This is a delicious dessert of apricots roasted with honey and ginger, and served with ricotta and spiced filo. This recipe is based on one from our book of the week, Orient Express by Silvena Rowe. If apricots are  not in season, use either dried  apricots, soaked in hot water for approximately one hour, or tinned apricots, drained of the juices. You can make your own za’atar, or purchase it from a middle eastern store. 

Photo: JONATHAN LOVEKIN

6 ripe apricots, quartered (or 12 dried apricots halved, see introduction)
3cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3T  runny honey
4 large rectangular sheets of filo pastry
50g butter, melted
1t green peppercorns, crushed
2-3T  za’atar
400g fresh ricotta, crumbled

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

Za’atar is a crucial spice blend in the food of the eastern Mediterranean.  In her latest book,  Orient Express, chef Silvena Rowe users Za’atar for a wide variety of her dishes. Sumac, a crucial ingredient in Za’atar, is sold in a powder form, usually dark red in colour, available from many middle eastern stores. It is often used as a replacement for lemon juice as it is also very sour.  

Photo: JONATHAN LOVEKIN

4t tsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
4t dried marjoram
4t  ground sumac
1t  sea salt
4t  ground cumin

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

Potato Galette with Lox and Crème Fraîche

This crispy potato galette, topped with lox and crème fraîche, has all the best parts of an everything bagel, relatively easy to make and a perfect treat for mother’s day.  Click here for other delicious mother’s day brunch ideas.

½ cup crème fraîche
2T minced chives
2T capers, drained
2 large russet potatoes
8T clarified butter
1t sesame seeds
1t poppy seeds
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
120g smoked salmon
¼ small red onion, thinly sliced

1. Mix crème fraîche, chives, and capers in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Peel and grate potatoes using the large holes on a cheese grater or cut into matchsticks using a mandoline. Heat 4 tbsp. clarified butter in a 10″ nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Toss potatoes with seeds and salt and pepper; add to pan and stir to coat potatoes with butter. Using a spatula, gently press potatoes into a flat round, molding to fit skillet; cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until edges are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.
3. Place a plate, turned upside down, over skillet and invert skillet with plate, allowing potato cake to fall onto plate; slide potato cake back into skillet. Pour remaining butter around edges of potato cake and continue cooking until potatoes are crisp on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and season with salt and pepper. Place smoked salmon and onion evenly over surface and cut into wedges. Place a dollop of the crème fraîche mixture on top of each wedge before serving.

Serves 4

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

A pie is a thing of love, never to be rushed. Cornish pasty has just been awarded protected status from European commission. Only pasties made in Cornwall to the traditional recipe can be labelled ‘Cornish pasties’. Cornish pasties should be a ‘D’ shape and crimped on the side, never on top, says the Cornish Pasty Association. Below is the Hairy Bikers version of the Cornish pasty, taken from their television series, but curiously  not featured in their Cookbook The Hairy Bikers Perfect Pies.

For the pastry:

225g  plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1t  baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
60g unsalted butter
1 free-range egg, yolk only
60ml water
1 free-range egg, beaten, for glazing

For the filling:

50g finely chopped swede
150g  potato, peeled and cut into cubes
50g onion, finely chopped
100g rib-eye steak, cut into small pieces
1T  chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pastry

• Pulse the flour, baking powder, salt, butter and egg yolk in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Gradually add the water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing continuously until the mixture just comes together as a dough. (You may not need to use all the water.) Roll the dough into a ball, then wrap it in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.

Filling

• Bring a pan of salted, boiling water to the boil. Add the chopped swede and potato and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender, then drain well, refresh in cold water and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Roll the chilled pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface. Cut a large disc from the pastry using a dinner plate as a template. Place the onions in a line down the middle of the pastry disc. Spoon the chopped steak on top, then spoon the cooked potato and swede over it. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Brush the edge of the pastry disc with some of the beaten egg. Draw the edges of the pastry together and crimp them with your fingers to seal so that the seal sits on top of the filling. Using a knife, make a small hole in the top of the pasty and brush all over with the remaining beaten egg.
• Place the pasty onto a baking tray and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

Winter is fast approaching, and with it the joy of slow-cooked stews.  It is well worth investing in a set of casserole dishes that can be used either on top of the stove or in the oven.  Most of them these days have a facility for setting a predetermined cooking time.  This is ideal for stews and casseroles.  With a little planning you can create a delicious family meal.  Prepare a meal the night before, store overnight in the refrigerator, then place in the oven and set.  When you get home you will have a delicious meal, what could be easier?

This recipe, from our cookbook of the week’s author’s website, is perfect for casseroling (see afoodieliveshere.com for more of  Sarah Graham’s recipes). A spicy robustness of the chorizo, blended with the silkiness of the slow-cooked onions, and comforting roast chicken pieces, with the punch of the cider to round it all off. A real one-pot meal. The whole dish can be made a few hours in advance and re-heated under the grill just before serving.

8 chicken thighs, with skin or 1 whole chicken jointed
1t  thyme
2T  olive oil
1T  butter
3 medium-sized red onions, cut roughly into sixths
1 chopped fresh chilli, de-seeded or 1t dried chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1x 225g (or thereabouts) stick of chorizo, sliced
300ml cider (a bottle minus a sip or two for yourself)
2T  chopped fresh parsley, for serving

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and the thyme.
2. Heat an oven-proof casserole on the stove, add the olive oil and butter and brown the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the onions to the pan, fry for about 3 minutes, stirring often, and then add the garlic and chilli, and fry for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add in the chorizo, cook for about 3-5 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the stove, add the chicken back in on top of the onion and chorizo, pour in the cider, put the lid on the pot and place in the oven for 40 minutes.
6. Switch on the oven’s grill setting, remove the pot lid and grill for about 5-10 minutes to crisp the chicken skin.
7. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, serve onto warmed plates and enjoy.
8. Serve with creamy sweet potato mash.

Wickedfood Cooking School runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built Johannesburg cooking studio. Cookery classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – teambuilding cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference. Our cooking lessons are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and team building cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.