Baked Savoury Roll with Onion Sauce

With meat in short supply a few good and filling vegetarian dishes are needs to round off the family menues. This savory roll can be adapted to use what vegetables you have on hand - if you have no nuts use some sunflower seeds - you can use your imagination to combine a host of seasonal vegetables - even better if they come from your own garden! Baked Savoury Roll: 1/4small cabbage 1 ounce nuts 2 medium carrots 1 teaspoon mixed herbs 1 leek 1 teaspoon yeast extract -- (e.g. Vecon or Marmite) or use Bisto made into a thick paste and omit the cornflower 4 mushrooms 1 teaspoon cornflour 1 onion 8 ounces shortcrust pastry 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Onion Sauce: 1/2pint milk 1 ounce flour 1 ounce margarine 1/2 small onion -- chopped finely and sautéed Savoury Roll: Chop or mince the vegetables finely; grate the nuts or use chopped nuts such as peanuts. Heat the oil and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Take off the heat; add the nuts, herbs, yeast extract and cornflour (or Bisto). Mix well and leave to cool. Roll the pastry into a large square approximately 1/8-inch thick. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly to 1/2 inch from edge. Dampen the edges and roll up firmly. Press down the edges. Bake in a hot oven - 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 30 minutes. Serve with onion sauce. Onion Sauce: Melt the margarine, add the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk and stir well to prevent lumps. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the onion and serve.

Piri-Piri Chicken

Piri-Piri Chicken, Peri-Peri Chicken, Frango Piri-Piri, and Frango à Cafreal are all basically the same dish: chicken, marinated in a hot chili marinade, then grilled. The dish's Portuguese and African origins are clearly seen in its names. Frango and cafreal (or cafrial) are Portuguese for chicken, and grilled; and piri-piri or peri-peri are the pan-African words for chili pepper. This dish evolved in Angola and Mozambique (once Portuguese colonies) after Portuguese explorers and settlers brought American chili peppers to Africa. The Portuguese also took the peppers and the cafreal to other parts of the world, notably Goa, India. Spicy-hot Frango Piri-Piri is now so popular in Portugal that it is regarded as a Portuguese dish and it is so popular in Zimbabwe, among all sections of the community, that it has been 'adopted' as a Zimbabwe dish as well! The most basic piri-piri marinade recipe calls for just oil, cayenne pepper or minced fresh hot chili pepper, and salt. Many piri-piri recipes add an acidic liquid (usually lemon or lime juice, or vinegar, or possibly wine or liquor) which adds a tang and tenderizes the chicken. More elaborate versions also include various other flavorings and spices including herbs such as oregano. No quantities are given for the ingredients in these recipes: how you make your marinade depends on how much chicken you're cooking and what ingredients you like. (However, as a guide, the ingredients are listed by volume from largest to smallest.) What you need chicken; whole or serving-sized pieces - One authentic African method is to "butterfly" a whole chicken, i.e., split a cleaned whole chicken down the center enough to allow it to lie flat, but without cutting it into two pieces; then flatten it by hitting it with a mallet or sturdy bottle; then coat the chicken with a marinade like and let it sit for a few hours before grilling. Marinade # 1 oil (or butter, or bacon grease or similar) cayenne pepper or red pepper; or dried red pepper flakes; or finely chopped hot chile pepper salt Marinade # 2 oil cayenne pepper or red pepper paprika garlic (minced, or powdered) ground ginger salt Marinade # 3 oil vinegar, or cider vinegar cayenne pepper or red pepper; or dried red pepper flakes salt Marinade # 4 oil or butter lemon or lime juice fresh hot chile peppers, minced; or cayenne pepper or red pepper; or dried red pepper flakes garlic, minced parsley, chopped salt Marinade # 5 oil vinegar (red wine vinegar) and/or dry sherry (or cooking wine) fresh hot chile peppers, minced; or dried red pepper flakes garlic, minced black pepper salt Marinade # 6 oil or butter lemon or lime juice fresh hot chile peppers, minced; or cayenne or red pepper garlic, minced ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, to taste fresh or dried parsley or oregano, chopped salt Marinade # 7 oil (olive oil) lemon or lime juice -- and/or -- vinegar or cider vinegar fresh hot chile peppers, minced; or cayenne or red pepper garlic, minced bitters (Angostura bitters® or similar) paprika salt Marinade # 8 oil (or butter, or bacon grease or similar) cayenne pepper or red pepper; or dried red pepper flakes; or finely chopped hot chili gropund or fresh oregano pepper salt What you do Prepare your choice of marinade, or invent your own, by grinding and mixing all of the ingredients (except the chicken) in a glass bowl. For a milder flavor substitute paprika for cayenne pepper. Some recipes call for bay leaf, marjoram, raisins, tarragon, thyme, or tomato paste. Some cooks like to let the marinade "age" for a day or two (in the refrigerator) to allow the flavor to develop. Rub the chicken all over with the marinade (inside and out if using a whole chicken). Allow the chicken to marinate for at least an hour, overnight if possible. Save the remaining marinade after the chicken is done marinating. Cook the chicken on an outdoor grill or broil it in the oven. Depending on your preference, foil wrap or a rotisserie may be used for a whole chicken. As it cooks, turn the chicken and baste it with the remaining marinade, making sure the marinade is completely cooked after the last basting. Remove the chicken from the grill or roasting pan with a clean fork (not one that came into contact with the uncooked marinade). Serve with additional hot sauce (but not the marinade that was used with the raw chicken), Rice, bread or bread rolls, or roasted potatoes or chips and a good green salad. Serve chilled fruit or creme caramel as the dessert. These marinades also work well with fish or shrimp.

Zimbabwe Lady

A lazy afternoon or a get together after work - what better than a good wine based cocktail. Zimbabwe has gone a long way from its early wine making days - a good red wine is produced here and this recipe makes it go further. Did you hear the joke? A group of wine makers from France visited Zimbabwe in the early eighties and were asked their opinion of a wine that had been grown on the hill opposite where they were having lunch. They could easily see the building where the wine had been made. They were asked what they thought of the vintage. After some consideration one member of the party replies, "It doesn't travel very well"!!!!!! Gone are those days! 1 Bottle of Merlot 1 Cup soda water 1/4 cup Orange Juice 1/2 Cup chopped Mango 1 cup sliced Strawberries 1 apple chopped 1 cup of ice cubes *Combine all ingredients in a pitcher and serve over ice in wine glasses .

Lemon Meringue Pie

A good lemon meringue pie is the ideal finish to a good meal - especially in summer. We can still get condensed milk in some shops - lemons are available - one does have to use up a little of our valuable sugar - but eggs can be found and the look on your guests faces when they taste the result makes up for using the scarce ingredients! 250g sweetened condensed milk (9 oz) 65ml castor sugar (6 tbsp) 3 medium sized lemons 3 eggs. Juice the lemons and using a rasp grate the outside of the lemons to obtain the zest. Be careful to only grate the outer colored skin of the lemons and not the white pith. Separate the eggs. In a mixing bowl beat together the egg yolks, lemon zest and lemon juice until the mixture becomes thick and creamy. Beat in the condensed milk and pour the resulting mixture into a baked pastry or biscuit pie shell. Using a clean bowl beat together the egg whites and castor sugar until the mixture forms stiff peaks, be careful not to beat so much that the meringue mixture becomes dry.Spoon the meringue mixture over the lemon pie filling. Do not smooth the top. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180oC (350oF) for 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Serve the Lemon Meringue Pie cold or chilled.

Hot and Spicy Peanuts

Addictive nibbles to serve at sundowner time. In Zimbabwe at sundowner time it is traditional to get together with friends and have a few drinks, some snacks and lots of gossip! 1 tablespoon  vegetable oil 2 large  garlic cloves -- very finely chopped 2 cups  salted skinless peanuts 1 tablespoon  ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons  cayenne or chilli pepper 1 teaspoon  salt 1 teaspoon  sugar -- (optional) Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds. Add peanuts, cumin, cayenne and salt; stir until thoroughly combined and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove from heat; stir in sugar if desired. Serve warm or allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups. Enough for nibbles for 4 to 6.

Herb Batter Bread

Nothing nicer than a loaf of fresh bread and this one is easy to make and very tasty - ideal with a salad for lunch or soup in the evning. Why buy supermarket bread at high prices when one can have home made instead. This bread will also toast! 1 1/4 cups  warm water 1 package  active dry yeast 3 tablespoons  butter or margerine - softened or if unavailable oil 1 teaspoon  salt 2 tablespoons  sugar 3 cups  flour 1/2teaspoon  nutmeg 1 teaspoon  rubbed sage 2 teaspoons  caraway seeds or other seeds such as dill (these can be left out if unavailable) In mixer bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add fat, salt, sugar and 1/2 of flour. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl. Add remaining flour and spices and blend with spoon until batter is smooth. Let rise in a warm place, covered with a cloth until double in size (about 30 minutes). Beat about 25 times with spoon. Spread sticky batter in greased loaf pan. Let rise about 10 minutes covered. Heat oven to 350F. Bake 45-50 minutes until brown.

Chili-Garlic Greens

A twist on Zimbabwe greens - a touch of China and a pleasant change. 2 tablespoons  sesame seed oil (if not available any good oil will do) 2 tablespoons  olive oil 1 bunch  greens - spinach or cabbage may be used washed, dried and cut into strips 1 tablespoon  garlic - minced 1 tablespoon  chili - minced - red looks nice but green will do 1 tablespoon  ginger - minced (you can used ginger that has been minced and preserved in oil or vinegar) 2 tablespoons  white vinegar 1 teaspoon  sugar Salt and black pepper to taste Combine oils in a large sauce pan and place over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the greens and stir vigorously for 1 minute or until they have changed to a bright green color. Add garlic, chili and ginger and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add vinegar and sugar; remove from heat and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at once.

Stuffed Marrow

Marrows are cheap and plentiful and stuffed with mince or soya mince make a tasty and healthy meal. Marrows or courgettes may be used in this recipe. Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mk 6, 400°F). Heat the oil in a saucepan. Chop the onion finely, and cook gently for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the mince and fry for another five minutes. (If using soya mince add to the onions but do not fry. The soya which should be well flavoured with a vegetable extract or other savoury flavouring such as soup mix or usavi mix - used dry). Add the stock, tomato puree, herbs, some freshly ground black pepper and the fish sauce, and cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Meanwhile, wash and cut the marrow in half, and scoop out the seeds. Prick the inside flesh thoroughly with a fork. Once the mince is cooked all over, put half the mince and onion into each marrow, pouring in any juices left in the pan. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the mince if desired. Bake in a baking dish for about one hour. Serve with any juices from the dish poured back over the marrow or an onion or Bisto gravy. You can use large courgettes in this recipe. You can also use minced lamb or pork instead of the beef. If you do not have fish sauce, then instead add salt to taste. For a tastier topping, try mixing grated parmesan cheese and mixed herbs, salt and pepper into the breadcrumbs. Accompany with mashed potatoes, rice or mealie meal.

Chilli Bites

A wonderful easy spicy snack - and no eggs required!

500ml Self Raising Flour or plain flours with two teaspoons baking powder added
1 Large Onion, Chopped
3 - 4 Green Chillies, Chopped
125ml Fresh Coriander (Dhania), or chopped parsley
2tsp Cumin (seed Jeerd)
Salt to Taste +/- 2 1/2 tsp)
Water to make a thick batter
Oil for Deep Frying

Mix all the ingredients, except the oil, into a batter
Heat the oil and drop teaspoonfuls into the hot oil
Fry until puffed and golden
Drain on kitchen roller towel

Stuffed Butternut Squash

     3 small  butternut squash    2 cups  cubed cooked ham or feta cheese or a combination    1 cup  soft bread crumbs    1/2 cup  shredded apple    1 small onion chopped      2 tablespoons  prepared mustard Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash, cut sidedown, in a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Fill pan with hot water to adepth of 2 inches. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients. Turn squash cut side up; stuff with mixture. Cover unstuffed end of squash with foil to prevent drying. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Sweet Mango Chutney

  Mangoes Vinegar Onions Sugar Pickling spice tied in a bag (or a mixture of spices to your taste) Sultanas Salt Powdered ginger Peel and chop mangoes into small pieces. Bring mangoes to a boil with vinegar. When boiling add remaining ingredients. Simmer about 2 hours until the mixture browns. (If using a microwave this should take about 20 minutes) Stir to prevent scorching. Remove spice bag and pour into hot clean jars.

Avocado Dip

  In a large bowl: Peel 4 AVOCADO PEARS (soft), cut in small pieces, and mash smooth. (this can be done in a food processor) Add 4 Tbs. LEMON JUICE and blend with the mashed avocados. Add: 2 1 1/4-oz. cans ANCHOVY FILLETS, cut in 1/2-inch pieces (if available) 1/2 cup ONIONS chopped finely 1 tsp. CRUSHED RED PEPPERS or chilis 1/2 tsp. GARLIC POWDER or 3 cloves of crushed garlic. Mix in a blender or chop finely. Add 1/2 cup white wine. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and chill until ready to use (Putting the stone from the avocado on top of the dip will help to stop discolouration). Serve with dry biscuits or fresh bread. To serve the dip as an appetizer, arrange individual lettuce cups on salad plates, place the dip in the lettuce cups and garnish with thin onion slices and tomato wedges. You may serve this with brown bread. To serve the dip as a snack, place the dip in a glass bowl garnished with parsley surrounded by biscuits or bread slices on a platter.

Fruit Gimlet

A fresh fruit starter is always a treat and this one with a touch of gin or cane spirit takes fruit salad a step forward. Cane is always available in Zimbabwe and so is the ideal spirit to use. This gimlet may be made with papaya only, but we served it using a combination of fresh fruits and it was a most delightful first course. For striking effects use champagne glasses or any attractive wine glasses for fruit cups-and chill them thoroughly. Fill 8 champagne glasses with balls or squares of fruit from melon, watermelon, papaya, pineapple,kiwi fruit - singly or in combination (1/2 cup fruit per person). Sprinkle each with 1/2 tsp. CRYSTALLIZED GINGER, finely chopped. Pour over: 1 Tbs. GIN or CANE SPIRIT 1 Tbs. LIME or LEMON JUICE and 1 tsp. BROWN SUGAR. Garnish with MINT SPRIGS.

Passion Fruit Dessert

  Dissolve: 1 packet package Orange Jelly in 1 cups boiling water. Add 1 cups Passion Fruit pulp (tinned or fresh). Chill until mixture begins to set. Stir well (the deseert is good at this stage!) If avaialabe whip 1 cup cream until stiff. Fold whipped cream into the partially stiffened gelatine. Pile Iightly into wine glasses. Decorate with passion fruit pulp or other fruit in season.

Easy Mango Mousse

  As we are often unable to get cream or eggs I invented this recipe to use up the mangos that grow so well in our garden. You can use windfalls or even slightly green mangos with success. Use as many mangos as you wish - 12 to 20 are ideal. Skin and slice fruit off the stone and place in a large microwave container. Add enough water to come to the top of the mangos. Cook on high for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring every five minutes to ensure none of the mango overcooks. The mangos should be soft but not too have much water left in the container. Let the fruit cool slightly and transfer into a food processor bowl. Process until a puree. Add about 250 gr of icing sugar (or to taste) to the mango and process again. Transfer into a serving bowl - preferably glass - and place in the fridge to get very cold. The mousse will thicken in the fridge. Decorate with slices or cubes of mango or red berries such as strawberries or rasberries.

Zimbabwe Greens

  Spinach or Kale or any similar greens can be used 1 bunch spinach, washed 1 cup Water 1 large Tomato, cored, chopped 5 Green onions, sliced (green and white part)(if not available use ordinary onions) 3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter Salt to taste Finely shred the greens, discarding tough stems. Place in a saucepan with the water. Bring to boil and cook, stirring occasionally, just until greens are crunchy-tender (don't overcook). Drain greens, RESERVING liquid. Return greens to medium heat; add tomato and onions. Heat through, stirring frequently. Thin peanut butter with 3/4 cup of the RESERVED cooking liquid, then add to vegetables. Heat, stirring constantly, until greens have a creamy consistency, adding more reserved liquid if mixture seems too thick. Taste, and add salt if needed. Serves 4.

Salted Peanuts

  Salted Groundnuts 1 cup peanuts (raw) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup warm water Toast the peanuts in a frying pan, without oil, stirring frequently so they do not burn. (a cast-iron pan works well) When the peanuts are very hot, dissolve the salt in warm water. Pour this over the peanuts and keep stirring while the heat is high. Suddenly all the water will disappear and the nuts will be coated with salt. Continue to cook for three minutes to remove any moisture.

Peanut Butter Stew - Dovi

 

Very economical as it will serve a party of six. Nutricious too. 2 medium onions, finely chopped 2 green peppers, chopped 2 tablespoons butter or margarine or oil 1 chicken, cut into pieces 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced and crushed 3 to 4 fresh tomatoes (or 1 large can of tomatoes) 1 teaspoon salt & 1/2 teaspoon pepper 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter 1 chili pepper or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/2 pound spinach or pumpkin leaves In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onions in butter or margarine or oil until golden brown. Add garlic, salt and chili pepper. Stir for 2 or 3 minutes then add green peppers and chicken. Brown the chicken. When all the chicken pieces are brown on every side, mash tomatoes with a fork and mix them into the stew, along with about 2 cups water. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Thin the peanut butter with a few spoons of hot broth and add half to the pot. Simmer until the meat is well-cooked. Season to taste with salt and pepper Boil spinach or pumpkin leaves for several minutes until tender. Drain and toss with the remainder of the peanut paste. Serve stew and greens side by side.

Corn Meal with Pumpkin - Nhopi

 

1 cup corn meal 2 cups water 1/2 pound pumpkin, peeled, cooked and mashed (save some of the water after cooking pumpkin)1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons peanut butter(include any cooking liquid) salt to taste Bring the water to a boil in a good-sized saucepan and put in the corn meal. Cook, stirring frequently, until it forms a porridge. Next, stir in the mashed pumpkin. Then add the sugar, peanut butter and salt and combine all ingredients well. Continue to cook for a few minutes over low heat, adding about 1/2 cup of the retained pumpkin cooking water if necessary to make the consistency you prefer. Serve immediately with spinach or another leafy green. serves 4