RECIPES | Be inspired by ‘the magic of Jan’ with these three dishes

STEAK, ROSEMARY AND FLAKED ALMOND GREMOLATA

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Gremolata butter:

80g butter, at room temperature

40ml olive oil

20g flaked almonds  

A small handful of parsley

1 clove of garlic

15ml (1 tbsp) lemon zest

A small handful each of chopped thyme, rosemary and basil

Steak:

2 x rib eye steaks

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

Maldon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

50g blanched almonds, optional

Method:

1. For the gremolata butter, melt the butter over a low heat, add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. For the steak, preheat the oven to 180°C. Use a paper towel to ensure the steak is free of excess moisture, then drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Preheat a cast iron pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, add the olive oil and place the steak fat side down. Render the fat and start searing on one side. Use tongs to flip the steak and  avoid oil splatter.
4. Once browned, lift off the pan and sprinkle half the blanched almonds under each steak and top each steak with half the gremolata butter.
5. Cook in the oven until done to your choice. Allow to rest before slicing the meat and serving.

PRAWN AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Salad:

6 asparagus spears

1 jar ready-made coriander pesto dressing

100g feta cheese

Baby salad leaves

5ml (1 tsp) lemon zest

Salt and pepper

20 cooked peeled & deveined prawns

Pasta:

100g linguine pasta

100g squid ink linguine

30ml (2 tbsp) butter

20ml (4 tsp) lemon juice

5ml (1 tsp) lemon zest

A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Whipped yoghurt:

200ml full fat plain yoghurt

50ml fresh cream

5ml (1 tsp) olive oil

2ml fine salt

A grinding of black pepper

A pinch of lemon zest

Garnish:

Deep fried basil leaves

Micro greens

Violas

Method:

1. For the salad, slice the asparagus into thin ribbons using a potato peeler. Drizzle over half of the coriander dressing to marinade. Crumble the feta into large chunks. Remove the asparagus from the marinade. Assemble the salad and add the remaining coriander pesto dressing and lemon zest just before serving. Set aside the prawns to garnish.
2. For the pasta, blanch the two types of pasta in boiling water according to the package instructions, ensuring you blanch them separately. In a medium pan melt butter and add the chopped herbs, lemon juice and zest. Strain the pasta and toss in melted butter and herbs.
3. For the whipped yoghurt, combine all ingredients to bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment or use a hand mixer. Begin mixing on low for about 20 seconds until the cream mixes into the yoghurt. Slowly increase power to highest speed. After about 2 minutes of whisking, reduce speed and turn off. Use a spatula to give the yoghurt a quick mix — push down sides of the bowl and bottom to mix it in. Continue mixing for another 2-3 minutes or until peaks form when whisk is removed.
4. On a large serving platter make 4-6 nests of a combo of white and black pasta. Toss the salad with the dressing and place around the plate. Fill the pasta nests with prawns and dollop with some of the whipped yoghurt, serving the rest with the salad. Garnish with the basil leaves, micro greens and violas before serving.

ROOIBOS CARROT CAKE FLAPJACKS WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

Orange cream cheese:

200g cream cheese

Zest of 1 orange

30ml (2 tbsp) orange juice

Flapjacks:

180g (375ml) cake flour

5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon

2 rooibos tea bags, remove tea from the bags

Pinch of ground ginger

Pinch of salt

10ml (2 tsp) baking powder

40ml runny honey

1 large egg

40ml chopped pecan nuts

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract

250ml (1 cup) milk

30ml (2 tbsp) melted butter

Method:

1. For the orange cream cheese, whisk all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl — sugar or honey can be added as optional extra to sweeten. Store batter in the fridge until needed.
2. Once the flapjacks are made, layer the cream between the flapjacks.
3. For the flapjacks, add the grated carrots, rooibos, egg, milk and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and mix together until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl mix all the dry ingredients together and add the carrot mixture to the bowl. Add the melted butter and pecan nuts and mix until combined, ensuring you don’t overmix the batter.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm to the touch add a small amount of butter. Use a ladle or measuring cup to pour dollops of batter into the pan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes on the first side until you start to see bubbles forming, flip pancakes over and cook for another 2 minutes. Serve warm with orange cream cheese and honey.