The Ballinderry - more than just a guest house

The Ballinderry is a guest house in the town of Robertson, situated in one of the most fantastic wine valleys of the Western Cape. Somehow Belgian owners Luc and Hilde have managed to create an interior that is both modern and chic but more importantly relaxed and comfortable, quite literally a home away from home. The two of them are very good at what they do and if you’ve never met them have a look at the photograph above. A great picture that I managed to find in the dictionary under ‘hospitality’. They have a passion for what they do and this translates beautifully into all that is around them but most noticeably onto the exciting plates of food that leave Hilde’s ordered and immaculate kitchen. Her breakfasts are exceptional but what takes me back every time I am anywhere near them is the 3 course dinners that seem to get better and better. With the combination of her Belgian heritage, a love for Mediterranean cuisine, her natural palate and some true creative genius, Hilde never disappoints and puts amazing things together.

The menu last Friday was a perfect example of the type of food she likes to cook (and I like to eat).

Starter: Cheese soufflé and salad

Very light Old Amsterdam cheese soufflé, side salad with dried fruits and slow roasted cherry tomatoes.

Main: Duck a l’ Orange, gratin potatoes and veg

Duck leg slow roasted in an orange and port marinade, duck breast pan-fried and flambéed with brandy, gratin potatoes, red cabbage and fried apple and a port orange sauce.

Dessert: White Belgian chocolate icetart, dark chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries.

Yes please!

Hilde has very kindly given me her Cheese soufflé recipe and I’m going to share it with you.

Ballinderry’s Cheese soufflé (for 6)

Ingredients

- 120g Old Amsterdam Cheese, grated
- 20g white flour
- 12g butter (+ extra for the ramekins)
- 300ml hot milk
- 4 fresh jumbo egg whites (or 5 large) – room temperature
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- a few fresh sage leaves, chopped
- black pepper
- salt
- nutmeg
- 6 lightly buttered ramekins

Method

- melt butter in a pan on a low heat and add flour
- use wooden spoon to stir the dry mixture.
- gently pour in the hot milk while whisking firmly, using a hand whisk
- as soon as starts to boil, switch of the heat
- add cheese (keep on whisking) followed by baking powder
- season with sage, salt, pepper and nutmeg
- not too much salt or nutmeg as the cheese is rather salty
- let the mixture cool down a little while you beat the egg whites
- gently fold in the egg whites and pour into the ramekins (3/4 full)
- preheat the oven to 175 C
- put ramekins on a baking tray a bit below the middle
- bake for 12 to 15 minutes
- souffles are ready when their top is golden and centre moist
- do not open the oven while baking.
- serve immediately with a little salad on the side with slow-roasted cherry tomatoes, dried fruits and a drizzle of olive oil.

TIP: You can make the mixture a few hours in advance but without the baking powder and egg whites, which you only add to the mixture (room temperature!) before baking.

Weltevrede - a sense of place

The Wine Estate of Weltevrede (or fully satisfied) sits near Bonnievale on the banks of the Breede River. The funnel shaped Robertson Valley, between the mountains of Langeberg and Riviersonderend, channels the flow of air which is cooled by the river and then carried gently across the vineyards. This is exactly what the farmers want and is one of the reasons the region is able to produce such outstanding wine.

The Jonker family has been wandering the farm of Weltevrede since 1912 and the running of the estate now rests on the very capable shoulders of Phillip Jonker. He’s had some experience in both California and Bordeax and has become somewhat of a Chardonnay expert; but the family’s intimate knowledge of the place, passed down through generations, cannot be underestimated. The Jonkers believe that when the earth was created and decorated with soil, water and vegetation, off-cuts of some of the very best bits were taken and joined together to form the patchwork of terroir that surrounds Bonnievale. A good example of this is their ‘Place of Rocks’ and ‘Rusted Soil’ Chardonnays, exactly the same grape but very different wines, both produced on the estate but nurtured on different sides of a little hill.

I’ve just done a tasting with Weltevrede and had the chance to revisit their Rusted Soil Chardonnay, undoubtedly one of my favourites. I also had my first taste of their new Vanilla Chardonnay; something they’re doing in an attempt to attract those who aren’t mad about the varietal. Through specific soil and barrel selection they’ve managed to create something that is crisp and un-wooded, with a lingering hint of vanilla. I think they might be on to something with this one and it’s certainly good value for money. I reckon on a hot day it would go superbly with a salad, maybe something like bacon, prawn and papaya.


Bacon, prawn and papaya salad

Ingredients

- a handful of young leaf spinach
- a good glug of olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 10 bacon rashers
- 1 large papaya, cut into large cubes
- 1 ripe avocado, cut into lengths
- 10 prawns
- 2 tsp cumin
- butter
- salt and pepper

Method

- season prawns with cumin, salt and pepper
- heat butter in a pan and cook the prawns until just done
- mix olive oil and lime juice in a bowl
- grill bacon until crisp and cut each streak in half
- add prawns, bacon, spinach, papaya to the bowl and mix well
- serve with a chilled glass of Vanilla Chardonnay

Genuine passion, real flavour; Micro-breweries deserve more attention

Micro-breweries face a number of challenges in a market dominated by the copiously advertised and distributed brands that are not short on pocket change. What sets them apart from these beer Goliaths is the fact that they use no preservatives or additives and don’t pasteurize to lengthen shelf-life. Their beers are natural and hand-crafted; with lots of variety and superb quality and flavour.

Living in England for a couple of years, I got the chance to explore the regional real ales but travelling Australia’s East Coast is what really opened my eyes to micro-breweries and their magical liquid produce.

South Africa is relatively new to the micro-brewing scene but hopefully, with the support of discerning beer lovers, they’ll gain popularity and create ripples throughout the marketplace. The general public has begun to be a little more in tune and inquisitive with what they’re consuming, like where and how products are made and the things that are put in them.

I’ve chosen a couple of micro-breweries to highlight, one fairly well known, the other young but certainly making inroads.

Knysna has been the home of Mitchell’s Brewery since 1983, but because of growing demand, the brand has spread countrywide with a branch opening in Cape Town in 1989. They use only local ingredients, in a process that combines German lagering and British mashing techniques, and produce beers that are high in flavour and low in alcohol. They have the Forester’s Lager, the Bosun’s Bitter, the Raven Stout and last but certainly not least the 90 Shilling Ale, a full-bodied traditional Scottish Ale that I encountered only recently for the very first time, but is actually their biggest award winner. It's made from malted barley, yeast, hops, water and cinnamon and the end result is a spicy ale that is big on flavour.

Mitchell’s recommends an Asian Pork Stir-fry with the 90 Shilling and they were kind enough to give me a recipe for exactly that.

Ingredients:

- 300g medium egg noodles, cooked
- Chinese 5 spice
- 700g pork belly, sliced
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped fine
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
- a bunch of spring onions, trimmed and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 5 carrots, julienned
- a packet of red cabbage, sliced
- a handful of green beans
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
- a bunch of fresh coriander, leaves and stems chopped and separated

Method:

- heat a wok and another smaller pan
- pour oils in the wok and fry ginger,chillies and coriander roots for a minute
- add peppers, spring onions, garlic and veggies and fry until wilted
- add noodles, coriander leaves, honey and soy
- fry for 3 mins until noodles are steaming hot
- at the same time drizzle a little olive oil in a pan
- rub pork with 5 spice and then fry for 2 mins each side
- serve all together with a 90 Shilling

Camelthorn Brewery, the dream and baby of Jorg Finkeldey, was opened in Windhoek in 2009. He, a South African trained chemical engineer, named his brand after an indigenous tree to highlight it’s resilience in challenging environmental conditions. There are 5 different craft beers under their umbrella and occasionally Jorg creates an additional seasonal delight. Their Brauhaus or Weissbier, a Bavarian style wheat beer, is something very special and even better when combined with an Eisbein. Try the recipe below, get yourself a top wheat beer and see what I mean.

Eisbein with sauerkraut and bread dumplings

Ingredients:

- kosher salt
- curing salt
- 1 litre water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp marjoram
- 2 tsp all spice
- 1tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp bashed coriander seeds
- 1 tsp juniper berries
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 1 onions, finely chopped
- 2 tsp sugar
- 5 garlic cloves, bashed

Method:

- make the brine by mixing 120g of kosher salt and 12g of curing salt per litre of water
- make enough to cover the pork completely
- make sure you chill the water thoroughly before continuing
- put pork in a plastic container and cover with the brine
- leave in the fridge for 4 days
- bring a pot of water to the boil
- rinse the pork under running water and pop in the pot
- bring back to the boil, remove scum from the surface and turn heat to low
- simmer the pork gently for 3 hours

Bread Dumplings

Ingredients:

- 2 stale rolls, torn into cubes
- 1 cup of warm milk
- 3 eggs, beaten
- a handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- a pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste

Method:

- put the bread in a bowl and knead in the milk lightly
- cover and leave to rest for 30 mins
- mash up the soaked mix to form a thick dough
- mix in eggs one at a time
- add the rest of the ingredients and knead until smooth
- if the dough is too sticky add some breadcrumbs
- wet hands and form balls with dough, setting aside on a baking sheet
- bring a pot of salted water to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer
- drop dumplings in and simmer for 20 mins, gently stirring
- remove and serve hot with Eisbein and some sauerkraut

The 'Tour Mont Blanc'

So, we’ve just moved house and once you get past the packing, carrying, sweat and tears there are usually a few positives. You get to go evaluate your possessions, cutting the fat so to speak, keeping only your most essential goodies and discovering memorabilia that are long forgotten. Going through our box of files and books I came upon some old snaps of holidays that took me on a meander down memory lane. One such trip was the ‘Tour Mont Blanc’, a 170km clockwise trail around the highest mountain in the Alps that starts in Chamonix, France, and winds its way through the villages and valleys in neighbouring Italy and Switzerland.

There are a number of ways of taking on the trek. We chose the camping option and used a UK based tour company that pointed us in the right direction, fed us and carted the kitchen and sink from A to B. We woke each morning, had a quick bite to eat, packed up camp and set off into the hills, usually going up. The soaring mountain peaks, creaking glaciers and immense valleys offered something new and exciting every day and there was always a refuge around the corner with a hot coffee, some fresh cake or a cold beer to give us the required boost.

The walk is tough but as long as you’re fit and confident on rocky and steep trails it’s no problem at all. We had a couple of rest days which gave the legs a breather and us the chance to explore the towns of Courmayeur and Les Contamine, grappa, wine, Raclette and all.

Centuries ago people walked up mountains to achieve higher status in their communities and a lot of mountaineers maintain that they climb mountains because they’re there. One thing that is a given is that being around the beauty and enormity of mountain landscapes forces us to appreciate the little things, like ourselves, and strolling around Mont Blanc is something that does just that.

Raclette is a Swiss and French dish that's named after a specific fatty cheese. It's a bit like a fondue, I suppose, but better because you not only get beautiful oozy cheese but also some crisp stuff, a bit like what you sometimes find on the sides of a toasted sandwich.

Easy Raclette

Ingredients:
- 800g Raclette cheese (search for it)
- 100g cooked prawns
- some pickled onions
- a selection of cured/dried meats and hams
- some fried garlic mushrooms
- crusty bread
- some gherkins

Method:
- on a big platter, serve everything but the cheese
- heat the cheese in the oven at 180 C until gooey
- slice thick wedges of the cheese onto plates
- pop the plates under the grill for a minute or 2
- you want the cheese to have soft and crispy sections
- serve cheese plates, mix and enjoy

Moving house

I've been a little quiet lately but I've been moving so that'll just have to be my excuse. Sorry. Back in action very soon.

Rasberry chilli chicken livers

I made a chicken liver dish a while ago with reduced pomegranate juice, red chilli and a bit of parsley and it was a winner. Last night I decided to try a similar sort of thing, using a great raspberry jam that someone had given me. If you're a chicken liver fan try it out.

Ingredients

- 250g chicken livers
- flour
- salt and pepper
- a blob of butter
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 3 tsp raspberry jam
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped

Method

- put flour, salt and pepper in a bowl
- add livers and mix well, you want a light covering
- heat butter in a pan and add garlic and chilli
- throw in livers and cook through
- add spring onion and jam for last 2 mins of cooking
- serve with green salad

Pea and hazelnut soup

George Jardine, head chef at Jordan’s restaurant has given me a recipe that he recommends with their award winning Riesling 2009. He says it’s an easy but rich dish with the peas adding a fantastic sweetness and the hazelnut oil a great textural quality.

Pea and hazelnut soup with porcini

Ingredients

- 500g fresh peas
- 1lt good chicken stock (or veg if required)
- salt and white pepper to taste
- 50g butter
- 1 tsp hazelnut oil
- some porcini powder

Method

- boil the chicken stock and cook the peas in this until tender
- blend all until smooth, adding more liquid if required
- finish with the butter, season with the hazelnut oil, salt and pepper
- pour a generous portion into a bowl
- steam the milk until frothy and spoon over like a cappuccino
- sprinkle the porcini powder over the froth

Serve with a glass of chilled Jordan Riesling.