Homegrown Tastes South Africa S2 Episode 10 Recipes

Springbok, roasted tomato & goats cheese salad with avocado, rocket & couscous

Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 35mins
Servings: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted tomato & goats cheese:

• A splash of olive oil
• A splash of vinegar
• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
• 100g goats cheese cut into 3 pieces
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to season

For Springbok:

• 300g springbok loin
• Butter & a splash of oil

For the spice rub:

• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp Smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp flakey sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

Serve with:

• 1/2 cup couscous, prepared according to instructions on the packaging. Add 1 tsp stock powder
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• A handful Fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
• A handful rocket

METHOD

1. For the Roasted tomatoes, arrange the tomatoes, goats cheese & garlic in a small oven tray add a splash of oil, vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven at 200 C for 15 - 20 minutes or until the tomatoes soften and the goats cheese turns a light golden brown colour.
2. For the springbok, combine the ingredients for the spice rub then evenly coat the springbok loin. Heat a non-stick pan with a splash of oil & on a high temperature, sear the springbok for 3-5 minutes on each side depending the temperature you prefer your meat. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes then cut into slices with a sharp knife to serve.
3. To serve, arrange the couscous on a plate, add the roasted tomato mixture & the sliced springbok. Serve with sliced avocado & rocket.

RECIPE NOTES

• Springbok meat is a very lean meat with deep red colour, high in protein with a minimal fat content. Springbok has an rich earthy flavour.
• It’s most succulent when cooked at a high temperature for a short period of time because of the low fat content. If you cook it too long the meat will become tough and dry out.
• Springbok meat is unique to South Africa and can be used for steak, kebabs, as a roasted or served raw in tartar or carpaccio.
• In this dish the acidity from the tomatoes, the creaminess from the avocado and the texture of the couscous work in harmony with the springbok.

Baked Rice with Mango & Duck

Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 45mins
Servings: Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the rice:

• 200g basmati rice, cooked halfway
• 2 Tbsp full fat yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp canola oil

For the duck:

• 4 duck breasts
• Butter

For the mango glaze:

• In a blender combine,2 cups chopped mangoes
• A splash of rice vinegar
• A splash of soy sauce
• Honey to taste
• Approx. 1/2 - 1 cup Water add when cooking
• 2 tsp crushed garlic2 tsp ginger
• 2-3 red chillies, finely chopped depending on the spice level you prefer
• Saffron strands, soaked in 30 ml water

Serve with 1 mango, peeled and cut into bite sized cubes combined with A handful of fresh pomegranate seeds. Fresh mint Lemon, cut into wedges.

METHOD

1. For the rice, combine rice and yoghurt in mixing bowl. Heat oil and butter in a medium sized non-stick pot then add the rice to the pot and press down firmly with a spoon. Cook on a low heat for 30-40 minutes or until the rice begins to brown along the sides of the pot. Set aside while you prepare the duck.

2. For duck, combine the mango, rice vinegar & soy sauce in a blender until smooth.

• Place a non-stick pan the a low temperature then, season the duck breast with salt and put it into the pan skin side down to render the fat. This may take about 10-15 depending on the fat layer and the temperature. Once the fat has rendered and the skin in golden brown flip the duck breast over to cook the other side- this will be quick about 3-5 minutes depending on the size of the duck breast. Remove from the pan once cooked and let rest for about 10 minutes then slice to serve.
• Place the mango mixture into the pan, add the ginger garlic, chilli and saffron water, season with salt and stir to combine. Remove from the heat once warm- we don’t want to cook the mango

3. To serve, invert the pot with the rice onto a serving plate, arrange the mango & pomegranate mixture on top of the crispy rice then garnish with mint leaves and fresh lemon wedges. Serve with the sauce and duck on the side.

RECIPE NOTES

• This rice dish is inspired by Persian- style baked rice. The best part about this dish is the crispy, golden brown rice.
• The mangoes here are some of the best in the world. They are refreshing & juicy with the consistency of butter when ripe. Mangoes are a perfect contrast for the rich duck breast.
• South African Mangoes are mainly grown in the North Eastern part of the country.
• Mangoes are a summer fruit. They are sold locally to be eaten fresh; exported; dried; juiced or sold unripe for atchar.
• Rendering fat is a process which draws out the moisture in fat like duck skin. It is best to do this on a low temperature so you don’t burn the skin. The result is a crispy golden brown skin and excess duck fat which can be used for cooking immediately like we’ve done in this recipe or set aside in the fridge for cooking another time. Potatoes roasted in duck are delicious; you could use the excess duck fat instead of cooking oil.

No – Bake Macadamia Millionaire Bar

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 25mins
Servings: Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

For the base:

• 1 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 30 ml rolled oats
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp water, if required when blending

For the tahini caramel:

• 3/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup coconut oil

To decorate with:

• 250-350g white chocolate, melted
• Macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
• Gold dust combined with a splash of alcohol like vodka or brandy to make an edible paint

METHOD

1. For the base, prepare a loaf tin with baking paper and spray and cook. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until coarse. Using your fingers, press the base mixture into the loaf tin & set aside.
2. For the tahini caramel, combine the ingredients with a hand blender until smooth and spread the mixture onto of the base. Place in the fridge overnight to set.
3. Paint the roughly chopped macadamia nuts with the edible paint and set aside.
4. Once the tahini caramel is set, remove the base from the tin and cut into bars about 1 1/2 – 2 fingers wide. Place the bars onto a wire rack then cover the bars in melted chocolate and decorate with the painted macadamia nuts.

RECIPE NOTES

• South Africa has been the world’s largest producer of the macadamia nut since the 2010’s.
• Macadamia nuts can be used in both savoury and sweet recipes or eaten as they are raw or toasted.
• You can use this easy no-bake nutty base recipe on its own as a snack bar, in the form of a truffle coated in chocolate or for tarts and other dessert recipes instead of a sweet pastry base.
• Serve this recipe as a tart instead of bars.