SPANISH PAELLA

By Neo Nontso

In 2019 I attended a cooking class in a little café in Barcelona. There I learnt how to make a classic paella with real chorizo, saffron and smoked paprika – an ingredient I instantly fell in love with. This trip was exactly what I needed because it completely transformed my palate and cooking style! The recipe below is a direct extraction from Spain with a South African adaptation using authentic ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 500g mussels in the shell, soaked in a large bowl of salted water. (Soaking the mussels extracts sand and dirt from the shells – don’t skip this step!)

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• Bunch fresh rosemary, chopped

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 8-10 queen prawns and cleaned

• 4-6 skinless cut in half

• 200g Spanish chorizo sausage, sliced

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 red pepper

• 1 tablespoon

• 2 red chillies (optional)

• 1 cup risotto

• 3 tomatoes, grated

• 2 cubes chicken stock

• 3 cups water

• 3-4 strands saffron

• 1 cup frozen peas

• Salt and black

• Olive oil

• Garnish: fresh parsley spring onion

Method

1. Heat a little olive oil in a large pan on medium heat and sauté the garlic and rosemary for 2 minutes until fragrant.

2. Increase to medium-high heat and add the sea salt, then the prawns, and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side.

3. Remove the prawns from the pan and set aside.

4. In the same pan, fry the chicken on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes until browned. Season well with black pepper.

5. Add the chorizo slices and fry for 1 minute on each side, then reduce the stove to medium heat.

6. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until tender, then the red pepper and sauté for a further 2 minutes.

7. Add the smoked paprika, chilli and rice and stir to coat well.

8. Mix in the tomatoes, stock cubes and water, making sure the rice isn’t clumping together.

9. Add the saffron, cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.

10. Drain the mussels and add

Bbq Snoek

By Chef Kabelo Mohatli, Limpopo Chefs Academy

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 10g thyme, chopped

• 10g sage, chopped

• zest & juice of 4 limes

• 5 cloves garlic, chopped

• 10g coriander, chopped

• olive oil 3 tbsp

• crushed pepper to taste

• salt to taste

• 250g butter, softened

• 5g chilli flakes

• 1 whole snoek

Method

1. Soften the butter in a bowl and add the thyme, sage, garlic, coriander, olive oil, chilli flakes, lime zest, and ½ the lime juice. Mix until well combined.

2. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Brush the fish all over with the herb butter.

3. Place the fish on a very hot BBQ, skin side down first. Continue basting the fish with the herb butter. DON’T move the fish.

4. As it cooks, the colour will change to opaque. As soon as the opaque colour reaches two-thirds of the way up the flesh of the fish, flip it over.

5. Continue brushing until the fish is cooked.

6. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the reserved lime juice and enjoy!

Crispy Beerbattered Fish

Tip

The cold batter helps to moderate the internal temperature of the fish, so it doesn’t overcook while the batter is crisping in the hot oil. Make sure the batter is thick enough to coat the fish nicely, or it won’t crisp up properly.

If your stove temperature is too high, the fish will burn on the outside and not cook properly inside. If it’s too low, the fish will soak in the oil and become soggy.

Crispy Beerbattered Fish

By Neo Nontso

Are you even South African if you don’t randomly crave fish and chips? I have finally mastered the art of making the most perfect, crispy, deep-fried beer battered fish. If you don’t have beer, or don’t like beer, you can substitute it with soda water. The carbon dioxide and foaming agents play a big role in making sure your crust is light and crisp.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cake flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1½ cups cold beer

• 6 frozen hake fillets, defrosted in the fridge overnight

• 1½ cups cake flour

• 1 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning fish

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 litre oil

Method

1. Prepare the batter by whisking the flour, baking powder, black pepper, smoked paprika and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Pour in the beer and mix well, then set aside in the fridge.

3. In a large, shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt and black pepper.

4. Pat the fish dry with a paper towel and season lightly with salt.

5. Fill a large pan or pot halfway with oil and place on medium heat. Allow the oil to heat up for about 8 minutes.

6. Coat the fish evenly in the seasoned flour, dusting off any excess, then dip in the cold batter. Allow any excess batter to drip off.

7. Carefully place the fish in the hot oil in batches and deep-fry for 7 minutes until golden, turning halfway through. (Remove any excess batter from the pan with a spoon so that it doesn’t burn.)

8. Once the fish is fried on both sides, remove and place in a dish lined with paper towels.

9. Serve hot with fries, tartare sauce and lemon wedges.

This recipe is a popular American dish. It’s made with a variety of seafood and lots of butter. Feel free to use any seafood that’s available. This dish is essentially a two-step one: first, boiling the seafood and vegetables, then making the sauce. I assure you, it’s well worth the effort!

Seafood Boil

By The Lazy Makoti

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 6-8 baby potatoes

• 3 cups (750ml) water

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) Cajun spice

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) smoked paprika

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) garlic

Seafood Boil

powder

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) oregano

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) onion powder

• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon and herb seasoning

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to soften slightly.

COOKING TIME

30 MIN specialty coffee. transparently traded. roasted with care.

2. Remove from the heat and add the spices and herbs, fish stock and sweetcorn. Return to heat and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Add the seafood, beginning with the items that need the longest cooking: allow 7 minutes for the lobster tails, 5-7 minutes for the mussels and 5 minutes for the prawns.

4. Strain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set the veggies and seafood aside.

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Fish

Pickled Fish

By The Lazy Makoti

Serves 6

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (60ml) cake flour

• salt and pepper to taste

• 400g hake, cut into medallions

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil

• 2 large onions, sliced

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) minced garlic

• 2 teaspoons (10ml) curry powder

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) turmeric

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) cumin

• 1 teaspoon (5ml) white pepper

• 1 tablespoon (15ml) peppercorns

• 1 tablespoon (15ml) cardamom

• 3-4 red chillies, deseeded

• 3 bay leaves

• 2 tablespoons (30l) sugar

• 3 tablespoons (45ml) vinegar

• ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

• zest of 1 lemon

• ½ cup (125ml) water

• 3 sprigs thyme

Method

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Coat both sides of each piece of fish and shake off any excess.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil and fry the fish for 2-5 minutes on each side, depending on thickness – do not overcook.

3. Wipe the pan clean, then heat the rest of the oil and fry the onion, ginger, garlic, curry powder, turmeric, cumin and white pepper, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

COOKING TIME 1 HOUR

4. Place the peppercorns, cardamom, chillies, bay leaves, sugar and vinegar in same pan, and simmer over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, water and thyme, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

6. Return the fish and onion mixture to pan. Toss to coat. Cook for 5 minutes.

7. Transfer to a dish. Leave to cool.

SERVES 4  6 COOKING TIME 1 HOUR 30 MIN

Store-bought

Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a round quiche baking tin. Roll the pastry out over the baking tin, pressing the dough down firmly onto base. Also, press up the sides and trim excess pastry. Prick the pastry with a fork, many times. Chill the pie crust in the fridge for 30 minutes. Add a layer of baking paper over the pastry and fill with baking beans/rice. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Allow to cool.

Reduce the oven to 165°C. Whisk together the eggs, cream, salt and pepper and pour over the pastry. Add cherry tomatoes and feta evenly. Open the pilchards can and remove the bones (this is optional as the bones are totally safe to eat).

Lay the fillets evenly over the top. Place the quiche tin on a tray and bake the quiche at 165°C for 35 - 40 minutes until cooked and puffy. It’s ready when you insert a sharp knife in the centre and it comes out clean. Allow to set for 10 minutes, and garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.