KITCHEN CHAMELEON
CAN YOU EVER HAVE JUST ONE APPLIANCE?
Over the course of my career, I’ve pursued so many passions that I’ve become a chameleon. Put me in a kitchen and I’m a chef. Give me a camera and I’m a photographer. It used to be said that people like us were Jacks of all trades and masters of none, but the world has changed! We’re free to be whoever we want to be. This has also changed our approach to the tools we use in the kitchen. Where before there was an appliance for everything, appliances are getting smarter, able to get on with multiple tasks while you let your creativity soar. Most chefs I know love a Thermomix, and my team and I have been making all kinds of magic at JAN Innovation Studio since we got ours. How could I not share what we’ve been getting up to?
SOUS-VIDE TROUT WITH BUCHU HOLLANDAISE, PARSLEY OIL AND ASPARAGUS
TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes | SERVES: 4
for the sous vide trout
20 g (25 ml) fine salt
20 g (25 ml) sugar
4 x 200 g trout portions
for the buchu hollandaise
4 egg yolks
15 ml Dijon mustard
30 ml white wine vinegar
2 ml buchu powder
250 g (270 ml) butter, melted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the parsley oil
10 g Italian flat leaf parsley
40 ml canola oil
½ garlic clove, peeled
for the steamed asparagus
300 g asparagus spears, peeled
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the sous-vide trout
Mix the salt and sugar. Place the trout portions onto a tray and cover them with the sugar and salt mixture. Leave to cure for 15 minutes before rinsing the trout under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen towel. Place each trout fillet into a vacuum pack bag and seal. Place the blade cover over the Thermomix mixing knife. Add the trout into the Thermomix jug and fill with water. Set the Thermomix on speed one for 20 minutes at 90 °C.
For the buchu hollandaise
Place the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard and buchu powder into the Thermomix jug. Mix on speed 4 for 5 minutes at a temperature setting of 70 °C. After 5 minutes start pouring in the melted butter in a thin and steady stream. Once the butter has been added season with salt and pepper. Remove from the Thermomix.
for the parsley oil
Place the parsley, canola oil and garlic into the Thermomix jug. Blend on speed 6 for 5 minutes at a temperature setting of 60 °C. Once done strain the oil through a piece of cheese cloth.
for the steamed asparagus
Pour 500 ml of water into the Thermomix jug. Attach the Varoma to the Thermomix add the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Close the Varoma and cook by setting the Thermomix on a temperature of 120 °C and a speed of 1 for 10 minutes.
CONFIT CHICKEN THIGH WITH POMME PURÉE, NAARTJIE CHUTNEY AND CASHEW DUKKAH
TIME: 3 hours to cure + 3 hours | SERVES: 4
for the confit chicken thigh
100 g coarse salt
2 sprigs fresh thyme
5 ml white peppercorns
2 bay leaves
4 chicken thighs
1 kg duck fat
for the pomme purée
800 g potatoes
100 g (110 ml) butter
200 ml cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the naartjie chutney
125 ml white wine vinegar
75 ml water
125 g (150 ml) sugar
1 ml dried chilli flakes
1 ml ground cumin
1 ml ground coriander
5 ml garam masala
800 g naartjies, peeled and chopped up
for the cashew dukkah
100 g cashew nuts
20 g white sesame seeds
2 ml black peppercorns
5 ml coriander seeds
5 ml cumin seeds
1 ml fennel seeds
5 ml Maldon salt
for the confit chicken thigh
Mix the coarse salt, thyme, white peppercorns and bay leaves. Pour half the salt out onto a tray and place the chicken thighs onto the salt and coat the chicken with the remaining salt. Leave to cure for 3 hours before rinsing off the salt. Fit the blade over the Thermomix mixing knife and place the duck fat into the jug. Add the chicken and set the Thermomix on speed 1 for 2 hours at a temperature of 90 °C.
Remove the chicken from the Thermomix. For another depth of flavour, you can grill the chicken over a braai to crisp up the skin.
for the pomme purée
Heat the oven to 200 °C.
Place the potatoes on a baking tray and place in the oven for 1½ – 2 hours until they are cooked. Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Pass it through a drum sieve. Place the cream and butter in the Thermomix jug and mix on speed 4 for 3 minutes at 100 °C. Then add in the potatoes and mix on speed 4 for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
for the naartjie chutney
Place the white wine vinegar, water, sugar, chilli flakes, cumin, coriander and garam masala into the Thermomix jug. Set the Thermomix on speed 3 for 5 minutes at 100 °C. Add the naartjies and cook on the same settings again for 15 minutes.
for the cashew dukkah
Add half the cashew nuts, half of the sesame seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fennel seeds into the Thermomix and blend for 30 seconds on speed 7. Add in the remaining cashew nuts, sesame seeds and Maldon salt and pulse twice.
MOERKOFFIE AND VLAKOEKIE GATEAUX
TIME: 3 hours + overnight freezing | SERVES: 6
for the custard
zest of 1 lemon
100 g caster sugar
50 g cornflour
400 g full cream milk
100 g coffee
4 eggs
10 ml vanilla extract
for the custard cake
200 g butter
200 g caster sugar
4 eggs
pinch of salt
10 ml vanilla extract
200 g self-raising flour
15 g custard powder
for the moerkoffie ice cream
600 g cream
1 tin (395 g) condensed milk
15 g coffee beans
100 ml water
for the custard
Place the lemon zest and caster sugar in the jug of the Thermomix. Mill on speed 9 for 10 seconds. Add the milk, eggs and vanilla extract into the jug. Set the Thermomix on speed 4 for 7 minutes at 90 °C. Once the custard is done cooking transfer it into a piping bag and refrigerate.
for the custard cake
Heat the oven to 175 °C.
Line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper.
Place the butter and caster sugar into the Thermomix jug and blend on speed 5 for 15 seconds. Add the eggs, salt, vanilla extract, self-raising flour and custard powder. Blend on speed 5 for 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the jug and blend again on speed 5 for 10 seconds. Pour the mixture int a prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 25 – 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the cake tin for 15 minutes before turning the cake onto a wire rack to cool further.
Once cooled split the cake into two layers.
for the moerkoffie ice cream
Blend the coffee beans in the Thermomix on speed 8 for 20 seconds. Add in the water and blend on speed 5 for 6 minutes at a temperature setting of 60 °C.
Add the cream and condensed milk and mix on speed 4 for 2 minutes.
Decant the mixture into a sealable container and freeze overnight.
Remove the frozen mixture from the container and cut into blocks. Transfer the blocks into the Thermomix jug, blend on speed 5 for 1 minute until the ice-cream is smooth.
assembly
Pipe some of the coffee custard onto one layer of the cake. Place the other layer of cake on top and pipe another layer on top. Serve with a scoop of the moerkoffie ice-cream.
