The Spring Harvest Table

Spring is traditionally the season of newness. When one thinks of the flavours associated with newness, one would consider fresh and zesty, bold tastes that dance across the palate with a zing, zap and a zhush! We challenged our kitchen to create a menu satisfying this rather descriptive brief and they – as always – delivered, with a flourish! The Simbithi Spring Harvest Table, compliments of Executive Chef Godfrey Kinyanjui, Chef Rahul Bansee and Chef Phumelele Nyaba. We also have suggested pairings from Assistant Restaurant Manager, Mo Therese. Let’s cook!

Starter: Creamy Seafood Chowder

Ingredients

• 20g butter
• 1 large onion
• 30g carrots diced
• 30g peas
• 30g sweetcorn
• 15g celery
• 15g leeks
• 150ml white wine
• 150ml milk
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 600ml stock:
  • 300ml chicken
  • 300ml fish
• 150g new potato, diced
• Pinch Hondashi
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 300ml cream
• 320g pack mixed fish (kingklip, shrimps, mussels, calamari, calamari heads)
• Chopped dill (keep extra for garnish)
• 10g garlic
• 120g streaky bacon (optional)
• Crusty bread to serve

Method

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, then add the onion, celery, leeks, bacon (if you are adding this) carrots and garlic. Cook for 8-10 mins until the onion is soft, carrots, and bacon is cooked.
2. Add the wine and cook it off, then stir in the flour. Cook for a further two minutes, and then add the milk.
3. Pour in the chicken and fish stocks and bring it up to a gentle simmer. Add the potatoes, sweetcorn and peas. Cover, then simmer for between 10 and 12 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
4. Add the Hondashi, cayenne pepper and salt to taste.
5. Tip the fish mix into the pan, and gently simmer for four minutes. Add the cream and shellfish, then simmer for a minute more.
6. Check the seasoning, and adjust for your preference, if necessary.
7. Sprinkle the chopped dill and serve with some crusty bread.

Suggested Pairing: a non-traditional Belgian-style lager from Stella Artois. It has a bracing malt character and minimal hop bitterness with a mid-to high level carbonation, so allows for a respite between bites and refreshes the palate accordingly. You may also try a Dry Riesling (Saurwein Chi or Illimis), Dry French or Spanish-style Cider, or a Manzanilla-style Sherry.

Main: Spinach, Mushroom & Ricotta Cannelloni  

Ingredients

• 250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
• 250g spinach
• 125g ricotta
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 125g cannelloni shells (approximately 8-10)
• 2 cups good quality marinara sauce
• 1 cup grated mozzarella & cheddar mix

Method

1. Start by sweating the onions in olive oil. Once softened, add in the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
2. Add the mushrooms and spinach, red chilli flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Allow this to cook until mushrooms have released all their water. (Everything must reduce, and there must not be liquid left).
4. Lower the heat, then add in the ricotta, nutmeg and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
5. Allow the mixture to cool, then fill into a piping bag. If you don’t have one, use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off. (Chef’s tip: this is the most effective way of filling the tubes!)
6. Spread a quarter of the marinara sauce in a baking dish. Fill your cannelloni and arrange them on top of the sauce. Pour over the remaining sauce and top with the cheese mix. Keep some aside for an extra cheesy topping.
7. Bake at 180˚C for 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden.
8. When baked, top with more cheese and place back in the oven. In the kitchen, we usually gratinate ours in the oven in the red-hot Salamander.
9. Serve with a fresh salad.

Suggested Pairing: The Doolhoof Malbec and Merlot 2023 has the pliable Merlot tannin and plummy dark fruit depth, and firm balance of acidity from the Malbec-leading part of the blend, which allows for the lactose in the cannelloni to be broken down with each sip. The tomato concasse beneath the cannelloni offers its own contrast that blends exceedingly well to the finishing structure of the wine.

Dessert: Deconstructed Apple Crumble

Ingredients

Caramelised Apples

• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• Red Heart Rum
• ¼ tsp cinnamon

Ginger-Infused Crumble

• 200g butter
• 200g icing sugar
• 400g flour
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• Dash cinnamon
• Fresh ginger, grated

Method

Caramelised Apples

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Cook the sugar until it caramelises. You will know when it turns from white crystals to golden-brown, amber liquid.
3. Add the apples and the cinnamon, stirring occasionally until golden.
4. Deglaze the pan with the rum. To deglaze is essentially to use the liquid to loosen the ‘golden bits’ on the bottom of the pan that will add flavour to your dish.
5. Set aside.
   
   

Ginger-Infused Crumble

1. Cream the butter and icing sugar. Keep beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Add the remaining crumble ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger) and gather and shape into a ball.
3. Refrigerate at least an hour. Remove and then grate, using the large side of a grater. This is your crumble. Keep some of the dough aside, and…
4. …make ginger cookies! Roll out and cut out into desired shape.
5. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 175˚C until golden brown. This should take approximately 15 minutes.
6. Here is how we serve ours:
   1. Place the crumble onto the plate. Gently spoon your caramelised apples atop the crumble, and you may add some fresh fruit. We used strawberries.
   2. Place a warm cookie on the side with a dollop of vanilla ice-cream!