Image: Alex, Sandton Times
(RECIPES)
The Cooking Studio – Johannesburg
Grilled Octopus Salad with Mango & Vanilla Dressing
Ingredients for grilling
1 Whole Octopus
2tbsp salt
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1tbsp chopped coriander
For the salad
1 onion, sliced
100gm cucumber cut in cubes
1 mango cut in cubes
1 Tomato cut in cubes
1tbsp chives
1 orange bell pepper, cut julienne
For the dressing
3tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 lemon, squeeze juice
1 vanilla pod
Method
- Marinate and rub the octopus in salt for 10mins to remove the slimy texture. Wash the
octopus to remove salt, and place it in boiling water. Cook it for 40mins until the octopus is
soft. Cut each leg in individual pieces, marinate with garlic, coriander and sunflower or olive
oil. Grill until nicely charred. - For the salad, mix everything together. To open up the vanilla pods, slice in the middle and
use the back of a knife to scrape out the seeds. Add lemon juice, oil, and whisk together to
form a vinaigrette. - Serve the octopus on top of the salad, and drizzle the vinaigrette on top
Grilled King Fish with Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Fricassee
Served with ‘Crab Giraffe’ (spanner crab) sauce
Ingredients for the fish
4 king fish steak
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
20gm ginger, finely chopped
5gm turmeric
1tbsp coriander, finely chopped
1 lemon juice
100ml olive oil
For the fricassee
250gm pumpkin, peeled and cut in small cubes
250gm sweet potato, peeled and cut in small cubes
1 onion, cut (brunoise)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1tbsp thyme
For the crab giraffe sauce
4 crabs
300ml coconut milk
1tsp turmeric powder
1tsp curry powder
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1cinnamon leaf
1tbsp curry leaves
1 hot chilli, chopped in big pieces (preferable: goat chilli pepper)
Method
Season the crabs and blanch it in boiling water for 5mins. In another pot, add turmeric,
coconut milk, curry leaves, a cinnamon leaf, garlic, chilli and curry powder. Let it come to a
boil, then add in the crab and let cook for about 8-10mins until the crab is cooked. Taste and
season with salt and pepper.
Marinate the steak with a pinch of salt, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, lemon
juice and olive oil. Pan-fried the steak until golden and cooked.
Sauté the onion until slightly golden in colour. Add in the pumpkin and garlic, stir for a bit.
Add 200ml of water, and after 10mins of cooking, add in the sweet potato. Let it cook until
soft (you may need to strain the excess water). Once cooked, add thyme and season with salt
and pepper.
‘Nougat Banane’ served with Exotic Fruits flambéed in local Takamaka Rum
Ingredients for the ‘Nougat’
2 coconuts, finely grated
400gm sugar
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 rib bananas crushed
1 cup of water
1tbsp vanilla essence
½ tsp nutmeg
For the flambé
400gm sugar
4 rib bananas peeled OR 1 pineapple, peeled & cut in wedges
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
100ml pineapple juice
50ml Takamaka rum
Method for the ‘Nougat’
- Caramelize the sugar and add in cinnamon and star anise first, followed by the grated
coconut (the coconut milk need to be squeezed out of the grated coconut). Constantly stir the
coconut with the sugar until fully incorporated, and then add in 1cup of water. Keep stirring
for 45mins while still on the fire. Add in the banana, vanilla essence and nutmeg and cook for
another 5 more minutes until coagulated.
Method for the Flambé - Caramelize the sugar, add in cinnamon and star anise, followed by the fruits. Deglaze the
pan with pineapple juice and add in the vanilla seeds. Cook for 3mins and ensure that the
fruits do not become too soft. At the end, add in the rum and let it flambé.
