FOODS OF THE CAPE: 2016

FISH PARCEL

Fish is probably one of the nicest meals there is, giving you much needed Omega-3 that improves mental functions and helps in maintaining a healthy heart. Besides there is so many varieties of fish, for example, snoek, hake, steenbrass, cob, red roman, yellow tail, tuna, shad, maasbanker, bronze breams, silverfish, galjoen, anglefish, musselcracker and stumpnose, each having a very different favour and aroma. Fish can be deep fried in batter and served with chips and salads. Fish can be fried in a pan, or steamed with veg, or bakes in an oven or grilled over coals. Fish can be used as a substitute for meat in a curry or in a biryani or in friffadels. Yep fish frikkadels are by far the best, better than meat mince frikkadels especially when made with fresh parsely.

In fact fish can be prepared in at least a dozen different ways. So today I have prepared a fish parcel. Essentially the fish is grilled in the oven but since it is wrapped in foil, it steams. And when this happens with a mixture of onions and green and red bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, lemon slices with its peel, salt and pepper and lavishly sprinkled with olive oil, it is simply delectable. A coolest part of this meal is that one adds everything at once, places it in a tray, pop it into an oven on medium heat and forget about it, as it gets done the aromas of the sizzling sound will get your attention. I like a tomato salsa served alongside my fish flanked by a heavenly portion of sweet potato.

Method:

After the fish has been washed and cleaned, make absolutely sure that every last scale has been removed. Do this by scaping the surface skin of the fish one last time. There is no greater letdown when eating fish, to swallow a scale that gets stuck in your throat. Salt the inside of the fish to taste, then stuff it with onion rings, sliced tomato, sliced lemon with its peel, sliced peppers and add 2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic, and sprinkle it with ground pepper. Lavishly sprinkle with olive oil and wrap in such a way that the foil makes a container. The fish needs to be fully enclosed but the open end of the foil needs to be at the top of the fish, yet not allowing the juices to escape. It takes just 15 mins to prepare and about an hour to cook in the oven. But its bet left in the over until the aromas speak to your taste buds. This is normally a meal for 2 and the best way to slit it, is along the spine like you open a book. Normally the spine comes out as a single bone but that depends on the type of fish you cooking. Enjoy.

Medium size fish in tray with ingredients

Before the fish is wrapped.

Sweet potato, meal for one.

After the fish is wrapped

In the oven

Fish is done

Fish is plated with tomato salsa and sweet potato.

BRAISED STEAK IN PEPPERS (Capsicum) SAUCE

I simply love steak. Some meat lovers consider steak to be a really dry piece of meat when roasted in a solid base pot or when braaied over the fire because it has very little or not fat. But I think it's this quality of the steak that makes it really great since it allows one to prepare it in a sauce to make it succulent and juicy. The beauty of steak is that is has no bones which means it lies fairly flat in a relatively hot solid base pot thus simple to sheer on either side, to seal-in its flavour. If it's also tenderized, it cooks fairly fast but has a tendency to curl. When this happens, just cut a slip from the center of the piece of steak to the edge and it would once again behave it self.

Prime Steak washed and drained

Steak cut into longish strips

However when steak is cut into strips and sheered on all side in a pot, it just locks in its goodness and it releases its flavour to the sauce it is prepared in. Braised steak is a very nourishing and a fairly quick dish to make, especially for people on diet because its high in protein yet lower in calories than fatty meat. It makes for a quick meal when you feel too lazy to cook and easily serves two. Braised steak tales about 45 mins to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sized onions, chopped
1 large green bell peppers (Capsicum) cut in to longish strips
1 large red bell peppers (Capsicum) cut in to longish strips
1 yellow bell pepper cut in to longish strips
2 cloves of garlic fines chopped
1/2 kg tenderized steak, washed & drained, cut into 1 cm wide strips.
1/2 tsp of salt (add salt to taste)
2 tsp of ground peppercorns
1 tsp black pepper
5 -6 cloves
5 -6 all spice balls

METHOD

Lavishly pour Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a pot and allow to heat then add salt, pepper, cloves and the all spice balls but don't burn the oil. Don't close the pot and let the spices fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes then add the chopped onions. This allows the flavour of these spices to infuse into the olive oil and onions. Increase the heat and allow onions to braise and when translucent add the strips of steak to the mix and let it roast, continuously tossing the steak so that is fries uniformly.

Olive oil and spices

Clove, salt, pepper and all spice frying in Olive oil

Chopped onions and Olive oil

Onions braised with spces

The strips of steak added to the onions and spices

The spice infused oil would have penetrated the steak adding moisture and the aroma and flavour of everything roasting together just makes your mouth water. Serve with buttered Portuguese or Kitka Rolls covered in sesame seeds. Add some green salad on the side.