* If preferred, use half cake flour and half brown flour – brown flour adds an extra fillip of fibre, but it does make a slightly heavier and less moist loaf.
Fruit & Carrot Loaf
A sweet, dense brown loaf. Serve sliced and buttered.
125 g fruitcake mixture
300 ml (11⁄5 cups) water
250 ml (1 cup) light brown sugar
250 ml (1 cup) coarsely grated carrots, firmly packed for measuring
30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter
5 ml (1 tsp) ground mixed spice
250 ml (1 cup) cake flour
5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
a pinch of salt
250 ml (1 cup) wholewheat flour
60–75 ml (4–5 Tbsp) chopped walnuts (optional)
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) vanilla essence
Place the fruitcake mixture, water, sugar, carrots, butter and spice in a large, deep saucepan, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Cool completely before continuing with the recipe. Sift the cake flour, bicarb, baking powder and salt and stir into the cooled mixture in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the wholewheat flour, nuts (if using), and vanilla. Turn into a 20 × 9 × 7 cm loaf tin, first oiled and then lined, base and sides, with baking paper. Level the top and bake at 160 °C for 1 hour. Test with a skewer and, if done, leave to stand for a few minutes before inverting onto a rack. Remove paper, and cool. Makes 1 medium loaf.
Stirred Wholewheat & Yoghurt Bread
This wholesome bread, which was once so popular, seems to be somewhat neglected now in favour of crusty, savoury Italian breads – understandable, but a pity. However, here it is again as a reminder – easy as pie, and full of good things. Despite the raisins and nuts, it’s great for sandwiches as it slices thinly without crumbling – and it also makes a lovely lunch, with avo and cottage cheese and greens. The quantity of bicarb might seem very small, but it is enough for the bread to rise, and using this minimum amount avoids that overtly bicarb flavour that often surfaces in breads made with this ingredient as a raising agent.
250 ml (1 cup) white bread flour
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda
750 ml (3 cups) wholewheat flour
60 ml (4 Tbsp) wheatgerm
90 ml (6 Tbsp) seedless raisins
30 g pecan nuts, chopped (optional)
500 ml (2 cups) stirred Bulgarian yoghurt (not thick, spooning yoghurt)
15 ml (1 Tbsp) oil
30 ml (2 Tbsp) runny honey
water
sesame and poppy seeds for topping
Sift the white bread flour with the salt and bicarb. Mix in the wholewheat flour, wheatgerm, raisins and nuts, if using. Whisk together the yoghurt, oil and honey, stir into the flour mixture, then add just enough water to make a sticky but not sloppy dough – rinse out the yoghurt carton with 100 ml (2⁄5 cup) water and use as much of this as necessary – you might need it all. Stir hard until thoroughly combined, then turn into a well-oiled and baking paper-lined 26 × 9 × 7 cm loaf tin, patting in evenly. Lightly press the seeds into the top and, to prevent uneven rising, make a slight depression down the centre (it will, nevertheless, hump in the oven, but it will settle down later). Bake at 180 °C for 60–70 minutes, then leave to stand for 5 minutes before loosening the sides and turning out onto a rack to cool. Makes 1 fairly large loaf.
Quick-Mix Herbed Buttermilk Bread
This is a jumbo loaf, humped and crusty and plump with flavour. Easy to make, as everything is simply stirred together – no rising time required – and it’s super with soup or at a braai.
1 × 500 g packet self-raising flour
250 ml (1 cup) wholewheat or brown bread flour
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) salt
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
10 ml (2 tsp) dried mixed herbs
3 cloves garlic, crushed
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) chopped parsley
4–6 spring onions, chopped
500 ml (2 cups) buttermilk
1 XL free-range egg
150–180 ml (3⁄5–3⁄4 cup) water
grated pecorino cheese for topping
Mix all the ingredients, except the buttermilk, egg, water and pecorino. Whisk the buttermilk with the egg, add to the dry ingredients and stir to mix, then rinse the empty buttermilk carton with the water and add just enough to make a thick, sticky batter. The mixture needs some hard beating with a wooden spoon in order to combine, as it is heavy and dense – but it should not be sloppy, so do not add more water than is absolutely necessary. Turn into a 26 × 9 × 7 cm loaf tin, first oiled and then lined, base and sides, with baking paper. Use a dampened spatula to pat in evenly and sprinkle with pecorino, pressing it in lightly. Bake at 180 °C for 1 hour – it should have risen quite dramatically and be golden brown in colour. Insert a skewer into the centre to see if the loaf is done. Leave to stand for a few minutes, turn out, remove the baking paper and return to the oven for about 5 minutes to crisp the sides, then cool on a rack. Makes 1 very large loaf.
Best Wholesome Bread
The recipe for yoghurt bread (page 203) is quicker to make, but this one is so economical and nutritious, you can’t afford not to make it – the effort is minimal and the reward is great. The following quantities make a jumbo loaf which, once tried, could easily become a daily habit.
1 × 10 g packet instant dry yeast
750 ml (3 cups) wholewheat flour
500 ml (2 cups) brown bread flour
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) sea salt
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) sunflower seeds
45 ml (3 Tbsp) runny honey
30 ml (2 Tbsp) oil
about 600 ml (22⁄5 cups) water*
Mix all the ingredients, except the water, in a large bowl, then mix in 250 ml (1 cup) of the water. When combined, slowly add another 250 ml (1 cup). After that, add only as much as is necessary to make a moist, springy batter – it should not be sloppy, but should have the consistency of a fruitcake batter. Turn into an oiled and lined 26 × 9 × 7 cm loaf tin. Line the base and sides with baking paper as this makes it so much easier to turn out, and level the batter with the back of a damp wooden spoon, pressing it into the tin quite firmly. Leave in a warm place until the batter reaches the top of the tin, then bake at 200 °C for 30 minutes, then at 180 °C for 20 minutes. Leave to stand for a few minutes before inverting onto a rack, remove the baking paper and cool, OR return to the switched-off oven for about 10 minutes to crisp the sides.
• Options: Sprinkle the top of the loaf with extra sunflower seeds (and/or sesame, or poppy seeds) before setting to rise. Add a handful of seedless raisins to the dry mixture.
• For a denser loaf, use all wholewheat flour – in this case a little more water will be necessary. Using part wholewheat and part brown flour as specified makes a larger, less heavy loaf.
* The temperature of the water is really important – warmer than luke, but not hot hot – a mix of boiling water and cold tap water is a rough guide.
Glossary
ag oh; used to express exasperation
amasi thick, soured milk
bayete Zulu royal greeting
beskuit rusks
blerrie bloody (slang)
boeretroost literally ‘Afrikaner comfort’; ground coffee in a linen bag suspended in boiling water
disselbooms shafts of ox wagons to which the oxen are yoked
Dopper member of the Gereformeerde Kerk in Suid-Afrika, distinguishable by the short jackets worn instead of the traditional frock coat
droogtewindjie cool, drought wind
eina! exclamation of pain; ouch!
fie exclamation of distaste or mock dismay
indunas headmen or councillors apppointed by a chief
ja yes
ja-nee literally yes-no; that’s a fact
katel a lightweight, portable bed; also called a trek bed
knobkieries wooden war club with a round knob at the
end
koppie small hill
liefie term of affection, Afrikaans for ‘lovey’
linnekas linen cupboard
Nagmaal Holy Communion, traditionally celebrated quarterly in the Dutch Reformed Church
Ons Huisie literally ‘Our House’
oupa grandfather
riem a strip of softened hide used instead of rope
riempie a narrow strip of softened hide used for thonging seats and the backs of chairs
siestog an expression of sympathy or pity
sjoe! phew!
skof a stage or leg of a journey
tant aunt
velskoene literally ‘hide shoes’; hand-made shoes of untanned hide
verdomde damned, accursed
vetkoek a deep-fried cake, similar to a doughnut
voorkamer the front room of a house
voorlopers usually young coloured boys, who lead a span of oxen
Index
The index that appeared in the print version of this title was intentionally removed from the eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.
Beef dishes Fillet with a creamy mustard sauce
Pasta stroganoff
Steaks with red wine & mushroom sauce
Breads Best wholesome
French loaf with fresh herb butter, baked
Herbed buttermilk, quick-mix
Wholewheat & yoghurt, stirred
Butter, fresh herb
Cakes Chocolate-orange layer cake
Coffee & spice layer cake
Fruit & wholewheat buttermilk ring cake
Fruitcake, Florrie’s
Chicken dishes Breasts stuffed with spinach & ricotta
Casserole with mushrooms & red wine
Chicken & mango salad
Chicken, brown mushroom & tomato curry
Chocolate-chilli chicken
Curry, spicy
Favourite quick chicken
Mushroom chicken, quick
Orange coq au vin
Thighs baked on a bed of vegetables
Wings, finger-licking
Creams Amarula
Basil
Desserts Apple & mango crumble
Apple puff, baked
Butternut pecan pie
Cheesecake pots
Cherry-Amaretto cheesecake pots
Chocolate Bavarian cream, special
Chocolate fudge cups
Citrus creams
Elegant fruit flop
Frankly fruity
Fruit flops
Fruit salad with crunchy pecans, creamy, rummy
Lemon creams
Lemon meringue
Litchi & Amaretto cheesecake
Nectarines with Amarula cream, spicy poached
Orange bavarois with hot chocolate sauce
Orange creams
Orange liqueur chocolate truffles
Oranges Van der Hum
Passion meringue
Peaches, roasted
Pears in phyllo baskets with sabayon
Pears with nut liqueur, cinnamon poached
Strawberry cheesecake pots
Strawberry meringue
Vanilla peaches, poached
Very simple fruit flop
Watermelon with gin, minted
Dressings Basil oil
Blue cheese
Mustard vinaigrette, creamy
Mustard, quick
Orange-mustard
Fish dishes Cape salmon with butter & herbs, roasted
Curry, spicy stove-top
Fish fillets on a bed of vegetables, baked
Fish with anchovy mayo & crunchy sage, poached
Fish with lemon & tarragon, poached
Fish with salsa, unbelievably easy
Fish, Italian-style roasted
Pasta with smoked salmon, mushrooms & cream
Salmon spread, smoked
Salmon with stir-fried vegetables
Smoked salmon & green bean salad
Snoek spread, smoked
Icings Coffee butter
Vanilla butter
Lamb dishes Braised leg
Buffalo with peppadews
Casserole with mushrooms & butter beans
Loin chops, simmered, savoury
Loaves Double-ginger, brown
Fruit & carrot
Glazed lemon
Marinades Beef
Chicken
Muffins Buttermilk, brown
Nutty fruitcake
Pasta dishes Pasta puttanesca salad with basil oil
Pasta stroganoff
Pasta with smoked salmon, mushrooms & cream
Pasta, bean & rocket salad with pine nuts
Pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes & butternut
Saucy pasta in a bowl
Tomato sauce with herbs, robust
Vegetable & pasta party salad, roasted
Pesto, Walnut
Phyllo baskets
Pork dishes Orange chops
Salads Chicken & mango
Pasta puttanesca with basil oil
Pasta, bean & rocket with pine nuts
Rosemary pears & blue cheese dressing
Smoked salmon & green bean
Vegetable & pasta, roasted
Sauces, savoury Anchovy mayonnaise
Mango & mint raita
Mustard, creamy
Salsa
Tomato
Tomato sauce with herbs, robust
Sauces, sweet Amarula cream
Chocolate
Sabayon
Strawberry coulis
Scones Rosemary-buttermilk
Soups Bean, pasta & vegetable
Butternut, butter bean, coconut & basmati
Cucumber & yoghurt with walnuts, minted
Dhal, aromatic
Gazpacho with whipped basil cream, quick
Pumpkin & apple
Spanspek, chilled
Spreads & snacks Mushroom-cream cheese spread
Smoked salmon spread
Smoked snoek spread
Mushroom crostini
Starters Asparagus with a choice of dressings
Cucumber cheesecakes with avocado, mini
Mushroom mountains
Tomato tartlets with olives, pesto & pecorino
Toppings Cherry
Orange peel, candied
Veal dishes Casserole with brinjals & olives
Vegetarian dishes Asparagus with a choice of dressings
Butter bean, mushroom & walnut curry
Chickpea curry with mango & mint raita
Chilli beans with corn & avocado, quick
Cucumber cheesecakes with avocado, mini
Mushroom mountains
Omelettes
Pasta puttanesca salad with basil oil
Pasta, bean & rocket salad with pine nuts
Pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes & butternut
Rice & vegetables with omelette topping, baked
Risotto with butternut, pine nuts & asparagus
Saucy pasta in a bowl
Vegetable & pasta party salad, roasted
Vegetable curry, simply splendid
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