4 RECIPES: Professionals help you make Mother’s Day a delicious affair!

With Mother’s Day fast approaching on May 11, several successful Capsicum Culinary Studio alumni – many of whom attribute their passion for cooking to their mothers – answered a few questions that included sharing a recipe for something they’d make their mom on her special day:

Pretoria campus graduate Charmaine Lehabe says her favourite dish her mom made when she was growing up was Ting (fermented sorghum), with beef bones or chicken stew. “It will always be something I crave, and I get her to make for me when I’m home.”
And if she was home, what would she dish up for her mother on Mother’s Day?
“I would definitely make her breakfast, as I used to when I was a child. Growing up, it was the only way I could surprise and spoil her, so it’s become a tradition. She really loves my Orange and Elderflower Panna Cotta, so here’s the recipe for anyone else who wants to give it a go.”

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Orange and Elderflower Panna Cotta

Ingredients
2 tsp powdered gelatin
120ml water
4 cups of cream
2 cups of milk
1 cup sugar
Zest of 3 oranges
30ml elderflower syrup
Method
In a bowl, let the gelatin bloom by sprinkling it over water and let it sit for 5 min.
In a pot, gently heat the cream, milk, sugar and orange zest, until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the gelatin mixture and stir with a whisk until dissolved, then strain. Pour mix into tumbler glasses and leave to set (about six hours) before decorating with edible flowers.

Capsicum Durban campus alumnus Isla Rechner is a mother of twin toddlers.
What was her favourite dish her mom made when she was growing up?
“I think there’s always something wonderfully nostalgic about a mom’s cooking, and although my mom was never particularly enthusiastic about spending time in the kitchen, her roast chicken was always beautifully comforting. It still brings back warm memories and I ask her to make it for me whenever she visits.”
And what would she make for her mom on this special day?
“I’d definitely want to create a showstopper dessert for her. My white chocolate, basil, and strawberry tart is bursting with both flavour and colour and it’s deceptively simple to make, which is always a win in my book.”

White Chocolate, Basil and Strawberry Tart

For the sweet pastry
Ingredients
375g plain flour
75g caster sugar
260g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
1 large egg
Method
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and caster sugar. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix until the dough forms. Be careful not to overwork it. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out the chilled pastry to 3mm thickness. Line a 20cm tart tin, trimming any excess. Chill the lined tart tin in the fridge for 1 hour to prevent shrinkage during baking.
Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan). Blind bake the tart case: line the pastry with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and fully cooked. Allow to cool completely. (Note: Any leftover pastry can be wrapped tightly in cling film and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
For the white chocolate & basil ganache
Ingredients
200g white chocolate, finely chopped
280g Greek yoghurt (full fat)
1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly torn
Method
In a small saucepan, gently heat the Greek yoghurt with the basil until warm. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the yoghurt to remove the basil leaves. In a heatproof bowl, combine the infused yoghurt and white chocolate. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler) and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until set.
To finish
10 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise (4 slices each)
1 tbsp icing sugar
A handful of baby basil leaves
White chocolate curls, to garnish
Method
Place the sliced strawberries in a small bowl. Sift over the icing sugar and toss gently to coat. Arrange the macerated strawberries around the edge of the chilled ganache tart in an overlapping pattern. Garnish with baby basil leaves and a scattering of white chocolate curls.
Serve chilled for a beautifully balanced tart that’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.

Graduate Hendrik Pretorius has written a cookbook titled The Sweet Side of Life, which is due to be published this year.
“Although my mom passed away many years ago, I’ll be honouring her memory by cooking something she was well known for among friends and family – her souttertjies (savoury tartlets). It was also my favourite dish when growing up and to this day it holds so many warm memories so I thought it would be a good recipe to share.”

Hendrik’s Ma’s Souttertjies

For the dough
Rub 625g margarine into 6 cups flour, ½ tsp cream of tartar and 1½ tsp salt. Mix together
3 egg yolks, 60ml white vinegar and ¾ cup ice water. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and knead for a few minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. When ready to use, remove from the fridge, roll out and cut into circles that can be placed in a muffin pan.
For the filling
2½ tbsp flour
60ml margarine
750ml milk
1ml salt
4 eggs
1 x 375g tin Vienna sausages, sliced
1 tbsp grated onion 1 tbsp
3 cups of coarsely grated cheese
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2ml mustard powder
Method
Make a white sauce using flour, margarine, milk, and salt. Beat the eggs then stir them into the sauce. Add the sliced sausages, onion, cheese, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder and mix well. Spoon the filling into the pastry shells in the muffin pan.
Bake at 180°C until light golden brown.

Tinotenda Sadziwa is back home in Zimbabwe working as a full-time baker, specialising in cakes, pastries and artisan breads. The Capsicum Cape Town campus graduate says her favourite dish her mother made when she was growing up was lasagna.
“Each layer was a statement of her love. Eating her lasagna was more than just a meal, it was a cherished memory filled with warmth and love.
“Even now, the thought of it brings back fond memories of family gatherings and cosy Sunday evenings, reminding me of the joy that good food can bring.
For Mother’s day this year, Sadziwa is going to make her mom’s all-time favourite, grilled chicken with ratatouille.

Grilled Chicken with Ratatouille

For the ratatouille
6 tbs olive oil
2 medium eggplants, cut into bite-size chunks
3 medium zucchini – cut into bite-size chunks
Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 red, 2 yellow and 2 green peppers, chopped
2 red onions, diced
3 garlic cloves sliced
1tbspn aged balsamic vinegar
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
15g fresh basil, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
20 black olives pitted and halved
Method
Heat half of the oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and fry until golden brown (2-3 minutes). Set aside in a large bowl. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and fry the zucchini. Don’t cook them all the way through, just until golden and slightly softened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside to the same bowl with the eggplant. To the same skillet add the peppers, onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add plum tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to a medium-low, bring to a simmer and break the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to simmer until it starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fried veggies, cherry tomatoes, basil and thyme. Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce is thick and veggies are tender. Alternatively, you can bake it uncovered in the preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes.
For the grilled chicken
1.5kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tsp. rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons lemon zest
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk garlic, oil, rosemary, oregano and thyme; generously season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bowl and toss to combine. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is even better). Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; preheat 5 minutes. Grill chicken, basting with reserved marinade and turning halfway through, about 6 minutes per side.
Serve with ratatouille and fresh ciabatta bread.

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