Picture sourced from Wikisauga

Really good fish and chips are hard to come by. I find the type found in these parts to be generally quite soggy and lame. Growing up we had a fish and chip shop just up the street from my house. I remember when you got take out it would come in yesterdays newspaper; unhygienic? No, that was the best part.

Inside the restaurant was like the belly of a ship. Salt, pepper, ketchup and vinegar on every table - the perfect dinner companions. The menu was simple, fish, chips, some other deep fried seafood, and drinks. The food came quick and on a plate which was forever lightly greased.

I thought I would give it a shot in my home kitchen. This recipe came to me via Madelines Adaptations as adapted from Closet Cooking so much respect to the original posters!

Beer Battered Fish:
1 bottle/can beer
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 beaten egg
1 pound white fish fillets (use whatever fresh white fish you have available)
salt and pepper
->insert something here<-
1/2 cup flour (for dredging)
oil for frying

Chips:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 large potatoes
1 large egg white
Salt and pepper


Prepare the chips first. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the potatos lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Then turn each slice flat and slice again lengthwise into fries, 1/2-inch thick. The trick is to cover your pan with parchment paper to protect them from sticking. I ended up bringing home wax paper from the store, which I discovered is not the same thing!!! So I lightly oiled the pan but this did not prevent these puppies from sticking. I think the egg adds even more glue for sticking.

Whisk the egg white till light and fluffy and pour it over the chips in a large bowl. The egg white will make your chips nice and crispy. This is a really neat trick that I just learned! You can also season your chips at this point. I kept it simple with salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy; halfway through the cooking time scrape the potatoes from the baking sheet and flip. Mine were so stuck after 15 minutes. I thought all hope was lost, however they still turned out really nice once I had scraped them off the pan.


Start preparing the fish as soon as you slide the chips in the oven. Fresh fish can be hard to come by in the desert so I used frozen kingklip fillets which I thawed out in advance. Season the fillets with some freshly group pepper.

Combine the beer, flour, baking powder salt and beaten egg in a flat bottomed bowl. Before adding the fish to the batter dredge them lightly with flour. Put the fish into the batter and leave them to soak for a good ten minutes.

Set up a little assembly line for your fish to take its last dip.


Remove the fish from the batter and gently place in hot oil. I used a combination of vegetable oil and olive oil. I believe that my oil was not hot enough. Also I think that olive oil is not meant for frying.


Fry the fish until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes, flipping half way through.


Drain on a rack and serve immediately with fresh lemon wedges.


The chips were really good, but I am still washing the bloody pan. The fish was missing something, as you can see in the recipe above I am still planning to find out what it was. Some sort of seasoning needs to be added to the batter. Maybe just more salt. It was not too crispy but the batter had a very nice consistency.


I also sauteed some spinach with garlic for a little iron. The local fish and chips place would be devastated.

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Deep-Dish Pizza Dough
1-2 tablespoon dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornflour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Deep-Dish Pizza Filling
1 can whole peeled canned tomatoes
sausage/salami/vegetables - you can go crazy here and insert your favorites
sliced mushrooms
chopped peppers
Basil/Oregano - I forgot to add these, put them in with the canned tomatoes
Salt/Pepper as desired

Combine the yeast and half the water together and set them aside to get to know each other. Once they are friends small bubbles will appear in the water. Add the flour and cornflour and form a small volcano in which you can add the salt, sugar, and olive oil. Mix the whole mess together until it starts to form into a ball of dough. Often more water or flour will help this process along based on the feel of the dough. It should not feel sticky or too dry. Once you have a nice ball of dough you can remove it from the bowl and start to knead on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for as long as your hands can endure. Then set the dough ball aside in a lightly flour dusted bowl under a moist towel for it to rise at lease for an hour.

Note: My dough has never really turned out to be perfect so use this formula with care and your suggestions are welcome.

November 13, 2008 Edit: The trick to good dough is to make it the day before. You will not get the same results from dough made and eaten in the same day. Mix it, knead it, let it rise for an hour, knead it again, put it in a sealed container with a bit of olive oil and flour and leave it overnight.

If you are fanatical like me, consult Jeff Verasano's website for all you might ever need to know.

After an hour your dough should have risen significantly. Punch it down and continue to knead it for about 5 minutes or so. Then you can roll it out on a flour dusted surface with a rolling pin. I didn't have a rolling pin so I used a 500ml beer as a roller, it worked !!! Roll the dough just slightly larger than the pie plate and then over a light coating of oil you can begin to work your dough into the plate and up the sides.

Now I decided to try something new here, I normally top my pizza and slide it into the oven, however this time I wanted to try a pre bake of the crust alone to firm up the base. I baked it at 200C/400F for about 4 minutes and it really proved to be a good tip as the base was now firm and had risen slightly.

With a deep dish pizza you have to consider the filling. This is not a pizza anymore, it's a pie! It just happens to have similar core ingredients. I decided to buy some traditional English sausage, fry it up with some candied onion and place the sliced up sausage into my pie.

Just as if you are making a lasagna, you need to start layering in your ingredients. I put the sausage and onion mixture in the bottom, followed by a layer of drained and chopped canned tomatoes, followed by sliced mushroom and red pepper. Finally a layer of sliced mozzarella and additionally I added some crumbled feta. I decided to top this pie with some freshly sliced tomatoes just to keep it from drying out and some fresh ground pepper.

This is what it looked like before going into the oven.


Another recent tip I discovered is the need for high heat when cooking pizza. Some people say that you should use the highest possible heat that you can get out of your oven. I went for 200C/400F for this pie and it cooked for about 30 minutes.

It's important to remove the pie from the pan as soon as you get it out of the oven. Leave it to rest for a few minutes before attacking.

You can see that my crust did not really continue to rise while I cooked it. I am still working on the best way to get light fluffy crusts.


Looks brilliant, and smells tremendous.


Attack!!!!

Labels: Recipes

I have started experimenting with cooking pork ribs in recent months and have discovered what an art form it really is. From the dry rub, cooking method to the final baste one must really calculate all of the elements which contribute to that final taste on the palette. There are a vast array of recipes and cooking techniques for getting the perfect rack. I am quite satisfied with following method which is a combination of my favorites online.

Make sure to buy good ribs. I believe that baby back ribs are the finest cut. I once just bought standard adult pork ribs which were so fatty I nearly didn't eat them plus they cost me a fortune.

A dry rub is important to season and tenderize the meat. I like to keep it fairly simple with cumin, cayenne, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. I also add a bit of sugar but on this occasion added far too much, and when combined with the honey in the wet rub, I found the end result far too sweet. So beware unless you like sweet ribs, I prefer them hot and tangy! After you massage the ribs with the dry rub, wrap them in plastic wrap and give them a few hours to get to know each other in the fridge.


I like to cook the ribs for three hours at low heat 90°C (194.0°F), so make sure you get started early or prepare to eat late. Best practice says you should line your pan with foil to avoid cleaning it all week. I cook the ribs dry for the first two hours. Here is what they look like after an hour and a half.


You can get your wet rub ready at any time. If you know of an excellent rib sauce you can use it straight out of the bottle, but I like to blend a variety of sauces and spices to get a complex flavor. I usually do not add the wet rub till the third hour.


Just before serving I usually crank up the heat on the stove just to flash glaze the ribs. If I had a gas bbq I would throw them on for a quick sear to lock in the flavor.


After 3 hours cooking slowly plate the ribs with some potato roasties and fresh veggies. Is your mouth watering?


See how the meat has receded from the bone? That is your guarantee that the ribs are going to be falling off the bone tender.


Make sure to pair the ribs with a fine wine. This South African shiraz is one of my favorite reasonably priced wine.

Labels: Recipes

We made this dish a few weeks back. I have always been somewhat afraid of making lasagna as it seems such a daunting task! This recipe made it fairly easy thought and had excellent results. I'm afraid I do not remember where I got it, so all credit to the original author.

Roman-Style Ground Beef and Pork Lasagna
From: Nico, Val-Belair, Quebec, Canada
Comments: Excellent little recipe for lasagna lovers.
Servings: 10

Sauce

* 1/4 cup [60 mL] olive oil
* 1 onion, minced
* 1 clove of garlic, minced
* 1 can [28 ounces / 796 mL] Italian tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon [15 mL] fresh parsley, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] basil
* 1 can [6 ounces / 170 mL] tomato paste
* 1 tablespoon [15 mL] sugar
* Salt and pepper to taste

Meat Preparation

* 1/2 pound [227 g] ground beef
* 1/2 pound [227 g] ground pork (we used all beef)
* 2 tablespoons [30 mL] fresh parlsey, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon [.5 mL] oregano
* 2 eggs, slightly beaten
* 3 tablespoons [45 mL] Parmesan cheese, shredded
* Salt and pepper to taste

Pasta

* 1 pound [454 g] lasagna noodles
* 6 cups [1.5 L] boiling water
* 3 tablespoons [45 mL] salt
* 1 tablespoon [15 mL] olive oil

Cheeses

* 1 pound [454 g] cottage cheese
* 2 tablespoons [30 mL] warm water
* 1 small Mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup [125 mL] Parmesan cheese, shredded [fresh for true amateurs]


Sauce

* Brown onions and garlic in olive oil.
* Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Meat Preparation

* Mix all ingredients together, and incorporate to sauce mixture.
* Simmer for 40 minutes, loosely covered.

Pasta

* Bring water to a boil with oil and salt, add noodles one at a time and boil over high heat, covered, for 30 minutes.
* Drain well.

To Assemble

* Grease a large dish and place 6 or 7 tablespoons [90 to 105 mL] sauce at bottom, cover with a layer of noodles, a layer of Mozzarella cheese slices and a layer of cottage cheese beaten with warm water.
* Cover the cottage cheese with about 1/4 of the sauce.
* Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
* Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.
* Cook in oven at 350°F [180°C] for 30 to 40 minutes.

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I will be writing an article every two months for an online magazine here in Windhoek titled "International Flavor with Misha". The idea is to get people thinking about exotic foods they can make with ingredients found locally. I plan to also add these articles to the recipe section of my site.

Here's the first installment.

This month we have a splendid and exotic taste for your next bri (bbq). Jerk Chicken is a dish native to Jamaica in which meat (traditionally pork and goat, but now including chicken, fish, beef, sausage and even tofu) are basted with a combination of distinct spices. All the spices listed can be located at your local supermarket. The primary spice note is called Allspice and is also known as Jamaican pepper. Allspice grows as a berry and has the flavour of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg all in one! The other primary taste in this dish is heat, so get yourself a couple hot green or red chillies to add to this marinade.

Dry Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Ground Allspice
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
1 1/2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Sage
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
3/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

Wet Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
3/4 Cup White Vinegar
1/2 Cup Orange juice

Fresh Ingredients:
Juice of 1 Lime
2 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Garlic
2 to 3 Green or Red Chillies
3 Green Onions - Sliced Thinly
1 Cup Onion - Finely Chopped
4 to 6 Chicken Pieces (Thighs and Drumsticks work well)

In a large bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic and sugar. Seed and finely chop the green or red chilli and add it to the mix. Slowly add the olive oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice. Add the onion and green onion and mix thoroughly.

Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces inside a container. Cover and marinate for at least 1 hour. If you can marinate for a longer period you will certainly notice a difference.

Preheat an outdoor grill. Have a beer.

Remove the breasts from the marinade and grill until fully cooked. While grilling, baste with the marinade.

Perhaps the best part of this recipe is being able to create a beautiful sauce from the leftover marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil and simmer rapidly until it becomes thick. Serve the thick fragrant sauce on the side for dipping the chicken.

Labels: Recipes

Bobotie is a South African dish consisting of spiced, minced meat baked with a custard topping. The recipe probably originates from the Dutch East India Company colonies in Batavia. The name comes from the Indonesian word 'Bobotok'.

Bobotie is a dish of some antiquity: it has certainly been known in the Cape of Good Hope since the seventeenth century, when it was made with a mixture of mutton and pork. Nowadays it is more likely to be made with beef or lamb, although pork lends the dish moistness. Early recipes incorporated ginger, marjoram and lemon rind; the invention of curry powder has simplified the recipe somewhat but the basic concept remains the same. Traditionally, bobotie incorporates dried fruit like raisins or sultanas, but the sweetness that they lend is not to everybody's taste.

Bobotie was transported by South African settlers to colonies all over Africa, and recipes for it can be found originating from white communities in Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. There is also a delicious variation that was popular among the 7,000 Boer settlers who settled in the Chubut Valley in Argentina in the early 20th century, in which the bobotie mixture is packed inside a large pumpkin, and the pumpkin baked until tender.

Ingredients
1 kg minced beef
1 slice of white bread, crust removed
200ml milk
2 eggs
100g butter
20ml lemon juice
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of crushed garlic
½ teaspoon mild curry powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped, blanched almonds
6 fresh orange or bay leaves
50g seedless raisins or dry fruit (optional)


Cooking instructions

Preheat your oven to 170ºC. In a shallow dish, pour 100ml of milk over the bread and leave to soak. In a frying pan melt the butter over a medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Cook for a minute or two until the onion begins to colour, and then add the curry powder, turmeric and pepper. Cook for another minute, stirring well, and remove from the heat. Drain the milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the mince, then add the cooked onion mixture, salt, lemon juice and almonds, and the raisins if you decide to include them. Mix the meat mixture well, kneading it with your hands to amalgamate the flavourings.

Generously grease a baking dish and scatter the cumin seeds inside. Spoon in the meat mixture, pressing it down to ensure a flat surface, and bake for 40 minutes or until it begins to colour on the top. Beat together the remaining 100ml milk and the two eggs and pour the mixture over the meat. Roll the orange or bay leaves into cylindrical 'cigars', and poke them into the mixture so that a little of the leaf roll protrudes above the surface of the egg custard, and bake the dish for another 10 minutes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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We live in Africa and if I may so the options for pizza delivery really don't live up to expectations. I remember pizza back in Canada so delicious that simply looking at it would make the mouth water and the nose explode with delicious smells.

I took this as an element of my environment and bought pizza bases for a long time simply topping them with the freshest of the fresh. After a while these bases got tired and I craved for more. The best pizza I had in Namibia, surprisingly enough, was in Rundu at an unremembered location.

With the help of my girlfriend I decided to go from scratch. Make the base, pour the sauce, delight with toppings and bake. I was new to making dough so here's how it goes.

Mix about 2 cups flour with a spoonful of butter and slowly add about three quarters of a cup of luke warm water. I was advised not to add yeast against all known fact. I like to add herbs and salt to this mixture. You need to really kneed the dough for some time. This is a very messy process and so you really need to be into it! Once it has formed into a ball of dough, let it sit for at least 10 minutes to expand. Now spread that dough throughout on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Not a bad idea to lightly grease the pan as well.

Here's the difference, we then put together a mixture of olive oil, crushed garlic, and herbs and spread over the top of the pizza base. Then pierce the dough with a fork repeatedly throughout so the oil can penetrate into the dough.



Hopefully you have already determined what toppings you will add to the pizza. If not, open the fridge and see what is fresh and ready. I like a mixture of onions, mushrooms, fresh peppers, salami and tomatoes. First, add a layer of sauce and cheese prior to the toppings. I use crushed tomatoes from the can but homemade sauce is welcome. (Just waiting to get a chance to use the homemade garlic sauce here; recipe coming) Add the sauce over the existing layer of olive oil and garlic and then a light layer of cheese. Then top it!


I usually use about 3/4 of the cheese before the toppings and sprinkle the rest on top. Once the pizza is set add some chili flakes and fresh crushed pepper.


Bake her for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees and she should come out perfectly. Leave it a few minutes before attempting to cut.


Pizza from my kitchen is the new favorite in Windhoek!!!

Labels: Recipes