Jenny Morris

We spent a few days on the Garden Route last week, ate up a storm at the Knysna Oyster festival and had a delicious dinner and a peaceful sleep-over at The Moorings, where we enjoyed a three course menu for R140 per person.

The food was fresh and fabulous and the portions were huge. The staff are friendly and ever so likeable and nothing was too much for them to do. We retired to bed after a walk along the water’s edge and I slept right through the night for once in a very long time.

After a really delicious and hearty breakfast of fresh fruits, yoghurts, delicious Italian cold meats, smoked salmon, cookies, muffins, pastries, eggs to order and more (and not forgetting the wonderful freshly baked breads - all the bread at the Moorings are homemade and freshly baked daily), we took off for our stay at the Grand Café and rooms. It was really great to discover that the menu at the Grand was exactly like the one in Camps Bay, which I love.

Our next stop was Buffalo Hills, which is just a little way out of Plettenburg bay. We stopped at a few farm stalls along the way and bought provisions to cook up a storm - I really start to miss my stoves after being away from it for more than 48 hours.

I just love spending time at Buffalo hills. It is like coming home. The owners Tony and Maria Kinahan are just the perfect hosts and after a warm welcome and a strong cup of tea, I got my apron on and made my way to the kitchen to cook for them and the guests staying at the lodge.

Everyone gathered around the fire at the Lapa and we chatted like we were old friends. We made quite a few new acquaintances that night. There is something about a fire that just relaxes people.
It opens their minds and their mouths and they want to share stories with you. If you have a spot in your garden, build a fire pit so you can gather and cook with family and friends.

I have a book on potjies and outside dining written by Matie Brink and there are some great recipes for cooking at the fire pit.
Matie Brink is known as the King of Potjiekos. His new book called ‘Potjiekos’ is a collection of the best recipes from his four previous books and they are now conveniently collected in one volume.
The recipes go from easy to grand, economical to special; there is a recipe for every taste.

The recipes are delicious and you will find some for oxtail with peaches, ostrich neck, and chicken with a kick. There is even a lasagna pot. There are also some really nice bread recipes as well as some for mouth-watering cakes and puddings like roly-poly and dumplings. Fred Mouton, a popular cartoonist, has added a special touch with his light-hearted illustrations. ‘Potjiekos’ is also available in Afrikaans and is published by Human & Rousseau.
Matie says that a potjie gives the poor man the privilege of treating the rich man to the very best, which is why he has attached himself to his potjie like Oom Schalk Lourens is attached to his pipe.

His book he says is meant for people who want to gather around a cosy fire.
An easy to follow potjie manual, with do’s and don’ts, warnings and hints, units and measures, what you will need, seasoning and getting your potjie ready are all in this great little book.

Lets cook a potjie!

Duck Pot

Ingredients:
- 1 duck
- 10 baby potatoes
- 4 apples
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 shakes mild, sweet prepared mustard
- 2 whole cloves
- salt to taste
- 1 tin (210g) mushroom soup

Method:
Ducks usually have plenty of fat. Cut the bird into portions and brown quickly in the pot. Pack first the potatoes, then the apples into the pot in layers.
Mix the rest of the ingredients with the mushroom soup and pour over the top. Leave to simmer for 40 minutes.

Leg of Mutton

Ingredients:
- 4Kg leg of mutton
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 100ml tomato sauce
- 50ml prepared mustard
- 2 tins (410g each) mushroom soup
- Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the meat into thin slices. There are two methods you could use to make your life easier: first freeze the meat, then slice with a sharp knife, or roast the meat whole until browned on the outside, then cut using an electric knife.
Braai your sliced meat on the coals for a couple of minutes.
Then place the slices in the pot, drenching them in a mixture of soy sauce, tomato sauce, prepared mustard and soup.
Leave your pot over gentle coals, allowing the stew to simmer very slowly.
As for the bones, I like to throw those into another pot with some onions and potatoes, simmering slowly as a snack for the helpers around the fire.

Biltong loaf

Ingredients:
- 2 shakes instant dry yeast
- 800 to 900ml lukewarm water
- 1.5Kg white bread flour
- 3 cups cubed, wet biltong
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 packet onion soup
- 1 shake salt
- 3 glugs sunflower oil

Method:
Allow the yeast to foam in the lukewarm water, and then add the other ingredients to form a soft dough.
Leave in the sun till nicely risen, then bake in your pot over medium coals for 10 draughts.