OUTDOOR FIESTA Chef Mynhardt’s holiday recipes

OUTDOOR FIESTA

Chef Mynhardt Joubert, a food and wine enthusiast, shares a few of his delicious recipes with us to enjoy over the holiday season.

Chef Mynhardt loves to use local ingredients and cooks each dish with love. He has graciously shared some delicious recipes with us — his selection of salads, tasty roasted fi sh, and ice cream are a perfect combination to serve up to friends and family this summer.

ASPARAGUS, GREEN PEAS & BRAZIL NUT SALAD

Ingredients 200g baby spinach 300 g green asparagus, blanched 100 g green peas, blanched 1 packet Montagu blueberry swirls 100 g Montagu Brazil nuts Willow Creek basil fl avoured olive oil Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Layer the salad leaves, baby salad leaves, asparagus, peas, blueberry swirls and nuts in a large salad platter. 2. Drizzle with olive oil, season to taste and serve.

Meet Mynhardt

Chef Mynhardt Joubert began his career as a performing artist, but when he moved to the Cape some years ago, he fell in love with the craft of creating good food. On his arrival in Cape Town, he worked in a wine bar in De Waterkant and was quickly swept up in the magic of food and wine. He spent some time managing restaurants in Cape Town before he moved to the small town of Riebeek Kasteel. There, Chef Mynhardt met Anton Espost, the owner of The Wine Kollective, and his wife, Cecile. The couple had a dream to establish a wine bar and eatery in town, and together with Chef Mynhardt, they opened the much-loved Bar Bar Black Sheep. There, Chef Mynhardt cooked and prepared food made with locally grown and sourced ingredients — the menu was simple and authentic and paired beautifully with wines from the region. After five years at Bar Bar Black Sheep, Chef Mynhardt entered — and won — KykNET’s reality cooking competition Kokkedoor along with his cooking partner Tiaan. From there, Chef Mynhardt designed and styled his first cookbook; worked on another TV series that allowed him to cook his way through South Africa; and continues to work with KWV on marketing campaigns.

Serves: 4–6

Serves 4 Cooking time: 20-25 min

FENNEL ROASTED FISH

with chenin poached shallots and whole roasted garlic

Ingredients 4 x 300 g fresh whole fish like Cape Bream Olive oil Salt and pepper 1 large fennel bulb and leaves roughly chopped 15 ml butter and a dash of olive oil Pinch of sa ron Fresh lemon 12 large shallots, cleaned 45 ml butter 500 ml Chenin Blanc 8 heads of garlic, halved

Method 1. Oven: 200 degrees Celsius 2. Pat the fish dry with a dish towel, rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Sauté the chopped fennel in butter and a dash of olive oil until golden brown, season with salt and pepper, set aside to cool down, and then mix with the pinch of sa ron and season to taste. 4. Stu the fish with the fennel mixture and tie up with kitchen string, place on an oven tray. 5. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and a dash of olive oil over and season with salt and pepper. 6. Add the cleaned shallots to a skillet and sauté gently in the butter till golden brown, add the wine to the pan, lower the heat and let the juices reduce. 7. Place the garlic halves on an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste. Roast in the oven until cooked and golden brown. 8. Bake the fish in a hot 200-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown

Tip - Soak the fruitcake in a tot of brandy or cherry liqueur for adults.

FESTIVE CASSATA

Ingredients 2l vanilla ice cream Half a cup toasted pistachios or crushed almonds 1 cup fruit cake in 1cm cubes 15 ml candied ginger chopped 1 cup whole glazed cherries, red or green 1 box sugar cones OPTIONAL: brandy or cherry liqueur

Method 1. Remove the vanilla ice cream from the freezer in advance and allow it to soften slightly. 2. Toast the nuts and allow to cool completely. 3. Cut the fruit cake into 1cm cubes. 4. Roughly chop the candied ginger. 5. Keep the cherries whole or cut in half. 6. Evenly spread the softened vanilla ice cream in a fl at roasting tray. 7. Toss the other ingredients together and spread over the ice cream. 8. Fold the mixture together and place in a container for freezing.

Serves 8