NelspruitValentines cooking made easy | A man’s guide – Nelspruit https://showme.co.za/nelspruit Nelspruit, South Africa for all your local and tourism information; from accommodation to events, entertainment, attractions and news - ShowMe Nelspruit | T Feed Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:45:05 +0000 hourly 1 https://showme.co.za/nelspruit/?p=32446 Valentines cooking made easy | A man’s guide https://showme.co.za/nelspruit/lifestyle/valentines-cooking-made-easy-a-mans-guide/ Wed, 05 Feb 2014 04:37:34 +0000 Few gestures beat pulling off the perfect Valentines dinner in your own kitchen. Chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur John...]]> Few gestures beat pulling off the perfect Valentines dinner in your own kitchen. Chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur John Robinson shows Puma forward Renaldo Bothma how to cook the perfect meal without spending the entire night in the kitchen.

By Benno Stander

Mahois Chef, John Robinson shows Renaldo Bothma how to cook a Valentines dinner

Mahois Chef, John Robinson shows Renaldo Bothma how to cook a Valentines dinner

John comes from a family of cooks and practically grew up in the kitchen. Watching him as he swiftly moves around in the kitchen at his White River based restaurant, Mahois, one can appreciate that he’s done his time behind the pots and knows the tricks of his trade.

Renaldo Bothma has been with the Pumas rugby team for three years now and although he is originally from Gauteng, he now feels as much a part of Nelspruit as any a Lowvelder. Being a rugby player is a full time job and catching up with one of the players between all the training sessions, coaching and gym time can be rather tricky. One can easily assume that spending time in the kitchen is also not top priority.

Renaldo Bothma Pumas Rugby Player

Renaldo Bothma Pumas Rugby Player

“I currently live with two team mates and cooking is a shared responsibility in the house. But with our busy schedule and demanding dietary needs, cooking is usually a quantity over quality exercise that is not pulled off with a lot off finesse,” laughs Renaldo.

According to John even the meekest of cooks can pull off a Valentines meal that is sure to impress and he proposes the following three course menu. Mushroom stack starter, yellowtail with lemony baby potatoes, rosa tomatoes and lemon garlic butter sauce and a sweet surrender mini pavlova with fresh berries, lemon curd and grated chocolate.

With John keeping a watchful eye and giving some handy pointers Renaldo was able to turn this easy to follow recipe into a seductive meal in just over an hour. Here’s how you do it:

Mushroom Stack Starter

Mushroom stack starter

Olive oil
Two (or three) large brown mushrooms
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic
Basil pesto
Table spoon Feta
Teaspoon Parmesan

For the Relish

Finely chopped tomatoes, onions, green peppers Drizzle of olive oil, dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to the max temperature
2. Take out the stems and drizzle some olive oil onto the mushrooms
3. Add salt, pepper and garlic and top with pesto and crumble feta over each mushroom.
Top with parmesan
4. Place mushroom onto a non-stick baking dish and pop into oven for 10 minutes.
5. Remove the mushrooms and carefully stack on top of each other.
6. Serve with a relish and top with fresh grated parmesan

Yellowtail with lemony baby potatoes

Yellowtail with lemony baby potatoes, Rosa tomatoes and lemon garlic butter sauce

Baby Potatoes

Drizzle of Olive oil
Knob of butter
Garlic 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice
Fresh chopped parsley
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Sprinkle of Nutmeg

Fish

Yellow tail (or any other fresh fillet fish) Dash of Sunflower oil
¼ teaspoon garlic
Teaspoon of Sugar
¼ teaspoon of paprika
Pinch salt and pepper
Knob of butter
Basil Pesto
Rocket
Lemon wedge for garnish

Method: potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to maximum heat
2. Boil baby potatoes until cooked, drain water and allow to dry
3. Heat a stove plate to maximum heat and in a pan, melt some olive oil and butter
4. Add garlic and fry for one min, stirring the garlic to prevent burning.
5. Add the potatoes, salt, pepper and nutmeg and toss.
6. Add fresh parsley and a dash of lemon juice then toss again
7. Adjust seasoning.
8. Remove from hotplate.

Method: fish

1. In a bowl mix sunflower oil, garlic, sugar, paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Place the yellowtail in the bowl and marinade for a few minutes
3. Pre heat a pan on maximum heat. Once hot, add a drizzle of sunflower oil and knob of butter.
4. Carefully place the fish in the pan and sear – allowing the yellowtail to get a little colour.
5. Remove the fish and place it in an oven proof dish – add the left over marinade to the dish. In the same pan, add some Rosa tomatoes and fry until the skin starts to peel. Remove from the heat.
6. Pop the fish into the oven and cook for 10 minutes and prepare lemon butter garlic sauce using one onion, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

For the sauce, fine chop one onion. Fry the onion in one teaspoon of olive oil. Add some garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add about 100g butter. Turn down the temperature. Don’t let the butter split! Carefully whisk the sauce on the heat. Once slightly thickened, put aside.

To serve drizzle some basil pesto around a warmed plate.

Place the potatoes in the centre, add a few leaves of fresh rocket and place the fish on top. Drizzle with the lemon garlic butter sauce.

Place the Rosa tomatoes around the fish and top with caviar (optional).

Add a wedge of lemon.
Finish off with basil pesto drizzled around the plate.

Mini Pavlova

Mini Pavlova with fresh berries and lemon curd and grated chocolate

1 whole egg
3 Tablespoons of butter
Tablespoon of lemon juice
Lemon rind
Meringues halved (premade from Zannas are the best!)
Hand full of mixed fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries etc.)
Whipped cream
A piece of Chocolate for garnish
Icing sugar for garnish
Mint leaf for garnish

Method

1. For the lemon curd mix whole egg, butter and sugar on a double boiler. Heat and whisk until the egg whitens.
2. Add a tablespoon of lemon juice and lemon rind (to taste). Whisk until smooth. Allow to cool.
3. Cut the meringue in half. Secure the bottom half on the plate with a spoonful of cream.
4. Spoon a table spoon of cream on top of the meringue. Layer the berries.
5. Add the top half of the meringue. Secure it by applying light pressure.
6. Spoon another layer of cream and top with berries.
7. Drizzle the lemon curd over the Pavlova.
8. Grate some chocolate and sieve some icing sugar over and garnish with a mint leaf.

For more information on Renaldo Bothma and the Steval Pumas click here

For more information about John Robinson and Mahoi’s Restaurant click here.

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