I get a lot of inspiration from colour. There’s something about the combination of green and gold that makes me want to jump up and shout, “I love my country!” But I understand how that kind of behaviour can be seen as a bit strange in the wrong context. So instead, I take to the kitchen, and revisit the classics – the kind my grandmother used to make on Sundays when the whole van der Westhuizen clan got together around the same table. Ouma onder die Kombers is one of those truly South African heritage dishes that’s always teetering on the brink of extinction, but not on my watch!
OUMA ONDER DIE KOMBERS
TIME: 1½ hours | SERVES: 8
for the cabbage
8 baby cabbages
45 ml olive oil
20 ml butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 slices seed bread
100 ml milk
500 g beef mince
10 g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 liter chicken stock
for the tomato sauce
45 ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
600 g baby Rosa tomatoes, cut into quarters
handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the meat filling
Heat the oven to 180 °C. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Place the baby cabbages in the water for 2 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbages from the water. Slice the tops off each cabbage, then spoon or cut out the hard centre of each cabbage.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Fry until soft and translucent. Let the onions cool slightly. Place the bread in a bowl. Add the milk and let the bread soak until soft. Place the mince in a mixing bowl and add the soaked bread, fried onion, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the cabbages in a 3,5 liter / 30 cm Artichaut Signature Shallow Casserole. Spoon some of the meat filling into each cabbage. Pour in stock and cover with the lid. Place in the oven. Remove the lid after 15 minutes and cook for another 15 minutes.
for the tomato sauce
Pour the olive oil in a 20 cm Nectar Signature Round Skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry until the tomatoes and onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper, then carefully spoon the cabbages and tomato sauce into the casserole. Arrange the cabbage on top and garnish with fresh mint, rosemary, thyme and basil.