Friday, December 30, 2011

2011 Christmas Turkey

Kersfees-kalkoen

Vir die Resep hieronder het ek 'n vulsel gemaak:

Matige hoeveelhede van die volgende gemeng:

Beef mince - 'n pakkie

Pynappelstukke en van die stroop

'n Blikkie ingelegde perskes in stukkies gesny en al die stroop

Genoeg broodkrummels om als aan mekaar te laat kleef

Kruie, sout, peper

Maak die maalvleis gaar en voeg als by

Maak die kalkoenvel los van die body en vul daai tussen-in spasie met vulsel.

Sit ook van die vulsel binne-in die kalkoen.

Ek het nie die groot kasserole-bak gehad nie, toe draai ek maar net nog 'n ekstra laag tinfoelie om.

Ek het vir die laaste 20 minute die tinfoelie net bo af en om gedop sodat die kalkoen bo-op kan verbruin.

Kalkoen by Woolies gekoop. Was 3 ure in die oond.

Die sous-resep hieronder werk en is BAIE lekker.


CHRISTMAS TURKEY

Traditionally Christmas is Turkey time. In South Africa since days gone by, especially on the farms, the Christmas snacks consisted of sweet cakes, meat rolls, different types of tarts, ginger ale for something against the heat amongst others. The main course usually consisted of leg of lamb (for the sheep farmers) chicken pie, suckling pig and duck or geese. Then of course there was turkey -, the old favourite across the world. With these came all the side dishes and lastly the puddings like Christmas pudding, custard and more. Sometimes a watermelon was cut up especially for the children.

Now I have had many a turkey in various locations, also in the USA where during Thanksgiving and Christmas season no turkey could safely walk around conspicuously. But the best turkey I ever had for Christmas was the Turkey on a Christmas day many years ago on a lonely Karoo sheep farm.

I can still remember it vividly. We were just finished with school and already had our traditional Margate South Coast holiday, like most young people that time used to do. We returned home about a week before Christmas and decided to go down to Cape Town to visit relatives and some of our friends, because we still had quite a few weeks of holiday time left.

It was the day before Christmas, one of those very hot summer days and four of us were on our way to Cape Town. A few kilometres past Colesberg in the Cape, our car broke down. It wasn’t surprising as it was a very old VW Beetle that has seen better days. Luckily one of us was a fundi on cars but we needed time and a place to work on the car. And of course, we would need a place to sleep over for the night.

There we were standing next to the road. In those days, unlike the terrible crime wave nowadays, there were very few hijackers, murderers and robbers in South Africa. In fact it was so safe that you could sleep next to the road and nothing would happen to you. So to be wary of criminals were the last thing on our minds – we just wanted a place to fix the car and someone to tow us there.

It was a scene of utter desolation - just a long stretch of Karoo road and the farms. We prepared ourselves for a long wait. It was hot - we were standing there for about two hours listening to songs of Pink Floyd (Wish you were here), Dire Straights (Brothers in arms) and a variety of songs from the Voëlvry brigade. There was no movement or sound, except the music and an eagle gliding past us, high up in the blue sky.

Then far in the distance we saw an approaching bakkie. We watched it coming closer until it slowed down and came to a stop next to us. An old farmer, darkly tanned by the sun after years of hard work in the veld, climbed out and greeted us. This was luck as we never thought it could happen. In a few minutes we were hitched and were being towed towards his farm, which was a good distance away along a gravel road.

Arriving at the huge farm house, his wife came out and welcomed us. She introduced herself as Tannie Elizabeth. You could see that she was a real farmer’s wife, with the build and hospitable attitude, typical of farmers those days. In fact the friendliness shone out of her and we immediately felt at home. They promptly invited us to stay over and have Christmas lunch with them that next day. Needless to say we accepted.

After she showed us our rooms, which were on one side of their huge farmhouse, we settled in and unpacked. Then we all moved together to the shed where we started to fix the car with the help of the farmer – Oom Albert. After working on the car for a while it got dark, we went to wash up. We sat down to a scrumptious dinner of lamb and vegetables, talked for a while and retired to bed as we all had a long day.

Before the break of day, a rooster crowed early the next morning, Christmas day, we were up and had coffee, rusks, toast with butter and prickly pear jam and biltong and dried sausage, which except for the coffee were al produced on the farm. Then we resumed working on the Beetle, until we were sure it was properly fixed. Oom

Albert took us for a tour of his farm (we were sitting in the back of the bakkie, with a bag of droëwors and biltong that Tannie Elizabeth gave us for the ride). It was a beautiful day and he showed us as much as he could in a few hours – he was farming mainly with sheep and also had some wildlife like springbok and eland. Tannie Elizabeth meanwhile was preparing the lunch.

When we returned after about two hours, she was waiting for us with ice-cold, home-made ginger ale. Although we would have preferred real beer, that ginger ale sure was tasty and did the trick in the heat. We sat down for lunch on Christmas day and it looked really mouth-watering.

There was a feast - a leg of lamb, chicken pie, lots of other small snacks and side dishes and low and behold – one massive turkey.

During the conversation at the table dinner table, Oom Albert and Tannie Elizabeth couldn’t stop talking – it was clear that they haven’t had guests for a very long time. They told us that they were extremely happy to have people with them during Christmas as their only son tragically died some years ago. He died of injuries that he sustained after a Puff adder (poisonous snake) bit his horse and the horse threw him, while he was out tending sheep on their large farm. He was far away from the homestead and any help and they only found him a day later. Their son would have been our age had he still lived. They had no family left.

But let me get back to the meal. It was delicious, but that turkey - now that was the best turkey my friends and I ever had in our lives.

We continued on our way to Cape Town the day after Christmas (we decided after that large meal to sleep over another night) and along the way snacked on more springbok biltong and droëwors (this time it came in a large pillow sheet) that they gave us for the road, and of course the leftovers of that delicious turkey.

Tannie Elizabeth gave me the recipe for that turkey (apparently it was passed down in her family for many years). Since then I have frequently made it, but I am sure it will never taste as good as that Christmas when we were stranded in the Karoo.

Even so – this recipe is very interesting and I have adapted it somewhat and so can you. With practice, maybe it will one day taste as good as the way Tant Elizabeth made it that Christmas long ago on a lonely and remote Karoo farm with friendship, warming the hearts of stranded young people and a lonely elderly couple who had lost their only son – a reflection of the true spirit of Christmas.

CHRISTMAS TURKEY – THE WAY TANNIE ELIZABETH MADE IT

This should be more than enough for 6 to 8 people – you should still be able to make a meal from the leftovers the next day

Go out now and order your Turkey – ask your butcher or local supermarket to keep one for you.

I was at my butcher recently and they had just received a large consignment of turkeys that just arrived. The birds were huge and they were packed in boxes ready for delivery to fulfil orders already placed. It just shows that turkeys are still very popular over Christmas time in South Africa.

When you go to pick it up – make sure it is properly cleaned inside and outside or ask them to show you how to do it. All the innards must be removed. Then also ask them to show you the best way of binding the Turkey – the wings close to the body and the legs as well. Put it in your freezer until the day before Christmas

Ingredients

One large Turkey

One packet of shoulder bacon – with some fat on

Thyme a few sprigs

Rosemary a few sprigs

Ground salt

Ground pepper

A few slices of pineapple

Apricot jam

Butter

Sweet white wine

Flour

Lemon pepper

Tinfoil

Water

Preparation and cooking

On the evening of the 23 December, two days before Christmas, take the Turkey out of the freezer and let it defrost overnight. The next morning it should be defrosted and you can start preparing it. You can have it cold on Christmas day or put it back in the fridge and just heat it up on Christmas day – but I reckon it is best to make it the day before Christmas because you don’t want to bother with cooking on Christmas day.

Remember that most Turkeys are large birds and you will need about 6 hours to cook or grill with this method until the bird is tender.

Right – let us start.

When the Turkey is defrosted, sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper and add a little twig of thyme. Add pieces of bacon with a little fat on as well as some chopped pieces of pineapple inside the Turkey.

Then place it on a tray and rub the turkey on the outside with about 4 tablespoons of butter and about 8 tablespoons of flour mixed.

Now bind your Turkey – the wings and the legs close to the body, to be able to manage it more easily.

Then place it on a very large piece of tinfoil – rub it again with some apricot jam and place some spices like a sprig of thyme and as sprig of Rosemary also on the Turkey. A good idea is to place some pieces of bacon on the Turkey as well. Sprinkle some salt and lemon pepper on the Turkey.

Now cover the Turkey with the Tinfoil completely and place it in a large casserole in the oven, with the lid on. Cook at medium heat for about 4 to 6 hours – depending on the size of the bird. You can take it out halfway through, by opening up the Tinfoil and checking the breast meat – if that is soft then the Turkey is nearly done. Remember that if you are going to put it back in the oven, cover it with the Tinfoil again.

Just before the Turkey is ready – about half an hour before it is done as per your own estimate – take the casserole out of the oven – lift the turkey out and unwrap the tinfoil (remember to prick the tinfoil and let the sauce run into the casserole before you lift the turkey out).

Place the Turkey back in the casserole – it should have enough sauce in still to at least cover the bottom about two inches high. Then with the lid removed grill it quickly until brown on one side. Turn it over and do the same on the other side – it must be grilled no longer than a few minutes on each side otherwise the turkey will dry out. Remove the turkey from the casserole, place it in a serving dish (large enough of course) and then in the fridge (cover the Turkey with tinfoil) - until about half an hour before you are going to eat.

If you are serving it cold

Just take it out of the fridge and let it stand for about half an hour or until it reaches room temperature - serve without the sauce.

If you are serving it hot / warm

Just before you are ready to eat (about half hour) take it out of the fridge – put back in the oven, smear some more apricot jam on the Turkey only on the top side, add a few tablespoons of sauce on top of the turkey and heat it up (covered of course with tinfoil on the top) – don’t let it dry out. Take it out, place it on your table and serve.

Preparing the sauce

You will only need the sauce if you will be serving the turkey hot

Pour the sauce left over in the pot where the Turkey was, into a saucepan and add a few pinches of flour, one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of apricot jam and about a glass of sweet white wine – and some water if needed – also add one slice of pineapple finely chopped and another sprig of thyme – taste and add salt and pepper if needed or any other spice to your taste.

Place the saucepan on the stove plate and lightly simmer for about 8 minutes while stirring sporadically – don’t let the sauce burn.

Take the saucepan off the plate and drain the sauce through a strainer into a gravy basin – the sauce must be smooth as some people do not like it chunky. Place in the fridge until before you eat, when you can just heat it up again.

Just before the Turkey is placed on the table you can pour a few tablespoons of warm sauce over it again and the rest of the sauce can be placed on the table.

You can have the turkey with parboiled long grained rice and a good salad of your choice and do not forget the good bottle or two of dry white wine, or even some home-made ginger ale!

I kept contact with Tannie Elizabeth and Oom Albert for many years but only managed to visit them once since that time. They have unfortunately since passed away, but every time I have turkey, I think of them and their friendliness and hospitality - and the delicious turkey we had on that Christmas day many years ago, when we were stranded on a remote and lonely Karoo farm.

So when you sit down to enjoy your Christmas turkey this year, spare a thought for all those, like Oom Albert and Tannie Elizabeth that have no family or friends to share love and friendship during this joyous time of the year.

Have a merry Christmas and enjoy your turkey!

Johan vd Walt

Wildlife South Africa

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Kersfeeskalkoen

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Vir 25 Desember 2009 se kersfeesete, het die familie (die wat nog in Suid-Afrika is!) by Connie en Adele bymekaargekom en elkeen ietsie gebring en so was die tafel gelaai met heerlike Suid-Afrikaanse kersfeesdisse.

Hierdie jaar het my kalkoen, in teenstelling met laas jaar se uitgedroogde eend, heerlik sappig uitgekom. Ek het gesoek na 'n resep en toe sommer op google "Christmas Turkey" ingetik en die eerste resultaat was 'n heerlike resep van Jamie Oliver. Eers wou ek kroek en sommer 'n wegneem-vulsel by Woolworths koop, maar alles was uitverkoop! Ook maar goed, want Jamie se vulsel is fantasties - sien resep by ingehegte skakel.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/turkey-recipes/best-roast-turkey-christmas-or-any-time

Ek kon nie Salie kry nie ('n ander vrou op dieselfde oomblik in Woolworths, kon nie heel naeltjies kry vir haar 'gammon' nie, nie daar nie en ook nie in ander winkels in die omtrek nie), maar ek moet byvoeg, dit was reeds so teen 6 namiddag op 23 Des, so ook geen wonder as alles al uit verkoop was nie). Ek het die Salie met Tarragon vervang, so 'n tipe liquiries smaak, maar ek het nie te veel gebruik nie. Jy sal sien in die resep, mens braai dit vars saam met met die uie en knoffel - 'n wonderlike aroma. Toe ek die naam sien, was ek nie seker wat dit was nie, maar dog toe ek gee 'n sprong in die geloof en gebruik dit vir my dis, en toe dit so begin braai, toe weet ek wat dit is - ek het dit al by Granks geproe, 'n Thai restaurant in Rosebank, in hulle Green Chicken Curry.

Ek't ook op 'n warm Suid-Afrikaanse rysslaai afgekom, by die volgende skakel:
http://www.rainbownation.com/recipes/recipe.asp?type=3&id=19 - of soek vir: South African Side Dishes - Hot Rice Salad

Choc chip cookies

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Mens kan te veel choc chips in choc chip cookies sit!! Daar was onduidelikheid oor die gebruik van die skaaltjie, en so beland 50g extra choc chips in die deeg. Wat toe gebeur, is dat dit baie moeilik is om vorms te maak uit die deeg. Die vormpies breek op, omdat daar te min deeg en te veel choc chips is. Ek het later heeltyd choc chips begin uithaal en raai wat het dit geweeg toe ek die origes na die tyd weeg? Jip: ongeveer 50g.
Resep:

1. 300 g botter
2. 375 g strooisuiker (= een en 'n driekwart koppie)
3. 600 g koekmeel (= 5 koppies)
4. 140 ml melk
5. 5 ml vanilla essens
6. 45 ml stroop

150 g sjokelade morsels (choc chips)

Plaas die eerste 6 bestanddele in 'n groot mengbak
Meng dit met 'n elektriese menger totdat die deeg 'n sagte bal vorm
Meng die sjokelade stukkies in en knie vir 5 minute
Rol die deeg in klein balletjies, plaas op 'n gesmeerde bakplaat en druk plat met 'n vurk
Verkoel in die yskas vir 30 minute voordat dit gebak word
Bak teen 180C vir 12-15 minute, of tot goudbruin
Koel af

Let wel:

Die koekies rys nie juis nie en kan dus naby aan mekaar op die bakplaat gepak word.
Moenie langer as 15 min inhou nie, want dit kan sommer baie hard word
Die resep werk ook goed as mens dit wil verdubbel

Ma se suurlemoentert

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1 blik kondensmelk
1/2 k suurlemoensap
3 eiers (geskei)
1 pakkie Tennis beskuitjies
100 g botter
4 eetlepels strooisuiker



Rol die tennisbeskuitjies fyn en meng met die botter en druk vas op die bodem van 'n gesmeerde vuurvaste glasbak
Hou 'n klein bietjie van die koekiemengsel oor om later bo-oor meringue te strooi
Klits die kondensmelk en die suurlemoensap saam
Klits die eiergele by die kondensmelk-mengsel
Giet die kondensmelk-mengsel bo-oor die beskuitjies
Klits die eierwitte en die strooisuiker saam totdat die strooisuiker opgelos is en die eierwitte puntjies maak
Skep die eierwitmengsel liggies bo-oor die kondensmelk-mengsel
Gooi die orige krummels bo-op die meringue
As jy wil kan jy 'n paar kersies opsny en hier en daar op die meringue rangskik
Bak in oond 180 *C vir 10 - 15 min tot ligbruin
Laat afkoel en geniet

Let wel:
- Ek gebruik sommer 'n skoon vadoek om die tennisbeskuitjies in fyn te rol. Maak die pakkie koekies leeg op die vadoek, rol fyn met 'n koekroller en neem punte bymekaar en laat krummels afgly in 'n mengbak in
- Klits die eierwitte in 'n skoon goed-gedroogde bak en maak ook seker dat jy die draaiertjies mooi was en baie goed droogmaak nadat jy die eiergele geklits het en voordat jy die eierwitte klits, anders sal die eierwit nie styf word nie. (ek het eenmaal raakgelees dat iemand se^ sy klits eers die eierwitte en dan die eiergele want dan hoef sy nie die draaiertjies eers te was nie) :)
- Hierdie tert is nie baie groot nie - moenie 'n te groot tertbak gebruik nie
- Hierdie meringue word nie in die oond afgekoel nie. Dit is nie 'n harde meringue nie. Indien jy wel 'n harder meringue wil he^, skakel die oond na 15 min af en koel die meringue in die oond af

Daar is baie variante op hierdie resep, maar geen wat soos my ma s'n proe nie!! :)