Farm Cooking
Emilia’s cooking was inspired by her Ouma Doela who would start her cooking by asking “What do you have in the pantry?” For me, this is how every great meal is created, taking what is available and turning it into a feast, even if it is a simple one!
There are so many books out at the moment about growing your own food, which I do, but this book really talks to me, I see my family working the little plot I grew up on, I see myself as she did running over the newly tilled soil and discovering big fat earthworms trying to get back down into the soil before we can catch them. My garden feeds my soul, it is the place where I find peace, where I start to nurture my family, buy growing fresh untreated food, Emilia that is why your book speaks to me, I could be you, both my parents loved to grow our food as did theirs, you give me such wonderful memories of my grandparents…!
A farm in my Heart has great information on how to care for your soil, from mulching to harvesting, it’s all there, if you never had an interest in growing your own vegetables before, you will before you get a quarter of the way through the book.
I love the chapter on drying produce, be it in the oven, or smoking it, freezing or bottling.
I have been buying some really delicious, ripe and fragrant mangos at the moment and it would be nice to capture some of that summer flavour for later and I have found just the right recipe for it, we are going to make Andre van der Merwe’s ripe mango Chutney together, and then we can make some salted ribs, crispy lamb ribs.
Salted Lamb Ribs
You’ll need some nice fatty ribs, about 1.5kg or more.
Ask your butcher to snap the ribs so the meat is easy to cut up later. You could also ask him to debone the rib if you like.
Using a sharp knife, score the meat side of the ribs to make a diamond pattern.
Then mix the following, 5 tbls salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp salpetre, and 2 tsp spice mixture made ground coriander, all spice, thyme, cloves, mace, sage and ginger. Use at least three of these in your mixture.
Combine everything well and rub into the meat. Now place the meat in an enamel dish and sprinkle with ½ cup vinegar.
Why enamel? Because any soft metal like aluminum may give the meat a metallic taste and I don’t like plastic, petroleum products belong in motor cars, not near food.
Leave the ribs for two days, turning them twice a day. Then let them hang to dry and tie up in a flour sack.
When you are ready to eat the fibs, this is what you do. Rinse them thoroughly in water and place in a large saucepan filled with cold water to get rid of most of the salt.
Cook slowly until they are tender but not falling apart.
Remove air dry and grill over coals until brown.
Andre van der Merwe’s Ripe Mango Chutney
Cut 2 or 3 larges, peeled mangoes that are ripe, but not too soft into 1 cm cubes.
Cook for 25 minutes with 1 small, finely chopped red chilli, ½ cup white wine vinegar, ½ cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon finely chopped root ginger.
Bottle whilst boiling hot and then seal.
I suppose I should keep it in the fridge if it has to last a long time, but ours appears to be doing just fine on the pantry shelf says Emilia!
Jenny Morris Brands / GigglingGourmet
Tel 021 424 7775 Fax 021 426 1827 email jennym@gigglinggourmet.com
Web www.gigglinggourmet.com
www.jennymorris.co.za
32 Napier Street, De Waterkant
Cape Town 8001 South Africa
