Rueben’s home cooking
Enjoy food inspired by chef Reuben Riffel’s childhood
REUBEN Riffel grew up in Groendal, a working-class neighbourhood on the outskirts of foodie town Franschhoek in the Western Cape, where he now lives and owns a restaurant. The two neighbourhoods are worlds apart, but it was in the kitchens of his childhood that his love for food was formed. His mom, Sylvia, cooked with love and care – now the well-known chef likes to spoil his wife, Maryke, and children, Latika and Max, with home-cooked food made with love. Here he shares recipes from his new book, Reuben At Home. t – teaspoon/s T – tablespoon/s c – cup/s
WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN
SERVES 4 Preparation: 20 min Cooking: 1 hour 1 whole chicken sea salt and black
pepper 10 garlic cloves, peeled bunch of small
rosemary sprigs zest of 1 orange and
1 lemon, plus the juice 125 ml (½ c) unsalted
butter, softened bunch of fresh thyme 60 ml (¼ c) soy sauce 4 large potatoes,
peeled and quartered 125 ml (½ c) white
wine 60 ml (¼ c) olive oil Preheat the oven to 230 °C. 1 Season the chicken, then place the whole garlic cloves, rosemary and zest in the chicken cavity. 2 Mix the butter, thyme and soy sauce and rub all over the chicken and under the skin (lift the skin using your index finger, jamming it between the skin and meat). 3 Put the potatoes in a roasting pan. Put the chicken on top. Add the wine, citrus juices and oil. Roast for an hour until the meat is tender and the skin is crisp.
SLOW-ROASTED TOMATO & BASIL SALAD
SERVES 3 Preparation: 15-20 min Cooking: 15-20 min 2 garlic cloves salt and black pepper 500 ml (2 c) basil leaves pine nuts 125 ml (½ c) grated
Parmesan cheese 185 ml (¾ c) olive oil selection of tomatoes 60 ml (¼ c) rice wine
vinegar fresh mozzarella cheese extra basil leaves Preheat the oven to 180 °C. 1 Make a pesto: pound the garlic with salt using a mortar and pestle, then add the 500 ml (2 c) basil and pound until it’s pasty. Add the pine nuts but don’t pound them too finely. Add the Parmesan, 60 ml (¼ c) of the oil and the pepper and mix. 2 Cut two bigger tomatoes in half, hollow them out slightly and fill them with pesto. 3 Put all the tomatoes on a baking sheet, add the rest of the oil and bake for 15-20 minutes. 4 Remove from the oven, reserve the roasting juices and allow the tomatoes to cool completely. 5 Add the rice wine vinegar to the roasting juices and stir. 6 Top the tomatoes with mozzarella chunks and extra basil and drizzle with the roasting juice.
MASALA POTATOES & SALAD
SERVES 4 Preparation: 20 min Cooking: 1 hour 45 min 200 g yellow split peas, soaked for 1 hour salt 10 ml (2 t) ground
coriander 7 ml (1½ t) ground
cumin 2 ml (¼ t) chilli powder 15 ml (1 T) turmeric 120 ml olive oil 1 brinjal, cut into 2-cm
cubes 3 medium potatoes,
peeled 2 onions, thinly sliced 15 ml (1 T) grated
ginger 2 garlic cloves, crushed 300 g tomatoes,
quartered 8 curry leaves 1 jalapeño chilli,
chopped 250 ml (1 c) English
spinach lemon juice SALAD 30 ml (2 T) white
balsamic vinegar 5 ml (1 t) sugar
(optional) 5 ml (1 t) garam masala 2 ml (½ t) chilli powder 1 avocado, cut into
chunks 3 tomatoes, cut into
rough cubes 1 small red onion,
sliced fresh coriander TO SERVE double-cream yoghurt with sliced chillies 1 Drain the split peas and put in a saucepan, cover with water and add salt. Cook over medium heat for an hour or until the peas are tender. Drain. 2 Preheat the oven to 160 °C. 3 Mix the ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder and turmeric in a small bowl. Transfer 5 ml (1 t) of this spice mixture to a large bowl and stir in 30 ml (2 T) of the olive oil to form a paste. 4 Add the brinjal to the bowl and, using your hands, toss well to coat in spice paste. 5 Transfer the brinjal to a roasting pan, drizzle 60 ml (¼ c) of the oil over and roast for 20 minutes until soft. Set aside. 6 Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender. Drain and set aside. 7 Heat the remaining 30 ml (2 T) of the oil in a saucepan over low heat, add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until soft. 8 Increase the heat to medium, add the remaining spice mix and cook for 3 minutes. 9 Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes, curry leaves and fresh chilli. 10 Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulpy. 11 Stir in the potatoes and split peas, then the spinach, and add salt and lemon juice. 12 Salad Make a dressing by mixing the vinegar, sugar (if using), garam masala and chilli powder. 13 Toss the avocado, tomatoes, onion and coriander in a salad bowl and drizzle the dressing over. 14 To serve Serve the masala potatoes with the salad and yoghurtchilli sauce.
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