South African Cooking

Flash fired Moroccan chicken From the Antbear Guest House

I love the dusk in Marrakech. I love the cacophony of sound as the musicians start, and the smells as the local lads set up their stalls of food, freshly squeezed juices and other food offerings. Some of their cauldrons look sinister, but others are tempting enough. A chicken leg grilled over coals and smothered with raisins and pine nuts and a mind blowing quantity of garlic is one of the best things I have ever eaten there, a bowl of dishwater flavored with chili the worst. This is my version of the former.

• Chicken fillets or bones pieces.

• fresh red chili finely chopped 

• cayenne pepper

• 2 garlic cloves

• a squeeze of lemon juice

• olive oil

• ground cinnamon

• raisons or sultanas

• pine nuts

• chopped mint

Mix the chicken pieces in a shallow dish together with the chilies, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cinnamon, sultanas, pine nuts and mint. Leave for at least 20 minutes but and hour would be better if you have it.

Add the marinated chicken pieces into a pan of sizzling oil. Cover over a high heat and cook till golden brown. Turn over  and do the other side. Then pour over the marinade  and bring to the boil. season with salt and pepper and serve it hot with the pan sauces. As a lunch snack I wrap this up in a piece of flat bread with a few trimmings of lettuce for supper its accompanied by couscous and sliced oranges drizzled with olive oil and dusted coarsely with black pepper with just a hint of cinnamon. 

Runner beans with tomato sauce From the Antbear Guest House

serves 6
680g/1Vlb runner beans, sliced diagonally into 5cm/2 inch pieces
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
a few good lugs of extra virgin olive oil
1 x 400g/14oz tin of chopped tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam the beans in a foil-covered colander over a pot of boiling water, or blanch in salted boiling water until tender. While they are cooking, make a quick tomato sauce: fry the garlic in some olive oil, add the tomatoes and bring to the boil, then season and simmer for about 15 minutes until you have a thick sauce. Season to taste. When the beans are cooked, stir them into the sauce.

Spaghetti with sweet cherry tomatoes marjoram and extra virgin olive oil From the Antbear Guest House

When tomatoes are good, this is super nice. It's a warm dish as opposed to hot, but is even great when cold as a salad for picnics.

serves 4
455g/1lb dried spaghetti, spaghetti or linguine
310-400g/11-14oz ripe cherry tomatoes, red and yellow
2 good handfuls of fresh marjoram or basil, leaves picked
6-8 lugs extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put your pasta into a large pan of salted boiling water and cook until al dente (check the packet for cooking time). While it's cooking, halve the tomatoes, put them into a large bowl, and add your herbs, olive oil, garlic and vinegar. Season to taste, and scrunch with your hands to slightly mush the tomatoes. This can sit now until the pasta's ready. Drain the pasta, and while still steaming hot mix well with the tomatoes, check the seasoning and serve. Easy peasy.

Baked peppers with cherry tomatoes basil and marjoram From the Antbear Guest House

serves 4
2 peppers, red or yellow
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
20 cherry tomatoes
1 handful of fresh marjoram and basil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
extra virgin olive oil
optional: anchovies
optional: herb vinegar

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Place in an oiled baking dish and lightly season with salt and pepper. Prick the cherry tomatoes with a knife and place in boiling water for around 30-60 seconds until the skins can be easily and quickly pinched off. Feel free to run cold water over them before peeling. Once peeled, place the tomatoes in the peppers. Stuff in your herbs and sliced garlic and season. You could drape over some anchovies instead of using seasoning at this point. Drizzle with olive oil. Cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes lightly covered with tin-foil, then around 30 minutes without. The smallest little splash of herb vinegar on each pepper can be a real joy - try it and see.

Mountain Muffeleta From the Caterpillar and Catfish Cookhouse

Dome shaped bread or small French loaf
Cookhouse spice
sun-dried tomato pesto
whole grain mustard
lettuce leaves
sliced tomato, sliced cucumber and sliced avocado

Warm Filling:

sesame oil
2 spinach leaves
fresh basil leaves
slices of green and yellow pepper
handful of grated mozzarella

Cut the bread through and smear both sides, then place under grill to toast lightly. Once toasted, spread tomato pesto on one half and mustard on the other to taste. Sprinkle liberally with Cookhouse spice. Arrange sliced lettuce, tomato and cucumber on one half. In a pan, flash fry the spinach leaves, brinjal, basil and peppers in sesame oil. Just before taking off the heat, add the mozzarella cheese to melt slightly. Spoon this onto the bread, arrange avo slices on top, close and serve.