Annette Klinger, Author at Woolworths TASTE https://taste.co.za/author/annette-klinger/ Wed, 07 May 2025 08:33:14 +0000 en-ZA hourly 1 What I know now: Vanie Padayachi https://taste.co.za/what-i-know-now-vanie-padayachi/ https://taste.co.za/what-i-know-now-vanie-padayachi/#respond Wed, 16 May 2018 12:19:36 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?p=32690 While she never quite found her sea legs (long story), this mistress of spices did end up fulfilling her dream of becoming a travelling chef. But for now, Vanie Padayachi is quite happy putting down roots in Franschhoek

The post What I know now: Vanie Padayachi appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
I grew up in Chatsworth in Durban. I come from a massive family. On my dad’s side, there were seven brothers and three sisters, and on my mom’s side, three brothers and two sisters. We come from a religious Hindu background, and whether we gathered for prayers, weddings, birthdays or funerals, there was always food involved.

On Boxing Day and New Year’s we used to go to the beach and would need to rent two buses to fit our whole family. My gran, who organised everything, would get up at 2 am to start cooking – biryani, dhal and Cornish chicken curry – and we’d put up big marquees and kuier for the whole day. Sadly, when she passed on, the tradition came to an end.

I decided to study hotel and catering management because I wanted to travel the world. Our school’s guidance counsellor showed us a video clip about working on the ships and I loved the idea. During my first year of studies we had to assist at a big catering function on a ship – well, more of a catamaran, really – and
I couldn’t stop being sick. I had no sea legs, obviously, but I realised I could still cook and travel. I’d just have to do it on land.

My first restaurant job was at Tropicale – an iconic Durban restaurant in those days. I worked at night and studied during the day. My studies were all about bains-marie and theory; at the restaurant, there were only enormous pots and, because I’d grown up with those, they made me feel right at home.

I was only supposed to stay at Le Quartier Français for six months. I went there in 1996 from The Plettenberg Hotel, not knowing where I was going to stay or how to pronounce Franschhoek, let alone Le Quartier Français. But I fell in love with the place and ended up staying six-and-a-half years.

Back then, the food scene in Franschhoek was very different. It was the time when tasting menus and small portions were starting to come out, and Margot Janse was experimenting with this new approach. It was very different to cooking at The Plettenberg, which at that stage was French fine-dining cuisine.

I always say that my gran taught me how to be a cook and Margot taught me how to be a chef. Margot was strict in that she taught me to do things in a very specific way – how to prep, do stock rotation, order wisely – but down the line I’m glad she enforced those rules. There was a logic to all of it.

Next, I headed up the African Relish Cooking School in Prince Albert. The town is very much out of the way – two hours to the nearest airport! A wild night out meant going to the Karoo Kombuis, run by three eccentric former airline hosts. They had amazing costumes they’d brought back from their travels, and we’d all dress up and unleash our alter egos…

I returned to Le Quartier when my dad was diagnosed with cancer. I’d remained close to Margot and when I told her the news, she said, “Hold on, I’m going to phone you back.” Next thing, I got a call offering me the position of kitchen manager and doing cookery classes at the hotel.

I took a sabbatical year to be with my dad during the last stage of his illness. During this time, Analjit Singh, the founder of Leeu Collection, bought Le Quartier. He wanted to open an authentic North Indian restaurant and Margot told him, “You know you have an Indian chef on your payroll, right?” After my father passed away, I returned and he asked me to head up Marigold.

I told Mr Singh, “Sir, you want me to do authentic Indian but I’m a fake Indian!” It’s kind of my running joke. Foodwise, I knew Durban Indian, South Indian and Sri Lankan Indian, but I was out of my depth with North Indian food. He was like, “No problem, my dear”, and two weeks later I was in Delhi with my own cooking tutor, teaching me everything from roasting, grinding and blending spices to cooking authentic dishes like aloo palak.

I think the local restaurant industry is slowly becoming less male dominated. Earlier this year I was one of three female chefs to head the food and wine experience at LittleGig festival outside Cape Town, where all our food was paired with wine made by women winemakers. Many women think they won’t be able to make it in the industry, but look at Chantel Dartnall. Look at Margot. She’s still the chef that inspires me most. She just keeps innovating.

Follow @chefvanie on Twitter.
Marigold Restaurant, 9 Huguenot Rd, Franschhoek. Tel: 021 876 8970 

The post What I know now: Vanie Padayachi appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/what-i-know-now-vanie-padayachi/feed/ 0
4 ways to think out of the bin when it comes to food waste https://taste.co.za/food-waste/ https://taste.co.za/food-waste/#respond Thu, 15 Feb 2018 07:28:24 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?p=31313 Anthony Bourdain released a food waste documentary, Dan Barber ran another waste-menu pop-up in London and, locally, food experience designers Studio H held a conference with a line-up starring the who’s who of produce rescuers. Here’s what they brought to the table...

The post 4 ways to think out of the bin when it comes to food waste appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
There’s money to be made

The most important thing Holland’s InStock wants you to know? It’s possible to turn surplus food into delicious meals and build a profitable business! InStock was started in 2014 as a pop-up restaurant by a group of trainees who became disillusioned during an graduate programme at a Dutch supermarket chain when they saw the amount of edible food being discarded every day. Since then, the business has expanded to include three restaurants that use 80% surplus food for their menus, two craft beers brewed using rescued potatoes and bread and a granola made from the malt left over after the brewing process. The amount of food they’ve saved? 300 000 kg!

Pictured above: The InStock food truck

Canned foods can be cool


There’s more to canned food than baked beans and creamed corn. In certain parts of the world, canned goods – think rillettes in France and sardines in Spain – are considered premium products. With its high-end canned range, it is Dutch-based company Coco Conserven’s mission to make people rethink canning as a sustainable means of food preservation. Not only can tin be recycled infinitely without any loss of quality, canned foods don’t need refrigeration while being transported and can be stored at room temperature without any loss of quality. Aimed at the high-end market, Coco Conserven’s range includes goose rillette (Holland has an overpopulation of geese, making them a more sustainable option than duck), vegetarian ribollita (served at the Food Studio Conference) and pork ragù. “It’s where artisanship meets industry,” says co-founder Sascha Landsho.

cococonserven.nl

Try our creamy rosemary and chicken ragu recipe here.

Eat local, be flexible


“Curbing food waste is about using what you have, rather than buying something extra,” says Food Civic founder Zayaan Khan. “If a recipe calls for lemon, for example, but you have suurings (wild sorrel) growing in your backyard, use them.” Zayaan aims to reconnect Capetonians with their food through storytelling, taking a closer look at the ingredients growing right on their doorsteps, and interactive workshops. A huge part of the project is addressing serious issues including food security and waste by demonstrating traditional preservation techniques such as smoking, fermentation, dehydration, salting and pickling. Zayaan also makes and sells a host of preserves using surplus produce from small-scale local organic farmers and ingredients she forages herself: “superpowered” salt with dried beetroot, Cape Flats fennel and St Helena Bay seaweed; fermented brinjal-and-carrot atchar; and mushroom “biltong”.
Zaayan Khan

Discover recipes using leftovers here.

Excess is out


Picture it: a conference breaks for lunch. Around a long table, delegates take slices of bread from seed loaves perched unceremoniously on top of newsprint. Pickle juice-and-rescued tomato cocktails are handed out. Open cans of low-waste brinjal-and-mushroom pâté are passed around – with the folded lids serving as spreaders. The main course? Ribollita made from surplus veggies, from a can. And no, the organisers didn’t run out of money. On the contrary. Run by food-experience designers Studio H, 2017’s Food Studio Conference – titled The Business of Food – aimed to make all convened think twice about where their food comes from and where a lot of it inadvertently ends up. The lunch was the perfect crystallisation of the topics discussed during the day – from food preservation as time travel to the profitability of food waste.

Food Studio Conference

Discover more TASTE features here.

The post 4 ways to think out of the bin when it comes to food waste appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/food-waste/feed/ 0
An Interview with Greenhouse head chef Ashley Moss https://taste.co.za/interview-greenhouse-head-chef-ashley-moss/ https://taste.co.za/interview-greenhouse-head-chef-ashley-moss/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2018 09:58:13 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?p=31159 Would you believe the guy who spearheaded the now famous weekly waste challenge at the Greenhouse at the Cellars-Hohenort in Cape Town just kind of “fell into” becoming a chef?

The post An Interview with Greenhouse head chef Ashley Moss appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
Growing up in Kommetjie, we used to do a lot of crayfishing. I remember rushing home from school so I wouldn’t miss out. I would help my dad bait the nets and prepare the boat. When we got back I would head for the kitchen to help my mum clean and blanch the crayfish before we basted them in garlic, lemon and parsley butter and finished them on the braai.

Becoming a chef is just something I kind of fell into. I started working as a barista on the weekends when I was 15, then as a waiter, and I finally realised I wanted to be where all the action was, in the kitchen.

I used to think fine dining was all about luxurious ingredients and complex cooking techniques. Now, to me, it’s about creating delicious food with provenance, heritage and respect.

My current favourite ingredient is kelp. It’s an amazing superfood and has natural glutamates, which add a great umami kick to dishes. We add it to our stocks, soups and sauces. It’s also delicious braised in soya sauce, thinly sliced and served with sticky rice. At home I’ve found it most convenient to dry it out, blend it into a powder and use it as a seasoning.

I made a great veg curry the other evening using leftover veg in the fridge and a few bits and pieces I had kicking about. I hate leftovers going to waste, so I prefer to shop daily. I look at what I have to get inspiration and incorporate it in some way. To make it fun I think of it as a MasterChef-style mystery box challenge.

The weekly waste challenge at Greenhouse didn’t start out as a waste challenge per se. I was looking for a way to keep the chefs creative and inspired. After looking at what we were discarding, I decided to create a dish from the offcuts and trimmings. I challenged my chefs to do the same. This soon evolved into something far more meaningful.

I don’t think the most successful part of the challenge has been what goes on the menu, but what doesn’t end up in the bin. All the chefs are far more conscientious. They come up with ways to use everything, whether it goes on the menu or into staff meals. It has given all of us a new sense of responsibility and respect for the ingredients we’re working with. We’re going to take it up a notch. It’s easy to see the waste when it’s right in front of you, but what about all the waste it caused to get there? I’m referring to irresponsible farming, unnecessary packaging and transportation. We’re going to be focussing on local, small, sustainable suppliers. You won’t find Norwegian salmon or French foie gras on our menu and we’re challenging other restaurants to do the same.

My sister is vegan and she has opened my eyes. Often, when we go out, she is offered little or no choice of bland, flavourless dishes, but at home she creates amazing, tasty, fresh fare. Why can’t professional chefs do the same? Vegetarian food doesn’t have to be a boring bowl of mushroom risotto! Vegetables can be far more interesting than their meaty counterparts. They’re more diverse in flavour and texture, and there is so much you can do with them. At Greenhouse, we have created 11-course vegetarian tasting menus with all the complexity of our normal menu.

We’ve had a great response to our Chef for a Day project so far. The idea came about when we were talking about a chef’s table. As space is limited, this was an out-of-the-box solution offering guests
a chance to be hands on. They get to see how much work, time, effort and thought goes into every little element. After a day in the kitchen with us you’ll leave with a better understanding of how a professional kitchen operates, some cool new cooking skills, and sore legs!

Greenhouse, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel, 93 Brommersvlei Road, Constantia.

Tel: 021 795 6226; greenhouserestaurant.co.za

Follow @ashleybmoss and @greenhouse_ct on Instagram.

Discover more TASTE features here.

The post An Interview with Greenhouse head chef Ashley Moss appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/interview-greenhouse-head-chef-ashley-moss/feed/ 0
Piña colada popsicle https://taste.co.za/recipes/pina-colada-popsicle/ https://taste.co.za/recipes/pina-colada-popsicle/#respond Tue, 06 Feb 2018 12:34:56 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?post_type=recipes&p=31102 The post Piña colada popsicle appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
The post Piña colada popsicle appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/recipes/pina-colada-popsicle/feed/ 0
Add edge to your veg on the braai https://taste.co.za/add-edge-veg-braai/ https://taste.co.za/add-edge-veg-braai/#respond Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:26:17 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?p=28860 Play around with preparation techniques, cooking methods and surprising ingredients to give side dishes that little somethin’ somethin’

The post Add edge to your veg on the braai appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
CHARRING

This technique infuses sides with heavenly smoky flavour. Chargrill corn in the husk, whole heads of garlic, halved lemons, brinjals and peppers over the coals.

Try: Charred corn on the cob with tomato salsa.

DRESSINGS

There’s so much more to salad than balsamic! Try apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar and tamarind. Add alternative sweeteners such as honey, preserved ginger and maple syrup for balance. Yoghurt, mustard and even hummus add depth of flavour and body to dressings.

Try: Coconut-and-coriander three-potato salad.

TEXTURE

Give veg and salads the edge by using a vegetable peeler to shave pieces of celery or fennel instead of dicing or slicing; smash cucumber to create rough edges; tear up tomatoes; and give kale a dressing massage to help it absorb flavour.

Try: Steak salad with torn figs.

Discover more braai recipes here.

The post Add edge to your veg on the braai appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/add-edge-veg-braai/feed/ 0
Where’s the fire water? https://taste.co.za/wheres-fire-water/ https://taste.co.za/wheres-fire-water/#respond Thu, 05 Oct 2017 12:26:07 +0000 https://taste.co.za/?p=28683 Yes, brandy is just dandy with Coke, but with the calibre we’re crafting locally, it’d be a sin not to let the spirit move you in its unadulterated state. (Okay, maybe you can add some eish…)

The post Where’s the fire water? appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
The styles

POTSTILL: By law, SA brandies labelled potstill contain 100% potstill distillate matured in oak barrels for at least three years.

VINTAGE: These blends are made up of a minimum of 30% potstill brandy and up to 60% neutral wine spirit, both matured in oak for at least eight years.

BLENDED: Also known as standard brandy, this consists of a minimum of 30% potstill brandy, oak-matured for at least three years, blended with unmatured neutral wine spirit.

Did you know?

  • In SA, the base wine distilled during brandy-making is mainly made from Chenin Blanc and Colombar grapes.
  • For every litre of brandy, about five litres of base wine are needed.
  • South African brandy must be aged in oak casks no larger than 340 litres for at least three years, according to legislation.
  • Big Bertha in Grabouw is the largest copper still in South Africa.


Get sipping: Brandy and coke slushie

Combine 2 cups Coke, 2 tots brandy and the juice of 2 limes in a freezable container. Freeze overnight (the alcohol content means that the mixture won’t freeze solid). Just before serving, fluff the frozen mixture using a fork and serve immediately, on its own or with an extra splash of Coke, garnished with sliced lime. Serves 2.

Cheers!

The post Where’s the fire water? appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/wheres-fire-water/feed/ 0
6 secrets behind coq au vin https://taste.co.za/6-secrets-behind-coq-au-vin/ https://taste.co.za/6-secrets-behind-coq-au-vin/#respond Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:28:54 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=18063 Chicken. Bacon. Red wine. And that’s only three of the reasons why coq au vin will always enjoy star status in our books. EB Social Kitchen’s Russell Armstrong agrees, and shares some tricks on acing the retro classic on his menu

The post 6 secrets behind coq au vin appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
Carrot or not?

Some chefs believe coq au vin requires carrots; others, like Russell, don’t. We added a few to make ourselves feel virtuous.

Mushrooms

While most mushrooms work fine, EB Social Kitchen’s version stars small white button mushrooms from a local supplier. Champignon de Paris, to be precise.

Shallots vs. onions

First prize here is French shallots, but the delicate flavour of red onions works well, too.

Which wine?

“I’m not fussy, any local red wine will do,” says Russell, who starts with 8 litres of red and slowly reduces it to about one litre, resulting in a deliciously concentrated flavour.

Bring home the bacon

Streaky bacon is where the flavour’s at for Russell, who gets his smoky strips from Franschhoek charcutier Neil Jewel. “It adds depth and richness to the sauce,” he says.

And finally, the bird

Russell foregoes the rooster the original recipe calls for in favour of a 1.2 kg free-range chicken, sectioning the bird into pieces and marinating them in the red wine reduction before cooking. Streaky bacon is where the flavour’s at for Russell, who gets his smoky strips from Franschhoek charcutier Neil Jewel. “It adds depth and richness to the sauce,” he says.

Try this coq au vin recipe now.

Find EB Social Kitchen & Bar at Hyde Park Shopping Centre, corner Jan Smuts Ave & William Nicol Diver, Craighall, Johannesburg; tel: 011 268 6039

The post 6 secrets behind coq au vin appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/6-secrets-behind-coq-au-vin/feed/ 0
The ultimate hot (or cold) toddy https://taste.co.za/ultimate-hot-cold-toddy/ https://taste.co.za/ultimate-hot-cold-toddy/#respond Thu, 28 Jul 2016 08:34:19 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=17932 It’s winter. Flu is a thing. Bolster yourself against the onslaught of germs with a two-pronged approach: alcohol and citrus. Because, vitamins

The post The ultimate hot (or cold) toddy appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
Make ours a zinger!

Do the (lemon) twist

Sure, it lends a certain old-school charm to a tipple, but a citrus twist also serves the purpose of flavouring your cocktail.

This is how you do it: run a veggie peeler around a lemon at its widest point until you have a piece about 6 cm long. Neaten the edges with a paring knife, then hold an end in each hand. Twist the peel with the rind side down, so the oils are released into your cocktail, then drop the peel into the drink.

The (kindred) spirits

Sipped prophylactically, a tot or more of these classic citrus liqueurs is half the battle won.

Cointreau: The grand daddy of citrus liqueurs, Cointreau was born in the mid-nineteenth century when confectioner Adolphe Cointreau and his brother Edouard-Jean blended sweet and bitter orange peels with pure alcohol. You’ll know it as a building block of classic cocktails such as margaritas, sidecars and cosmos, but it’s satisfying in its own distinct bittersweet way, sipped neat over ice as an apéritif.

Grand Marnier: This cognac-based bitter orange spirit was created by Frenchman Louis-Alexandre Marnier- Lapostolle in 1880. It is said to have been stocked at the bar on the Titanic, chosen by legendary chef Esco er as the main ingredient in crêpes Suzette and Grand Marnier sou é, and is the most widely exported French liqueur today. We like it because sipping it feels like getting a warm hug from the inside.

Shrub’s up: The recipe

To be clear, we’re not talking about the leafy variety that requires pruning. The shrub – a blend of fruit, sugar and vinegar – is the secret weapon in the barsenal of the contemporary mixologist, adding complexity and depth of flavour to cocktails.

There are two ways to make it: hot (simmering fruit in sugar syrup) or cold (macerating chopped fruit in sugar), both requiring a tot of vinegar and a good strain at the end.

We gave the cold method a whirl and, hey zesto, we think we have a winner:

1. Mix 2 chopped medium-sized lemons and 200 g sugar. Muddle the mixture and let it stand at room temperature in a jar for 2 days – shaking it whenever you walk past.
2. Add ½ cup white wine vinegar, combining well, then strain. In a glass, combine 1 tot whisky, ½ tot lemon shrub, a dash of Angostura bitters and soda water to taste.
3. Take two and call us in the morning.

The post The ultimate hot (or cold) toddy appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/ultimate-hot-cold-toddy/feed/ 0
Your guide to steeping tea https://taste.co.za/how-to-steep-tea/ https://taste.co.za/how-to-steep-tea/#respond Thu, 14 Jul 2016 08:56:06 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=17770 Stop dunking your teabag in a mug like a brute. Instead, embrace the current mindfulness trend and perform your own tea ceremony – proper pot and loose-leaf teas, mandatory

The post Your guide to steeping tea appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
How to steep tea

Prevent a mouthful of tea leaves. The first prize? A glass infuser tea pot. A tea mesh ball is a close second. At a push, you can use a coffee plunger. Yes, really!

How-to-steep-tea
Left to right: glass infuser teapot; a tea mesh ball, and a coffee plunger.

BLACK TEA

The longest fermented of all true teas (see “Did you know”, below), black tea can vary in flavour from strong and earthy to light and fragrant.

How to infuse black tea: Infuse in 95°C water (the temperature drops about 5 degrees per minute after you’ve boiled the kettle) for 3 to 5 minutes.
Why? Fully oxidised, black tea leaves can be fermented for up to a week, says Mingwei Tsai, tea master at Nigiro in Cape Town. Given their robustness, their flavour survives boiling water, which is why it’s the preferred tea to use in masala chai.

WHITE TEA

This minimally fermented tea – named after the silvery white hairs on young tea leaves and buds – has a pleasant, mild flavour.

How to infuse white tea: Slightly less delicate than green tea, it should be steeped for about 2 to 3 minutes in 80°C water.
Why? White tea is made from the downy buds and newly unfurled leaves of the tea plant, which are immediately dried without any other processing, resulting in a similarly fragile tea that will scald and turn bitter when coming into contact with boiling water.

OOLONG TEA

A traditional Chinese tea, oolong falls between lightly fermented green and fully fermented black tea. It has a pure, sweet, aromatic taste that lingers.

How to oolong tea: Allow the tea to infuse in 85°C water for 2 to 3 minutes.
Why? Oolong tea is semi-oxidised, meaning it’s fermented for between two and four days – midway between green and black tea. It’s also slightly hardier than green and white tea, which means it needs a longer steeping time.

GREEN TEA

Very lightly fermented, you want to emphasise this tea’s delicate, grassy notes, not obliterate them with scalding water. Boil the kettle, let the water cool for five minutes to 75°C, then steep the leaves for no longer than 2 minutes.

How to infuse green tea: Boil the kettle, let the water cool for five minutes to 75°C, then steep the leaves for no longer than 2 minutes.
Why? “Pouring boiling water on green tea will destroy its flavour,” says Mingwei. “In the East, serving green tea with boiling water is considered disrespectful.” This is because green tea leaves are picked at the youngest stage of the Camelia sinensis plant and experience minimal fermentation, if at all, so the leaves are extremely delicate.

DID YOU KNOW?

“True tea” is an umbrella description for all teas derived from the Camellia sinensis leaf. Any other leaves, fruit, flowers or roots used to make a brew are classified as a herbal tea.

Have you ever cooked with tea? It’s a thing! Try one of these tea recipes now.

The post Your guide to steeping tea appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/how-to-steep-tea/feed/ 0
Know your pepper https://taste.co.za/know-your-pepper/ https://taste.co.za/know-your-pepper/#respond Fri, 10 Jun 2016 10:38:35 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=17071 The soulmate of salt comes in many guises; each with its own distinct appeal. Whether your dish needs complexity or heat, these hot little numbers are nothing to sneeze at

The post Know your pepper appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
White

The seeds inside black peppercorns, white pepper is the culinary comeback kid, currying favour yet again for its milder, yet more layered, earthy flavour. It elevates simple pleasures such as fresh avo, mashed potato, scrambled eggs and even home-made vanilla ice cream to star status.

TRY: Thai red coconut chicken curry

Cubeb

Also known as Java pepper or tailed pepper, the dried berries taste similar to allspice and black pepper, but are more bitter. It adds an aromatic, nutmeg-like twist to bakes like gingerbread, lends floral notes to gin, and is essential in Indonesian curries and the North African spice blend ras-el-hanout.

Black

We’ve all experienced the wonders this savoury saviour can perform in classics like steak au poivre, but it’s also great for adding smoky, spicy complexity to sweet treats like shortbread, chocolate brownies and masala chai.

TRY: Balsamic risotto with cauliflower and crispy sage

Pink

Not technically a “true” peppercorn, the ripe, dried berry of the Brazilian pepper tree has a sweetish, sharp, floral flavour ideal for fruit salads, poached plums and baked chocolate desserts. It’s also a fine foil for fresh fish dishes.

Green

Available in dried and brined form, green peppercorns are essentially unripe black peppercorns. They have a fresher, less sharp flavour than their black counterparts, and sing in traditional creamy green peppercorn sauce and steamed veggies and salads.

TRY: Thick-cut rib-eye with mushroom and green pepper sauce

DID YOU KNOW?

The heat associated with peppercorns is derived from a compound known as piperine; not to be confused with the spiciness from chillies, known as capsaicin.

The post Know your pepper appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/know-your-pepper/feed/ 0
All about antipasti https://taste.co.za/all-about-antipasti/ https://taste.co.za/all-about-antipasti/#respond Thu, 19 May 2016 08:54:34 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=16630 Is it a starter? Is it a canapé? An amuse-bouche? Well, it’s kind of somewhere in between them all, really. TASTE decodes the hallowed precursor to the Italian feast and how you can make your own

The post All about antipasti appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
It’s not hard to get behind the way proper Italians tackle a meal. This is no dine-and-dash affair; rather a multi-course sitting meant to be savoured at as leisurely a pace as possible. First up in the procession? Antipasti. Think of it as serving the purpose of both appetite whetter and social lubricant – platters of tasty, bite-sized bits and bobs meant to be shared and snacked on informally in anticipation of the main event. According to those in the know, the aim is to offer contrasting colours, flavour and textures – just enough to leave you wanting more. If your budget is tight, go super simple with crostini rubbed with raw garlic and topped with a tomato-and-onion salsa, a drizzle of olive oil and crack of black pepper. If you feel like splurging, raid your nearest Woolies for a selection of prosciutto, Parma ham, buffalo mozzarella, marinated artichokes and sommer whip up a batch of risotto balls for good measure. The only criteria is deliciousness. Need a couple more ideas? These are some of our favourites.

Bruschettas

Trio of bruschetta

Creamy fig bruschetta

Exotic mushroom bruschetta

Grilled baby marrow and anchovy bruschetta

Crostini

Wafer crostini toasts topped with smooth chive cheese, broad beans and soft-poached eggs

Anchovy-buttered crostini with poached eggs

Honey-drizzled goat’s-cheese crostini

Creamy cannellini-bean toasts

Balls and fritters

Arancini with easy tomato sauce

Mozzarella-and sage arancini balls

Suppli’ di riso

Salted cod fritters

Crispy artichoke fritters

DISCOVER A RANGE OF ITALIAN RECIPES HERE

The post All about antipasti appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/all-about-antipasti/feed/ 0
Cheese-like it: Woolies’ winning wedges of 2016 https://taste.co.za/cheese-like-woolies-winning-wedges-2016/ https://taste.co.za/cheese-like-woolies-winning-wedges-2016/#respond Tue, 17 May 2016 13:59:13 +0000 http://taste.co.za/?p=16575 ICYMI, the annual SA National Dairy Championships took place recently and – no surprise here – Woolies’ cheese selection once again hogged the limelight. Herewith, the dairy belles you need to be loading into your trolley, pronto.

The post Cheese-like it: Woolies’ winning wedges of 2016 appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
Fourteen. That’s the number of Woolies’ cheeses awarded first place by the judging panel at this year’s SA National Dairy Championships. And that’s not even counting the cottage and cream cheeses (although, to be fair, a whole other story could be dedicated to those beauts). From a soft, creamy labneh flavoured with the Middle Eastern spice za’atar to a Gouda matured a whopping 2 years, the winners are diverse enough to appeal to any cheese snob. Herewith the lowdown on the victors.

Boerenkaas with cumin

This silky, semi-hard Dutch-style cheese is a type of Gouda with a slight sweetness and nuttiness, amped up with the heady earthiness of cumin.

Botham’s Cremezola blue

Your new favourite blue cheese is semi-soft with a creamy texture and milder sharpness than traditional blues.

De Leeuwen

This robust semi-soft, blue-veined cheese has a washed rind and is matured for four weeks until deliciously pungent.

Crottin

This firm, white mould cheese has a distinct goaty taste that intensifies with ripening. It’s also a favourite of our Michelin-starred man Jan-Hendrik van der Westhuizen.

Brie de Roche

Made with a combination of goat’s and cow’s milk, this white-mould wedge has a “barnyard” flavour and chalky centre that’ll become gorgeously oozy when ripened.

Labneh with za’atar

Mild in flavour, these soft, medium-fat Mediterranean-style balls are made with Jersey milk and given a flavour injection with za’atar spice.

Chevin with garlic and herbs

Boasting a characteristic goat’s-milk flavour, this soft, creamy cheese log is made even more robust in flavour by rolling it in fresh garlic and mixed herbs.

12- and 24-month matured Goudas

Slightly sweet, but with a much more defined, nutty character, these Dutch-style cheeses melt beautifully and are guaranteed to become your go-tos for toasted cheese sarmies.

6- and 12-month matured white Cheddars

Exclusive to Woolies, these sharp, tangy cheeses are undyed and have a firm, slightly crumblier texture. Your mac and cheese will never be the same using these aged gems.

Fresh mozzarella with olives and thyme

Sporting the stringy, tear-apart texture and milky, delicate flavour you want from a fresh mozzarella, with the salty, earthy gravitas of olive and thyme.

Mascarpone with fig and pecan nuts

The rich, creamy fresh cheese is layered with a sticky-sweet layer of preserved figs and pecan nuts – a real party in your mouth.

Fresh ricotta

The delicate, milky flavour and slightly granular, moist consistency made this Italian-inspired cheese a winner in the judges’ books.

DISCOVER A RANGE OF CHEESY RECIPES HERE

The post Cheese-like it: Woolies’ winning wedges of 2016 appeared first on Woolworths TASTE.

]]>
https://taste.co.za/cheese-like-woolies-winning-wedges-2016/feed/ 0