ShowMe South Africa

Words: Andre Abbott. Recipes: Kathy Romer-Lee. Images: Clinton Friedman. Article from the October 2015 issue of Food and Home Entertaining Magazine.

World Egg Day is celebrated on 9 October and Glen Urquhart farm is expecting its second ‘Kuku Ganda’ (A mobile trailer and HQ for hens) and another 250 hens to mark the occasion. Neighbouring Oaklands Country Manor, whose eggs come from the farm, kickstart the celebration for us with some egg-cellent recipes…

My goal has always been to feed my family in the most ethical way possible,” says Jo Spilsbury, busy mom to three young children – Jack, eight, Charlie, six, and Luke, three – and owner of Jo’s Pasture Raised Food. We’re walking across the fields of Glen Urquhart, the Eastern Free State farm Jo and her husband, Terence, bought three years ago. Flanked by Baamoo the Boerboel and Thunda the bouncing Jack Russell puppy, we pass paddocks where horses munch on silage produced from maize grown on the farm – ex-racehorses, which are now being trained for the game of polo. “Training and selling polo ponies is our main business and the reason we bought the farm,” says Jo who, like Terence, plays the game at a high level. “But, we also wanted to produce our own food and to teach our children about humane farming.” Hence, the sheep in the valley below, the ducks that frequent the garden surrounding the 19th-century farmhouse, and the approximately 210 White Amberlink chickens roaming freely ahead of us. In their midst, stands the Kuku Ganda, a mobile trailer that Jo designed and the headquarters of those happy hens. “Kuku Ganda is a family term meaning chicken tractor,” says Jo. “We move it every few days so that, a bit like tractors, the chickens progressively work the land by scratching about, eating parasites and fertilising the soil with their litter.” The birds enter and exit the trailer at will during the day. At night, they’re shut safely inside, perching on wooden railings. Jo recalls when the hens, cage-reared and aged 19 weeks, arrived a year ago. Each had to be picked up at dusk, taken inside the trailer and taught to perch. “It was chaos initially – we’d get one inside and others would dash out! But, now, as darkness falls, they go in of their own accord.” Laying boxes inside the trailer slope slightly so that the eggs, around 200 a day, roll onto a conveyor belt. I’m surprised to learn that free-range hens produce fewer eggs than those confined to cages. Jo explains that at large commercial farms, artificial lighting induces hens to lay more frequently. Another surprise is that, like those battery chickens, the Amberlink hens need a commercial feed. “It comprises 90 per cent of their diet. Grains and bugs that they scratch up make up the rest,” says Jo. “I tried making my own food, but didn’t get it right and they stopped laying.” Recently, Jo acquired Buff Orpington chickens, a dual-purpose breed (for meat and eggs) said to not require commercial food. That would be in line with one of Jo’s key principles: to produce pure, natural food in a humane way. Of all farmed animals, she emphasises, chickens have the hardest life. “They’re born in incubators, dropped off conveyor belts, debeaked, boxed, shipped off to buyers, then caged until they’re slaughtered.” To mark World Egg Day on 9 October, Jo anticipates the arrival of her second Kuku Ganda and another 250 hens at point of lay. It won’t be before time – Jo’s waiting list of customers numbers around a dozen. Among her major buyers is Jackson’s Real Food Market in Bryanston. Owner, Gary Jackson, is fastidious about checking the provenance of the food he sells. “A group called Compassion in World Farming works closely with him. They put the two of us in touch,” says Jo. Another important customer is Jo’s ‘neighbour’ – the family-run Oaklands Country Manor, about an hour’s drive away in Van Reenen on the Free State/KwaZulu-Natal border. “We’ve known Jo and Terence for years,” says Annie Barnard, Oaklands’ front of house and functions manager. “We met through polo.” The game is one of many sporting activities offered at Oaklands. It was established there by the late Sir Jamie Bruce-Clifton, husband of Caroline, who continues as proprietor supported by her sisters, Annie and Kathy Romer-Lee, and brother, Simon Tully. Setting aside the polo, the magnificent scenery and entourage of Great Danes – whose regal demeanour as they recline on couches suggests they’re the real owners of the place (“They’re photographed to death!” quips marketing manager, Simon) – what distinguishes Oaklands is its cuisine. “People often pop in en route from Johannesburg (a three-hour trip) to Durban just for Sunday lunch,” says Simon. “Cooking and hospitality is in our family’s genes,” he adds. “Our great aunt, Phyllis Pennefather-Evans, cooked for the Duke of Kent and Princess Marina and our parents ran the Blue Mountain Inn at Teyateyaneng in Lesotho. Our mother, Mabel, entertained furiously.” By default then, the siblings are enthusiastic cooks. The most accomplished of them, though, is general manager, Kathy, an executive chef whose culinary flair is behind the seasonal menu that’s based on top-quality ingredients. “It’s not always easy out here in the ‘bush’,” says Annie. “But we’re committed to sustainability and buying locally produced, ethically farmed food. Guests increasingly recognise how important that is. It is also why we buy our eggs from Jo. Her standards match ours and her farming methods are entirely natural.” While eggs won’t necessarily play a starring role at Oaklands on World Egg Day, the kitchen team, led by head chef, Johnson Ndlovu, marked the occasion in advance by whipping up five egg-based dishes. All were exceptional! If one had to choose a winner though, it would have to be the humble egg. The recipe is straightforward: take a humanely produced egg and combine it with a talented chef. The result? A gourmet meal. Oaklands Country Manor, 30km from Harrismith, near the border of KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State; 079-529-2314; Contact Jo Spilsbury on 082 319 4303

Asparagus and Parmesan-crusted deep-fried eggs

Serves 4 Easy 20 mins

The flavour combination

8 free-range eggs 4 slices white bread, crumbed 125g Parmesan, grated + extra, to serve handful fresh 1 egg, beaten 16 – 20 asparagus spears butter, to toss juice of 1 lemon red onion slices, to serve

How to do it

1 Soft-boil the 8 free-range eggs then place in cold water to cool. Once cool, peel off the shells, pat dry and set aside. 2 Combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and thyme and season to taste. 3 Roll the soft-boiled eggs in the flour, then in the beaten raw egg and, finally, roll in the Parmesan breadcrumbs to coat. Refrigerate until ready to fry. 4 Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water, 2 minutes, drain and toss in the butter and lemon juice. Season to taste. 5 Place the asparagus spears on a plate and cover with cling film to keep warm while you deep-fry the Parmesan eggs. 6 Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep pot to 100°C. Fry the eggs until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. 7 Divide the asparagus among 4 plates. Top the asparagus with 2 deep-fried eggs each. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley and serve with a side of red onion slices.

Eggs Benedict

Serves 6 Easy 30 mins

The flavour combination

30ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar 6 free-range eggs, at room temperature

Hollandaise Sauce

225g butter, cubed 60ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar 1 small shallot/onion, peeled and very finely chopped 10 black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 3 free-range egg yolks pinch sea salt flakes pinch castor sugar 24 (1 large bunch) spinach leaves 6 large black mushrooms, each topped with a knob of butter and placed under the grill for 10 minutes 6 slices cooked gammon/ Parma ham 15ml – 30ml (1 tbsp – 2 tbsp) fresh chives, finely snipped

How to do it

1 Fill a small pot to just over one-third full with cold water and bring to a boil. Add the 30ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar and reduce to a simmer. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water to poach, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water, then remove the eggs and place on paper towel to drain. 2 For the hollandaise sauce, melt the butter slowly in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour into a jug. 3 Add enough water to a medium saucepan to reach a third of the way up the sides. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. 4 Add the 60ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar, shallot or onion, peppercorns and bay leaf to a small saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to 30ml (2 tbsp) liquid, 1 – 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 5 Place the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl over the pan of simmering water. Whisk the egg yolks with the salt and sugar until pale. Pour the vinegar mixture through a fine sieve onto the yolks and continue whisking until well combined. Slowly add the butter in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the sauce is smooth, thick and shiny. 6 Gently wilt the spinach. 7 Divide the mushrooms among 6 plates. Top with a slice of cooked gammon or Parma ham, wilted spinach, an egg and a dollhollandaise sauce. Garnish with chopped chives to serve.

Red masala curried eggs with naan bread

Serves 6 Easy 35 mins

The flavour combination

Naan bread

200g cake flour + extra, to dust 100g bread flour 5ml (1 tsp) sugar 7,5ml (1/2 tsp) instant yeast 7,5ml (1/2 tsp) salt 100ml milk 100ml water 60ml (1/4 cup) plain yoghurt 30ml (2 tbsp) ghee/butter/vegetable oil (the ghee/butter must be melted)

Red masala curried eggs

6 free-range eggs 30ml (2 tbsp) coconut oil small handful fresh curry leaves 5ml (1 tsp) fennel seeds 250g onions, peeled and sliced 2 dried chillies, torn into pieces 4cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 5ml (1 tsp) ground coriander 5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin 5ml (1 tsp) chilli powder 5ml (1 tsp) ground black pepper 2,5ml (1/2 tsp) turmeric 400g tomato passata 5ml (1 tsp) salt handful fresh coriander, to serve

How to do it

1 For the naan, sift the flours, sugar, yeast and salt into a large mixing bowl. 2 Warm the milk and water together in a small saucepan to 38°C. 3 Add the yoghurt and melted ghee, butter or oil to the dry ingredients, followed by the warm milk and water mixture. Gradually mix together, adding a little more warm water if necessary. 4 Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 5 minutes. Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to double in size, up to 1 hour. 5 Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Divide into 6 even-sized pieces. Roll out the first piece of dough thinly into a tear-drop shape. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. 6 Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and drop the naan into it. Don’t use oil. When it starts to puff up, turn it over. The total cooking time will be about 5 minutes. Place on a warm plate, cover with a tea towel and continue cooking the remaining naan. 7 For the masala eggs, bring a pot of water to a boil, add the eggs and cook, 7 minutes. Drain and run under cold water before peeling. 8 Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-based frying pan or karahi over medium heat. Add the curry leaves and fennel seeds and fry, 30 seconds. Add the onions and fry until softened and golden brown, 10 minutes. Add the dried chillies, ginger and garlic and fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Stir in the ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder, black pepper and turmeric, and fry for 30 seconds. Add the tomato passata and salt and simmer until rich and reduced, about 10 minutes. Add the whole eggs, put a lid on and simmer for 4-5 minutes to heat the eggs through. 9 Garnish with coriander and serve with the warm naan bread.

Cook’s tips

For garlic-butter naan, mix 50g melted ghee or butter with 2 crushed garlic cloves and spread over the warm naan breads before serving.

Courgette frittata

Serves 4 Easy 20 mins

The flavour combination

4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 90ml olive oil 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tomato, seeded and diced 1 large courgette, grated handful baby spinach 4 slices streaky bacon, fried and chopped 5 free-range eggs, knob butter

How to do it

1 Make a herb seasoning by combining the thyme and salt and pepper. 2 Heat 30ml (2 tbsp) of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft. Add the tomato, courgette and, lastly, the baby spinach and cook, 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme seasoning and remove from heat. Stir in the chopped bacon. 3 Break the eggs into a bowl and beat well. Add the warm ingredients from the pan and fold together. 4 Return the frying pan to the stove top and drop in the remaining olive oil and a knob of butter. Pour in the frittata mixture and stir for a couple of moments as it begins to set. Cook on the lowest heat until just set. 5 Turn out onto a platter and serve. Delicious as a lunch dish!

Frozen lemon meringue parfait with berry coulis

Serves 6 Easy 25 mins + freezing time

The flavour combination

Lemon Parfait 250g sugar 8 free-range egg yolks, beaten zest of 1 lemon 80ml (1/3 cup) fresh lemon juice 10ml (2 tsp) hot water 500ml (2 cups) fresh cream, whipped

Meringue

6 free-range egg whites 2,5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla essence 1,25ml (1/4 tsp) cream of tartar 90g sugar

Berry Coulis

250ml (1 cup) water 250g sugar 250g frozen berries, thawed fresh mint, to garnish

How to do it

1 For the parfait, mix together the 250g sugar, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl over boiling water and whisk to ribbon stage, gradually adding the hot water. Whisk constantly until thick. Remove from heat and whisk until cold and firm. Fold in the cream and pour into 6 freezer-proof ramekins. Place in the freezer to freeze completely, at least 4 hours. 2 Preheat the oven grill. 3 For the meringue, beat the egg whites with the vanilla essence and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar, beating until stiff and glossy. Pipe or spread this mixture on top of the frozen base. Place under-the grill or use a blowtorch to brown. Return to the freezer until ready to use. 4 For the coulis, make a sugar syrup: add the water and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook over medium heat, not stirring at all, until the sugar has dissolved and it has reduced to a syrupy consistency. 5 Blend the berries with a stick blender then mix with the sugar syrup. 6 Unmould the parfait and serve with the berry coulis, garnished with fresh mint.