It was a warm and flavour full week in the African Relish kitchen. Eric and Lalie Kossatz joined us all the way from Somerset West for some tasty Karoo Tapas and sweet, decadent desserts.

TAPAS AND DESSERTS

They are avid foodies and loves to experiment with flavours. Eric baked very good bread, made pastries among other things and Lalie showed off her hand at baking and produced fantastic desserts and great flavours.

ON THE MENU

They made their own springroll pastry for the tapas menu and made the most delicious curried cucumber relish and “Blindevinkies” (Venison steak wrapped in bacon with a peppercorn cream sauce) to go with basil pesto stuffed bread fresh from the oven. In the decadent desserts class they made their own ginger biscuits for the crust of the rich chocolate and black pepper tart and made their own puff pastry to make the perfect plum tarte tatin. We worked with some fresh berries and gelatine to produce the smoothest yoghurt and cream panna cotta with berry coulis.

 

 RECIPES

 Curried cucumbers

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 kg English cucumbers, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

500 g onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 cups white vinegar

2 tbsp curry powder

2 tsp mustard powder

4 tbsp cornflour mixed into a little water

Method:

Bring the water to the boil and cook the cucumbers and onions for 8 minutes. Add the salt and sugar and simmer slowly until sugar has dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and boil the mixture until it thickens.

 

Chocolate tart with ginger cookie crust

Ingredients:

Crust:

230 g gingersnap cookies (about 32 cookies), coarsely broken

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Pinch of salt

 

Filling:

340 g bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 large egg yolks

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger

METHOD

For crust:

Preheat oven to 160°C. Finely grind gingersnap cookies in processor (yielding 1 1/2 to 1 2/3 cups). Add melted butter and salt; process until moistened. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Place pan on rimmed baking sheet.

For filling:

Combine finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and heavy whipping cream in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove saucepan from heat. Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar, flour, ground black pepper, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Very gradually whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until smooth and blended. Pour chocolate filling into crust.

Bake chocolate tart until filling puffs slightly at edges and center is softly set, about 30 minutes. Transfer to rack. Sprinkle chopped crystallized ginger over top. Cool tart in pan 20 minutes. Gently remove tart pan sides and cool tart completely.

NOTES: Chocolate tart can be made 1 day ahead. Cover tart and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.