Category Archives: Red Meat

Aug1

white pepper is back …viva! = steak + white pepper sauce + peppery mushrooms

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For some time now, some of my foodie friends and I have been wondering whether white pepper is making something of a comeback….well, I can reliably confirm that it is back. That everyday seasoning that for so many years has done duty on our mother’s and grandma’s dinner tables but somehow got lost over the past decades between her black, pink and red peppercorn brothers and sisters … Lady White Pepper … is back!

Before I share more about the return of the white pepper I need to make it clear that my aspirations for this blog are not to win favour, nor benefit from freebies.This is my journey and my experiences with food. This being said I do believe that good experiences need to be shared, and in this instance I just want to shout if from the top of Table Mountain – if you are looking for a good food and wine experience….this is it … go and experience it at De Grendel Restaurant. It is not an inexpensive outing I might add, but worth saving the pennies just to savour this culinary sojourn through amidst the Durbanville vineyards.

But without further blabbering, let me get back to that somewhat magical afternoon and the white pepper….there we were, Sue-Ann and Ilse from Masterchef and foodie doyen and all-round intriguing persona, Errieda, wine-fundi Samarie, cookbook publisher Daleen and De Grendel’s winemaker Elzette – breathing in the majestic views, soaking up the ambience from table to plate. We laughed, we ate, we drank and toasted our shared passion – we became the absolutely fabulous olympic #chicksthatchow! As Errieda said: “Some chase for gold; others chow for gold”!

Back to the white pepper … I tasted the prime rib with white pepper, pearl onions and broccolini that Errieda ordered and it blew me away. It WAS the best steak and sauce I have ever eaten – the sauce combined with the steak just melted in your mouth with a flash grilled flavour, subtle yet striking. This bite confirmed to me that the sultry Lady White Pepper is back … out of the shadows and back on the plate … she is sexy, sharp. shining and ready to take over the pepper world.

Chef Ian Bergh inspired me so much with his creation that I had to try this back at home – my version was also delicious, simple with a dash of brandy and cream. I tried my utmost to replicate the delicate balance, silkiness and sharpness of their sauce, but I have to confess despite my best efforts I fell short … but please do try my recipe – it is still yum! I served the steak with some beautiful white peppery King Oyster mushrooms.

Welcome back in our pots and on our tables Lady … Viva … Lady White Pepper … Viva!

Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Serves: 2

Recipe

500 g Prime Rib (I used rump but you can also use fillet) – fried to your taste. My guidelines: hottest plate, oil, season, +-3 1/2 minutes on each side, rest for 6 minutes.

White Pepper Sauce

1 Small onion – finely chopped
1T Olive oil
1 Knob of butter
1 Clove garlic
40 ml Brandy
200ml Thick cream
3t Fine white pepper ( I even like a little more but be careful, I believe white pepper is deceptively hotter than black pepper)
Small pinch of salt

Method

1. Plate on medium – heat a pan and add the olive oil, butter and add the onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes until nice golden.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the brandy to the pan – not too much as you do not want to set your kitchen alight – heat it up and then ignite the brandy with a match. Flambé the steak by letting the alcohol burn off the liquid. Let it burn till finished – it needs to extinguish itself naturally.
4. Add the cream, then stir in the pepper along with a pinch of salt.
5. Taste for seasoning. Heat through for a minute or two.
6. Pass the sauce through a sieve to catch the onions and garlic – I normally use the sieved garlic and onions as a base for the steak and then pour the sauce liberally over the steak just before serving.

White peppery King Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

150 g King Oyster mushrooms – sliced length ways
2T Olive oil
1T Butter
½ t White fine pepper
Large pinch of salt
Squeeze of lemon juice

1. Heat a pan until it is very hot – add the olive oil and butter then add the mushrooms , sprinkle with the pepper and a big pinch of salt. Fry fast for about 3-4 minutes till brown and done.
2. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve hot.

May23

ostrich fillet + red wine + king oyster mushrooms + beetroot blocks

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Today, I need to tell you about my little weekend adventure … the Ultimate Braai Challenge… This past Saturday my friend Joani and I took part in the Western Cape auditions for the Ultimate Braai Challenge. This turned out to be one of the best foodie experiences of my life – the 100 crazy teams, the ‘gees”, the organizers, the judges were just amazing and Justin Bonello is such a fabulous guy and so down to earth! Kudu’s go to all the organizers, the sponsors and everyone that took part both young and old. I was really gob-smacked by all the different people that took part – their liveliness, their spirit and what passion we South Africans have! I realised once again – we LOVE a braai! I cannot wait for this show to start – I really think it is going to take SA by storm!!

But let me get back to what food we presented to the judges – our main course was braaied Ostrich fillet in a red wine and mushroom jus with beetroot blocks – all done on the braai. One of the judges told us that this specific dish was the best dish he had tasted on the day. So I thought I would share this recipe with you. For sure you can do this on the stove as well but for those of you who are adventurous why not also try this on the braai…? Serve this with buttery, mustardy, crushed new potatoes. If you are not so much an ostrich steak fan you can always swap this with a cut of beef or even kudu fillet. Do not forget to enjoy this with a good glass of red wine …

Ingredients
4 x 200g Ostrich Fillet
1Tablespoon cooking oil
Salt and pepper
For the Jus
15 g butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ large onion, cut in quarters and parted
3 king oyster mushrooms, cut in 3x lengthwise
4 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 Tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 garlic clove, grated or finely chopped
Pinch of salt
Big pinch of black pepper
1 ½ cups of red wine
1 Cup chicken stock (it is ok to use stock cubes diluted in water as per instruction)
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
3 teaspoons of brown sugar
20 g butter (I know … more butter 🙂 )
250g cooked beetroot cut into 1cm x 1cm cubes

Method
1. Add the oil and butter to a pot then add the onion – caramalise the onions over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Onions need to have that beautiful honey colour.
2. Add the mushrooms, thyme, rosemary and the salt and pepper. Fry for a further 10 minutes.
I love to hear the snap-crackle-pop of the thyme!
3. Add the red wine and garlic and de-glaze the pan.
4. Then add the chicken stock and the tomato paste. Simmer till half the amount is left.
This is important – it needs to be a thickish sauce consistency.
5. Add the rest of the butter and let it melt. Taste and season.
6. Sieve through a fine sieve and add the beetroot blocks. Set aside.
7. Keep the big onion pieces and oyster mushrooms aside – discard the thyme and rosemary.
8. Heat the oil in the pan and fry the ostrich according to your taste – medium rare for me. Season meat to your taste.
9. Add the onions and mushrooms (that you used in the jus) and fry these with the steak.
11. Take the steak out of the frying pan to rest (let it rest for least 8 minutes) and add the red wine jus to the steak juices. The jus is now going to be infused with the steak flavours. OH! that is so yummy.
10. To serve: Put the steak on a plate – add some onion pieces and giant oyster mushroom on top. Then pour some jus at the bottom of the plate. Dress with a few blocks of beetroot around the steak.

Happy Braaiing … remember where there’s smoke … there is a braai!

Apr17

the simplicity of mince meat + chillies + basil . a thai match made in heaven

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When I arrived at home on Friday night there was a huge red gift on my kitchen table from my loving husband. It was a huge, huge bag of red chillies – do you perhaps think he wanted to tell me something? Anyway, seeing these beautiful chillies took me back to Thailand – and my dear friend Pierre (kitchenbabble.com) in Bangkok. In 2010 I was privileged enough to spend a week in Bangkok where we shared the most wonderful times preparing all sorts of Thai dishes and specialities … but back to the chillies … chillies can be found in nearly every Thai dish or element of Thai cuisine – and rightfully so. I left Bangkok with the most fantastic memories and loads of recipes … but this one – Pierre’s Grapua Moo Sub is my ultimate favourite. Its easy to make and soooo tasty! Just so you know though … I added a bit of lemon juice and black pepper to the dish. Its heaven when that yellow of the egg breaks and spills over the cooked mince and rice. This recipe serves 3-4 people.

500g extra lean mince meat
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
8 cloves of garlic – finely crushed – I love grating my garlic on the smallest side of the grater
2 teaspoons of fish sauce – I tend to use more – taste and see what your palette says
3 – 4 red chillies – chopped -I don’t take the seeds out – I do like things hot
nice big pinch of freshly grounded black pepper
big squeeze of lemon juice
huge handful of fresh basil leaves – please be generous
3-4 eggs (1 egg per person)
cooked basmati rice or if you prefer normal rice

Heat your oil add your mince and loosen the meat with your fork – brown your mince in the pan.
It must be loose, fine and brown. Fry slowly till the meat is cooked. Now all you do is add the garlic, fish sauce, chillies and pepper. Stir it and let it cook for a few minutes. Add the lemon juice, taste and correct the seasoning with salt (I prefer fish sauce) and pepper. Poach or fry the eggs( if you fry your eggs make sure that these are sunny-side up and soft).

To serve:
Add the fresh basil to the mince. Scoop some rice into a bowl. Then add some mince to the rice. Top the dish with a soft poached or fried egg – season you egg with salt to taste. Enjoy!