Savouring the tastes of South Africa’s unique culinary offerings is what dining at The Restaurant at Franschhoek’s Grande Provence is all about. This recipe forms part of our Grande Provence feature in our September 2018 issue.
Pickled beetroot salad, sultana-and-amasi crème, Cape Malay pampoenkoekies, local asparagus and fynbos vinaigrette
Savouring the tastes of South Africa's unique culinary offerings is what dining at The Restaurant at Franschhoek's Grande Provence is all about. This recipe forms part of our Grande Provence feature in our September 2018 issue.
Ingredients
PAMPOENKOEKIES
- 500g pumpkin, cooked and puréed
- 1 large egg, whisked
- 125g cake flour
- 5g baking powder
- 55g Parmesan, finely grated
- 6g (1 tsp) salt
- 3g (1 tsp) toasted cumin seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar
- 2g (1 tsp) toasted coriander seeds, crushed in a pestle and mortar
- 8g (1 tsp) honey
- 5g fresh coriander, chopped
- 60g salted butter
SULTANA-AND-AMASI CRÈME
- 500ml amasi, placed in a sieve lined with cheesecloth/muslin to drain overnight
- 30g (2 tbsp) double-thick/thick plain Greek yoghurt
- juice of 1 lime
- 50g sultanas, finely chopped
- pinch salt, to taste
PICKLED BEETROOT SALAD
- 200g castor sugar
- 300ml white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves
- 2 fresh/dried bay leaves
- 2 star anise
- 3g (2 tsp) coarse black peppercorns
- 5 golden and red medium beetroots, scrubbed and thinly sliced using a mandolin slicer
LOCAL ASPARAGUS
- 9 fresh asparagus spears
- 30ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil
- pinch salt, to taste
FYNBOS VINAIGRETTE
- 100ml Rozendal Fynbos Botanical Vinegar
- 4g (1 tsp) wholegrain Dijon mustard
- 50g (2 tsp) honey
- 150ml extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh baby rocket, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
For the pampoenkoekies, combine the puréed pumpkin, whisked egg, cake flour, baking powder, finely grated Parmesan, 6g (1 tsp) salt, crushed cumin, coriander seeds, honey and fresh coriander together in a large bowl. Mix until a smooth batter forms. Set aside.
Heat the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the frying pan. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 2 - 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside until ready to serve.
For the sultana-and-amasi crème, place the drained amasi in a large bowl. Whisk in the yoghurt and lime juice. Add the sultanas and season with the pinch of salt, to taste. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Set aside until needed.
For the pickled beetroot salad, place all of the salad ingredients (except for the beetroots) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer of medium heat. Continue to simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the golden beetroot slices in a large resealable bag, and the red beetroot slices in a separate resealable bag. Divide the warm liquid between the two bags. Carefully seal the bags, making sure to smooth out as much air as possible. Store the bags in a warm, draught-free space, flat side down, to pickle overnight.
For the local asparagus, place the fresh asparagus spears, 30ml (2 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil and the pinch of salt in a bowl. Toss until the asparagus is completely coated with the oil and seasoning. Transfer the spears to a small baking tray and grill under a very hot grill, turning occasionally, until charred in places, about 10 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on the asparagus as they can burn easily.
For the fynbos vinaigrette, place the vinegar, mustard and 50g (2 tsp) honey in a blender. Blitz until combined. Slowly add the 150ml extra-virgin olive oil, blitzing continuously until smooth. Set aside.
To serve, place slices of the red pickled beetroot on 4 plates. Top with the slices of the golden pickled beetroots. Pipe a dollop of the sultana-and-amasi-crème on the side of each plate. Place a Cape Malay pampoenkoekie and three asparagus spears on each plate. Serve with the fynbos vinaigrette alongside. Garnish with fresh baby rocket, if desired.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
