Beef and Potato Sofrito, a recpe by the Bard of Bat Yam(#BardOfBatYam), Poet Laureate Of Zio (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori

For Sephardic Jews who descend from the Balkans, this casserole evokes memories of Friday-night dinners. The term sofrito does not refer to a specific dish but rather to a technique: First, potatoes are briefly deep-fried and then added to a pot where beef or chicken has been slowly braising. The result is a golden-brown pot roast with meltingly tender meat and potatoes that have retained their shape despite the lengthy cooking.

Apparently not just Sephardic Jews yearn for food cooked this way. For many years, I have been trying to re-create my grandmother Rosa's zharkoye ("pot roast" in Russian). I prepared a few recipes by the same name, but none came close, until I made a sofrito. It had that juicy yet crispy texture and the deep flavors I was looking for. Rosa was a native of Bessarabia (a province of Romania), and her cooking, though formally Ashkenazi, was strongly influenced by the Balkans. Who knows? Perhaps it was sofrito I was looking for all these years.
Note: Authentic sofrito calls for deep-frying the potatoes, but I found that roasting them produces almost identical results with much less oil involved.

Ingredients

1/3-cup vegetable oil
2 pounds stewing beef, such as chuck or brisket, sliced or cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dash of ground turmeric or sweet paprika
1 head garlic, halved
½ cup boiling water, or more if needed
10 red or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

Directions

Heat half of the oil in a large heavy pot or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides. Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric.
Add the garlic and boiling water, cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to the minimum, and cook for 2 hours. Add a bit of water if the liquid in the pot dries out. The idea is to cook the dish in as little liquid as possible.
While the meat is cooking, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Arrange the potato wedges on a baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and crisp on the out¬side and partially cooked inside.
Add the potato wedges to the pot with the meat (after it has cooked for about 2 hours). Cover and simmer on the lowest heat for another hour.

Notes

Variations
• Chicken Sofrito Substitute 10 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks for the beef.
• Substitute the same amount of unpeeled fingerlings or other very small potatoes for the potato wedges.
• Add 6 to 8 very small, whole peeled onions together with the meat.
• Add 2 teaspoons baharat spice mix (see page 150) with the salt and pepper.
• As a homage to my grandmother's zharkoye, I sometimes add 10 to 12 prunes to the casserole along with the liquids.
Serves about 6-8

Easy Pesachdik Cakes , recipes by the Bard of Bat Yam ( #BardofBatYam) , Poet Laureate of Zion(#PoetLaureate of Zion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendarori, #stephendrus)

Passover, with its flour ban, creates difficulties for even the most adept of bakers, and many people crave inspiration. Here is a traditional cake, along with some new tempting variations.


Ingredients


9 tablespoons Passover margarine or butter
2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup cake meal
2/3 cup potato flour (potato starch)
1 1/2 teaspoons Passover baking powder
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons milk or water
6-8 tablespoons jam of your choice
superfine sugar, for dusting


Directions


Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 7-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, cream the margarine or butter with the sugars until light and fluffy. Separate the eggs and beat in the yolks only. Sift in the cake meal, potato flour, and baking powder, and fold in carefully. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add a spoonful of the egg white to the cake batter and mix in thoroughly. Now fold in the rest of the eggs whites, taking care not to knock out any air. Spoon the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until risen and golden.

After the cake has cooled, slice in half horizontally and spread the bottom half with jam. Replace the top half and sprinkle superfine sugar over the top.


Variations


Coffee and walnut cake (pictured): Add 2 tablespoons instant coffee dissolved in 1-tablespoon hot water and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Fold in before you add the egg whites. For coffee frosting combine 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar with 1 1/2-2 tablespoons strong black coffee. Beat well and pour over the cake. Decorate with extra walnuts.

Lemon/orange and vanilla cake: Add the grated zest of 1 lemon or orange and 1-tablespoon vanilla sugar. Cream with the margarine and sugar.

Fruit cake: Soak 1 cup mixed dried fruit in the juice of 1 orange or lemon until plump. Add with the egg yolks.

Carrot cake: Add 1 1/2 cups grated carrot, the zest of 1 orange, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add with the egg yolks.

Almond cake: Add 2 drops of almond extract. Cream with the margarine and sugar. Sprinkle the top with 1 cup sliced almonds before baking.

Lemon drizzle cake: Add the grated zest of 1 lemon. Cream with the margarine and sugar. Combine 1/4 cup lemon juice with 2/3 cup sugar and pour over the cake when it is out of the oven.

Chocolate cake: Melt 6 oz. Passover chocolate and fold in before adding the egg whites.

Cinnamon apple cake: Spread the cake mixture into a lined jelly-roll-style pan. Top with 3 1/2 cups (1 lb.) peeled and sliced apples. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup superfine sugar, and dust with 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon. Bake and then cut into squares. Serve with Kosher non-dairy whipped cream.

Bobba Sarah Kaplan Drus's Gefilte Fish , edited and updated by her grandson, the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam), Poet Laureate of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori

Making gefilte fish is a challenge. My mother made it − my grandmother made it − and I had to make it. In order to become a real Balabusta (woman of the house) I had to prove myself in the kitchen. Challah, chicken soup, and gefilte fish had to be made. Once they were tried and successful - you knew that you were on the way to becoming a Balabusta. The first time I made it -- I was so proud.


Ingredients:

2 carrots
1 large onion
1/2 cup water
1 raw egg
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/4 pounds fresh ground fish -- either carp or a mixture of carp, white fish and/or pike. The fishes can be mixed. Nile perch is a new addition to our list of fishes. Nile perch is used alone.


Directions:

Grind together all the Ingredients, and then mix in the ground fish. At this point the fish may be formed into logs -- approx 3" wide and 12" long - wrapped tightly into tin foil for freezing. Frozen fish may be cooked in the log form. It is easy to slice for individual servings. Or, ovals about the size of a pear can be formed. Drop them into boiling sauce and allow them to cook slowly for 2 hours. Let cool before removing the fish balls from the sauce.


Cooking Sauce for Gefilte Fish

4 cups water
4 carrots
3 onions
1 Tbsp salt & 1 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp sugar
fish bones and heads


Bring to a boil and add the fish balls or logs.


Serve with Horseradish on a bed of lettuce. A slice of the cooked carrot adds color to the dish.

Chocolate Covered Matzo Toffee , a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate of Zion (#PoetLaureaeOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendarori,#stephendarori)

Ingredients

4 boards of unsalted matzo
1 cup unsalted butter
1-cup brown sugar, well-packed
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup chopped, toasted nuts such as walnuts or almonds (optional)

Directions

Line two baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange two of the matzo boards on each sheet.
In a heavy-bottomed, three-quart saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Simmer the mixture for 3 minutes or until it reaches 240 degrees.
Carefully ladle the toffee over the matzo boards and spread with a spatula.
Transfer the baking sheets to the refrigerator and chill until the toffee is firm, at least ten minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over extremely low heat or using a double boiler or in the microwave. (Be careful not to burn!)
Ladle the melted chocolate over the toffee-covered matzo and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts or other toppings, if using, on top of the still warm chocolate.
Transfer the baking sheets back to the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate is hardened.
To serve break into pieces... Caution- Addictive!

Serves about 8

Sarah Kaplan Drus's Whole Wheat Spinach Matzah Balls , updated and edited by her grandson , the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion ( #PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendarori, #stepehendrus)

Sarah Kaplan Drus was the the founder of the Socialist Poalei Zion Movement in Cape Town in 1921 and a founding member of the South African Communist Party. Following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in August 1939, Poalei Zion split from the South African Communist Party and became the Bnoth Zion which is today the largest Jewish Women's Organisation in South Africa. The primary activity of this organisation remains running free creches and nursery schools for Blacks and Coloureds in and around Cape Town, Soweto and Alexandra, some of which are in the same location as those started by Poalei Zion in the 1920s. Ethel Drus , her daughter was a key member of the Committee of 12 , Mandela , Matthews and Tambo + 9 Jewish Academics and Lawyers that drafted the Freedom Charter 

Makes 12

Ingredients

2 eggs and 2 egg whites
1 ¼ tsp. coarse kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 10-oz. package frozen
chopped spinach, thawed
2 tbsp. oil
2 tbsp. seltzer
½ cup whole wheat matzah meal
½ cup regular matzah meal

Directions
Process spinach in a food processor (you can skip this, but it won’t look as nice), then add in eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper, oil and seltzer and pulse a few more times to combine. Pour into a bowl and mix in matzah meal. Cover and chill for at least one hour or overnight; the longer it sits the fluffier it will be.

Bring large pot of generously salted water to boil. Using wet hands, shape matzah mixture into 16 balls; drop into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer matzah balls to the soup.

Sarah Kaplan Drus's Lithuanian Beef-Stuffed Matzah Balls , updated and edited by her grandson, the Bard of Bat Yam(#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#PoetLaureateOf Zion ) and Stephen Darori (#stephendrus,

Sarah Kaplan Drus was the the founder of the Socialist Poalei Zion Movement in Cape Town in 1921 and a founding member of the South African Communist Party. Following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in August 1939, Poalei Zion split from the South African Communist Party and became the Bnoth Zion which is today the largest Jewish Women's Organisation in South Africa. The primary activity of this organisation remains running free creches and nursery schools for Blacks and Coloureds in and around Cape Town, Soweto and Alexandra, some of which are in the same location as those started by Poalei Zion in the 1920s. Ethel Drus , her daughter was a key member of the Committee of 12 , Mandela , Matthews and Tambo + 9 Jewish Academics and Lawyers that drafted the Freedom Charter 

– Makes 8-10

Filling:
¼ pound ground beef
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp. softened chicken fat
or margarine
2 tbsp. matzah meal, approximately
pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Matzah Balls:
2 large eggs
2 cups water
10 tsp. chicken fat or margarine
plus more for greasing pan
1 ¼ cups matzah meal
1 tsp. salt
3 quarts rapidly boiling salted water
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions
For the filling, heat the oil in a medium skillet and sauté the beef until brown. Drain and cool and then mix with the egg yolks, chicken fat, matzah meal, salt and cinnamon. Refrigerate at least one hour.

For the matzah balls, begin by beating the eggs well in a bowl. Add the water and chicken fat and mix well. Add the matzah meal and salt to make a soft mass. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Divide the matzah meal mixture in to 8 to 10 balls of equal size. Flatten them and place a teaspoon of the filling in the center of each, before pinching the edges together to form balls.
Place the matzah balls in to the boiling water, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Drain the matzah balls and place in a pan greased with the remaining chicken fat and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve each matzah ball in a bowl with chicken soup.

Vienna Apple-Stuffed Dessert Dumplings, a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori

 Makes 12

Filling:

1 medium-sized apple, peeled, cored and grated
3 tbsp. coarsely chopped almonds
2 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. grated lemon zest


Matzah Balls

3 squares of water matzah
3 large eggs
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup finely chopped almonds
grated zest of one lemon
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. softened chicken fat,
butter or margarine
3-4 tbsp. matzah meal
vegetable oil for deep frying
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
For the filling: Combine the apple, almonds, sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest in a bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the matzah balls: Crumble the matzah and soak in warm water until soft. Drain and squeeze out the matzah as well as possible.

Combine the matzah with the eggs, 1/4 cup of the sugar, almonds, lemon zest, salt, chicken fat and matzah meal in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Form the matzah mixture in to walnut-sized balls. Flatten them and place a teaspoon of filling in the center of each ball, then close the ball up and pinch to seal around the filling.
In a heavy frying pan, heat two inches of oil to about 375 F. Fry the dumplings several at a time, turning after a minute or so, until they’re golden brown.

Remove to a paper towel to drain.
Mix the remaining two tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon together and roll the balls in the mixture. Serve immediately.

Pesachdik Vegetarian Kishke, a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam), Poet LareateOf Zion(#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendrus,#stephendarori)

Kishka or kishke (Slovene: kašnica; Belarusian кішка, kishka; Polish: kiszka / kaszanka; Romanian chişcă; Yiddishקישקע; Lithuanian vėdarai; Hebrew קישקע; Russian кишка; Ukrainian кишка) refers to various types of sausage or stuffed intestine with a filling made from a combination of meat and meal, often a grain. The dish is popular across Eastern Europeas well as with immigrant communities from those areas. It is also eaten by Ashkenazi Jews who prepare their version according to kashrut dietary laws. 

A nice Passover side dish, Vegetarian Kishke, is also good added to the top of cholent mixture and cooked with the cholent.

Ingredients:

4 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup water
2 cups matzoh meal
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons parve chicken bouillion powder*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add all vegetables to bowl of food processor, and with steel knife, pulse to combine.

Put into a bowl, and mix in matzoh meal, oil and water.

Combine mixture with spoon, and add seasonings

Cut strips of parchment approximately 12” x 15”, Shape half or one-third of mixture into a loaf and roll up to resemble an 8” cylinder; twist ends of parchment to seal (should make 2 -3 loafs) Place on a baking pan, and bake for approximately 50 minutes . This works nicely in cholent as well. Lay wrapped cylinders on top of cholent mixture and allow to cook with cholent. If planning to use in cholent pot, make smaller cylinders.

Pesach Lukshen

.

Ingredients

8 eggs
1 cup potato starch
1 cup water
½ teaspoon salt
oil, for frying

Directions

Beat eggs lightly; add remaining ingredients.
Don't overbeat.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10" nonstick frying pan. Pour a scant ¾ cup batter into hot pan and swirl to cover the bottom completely. As soon as batter is set, use a spatula to carefully flip over for 15 seconds. Remove from pan and continue until all batter is finished. You may need to regrease pan between crepes.
Roll a few crepes up at a time and slice thinly to make "lukshen."

12-16 Crepes

Sweet Lemon Lukshen (Noodle) Kugel, a recipe from the Bard Of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam), Poet Laureate of Zion( #PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori

A kugel is generally a side dish of sorts. It can be sweet or savory, and served with almost any meal. In some observant Jewish houses, (such as mine!) it doesn’t feel like Shabbos (Sabbath) without potato kugel (a casserole of sorts, featuring finely ground potatoes). In many cases, especially for a holiday like Rosh Hashanah, where the tradition is to eat sweet foods, a sweet kugel is a great accompaniment to a meal.


Ingredients:

1 12-oz box egg noodles (fettuccine or spaghetti shape)

5 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup oil

zest and juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a mixing bowl with a whisk, beat eggs lightly. Add sugar, vanilla, oil and lemon. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Add noodles and stir to combine.

Choose one of the following baking options:

a) Pour entire mixture into 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

b) Divide mixture in half and pour into 2 9-inch round pans. Bake 50 minutes to an hour.

c) Spoon mixture into greased muffin pans. (Make sure to distribute the liquid evenly.) Bake 22-27 minutes.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Kneidlach Soup Recipe, a recipe by the Bard Of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate of Zion(#POetLareateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendrus,#stephendarori))

Matzah balls (Yiddish: קניידלעך‎ kneydlekh pl., singular קניידל kneydl; with numerous other transliterations) or matzo balls are Ashkenazi Jewish soup dumplings made from a mixture of matzah meal, eggs, water, and a fat, such as oil, margarine, or chicken fat. Matzah balls are traditionally served in chicken soup and are a staple food on the Jewish holiday of Passover.The next best thing to the real thing..Homemade vegetarian broth with Matzo Balls. Healthy, easy and delicious! It is Passover, everyday friendly and freezes well.


Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For the Matzo Balls:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 cup seltzer
4 eggs

For the Soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup peeled, chopped sweet potatoes
1 cup peeled, chopped parsnips
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 cup minced fresh dill
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

For the matzo balls: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, salt, and pepper until well combined. Add matzo meal and seltzer; mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make the soup: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, sweet potato, parsnips, ginger, and garlic; cook, stirring, until lightly browned- about 2 minutes. Add water or broth, bay leaves, and thyme; reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Do not let liquid come to a boil. Remove from heat; strain and discard solids. Add dill and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate or freeze.

To Cook Matzo Balls
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
Moisten hands with water. Using your hands, form matzo ball batter into about 1 1/2-inch balls. At this point, matzo balls can be transferred to freezer until frozen and then transferred to airtight containers or plastic bags and kept frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen matzo balls can be added directly to boiling water.
When ready to cook, place matzo balls in boiling water; cover and cook until light and fluffy, about 20 minutes. Carefully transfer matzo balls to warm soup; Enjoy!

Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew... a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam(#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephe Darori (@stephendarori,#Stephendarori, #stephendrus)

Serves 10 to 12
Inspired by the classic French stew, cassoulet, this is a shortcut version with a few substitutions, such as using canned beans instead of dried. Serve with a garlicky green salad to balance the rich flavors.

Ingredients:

2 ounces sliced bacon, chopped
4 chicken leg quarters, cut into 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks, skin removed
12 ounces smoked Andouille chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 onions, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 large sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added white beans, such as Great Northern, drained
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups coarse fresh whole wheat breadcrumbs


Method 
Cook bacon in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a bowl. Add the chicken to the pot and cook until lightly browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter and set aside. Add sausage to the pot and cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer sausages to bowl with bacon. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pot.

Add onions to the pot and cook until soft and almost translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste and cloves. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine, broth, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add chicken, submerge it in the liquid, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is fully tender and cooked through.

Remove the cover from the pot and remove and discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Gently stir in bacon, sausage, drained beans, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before stew is done, preheat oven to 400°F. Place breadcrumbs on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast about 8 minutes or until lightly golden, stirring once. Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over the surface of the stew and bake, uncovered, until crumbs are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 20 minutes before serving.
.

Soupe a l'oignon (French onion soup) ,,, a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion ( #PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (#stephendarori, @stephendarori,#stephendrus)

The French, without doubt, makes the best onion soup in the world: it is a perfect combination of smooth textures and flavours.

While every region and bistro across France has its own version of this classic dish, very few non-French restaurants seem to be able to make a decent bowl of French onion soup.

We cannot understand why, because it is a simple enough dish to prepare at home, as we do on cold and wet winter nights (that is, frequently).

This excellent recipe for French onion soup, from Fran Ward’s lovely cookbook "New Bistro", is the best we’ve made in a very long time. For the best results, use a good table wine, high-quality, low-salt beef stock, and a baguette (French bread stick). Enjoy!

Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 6 large onions, finely sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml or approximately 25 gram) flour
• 750 ml (3 cups) beef stock
• 250 ml (1 cup) red wine
• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 16 slices of French bread, each about 2 cm thick
• 100 gram grated cheese (Gruyere, or a good cheddar)

Method

1. Sauté the onions and garlic very gently in a saucepan, over medium heat, for 30 minutes.
2. Increase the heat and sauté for a further 5 minutes to colour the onions, but be very careful not to burn it.
3. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and mix in well.
4. Slowly pour in the stock while stirring gently. The flour should dissolve completely.
5. Add wine and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. You might not even need the extra seasoning, depending on the quality of the stock and wine
6. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and leave to simmer for at least an hour, stirring from time to time
7. Toast the bread on one side under the grill.
8. Ladle the soup into oven-proof soup bowls and top each bowl with four slices of bread, toasted side down.
9. Top each with grated cheese and grill until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Pampoen-poffers en stroop (Deep fried pumpkin fritters with caramel syrup) ... a recipe by the Bard Of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam), Poet Laureate of Zion (#POetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (@stephendarori, #stephendarori, #stephendrus )

Every winter, our friend Hannie organises a mid-winter pumpkin feast to lighten the winter greyness – if only for one weekend – and her colourful, sweet pumpkin fritters are one of the star attractions.

Recipes for pumpkin fritter sauce often use more sugar, but Hannie’s cinnamon caramel sauce is just right. In fact, it is delicious.

Makes about 3 dozen pumpkin fritters, enough for 12 people if served as a side dish.

Ingredients

Fritters

• 3 cups (750 gram) crown pumpkin, cooked, mashed and well-drained (add a cinnamon quill when you cook it for more flavour)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 2 cups (500 ml or 275 gram) self raising flour
• 3 teaspoons (15 ml) baking powder
• 500 ml oil for frying

Syrup

• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) custard powder
• 1 cup (250 ml) sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Fritters

1. Ensure that the cooked pumpkin is well drained.
2. Beat eggs, add to pumpkin and mix.
3. Sift the self-raising flour, salt and baking powder together and mix with pumpkin to form a soft dough.
4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
5. Scoop batter into frying oil using a dessertspoon and fry until light brown and cooked through.
6. Drain on kitchen paper.

Keep warm in serving dish.

Syrup

1. Add a little of the cold water to the custard powder and mix to form a smooth paste.
2. Heat the rest of the water in a saucepan and dissolve the sugar in it.
3. Add butter and cinnamon and bring to the boil.
4. Stir in the custard powder paste and boil for a minute.

Pour sauce over warm fritters and serve immediately.

South African Putu pap (also known as krummelpap and crumbly porridge) .... a recipe by the Bard of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (@stephendarori, #stephendarori, #stephendrus )

Pap – a porridge made from maize (corn) meal – is the staple food of southern Africa.

Putu pap is also known as krummelpap, which means "crumbly porridge". It is made with very little water, giving it a dry and crumbly texture.

It is usually combined with a tomato-and-onion sauce, such as sheba sauce or chakalaka sauce, and served as a side dish together with barbecued meat or boerewors (braaivleis).

People in the Western Cape tend to eat krummelpap with milk and sugar for breakfast.

4 generous portions

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (600 ml) boiling water
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt
• 2½ cups (400 gram) Maize Meal
• A knob of butter

Method

1. Pour boiling water and salt into saucepan with a thick base and a lid. Bring to boil.
2. Add the maize meal to the boiling water.
3. Close the lid, without stirring.
4. Reduce heat. Simmer gently for 5 minutes.
5. Remove lid and stir well with a wooden spoon or a large kitchen fork.
6. Replace lid, reduce heat and steam for about half an hour, until done, but be careful not to burn it.
7. Fluff with a fork or wooden spoon a few times during cooking.

Notes: 

You can add frozen corn to the pap, before steaming it.

Add a knob of butter to the pap shortly before fluffing it for the last time, this adds to its flavour.

Boerewors... the art of making it by the Bard of Bat Yam( #BardOfBatYam), Poet LaureateOf Zion (#PoetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (@stephendarori,#stephendarori, #stephendrus)

There are many recipes for boerewors, but this recipe for traditional boerewors from Sannie Smit, is a simple basic recipe to start from.

Ingredients

• 1,5 kg minced beef
• 1,5 kg deboned pork
• 500 gram pork fat (use the firm pork fat directly under the skin)
• 50 ml (3 tablespoons/20 gram) whole coriander seed, singed and ground
• 25 ml (5 teaspoons/30 gram) salt
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground black pepper
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground cloves
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) brown vinegar
• About 90 gram intestine for casing (preferably pork intestine)
• Optional: 15 ml (1 tablespoon) fresh thyme

Method

1. Lightly scorch the coriander in a frying pan, over medium heat, to release its flavour. Let it cool down, grind it, and sieve to remove the husks.
2. Cube the meat into 50 mm cubes and mix all ingredients together, except the pork fat and vinegar.
3. Mince coarsely and place meat in large bowl.
4. Cube the pork fat into very small (about 3 mm) cubes.
5. Add the pork fat and vinegar to the minced meat mixture and mix well but lightly (a two pronged fork works well).
6. Soak intestine or casing for at least 30 minutes in lukewarm water before using a sausage maker to filling it with the wors mixture.
7. Do not over- or under-fill the casings.

Notes: 

Use fresh, high quality meat.

Frozen meat should not be used, as it will discoloured.

Take care not to over-handle the minced meat: it should have a loose, rough texture and should not be too firm.

Store freshly-made wors in the fridge for at least a day so that the flavours can develop.

Raw boerewors can be frozen, but not for more than two months

Tamatiesmoor (Sheba Sauce).... a recipe by the Bard Of Bat Yam (#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate Of Zion (#POetLaureateOfZion) and Stephen Darori (@stephendarori, #StephenDarori), #StephenDrus)

The perfect accompanying sauce for crumbly putu pap.

Ingredients

• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 2 r more cloves of garlic, crushed
• 4 large, ripe tomatoes, finely chopped, or a 400 gram can of tinned, whole tomatoes, chopped (don't drain)
• 1 capsicum / greenpepper (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar
• Salt and black pepper
• Fresh herbs - basil, parsley, oregano, to taste

Method

1. Lightly brown the onion in butter or oil.
2. Add remaining ingredients and cook briskly, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Notes: 

If you prefer a spicy Chakalaka sauce, you can add stronger flavours to this basic tomato and onion sauce, such as chilli, ginger, paprika, or curry powder.

For a healtier option, add grated carrot and or tinned beans.

Mascarpone and date tart... a recipe from the Bard of Bat Yam(#BardOfBatYam) , Poet Laureate of Zion( #PoetLaurate of Zion ) and Stephen Darori

Simply yummy the Date Tart

 

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 125g butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon chilled water
• 1 Packet of dried pitted dates safari will do
• 1/2 cup of chopped almonds
• 5 ginger cookies
• 1 tbs Brandy
• 250g mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• double cream, to serve
• cocoa powder, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Place the flour and butter into a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and chilled water. Process until the dough just comes together.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Form into a circle, 3cm thick and 15cm in diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 23cm (base measurement) fluted tart tin. Roll the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line the tart tin. Ease the pastry into the prepared tart tin and trim any excess. Place in the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
3. Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and fill with pastry weights, rice or dried beans. Place the tart tin onto a baking tray, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights, rice or dried beans. Cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until light golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
4. Place the dates almonds and ginger cookies in a blender with a tabelspoon of brandy and blend. Place this mix on the the pastry base. Combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Gently pour custard mixture over dates.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the custard is golden and set. Cool and refrigerate. Serve with double cream and dusted with cocoa powder, if desired