Cooking and culinary tips/recipes

[Kranswurm]

Got a consignment of fresh veldkool from my usual crayfish and mussel smuggler (kidding). Des made a delicious risotto with it. For those who know nothing about it, here is some more detail:

 

"Veldkool a popular vegetable

The wild edible plant I am going to talk about this month is the Trachyandra species of the Asphodelaceae family. These edible plants are fairly common around the Cape. Occurring primarily along the coastal sands from southern Namibia to the southeastern Cape

Commonly referred to as Veldkool, the wild edible bud is a popular vegetable.

There are several different species that can all be used in the same way: They are also sometimes collectively referred to as Wild Cabbage, Hotnotskool, Wildeblomkool and Cape Spinach.

This is an interesting collection of perennial bulbous plants that can lie dormant until the winter rain comes.

Luckily none of the edible ones mentioned above are at risk. In fact most appear to be fairly common!ÂÂ

The plant flowers from July to September so this is the last month you will be able to harvest these beautiful buds.

They are quite easy to spot amongst the wild flowers. The young flowering stalks or bud clusters are harvested before the flowers have opened… and this is what you eat.

Flowers for your salad

The individual flowers can be added to salads – they have a pleasant grassy flavour – but the young buds are really best cooked. They can either sautéed lightly like asparagus and used in similar ways – quiches or warm salads – or they can be steamed and served with butter, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon. You can also use them to make a traditional dish called veldkool bredie – which is pretty much a slow cooked lamb stew.

Please harvest with care not to damage the plant. Remember to harvest only what you need – don’t be too greedy. Please also bear in mind that is it illegal to pick wild flowers in a nature reserve.

Tracy Armbruster"

Urghh

[DJR]

Urghh

 ​ Only if you don't like something that taste like a blend of asparagus, waterblommetjies and green beans. 

[Slowbee]

 

 

 

Did not have chilly flakes

 

BUT, the runny egg yolk did make for some interesting eating with the warm avo. And it was delicious.

 

The only downside is using alot of electricity to get the oven to 200 for 10 min and then only 2, or max 4 avo's (this is for our family). Would work well as a stater, or in conjunction with cooking something else in the oven. Maybe something like fish.

 

 

 

 

[Patensie]

The only downside is using alot of electricity to get the oven to 200 for 10 min and then only 2, or max 4 avo's (this is for our family). Would work well as a stater, or in conjunction with cooking something else in the oven. Maybe something like fish.

That's why I love my convection microwave oven. Pre-heats really fast (5 min to 200) and ideal for smaller baked goods, e.g. baking 3 chicken strips for my 3 yr old daughter and 2 mini pizzas for the laaitie.

 

 And if you're in a hurry,  combination baking/microwave a "roast" chicken in 30 min.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Patensie

[Kranswurm]

 ​ Only if you don't like something that taste like a blend of asparagus, waterblommetjies and green beans. 

I love waterblommetjies,asparagus and green beans,but not too fond of weeds....just joking.Maybe it was prepared incorrectly

My favourite is waterblommetjies stew with lamb,apple and potatoes

[Readsalot]

Yes! Finally got my pork belly damn near perfect this weekend. 

 

Prep: Criss-cross cut the fat on top.

Rub spice (I used coarse salt, some brown sugar, paprika, touch of peri and five-spice).

In oven dish, cover with foil.

Four hours on 140 Celsius.

Remove foil, heat grill to medium, place belly in middle of oven.

Check you don't burn the crackling, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven, place on tray and slice into pieces.

 

Delicious!

 

I might try pouring some lemon juice in the bottom of the dish before I bake next time, to add some flavour to the meat.

[Nancy Drew]

Yes! Finally got my pork belly damn near perfect this weekend. 

 

Prep: Criss-cross cut the fat on top.

Rub spice (I used coarse salt, some brown sugar, paprika, touch of peri and five-spice).

In oven dish, cover with foil.

Four hours on 140 Celsius.

Remove foil, heat grill to medium, place belly in middle of oven.

Check you don't burn the crackling, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven, place on tray and slice into pieces.

 

Delicious!

 

I might try pouring some lemon juice in the bottom of the dish before I bake next time, to add some flavour to the meat.

 

You'll probably get more flavour from halved lemons under the meat rather than just the juice

[Readsalot]

You'll probably get more flavour from halved lemons under the meat rather than just the juice

I'm always scared about using whole or half lemons. I used to try stuffing them in a chicken before roasting it in the oven and quite a few times I got a really bitter taste.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Nancy Drew]

I'm always scared about using whole or half lemons. I used to try stuffing them in a chicken before roasting it in the oven and quite a few times I got a really bitter taste.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

That's interesting, I haven't experienced this problem. I'm not sure of the names of the different lemon varieties we have here in SA, but were you possibly using the type with the really knobbly thick skin? The bitterness in a lemon comes from the pith, and those thicker variety have quite a thick pith.

I generally use the thin skinned type of lemon which has a very thin pith.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Nancy Drew

[sawystertrance]

Yes! Finally got my pork belly damn near perfect this weekend. 

 

Prep: Criss-cross cut the fat on top.

Rub spice (I used coarse salt, some brown sugar, paprika, touch of peri and five-spice).

In oven dish, cover with foil.

Four hours on 140 Celsius.

Remove foil, heat grill to medium, place belly in middle of oven.

Check you don't burn the crackling, about 5 minutes.

Remove from oven, place on tray and slice into pieces.

 

Delicious!

 

I might try pouring some lemon juice in the bottom of the dish before I bake next time, to add some flavour to the meat.

Try Cider vinegar instead. You get the acidity but also the apple type flavour. Apple goes well with Pork

[Readsalot]

That's interesting, I haven't experienced this problem. I'm not sure of the names of the different lemon varieties we have here in SA, but were you possibly using the type with the really knobbly thick skin? The bitterness in a lemon comes from the pith, and those thicker variety have quite a thick pith.

I generally use the thin skinned type of lemon which has a very thin pith.

Yeah, that might be it.

 

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Ed-Zulu]

That's interesting, I haven't experienced this problem. I'm not sure of the names of the different lemon varieties we have here in SA, but were you possibly using the type with the really knobbly thick skin? The bitterness in a lemon comes from the pith, and those thicker variety have quite a thick pith.

I generally use the thin skinned type of lemon which has a very thin pith.

The most common type available in supermarkets are the Eureka

 

and the Lisbon lemon

 

 

The other variety is the Cape Rough, has a soft knobbly skin and not common at all in the trade

[Ed-Zulu]

Cape Rough

 

[Kranswurm]

The most common type available in supermarkets are the Eureka

 

and the Lisbon lemon

 

 

The other variety is the Cape Rough, has a soft knobbly skin and not common at all in the tradeI 

I have the Eureka in my courtyard as well as Bears Limes

[Readsalot]

Bacon. It's good for you.

 

http://pa1.narvii.com/5776/78de256cbd71d6273384cafe5507297571ee08b5_hq.gif

[Nancy Drew]

The most common type available in supermarkets are the Eureka

 

and the Lisbon lemon

 

 

The other variety is the Cape Rough, has a soft knobbly skin and not common at all in the trade

 

Thanks Ed, looks like I have Eureka growing in my garden. It's really cool having lemons readily available for all the baking that I do