Fresh Living Autumn Issue 2021

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ONLY

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BRILLIANT BAKES Novice or pro, we’ve got a recipe for you!

Autumn issue

AUTUMN 2021 ISSUE 143 R 2 5 I N C L . VAT

Back to basics: pickles, batters, sauces and more

Affordable all-day egg recipes

We test Ottolenghi’s veggie dinners

COOK THE BOOK

102 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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COOK THE BOOK

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 103

Hello Autumn!

FROM PnP’S FRESH TEAM

PHOTOS: DEWALD DANIELS AND OLIVIA HUTCHERSON

GREENGROCER’S PROMISE We guarantee greatquality produce packed with flavour and nutritional goodness.

Responsibly sourced and grown with care.

BUTCHER’S PROMISE We’re proud to bring you expertly prepared, quality cuts sourced from responsible suppliers.

CHEF’S PROMISE Our homestyle dishes are prepared with care daily.

Fresh food made with quality ingredients from trusted suppliers.

BAKER’S PROMISE We’ve perfected our methods and recipes to create breads and bakes with enhanced texture and flavour.

FISHMONGER’S PROMISE Our quality seafood is responsibly sourced, always fresh, full of flavour and expertly prepared the way you like it.

As the days get cooler in much of our magnificently beautiful country, I’m sure there are many of us dreading the prospect of once again spending even more time indoors. But this is not the time to despair… Chin up, apron on, it’s the perfect time to learn a few new things in the kitchen.

First up we take you through your pickling and preserving paces (page 25).

Useful not only because you will have all manner of delicious things to offer up at the drop of a hat but, perhaps more importantly, it’s the best way to make the most of in-season fruit and vegetables.

I’m not sure about you, but frankly I’m a fan of anything that saves me time, effort and money. The other thing worth mastering is a good basic sauce and salsa or three – whether to toss through pasta, dollop onto steak or drizzle over vegetables, a good sauce is guaranteed to take any dish from drab to fab (see page 49).

Then, on page 66 there is the ubiquitous spot of baking, of course, from the world’s gooiest, most delicious brownies to cakes (for both the novice and the more intrepid bakers among you), and myriad heavenly things to do with batter on page 83.

So here it is, our Autumn issue! Masses to read, loads to cook (and eat) and all for just R25 – cheap as chips, way more useful and a lot more delicious!

Best, JUSTINE DRAKE EDITOR, FRESH LIVING  Twitter: @justine_drake  Instagram: @justinedrakecooks  Facebook: @JustineDrakeSA

PS: Now that we’re only on shelf four times a year, be sure to visit our website, pnpfreshliving.com, for loads of fabulous recipes and videos. Plus sign up for our monthly newsletter with up-to-the-minute foodie news you need to know!

AUTUMN

contents

Autumn

8 Feedback Write to us and win!

15 Season’s eatings Autumn’s best pickings and how to make the most of them 18 Everyday easy Take eggs from breakfast to dinner with these egg-cellent recipes 25 Make it last Load up your preserve bank with pickles, confits, fermented foods and more 32 Fashion Trendy cool-weather gear for the whole family 34 Get inspired How to have better mornings, plus fish curry and hot toddy recipes to warm you up

2021

Memories

Baking

Live and learn

39 Family fare We stir up nostalgic moments with recipes that’ll make you wish you were a kid again 49 Saucy secrets Mom’s go-to sauces get an upgrade 56 Bottoms up Warming drinks for World Whisky Day 57 Light relief Mac ‘n cheese is not just pasta, it’s more of a magic potion, reckons Darrel Bristow-Bovey 58 Get inspired Ramadan etiquette, a tribute to a food icon, celebrating 50 years of MCC, plus must-haves for your Easter table

66 Baking is back Cookies, cakes, tarts and more – the ultimate guide to great bakes for beginners and pros alike 74 Get inspired Good reads for all ages, know your cakes, plus a cut-out-and-keep conversion table

83 Fresh Living kitchen A foolproof formula for batter that’ll take you to sweet or savoury heaven 89 Book review The FL team tests Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook, Flavour 96 Health Understanding life with autism 101 Get inspired Inside our deputy food editor’s pantry, gadgets to cosy up with, plus nifty foodie hacks to try 104 Recipe index

This issue’s delicious dishes 106 Spotlight Kitchen stories that remind us of Mom

COVER IMAGE Photo: Toby Murphy, Styling: Chad January

WHAT’S IN OUR INBOX? Say it, write it and share your thoughts and ideas with us  Email: letters@freshlivingmagazine.co.za  Instagram: @freshliving_pnp  Twitter: @Fresh_Living

Winning letter

Thanks for a great magazine. It definitely kept me sane during lockdown and your recipes inspired me.

At the beginning of 2020 my travel plans for the year were a trip to Rome to see Villa d’Este and my favourite

gardens in their springtime glory, and then head to Sicily for a walking food and wine tour.

Once lockdown set in and I realised I had no chance to travel, I decided to bring Italy to me via food. I started with Jamie Oliver’s Italian cookbook but battled to find the ingredients in locked-down Joburg, so I stuck with the easy dishes of lasagne and spinach cannelloni, and got more adventurous with his cauliflower mac and cheese.

Once lockdown eased, finding out my favourite local Mexican

restaurant had closed down made me try my hand at tacos, burritos and quesadillas – not as good as the restaurant’s but I do love kidney beans, sweetcorn and coriander mixed with onions. Alcohol was back on the shelves, so a nice cold Sol beer added to the flavour.

Christmas came and went and I ate out more. I wanted to eat other people’s food and give my dishwasher and stove a rest. For me, 2020 was definitely about bringing the world into my home via food. Now I’m looking forward to what 2021 has in store.

– Amanda Renwick

WRITE TO US AND WIN! THE STAR LETTER WILL RECEIVE A PICK N PAY GIFT VOUCHER WORTH R500 Amanda Renwick is the writer of this season’s Star Letter. Send your letters to: John Brown SA, PostNet Suite #2, Private Bag X11, Mowbray, 7705, Cape Town, or email us at letters@freshlivingmagazine.co.za.

Letters may be edited and don’t necessarily represent the opinions of Fresh Living’s editorial team.

WE ASKED...

YOU VOTED! Shout-out to you for helping us put together our drool-worthy batter feature.

We asked what your faves were and here are the results…

Let’s talk waffles: American vs Belgian

22%

78%

Let’s talk toppings: Sweet vs Savoury

83%

A LITTLE BIT OF HOME

I moved to Zambia in 2017 and planned to stay for two years. My son was in Grade 11 at the time and, knowing that the school system was American, we decided it was too much to change schools at such an important stage so my son and husband stayed in South Africa. It was tough being away from family and the many comforts of home. I did come home to visit every three to four months and my husband always made sure my stash of Fresh Living magazines from the past months were ready to take back with me. I ended up staying in Zambia for three years and I so loved having Fresh Living to read and enjoy while away from my usual comforts. Thank you! – Penny van Vreden

8 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

17%

The difference between pancakes and crêpes?

BATTER CONSISTENCY

77%

NO DIFF

23%

Turn to page 83 to get the deets on delicious pancakes, waffles, flapjacks, crumpets and crêpes to serve up this season.

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WIN A DR. BECKMANN HAMPER!

WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU ONLINE! Comment, tweet, DM or even add us to your Pinterest board

When the Summer issue with our stunning cheese tower hit the shelves, readers had a few things to say… living

freshliving_pnp

•

Following

•••

@kimbleshanks Definitely making this for New Year’s Day! @indoni_cooks Showstopper @pots_pans_and_pancakes Amazing! @rhunelleorros Yay!

Share your delicious Instagram snaps with us by tagging #FLGrams – you could be featured!

IN YOUR OWN WORDS We’ve decided to pose a question to you – our loyal readers – in each issue. Here goes: What’s your ultimate hearty winter dish?

Send an email with ‘Reader Question’ in the subject line and your answer to letters@freshlivingmagazine.co.za and your response (and a delish recipe) could appear in our Winter issue!

Visit pnpfreshliving.com now

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NOW THAT WE’RE INDOORS A LOT MORE, WE’VE GOT LOTS MORE TO CLEAN UP TOO! Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover has a unique brush applicator to treat tough stains fast. The oxi-powered formulation eliminates stubborn stains such as red wine and coffee without leaving any stains. Plus, special ingredients are able to permanently eliminate any odours caused by the stain, leaving a pleasant, fresh scent. #LoveWhatWorksSA Six readers will win a Dr. Beckmann hamper worth R500 each. To enter, see page 104.

Keyword: Beckmann

living CONTENT DIRECTOR AND GROUP EDITOR Justine Drake PNP GROUP ART DIRECTOR Liezel le Roux FEATURES EDITOR Melissa Ndlovu HEAD OF FOOD Liezl Vermeulen DEPUTY FOOD EDITOR Chad January MANAGING EDITOR Kelly Smith DIGITAL EDITOR Jana van Sittert DIGITAL COPYWRITER Lesego Madisa DIGITAL DESIGNER Caro Botha GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR Lani Carstens HEAD OF DIGITAL CONTENT Emma Odendaal COMMERCIAL STRATEGIST Cat Anderson ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Meaghan Christians SENIOR FINANCE MANAGER Charlton Jacobs FOR PICK N PAY Michelle van Schalkwyk-Haley CONTRIBUTORS Darrel Bristow-Bovey, Merrill Buckley, Gail Damon, Susan Hayden, Henk Hattingh, Patrick Latimer, Michael Le Grange, Donna Lewis, Toby Murphy, Toby Newsome, Emma Nkunzana, Anke Roux, Kristen Scheepers, Tami Schrire, Estvan Vermeulen, Elizma Voigt, Caroline Webb, Elaine Wuister REPRODUCTION Blue Ink Media EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Tel: 021 486 7600 Email: info@freshlivingmagazine.co.za PICK N PAY CUSTOMER CARE LINE 0860 30 30 30 ADVERTISING Advertising Sales Manager: Michelle Dunn Tel: 021 486 7628 Cell: 082 371 0515 Email: Michelle.Dunn@johnbrownmedia.com

DID YOU KNOW… PNP IS NOW A MESSAGE AWAY! If you’re on the go and need to know more about store hours or specials, simply send PnP a WhatsApp message:  Add +27 600 703 037 as a contact  Find the contact on WhatsApp  Start a chat by saying ‘Hi’  Follow the easy prompts Note that your service provider will charge you for data used to connect to WhatsApp

Any person using information contained in this publication does so at his/her own risk and such person hereby waives any right to action against Pick n Pay Retailers (Proprietary) Limited (“Pick n Pay”) and indemnifies Pick n Pay, its employees, agents, sub-contractors and suppliers against any claims for loss, damage to person or property, injury, liabilities, claims, sickness or death which may result from the use of such information or from any other cause whatsoever suffered either by such person or by any third party.

Fresh Living is published on behalf of Pick n Pay by John Brown South Africa (Pty) Ltd © 2019. Address all correspondence to: John Brown Media SA, PostNet Suite # 2, Private Bag X11, Mowbray 7705, Cape Town. Tel: 021 486 7600 Fax: 021 486 7614. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without permission.

ALL PRICES IN FRESH LIVING ARE CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Printed on recyclable paper Fresh Living may be wrapped in recyclable plastic to preserve any inserts. Please recycle the wrapping after removing it.

PROMOTION

I n one

BASKET

Cadbury Fluffies are the perfect addition to your family’s Easter celebrations

CADBURY FLUFFIE NESTS

PHOTO: DONNA LEWIS RECIPE AND STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN

Melt ¼ cup (60ml) butter, 2 Tbsp (30ml) honey and 10 Cadbury Fluffies in a microwave. Fold through 2 cups (500ml) puffed rice cereal until combined. Divide mixture into a 12-cup muffin pan. Create an indent in the centre to make a “nest”. Chill for 1 hour. Remove from muffin pan and decorate with Cadbury Whispers and Astros. MAKES 12

THB47551

NEW

TM

Made with

fresh farm butter for the creamiest country taste @Stork SA

@Stork South Africa

PHOTO: HENK HATTINGH STYLING: ANKE ROUX

autumn

Y A D Y R E EV

They say change is as good as a holiday... so switch things up with fresh recipes and ideas using autumn’s bright and beautiful produce. We show you new ways with the humble egg, plus gorgeous pickles and fermented goodies that make the most of this season’s bounty

It’s not that complicated.

It’s just Jean.

Savanna. It’s dry, but you can drink it.

Not For Persons Under The Age Of 18.

S E A S O N ’ S E AT I N G S

Season of ABUNDANCE

This season, Mother Nature treats us to the delicious bounty she’s been working on all summer long! So get stuck in and tuck in – you may even discover a few new varieties of autumn produce TEXT AND STYLING: ANKE ROUX PHOTOS: HENK HATTINGH FOOD ASSISTANTS: MERRILL BUCKLEY AND ELAINE WUISTER

CHOP-CHOP! Not only do ready-cut veggies save you time, they also make it so much easier to get your five-a-day. Try PnP’s new combos like butternut, cauliflower and baby marrow.

There’s also ready-chopped PnP soup mixes that include protein-rich grains, like lentil and barley, and a hearty soup and stew mix. Just add stock or water, simmer and top with chickpea croutons. Yum!

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 15

S E A S O N ’ S E AT I N G S

FLOWER POWER Tasty Stem cauliflower can be lightly steamed, stir-fried, roasted, eaten raw dunked in creamy hummus or used in salads. Regular cauliflower florets will work for this recipe too.

WARM CAULIFLOWER SALAD Toss 2 packets (300g each) PnP Tasty Stem cauliflower and 1 packet (250g) mini Italian tomatoes on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season. Roast at 220°C until tender.

Smash 10 calamata olives, removing pips.

Mix with 2 Tbsp (30ml) baby capers, a handful

AN AVO A DAY...

These green gems are in season now so they’re much cheaper.

Described by food writer AA Gill as the “Arnold Swartzenegger of vegetables” – the one that would keep you clinging to life far longer than any other – they’re packed with hearthealthy fats and nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin C and magnesium.

How to tell if an avocado is ripe?

Don’t be tempted to squeeze them as it’ll cause the do-good flesh to bruise. Simply jiggle the brown knobbly stem at the narrow end – if it’s loose, your avocado is ripe and ready to eat.

SHROOM FOR MORE Mushrooms are one of the most versatile vegetables of all, easily satisfying meat eaters and vegans alike. PnP has a huge selection, big and small!

Our top 3 ways with mushrooms:  Roast them in garlic butter, add a few thyme sprigs and serve on a bed of parmesan polenta.  Spike your regular mushroom sauce with a tablespoon of miso paste for extra oomph!  Remove stems from button mushrooms, stuff the cavity with cream cheese, then crumb and deep-fry for a starter.

16 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

of chopped chives, juice (60ml) of 1 lemon and a generous glug of olive oil. Drizzle this dressing over hot vegetables.

Serve garnished with flat-leaf parsley.

SERVES 4-6

TRY THIS PnP TASTY STEM CAULIFLOWER (230g)

This new variety is packed with the goodness of growing shoots, plus loads of vitamin C and fibre.

AUTUMN SOUP Toss 3 bags (500g each) PnP chopped butternut, cauliflower and baby marrow combo on an oven tray. Add 1 sliced onion, 1 tub (250g) mini Italian tomatoes, a glug vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp (15ml) each curry powder and garam masala. Toss well. Roast at 200°C until cooked. Tip into a blender and add 1 can (400ml) coconut milk, 1 knob ginger, 1 garlic clove and a handful coriander and blitz until smooth. Thin with a little boiling water (1-2 cups) and season well. Serve soup with PnP rotis. SERVES 4

QUICK IDEA

S E A S O N ’ S E AT I N G S

PLAY SQUASH Pretty as a picture, autumn squash looks just as good as a table centrepiece as it does on your plate. The beauty of these babies is that the earlier in the season you get them, the more tender and delicate their flavour is. Best of all, you can eat their skins, which turn deliciously caramel when roasted.

HOKKAIDO SQUASH LOVES...  Cumin seeds, butter or thyme. Pairs well with pork or chicken.

BOBOTIE BAKED SQUASH Halve a selection of squashes (enough for 4-6 people), scoop out the seeds, brush with oil and season. Roast at 200°C for 20 minutes until almost tender. Brown 500g PnP lean beef mince in oil. Remove and set aside.

Fry 1 chopped onion and 2 Tbsp (30ml) PnP garlic and ginger paste in the same pan until soft. Stir through mince, along with 2 Tbsp (30ml) medium curry powder, a few curry leaves and ¼ cup (60ml) chutney. Season. Spoon mince mixture into squash halves to fill threequarters. Whisk 2 eggs with 1 cup (250ml) milk and pour over mince.

Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Serve drizzled with plain yoghurt and sambals on the side. SERVES 4-6

BUTTERNUT LOVES...  Parmesan, sage, sherry or cinnamon.

GEM SQUASH LOVES...  Blue cheese, walnuts, peppery olive oil or rosemary.

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 17

ANYTIME EGGS We break eggs out of their traditional breakfast mould and whip up pocket-friendly dinners that are nutrient-rich, delicious and easy to make 15-MINUTE FRIDAY NIGHT NOODLES Using this method to fry them results in “bubble eggs” that are deliciously crispy with gooey centres.

1 large packet (400g) egg noodles 1 Tbsp (15ml) sesame oil (or canola) 2 baby green cabbages, shredded 3 spring onions, sliced 2-3 Tbsp (30-45ml) sriracha sauce 2-3 Tbsp (30-45ml) soy sauce 1 Tbsp (15ml) PnP ginger and garlic paste

½ cup (125ml) canola oil 4 eggs Salt and milled pepper Bean sprouts, sliced red chilli and coriander, for serving (optional) SERVES 4 Cover noodles with boiling water and leave

to “cook” for 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat sesame oil in a pan, and sauté cabbage and spring onion for about 2 minutes.

Stir in sriracha and soy sauces and ginger-garlic paste, and toss to coat the vegetables.

Toss noodles in pan to evenly coat with sauce.

Heat canola oil in a separate pan.

Break an egg into a ramekin or cup, then gently pour into hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes. Repeat with other eggs.

Serve noodles topped with an egg, and garnish with sprouts, chilli and fresh coriander if you like.

XXXXXXXXX: XXX XXXXX: XXXXX

QUICK AND EASY

RECIPES AND STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN PHOTOS: DONNA LEWIS FOOD ASSISTANT: ELIZMA VOIGT

18 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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E V E R Y D AY E A S Y

BROCCOLI OMELETTE WITH SPANAKOPITA FILLING Your omelette just got healthier, with crunchy greens and a little Greek flair.

Olive oil, for frying 1 red onion, thickly

sliced into “petals” 1 large packet (400g) PnP Tasty Stem broccoli, halved lengthways 4 tsp (20ml) Dijon or wholegrain mustard 1 cup (250ml) milk or cream 2 cups (250g) finely grated mozzarella 12 eggs Salt and milled pepper ½ packet (150g) baby spinach

2 discs (60g each) feta, crumbled Toasted pumpkin seeds and ruby microherbs, for serving (optional) MAKES 4 Heat a glug of oil in a 15cm pan. Sauté onion, remove and set aside.

Add 6-8 broccoli stems to the pan and brown for 2 minutes.

Whisk 1 tsp (5ml) mustard and ¼ cup (60ml) each milk and mozzarella with 3 egg yolks. Season.

Lightly whisk 3 egg whites until fluffy and tripled in volume.

Fold egg whites through yolk mixture and pour over broccoli in pan.

Fry omelette for 2-4 minutes, swirling pan occasionally while lifting sides with a spatula to

ensure egg cooks evenly.

Add ¼ of the spinach, a handful mozzarella and some crumbled feta and sautéed onion.

Fold omelette to enclose filling (a silicone spatula works best) and turn out onto a plate.

Repeat to make 3 more omelettes.

Serve warm, topped with pumpkin seeds and microherbs if you like.

DID YOU KNOW? Those who have an increased risk ofi heart disease and people with type-2 diabetes can safelyi eat up to six eggs a week as part of a heart-healthy diet.i Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 19

TOM YUM SOUP Tom yum is a hot and sour Thai soup – find the ready-made paste in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Oil, for frying 3cm knob fresh ginger, sliced 1 stick lemongrass, bruised (optional) 1 packet (150g) shimeji mushrooms,

thinly sliced (or use portobello or button mushrooms) 10 sprigs coriander, leaves picked and stalks reserved 1 packet (100g) tom yum paste 1 packet (50g) tomato paste 8 cups (2L) boiling water 1 Tbsp (15m) fish sauce

Juice (30ml) of 1 lime or ½ lemon 1 large packet (500g) baby marrows, spiralised or cut into matchsticks 2 packets (125g each) sugar snap peas 6-8 eggs Sliced red chilli, lime or lemon wedges and sliced spring onion, for serving (optional)

SERVES 4 Fry ginger and lemongrass in a large pot for 2-3 minutes.

Add half the mushrooms, a handful coriander stalks, tom yum paste, tomato paste and water.

Boil for 5-8 minutes.

Stir through fish sauce and lime/lemon juice.

Simmer for 5 minutes.

Boil eggs for 6 minutes, then cool, remove shells and halve.

Divide baby marrow, sugar snap peas and remaining mushrooms between 4 bowls.

Ladle over soup and top with eggs and coriander leaves.

Serve with chilli, lime or lemon wedges and spring onion, if you like.

For more delicious egg dishes, scan the QR code above (simply type “QR code” into your Facebook app search bar or use the QR scanner on your smartphone’s camera) 20 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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E V E R Y D AY E A S Y

GIANT CORN & HALLOUMI FRITTERS WITH POACHIES Poached eggs make the perfect saucy topping for this take on a childhood favourite.

3 spring onions, white and green bits chopped separately 1 Tbsp (15ml) PnP garlic, ginger and chilli paste 2 cans (410g) corn kernels, drained 1 cup (150g) flour 200g halloumi cheese, grated Handful chopped fresh herbs (like parsley, coriander or chives) + extra for serving 3 large eggs, whisked + 6-8 for poaching Olive or canola oil, for frying

Slide fritter onto a plate (cooked side down). Hold the plate over the pan and flip carefully to slide the fritter back into the pan (cooked side up).

Fry for 3-4 minutes, until golden.

Repeat with remaining batter to make a second fritter.

Poach the eggs in a pot of boiling water.

Serve fritters topped with poached eggs, sour cream or yoghurt and chilli oil or sauce.

Scatter with fresh herbs and spring onion greens.

TRY THIS PnP CANOLA EGGS (6s)

The heart-healthy choice. Laid by hens that are fed canola seed extract, which means eggs that are a good source of omega-3s.

Sour cream or yoghurt and sweet chilli sauce, chilli oil or sambal oelek, for serving SERVES 4 Combine spring onion whites, garlic-gingerchilli paste, corn kernels, flour, halloumi and herbs.

Fold into whisked egg to make a batter.

Heat a glug of oil in a 20-23cm pan over medium-high heat.

Pour half the batter into the pan, swirling to coat the base (the fritter should be about 1-2cm thick).

Fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden.

SPLURGE Top fritters with smoked salmon and cream cheese for a fancy treat.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 21

Why eat more eggs? An egg has 6g of protein, up to 13 vitamins and all nine essential amino acids.

TURKISH EGGS EN COCOTTE Simply referring to individually baked dishes, this version has delicious Middle Eastern flavours.

2 punnets (200g each) mushrooms, sliced 3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped

5 sprigs fresh thyme 2 Tbsp (30ml) sesame seeds 1 Tbsp (15ml) smoked paprika ½ Tbsp (7ml) each cumin seeds and chilli flakes Juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon 1½ cups (375ml) plain double-cream yoghurt

22 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

/³ cup (80ml) milk Handful baby spinach 4-8 eggs Salt and milled pepper Toasted pitas or crusty bread, for serving

1

MAKES 4 Dry-fry mushrooms until well browned. Set aside.

Heat oil in the pan and

sauté onion for 5-8 minutes, until golden.

Add garlic, thyme, sesame seeds, spices, lemon juice and peel.

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, to create a flavoured oil.

Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Combine flavoured oil with yoghurt and milk.

Layer yoghurt mixture, mushrooms and spinach in four ovenproof bowls.

Make an indent in the mixture with a spoon and break an egg (or two) into each. Season.

Bake for 8-12 minutes at 170ºC until egg white is cooked.

Serve warm with pitas or bread on the side.

PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

E V E R Y D AY E A S Y

PAIR WITH JC LE ROUX SAUVIGNON BLANC, R90

GOLDEN FETA & EGG TABBOULEH Low-GI grain salads keep you fuller for longer. You can use quinoa instead of bulgur wheat, or combine it with brown rice to stretch your budget.

3 cups (750ml) cooked bulgur wheat 1 tub (120g) basil pesto or sundried tomato pesto Juice (60ml) of 1 lemon 2-3 Tbsp (30-45ml) olive oil + extra for frying Salt and milled pepper 3-4 discs (60g each) feta (halloumi works well too) Flour, for dusting 6-8 boiled eggs, halved 1 cucumber, halved and sliced lengthwise into batons (sticks) 1 packet (250g) PnP cherry tomato medley, halved Fresh basil (optional) SERVES 4 Toss together bulgur wheat, pesto, lemon juice and olive oil.

Season well.

Heat a glug of olive oil in a pan, dust feta discs with a little flour and fry for 30-45 seconds per side or until golden.

Serve bulgur-wheat mixture topped with fried feta, boiled eggs, cucumber, tomatoes and basil.

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 23

MAKE IT LAST

Preserve and conquer All pickle combos on page 26

Make the most of your fresh produce by bottling up some delicious condiments. We show you how to pickle, ferment, salt and more – ideal for those who bulk buy or to use up odds and ends in your veg basket

Piccalilli.

Recipe on page 27

RECIPES AND STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN PHOTOS: DONNA LEWIS FOOD ASSISTANT: GAIL DAMON pnpfreshliving.com

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 25

PICKLING SWEET AND SOUR PICKLED PUMPKIN Although you can’t keep this for long, it’s perfect for making on a Sunday for next week’s lunchbox salads.

2 small Hokkaido pumpkins, cut into wedges Salt and milled pepper 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil 1 cup (250ml) water 1 cup (250ml) sugar 1 cup (250ml) rice vinegar or white balsamic

1 Tbsp (15ml) fish sauce 1 tsp (5ml) chilli paste 2-4 red chillies, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2cm knob ginger, peeled and grated MAKES 4-5 CUPS Toss pumpkin wedges with seasoning and oil.

Roast at 220°C for 15-18 minutes. Cool.

Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan on low heat.

Simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves and allowing the flavours to infuse.

COOK’S NOTE Serve pickled pumpkin on a bed of bulgur wheat with micro herbs and pumpkin seeds.

HOW TO PICKLE ANYTHING The secret here is to know the basic ratio of a pickling liquid: 1 part water : 1 part white vinegar : 1 part sugar Sugar is an essential part of the pickling process, but if 1 part sugar is a tad too much for your tastes, you can reduce the sugar by up to a third. Using hot water will “cook” vegetables slightly, making them a little limp and speeding up the pickling process a bit. Most important to know: avoid pickling anything in a metal bowl as the vinegar reacts badly with the metal, and can make the food taste “off”.

Place pumpkin in a single layer in a plastic or glass container with a tight-fitting lid, and pour liquid over, making sure it covers pumpkin.

Cool and refrigerate.

Keeps for 4-5 days.

BASIC PICKLED VEGETABLES Use any combination of vegetables or a single favourite. See our suggestions below (pictured on page 25).

Combine ½ cup (125ml) each vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan.

Add 1 tsp (5ml) each coriander seeds and mustard seeds, and simmer, stirring, until sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and infuse for 5 minutes.

Place prepped raw veg in sterilised jars.

Top up with cooled pickling liquid.

Pickle for at least 60 minutes or up to 3 hours before serving (the longer, the better).

Cover and refrigerate.

Keeps for 2-3 weeks.

MAKES 750ML-1L 1. Green veg 200g whole asparagus + 200g fine green beans + PnP bouquet garni 2. Beetroot 4 peeled beetroots, cut into 3mm-thick rounds + chopped fresh dill 3. Asian salad topper 300g sliced radishes + 3-4 sliced snacking cucumbers + 2cm sliced ginger + 1 star anise + 2 PnP dried lime leaves 4. Red onions 3 onions, halved and sliced into half moons 5. Rainbow crunch ¼ head each red and green cabbage, shredded + 2 small matchsticked carrots + chopped coriander

pnpfreshliving.com

MAKE IT LAST PICCALILLI

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT SELECTED PNP STORES NATIONWIDE

A British favourite, with the colour and crispness of snacking peppers added. Works a treat with bread, ham and cheese.

Combine 1 cup (250ml) each vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan.

Add 1 tsp (5ml) mustard seeds, 3 bay leaves and/or a sprig curry leaves, 6 black peppercorns and 1 chopped garlic clove.

Simmer, stirring, until sugar dissolves.

Mix a little liquid with 1 tsp (5ml) English mustard powder and 1 tsp (5ml) turmeric to create a paste, and add to the saucepan.

Turn off heat, add 3 sprigs thyme and allow flavours to infuse for 5 minutes.

Place ½ head (150g) cauliflower, broken into florets, 2 sliced carrots and ½ packet (125g) halved snacking peppers in two 500ml jars.

Top up with lukewarm pickling liquid.

Pickle for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best results. Keeps for up to 3 weeks in fridge.

MAKES ABOUT 1L

SALTING PRESERVED LEMONS Many Mediterranean recipes require these lemons but they can be hard to find. Make the most of the in-season prices and whip up a batch of this culinary must-have! They pair well with lamb, chicken, fish and curries.

8 lemons ½ cup (125ml) coarse salt 2 cups (500ml) lemon juice 10 sprigs fresh thyme Pinch chilli flakes (optional) 1 Tbsp (15ml) pink peppercorns, crushed (optional) MAKES 1L

Scrub the lemon skins clean, then quarter lemons, keeping them attached on one end, and deseed.

Sprinkle salt in the centre of each lemon, close the quarter segments so that it’s a lemon shape again.

Place in a clean 1L jar.

Pack lemons tightly, pushing them down.

Top with lemon juice and add thyme, chilli flakes and peppercorns (if using).

Set aside in a cupboard for 2 weeks, away from direct sunlight, shaking the jar every day to distribute salt and liquid.

Keeps for 5 months in the fridge, as long as the lemons are kept submerged in liquid.

Depending on how many lemons you have, you can adapt the recipe. Use the ratio of 1 lemon : 1 Tbsp coarse salt : Juice (60ml) of 1 lemon

TRY THIS PnP SEEDLESS LEMONS (750g)

This premium range of lemons is perfect for preserving.

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 27

MAKE IT LAST

FERMENTING PINEAPPLE CAULI KIMCHI This Asian condiment is a wonderful addition to egg-fried rice, grain salads or mayo. It takes a little time to make but not much effort from your side. We’ve used pineapple because it pairs so well with chilli.

1kg green cabbage or Chinese cabbage 2 heads (600g) cauliflower ¾ cup (375g) coarse salt 1 cup (250ml) water 1 pineapple, peeled and cubed

Handful carrot, celery and/or spring onion matchsticks (optional) Paste: ¼ cup (60ml) fish sauce 6cm knob (35g) ginger, peeled and sliced 5 cloves (25g) garlic 4-5 tsp (20-25ml) chilli paste MAKES ABOUT 1L Cut cabbage into 6-10cm chunks.

Separate leaves.

Slice cauliflower, then break into small florets.

Place cabbage and cauliflower in two

COOK’S NOTE Use kimchi for topping sandwiches, cheese toasties, braaibroodjies or boerie rolls.

dishes, spread them out and sprinkle over salt and water.

Rub salt into vegetables, massaging it in well, then cover and leave for an hour to draw out moisture.

Toss vegetables and massage again to ensure the salt gets into all the nooks and crannies.

The veg should be starting to go limp.

Leave for another hour and massage veg again.

(The cabbage will start changing colour and become somewhat translucent.)

Wash salt off veg – take care not to leave any behind or the kimchi will be too salty.

Mix washed veg with ¾ of the pineapple

Locked and loaded

Looking to make chillies last longer too?

 Chopping by hand is the best way to go – blending tends to make the sauce overly hot and it spoils faster that way too.  Add a generous pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice to the chilli/oil mixture to help it keep longer. We recommend adding a clove (or four) of chopped garlic as well.  Cover the contents with oil and leave it in the fridge to use as you wish.  Go for green chillies! They are firmer and keep longer. (Hint: The bigger the chilli, the milder too).  Fermenting chilli can be tricky in our climate. If you do try it out, use a salt-water solution and ensure the chillies are always submerged in liquid. cubes and carrots, spring onion or celery (if using).

Combine paste ingredients in a food processor, add remaining ¼ pineapple cubes and blitz until smooth. Toss paste through veg.

Transfer kimchi mixture into a sterilised jar. Using a clean spoon, push mixture down to pack it as tight as possible. A little bit of liquid should cover the top of the veg.

Loosely place a lid on top – don’t screw on completely as the kimchi needs to breathe.

Leave at room temperature in a dark place for 4-6 days (the warmer the weather is, the quicker the process will go). Note: the veggies should be submerged in the liquid – if not, poke with a chopstick to push them down and compact them. If there is some spillage, the fermenting process is going well.

When bubbles appear and the taste of the kimchi is to your liking, refrigerate and use within 2-3 weeks.

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CONFIT GARLIC CONFIT “Confit” refers to slow-cooking food in fat to preserve it.

Garlic becomes sweet with hints of umami when roasted. Use these soft cloves in sauces or mashed potato, or to spread on bruschetta.

2 bulbs garlic, cloves peeled Handful thyme and/ or rosemary leaves 1½ cups (375ml) olive oil blend Pinch salt

MAKES 500ML Place garlic and herbs in a small oven dish and submerge completely in oil.

Cover with foil and roast at 130°C for 80-90 minutes.

Pour hot oil and whole garlic cloves in two 250ml sterilised jars. (If not filling, top with a circle cut-out of baking paper to keep it airtight.)

Cool completely.

Keeps in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

MARINATED GRILLED PEPPERS We’ve used Palermo peppers – the kind that look like giant chillies but are actually sweet and very juicy – but you can use bell peppers too.

4 packets (about 1.1kg) Palermo peppers 1 cup (250ml) olive oil 3 cloves garlic, halved

4 sprigs fresh origanum 2 strips lemon peel MAKES 750ML Grill the whole peppers over an open gas hob until almost blackened all over. (You can also do this under an oven grill at 220°C.) Place in a bowl, cover with clingwrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

Remove skins – they should slide off easily.

Halve peppers, discard seeds and place flesh in sterilised jars.

Heat olive oil, garlic, origanum and lemon peel in a pan over medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes to infuse.

Pour flavoured oil into jars, submerging peppers completely.

Cool, seal and place in the fridge. Use within 3-4 weeks.

MED FEAST

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ow -r oast ed

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WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH STERILISING? Sterilising your preserving jars ensures that there are no living organisms, such as bacteria or fungi, that can cause spoilage. Wash jars in hot soapy water, rinse in clean, very hot water, then dry them out in the oven at 140°C. (This rigid sterilising is not necessary for items that won’t be stored for long periods, but needless to say always use well-cleaned jars.)

tomato confit (page 30) Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 29

MAKE IT LAST

PRESERVING HERBS TRY THIS

DRIED HERBS Hang bunches of fresh herbs upside down in front of a sunny window to dry them out naturally. Turn them daily to ensure even drying. (Note: hardy herbs such as rosemary, thyme and origanum often dry better.) Once dry you can...

Store herbs in an airtight container to use in cooking.

Pick leaves and add to salt to subtly flavour it.

Add sprigs to oil for a delicious infusion.

FRESH HERBS 1. Place chopped herbs in an ice tray, fill with oil and freeze.

Simply add a frozen cube of herb oil to your pot when cooking.

2. Mix finely chopped herbs with soft butter. Add garlic and paprika. Spread on a few layers of clingwrap, roll into a log and refrigerate. Use for topping steak, potatoes and roasted veg.

SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO CONFIT This makes a quick-fix pasta sauce and works a charm in grain salads.

2.5kg salad tomatoes, quartered Salt and milled pepper 1/ cup (80ml) olive oil ³ + extra for topping up

1/

³ cup (80ml) balsamic vinegar 3 Tbsp (45ml) sugar 7 cloves garlic, sliced ½ punnet (10g) fresh thyme or origanum, leaves picked Handful fresh basil leaves MAKES 750ML

30 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on 2-3 baking trays (take care not to overcrowd them).

Season, then drizzle with oil and balsamic.

Sprinkle with sugar, garlic and herbs.

Roast at 150°C for 60-75 minutes or until tomatoes have gone soft

PnP CURRY LEAVES AND BAY LEAVES (20g)

PnP stocks hard-tofind herbs like fresh curry leaves, bay leaves and origanum.

Dry or freeze what you don’t use fresh.

and slightly caramelised.

Place tomatoes in sterilised jars while hot, and top up with roomtemperature olive oil.

Cool down at room temperature. Tap jars so that any air bubbles escape to the top.

Seal jars and refrigerate.

Use within 2 weeks.

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FA S H I O N GET IT ONLINE Shop this collection and more at picknpayclothing.co.za

Women’s textured crewneck knitwear, R269.99

LICENCE TO CHILL

It’s airy autumn and PnP Clothing has got you covered (ha-ha, get it?). Cosy up in funky knits, puffer jackets and cool character tops for the whole family

32 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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FA S H I O N

Boys’ microfleece top, R59.99

PRICES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Men’s sleeveless puffer jacket, R349.99

Men’s Tom & Jerry character top, R199.99

Girls’ corduroy jacket, R269.99, and girls’ suede leggings, from R49.99

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 33

GET INSPIRED {AUTUMN} TITBITS, TRENDS AND STUFF WE LOVE

COMPILED BY MELISSA NDLOVU AND CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: ESTVAN VERMEULEN STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS

THE HIGH FIVE They say the way you start your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day.

So shake off the cooler autumn blues with five ways to enhance your morning routine

we love

4

Tackle the big stuff first You’re at your most productive early in the day, so make sure to put at least three big tasks first on your list. Yes, we all procrastinate and avoid the tough stuff, hoping it’ll just go away, but by devoting your morning to things that require a high level of concentration, you will get it done sooner.

Then you can breeze through the smaller tasks for the rest of the day.

3

Always thought multitasking is how to get it all done? Wrong!

Studies show that multitasking is less productive than doing one thing at a time. Researchers from Stanford University in the US found that people who are flooded with several streams of electronic information can’t pay attention, recall information or switch from one task to another as well as those who complete one task at a time. So, make that to-do list (see below) and tick off those tasks one baby at a time.

Say no to screen time

5

Admit it. As soon as you wake up, you grab your phone. Stop. Right. There. Have a “no screen time before brekkie” rule and start your day with something that sets a calm, positive tone: meditate, hand-write a to-do list or just jump on the bed and dance to your favourite tune…

FOR THOSE WHO NEED A CUPPA A morning coffee is a must for many.

So why not join the PnP Coffee Club?

Get 3X Smart Shopper points on all coffee products, exclusive monthly deals, competitions and more! Visit pnp.co.za/ coffee-club or send a FREE SMS with your Smart Shopper number to 30651 to join.

34 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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ILLUSTRATIONS AND PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

1

Have a sleep schedule Your morning routine actually starts the night before. A good sleep schedule is important so you can keep up with all the tasks you need to take on the next day. We know it’s hard to resist binge-watching series until 3am, but if you have virtual meetings and work in the morning, getting a good night’s rest is vital. Choose a bedtime, like 10pm for example, and stick to it. Set your alarm early enough so that you have at least an hour-and-a-half to prepare and get yourself ready before going to work.

Eat a healthy breakfast You’re less likely to be obese, have more stable blood-sugar levels, and be less hungry throughout the day. Keep it up for a week or two and you’ll notice improved energy and increased productivity.

For a grab-n-go, all-in-one fix, Jungle Plus High Protein Porridge is a multigrain porridge high in vitamins and minerals for the perfect start to your day.

Do on et

2

g at a time n i h

GET INSPIRED

Get what you PRESERVE

CAPE MALAY FISH CURRY WITH PRESERVED LEMON This fish with a twist will fast become a favourite treat.

Turn to page 25 to find out how to make your own preserved lemons, and many other pickles and preserves – great gifting ideas for those you love most.

COSY UP!

Heat a glug of oil in a large pot and fry 2 chopped onions, 2-3 sprigs fresh curry leaves, 3 chopped garlic cloves and 2 tsp (10ml) grated ginger until fragrant and translucent. Add 1 tsp (5ml) each turmeric, ground cumin and ground coriander and 2 tsp (10ml) each paprika and medium curry powder. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add 2 Tbsp (30ml) tomato paste and 1 Tbsp (15ml) brown sugar and cook for 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup (250ml) vegetable or fish stock and 2 cans (410ml each) coconut milk or cream.

Simmer on a low heat for 12-15 minutes. Poach 750g cubed kingklip or yellowtail and 500g half-shell mussels (defrosted) in the liquid for 8-10 minutes. Stir through 3 Tbsp (45ml) chopped fresh coriander and juice (60ml) of 1 lemon, and season well.

Garnish with a generous helping of preserved lemon and serve with poppadoms, rice or garlic naan breads.

SERVES 4

Now that the sun’s setting a little earlier, we’ve got just the thing to warm you up. This little creation is the perfect nightcap (or cocktail). Clink-clink!

AROMATIC WHISKY HOT TODDY Place 2 cups (500ml) water, 2 bags rooibos tea, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 slice fresh ginger in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, cover and infuse for 3-5 minutes.

Divide 2 Tbsp (30ml) whisky and 2 orange slices between two glasses. Top up with hot toddy mixture and add some fresh mint (optional). Enjoy immediately. SERVES 2 IT’S WORLD WHISKY DAY ON 15 MAY! See page 56 for more warming tipples.

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 35

memories

PHOTO: HENK HATTINGH STYLING: ANKE ROUX

MAKING

Sharing a meal with those you love have been a little harder over the last few months, so as things ease up, we thought you deserved some hearty family meals, noteworthy drink ideas and a new take on classic sauces so you can create new memories together

Use R20 or more in Smart Shopper points towards fuel PLUS earn 10 points per litre of fuel every time you fill up

Everyday, brighter

Terms and conditions apply. E&OE. Smart Shopper balance of at least 2000 points (or R20) is required to allow for fuel payments. Visit www.pnp.co.za/bp for more.

MOMENTS WORTH SHARING

F A M I LY F A R E

RECIPES AND STYLING: CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: TOBY MURPHY FOOD ASSISTANTS: GAIL DAMON, ELIZMA VOIGT AND TAMI SCHRIRE

Take a trip down memory lane with some classic treats that’ll make you long to be a kid again. Whether it’s the aroma of freshly baked bread, hot buttery mielies or toasting marshmallows on a fire, the FL team stir up nostalgic moments pnpfreshliving.com

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 39

GOOD IDEA Peel the husks of the mielies back and tie them together to create “handles”.

“

The smell of mielies will always remind me of home. My grandmother would purchase a big bag on her way back from work after pay-day and my sister and I would divide the mielies among ourselves to peel and prep. Even if it was in the middle of the week, no one would sleep until those mielies were done. We slathered them in butter and tried to see how many we could eat before gogo reprimanded us. – LESEGO MADISA

F A M I LY F A R E COCONUT AND CORIANDER POACHED MIELIES Poaching the mielies in this flavourful liquid allows it to be absorbed during cooking. And the steamed herb bread on page 44 is the thing for mopping up the juices.

Generous knob butter 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 2 cans (410ml each) coconut cream or milk Handful chopped fresh coriander 4 mielies 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard Juice (30ml) and grated peel of 1 lime Salt and milled pepper Grated parmesan (optional)

HARISSA CHICKEN TAGINE Serve with couscous or flatbreads to soak up the delicious sauce.

Yoghurt with added lemon zest complements the spices brilliantly.

8 chicken thighs on the bone Salt and milled pepper 2 Tbsp (30ml) harissa powder Glug canola oil 2 onions, chopped 5-6 leeks, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1 Tbsp (15ml) grated fresh ginger 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock 2 Tbsp (30ml) harissa paste 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 Tbsp (30ml) chopped fresh coriander

“

PAIR WITH

The smell of harissa reminds me of grilling spicy potato and fish cakes on the braai with my grandfather, to eat in the sukkah (a hut-like structure) on Sukkot (Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles).

– TAMI SCHRIRE

TAMBOERSKLOOF SYRAH, R220

”

SERVES 4

PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

SERVES 4 Heat butter in a large pot and fry the onion, garlic and chilli until lightly browned.

Add coconut cream and coriander, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add mielies and poach for 10-12 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove mielies from the pot and set aside.

Add mustard and limejuice to the liquid, and season well.

Increase heat and reduce the sauce for about 10 minutes.

Spoon sauce over mielies and sprinkle with parmesan just before serving.

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Season chicken with salt and harissa powder.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot and brown chicken in batches, about 3-4 minutes. Set aside.

Fry onion, leek, garlic and ginger in the same pot (add more oil if needed) until golden, about 5 minutes.

Return chicken to pot, including any juices that have accumulated.

Combine chicken stock and harissa paste and pour over chicken.

Cover with a lid and bake at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes.

Stir through chickpeas and coriander.

Season and serve.

GOOD IDEA Make a salad of cooked couscous, chopped cucumber, radish, spring onion and pomegranate rubies to serve with the chicken tagine.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 41

GARLIC CHAPATIS Combine 1 cup (250ml) each cake flour and wholewheat flour, 2 Tbsp (30ml) melted butter, 1 tsp (5ml) garlic powder and ½ tsp (3ml) salt in a bowl.

Add 1¼ – 1½ cups (310–375ml) warm water and combine to form a soft dough.

Knead for 8-10 minutes. Divide into 10 equal-sized balls. Roll out each ball on a floured surface into a large disc, 2mm thin.

Brush each one with melted butter.

Fry chapatis in a hot pan for 30-45 seconds a side.

Serve with lamb shank Madras.

“

Curry leaves take me straight back to the original Maharajah Restaurant where my family would eat dinner every Wednesday, seated at the exact same table in the corner next to a stained-glass lamp, and I’d order the exact same dish – much to the delight of our Indian waiter, Nathan. At seven years old, I’d insist that the lamb curry be medium heat, on the bone and with extra potatoes. – CAT ANDERSON

LAMB SHANK MADRAS Serve with rotis, naan bread or chapatis (see left). This spice mix can also be used on chicken or beef, and works wonderfully in a curry.

Madras spice mix: 2 Tbsp (30ml) coriander seeds 1 Tbsp (15ml) cumin seeds 2 cinnamon sticks 1 tsp (5ml) mixed peppercorns 6 cardamom pods, crushed Handful dried chillies (or 2-3 fresh, deseeded) Handful fresh curry leaves 2 Tbsp (30ml) turmeric Toast all spices (except turmeric) in a hot, dry pan until fragrant.

Using a pestle and mortar, pound spices until well combined (we kept ours nice and coarse), adding turmeric to the mix.

4 lamb shanks Salt ¼ cup (60ml) Madras spice mix 2 cups (500ml) plain yoghurt Canola oil, for frying 4 onions, sliced 2 tsp (10ml) grated fresh ginger 4 cloves garlic, chopped Handful fresh curry leaves + extra for serving 2 cups (500ml) beef or chicken stock 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes Chopped fresh coriander, for serving

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F A M I LY F A R E SERVES 4 Season lamb shanks well (with salt only).

Cover shanks in Madras spice mix and yoghurt, and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot, and sear shanks in batches until browned on all sides.

(Do not brush off the yoghurt marinade).

Remove and set aside.

Add another glug of oil to the pot and fry onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves for 6-8 minutes until well browned.

Add shanks back into the pot, pour over stock and tomatoes, and cover with a lid.

Transfer to the oven and cook at 160°C for about 2½ hours, until the meat is beautifully tender.

Serve garnished with fresh coriander and curry leaves, plus your choice of bread.

“The smell of curry leaves reminds me of my mother’s roti and chicken curry.

Growing up it was a Sunday special (especially in winter) – we would rush home from church so that we could set the table and dig in as soon as possible.

There was usually an argument about who could have that last bit in the pot.”

– JILL PETERSEN

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“

One of my fondest memories of my grandmother is of her making vetkoek in the kitchen and me standing by her side, waiting for one of the “rejects” to immediately spread with butter and apricot jam. It had to be eaten hot!

– CHAD JANUARY

”

Quick spicy carrot atchar.

Recipe on page 44 Butter buns

Vetkoek Steamed herb bread

BASIC BREAD DOUGH Bread doesn’t need to be boring... see page 44 for ways to turn this handy recipe into three different options.

3 cups (450g) cake flour 1 tsp (5ml) salt 1 Tbsp (15ml) white sugar 1 sachet (10g) yeast 2¼ cups (560ml) warm water

Combine ingredients in a large bowl, adding enough water to make a sticky (not wet) dough.

Knead for 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Knock back dough by kneading it again, then follow further instructions in recipes.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 43

F A M I LY F A R E

3 WAYS WITH BREAD DOUGH

THREE-CHEESE BOUREKAS

Break bread with a hungry bunch using these great variations

This Greek empanada is perfect as a snack, a side or soup dipper.

VETKOEK Prepare basic bread dough recipe on previous page. Once risen for an hour and knocked back, divide dough into 6 portions. Shape each one into a smooth ball, cover with a cloth and set aside to rise for 15 more minutes.

Heat enough oil in a large pot. Deep-fry vetkoek in batches for 6-8 minutes, until cooked through and golden. Drain on kitchen paper, and serve while still hot with butter or your favourite filling (like chicken or mince curry). MAKES 6

TRY THIS PnP GROUND TURMERIC (100ml)

This spice is common in Indian, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, and is not only flavourful but contains antioxidants too.

44 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

STEAMED HERB BREAD Prepare basic bread dough recipe on previous page. Once risen for an hour and knocked back, knead in about 3 Tbsp (45ml) chopped fresh herbs like parsley, coriander or thyme.

Cover with a cloth and set aside to rise again for 15 minutes.

Divide dough in two and shape each half into a ball.

Place one dough ball into a mediumsized greased metal bowl, and place this bowl into a large pot of simmering water (the water should not come more than halfway up the side of the bowl). Cover pot with a lid and steam bread gently for 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Repeat process with remaining dough.

Serve with butter.

MAKES 2

BUTTER BUNS Prepare basic bread dough recipe on previous page. Once risen for an hour and knocked back, divide dough into 12 portions. Shape each one into a ball, cover with a cloth and set aside to rise for 15 more minutes.

Place dough balls on a baking tray and brush generously with melted butter.

Bake at 180°C for about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, brush again with melted butter and bake for 8-10 minutes more or until cooked through. Remove from oven and brush immediately with more melted butter.

Set aside to cool, then serve with a spicy atchar.

MAKES 12

QUICK SPICY CARROT ATCHAR Heat a glug of oil in a pan and fry 4-5 peeled and chopped carrots, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 1 tsp (5ml) each grated fresh ginger and mustard seeds for 3-5 minutes. Add ½ tsp (3ml) turmeric and 1 tsp (5ml) each ground coriander, ground cumin and paprika. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add 1/³ cup (80ml) chutney and juice (60ml) of 1 lemon, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Season well and set aside to cool. MAKES 1 CUP

Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine ½ cup (125ml) each grated mozzarella and gruyère cheese, 1 log (100g) goat’s cheese and 2 tsp (10ml) chopped fresh sage to create a spread.

Cut 1 packet (400g) defrosted puff pastry into 8 squares. Place a spoonful of cheese spread on one half of each square and fold over to enclose and create a triangle. Pinch seams closed with a fork, place on a greased oven tray and brush with whisked egg.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.

MAKES 8

SMOKY TOMATO SOUP Heat 2 Tbsp (30ml) butter in a large pot.

Fry 2 chopped onions, 4 chopped garlic cloves, 2 Tbsp (30ml) smoked paprika and a handful sage leaves for about 3 minutes, until golden.

Add 2 Tbsp (30ml) light brown sugar, 2 cans (400g each) chopped tomatoes, 1 can (400g) tomato purée and 1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock.

Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add a handful halved mixed medley tomatoes and 1 Tbsp (15ml) chopped thyme, and season. Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with sage and serve with bourekas. SERVES 3-4

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“ ” The smell of crispy baked pastry reminds me of making bourekas, a recipe that has been passed down four generations in my family, starting with my grandmother in Turkey.

– TAMI SCHRIRE

F A M I LY F A R E CHOCOLATE BROWNIES WITH MARSHMALLOW FROSTING No blowtorch? No problem! This topping can be eaten as is.

3 slabs (100g each) dark chocolate ¾ cup (180g) soft butter 1 cup (200g) white or light brown sugar 2 eggs, whisked 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence ¾ cup (115g) flour ¼ cup (30g) cocoa Topping: 4 egg whites 1 cup (200g) white sugar Pinch cream of tartar Pinch salt 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence

MAKES 9-12 Melt 2 slabs of chocolate and set aside to cool.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Stir in eggs and vanilla, then add flour and cocoa and mix minimally.

Chop remaining chocolate into chunks and fold into batter, along with the cooled melted chocolate.

Pour batter into a greased and lined square oven tray.

Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

For topping, place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water to create a double boiler.

Add egg, sugar, cream

“

of tartar and salt.

Whisk mixture constantly until liquid has warmed through and sugar is dissolved.

Transfer to a stand mixer (or use a handheld mixer), add the vanilla essence and whisk on high speed until stiff and glossy, about 3-5 minutes.

Slice brownies and top generously with marshmallow frosting.

Use a kitchen blowtorch to toast topping as desired.

Toasted marshmallows were such a big deal as kids! We seldom ate sweet treats but when the marshies came out, we knew it was going to be a good time of fun, family and sticky fingers! Now, as a mom, I make memories toasting these babies with my little ones too. – MELISSA NDLOVU I remember toasting (or rather charring) marshmallows with the gang of cousins around the fire, slowly peeling off the blackened bitter shell to get to the sticky melted centre. We’d also be employed by the adults to toast theirs on a bite-for-bite basis. – JANA VAN SITTERT

”

COOK’S TIP To make these brownies extra gooey, place the baking tray in ice water straight out of the oven to cool down immediately.

46 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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KINGJAMES 52449

Introducing Pick n Pay Mobile – SA’s newest mobile network.

Sign up today and earn free data every time you shop.*

To start earning simply link your Smart Shopper card to your Pick n Pay Mobile SIM. Visit your nearest store or go to www.pnp.co.za/mobile for more. *Ts and Cs apply.

SAUCY SECRETS

The motherload RECIPES AND STYLING: CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: DONNA LEWIS FOOD ASSISTANT: EMMA NKUNZANA

Seared prawns with smoky tomato sauce and greens.

Recipe on page 50

Every mom has a go-to sauce that saves the day.

This Mother’s Day, we let you in on her secrets and show you that there’s more to it than just white sauce...

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 49

ACE THAT BASE

SAUCY SECRETS ROASTED TOMATO SAUCE Freeze excess sauce and use it to bulk up soups and stews, or toss through pasta for a quick weeknight dinner.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Arrange 2kg halved salad tomatoes, 1 packet (240g) vine tomatoes, 1 packet (350g) mixed medley tomatoes, 1 halved garlic bulb and a handful fresh herbs (such as rosemary, thyme and bay leaves) on two oven trays and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tomatoes have softened and are slightly charred. Remove and set aside. Heat a glug of oil in a large pot and fry 2 chopped onions for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add roasted tomatoes with 2 Tbsp (30ml) white or brown sugar, and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.

Add ½ cup (125ml) stock and extra fresh herbs.

Simmer gently for about 10 minutes. Strain out whole herbs, season with salt and pepper, then blitz sauce until smooth. Keeps in the fridge for a week, or freeze it for longer. MAKES 3 CUPS

SEARED PRAWNS WITH SMOKY TOMATO SAUCE AND GREENS This makes a delicious pasta dish, served on linguine with generous helpings of grated parmesan.

10-12 wild pink prawns, deveined and heads on Salt and milled pepper ¼ cup (60ml) butter 3 cloves garlic, sliced Juice (30ml) of ½ lemon 1 cup (250ml) roasted tomato sauce (recipe above, or store-bought sauce to save time) 1 Tbsp (15ml) smoked paprika 1 packet (125g) mangetout ½ packet (200g) PnP Tasty Stem broccoli Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional) SERVES 2

Season prawns well.

Heat butter in a large pan and melt butter and garlic together. Once butter starts to brown and smells nutty, add lemon juice and prawns.

Cook prawns for about 5-6 minutes.

Add roasted tomato sauce and paprika, and simmer gently for another 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat and season well.

Blanch mangetout and broccoli, refresh in ice water and place in serving bowls.

Add prawns and sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

50 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

COOK’S NOTE Skim the gravy by using a spoon to remove the foamy bits that accumulate on the surface while it simmers.

Removing these impurities results in a silkier sauce.

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BEST-EVER MEATY GRAVY This deluxe gravy takes time but it’s worth it.

Ask your PnP butcher for beef bones (less than R15 for 2kg!)

They add a depth of flavour that’s essential.

2kg beef bones 2-3 glugs olive oil 1 onion, quartered 4-5 cloves garlic, sliced 2-3 carrots, roughly chopped

2-3 stalks celery, sliced (leaves included) Handful hardy herbs (like rosemary, thyme or bay leaves) 1 sachet (50g) tomato paste 2 Tbsp (30ml) sugar 1/ cup (80ml) red wine ³ (optional, or use water) 4 cups (1L) cold water 1 Tbsp (15ml) cornflour 1 Tbsp (15ml) butter Salt and milled pepper MAKES 1L

Divide bones between 2 large oven trays and drizzle with oil.

Roast at 180°C for 20 minutes until browned.

Heat a glug of oil in a large pot and fry onion, garlic, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes.

Add bones, herbs, oven tray juices and roasted bits to pot and stir to coat.

Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add sugar.

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Pour in red wine (or water) and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen all the tasty bits.

Cover with cold water and simmer for 45-60 minutes, skimming foam that forms off the top.

Strain through a sieve or muslin cloth into a saucepan, discarding bones and vegetables.

Whisk cornflour into ¼ cup (60ml) of the warm strained gravy until smooth.

Add this mixture back into the gravy in the saucepan and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes, whisking until thickened.

Whisk in butter until dissolved. Season well.

Serve immediately, or cover with clingfilm directly on the surface to avoid a “skin” forming.

This gravy can also be frozen for later use.

NEED GRAVY IN A HURRY? When roasting meat or chicken, add 1 cup (250ml) beef or chicken stock to the pan juices, simmer on the stove for 8-10 minutes and thicken with 1-2 tsp (5-10ml) cornflour.

TRY THIS PnP BEEF STOCK (250g)

No time to make your own broth? Try this flavour-packed ready-to-pour stock.

PUNCHY

salsa

Not all sauces need time to simmer! A salsa is the fastest and easiest way to add flavour. This one goes well with seared steak or pulled pork and on top of nachos.

1 medium packet (250g) PnP sweet baby peppers, halved 2-3 spring onions, sliced

1 punnet (350g) mixed medley tomatoes 4-5 radishes, sliced 2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil + extra for frying (optional) 2 Tbsp (30ml) lemon juice or white vinegar 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon or wholegrain mustard

2 tsp (10ml) chopped coriander or chives Salt and milled pepper SERVES 4 Grill sweet peppers over the open flame of a gas hob until almost blackened all over (or fry in oil in a pan on high heat for 2 minutes).

Dice peppers roughly and combine with spring onion, tomatoes and radish in a bowl.

Whisk together oil, lemon juice or vinegar, chilli, mustard and coriander or chives, and season.

Stir this dressing into the salsa and adjust seasoning if needed.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 51

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SAUCY SECRETS

SWEET AND SOUR PORK

LIP-SMACKING SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE Make a big batch of this and keep it in the fridge to rustle up quick dinners. Use it with pork, chicken or beef strips, toss through mince or even with fish.

1 Tbsp (15ml) sesame oil 2 spring onions, sliced 4 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tsp (10ml) chopped fresh ginger 3 Tbsp (45ml) tomato paste 2 Tbsp (30ml) honey ½ can (220g) pineapple chunks, drained 2 Tbsp (30ml) rice vinegar 2 Tbsp (30ml) Worcestershire sauce ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce ¼ cup (60ml) water 2 tsp (10ml) cornflour Salt and milled pepper 1 lemon wedge

For a cheaper alternative, choose a leaner pork cut like fillet.

500g deboned pork leg Salt and milled pepper Oil, for deep-frying 1/ cup (80ml) cake flour ³ ¼ cup (60ml) cornflour 2 eggs 1 onion, chopped 2 red, green or yellow peppers, deseeded and chopped 2 cups (500ml) sweet and sour sauce (left)

Handful sesame seeds Sliced spring onion, lime wedges and eggfried rice or flatbreads, for serving SERVES 2-3 Cut pork into large chunks and season generously.

Heat enough oil in

a pot for deep-frying.

Combine flours in a bowl and whisk eggs in a separate bowl.

Dip pork chunks into flour, then egg, and again into flour.

Deep-fry pork in batches for 5-6 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Set aside to drain on paper towel.

Fry onion and peppers in a glug of oil in a pan until golden.

Add sweet and sour sauce and fried pork, and toss to coat evenly.

Season, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion, add a squeeze of lime juice and serve with egg-fried rice or flatbreads.

MAKES 2 CUPS Heat oil in a wok or large pan and fry spring onion, garlic and ginger for 2 minutes.

Add tomato paste and honey and cook for 2 minutes.

Add pineapple, rice vinegar, Worcestershire and soy sauces and water, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Mix a little cold water with cornflour.

Whisk this paste into sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened.

Season and add a squeeze of lemon juice.

52 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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COOK’S NOTE When working with cream, sour cream or mascarpone in sauces, remember to simmer over a very low heat or the sauce will “split” because of the high fat content.

tion Serving sugges

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Drizzle over seared rib-eye steaks and garnish with pickled onion and herbs.

CREAMIEST GARLIC AND MUSHROOM SAUCE Adding pickled onions when serving this cuts through the richness of the sauce beautifully.

Glug olive oil 1 punnet (350g) exotic mushrooms

1 onion, chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced Handful fresh thyme and sage + extra chopped 2 Tbsp (30ml) butter 1 punnet (250g) white button mushrooms, chopped ¼ cup (60ml) white wine (optional) 1 Tbsp (15ml) flour

1 cup (250ml) cream 1 cup (250ml) sour cream Pinch cayenne pepper or paprika (optional) MAKES 2 CUPS Heat oil in a large pan and brown exotic mushrooms in batches.

Remove from heat and

set aside.

Fry onion, garlic and the handful of herbs in the same pan for 3-4 minutes.

Add butter and button mushrooms.

Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly.

Add wine, if using, and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Stir through flour and cook for 1 minute.

Return exotic mushrooms to the pan, turn heat down and add cream, sour cream and the chopped herbs.

Simmer gently for 5-6 minutes.

Season well and sprinkle with cayenne or paprika, if using.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 53

CREAMY CHICKEN AND SUNDRIED TOMATO LASAGNE

TRADITIONAL BÉCHAMEL Béchamel is the French version of white sauce, where the milk is infused with fragrant aromatics.

4 cups (1L) full-cream milk ¼ onion, sliced 2-3 bay leaves Handful peppercorns ¼ cup (60ml) butter ¼ cup (60ml) flour Salt and white pepper MAKES 1L Heat milk, onion, bay leaves and peppercorns

in a saucepan for about 2-3 minutes.

Cover and set aside to infuse for at least 10 minutes.

Strain out aromatics.

Heat butter in a separate saucepan until melted, remove from heat and vigorously whisk in flour until smooth.

Return to stove over a low heat and pour in ½ cup (125ml) infused milk, whisking continuously.

Add remaining milk in batches, allowing sauce to thicken before next

54 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

addition. (This will take about 10 minutes.)

Season and serve immediately, or cover with clingfilm directly on the surface to avoid a “skin” forming.

CHEESE SAUCE Follow traditional béchamel recipe (left).

Whisk in ½ cup (about 120g) each grated mature cheddar and mozzarella while still warm. Stir through 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard and a pinch cayenne pepper (optional). MAKES 1L

Generous glug oil 2 onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped Handful fresh thyme 8 skinless chicken breast fillets, cubed 2 Tbsp (30ml) paprika (regular or smoked) Salt and milled pepper ½ packet (200g) Swiss chard, shredded 1 tub (250ml) sour cream 1 packet (240g) sundried tomatoes in olive oil, drained 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard ½ block (200g) mature cheddar, grated 1 Tbsp (15ml) chopped chives 2 batches traditional béchamel (recipe left) 1 block (400g) mozzarella, grated 1 box (500g) lasagne sheets SERVES 8 Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, garlic and thyme for 5 minutes.

Toss chicken cubes in paprika and season.

Fry chicken (in the same pan, adding more oil if needed) for 6-8 minutes or until golden.

Add spinach and stir until wilted, then remove pan from heat.

Stir through sour cream and sundried tomatoes.

Season and set aside.

Add mustard, cheddar and chives into 1 batch béchamel sauce and stir until smooth and melted through to make a cheese sauce.

Grease a large rectangular oven dish and arrange 4-5 lasagne sheets on the bottom.

Top with ½ chicken mixture and cover with ½ béchamel sauce.

Arrange another 4-5 lasagne sheets on top, cover with ½ cheese sauce and sprinkle with half the mozzarella.

Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with mozzarella.

Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until golden and cooked through.

PAIR WITH OAK VALLEY BENEATH THE CLOUDS CHARDONNAY, R135

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PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

ACE THAT BASE

The trick is using both béchamel and cheese sauce to create the creamiest lasagne ever. Simply halve the recipe to feed a smaller crowd

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CHEAT’S HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Pinch cayenne pepper or paprika (optional)

An old fave without the fuss! Spoon over poached eggs on crispy bacon and toasted English muffins, garnished with chives.

MAKES ¾ CUP

2 egg yolks 1 Tbsp (15ml) lemon juice Pinch salt ½ cup (125ml) melted butter, still warm

Blitz together egg yolks, lemon juice and salt for 1-2 minutes, until the colour lightens slightly.

Pour in melted butter in a thin stream while blending, until smooth.

Season well and add cayenne or paprika, if using.

TRY THIS PnP ENGLISH MUFFINS (2s)

Exclusive to Smart Shoppers

Whip up the perfect eggs Benedict with this convenient brekkie offering.

Buy Laborie wine and stand a chance to

WINE FOR A YEAR 12 CASES ONE OF EACH VARIETAL

1 x winner only.

Smart shopper swipe your card and get an automatic entry.

Valid from 19 April to 30 May 2021.

Terms and conditions apply.

Visit www.picknpay.co.za E&OE

COOK’S NOTE Has your hollandaise sauce split? No problem.

Blitz it with about 1 Tbsp (15ml) hot water until smooth.

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BOTTOMS UP

GOLDEN OLDIES Liberate those amber-hued spirits from your liquor cabinet and serve some tipples to warm you up this season

SIP ON THE CLASSICS!

Our TOP PICKS JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK LABEL SCOTCH WHISKY

Brrr… it’s cold out, so we’re leaning towards the hug-from-the-inside kinda drinks. With whisky there are endless cocktail options you can try, here are our top three

Stir 1 tsp (5ml) sugar, 3 shakes bitters and 2 tsp (10ml) warm water in a glass until sugar dissolves.

Add 3 ice cubes and pour 2 Tbsp (30ml) whisky over ice. Stir well.

Garnish with orange wedge or peel.

Whisky Sour Aaaah, what a gem! This baby needs fresh lemon juice. So avoid the bottled stuff if you want to get the tang just right.

Add 2 Tbsp (30ml) whisky, 1 Tbsp (15ml) each lemon juice and simple syrup (see below) and ½ Tbsp (7ml) egg white to cocktail shaker.

Shake for 30 seconds and strain into a glass. Garnish with orange wedge and maraschino cherries.

Irish Slammer This is a distant cousin of your regular Irish coffee.

Enjoy as below, or drop a shot of whiskey into the beer and liqueur mix for a showstopping splash as you serve it.

Pour 1 can (500ml) Guinness beer and 1-2 tots (25ml-50ml) Irish whiskey in a glass. Add 2 tots (50ml) Irish cream liqueur over beer and whiskey mixture just before serving.

Drink immediately as the cocktail mixture may split.

JAMESON SELECT RESERVE IRISH WHISKEY

THE NAKED GROUSE BLENDED MALT WHISKY

TAMNAVULIN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH

ALL RECIPES SERVE 1

GOOD IDEA For a local is lekker twist, use Amarula instead of Irish cream liqueur

For these whiskies and more, visit pnp.co.za

LOOK OUT FOR THE PICK N PAY WHISKY FESTIVAL FROM 10 TO 23 MAY!

IT’S THAT SIMPLE

For a simple syrup, simmer equal parts water and sugar until dissolved, then chill until ready to use.

56 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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WRITTEN BY MELISSA NDLOVU PHOTOS: DONNA LEWIS PRICES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. AVAILABLE AT SELECTED PNP AND HYPER STORES.

Old-Fashioned This is about as classic as whisky cocktails get, but the jury is still out on which combination is best. Some swear by simple syrup but we’re betting you’ll love our sugar and bitters match-up.

LIGHT RELIEF

MOM’S SECRET RECIPE We discover why Darrel Bristow-Bovey’s mom’s mac ’n cheese is more magic potion than just a meal

ILLUSTRATION: PATRICK LATIMER

{

Whenever I visit my mother (which, she’ll be first to tell you, isn’t often enough), I always leave with a container of mac ’n cheese.

There’s a particular ceremony that occurs every time. First she asks: “Are you going to eat this tonight?”

“No,” I say, “probably not.”

“In that case, freeze it when you get home,” she instructs. Then she will pause and look at me frowningly, once again calculating my

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mental capacity and finding it not quite adequate. “In other words, put it in the freezer,” she will clarify.

I used to protest that I understood the mechanism of freezing something, but time has made me wiser, and now I just nod and slowly repeat the word “free-zer”, as though

I am myself a caveman recently defrosted from a glacier and slowly discovering the modern world.

Then she gives me a slip of paper on which she has written an esoteric technical incantation involving preheating the oven to 180 degrees and placing the dish inside

for 40 minutes. I nod, like a Knight Templar receiving the Holy Grail, swearing to dedicate his life to its safekeeping.

At home I solemnly place the mac ’n cheese in the freezer where it will stay – like a fire extinguisher or a parachute – until I need it.

Growing up, there were times when my mom’s mac ’n cheese, judiciously anointed with All Gold tomato sauce, was the only comfort and meaning in my life. It was more than my favourite food – it was transcendent, combining aesthetic delight with emotional joy and physical well-being. As a sulky, unpleasant teenager who could scarcely bring himself to acknowledge that my mother existed, let alone that she dedicated her life as a widowed single mother to the unrewarding task of raising me into the world, I would sit late into the night, listening to goth music and eating mac ’n cheese in brooding solitude.

My partner has always wondered why I will never share my mom’s mac ’n cheese with her.

“But I want to taste it for myself,” she pleads.

“Maybe I can learn to make it too.”

“You can’t,” I tell her.

“No one can make this like my mother does.”

She has spent a lot of time speculating on what goes into it to make it so delicious.

She has theories and formulae that I can neither confirm nor deny. All I know is that the product is an indescribably alchemical miracle with properties beyond the merely gastronomical, and healing powers beyond our earthly ken.

The other day my partner’s curiosity overcame her.

I had received some particularly crushing career news and was working my way through a bowl of mac ’n cheese. I don’t know quite how she sneaked up behind me and stole a forkful, but by the time I whirled around she was rolling it around her mouth with a puzzled expression.

“Wow,” she said.

“Yes,” I sighed.

“Did it always taste this way?”

“Yes.” My partner is a tactful person, so she said no more. Whatever questions she had (“Has your mom ever heard of salt or pepper?”, Where did she even find cheese quite that bland?”, “Exactly how does she manage to make it so flavourless?”), she didn’t say aloud. Because she finally understood: some food is food, but other food is your whole life, and all the things you wish you could say and all the things you will only really feel when it’s too late. My mom is not a good cook. What she is, is my mom.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 57

GET INSPIRED {MEMORIES} TITBITS, TRENDS AND STUFF WE LOVE

COMPILED BY MELISSA NDLOVU AND CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: ESTVAN VERMEULEN STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS

The low-down on RAMADAN ETIQUETTE We caught up with private chef Ayesha Suliman on do’s and don’ts during the holy month for non-Muslims unfamiliar with the traditions and customs

1

Wish us a blessed month by saying “Ramadan Kareem” or “Ramadan Mubarak”.

“Not even water?” *laughs in Muslim* … We’re a little tired of being asked this. We hear it so much it’s become a running joke among Muslims.

Don’t ask why we’re not fasting.

There are many reasons why a Muslim can’t or doesn’t fast – age, pregnancy, illness ... all very personal things.

You don’t have to fast with us but you’re more than welcome to try it.

We think it’s really sweet if you do, but please don’t say you should fast too “because you need to lose weight”.

That’s not what Ramadan is about.

You can eat in front of us.

Don’t be weird about this – we don’t expect you to stop for us.

Carry on as usual and kindly ignore the roaring lion inside our stomachs. However, do understand if a co-worker objects or chooses to skip a lunch meeting.

2

3

4

6

Do join us for Iftar. This is the breaking of the fast at sunset. We tend to put out quite a spread and love having company.

Get your Muslim friends to have you over on the

15th – we have boeber then. It’s delicious.

Know why we keep our distance.

“Pwasa breath” is real!

Not eating or drinking all day does things to your body – that’s why

7

Falooda A deliciously sweet and decadent Indian drink that is a must-have around Ramadan. Here’s one you don’t need to make from scratch! Find Spice Mecca’s falooda mix in the spice aisle

we stand at a distance when talking to you.

Ramadan is always a reminder of how much of our social interaction involves food and drink.

While abstaining is a large part, Ramadan is

much more – it’s a time for both deep personal reflection and spending more time with loved ones. We put aside all our worldly desires and focus on self-betterment.

We wish all our Muslim readers well over the holy month of Ramadan

5

58 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Combine 1 sachet (60g) falooda mix, 1 cup (250ml) full-cream milk and 2 cups (500ml) soft ice cream until smooth. Ladle into glasses and dollop with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle with rose syrup and sprinkle with falooda seeds (optional). SERVES 2

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She took traditional African food from eKasi to many South African tables and beyond. We remember culinary trailblazer Dorah Sitole, who set the bar and paved the way for the next generation of foodies

Prize worth R500 each!

WIN A FAIR CAPE HAMPER!

60 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

“I believe we are on the cusp of an African food revolution. I seek to strike a balance between paying homage to traditional cooking methods and putting my own modern interpretation on authentic dishes.”

Dorah Sitole’s words ring true to her vision for Mzansi’s food heritage and are evident in all the publications she put together in her 40-year career.

As former editor and food editor of the iconic True Love and DRUM magazines, an accomplished food writer, food stylist, recipe developer and trained Cordon Bleu chef, Dorah travelled and cooked around the world, showcasing South African cuisine on the global stage.

Her remarkable career led to her becoming a celebrated figure not only in the culinary world but a beloved household name.

She inspired many up-and-coming foodies,

ILLUSTRATION: PATRICK LATIMER

Hamba kahle, mam’Dorah

like PnP Ambassador and MasterChef SA runner-up, Siphokhazi Mdlankhomo.

“Mam’Dorah's influence played an important role in my cooking journey.

I have looked up to her ever since I started cooking many years ago,” says Siphokhazi.

“The most inspirational thing about her is that she was always true to herself; she never tried to be someone else.”

Her last cookbook, 40 Years of Iconic Food, was published a few months before her passing in January, and is a beautiful celebration of her achievements.

Although the country mourns the loss of a cultural pioneer, we take comfort in knowing her memory will live on in the pages of all her cookbooks.

A once small-scale dairy farming operation that has been family-run for more than five generations, Fair Cape Dairies has grown to become one of SA’s leading commercial dairy brands. “We Do the Right Thing” is Fair Cape’s moral and ethical compass, so when you buy their products, you’re buying products that are sustainable and cruelty-free.

Six lucky readers will win a Fair Cape hamper worth R500 each. To enter, turn to page 104. Keyword: Faircape

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PROMOTION

Easter

SHOWSTOPPER

Treat your friends and family to this delicious combination of creaminess and crunch using LANCEWOOD® Medium Fat Plain Cream Cheese

PHOTO: TOBY MURPHY STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN FOOD ASSISTANT: ELIZMA VOIGT *SOURCE: IRI SOUTH AFRICA DEFINED RETAILERS, VALUE, 12MM JAN’21

VEGETARIAN

SA’s No.1 Cream Cheese Brand*

EASTER SPANAKOPITA TRAYBAKE This Greek classic with a twist is perfect as a starter or makes a wonderful vegetarian main.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat 1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil in a pot and sauté 1 large sliced red onion for 3 minutes, until soft.

Add 4 chopped garlic cloves and

1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin and fry for a minute. Stir in 1 tub (230g) LANCEWOOD® Medium Fat Plain Cream Cheese and 2 packets (400g each) baby spinach until cream cheese melts and spinach wilts. Remove from heat. Add 3 discs (about 50g each) crumbled feta cheese, ½ punnet (10g) chopped dill, juice (60ml) and grated peel of 1 lemon, seasoning

and mix well. Spoon mixture into a 10 x 25cm tray or ovenproof dish. Brush 8-10 phyllo pastry sheets with ¼ cup (60ml) melted butter. Scrunch phyllo sheets roughly and place over filling, covering the entire dish. Sprinkle with a handful pumpkin and sesame seeds. Bake at 180°C for 12-18 minutes until golden.

Serve while still hot. SERVES 4

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NOTHING BUT THE CLASSICS IS IT EVEN EASTER IF YOU DIDN’T EAT A HOT CROSS BUN? HERE ARE THE MUST-HAVE ESSENTIALS. YOU DECIDE HOW TO MAKE IT YOUR EASTER

Wishing all our Christian readers well over the Easter period

Turn to page 84 for our waffle batter recipe, and splurge by adding a handful of berries – just because it’s the Easter long weekend!

This Cape Malay treat is a classic for Easter but shouldn’t just be enjoyed in the Cape.

Stock up on PnP’s tubs of ready-to-enjoy pickled fish. Perfect for a salad, sandwich or just eating as is.

The choice is yours – from classic or chocolate hot cross buns to honeyburst (a PnP exclusive), we’ve got what you need in your life. Now it’s just deciding if you’ll have them for breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner?

62 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

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y l bb �u PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT SELECTED PNP STORES

REGARDS

We speak to Caroline van Schalkwayk, marketing manager of the Cap Classique Producers Association, about the labour of love that is our home-grown bubbly.

Where did your love of wine come from?

“It started at home.

My father is a wine lover, and he imparted that to both my sister and I. I remember visiting wine farms when we were kids.

Sometimes they would have ice-cold sparkling grape juice for sale in their tasting rooms, which was always a real treat for us.

After I completed my studies, I was lucky enough to work with Caroline Rillema (of Caroline’s Fine Wine Cellar) as my first real job in the industry.

Her knowledge and passion was so inspiring that I knew I had to learn everything I could. It has sparked a life-long passion that I am lucky enough to also call work.”

Now, what is it about the fizzy sipper we all know and love...

“There’s something so special about drinking Cap Classique – that effervescent pop of the cork and alluring

IF THERE’S ONE THING SOUTH AFRICANS LOVE, IT’S TOASTING TO SOMETHING SPECIAL. AND THIS YEAR WE’RE CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF CAP CLASSIQUE IN SA. A TRULY CLINK-WORTHY MILESTONE!

sparkle just turns any occasion into a celebration. We have the most incredible and passionate winemakers producing Cap Classique, and it is very seldom you find one that disappoints.”

Why do you think it is so popular?

“You always know when you drink a Cap Classique you are drinking something classy and elegant that has been produced in the traditional method, and that it has been perfected by time for generations.”

Her favourite Cap Classique, and why?

“I love bone-dry Cap Classique that reveals something about where it comes from.

I am a big believer in authenticity in wine, and love to taste a place (the terroir) in the glass. There is something unique about every vineyard and I love discovering producers with interesting stories.”

Now that the 50-year milestone has been reached, what’s next?

“We want to grow the category in South

For more, follow @capclassique_sa on Facebook and Instagram and post #YourMomentintheSpotlight with #CapClassique50

Africa and abroad. We have such a fantastic product, we want to share our success with the world. This is a wonderful milestone to spark conversation and to encourage people from all walks of life to try a bottle of Cap Classique… and we know they won’t be disappointed!”

But it’s not just about making a celebratory tipple...

“We have over 80 members in the CCPA, and each producer is involved in community work in their own way.

We know we need to upskill people in order to be more sustainable and to

drive change in our communities. It’s important to grow the category so that we can have a sustainable long-term strategy for employment and upliftment. A strong category means job security and prosperity for all involved. If we have come this far in 50 years, imagine what the next 50 has in store for us.”

Cheers to that!

TRY THESE

SIMONSIG KAAPSE VONKEL SATIN NECTAR, R170; STEENBERG 1682 PINOT NOIR CAP CLASSIQUE, R185; GRAHAM BECK BRUT PINOT NOIR ROSE VINTAGE, R185

WITH NOLA AND

BUSI’S BURGERS WITH SECRET MAYO SAUCE

INGREDIENTS (Serves: 4) FOR SECRET MAYO SAUCE: • ½ cup gherkins, finely chopped • ½ cup tomato sauce • ¼ cup red onions, finely chopped • 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper • 1 cup Nola Original Mayonnaise FOR THE BURGERS: • 2 Tbsp. oil • 4 burger patties • 4 burger buns, toasted • 6-8 lettuce leaves, torn • ¼ red onion, sliced • 2 large tomatoes, sliced • 4 slices cheese • 4 baby gherkins, halved • 2 potatoes (baked into wedges)

METHOD

FOR SECRET MAYO SAUCE: In a bowl, mix all the ingredients and stir well.

Set aside until needed.

FOR THE BURGERS: Heat a pan, add oil and cook patties for 4-5 minutes on each side or until for 4-5 minutes on each side oruntil browned.

Remove and set aside.

To assemble: Spread large dollops of Secret Mayo Sauce onto the base of the toasted buns. Top each bun with lettuce, red onion, tomato, a with lettuce, red onion, tomato, a slice of cheese and a patty. Top the burger patty with 2 slices of gherkin and squeeze over Nola Original Mayonnaise. Serve with extra Secret Mayo Sauce and potato wedges.

Get more recipes online @nolamayonnaise www.rclfoods.com/brand/nola

PHOTO: HENK HATTINGH STYLING: ANKE ROUX

baking IS BACK

Baking made a big comeback during lockdown. There’s just something extra-special about kneading your own dough, stirring a delicious batter and patiently watching a cake rise as it bakes. So, put your aprons on and try out these beautiful bakes ... it’s going to get messy

Bake your way up

Next-level baker

We love baking but when you have to get out the scales and loose-bottomed tins, it can feel intimidating.

Fear not! We show you fun hacks and share effortless bakes tailored to your skill level

RECIPES AND STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN PHOTOS: TOBY MURPHY FOOD ASSISTANT: GAIL DAMON 66 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

BAKING IS BACK NO-FUSS BASIC VANILLA BUTTER CAKE Six ingredients give you a mixture that’s cheaper than store-bought cake mix, and just as easy.

1 cup (250g) soft butter 1 cup (200g) castor sugar 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence 3 extra-large eggs 1½ cups (225g) self-raising flour Pinch fine salt Edible flowers and mint, for serving (optional) Buttercream icing: ¾ cup (180g) soft butter 2 cups (260g) icing sugar, sifted 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence Squeeze lemon juice SERVES 6-8 Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20–23cm loosebottomed cake tin with baking paper and spray with non-stick spray.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla together for 6-8 minutes, using an electric whisk. (The mixture should triple in quantity and become a pale yellow-white.)

Add eggs one at a time, whisking well to incorporate before adding the next one.

Sift flour into a large bowl, add salt, then the wet mixture and mix.

Pour batter into prepared cake tin.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the

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cake comes out clean.

Cool in tin for 5-10 minutes, then unmould and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, whisk butter until fluffy.

Add icing sugar in 3-4 batches, whisking well to incorporate before the next addition.

Once cake is cool, top with icing. Decorate with flowers and mint, if you like.

COOK’S NOTE When creaming butter and sugar, rub a little of the mixture between your fingers to check if it’s done – there should be no graininess as all the sugar should be dissolved.

BAKING HACK Forgot to put the butter out to soften at room temp?

Microwave it on the ‘defrost’ setting so it doesn’t melt – check it every 30 seconds.

NEXT-LEVEL BUTTER CAKE WITH RASPBERRY ICING Stack up the humble butter cake and dress it to impress with this all-natural pink topping.

3 x basic vanilla butter cakes (recipe left) Raspberry icing: 14/5 cups (450g) soft butter 5 cups (650g) icing sugar, sifted 1 cup (250ml) PnP raspberry jam 150g fresh raspberries + extra for decorating SERVES 12 Prepare cake as per recipe instructions, baking 3 cakes separately in 20cm loose-bottomed tins.

Once cool, trim any

No-fuss baker

uneven tops with a bread knife to flatten.

For the icing, whisk butter with an electric whisk until fluffy.

Add icing sugar 1 cup at a time, whisking well until incorporated.

Place one cake on your serving plate and spread with ¼ cup of the white buttercream.

Top the icing with half

the jam, spreading it out thinly. (Don’t go too close to the edge of the cake – the weight of the next layer of cake will spread out the filling.)

Top with a second cake and spread with icing and jam as before.

Place the last cake on top, upside down (this means you’ll have a flat-topped cake for

a more modern look).

Add raspberries to the remaining icing and whisk lightly – the berries will break up and turn it pink.

Spread the outside of the cake stack with an even layer of pink buttercream icing.

Decorate as desired – we simply used fresh raspberries.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 67

BAKING IS BACK

COOKIES NO-FUSS SLICE ‘N BAKE BISCUITS Martjie Malan shared this recipe with us, and now we always have a roll of ready-to-bake cookie dough in the fridge (it keeps for 2-3 weeks, or 3 months in the freezer). It doesn’t get any easier than this!

11/5 cups (300g) soft butter 1 cup (130g) icing sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence 3 cups (450g) cake flour ½ cup (100g) castor sugar (optional) MAKES 4 BATCHES (of 9-10 biscuits) Cream butter and icing sugar together with an electric whisk until light and creamy.

Add 1 egg, mixing until fully incorporated before adding the other one.

Stir in vanilla essence.

Add flour and mix well.

Divide dough into two.

Place a sheet of baking paper on a work surface and roll each portion of dough into a 30cm log of 4-5cm thick.

Cover in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line 1-2 baking trays with baking paper.

Slice 8mm-thick discs from logs (see hack above right).

Place biscuits on trays, leaving space between them to expand.

Bake for 12 minutes, turning the trays halfway through if your oven has hot spots.

Sprinkle with castor sugar, if you like, when you remove the trays from the oven.

Cool on a wire rack.

Bake another batch with leftover dough, or keep it in the fridge.

Store biscuits in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

NEXT-LEVEL TREND ALERT Neapolitan cookies are so hot right now.

To make them, divide slice ’n bake biscuit dough into three batches. Add cocoa to one, pink food colouring to the other and leave the last batch as is. Roll the three colours into a log, pushing them together tightly enough to make sure they attach well. Follow the rest of the recipe for baking instructions.

68 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

BAKING HACK When slicing a log of cookie dough, keep turning the log 2cm after each slice to maintain a perfectly round biscuit instead of ending up with a rectangle.

NO-FUSS CRACKLE-TOP SUGAR COOKIES This recipe by Sarah Kieffer (author of 100 Cookies) is absolute perfection, so we’ve kept it just as it is. These cookies – crisp on the outside and fudgy inside – will likely not even make it to the jar!

1 cup (250g) soft butter 2 cups (400g) dark brown or caramel sugar (not light brown) 1 large egg + 1 large yolk 1 tsp (5ml) caramel flavouring (or vanilla works well too) 2½ cups (375g) self-raising flour ½ tsp (3ml) fine salt ½ cup (100g) sugar of choice, for coating

Add flour and salt, and mix to create a solid dough (taking care not to overmix it).

Roll dough into balls in the palm of your hand, then roll in sugar to coat.

Place on baking trays 5-6cm apart as they will spread out.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.

Cool in the trays until crisp, then place on a wire rack to cool down completely.

Bake another batch with leftover dough.

Store cookies in an airtight container.

BAKING HACK Cookies only become crisp when cooled (when the sugar hardens again) so the golden colour of the cookie, not its texture (‘crispiness’), should be your baking guide.

TRY THIS PnP CAKE MIX (500g)

MAKES 35-40 Preheat oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays.

Cream butter and brown sugar together for 5-8 minutes.

Add egg, egg yolk and flavouring, and mix well.

Baking is easy with PnP’s range of no-fuss premixes, from cakes to brownies. There’s also a Livewell range with low-carb and gluten-free premixes.

pnpfreshliving.com

SCAN THIS QR CODE (simply type “QR code” into your Facebook app search bar or use the QR scanner on your smartphone’s camera) for six more cookie recipes you’ll want to make over and over again

Next-level baker

No-fuss baker

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 69

BAKING IS BACK NO-FUSS PEANUT BUTTER AND PRETZEL BROWNIES Sweet meets salty with a fudgy centre. You can skip the trendy toppings to make a timeless classic brownie too.

8 large eggs 2 cups (500g) castor sugar 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence 13/5 cups (400g) butter 500g dark chocolate, chopped 11/³ cups (200g) flour, sifted ½ cup (125ml) peanut butter, melted Handful salted pretzels or PnP pretzel knots MAKES 12-15

TREND ALERT It’s all about different flavour sensations coming together.

70 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Preheat oven to 170°C. Line a 30 x 15cm oven tray with baking paper.

Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add vanilla essence and whisk to combine.

Melt butter and dark chocolate in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and fold in egg mixture.

Add flour and mix until well combined.

Pour batter into lined tray and bake for 13-15 minutes, until a crust just starts to form on top.

Remove and drizzle with peanut butter (marble it slightly if you like) and top with pretzels.

Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes or so, until the crust starts to crackle but the centre is still slightly gooey.

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BAKING IS BACK

NEXT-LEVEL BUNDT CAKE WITH SPICED BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE Combine 1 cup (250ml) white sugar and ¼ cup (60ml) water in a pot. Heat gently and stir until melted, then turn heat up high. Boil for 8-15 minutes, until sugar turns amber and forms large bubbles on the surface.

(About 115°C if you have a sugar thermometer). Add ¼ cup (60ml) each butter and cream and swirl pot – careful, it might splutter. Reduce heat to low and cook until combined.

Add a pinch of cinnamon, cool slightly, then pour over your bundt cake to serve.

COOK’S NOTE No bundt tin? Fill a can with rice, wrap in foil and place in the centre of your cake tin.

Remember to spray it with non-stick spray too.

NO-FUSS ONE-BOWL SPICED BANANA BUNDT CAKE We turn the ease of banana bread into a delicious cake.

5 (about 450g) ripe to overripe bananas 4 eggs

1 can (385g) condensed milk ½ cup (125g) melted butter 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla 2½ cups (350g) selfraising flour, sifted ½ tsp (3ml) each mixed spice and ground ginger 1 tsp (5ml) cinnamon

Melted chocolate or Caramel Treat, for serving SERVES 6-8 Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 23cm bundt tin with non-stick spray. (Dusting with

a little flour will help with unmoulding).

Mash bananas well and mix in eggs.

Add condensed milk and melted butter, and mix thoroughly.

Combine flour and spices in a separate bowl, and stir wet

mixture into dry one to form a batter.

Pour into bundt tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted in the side comes out clean.

Serve drizzled with chocolate or caramel (or spiced butterscotch sauce, see above).

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 71

BAKING IS BACK

NO-FUSS Save time by using a 400g roll of store-bought shortcrust pastry.

NEXT-LEVEL SHORTCRUST PASTRY Place 2½ cups (375g) sifted cake flour, a pinch of salt and 250g ice-cold butter cubes in the bowl of a food processor.

Blitz into a breadcrumb texture. Add 2 large egg yolks and 1 tsp (5ml) lemon juice while blending. Mix just until a ball of dough forms. Remove and shape into a flat disc, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes until firm.

Roll pastry out slightly, and press it into tart tin/mould using your fingertips. Bake at 190°C. MAKES 350g (enough for a 23cm tart tin)

72 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

crème brûlée milk tart

NEXT-LEVEL CRÈME BRÛLÉE MILK TART A South African classic with a French twist.

Caramelising the top gives this creamy delight a crisp, sweet finish.

1 batch shortcrust pastry (recipe opposite), or 1 roll (400g) storebought, blind-baked for about 15 minutes 2 cups (750ml) milk 1 stick cinnamon 3cm strip orange peel (optional) 5 eggs, separated 1¼ cups (250g) castor sugar + extra ¼ cup (60ml) for topping, flavoured with ground cinnamon if you like 1/ cup (40g) cornflour ³ ¼ cup (60ml) flour 3 Tbsp (45ml) butter 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence SERVES 8 Heat milk, cinnamon and orange peel in a pot until steaming.

Combine egg yolks and ¾ cup (150g) sugar in a bowl.

Mix flours with a little water to make a slurry, then add to bowl.

Temper egg mixture by adding a thin stream of the hot infused milk while whisking.

Transfer mixture to the pot and boil while whisking for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and mix in butter and vanilla.

Cool custard at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Whisk 2 egg whites to stiff peaks, then add ½ cup (100g) sugar.

Fold through cooled custard, and pour into blind-baked tart case.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until slightly set and not wobbly.

Cool completely.

Scatter with castor sugar and brûleé using a kitchen blow torch (see hack below).

Serve immediately.

BAKING HACK Don’t have a blow torch? Chill baked tart in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, to ensure it is very cold.

Dust with castor sugar after removing from the freezer and place directly under your oven grill set on high. Once removed, allow the brûlée topping to set for 15 minutes. All of this is a bit risky, so if you don’t have the time or money to experiment, serve this milk tart the classic way – it’s a classic for a reason!

TREND ALERT Burnt Basque cheesecake.

This rustic gem is ideal for the low-key baker, as it’s easier to make than classic New York cheesecake. It doesn’t require a water bath, is meant to brown unevenly and will naturally fall flat – a bit like a soufflé – once cooled.

pnpfreshliving.com

GOOD IDEA For a silky smooth cheesecake, use a stick blender to mix ingredients to ensure it’s silky smooth before it bakes.

NO-FUSS BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE Not quite “burnt”, the dark brown top is caramelised for a deliciously sweet and creamy finish. Yum! Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking paper covering the base and sides. Repeat to overlap, making sure there is no exposed tin. Combine 3 cups (750g) full-fat cream cheese, 1½ cups (375ml) cream, 4 eggs, 1¼ cups (250g) castor sugar, 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence, 3 Tbsp (45ml) flour and a pinch of salt. Blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Pour into the lined cake tin. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave door slightly ajar, letting the cheesecake cool in the oven. (We left it overnight but an hour will do the trick.) Chill in fridge for 2-3 hours. Unmould and serve. SERVES 8-10

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 73

GET INSPIRED {BAKING IS BACK} TITBITS, TRENDS AND STUFF WE LOVE

COMPILED BY MELISSA NDLOVU AND CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: ESTVAN VERMEULEN STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS

�aking �asics INGREDIENT

CUT OUT AND KEEP

FLOUR

SUGAR

BUTTER

ICING SUGAR

CUPS (ML)

GRAMS

1 cup (250ml)

150g

½ cup (125ml)

75g

¼ cup (60ml)

37g

1 cup (250ml)

200g

½ cup (125ml

100g

¼ cup (60ml)

50g

1 cup (250ml)

250g

½ cup (125ml)

125g

¼ cup (60ml)

60g

1 cup (250ml)

130g

½ cup (125ml)

65g

¼ cup (60ml)

30g

Remember, 1 Tbsp = 15ml. So, 4 Tbsp = 60ml = ¼ cup.

JUST CLICK FOLLOW Who? Sweet LionHeart @sweet.lionheart Why? We can’t get enough of this Cape Town bakery’s creations. From buttercream or meringue cupcakes for mom and quirky cake pops for kids to mile-high themed cakes and wedding confections that’ll make you want to tie the knot right now!

IT’S ALL JUST CAKE, RIGHT? Wondering what the difference is between butter cake, pound cake and sponge cake? Here’s what you need to know

Turn to page 66 for delicious cakes for pros and no-fuss bakers alike

74 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Butter cake

Pound cake

Sponge cake

This cake has a rich taste which comes from all the butter, often resulting in a yellowish colour. The crumb of the cake is thick, almost bread-like. This dense and literally heavy cake is very filling. With it’s decadent creamy taste, it’s best paired with a light, not-too-sweet icing. It’s also best enjoyed within a day or two of being baked.

Actually a type of butter cake, the name comes from the ingredient ratio, which in the old days required a pound each (450g) of butter, eggs, sugar and flour.

Both butter and pound cakes require a first step of creaming butter and sugar together. It’s the creaming method, together with a leavening agent like baking powder, that makes this cake rise.

This cake is the epitome of light and fluffy, and nowadays it is what we associate with a box of premix cake mix. It requires lots of whisking and foaming to create air, which helps it rise quite a bit. It will have more eggs and less butter; some recipes might also use oil, which saves on cost. This cake soaks up syrup, which keeps it moist and delicious for longer.

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S I N G L E M A LT. T WO C H O I C E S .

AER STONE 10 -Y E A R- OL D S I N G L E M A LT W HISK Y

Not for Persons Under the Age of 18. Drink Responsibly.

GET INSPIRED

GIVEAWAY Win a Greenleaf Olive Oil hamper!

Join the PnP School Club!

10 lucky readers will win a hamper worth R300 each. To enter, see page 104.

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GOOD READS FOR TOTS, TEENS AND GROWN-UPS Reading is such an important part of developing good language skills, and therefore building a good foundation for early learning. So start them young with a few good reads (and join in on the fun...)

TOTS George and the Storm

by Claire Tucker, R135 This lovely book is the final instalment of a four-part series about the author’s trusty horse, George. This tale follows George on his next adventure but as the weather turns nasty, he starts to panic. What dreadful terrors will this

76 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

storm bring and how will George survive?

This book is suitaible for children up to age 7 and, better yet, it has fun activities at the back too!

It’s SA Library Week from 15-21 March!

TEENS Tribes by Emily Briggeman, R200 This fantasy novel was written by a 13-year-old from KwaZulu-Natal.

Starting with a note from a secret admirer, it follows the adventures of larger-than-life teen Grace Millar, who finds herself on a journey of mystery and self-discovery in a secret world that changes everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. Perfect for 12 to 16 year olds.

GROWN-UPS Three Women and a Boat

by Anne Youngson, R328 Delve into the lives of three women, all in different phases of their lives. Sally and Eve embark on a journey through the waterways

of England, guided

by Anastasia. As they navigate through the countryside, the challenges of canal-boat life inevitably draw them together, and an unforgettable story unfolds.

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PHOTO: GALLO/GETTY IMAGES

Looking for access to over 10 000 CAPS-aligned worksheets, posters and more at no cost?

You’re in luck.

The PnP School Club is one of SA’s most dynamic and successful platforms through which more than 3 000 schools benefit from PnP’s participation in the education of tomorrow’s leaders. The platform delivers much-needed support in the form of teacher guides, learner worksheets, posters and recognition programmes for schools across South Africa.

For more info, visit schoolclub.co.za and register.

Follow them on socials: Facebook (@picknpayschool club); Instagram (pnpschoolclub) and Twitter (@ PnPSchoolClub)

From the olive branches to your table, Greenleaf olives are carefully grown and nurtured to offer the best-quality extra virgin olive oil. This multi-award-winning olive oil has a delicate style with aromas of green grass, ripe almonds and floral undertones. It is an all-rounder that is suitable for everyday cooking, baking, marinades, salads and adding a finishing drizzle to dishes.

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PROMOTION

THE BALANCING ACT OF FINANCIAL WELL-BEING

A healthy mind, body and finances are all linked to finding the right balance.

Follow these easy tips to help sync your financial goals

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat. The year that forced massive changes on the world and sucked the joy out of our lives is over.

As a nation, we’ve shown resilience during the hardships of 2020, with many of us even managing to enjoy some downtime over the festive period.

Yet the pressures of the past year still linger, putting a damper on the anticipation and

optimism that typically come with the fresh start of a new year.

The ongoing stress and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, with their disastrous impact on our health sector, economy and personal finances, continue to affect our emotional and mental well-being in 2021.

So you’ll be forgiven for feeling apprehensive about the future. Sitting down to set goals for

the coming months may feel daunting, uninspired and perhaps even pointless. But, “It’s precisely because we’re all feeling a bit bruised and uneasy that we need to cast our vision to the year ahead,” says Elize Botha, Managing Director of Old Mutual Unit Trusts. “Especially amid uncertainty, it’s vital that we focus on what we can do to boost our well-being and improve our outlook – and then take steps, however

small, in the direction we want to go.”

The key to this is a holistic approach that takes into account every facet of our well-being: mental, emotional, physical as well as financial. Rather than singling out just one area of our lives and setting one big, lofty goal, Botha advises to consider all aspects of our “wheel of life” as these are ultimately connected. She suggests putting in place habits

to reach our goals slowly and steadily.

Radio and TV personality Sechaba G has found this holistic approach particularly useful over the past year. “As a mother and a wife, for me the most important step was to work on my emotional well-being,” she says.

“This means engaging with people who make me happy and doing things that make me feel fulfilled and at peace. This then filters

PROUDLY BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE OLD MUTUAL TEAM 78 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

pnpfreshliving.com

into other important areas of my life.”

To ensure you set balanced goals that speak to one another, Botha suggests focusing on the three core aspects of well-being: mind, body and money.

“

buyer’s remorse). So if you’re aiming to save money or reduce your debt, not setting mental health goals – whether it’s something as simple as a daily mindfulness meditation or seeking therapy if you’re

MIND The pandemic has taken an enormous toll on our mental health. About 56% of South Africans reported higher levels of psychological and emotional distress since the start of lockdown, according to a recent survey. Such high stress levels not only weaken the immune system, but experts warn that when we’re anxious we’re also more likely to over- or under-eat, get too little sleep and neglect our health in general.

“What we often don’t recognise is that failing to manage stress has a direct impact on our finances too,” says Botha. In fact, emerging brain research has shown that heightened anxiety levels can lead to impulsive decisions about money (think:

“

BY SILKE COLQUHOUN

LIKE DECIDING TO LOSE WEIGHT, DECIDING TO GET YOUR FINANCES IN SHAPE REQUIRES SMALL STEPS TOWARDS A CLEAR AND DEFINED OUTCOME struggling to cope – could sabotage your good efforts.

BODY A balanced set of goals must include your physical health. Exercise is a proven and powerful way to increase levels of stress-busting, feelgood hormones such as endorphins. This directly improves your mental health, which in turn boosts your ability to remain clear-eyed and cool-headed about your finances.

Consistency is more important than intensity or quantity here. “Just a brisk 10-minute daily walk increases our alertness, energy and optimism,” says Botha.

As Sechaba puts it: “It’s absolutely normal to feel uninspired, especially with what

we’re each experiencing during this pandemic.

Start by acknowledging your feelings, and then gradually work at finding reasons to feel hopeful again.”

Tiny step by tiny step, your inspiration and motivation will eventually return.

MONEY If you, like so many, suffered serious financial setbacks in 2020, setting money goals might feel overwhelming. “But just like deciding to lose weight or run a marathon, deciding to get your finances in shape requires taking small steps towards a clear and defined outcome,” says Botha.

What’s more, just like your mental health affects your physical and financial health, failure to take action in this area of your well-being can actually affect your brain chemistry. That’s because financial stress triggers the part of the brain concerned with survival, known as the limbic system. Then, stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol flood our systems.

When this happens consistently over a prolonged period of time, it harms the brain’s ability to restore and rebuild healthy tissue.

It’s therefore crucial to look after your financial fitness too.

TIPS FOR HOLISTIC FINANCIAL GOAL SETTING

1

FIND OUT WHAT YOU VALUE Take time to reflect on what’s most important to you. If there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it’s clarifying what really matters and distinguishing it from what we can do without. “If your goals don’t truly align with your core values, you’re unlikely to achieve them,” says Elize Botha.

“Rather than trotting out default resolutions and goals because that’s what you think you’re supposed to do, first get to the underlying, deeply personal reasons to do these things.”

2

VISUALISE YOUR GOALS Once you understand your values, you can articulate your financial goals.

Botha suggests creating a vision board (or dream board) by putting together a collage of images or words that best represent your goals. “Look at your vision board regularly and allow yourself to get excited about what you’re working towards.”

3

“BUCKET” YOUR GOALS In general, financial goals fit into one of four buckets: Security (your emergency fund), Education & Ambition (upgrading your skills to increase your earning power), Long-term (saving for retirement or a child’s education) and Joy (holidays or special treats). To stay realistic when “bucketing” your goals, Botha recommends aiming for no more than five financial goals overall.

4

DRAW UP AN ACTION PLAN There are many free online tools and apps to help you outline a financial plan of action, such as Old Mutual’s simple, interactive INVESTRIGHT guide. Alternatively, get in touch with a financial advisor for expert advice on what to do next. oldmutualinvest.com/individual

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Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 79

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PLUS get 3X Smart Shopper points on all wines.

To join, send a FREE SMS with your Smart Shopper card number to 36775. www.pnp.co.za/wine-club T&Cs apply. E&OE.

Alcohol Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18. Drink Responsibly.

live

AND LEARN

PHOTO: HENK HATTINGH STYLING: ANKE ROUX

What’s life without a few guilty pleasures?

We give you a sneak peek inside our pantry, the lowdown on trendy gadgets, plus batter basics to whip up pancakes, crêpes, waffles and more. Go on, live a little...

MAKE IT REAL

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DO GREAT THINGS EVERY DAY

Old Mutual Investment Group (Pty) Ltd is a Licensed Financial Services Provider. Old Mutual Unit Trust Managers (RF) (Pty) Ltd is a registered manager in terms of the Collective Investment Schemes Control Act 45 of 2002. The fund fees and costs that we charge for managing your investment are set out in the relevant fund’s Minimum Disclosure Document (MDD) or table of fees and charges, both available on our public website, or from our contact centre. Old Mutual is a member of the Association for Savings & Investment South Africa (ASISA).

, r e Bett batter!

FRESH LIVING KITCHEN

Batter

Cooler weather calls for pancakes dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with syrup. Yes, please! But don’t stop there – this batter will make flapjacks, crumpets, crêpes and waffles too

RECIPES AND STYLING: CHAD JANUARY PHOTOS: TOBY MURPHY FOOD ASSISTANTS: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS, TAMI SCHRIRE AND ELIZMA VOIGT

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 83

FRESH LIVING KITCHEN

Batter

Basic batter We’ve omitted sugar as the toppings are likely to have all the sweetness you’ll need.

Combine 2 cups (500ml) sifted cake flour, 2 tsp (10ml) baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.

Whisk together 2 eggs, 2 cups (500ml) milk, 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence and 2 Tbsp (30ml) melted butter or canola oil. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix well.

MAKES 10-12 waffles, 18-20 pancakes OR 15-20 flapjacks or crumpets Pancakes or flapjacks: Heat oil or butter in a large pan. Ladle ¼ cup (60ml) batter in the pan and swirl to coat the base. (For flapjacks, dollop smaller amounts in the pan.) Fry for 3-4 minutes, then flip and fry until golden and cooked through. Place pancake on kitchen paper or between baking paper. Repeat with remaining batter.

PANNEKOEK VS PANCAKES

A SIMPLE FORMULA? NO PROBLEM! Basic batter recipe as is = American pancakes, waffles, crumpets and flapjacks Basic batter recipe – 1 cup (250ml) flour = South African pannekoek Basic batter – 1 cup (250ml) flour – 2 tsp (10ml) baking powder = French crêpes

84 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Our local version is a bit different to the ones we see in movies. American pancakes are fluffier, thicker and stacked with generous dollops of butter and maple syrup.

Our version (pictured left), which will surely take you back to school fête days, is thinner, almost crêpe-like, and we like to sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar and roll them up. pnpfreshliving.com

CRÊPE CAKE STACK A little effort is required for this showstopper but it’s well worth it!

2 batches basic batter (minus 2 cups flour and no baking powder) Oil or butter, for frying 1 tub (250g) mascarpone or plain cream cheese ¼ cup (60m) icing sugar, sifted Grated peel of 1 orange and 1 lime 1 can (375g) Caramel Treat, whisked Toasted desiccated or fresh shaved coconut and blueberries, for serving (optional) MAKES 1 CAKE (40-50 CRÊPES)

Q

Prepare batter according to recipe instructions (opposite).

Fry crépes for 1-2 minutes per side.

Set aside to cool.

Combine mascarpone or cream cheese, icing sugar and citrus peel in a bowl.

Arrange cooled crêpes on a serving platter or cake stand in a stack – alternate by spreading every 10th crêpe with mascarpone mix or Caramel Treat. End off with a large dollop of mascarpone mix.

Top cake stack with coconut and blueberries.

Slice like a normal cake to serve.

We asked: “What’s the difference between pancakes and crêpes?

YOU SAID:

77% THE BATTER CONSISTENCY

23% NONE

LIEZL SAYS: “No, the main difference between a pancake and a crêpe is not the consistency but the ingredients. Crêpes are made without baking powder as they’re meant to be light and paper-thin. Our SAstyle pancakes are thinner and more crêpe-like than thick, fluffy US-style pancakes. Then there are flapjacks, which are puffier and smaller (though Americans often refer to pancakes as ‘flapjacks’!). Flapjacks are not quite the same as British crumpets, which are thicker and perfectly round.”

CRUMPETS WITH CARAMELISED BANANA AND CITRUS ICING Prepare 1 batch basic batter according to instructions (opposite).

Heat oil or butter in a large pan. Place 9cm cookie cutters in pan and pour in ¼ cup (60ml) batter for each crumpet. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden. Heat a generous knob of butter in a separate pan until foamy. Add 3-4 peeled, halved bananas and 2 Tbsp (30ml) brown

sugar, and fry for 4-5 minutes until well browned but firm. Set aside.

Combine juice (40ml) and grated peel of ½ orange with 1/³ cup (80ml) icing sugar until smooth. Pile crumpets onto plates, top with caramelised banana, drizzle with citrus icing and top with chopped pecan nuts (optional).

Serve warm.

SERVES 5-6

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 85

FRESH LIVING KITCHEN

Batter

Q @ayandatankiso “How do you prevent a soggy waffle?”

CHAD SAYS: “Don’t pile them on top of one another as the residual heat can cause them to go soggy. Pop them on a cooling rack and place in the oven at a very low temperature to remain crispy until serving time.”

CHEESY SPRING ONION WAFFLES WITH FRIED CHICKEN Splurge and add crispy bacon – brush it with maple syrup while frying, because why not?

Fried chicken: 1 cup (250ml) buttermilk 2 Tbsp (30ml) sriracha sauce Salt and milled pepper 4 chicken breasts, cut into thick strips 1½ cups (375ml) flour Oil, for deep-frying + extra for greasing

Waffles: 1 batch basic batter (see recipe on page 84) 2 Tbsp (30ml) Dijon mustard 1 cup (250ml) grated cheddar 1 cup (250ml) grated mozzarella 4-5 spring onions, sliced For serving: Chopped chives and golden or maple syrup SERVES 6-8 Combine buttermilk and sriracha in a bowl.

Season. Add chicken strips to marinate for at least an hour or preferably overnight.

Whisk ¼ cup (60ml) marinade mixture into flour using a fork to create large flakes.

Dip chicken into flour flakes, making sure to coat evenly.

Deep-fry chicken in batches for about 8 minutes, until cooked through and golden.

Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm.

Make batter according to recipe instructions (page 84).

Fold through mustard, cheese and spring onion. Season.

Heat a waffle maker and grease lightly.

Ladle some batter into waffle maker and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden.

Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with crispy fried chicken, sprinkled with chives and drizzled with syrup.

TRY THIS PnP DESSERT WAFFLES (2s)

Short on time?

No problem! Try these fluffy waffles with your choice of toppings.

86 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

LET’S HACK IT  Fold egg whites into your batter for lighter, fluffier results.  Buttermilk is a great substitute for milk and makes a beautifully rich treat.  Gluten free?

Swap cake flour for buckwheat flour. If you have a sweet tooth, add 1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar.  Decant batter into a squeeze bottle. You’ll be able to control the pouring (less mess) and create interesting pancake shapes in the frying pan using the nozzle.  Stack pancakes on a warm plate and cover with a tea towel while you finish frying the batch. They’ll stay warm until you’re done.  Get creative with your batter: swirl through ingredients like caramel, melted chocolate or even a berry coulis to take it to the next level.

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“I placed Pat’s name on the boat so that his legacy will be one that saves lives long after his has ended”

NSRI/ORC/2020FP/E

- Liezel Van Der Westhuizen

John Smith | Orion Black | Fra Nicole Hopkins | Helen Andrew rdo Smith | Paul Dobson | Hen ame | Patrick Atherton | John S m | LOVED ONE’S NAME | N s | Siya Kolisi | Edward Smith | on | Aimee Kitshoff | John Smi ames | Cecilia Way | Nicole Ho es Walton| Edwardo Smith|P

Simply visit nsri.co.za by scanning this QR code and you can celebrate the life of a loved one with their name on the side of the NSRI’s new, world-class rescue boat. Your kind donation will mean that their name and spirit will launch alongside our volunteer rescue crews every time they launch to save a life.

KINGJAMES 51815

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BOOK REVIEW

Cook by the book PHOTOS: MICHAEL LE GRANGE STYLING: LIEZL VERMEULEN FOOD ASSISTANTS: GAIL DAMON AND TAMI SCHRIRE

Traybake ragu.

Recipe on page 92

Celebrated chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s new book, Flavour, presents fresh feasts of meat-free Mediterranean cuisine. We give it a whirl

pnpfreshliving.com

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 89

BOOK REVIEW

nghi Yotam Ottole

CIAO A PEPE Cook 400g pasta (fettuccine, tagliatelle or spaghetti) in salted water.

Drain and reserve 2 cups (500ml) cooking water. Melt 1/5 cup (50g) butter in a large non-stick pan over high heat until bubbling. Add 4 tsp (10g) za’atar spice blend and a pinch of milled pepper, and cook for a minute, stirring, until fragrant. Pour in reserved pasta water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, until silky and reduced a little. Add cooked pasta and stir well into sauce. Add 2²/³ cups (160g) finely grated parmesan in two batches, stirring vigorously and allowing to melt before adding second batch. Serve with fresh origanum and a sprinkle of za’atar. SERVES 4

Israeli-English chef and best-selling cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi is a culinary genius, with foodies everywhere swooning over his vegetarian fare. His dishes are bright, fresh and full of flavour. Think umami combinations, lots of punchy herbs, tahini, black garlic, preserved lemons and pomegranate molasses. “I want drama in the mouth,” as he describes it.

Based in Notting Hill, London, his success took flight around the time vegetarian cuisine became more of a household staple in the mid-2000s.

Now he has a string of restaurants behind him and has published eight cookbooks.

The latest, Flavour, came out in September 2020. As the title suggests, in it he focuses on the three main factors that maximise flavour when cooking with vegetables.

Our Head of Food, Liezl Vermeulen, was giddy with the news he’d brought out a new book, while other team members hadn’t heard the name before (“Is it a person or a new foreign ingredient?”). So, we put it to the test. Was it worth the fuss? Read on...

3 lucky readers will each win a copy of Flavour by Ottolenghi (Penguin Random House) worth R645.

To enter, turn to page 104.

Keyword: Flavour

90 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

COOK’S NOTE Can’t find za’atar? Make your own blend with sumac (this is essential), dried thyme and origanum, sesame seeds and a pinch of ground cumin.

What you need to know, as an everyday South African cook, about this book:  Ingredient lists are short to medium length – you don’t need a basket full of things to make a dish.  You might need to google to find local alternatives for the odd foreign ingredient – most, though, are an easy swap.  Recipes have many layers of flavour – a base of lots of garlic and olive oil, with flavours getting stacked from there. You’re sure to learn new flavour combos with every second recipe.

 The recipes aren’t difficult but you may have to prepare an ingredient in a way you haven’t before.  You need to thoroughly read the method so you understand the steps before starting. Pour a glass of wine and take your time! (If you’re in a rush, try the recipe over the weekend.)  This is “subtly vegetarian” cuisine.

It’s not stuffed butternut posing as a beef Wellington – it’s simply a delicious vegetarian meal.

GOOD IDEA Make a quick fresh chilli sauce for serving by blitzing 4 tomatoes, 3 chillies and 2 Tbsp (30ml) each vinegar and olive oil together.

WEEKNIGHT WINNER

PASTA IN YOGHURT SAUCE Simple and easy and, most importantly, delicious – even eaten cold as leftovers for lunch the next day.

1 large packet (1kg) cubed butternut 1 onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges 6 Tbsp (90ml) olive oil 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

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200g pasta (we used rigatoni, but penne or shells will work too) 2 cups (500ml) Greekstyle yoghurt, at room temperature 1¼ tsp (6ml) ground cumin 2 egg yolks 1½ tsp (7ml) cornflour Salt and milled pepper ¼ punnet (5g) fresh parsley, roughly chopped + extra for serving

SERVES 4-6 Preheat oven to 230°C. Toss vegetables in 3 Tbsp (45ml) oil and place on a lined baking tray.

Roast for 30 minutes until charred. Set aside and keep warm.

Fry garlic gently in 2 Tbsp (30ml) oil over medium heat until golden and crispy, about 10-12 minutes.

Remove garlic with a

slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside. Reserve oil from pan and leave it to cool.

Cook pasta in salted water, reserving 4/5 cup (200ml) starchy water when draining pasta.

Combine yoghurt, 1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil, cumin, egg yolks, cornflour and salt and pepper, and blitz or whisk until smooth.

Pour yoghurt mixture

into a pan on medium heat. Cook, stirring, until thickened and beginning to bubble, about 15 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta, pasta water, parsley and half the roast veg.

Cook for another 4-5 minutes, or until just heated through.

Serve topped with remaining roast veg, parsley, fried garlic and reserved garlic oil.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 91

BOOK REVIEW

Melissa Ndlovu (Features Editor) MELISSA IN THE KITCHEN What level of cook are you? Love to cook.

At home, I cook for… My family, which includes little people under 10.

Do you enjoy vegetarian fare? It’s not a conscious choice but I sometimes make it.

Do you invest in cookbooks? I do like to splurge on a special one.

HOW DOES SHE RATE THE BOOK? “As a mom of three (hubby included, he-he) I don’t have time to throw together dishes that require a lot of time and effort. Plus, I was

TRAYBAKE RAGU A vegan alternative to the meaty sauce (be it a goulash or bolognaise) you need on colder days.

3/ 5 cup

(150ml) water Salt and milled pepper Polenta or pasta, for serving SERVES 6

3 carrots 2 onions 300g shiitake mushrooms 4 plum tomatoes ½ cup (125ml) olive oil 4 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup (70g) white miso paste 2 Tbsp (40g) harissa paste (regular or rose) ¼ cup (60ml) tomato paste 6 Tbsp (90ml) soy sauce 2 tsp (10ml) cumin seeds, crushed 4/ 5 cup (180g) dried brown or green lentils ½ cup (100g) pearl barley 4 cups (1L) veg stock ²/³ cup (160g) coconut cream 2/ 5 cup (100ml) red wine

Roughly chop all veg, then blitz in separate batches. Pulse until finely chopped. (You can also do this by hand.)

Place vegetables in a 36 x 28cm baking tray.

Preheat oven to 190˚C. Combine oil, garlic, miso, harissa, tomato paste, soy sauce and cumin, and mix well through vegetables.

Bake for 40 minutes, stirring halfway, until browned around the edges and bubbling.

Reduce heat to 180°C. Add lentils, barley and liquids. Season, then stir well, scraping the crispy sides and bottom with a spatula.

Cover tightly with foil

“You have to blitz all the veggies in batches (ain’t got time for that).

On the plus side, this ragu is really filling and ‘meaty’ – my husband, a big meat eater, went for seconds.”

92 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

always quite intimidated by Yotam’s uber-fancy dishes simply because it’s, you know, Yotam.

But to my surprise this book was filled with a bit of everything… easy dinner ideas, gorgeous sides, a variety of vegetarian goodies. The flavour combinations surprised me (I raised an eyebrow a few times) and some ingredients were a tad pricey, but once I got cooking they were delicious and so worth the splurge.” 

and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes more.

Set aside for 15 minutes.

Serve ragu on a bed of polenta or pasta.

2 star anise ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce 2½ Tbsp (38ml) maple syrup or honey 1 Tbsp (15ml) rice vinegar

ROASTED AND PICKLED ROOT VEG WITH SWEET CHILLI

SERVES 4

Yotam used celeriac but you can use any root vegetables.

Pickled veg: 2 carrots, peeled 3 sticks celery 3/ 5 cup (150ml) rice vinegar Peel of 1 lime 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1kg root veg of your choice, cut into wedges (we used orange sweet potato and turnips) Salt flakes Spring onion, sesame seeds and basil leaves, for garnish (optional) Sweet chilli dressing: ½ cup (125ml) sunflower oil 5 cloves garlic, finely sliced 3 red chillies, sliced

Cut carrots and celery into batons (sticks).

Mix rice vinegar, lime peel and garlic, and toss through veg. Set aside to pickle.

Roast root veg at 200°C for 30-35 minutes, until soft and browned.

Arrange roast veg on a large platter and sprinkle with salt flakes.

For dressing, heat ½ cup (125ml) oil in a pan over high heat and fry garlic, chilli and star anise until golden.

Remove, drain on kitchen paper and reserve 1/³ oil from pan.

Combine soy sauce, syrup or honey, vinegar and fried aromatics and oil to make a dressing.

Spoon over roast veg.

Top with pickled veg.

Garnish with spring onions, sesame seeds and basil, if you like.

Roasted and pickled root veg with sweet chilli

TRY THIS PnP ORANGE SWEET POTATOES (1kg)

These beauties have a little more moisture than the purple-skin variety, making them perfect for roasting.

BOOK REVIEW

“It’s certainly broadened my horizons in terms of flavour combinations and perked up my dull mommy meals.”

SWEET POTATO WITH TOMATO, LIME AND CARDAMOM SAUCE This dish has fast become my go-to side, says recipe tester Melissa.

Toss 4-5 medium sweet potatoes in olive oil, drizzle with honey or maple syrup, and sprinkle with a pinch ground cardamom and ground cumin. Season. Roast at 200°C for 25-30 minutes until almost caramelised brown on one side. Sauté 1 onion, 6 chopped garlic cloves and 2 green chillies gently in a pan. Add 1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes, 1 cup (250ml) water, 1 Tbsp (15ml) tomato paste, a sprinkle of sugar and a pinch each of ground cumin and ground cardamom. Season. Cook for 8-10 minutes until thickened. Pour into a baking dish and place golden roasted sweet potatoes on top.

Bake at 180°C for 12-15 minutes.

Serve sprinkled with fresh lime zest and dill, and lime wedges on the side. SERVES 4

pnpfreshliving.com

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 93

Kelly Smith (Managing Editor) KELLY IN THE KITCHEN What level of cook are you? Everyday home-style cook (mostly cooking because we need to eat!)

At home, I cook for… Two people – it’s me and my partner.

Do you enjoy vegetarian fare? I’ve been a vegetarian for a long time, growing up in a veggie household.

Do you invest in cookbooks? For décor and coffee-table purposes.

HOW DOES SHE RATE THE BOOK? “As a vegetarian I was excited by the sheer range of recipes in this book, and there are many I would still like to try. However, I don’t enjoy spending hours in the kitchen and it seems many of the recipes are quite time-consuming... This is the kind of cookbook I would turn to for inspiration for a special occasion.” 

“I love mushrooms but had to grill them for more than an hour. In the end, the flavours were deep and delicious but I definitely got a bit impatient!”

PORTOBELLO STEAKS WITH BUTTER BEAN MASH It has a long cooking time but you’re only hands-on in the kitchen for 10 minutes.

10 cloves garlic, peeled 1 onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges 1 (15g) red chilli 1½ Tbsp (22ml) chipotle chilli flakes 1 Tbsp (15ml) coriander seeds,

roughly crushed 4 tsp (20ml) cumin seeds, crushed 2 Tbsp (30ml) tomato paste 13/5 cups (400ml) olive oil 1 tsp (5ml) salt flakes 6-8 (650g) portobello mushrooms, stems removed Mash: 1½ cans (600g) butter beans, drained 1½ Tbsp (22ml) lemon juice 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil

94 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

SERVES 4 Preheat oven to 150°C. Place garlic, onion, chilli, spices, tomato paste, oil and salt in an ovenproof dish.

Nestle mushrooms in dish, domed side up. Place a piece of baking paper on top to cover them.

Cover dish with a lid or foil. Bake for 1 hour.

Turn mushrooms over, removing paper and lid, and return to

oven for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are very tender but not falling apart.

Transfer mushrooms to a chopping board and halve, if you like.

Spoon the onion, garlic and chilli (discarding the stem) from the ovenproof dish into the small bowl of a food processor. (Don’t worry if you scoop up some spices and oil.)

Blitz until smooth.

Transfer baked

mushrooms to a pan, along with the blitzed mixture, and cook on medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.

Blitz the mash ingredients until smooth. Gently warm on the stove top in a pot.

Divide mash between plates, top with mushroom steaks, spoon over a generous amount of the cooking oil and a dollop of aromatics.

Serve immediately.

pnpfreshliving.com

BOOK REVIEW

Lesego Madisa (Digital Copywriter) LESEGO IN THE KITCHEN What level of cook are you? I’m happiest when I’m in the kitchen.

At home, I cook for… just me (and friends).

Do you enjoy vegetarian fare? I’ve noticed I’m eating less meat – definitely not going to claim veganism but vegetarian food is quickly becoming my fave.

Do you invest in cookbooks? Not as much as I’d like to but my collection is slo-o-o-wly growing.

HOW DOES SHE RATE THE BOOK? “I’ve always enjoyed Ottolenghi’s recipes and this book was no different.

I tried out three recipes, and I can’t wait to cook these new dishes at a dinner party once Earth reopens. I did struggle to find all the ingredients, though, so you may have to head to a bigger PnP that stocks more ‘exotic’ items.

I’d definitely recommend Flavour if you’re looking for new ways to cook and enjoy vegetables. It definitely helped up my veggie game.” 

“I’ve cooked brinjals in all sorts of ways but never thought of turning them into dumplings.

We enjoyed the final product but the recipe is really long – best you make it on the weekend.”

BRINJAL DUMPLINGS ALLA PARMIGIANA Italy on a plate, this is a clever spin on the classic favourite.

2-3 slices (90g) fresh sourdough bread, torn into breadcrumbs 4 (1kg) brinjals, cut into 2.5cm cubes 3/ 5 cup (150ml) olive oil Salt and milled pepper 100g ricotta 1 cup (75g) finely grated parmesan + extra for serving ½ punnet (10g) finely chopped fresh parsley 1 egg + 1 egg yolk 1½ Tbsp (22ml) flour 6 cloves garlic, crushed ½ punnet (10g) fresh basil, roughly chopped + extra leaves for serving ½ packet (100g) calamata olives, halved

PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Sauce: 1½ cans (600g) chopped peeled tomatoes, blitzed until smooth 1½ tsp (8ml) tomato paste 1½ tsp (8ml) castor sugar Pinch chilli flakes 1 tsp (5ml) paprika 2 tsp (10ml) chopped fresh origanum 13/5 cups (400ml) water SERVES 4 Dry breadcrumbs out in oven at 160°C for 10-12 minutes, until browned.

Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 220°C. Toss brinjal cubes with half the oil and season.

Spread on an oven tray in one layer. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway

pnpfreshliving.com

PAIR WITH BOSMAN GRENACHE NOIR, R85

through, until golden.

Roughly chop brinjal into a chunky mash, place in a bowl and refrigerate until cold.

Combine cold brinjal with cheeses, parsley, egg, flour, breadcrumbs, 1/ of the garlic and the ³ chopped basil. Season.

Mix well and shape into 16 dumplings, pressing so they hold together.

Heat a glug of oil in a pan and fry dumplings in two batches for 3-4 minutes, turning until golden-brown all over.

Set aside.

Heat another glug of oil in the same pan and fry remaining garlic for a minute, then add sauce ingredients (except water). Season.

Cook until thickened slightly, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add water, bring to a medium simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Pour sauce into a baking dish and top with the dumplings.

Bake at 180°C for 18-20 minutes, until bubbling.

Serve with olives, basil leaves and parmesan.

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 95

S E P H E T C T N R O U E M F I L

There’s no doubt that life with an autistic child can be challenging in the extreme.

But these days, open conversations on spectrum disorders have made finding resources more accessible. Susan Hayden speaks to a few experts and families about what it takes to navigate these challenges 96 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

ILLUSTRATION: TOBY NEWSOME

WELLBEING When eight-yearold Flynn, a family friend, sees me his face lights up like a sunbeam. He rushes towards me with all the warmth and enthusiasm his little self can hold, and as his small arms embrace me in the tightest of hugs I feel like I’m his favourite person on the entire planet. When he tells you something his tone is serious, and what comes out of his mouth can be surprising and hilarious in its candidness. What sets him apart from other people is that what you see is what you get: there is no agenda, no deception, no hidden meaning or malice.

It wouldn’t occur to him to manipulate or deceive. His engagement with the world is literal and unfiltered, and there exists a purity not often found among us humans. If one is inclined to believe that we are souls with bodies, a look into the guileless depths of his big, brown eyes makes one think that perhaps he passed through fewer doors on the way down from heaven. He just ‘is’, and therein lies a lesson for us all.

pnpfreshliving.com

The National Autistic Society in the UK describes autism as a lifelong, complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects the way a person understands the world and how they relate to people around them.

autism, we tend to think of someone who is severely impacted by their autism and has accompanying intellectual disabilities.

We may not recognise highly cognitivefunctioning individuals with communication

and respected for their strengths, difficulties and differences. All people on the autism spectrum can learn and develop, and with the right kind of support all individuals can live more fulfilling and independent lives.

Neurodiverse brains are wired differently, and need to be understood and respected for their strengths, difficulties and differences While each autistic person is unique and their autism will affect them in different ways, what they have in common are difficulties with communication, social interaction, sensory stimulation, dealing with change, repetitive behaviours and extreme anxiety.

According to Vicky Oettlé, national education facilitator for Autism South Africa, there are a number of characteristics which indicate that a child is autistic: they may not speak like typical children, or they will use a different way to communicate. They might play with toys differently, socialise differently, have sensory differences, engage in atypical and sometimes repetitive movements, or focus on details.

Naomi Botha, autism spectrum specialist teacher and behavioural therapist in Cape Town, adds, “When we picture

and social challenges, who may end up undiagnosed or are diagnosed much later in life. These individuals can sadly struggle for years not understanding why they find life so challenging, and why they keep doing things ‘wrong,’ unable to meet others’ expectations.”

It can be helpful to view autism as a form of neurodiversity.

Neurodiverse brains are wired differently from neurotypical brains, and need to be understood

The global rate of autism has steadily grown over the last 20 years due to population growth and better identification and diagnosis of this condition. Today, autism affects one in 68 children, with boys being four times more likely to be autistic than girls. However, as Vicky explains, we are starting to see a shift. “While there are still more boys at this point, the ratio is decreasing. It appears as though girls are better

at masking their autism; they mimic the behaviour of other children and adapt accordingly, making it harder to pick up. Also, most of the studies have focused on eight-yearold boys in America, so we have a better picture of what autism looks like in boys.”

Theresa and Zoë The day before Theresa Cooper of Durbanville was due to give birth to her second child, she received a devastating emotional blow from somebody close to her, which she believes might have contributed to her child’s slow development. After Zoë was born Theresa was in shock and mourning.

She held her baby and wept while her older daughter, three-year-old Amy, brought her tissues and told her not to cry.

Theresa believes that her postnatal depression and the circumstances in which her daughter

Note It’s World Autism Day on 2 April

Theresa and her daughters, Zoë and Amy

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 97

WELLBEING

Says Naomi: “Although we do not yet know the exact cause or causes of autism, it is likely the result of a complex interaction between environmental and genetic factors

affecting brain development which occur before, during or soon after birth. As a neurodevelopmental condition, we know it is not caused by emotional deprivation or how a child has been raised.”

Family life with children on the spectrum is different, and the impact is huge for all family members.

Marriages become strained and frequently break down; parents feel inadequate, disempowered and overwhelmed; siblings’ needs can be overlooked as the autistic child requires an inordinate amount of attention.

Younger children are left to fend for themselves while older children take on too much responsibility helping to care for the autistic child.

Zay-yaan and her sons, Ahmad Nurudin and Zakariya

98 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

Holidays and outings, such as trips to the mall, can prove difficult for children on the spectrum who find the noises, lights and smells too much to process. This leads to anxiety, which can culminate in a meltdown – something all parents try to avoid, as strangers can be unkind and judgemental.

Zay-yaan, Ahmad Nurudin and Zakariya Zay-yaan Fakier of Kensington, mother of two autistic teenage sons, is determined that life must go on and you can’t “keep away from life”. When her firstborn was not hitting the usual developmental milestones – “he wasn’t walking or showing much comprehension, and was often falling over” – her paediatrician referred them to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

It was there that Zay-yaan received the shocking news that she (together with her mother and sister) was a carrier of the gene for Fragile X syndrome, a rare genetic condition which is a known cause of autism spectrum disorders. Had she had a girl, the child would have had a 25% chance of the gene being activated; for a boy, it was a high 75%.

At the time, she was six months pregnant with her second child.

Today, her sons, Ahmad

HELP IS AT HAND With children on the autism spectrum, early intervention is vital. If you suspect your child might have ASD, consult your doctor or paediatrician.

For up-to-date current thinking and research, see the website of the National Autistic Society (autism.org.uk).

For more info and local support, visit: aut2know.co.za (Autism South Africa) speakautism.co.za autismwesterncape.org.za

Nurudin (15) and Zakariya (13), are both on the spectrum. Just like any other siblings, the boys are very different from each other, with unique personalities, interests and skill sets.

She says, as typical teenagers, her sons would like to spend all day watching TV but it’s important for them to “get out and do normal things”. She makes sure weekends are spent going to the beach, on hikes or walking along the promenade in Sea Point. Certain things, like movies, can prove too loud and she monitors the boys to see if they are getting freaked out and overwhelmed.

“I am constantly in fight-or-flight mode.

Because I never know what’s coming, it’s difficult to relax.

Ordinary things are hard.” But, she asserts, the boys have to get used to the real world.

“What is important to understand,” urges Naomi, “is that this is an individual who experiences life differently, and the challenge lies in whether we can accept them for who they are even though they are different from us. This can be very difficult.

We like life to be nice and neat but that’s not the way it works. We need to approach this condition like we approach any kind of diversity, and work on accepting that humans come in many different shapes and forms.”

For parents, her advice is to step back and ask yourself: What do I need right now?

As caregivers, the last person we think about is ourselves. Create space to breathe. Make time for your partner, your marriage and your other children. Cut yourself a whole lot of slack – all you can do is your best. pnpfreshliving.com

PHOTOGRAPHY: ADEL FERREIRA, LIZELLE KRIGE

was born could have played a role in her being diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of three. Unlike Amy, who excelled at everything, her younger child struggled to talk and had significant motor-skill problems.

Unfortunately, there is very little information relating to Asperger’s in girls, but the way it manifests in Zoë is through an inability to pick up on social cues, impulsiveness, dyslexia and sensory overload, which results in her being easily overwhelmed.

KINGJAMES 50288

Your style.

Now online. @Stylebyloren

Pick n Pay Clothing has launched a brand new online store.

Which means all your style basics and much-loved summer items are only a click away. Shop your style online by visiting our website at www.picknpayclothing.co.za.

www.picknpayclothing.co.za

GET INSPIRED {LIVE AND LEARN} COMPILED BY MELISSA NDLOVU AND CHAD JANUARY

TITBITS, TRENDS AND STUFF WE LOVE

paste y rr

i red cu a h t

1

Normally used in baking or desserts, it has wonderful flavour and texture that works beautifully in savoury dishes too. I love a good satay sauce, where peanut butter is the hero, used on both prawn or chicken skewers.

c

4

Coconut milk not only works wonders as an addition to curries and stews, it also brings life to crunchy vegetables as a creamy dressing with some lemon, fresh herbs, garlic and chilli.

pnpfreshliving.com

with Lesego Madisa

We ask Chad January what his Top 5 must-haves are for autumn

Perfect for putting an Asian-inspired spin on dishes. A good trick is always to pair soy sauce with something sweet, like pineapple, brown sugar or honey, to create that beloved sweet-and-sour flavour we all love so much.

(Check out page 49 for the ‘mother’ of all sweet-and-sour sauces.)

2

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tt ut bu er an

nut milk o c o

WHAT THE HACK?

In our deputy food editor’s pantry

5

honey

uc e

Make no mistake, I use this for more than just curries!

Coat chicken generously and roast it for a quick, flavourful midweek meal.

And when you get to that last bit stuck to the bottom of the jar, add some olive oil, toss through cooked pasta, season and enjoy.

PHOTOS: ESTVAN VERMEULEN STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: KRISTEN SCHEEPERS

soy sa

Where do I begin? Drizzled over flapjacks for breakfast, tossed with Dijon mustard, herbs and prawns for lunch, or drizzled over curried sweet potatoes for dinner, the list of uses for honey are endless. I can’t do without it.

A home cook’s guide to kitchen confidence Love pancakes?

Pour batter (see page 84 – basic American batter) into a lined oven tray, add your toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes at 220ºC until goldenbrown. Once cooled, cut into squares, place in a sealable container and freeze.

Then when you’re in the mood for pancakes, you can just warm them up in the microwave!

What’s for brunch?

Add a handful of bite-sized frozen veggies to the basic batter to make fritters.

Gluten-free?

Don’t break the bank with expensive alternative flours.

Blitz rolled oats in a food processor to make oat flour!

Fresh Living – Autumn 2021 | 101

Smart ways to COSY UP

You’re spending more time So it’s cold outWhether which means you’re spending more indoors now. you’re time indoors.

Whether you’re cooking, sipping, lounging orcooking up hearty meals, sipping onhere a cuppa or lounging dancing, are some nifty in front of the TV, here are somethat’ll nifty help gadgets help you do it all gadgets youthat’ll do it all

Pros It has an eco-mode. The machine automatically switches off after 5 minutes of inactivity and boasts an A-rating for energy consumption. And at 16 x 29cm, it’ll fit on the tiniest of kitchen counters.

Con It’s only compatible with Dolce Gusto capsules, but with over 30 high-quality coffee creations and options available in the range, what’s not to love?

NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Piccolo capsule coffee machine, R1 699

FRY ’EM UP! PHILIPS Avance Airfryer plus jug blender, R4 299 Listen, if you’re not on the air-frying train then we don’t know where you’ve been. This little lockdown gem lets you fry, bake, roast and grill all your favourites using less fat than a conventional fryer. Yes please!

Pros The 1.2kg capacity is large enough to feed a family of five, plus it has a sleek digital touchscreen to adjust time and temperature. It comes wirh a jug blender too! Perfect for smoothies or cutting down on chopping time while you cook.

Con The size of this airfryer means it might take up a fair bit of counter space, but with all the functions it has, you could ditch some other appliances to make room for this multitasker.

102 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

pnpfreshliving.com

PHOTO: GETTY/GALLO IMAGES PRICES CORRECT AT TIME OF GOING TO PRINT AND MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

SIPPING PRETTY There’s nothing like a steaming cup of coffee on a cool autumn day.

Simply pop your favourite coffee pod into this little gadget and create the perfect drink with the simple touch of a finger. That’s not all – this baby can prepare delicious cold beverages too. So iced coffee lovers, this one’s for you!

PUMP UP THE BASSI All you need is radio ga-ga! This trendy speaker is perfect for jamming to your favourites at home or in the boot of your car at the campfire.

Pros Great FM radio functionality, USB and memory card slots for MP3 playback, plus a microphone jack for singing karaoke!

Con It’s battery powered, so it only has up to 2½ hours playback based on 30% max volume used.

BLAUPUNKT Bazooka bluetooth speaker BT68, R399

GYM JUNKIE SMARTFIT iWatch, R349 Don’t let the colder weather keep you from working out. Exercise indoors while this stylish smartwatch tracks your progress.

Pros This beauty monitors steps, distance, sleep patterns and your heart rate. It also reminds you when you’ve been inactive for too long, and can be set on different sport modes.

Con Although it’s compatible with both Android and iOS phones, it may not sync to the phone’s built-in health app. So check

ELSYS SMARTY Android smart TV dongle CZSEI103, R999

WHAT’S ON THE BOX?I Over the last few months, TV and streaming devices have become man’s best friend (sorry, Bruno). This plug-and-play device is designed to effortlessly turn yourordinary TV into a full smart TV via HDMI (high-definition multimedia interface).

Pros Google approved (hello Google Assistant!) and Netflix-certified, plus you can easily load other apps and games on this nifty gem and connect to four bluetooth devices at a time.

Con It only has 1GB RAM, which is quite entry level, but will definitely still function for low-level gamers and streaming.

Treat yourself to these products at selected Pick n Pay stores. Use your Smart Shopper points as real cash back towards your purchase at the till. No card? No problem! Simply use the Cardless Swipe function on the Pick n Pay mobile app to ‘swipe’ your Smart Shopper card.

pnpfreshliving.com

AT A GLANCE

{ RECIPE INDEX } = Vegetarian

= Diabetes friendly

STARTERS, SALADS, SOUPS AND SIDES 16 Warm cauliflower salad 16 Autumn soup 20 Tom yum soup 23 Golden feta & egg tabbouleh 26 Sweet and sour pickled pumpkin 41 Coconut and coriander poached mielies 42 Garlic chapatis 44 Three-cheese bourekas 44 Smoky tomato soup 92 Roasted and pickled root veg with sweet chilli 93 Sweet potato with tomato, lime and cardamom sauce MAINS 17 Bobotie baked squash 18 15-minute Friday night noodles 19 Broccoli omelette with spanakopita filling 21 Giant corn & halloumi fritters with poachies 22 Turkish eggs en cocotte 35 Cape Malay fish curry with preserved lemon 41 Harissa chicken tagine 42 Lamb shank Madras 50 Seared prawns with smoky tomato sauce and greens 52 Sweet and sour pork 54 Creamy chicken and sundried tomato lasagne 86 Cheesy spring onion waffles with fried chicken 90 Ciao a pepe (pasta) 91 Pasta in yoghurt sauce 92 Traybake ragu 94 Portobello steaks with butter bean mash 95 Brinjal dumplings alla parmigiana BAKING, SWEET TREATS AND DESSERTS 43 Basic bread dough 44 Vetkoek 44 Steamed herb bread 44 Butter buns 46 Chocolate brownies with marshmallow frosting 67 Basic vanilla butter cake

67 Butter cake with raspberry icing 68 Slice ‘n bake biscuits 68 Crackle-top sugar cookies 68 Neapolitan cookies 70 Peanut butter and pretzel brownies 71 One-bowl spiced banana bundt cake 71 Bundt cake with spiced butterscotch sauce 72 Shortcrust pastry 73 Crème brûlée milk tart 73 Burnt Basque cheesecake 84 Basic batter 84 Pancakes and flapjacks 85 Crêpe cake stack 85 Crumpets with caramelised banana and citrus icing 101 Baked pancakes DRINKS 35 Aromatic whisky hot toddy 56 Old-fashioned 56 Whisky sour 56 Irish slammer 58 Falooda

OTHER

26 Basic pickled vegetables 27 Piccalilli 27 Preserved lemons 28 Pineapple cauli kimchi 29 Garlic confit 29 Marinated grilled peppers 30 Slow-roasted tomato confit 44 Quick spicy carrot atchar 50 Roasted tomato sauce 50 Best-ever meaty gravy 51 Punchy salsa 52 Lip-smacking sweet and sour sauce 53 Creamiest garlic and mushroom sauce 54 Traditional béchamel 54 Cheese sauce 55 Cheat’s hollandaise sauce

104 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

{

COMPETITION & RECIPE INFO

COMPETITION AND GIVEAWAY ENTRY DETAILS To enter one of our competitions or giveaways, SMS the keyword and answer, if applicable, followed by your name and address to 45907 (SMSes cost R1.50).

Unless otherwise specified, the closing date for competitions and giveaways is 24 May 2021.

COMPETITION RULES 1. The promoter of this competition is Fresh Living.

2. This promotional competition is open to residents of the Republic of South Africa who are in possession of a valid South African identity document, except for any family/ relative, business/professional associate or personal associate of the promoter or its associated companies, advertising and promotional agencies, or a supplier of goods or services in connection with this promotional competition, as well as persons under the age of 18 years (except for children’s giveaways).

3. There will be one random draw, with the winner(s) to be chosen within seven working days of the competition’s end date.

4. By entering the competition, each winner agrees to supply all necessary documents to support the competition rules (including, but not limited to, a valid ID document and address for delivery of the prize) and agrees that if these cannot be produced, the promoter shall have the right to withhold the prize.

5. The promoter will endeavour to contact each prize winner three consecutive times using the contact number supplied. Should the winner not respond within three days of the first attempt at contact the prize will be forfeited and another winner will be selected in accordance with the rules.

6. Winners’ details will be forwarded to the suppliers of the prize. By entering our competition, you give Fresh Living and the sponsor permission to contact you via email, SMS or phone.

7. If you have won a Fresh Living competition in the last 30 days, you may not enter.

8. The promoter reserves the right to change

COOK’S NOTES Tom yum paste: Integral to Thai cuisine, it is made from shallots (or onions), lime leaf, lemongrass, chillies, ginger and fish sauce. It is widely used in soups, stir-fries, sauces and marinades.

Poppadoms: Very thin, circular North Indian flatbreads made from rice, lentil or gram flour. To serve, dunk quickly in hot oil until blistered, golden and crispy.

}

the rules of the competition should the need arise. The promoter can change the rules of the competition throughout the duration of the competition.

9. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

10. Participation in the competition constitutes acceptance of the rules.

11. Responsibility is not accepted for entries lost, damaged or delayed as a result of any network or computer hardware or software failure of any kind. Proof of sending will not be accepted as proof of receipt.

12. The competition promoter and its affiliates are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network, computer system, server or provider which may have hindered entry into this competition.

RECIPES

* The nutritional analyses that appear on some of the recipes don’t include serving suggestions or salt and pepper, which you can add to taste. * All recipes are tested in a conventional oven. If you are using a fan oven consult the manual, but it is generally recommended that you reduce the temperature by 10-20˚C. * Recipes containing raw egg are not suitable for pregnant women, very young children, elderly people or those with weak immune systems. * For additional recipes, health and nutritional advice, as well as updates on in-store offers and competitions, visit pnp.co.za. You’ll also be able to use our store search and shop online.

PRODUCTS AND INGREDIENTS Availability of certain Pick n Pay products and recipe ingredients may vary from one region to the next, depending on seasonality and supply chains.

PHOTOSHOOTS Props used in photoshoots may not be available in Pick n Pay stores and are for styling purposes only or may be the stylist’s own.

Knock back dough: A stage in bread making after its first rise, involving folding the dough in on itself using the heels of your hands to remove air bubbles. This creates an even-textured loaf.

Tempering eggs: To prevent “scrambling” them when adding to a hot mixture such as custard, you slowly warm the eggs first by whisking with a little of the hot liquid before introducing them to your main mixture so they combine smoothly.

Join Fresh Living online The Fresh Living website brings you the recipe inspiration you need exactly when you need it. Search recipes according to what’s in your fridge, or budget-friendly ideas and meals you can make in 30 minutes. It’s the same trusted recipes, just a click away! Plus, you can download the Fresh Living digi mag for FREE, so you’re never without a copy.

Get dinner ready in under 30 minutes

FREE digital issue

Become a pro with our step-by-step videos Find daily recipe inspiration for the cooler days ahead



Visit pnpfreshliving.com now  Twitter: @Fresh_Living  Instagram: @freshliving_pnp  Facebook: Fresh Living Magazine Follow us on social media and share your creations: just tag #FLGrams!

ILLUSTRATION: PATRICK LATIMER

SPOTLIGHT

106 | Fresh Living – Autumn 2021

LIQUID DETERGENTS YOU CAN TRUST

FROM SAʼS TOP LAUNDRY DETERGENTS MANUFACTURER*

DISSOLVES QUICKLY

*Based on Volume sales data for 2020 for liquid detergents. Source: Nielsen.

EASY TO POUR 60512/FL

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