HOT BITES

The first snows coated the Drakensberg peaks and Maluti mountains weeks ago, additional blankets have been brought out and warm winter pyjamas with fluffy slippers are de rigeur night-time attire.

Winter calls for hearty food which warms from the inside out and provides more calories for keeping the body heated. Stellenbosch wine estate Tokara suggests that now is the season for Shiraz, the spicy red. So convinced of its rightness for the winter months Tokara has even got its restaurant chef Carolize Coetzee to part with one of her precious recipes for the ultimate comfort food pairing.

“Shiraz is one of those varieties that shows smoother, rounder textures on the palate than the classic Bordeaux cultivars. It is also less tannic and is thus a more flexible friend in the food pairing game,” says winemaker Stuart Botha.

The new Tokara Shiraz 2018 vintage is well matched with Chef Carolize’s beetroot recipe, her autumnal take on carpaccio and an excellent side dish for game.

Beetroot is both rich and earthy with subtle sweetness and caramelisation adding intense character for a perfect match with a more full-bodied red such as Shiraz.

“The spiciness of the Tokara Shiraz matches the anise flavours of the fennel in this stunning beetroot dish, which in turn accentuates the red fruit characteristics of this iconic Rhône grape,” said Botha.

“As a rule, beetroot pairs better with reds than with whites and one crazy thing is that the deep red colour of the beetroot fools the brain into believing this too,” Botha quipped.

Family recipes, heirloom ingredients and memories conjured up by food, are the heart of Chef Carolize’s cooking.

4 medium sized whole beetroot 800g coarse salt 3 egg whites from extralarge eggs 500g cake flour 250ml water

1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C 2 Blend the salt and flour together in a food processor until fine 3 In a mixer with a dough hook, mix the flour mixture with the egg whites and water until a dough is formed 4 Wash and dry the unpeeled beetroot 5 Roll out the dough until 5mm in thickness. Cut into big enough pieces and wrap around each entire beetroot 6 Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour 7 Remove from oven and cool slightly 8 Break open the dough crust and remove the beetroot. Discard the baked dough 9 Peel the beetroot, then rinse and dry with paper towel 10 Cool and slice the beetroot thinly

Chef Carolize tops hers with raspberry, fennel, toasted walnuts and celery.

If nothing else, South Africans have a well developed ability to make the best of a tough situation – as the recent alcohol ban during lockdown demonstrated.

People made do with whatever was available – and one of the things they turned to was having a good time with family rather than friends, enjoying mocktails rather than cocktails. Fitch & Leedes, the popular and diverse range of premium mixers, helped to beat the lockdown blues with a range of virgin cocktails created in collaboration with Omniblend performance blenders and Nita West, photographer from Shutterbloggin. The range features a wide variety of mixers from club soda, lemonade, bitter lemon and ginger ale to the more trendy Cheeky Cranberry, Spicy Ginger Beer and Peach

Lemonade – as well as their variety of tonic waters, from the traditional Indian tonic to hipster Pink, Blue and new coral grapefruit flavours.

12 to 14 small mint leaves 30ml fresh lime juice 1 tbsp superfine sugar 120ml Fitch & Leedes Club Soda

Blend all the ingredients together and garnish with mint leaves and a wedge of lime. Serves 2.

1 large English cucumber

Strips of lime zest 2 tsp raw sugar – optional 2 lemon/lime wedges

Fitch & Leedes Bitter Lemon 30ml fresh lime juice

Place a whole cucumber with half a bottle of dry lemon into the blender (peeling optional). Run it through a fine sieve and collect the juice in a glass with ice cubes. Add in some freshly squeezed lime juice and a slice of lime. Top up with a Fitch & Leedes Bitter Lemon and garnish with lime zest and a cucumber slice. (Optional: Add 120ml gin to make a real cocktail rather than a mocktail.)

100ml Fitch & Leedes Cheeky Cranberry 80ml apple juice/puree 40ml lime juice 20ml cream of coconut 2 dashes grenadine

Fill the blender with ice cubes, add all ingredients except the grenadine and blend. Add the grenadine to the bottom of your glass and top with your cranberry cream.

500ml xylitol 250ml frozen berries 250ml water

Add all ingredients to a pot and boil for 10 minutes, allow it to cool before storing in the fridge.

Cape Town’s Constantia valley is at the heart of South Africa’s wine heritage. Constantia Glen was established in 2000 and since its first wines hit the market in 2005 it has become a firm favourite. Located high on the slopes of the Constantiaberg it boasts views for miles of rolling vineyards, lush suburbia and False Bay’s chilly waters. It’s also an extremely popular venue with locals and foreigners alike. It might be a while before visitors get to sit down at its tables to drink in both the views and the wine but until then, Constantia Glen has shared its recipe for hearty goulash soup to kindle warm memories. This Austrian beef goulash is a nourishing and traditional foil to cold weather – and is a regular in the home of the owners, the Waibel family who have owned this property since the 1950s. “Our heart-warming goulash soup needs a big, well-structured Cabernet Sauvignon’s natural dining partner is steak. Just as chips go with fish, bacon goes with eggs and chocolate goes with almost anything, a perfectly grilled sirloin steak and a glass of good Spier 21 Gables Cabernet Sauvignon will reassure you that all is right with the world.

It’s also the reason that Spier, one of the founding members of the Stellenbosch Wine Route, have shared a recipe for a juicy, lazy-aged steak with some tasty extras that take it to the next level.

The Spier recommendation is for a sirloin steak with gremolata and aubergine puree as the best accompaniment for the Cabernet Sauvignon in their premium 21 Gables range. It’s a wine packed with abundant berry fruit and subtle floral violet tones which is full-bodied, supple and rounded with structure added by some time in oak barrels. These casks also add a touch of cedar flavour which mingles with a tasty pencil lead nuance. Concentrated but richly opulent and textured.

(serves 4)

2 large aubergines

Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling and frying)

Salt & pepper red wine to clean your palate,” says winemaker Justin van Wyk. The flagship Constantia Glen FIVE, a blend of five Bordeaux grape varieties, stands up well to the bold flavours of paprika and spicy beef.

Serves 4

45ml (3 tbsp.) olive oil 3 (600g) medium onions, chopped 5ml (1 tsp) garlic, finely chopped 15ml (1 tbsp.) tomato paste 15ml (1 tbsp.) paprika 2,5ml (½ tsp) ground cumin 2,5ml (½ tsp) marjoram 2,5ml (½ tsp) thyme 2,5ml (½ tsp) cayenne pepper (optional) 250g boneless, cubed beef 60ml (¼ cup) red wine 1ℓ (4 cups) warm beef stock 3 (660g) medium potatoes, peeled and diced 1 small bunch Italian parsley (finely chopped) 1 clove garlic (finely grated)

Rind of one small lemon (finely grated) 250 g sirloin steak (per person)

Your choice of pan-fried greens for serving – tender stem broccoli is a good choice

Preheat the oven to 230 °C. Use a fork to poke holes here and there across the aubergines. Place the aubergines on a wire rack on top of a baking tray lined with foil, then roast for 1 hour. Remove and leave to cool slightly, then peel carefully and discard the blackened skins. Transfer the tender flesh to a blender or small processor, add a splash of olive oil and season with salt & pepper, then process to a smooth puree. Set aside.

Mix the chopped parsley, garlic and lemon rind in a small bowl and season with salt & pepper. Set aside.

Brush the steaks on all sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a griddle pan to smoking hot, then grill on both sides for about 7 minutes in total until medium rare (or adjust to your liking). Remove the steaks and let them rest for 3 minutes. To serve, plate some warmed aubergine puree, top with rested grilled steak and pan-fried greens, sprinkle with the gremolata and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and serve at once.

Salt and pepper

Sour cream Chopped chives Crusty bread

1 Heat the oil in a large, heavy based pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until tender for 8-10 minutes. 2 Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, marjoram, thyme and cayenne pepper. Add the beef and fry, 5 minutes. 3 Stir in the red wine and simmer, 5 minutes.

Add the stock, cover and cook for 40 minutes. 4 Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 30 minutes until the potatoes and meat are fork-tender. 5 Season the soup to taste, ladle into bowls and top each portion with a dollop of sour cream.

Sprinkle some chives on top and serve with freshly baked bread.

S A V O U R Y . A N D S A V O U R Y . D Y M A K E S B R A N D Y M A K E S C H E C K O U T T H E S E C H E C K O U T T H E S E A G R E A T A D D I T I O N A G R E A T A D D I T I O N B R A N D Y - I N F U S E D F A V O U R I T E S . B R A N D Y - I N F U S E D F A V O U R I T E S . T O M A N Y R E C I P E S , B O T H S W E E T T O M A N Y R E C I P E S , B O T H S W E E T

INGREDIENTS: 400g bone-in rib-eye steak 80ml brandy or cognac 240ml cream 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tsp kosher salt 2 tbsp ground black pepper 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Season steak with salt and pepper. Using your hands, press the seasoning into the meat to create an even coating.

2. Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the steak to the pan and fry for 4 minutes a side for a medium-rare finish.Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest when done.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the brandy to the pan. Allow the brandy to cook down for about 1 minute while using a whisk to scrape off any browned bits in the bottom of the pan.

4. Once the brandy has reduced by half, add the cream and continue to whisk until combined.

5. Add the Dijon mustard and remaining tablespoon of butter and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until mixture begins to reduce and thicken. The final sauce should have a rich consistency and coat the back of a spoon.

6. Slice the steak into 1.5cm pieces and pour cream sauce over the top and serve. Enjoy!

400g penne pasta 250ml cream 250g mixed mushrooms, halved 125ml chicken stock 40ml olive oil 40ml butter 30ml brandy 15ml Dijon mustard 15g yellow mustard seeds 10 chicken thigh fillets, cubed 2 red onions, halved and sliced 2 sticks celery, sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed Handful of black olives, pitted and halved Chopped parsley, to taste and extra for garnish Grated Parmesan cheese Flour, to sprinkle

1. Heat half of the oil and butter in a saucepan.

2. Add the mustard seeds. Once they begin to pop, add the onion and celery and sauté until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring every now and again until the mushrooms are almost tender. Sprinkle a little flour over the mushrooms and stir well. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring.

Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Heat some more oil and butter and brown the chicken pieces, stir-frying over a high heat. Have a match or lighter ready. Pour the brandy into the pan and light. Shake the pan over the heat until the flames die down. Pour the cream and stock into the pan. Reduce the heat and add the mustard. Simmer for a few minutes until the chicken is tender.

4. Stir the mushroom mixture into the sauce. Add the olives. Simmer for a few minutes until the mixture has thickened slightly. Add the parsley.

5. Cook the penne in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until al dente. Pour and mix the chicken sauce into the penne. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan and garnished with parsley.

INGREDIENTS: 350g risotto rice 2 cups of mushrooms, trimmed and cut into halves 160ml brandy 1/3 cup of onion, finely chopped 1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp fresh parsley 1.5l of chicken stock Ground pepper Salt

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

2. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onions and sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Add the rice and stir to combine. Add brandy, bring to a boil and reduce liquid by half. This should take about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Stir the rice almost constantly - stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you’re looking for in a risotto. 5. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. 6. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

7. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.