FAMILY COOKING
Your fondest memory of Christmas with family? Christmas with my family is always about the food! Having an English mother and Afrikaans father I feel like I really had the best of both growing up. We always had our “vleis, rys en aartappels,” but at Christmas my mother would put her “English” twist on it and make the most amazing food, which she normally started preparing two or three days ahead.
One of my best memories is strangely enough about Brussels sprouts; I hate Brussels sprouts! But every year my mother would cook them, and I was told I had to eat them or else I would get no dessert, so I would sometimes swallow them whole, it definitely made my dessert taste so much sweeter.
To this day I still cook Brussels sprouts for Christmas, even when I am not at home with my mother, otherwise there will be no dessert for me. Absolute favourite dish at Christmas time and why? My mother’s gammon! It is honestly the best. We were only ever allowed to eat gammon during Christmas and my mother has always made it so amazing with apricot, mustard and cloves. Tell us about the recipe you have chosen to share with readers: I will be sharing my family’s recipe for paptert. The reason why I’ve chosen this is because it is related to my childhood. It is basically taking dishes from my grandparents and combining it into making a paptert. PAPTERT 1 cup water 1 cup milk Pinch of salt 1½ cups mealie meal 1 tbsp butter 1 tsp garlic, crushed BRING water, butter, garlic and salt to the boil. Mix the mealie meal with the milk to form a paste. Add paste to the water and stir to prevent lumps. Turn the heat down and cover, cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Pour into a greased tray and chill.
(TIP: this can be done the day ahead) FILLING 1 good knob of butter 100g streaky bacon, diced 100g mushrooms, sliced 1 onion, finely chopped 1 green, red and yellow pepper, cubed 1 can (410g) creamed sweet corn ¼ cup frozen sweet corn 1 handful cherry tomatoes, quartered 1 can chopped tomatoes salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup cream 250g cheddar, grated 3 tbsp parsley, freshly chopped MELT butter in a pan and sauté the onion and peppers until just soft. Add the bacon and mushrooms. Grease an oven dish of about 30 x 20cm with a little butter.
Slice the cold pap into 1-2cm thick pieces (long enough to cover the bottom or your dish).
Mix the bacon mixture, parsley, and creamed sweet corn. Spoon the bacon mixture on top.
Spread the sweetcorn kernels and cherry tomatoes on top. Season with salt and black pepper. Cover with the rest of the pap.
The last can of tomatoes goes on top, followed by cream and cheddar.
Cover with foil and place on your braai rack. Bake for +/- 30 – 40 minutes, or until warm through and cheese melted. PRIME RIB ROAST 1 x 2kg beef prime rib 1 tsp coarse salt 1 tsp cracked black pepper 30ml sunflower oil 50ml hot English mustard Mix the salt, pepper, sunflower oil and English mustard together.
Coat the prime rib well with the mustard mix, rubbing it into the meat.
Place the roasting rack in the middle of a prepared braai then place the prime rib on it.
Close the lid of your braai and leave to cook.
(Cooking time depends on the size/weight of the ribs but should take 40 – 60 minutes).
Cook the meat as required for personal taste, medium rare is perfect.