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OVERLOAD A REAL COOK’S COOK RATHER THAN A STUFFY CHEF, IS HOW MARLENE VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, COULD BE DESCRIBED. HER STYLE OF CUISINE IS ALL ABOUT AUTHENTICITY AND REALITY – VISITING MARKETS AND MAKING THE MOST OF EITHER FRESH PRODUCE OR EVEN STORE CUPBOARD STAPLES. HER LATEST BOOK PLATE IS A RARE PLEASURE TO READ.
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ne thing that comes through strongly in all of Marlene van der Westhuizen’s books is that food is not just about flavour; it’s about place, people, a sense of occasion, of tradition, of enjoyment. They are written by a woman who revels in food and food tradition and shares that passion enthusiastically. “Food, friendship and a glass of excellent wine are, for me, the most important ingredients of a life worth living,” she states on her website. And this diminutive Cape Town cook lives her philosophy, splitting her time between her home in Green Point and an old stone cottage in Charroux in France – a place where she wakes up to the smell of mustard being made and visits brocante markets on weekends. Anyone who has paged through one of Marlene van der Westhuizen’s seven exquisitely photographed books will know the easy, effortlessly evocative style of her writing – and the fool proof recipes she shares. She has tried them, tested them and refined them. They work! The images are as evocative as Van der Westhuizen’s writing, making it almost possible to smell the roasted peaches or herb-spiked roasted lamb... Unlike some of her other books like Delectable, Sumptuous, Abundance or even Lazy Lunches, Plate is about one dish – the main meal of the day, whether it be Thursday night’s supper for the family
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or a Saturday night or Sunday lunch gathering with friends. With the book comprising just three chapters (Meat, Poultry and Seafood), it’s all about simplicity and flavour. Quality ingredients are nonnegotiable and if they can be sourced from a local market or greengrocer, ethical butcher or fishmonger, even better. This book is an easy read: you can page through it, plan meals ahead or even send it to someone as a gift. It will never go out of style or grow old. It’s timeless, elegant and a classic.
CHICKEN WITH PRESERVED LEMONS AND GREEN OLIVES
Also known as Djaj Mqualli in Morocco, this is a flavour bomb of a dish. I love serving it in winter with heaps of couscous that I rubbed between my hands to make it just the right kind of fluffy! (For 6) 1.5kg free-range chicken drumsticks and wings Coarse salt 50ml good olive oil 90ml butter 2 large red onions, diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2.5ml saffron threads, soaked in hot water 4 bay leaves 5ml grated fresh ginger 2.5ml ground cinnamon
1.25ml chopped fresh chilli 5ml paprika 250ml water 40 depipped green olives 30ml lemon juice 30ml chopped fresh flatleaf parsley Rind of one preserved lemon, thinly sliced into strips 1 Rub the chicken with the coarse salt and let it rest for one hour. Rinse well, then dry with kitchen paper. 2 Heat the olive oil and butter in a large casserole dish, add the chicken pieces and brown lightly on all sides. Add the onions, garlic, saffron, bay leaves, ginger, cinnamon, chilli, paprika and water. Cover the casserole dish and simmer over a very gentle heat for at least one hour. Add the olives after 40 minutes, cover again and cook until the chicken is tender. You can add a little more water whenever necessary. 3 Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon, arrange on a large platter and keep warm. Add the lemon juice to the pan liquids, heat until slightly reduced then pour over the chicken. Toss the chopped parsley with the lemon strips and spoon over the chicken. 4 Serve with couscous.
