Braai Day menus with a fusion of SA tastes

Students at the Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine and the Hospitality Trainers and Associates (HTA) School of Culinary Art were asked to suggest Braai Day menus that incorporate traditional South African favourites.

On the Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine menu are kettle braai pizzas with a fusion of South African toppings; stuffed baked butternut; and a malva pudding with fruit compote. The HTA School of Culinary Art’s menu includes lager-marinated chicken; feta and biltong salad; and grilled line fish with Cape Malay fennel and apricot chutney, served on grilled bell peppers.

Jackie Cameron School of Food and Wine menu

Kettle braai pizza

(Notes: Makes about 4 pizzas, depending on the thickness; make the pizza dough the day before; Weber pizza stone needed.)

Ingredients for Graeme Taute’s rustic artisan pizza base:

770g white bread flour

2¼ t salt

1½ t instant yeast

680ml ice water

• Pour the ice water into the bowl of your mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix at a low speed using a paddle attachment until the ingredients come together. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.
• Continue mixing for 5–6 minutes at a high speed. The dough should begin releasing from the sides of the bowl but still stick to the bottom. If it doesn’t release from the sides, gradually add more flour, one teaspoon at a time, until it does. If the dough seems too stiff and has released from both the bottom and sides, dribble in more water.
• Once mixed, transfer to a well-oiled bowl, mist the top with spray oil, cover with cling film, and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove the dough from the fridge and let it ferment at room temperature for 2–3 hours until doubled in size.

Extras needed:

125ml cake flour; 100g salted butter, melted

Pizza toppings:

Biltong, droëwors, Mrs Balls chakalaka flavoured chutney, dhanya (coriander) and grated Boerenkaas.

• On the Weber kettle-direct heat, place the Weber Pizza Stone with Handles. Keep the lid on and heat the stone to sizzling. Dust the stone with cake flour. Drop about 500ml of the dough out onto the pizza stone and use the back of a large spoon to spread the dough out as thinly as possible, creating a rustic look. If the mixture sticks to the spoon, dip it in flour.
• With a pastry brush, brush the top of the pizza dough with melted butter to add extra flavour.
• Spread the fillings all over the pizza base as quickly as possible.
• Place the lid back on. The pizza takes about 5–10 minutes. Once the base is cooked, the pizza will lift from the pizza stone easily.

Stuffed sundried tomato, olive and feta baked butternut (on Weber Genesis or oven)

Ingredients:

1.5kg or 2 butternuts

50g sundried tomatoes

30g capers

2 slices bread, broken into small pieces

33g olives, pitted

50g chopped onions

2 eggs, lightly whisked

120g feta

Salt and pepper to season

12 g Cornflakes

50g salted butter

• Slice the butternuts in half, take out the seeds. Place into a pot of boiling water. Cook for about 30–45 minutes, under tender.
• Scrape some of the butternut out to make channels for the stuffing.
• Mix together the tomatoes, capes, bread, olives, onions, eggs, pureed extra butternut, and feta. Season well.
• Top with Cornflakes and butter.
• Bake for around 40 minutes in a medium-heat oven.

Chocolate and cinnamon malva pudding

(Notes: makes 2l ovenproof dish; uses kettle braai.)

Sauce ingredients:

375ml cream

125g salted butter

200ml white sugar

50ml cocoa powder

15ml cinnamon powder

1 cinnamon stick

• Start by making the sauce; place all the ingredients into a saucepan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.

Pudding ingredients:

30g salted butter

100ml white sugar

1 egg

5ml vanilla extract

45ml smooth apricot jam

5ml bicarbonate of soda

125ml full cream milk

250ml cake flour

50ml cocoa powder

1 pinch fine salt

20ml cinnamon powder

• Pre-heat the Weber to about 180°C and grease a 2l ovenproof dish with a lid.
• Whisk the butter and sugar together until creamy, then add the egg and vanilla extract and continue whisking until light and fluffy.
• Whisk in the jam.
• Dissolve the bicarb in the milk (this should look like it’s coming alive).
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon.
• Start by adding the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternatively with the milk mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the oven dish, pour half the sauce over, place the lid on and bake for 30 minutes.
• Then pour the remaining sauce over, and place back in the oven, with no lid, for a further 15 minutes, or until the centre of the pudding is cooked (the sauce must still bubble around the sides).
• Best served hot with fruit compote (see recipe below) and cream.

Dried fruit compote ingredients:

100g each of pitted prunes and dried bananas

200g dried apricots

60g dried pears

40g dried apple

5g star anise

10 whole cloves

5ml cinnamon

1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed

1l orange juice

250ml white sugar

• Place all the ingredients into a kettle braai wok attachment and bring to the boil. Allow to simmer until the fruit is soft

HTA School of Culinary Art’s menu (enough for 10–12 people)

Crispy lemon and lager marinated chicken with chakalaka puree

Ingredients:

2 large chickens, butterflied

4 lemons, juice and zest

2 cans beer

100g honey

1g cumin seeds

5g parsley

150ml olive oil

1g parsley for serving

• Place chickens flat in a large container and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix all the ingredients and pour over the chickens.
• Marinade for 2–3 hours before braaiing until cooked and crispy.

Chakalaka puree ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped

2 green chillies

2 cloves garlic, crushed

50g ginger, finely grated

5g mild curry powder

10g tomato paste

1 each green, red and yellow bell peppers, finely chopped

5 large carrots, scrubbed, topped, tailed and grated

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 can baked beans

2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

100ml lemon juice

• In a large pot, sauté the onion, chillies and garlic until translucent.
• Add the ginger, curry powder and tomato paste and sauté for another 2–3 minutes.
• Add the peppers, carrots and tomatoes and braise at medium heat for 20–30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and tender.
• Top up with a bit of water if needed.
• Add the beans, thyme, salt and pepper and braise for a further 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, add lemon juice, and blend until smooth. Add seasoning if needed.

To assemble:

• Spread the puree on the base of a serving platter and arrange the cut pieces of chicken on top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Grilled whole line fish, Cape Malay fennel and apricot chutney, grilled bell peppers, coriander (kettle braai)

Line fish:

4 whole round fish – heads on, scales and fins removed

4 lemons, sliced in rounds

80g fresh ginger, finely grated

200ml light soy sauce

4 whole chillies, finely chopped

1 punnet fennel – roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

500ml olive oil

• Score the sides of each fish with a sharp knife.
• Stuff the gills of each fish with a slice of lemon.
• Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the fish.
• Allow to sit for 30 minutes in the fridge.
• Get coals ready in a kettle braai.
• Scrape off the majority of the marinade and place fish directly on the braai grid.
• You are looking for a high-intensity heat.
• Allow the fish to caramelise on the grid for 5–8 minutes before gently turning.
• Put the lid of the braai on and allow to cook for a further 8–10 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

Note: The fish can also be prepared under the pre-heated grill element of an oven.

Fennel and apricot chutney:

2 bulbs fennel – roughly chopped (keep the fronds to fold in at the end)

200g dried apricots, roughly chopped

3 green apples, peeled and roughly chopped

1 white onion, roughly chopped

5g fennel seeds

2g coriander seeds

300ml red wine vinegar

250g sugar

500ml water

5g curry powder

1g turmeric powder

1 bay leaf

• Sauté fennel, apricots and apples in a large pot until soft.
• Add the remaining ingredients and simmer at low heat for 30–50 minutes until the fennel and apple are tender.
• Decant half of the mix into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
• Return the puree to the pot and mix with the unblended chutney.
• Allow to simmer for another 10–15 minutes at low heat until the mixture is thick and luscious.
• Adjust seasoning and cool to room temperature until needed.

Note: The chutney can also be bottled for later use.

Grilled bell peppers:

3 red pepper, whole

2 red pepper, whole

1 green pepper, whole

1 red onion, sliced

5g parsley chopped

50g honey

200ml olive oil

100ml red wine vinegar

20g wholegrain mustard

• Prepare coals in a kettle braai
• Once the flames have calmed down, place peppers directly on the hot grid.
• Allow to char completely while turning regularly.
• Place charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
• Allow to sweat for about 10 minutes before peeling the skin off and rinsing under cold water.
• Break the peppers open and remove the seeds.
• Cut the peppers into thin strips and add the thinly sliced onion.
• Mix the honey, olive oil, vinegar and mustard and stir into the pepper mix.
• Adjust seasoning to taste.

To assemble:

• Put peppers on the base of a serving platter.
• Gently place the cooked fish over the peppers and top with chutney and chopped coriander.

Note: Fish can be served at room temperature.

Biltong salad with cumin and fynbos honey butternut, feta cream, and a sparkling wine dressing

Butternut ingredients:

2 large whole butternut – peeled

20g cumin seeds

100g fynbos honey

200ml lemon juice

1g cayenne pepper

200ml olive oil

• Cut the butternuts in half and remove the seeds. Slice length-wise into thin wedges and arrange on a baking tray.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the butternut.
• Bake at 180℃ until slightly charred and fully cooked
• Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Feta cream ingredients:

500g Danish feta

250ml cream

1 lemon, juice and zest

10g chives chopped

1 pinch black pepper

• Blend feta in a food processor until smooth.
• Add the lemon juice, zest, chives and pepper and set aside.
• Whip the cream to a firm peak and fold it into the feta mixture.
• Season to taste and put in a piping bag before refrigerating for at least 1 hour before use.

Candied cashews ingredients:

200g cashew nuts

200g sugar

50g butter

1g salt flakes

50g sesame seeds

1g cayenne pepper

1. Toast the nuts and sesame seeds in a preheated oven at 180℃ for 4–6 minutes until golden brown.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the nuts, sugar and salt and stir over medium heat until the sugar has melted and slightly caramelised.
3. Spread the nuts onto a baking tray to cool down as fast as possible.
4. Break into smaller chards once cool.

Dressing:

1 red onion, finely chopped

5g chives, chopped

150ml apple cider vinegar

200ml olive oil

5g Dijon mustard

200ml sparkling wine or grape juice

50g sugar

• Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and season to taste.

Other ingredients:

• 300g sliced biltong
• 1 bag rocket, washed, dried and stems removed. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the leaves just before serving.

To assemble:

• On a serving platter, place most of the rocket and arrange the butternut wedges on top.
• Pipe the feta cream in litchi-sized mounds on and around the butternut, ensuring that each piece of butternut has some on it.
• Scatter with biltong and finish off with more rocket and candied nuts

Drizzle generously with dressing.