This book annoys me. I have just one copy, and I cannot decide whether it should be kept on the coffee table, by the stove or by my bed. It is that good.
Friends. Food. Flavour. had its rather strange genesis in 2000 when the legendary SA restaurateur, foodie and wine expert Michael Olivier was asked to put together an SA buffet for a feast on an Australian wine estate, of all places.
All those recipes, and many others, have been recalled, presented and delightfully illustrated by Roelien Immelman in this new cookbook.
Though it leans heavily on the culinary heritage of the Cape Malays, there are many recipes here that will appeal to all South Africans. The vegans may growl and sulk, but they are good at that.
This cookbook arrived late on the shelves, due to supply chain problems, only just making it in time for Christmas, so I have not yet cooked my way through it. However, I was given sneak previews of the recipes for chicken curry and cabbage bredie, prepared them, and both turned out well.
If you are used to fiery Indian curries, you might find Olivier’s Cape chicken curry a little bland. But this can easily be remedied with a dollop of chutney or lime pickle, a kilo of chillies, a glug of tomato sauce, or anything else that floats your gravy boat.
A good friend, whose cakes are to die for (and to die from in the very likely event of life-threatening over-indulgence), made the malva pudding from the recipe in this book, and she was well chuffed.
There are lighter dishes, heavier dishes and a roll call of much-loved favourites. Wine pairings are suggested.
Olivier has fine-tuned some recipes to enhance the taste and to give less experienced cooks reliable guidance. However, unlike oh-so-many cookbook authors, he has not dumbed them down too much for the lazy cook, nor has he left out secret ingredients known only to a coven of chefs.
Olivier’s pedigree is impressive: a former manager of the historic Lanzerac Hotel in Stellenbosch and the boss of two restaurants that became my own firm favourites — Parks in Wynberg, Cape Town and Burgundy in Hermanus.
I often bore friends old and new with the tale of planning my first visit to Parks. Olivier scored several gold stars when he asked me when I phoned for a booking if I was “the John Fraser”. (I was doing a lot of reporting for SABC radio at the time, and it seems I was a household name in at least one household.)
However, the real Parks revelation awaited me when I ordered some duck as the main course. It was exceptional. So impressive was it that I ordered another portion of the same duck dish for dessert.
I have walked out of restaurants more often than I have twice ordered the same plate of grub in the same sitting. Olivier knows his stuff (and undoubtedly his stuffing, too).
Since that baptism of fowl, I have been an admirer of this gentle, quietly spoken, instantly likable and always entertaining man.
Since that baptism of fowl, I have been an admirer of this gentle, quietly spoken, instantly likeable and always entertaining man.
While this book is an excellent, appetising and lip-smacking tour around the cuisine of our rainbow nation, it is also a personal endeavour. Olivier tells us of his upbringing on a wine farm in the Cape, and we get a glimpse into other aspects of his extraordinarily rich and varied life.
As the title suggests, the recipes are not all his own; some have been attributed to other food writing friends; others from the dusty cellar were given a 21st-century tweak.
I won’t suggest that you replicate Olivier’s memorable Australian buffet by cooking up all four starters, 10 mains, six veggie platters and six desserts. Take your time.
If you are like me, you have shelves of cookbooks from which you have cooked nothing, and a few favourites to which you can reliably return time after time.
Friends. Food. Flavour. is now part of this latter, elite collection in my own cookbook library. I own very many other SA cookbooks, but this is the one that will soon become the most grubby, gravy stained, with loose pages and illegible scribbles. As all great cookbooks should.
I now wait in salivating hope for Olivier to pen Great South African Recipes, Volume 2. There are surely many other, possibly more obscure, lekker, local recipes that need rescue and revival, to cement the central message of this book: we may not all have the same heritage, political views or religion, but food is such an enriching, enjoyable force to unite us.
If you don’t believe me that some gems have been left out of Volume 1, just wait for my own recipe for peanut butter, bacon and fried banana sandwiches, which will surely take pride of place in Olivier’s next volume.
Hopefully, it won’t damage sales too much.
RECIPE: Ina Paarman’s Tipsy Tart
Were we like the Japanese, Ina Paarman would long ago have been named a Living National Treasure. We have been friends for 40 years and I have been a fan ever since we met, when she showed me how to cook a whole fish wrapped in newspaper over the coals. She has made life in the SA kitchen so much simpler with her easy recipes and great food products.
About the tipsy tart, Ina says: ‘A great traditional South African treat to take on a camping trip or for your overseas guests or for granny’s birthday. The recipe may seem expensive, but it makes two 24cm puddings. One is enough to feed eight people. Freeze the other one for later. Do serve with our divine Spiced Brandy Cream.’
Spiced Brandy Cream
250ml fresh cream
A pinch of sea salt
1ml ground cinnamon
1ml ground ginger
15ml sugar
5ml powdered gelatin
15ml brandy
Pudding
5ml bicarbonate of soda
250g pitted dates, diced
180ml boiling water
250g butter, at room temperature
3 extra-large free-range eggs, at room temperature
1 x 600g Ina Paarman’s Vanilla Cake Mix
250ml sour cream or crème fraîche
50g pecan nuts, chopped
Sauce
125g sugar
125ml water
15ml butter
5ml vanilla essence
180ml brandy, sherry or fresh orange juice
Grated orange rind for decorating
Method
Make the spiced brandy cream first so it has enough time to chill. Half-whip the cream with the salt and spices. Add the sugar mixed with gelatin powder and whip until firm. Fold in the brandy. Cover and chill until needed.
To make the pudding, sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the dates. Pour the boiling water over them. Set aside and leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and make sure the shelf is in the middle. Butter two 24cm ovenproof pie dishes.
Ignore the package instructions for the cake mix and follow the method given below.
Cream the butter until soft. Add 1 egg and 15ml dry cake mix at a time, beating after each addition, until you have used all three eggs. Add the sour cream or crème fraîche and beat it in. Add half of the remaining cake mix and all of the date mixture. Stir with a spatula until blended. Add the remaining cake mix and fold in.
Divide the mixture evenly between the two pie dishes. Sprinkle over the nuts and bake for 35 minutes.
While the pudding is in the oven, make the sauce. Bring the sugar, water and butter to the boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and brandy, sherry or juice. Prick the tops of the puddings as soon as they come out of the oven. Pour the warm sauce over the hot puddings, then set aside to cool.
Serve with the spiced brandy cream and top with grated orange rind.
Each pudding serves eight.
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