminal. I then dug up my dreams, dusted them off and made a lifestyle change.<br />
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Now, life is not really easier. Putting food on the table takes much the same effort. Life is much richer, however. I have freedom of my spirit. And I am less of a slave to Mammon, the god of money.<br />
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I am rich in experience.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Authored by Johan Zietsman<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2014-11-17<br />
<br />
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<br />The Hungry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12001360305412122412noreply@blogger.com2