A Cape Recipe Book: Celebrate the Cape with Cooking!

And I cannot resist sharing this free recipe book! For me it congers up smells and tastes of home, sweet home!  http://www.wosa.co.za/download/Cape%20Kontrei%20Cuisine.pdf

South Africa Gem Squash:

Seeds can be found in Australia at http://www.satooz.com/categories/Gem-squash-and-Seeds/

Gem Squash are a tiny little round squash, a bit bigger than a tennis ball. You cut them in half and scoop out the seeds and boil or steam 'till soft. Add a dash of butter, salt and pepper and serve with your main meal. 

Favour?? Hard to describe, but I love them and always used them as a first food for my big children when they were babies. I remember two different flavours from South African days - a more watery, gentle flavour which I preferred, the texture was smoother. And the more pumpkin/butternut texture (thicker, flourier texture) which had a stronger flavour. Perhaps they are not two varieties as I always thought but as you see from this web site http://www.claireslittlegems.com.au/gem_squash.htm  it could be to do with when they are harvested!  I will have to grow my seeds to experiment and discover these finer details! I can't wait! (BTW that whole web site is about Gem squash! You must take a look at their recipes!)

We used to fill our squashies with peas or other veggies sometimes. Or hide our unwanted veggies under our upside down squashy skins and hope we would get away with not eating all our veggies. I remember being quite shocked to see a friend's family eat the skins, but sometimes they are soft enough to eat. 

As a Cape Townian who has lived in NZ for 10 years and in Brisbane for 7 and who has been without her gem squash for 7 years, I am desperate for a gem squash again! Better change that soon, hay! 

Cape Gooseberries

Cape Gooseberries from the Cape of Good Hope (Cape Town) as I remember are also very tart indeed...but made up as a jam with the sugar added - delicious!  Here are some interesting recipes I found on the net. 

http://alessandrazecchini.blogspot.com/ Cape gooseberry cupcakes, there is a link to a PDF along the left! A very interesting web site indeed! See her profile http://www.blogger.com/profile/12616072198034545392   and her jam

http://alessandrazecchini.blogspot.com/2011/02/cape-gooseberry-jam.html

Some more very interesting recipes:

http://inlovewithfood.blogspot.com/2009/02/cape-gooseberry-jam-easy-exotica.html

http://www.kendallfarms.com.au/Cape%20gooseberry.htm

http://thecookscottage.typepad.com/curry/2006/02/cape_gooseberry.html

http://hungrybruno.blogspot.com/2008/09/tarts-with-strawberry-tomatoes.html

http://chezus.com/2009/06/30/ground-cherry-clafoutis/#hcw

http://thehungerstruck.com/2010/05/21/gooseberry-galette/

http://honest-food.net/veggie-recipes/sweets-and-syrups/gooseberry-sorbet/

http://www.oldaussierecipes.com/jamsandconserves.htm

http://www.seedtosupper.com/tomatillos.html

I think the beautiful Cape Malay cooking used Cape Gooseberries (perhaps not, Mom thinks Gooseberries were used more by the Afrikaaner farmers.) But anyhow I cannot find a recipe online with Cape Malay links or any in my more modern recipe books…but something like the following recipe would be conducive to swapping the apricot jam for gooseberry jam http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/bo-kaap-cape-malay-kerrie-south-african-cape-malay-curry-ru289231.html

And this Cape Malay chutney (with a bit of sugar) I imagine would be conducive to adapting with Cape Gooseberries is my guess http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/recipes/cape-malay-mango-atjar-south-african-mango-chutney-ru289381.html

(These web sites explain the Cape Malay cultural background a bit http://capegooseberry.blogspot.com/2006/04/cape-malay-pickled-fish.html

http://www.tedbotha.com/articles/cape-spices.html )

Better get on with my garden and get some seeds planted so I can try these recipes!  YUMMY!

South African Easter Eggs

You cannot imagine my delight to find South African Easter here in Brisbane! After years of yearning for then it was fantastic to find them in our local African shop! They look like real eggs but are sugar coated chocolate eggs, plus they are not too sweet, yummy! Most of the eggs here I find just sweet and not chocolaty enough! But the biggest plus with these South African eggs is decorating them. This is what the kids and Granny and I did....using Royal Icing ( powder icing sugar with a little egg white- it goes hard if left in the air.) and Plastic Icing with the equivalent of gum tragicanth, I can't remember what they call it here, but it makes your modeling icing go hard as well. We also used jelly tots, another South African Sweetie, like jelly babies with sugar and round. Of course a round biscuit to work on, silver balls, cup cake papers for the finished product and a little imagination!  All ready as Easter gifts... enjoy.

Quiche/Savoury Pie

Quiche/savoury pie, with a difference - the difference being BIG 'n SIMPLE!

3,5 dozen eggs

2 cups milk (I don't always add the milk)

1,2kg cheese

1 kg sausages

1 kg bacon

2 kg frozen veggies ( we like corn bu have done mixed veggies too)

4 onions

Precook meat and onions, mix together and bake @ about 180 in glass dishes suitable for quiche until golden.

Cheese Scone Recipes:

My Mother's Cheese Muffins: Champion Cheese Muffins. Makes 12 medium sized. Easy to double, triple etc. 
(Times six in brackets)

2 cups grated Tasty Cheese. (12c)

1.5 c self raising flour (9 C)

0.5 t salt ( 2t)

1 T sugar (can be left out) (6T)

pinch cane pepper (x6)

pinch pepper (x6)

a big pinch ( +- 1/8th t) of dry mustard which helps bring out flavour (+-3/4t)

1 egg (6)

1 c milk (6c)

Add a few (+- 4) rashers grilled bacon if you desire and less or no salt. Chop bacon very finely. And or add a little grated onion.

Method:

Mix dry ingredients add bacon if desired. Put cheese in with dry ingredients. Add egg and milk which are beaten together. Don't stir vigorously, just lightly. Bake at 160 for 10 minutes. 

My Ouma's Cheese Drop Scone recipe: ( Ouma means Granny) Easy to double, triple etc. 

1 large c grated cheese (6c)

2 cups self raising flour (12c)

2 t BP (12t)

1/4 cup oil (1,5 C)

1 cup milk (6c)

2 T cold water (12T)

1 large egg (6)

1/4 t salt (1.5t)

Use method as for recipe above.

Smashing Bara Brith (Speckled Bread), really a Light Fruit Cake:

This is an easy favourite that I have used for years. I originally got it from Sarah Warton in South Africa who had the largest family I knew back then - 6 gorgeous kids who are all grown up now!

Ingredients:

2 cups died fruit
290ml hot tea ( fruit teas are delicious)
1 cups of brown sugar
1 egg beaten
2 cups flour
2 t Baking Powder

Method: Stir together tea and fruit and leave over night to soak. Add spices and cinnamon to suit your preference. Stir all ingredients together and pour into well greased loaf tins or you can use muffin trays which cook quicker. Bake @ 160 degrees for a fan bake or 165 degrees if not fan bake. Check regularly over 1.3, hours.

I multiply this recipe by 6 which is as follows: You will need a deep basin for mixing, and lots of patience....multiply the single recipe by 3 if this suits better.
Ingredients Six Times the recipe:


12 cups died fruit
About 1.7 liters hot tea ( fruit teas are delicious)
6 cups of brown sugar
6 egg beaten
12 cups flour
12 t Baking Powder

Sticky Date Pudding, a South African Recipe

Pudding ingredients:
1. 25 cups of dates
1.25 cups water
1 t bicarb.
60g butter
0.75 cups of caster sugar
1 t vanilla
2 eggs
1.5 cups self raising  flour
Caramel Sauce 
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup cream
a large T butter

Method: Boil dates and water. Remove and add bicarb while still hot. Leave to stand for 15 minutes. Blend and stir well. Beat butter, sugar and essence. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour and dates and mix. Bake for 30 minutes @ 150 degrees. ( Needs longer if doubled or tripled or in a deep dish) Put caramel sauce together, boil and stir. Pour  caramel sauce over pudding and serve.

This recipe doubles and triples and quads easily!