Cooking and culinary tips/recipes

[Wayne Potgieter]

Been making bread on the Weber of late. Nothing better than the smell of freshly baked homemade beer bread.

A weber is a fantastic thing if used properly.

 

Smoke chicken, roast anything.

 

Lately I have been making homemade pizza with the kids.

 

Daddy makes the dough and a variety of toppings, kids go bossies putting WHATEVER toppings they like.

 

We make small pizzas so if they taste ***, we give them to the dogs and make more...I am trying to teach my kids to experiment with whatever flavours pop into there little minds.

 

Buy a pizza stone though.

[marko35s]

Nice....croissant recipe lying around anywhere?

Yep. Somewhere, will dig it out but those things are a pain in the butt to make.

[Tumbleweed]

A weber is a fantastic thing if used properly.

 

Smoke chicken, roast anything.

 

Lately I have been making homemade pizza with the kids.

 

Daddy makes the dough and a variety of toppings, kids go bossies putting WHATEVER toppings they like.

 

We make small pizzas so if they taste ***, we give them to the dogs and make more...I am trying to teach my kids to experiment with whatever flavours pop into there little minds.

 

Buy a pizza stone though.

 

I miss the rotesserie I had on mine. Lent it to a friend, and now it's gone. Very versatile, although some braai purists will argue against using a Weber.

[Tumbleweed]

Yep. Somewhere, will dig it out but those things are a pain in the butt to make.

 

Ja, they mostly end up "soggy" and heavy.

[Tumbleweed]

Ooooooooooooh, it's Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!! What a day to open a thread like this! My dear friend Angela day spoils me rotten on Tuesdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Wayne Potgieter]

The thing I cant do without is my Wusthof 20cm chefs knife and steel.

 

Knife skills are the most important skill in the kitchen IMHO.

[rouxtjie]

Yep. Somewhere, will dig it out but those things are a pain in the butt to make.

Shot brother...like I said I have really started enjoying baking...ja ja ja I know its a bit pansy but I dig it. Croissants are the one thing I can't get right....struggle big time with it. I have a suspicion my dough isn't right in particular the butter in my dough...its too warm I think causing the croisant to become dense instead of flaking....help please, how do you keep the butter cold in the dough while working it.

[rouxtjie]

The thing I cant do without is my Wusthof 20cm chefs knife and steel.

 

Knife skills are the most important skill in the kitchen IMHO.

+1, my wusthof is a non neg when cooking

[rouxtjie]

Ja, they mostly end up "soggy" and heavy.

Boooom my problem, and it has to do with the butter being too warm when working the dough, surely there is a trick to this

[Wayne Potgieter]

Anyone want to do a one day pastry course with me at the end of the month?

 

Hosted by SACA? (SA chefs association)

[RudoJ]

Another potjiekos recipe that should give Latent Blue's one a good go:

 

Get some good quality oxtail with minimal fat or decent short rib

Marinade overnight in marinade of your choice

 

Next day, start the potjie with browning an onion, put in tupper bowl, next do the same with mushrooms, when done put in same bowl

 

Next up is the meat, throw all in, and brown/seal. When ready, pour in a bottle of red and leave to simmer. When the sauce is almost cooked away, put in a packet of brown onion soup made according to instructions on the packet, PLUS beefstock cube.

 

Mix well, then add your baby potatoes with skin, as well as carrot balls.

 

Jusyt work on the veggies from now on, when they are just about ready, its time for the last patty pans and baby marrows.

 

Its best to rather take your time and make a slow decent potjie.

 

This should take about 5 hours

 

Serve with samp, garlic bread and good company

[rouxtjie]

Anyone want to do a one day pastry course with me at the end of the month?

 

Hosted by SACA? (SA chefs association)

Details pls?

[Wayne Potgieter]

Details pls?

Will post tonight when wifey gets home.

 

She does a huge amount of business with SACA and some major hotels etc, so at least every month she gets told about skills workshops hosted by some VERY influential culinary minds and pallets.

 

Will post them all on this thread and whoever want to can join.

[Face Plant]

+1, my wusthof is a non neg when cooking

 

also love Wusthof, but have you guys tried Global knives yet? IMO opinion the global knives are better balanced than the Wusthof knives, my general purpose knife is an old classic Wilkinson sword 20cm chef knife ... old faithful!

[Big H*]

 

 

Been making bread on the Weber of late. Nothing better than the smell of freshly baked homemade beer bread.

 

YOU WASTE BEER IN BREAD......insane!!!!!!!!!

[forkie]

Another great recipe for the braai

 

Rouxtjies deboned leg of lamb

 

Go to your butcher and ask for a whole deboned leg of lamb. Cost about 200 bucks for a proper size one.

Make marinade...crush 3 gloves of garlic, 100ml of olive olive oil, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, salt, pepper, and 100ml of fresh lemon juice, 100ml of balsamic vinegar.

Rub marinade onto meat...if butcher prepared in a roll with netting, cut net and roll out flat. Leave for at least 12 hours in marinate.

Start your hardekool wood fire, must be hardekool wood...you looking for a fire that isn't too hot but will retain its heat for hours. CHARCOAL or BRIQUETTES WON'T WORK

Braai the whole deboned leg slowly on fire, fat must be crispy(rub salt into fat to draw water out making it easier to crisp) but meat medium

Serve with warm pita, home made humus and tzatziki....

That is by a long shot my favourite way of cooking lamb. My wife does a mean homemade tsatsiki. Hmmmm!