Some of my finest culinary experiences have happened in South Africa, and I’ve come to love the flavours of this continent that gets far too little attention for its culinary efforts.
With the promise of sunnier days ahead, I am also planning some spring brunch occasions. I hope you read along and get inspired to take a virtual cooking adventure to Africa, cook from the heart and enjoy some soul satisfying brunch fare with friends and family.
African flavours
This past week in our food and drink section on Saltwire.com, we focused on African cuisine with recipes from Saka Saka: Adventures in African Cooking by Anto Cocagne and Aline Princet.
I find myself increasingly drawn to the flavours of the antipodes of the African continent. South Africa, with its cultural melange of indigenous, Malay and Afrikaans influences, gives us dishes like my version of Cape Malay Curry made with local scallops. In the same article, published last year on Saltwire.com, I also showcased a South African inspired scallop ceviche, which shows off the modern side of the country’s cuisine.
Over the last couple of decades, the cuisine of South Africa has changed drastically. The modern movement, originally led by Ruben Riffel, followed by a brigade of talented young chefs, is transforming local ingredients into modern dishes while drawing in all of the wonderful cultural influences that make up this part of Africa.
I’ve been lucky enough to dine at The Test Kitchen and La Petit Colombe in South Africa, among others, and can tell you that they will satiate the desires of any foodie traveller. However, some of the most exciting flavours are coming out of North Africa as the world begins to embrace Za’atar — a complex spice blend often used in Egyptian cuisine — sumac and a bevy of other North African spices. Try my lamb tagine recipe accompanied by a glass of Malbec or South African Syrah. And if you just want to enjoy a simpler approach to African cuisine, try Anto Cocagne and Aline Princet’s street food inspiredbeef baguette. Bread topped with ground beef, mayonnaise and spices? Sounds like a weekday meal to me.
