festive food*
*Starters
'Tis the season to be
EATIN’
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LET’S CELEBRATE! EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY – WHETHER YOU’RE CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS WITH FAMILY OR ENTERTAINING FRIENDS AROUND THE POOL THESE HOLIDAYS, HERE’S A FEAST OF FOOD PACKED FULL OF VARIETY, SIMPLICITY, FLAVOUR AND CREATIVITY
t’s the most wonderful time of the year – fun, festivities, holidays, family and friends. And let’s face it, more so than any other year, this festive season is meaningful, momentous and will be about making magnificent memories. We made it! Let’s celebrate this holiday season with the people we love most, sweating our butts off in the kitchen and eating ourselves into glorious, hallucinatory comas. Enjoy!
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food ant ellis and phillida ellis assistant brendon newport pictures sally chance
PHILLIDA’S KICK-ASS PORTUGUESE MUSSELS VINAIGRETTE Light, bright and perfect for a sweltering Durban day. For best results, wash down with enormous, ice-cold beer shandies. WHAT YOU NEED: 24-30 medium mussels * 1/2 cup olive oil * 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar * 1 tsp capers, chopped * 1 Tbsp onion, minced * 1 Tbsp pimento or red pepper, minced * 1 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, minced * salt and pepper * 1 thick slice lemon TO MAKE: In a bowl whisk together oil and vinegar. Add capers, onion, pimento, parsley, salt and pepper. Leave aside to combine flavours well. Pour about a cup of water into a large frying pan, add lemon slice. When hot, but not boiling, add mussels and bring to the boil. Remove and cool. When cool, remove the mussel meat from the shells and mix into vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Clean mussel shells and place in a bag in fridge overnight. To serve, return the mussel meat to the shells and pour over a little vinaigrette, making sure each mussel gets some of the minced onion mix. Serve at room temperature with crusty bread – essential for soaking up remaining dressing.
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APPLE AND FENNEL SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE, CANDIED NUTS AND RANCH DRESSING This is one of my versions of a salad we loved in New York City. Crisp, fresh and summery, it’s a winner every time. Ranch is a USA staple, and this cheat’s recipe comes close to the real thing that’s usually made with buttermilk.
