Tribal passion

Food from the African continent is a mix of of exotic flavours. The bold flavours with contrasting textures do not fail to impress

Slow-Braised Oxtail
Prep time: 3hrs 20 mins + 90 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients
Oxtail:
2kg oxtail
300gm onions, diced
200gm carrots, diced
200gm celery, diced
100gm leek, sliced
60gm garlic, sliced
150ml olive oil

Basting:
1.5L Rib basting or barbecue sauce
5gm thyme
5gm rosemary
2 oranges for juice and zest
3 bay leaves
800ml water
3gm black pepper
5gm salt
5gm juniper berries

Glazed carrots:
600gm carrots, diced
60ml honey
150ml water
2gm cumin powder
3gm salt
1gm pepper

Method
For basting: Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside.
For oxtail: In a pot, fry the mirepoix of vegetables in oil. When roasted, add the oxtail and roast for a further five to eight minutes. Add 5tbsp of the basting mix and bring to boil. Transfer to a roasting tray, cover with foil and cook for three hours at 150°C.
For glazed carrots: Place all ingredients in a roasting tray, cover with foil and bake in the oven at 150°C for 1½ hours. Serve the oxtail on the glazed carrots.

Peri-Peri Prawns
Prep Time: 35 mins
Serves 4

Ingredients
20 large jumbo prawns
100ml peri-peri marinade
250ml garlic sauce
160gm potato rosti (see recipe below)
100gm rocket leaves
20ml balsamic dressing
3gm salt
2gm pepper
80ml fresh cream
100ml olive oil

Potato rosti:
700gm potato
10gm salt
2gm pepper
5gm coriander
1gm chilli flakes
150gm butter
75ml olive oil

Method
Peri-Peri prawns: Marinate the prawns in half the peri-peri marinade just before cooking. Do not leave prawns in marinade for extended period. Pan-fry the prawns in olive oil on both sides
Add garlic sauce and the remaining  peri- peri. Add the cream, and season with salt and pepper.
Potato rosti: Par cook the potato in simmering water. Cool, peel and grate. Mix salt, pepper, coriander and chilli flakes. Mould into the desired shape, and pan fry both sides with butter and olive oil.
Assembling: Place potato rosti in the centre of the plate. Add rocket leaves tossed in balsamic dressing on top of the rosti. Place 1 prawn on top and 4 on the plate. Drizzle the sauce from the prawns on top. Serve.

Beef Short Ribs
Prep time: 2 hrs 45 mins + 45 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients
600gm (4 pieces) beef short ribs
2l home-made basting

Basting:
1.2L rib basting or barbecue  sauce
800ml water
8gm thyme
8gm rosemary
Juice and zest of 2 oranges
3 bay leaves
3gm black pepper
10gm salt
5gm juniper berries

Vegetable hot pot:
250gm white beans (soaked overnight)
200gm onions, paysanne cut
80gm leek, paysanne cut
50gm celery, paysanne cut
100gm carrot, paysanne cut
150gm tomato
8gm tomato paste
8gm rosemary
8gm thyme
8gm parsley
3gm oregano
10gm salt
2gm pepper
100ml olive oil
10gm sugar
1L water
20gm garlic

Method
For beef short ribs: Braise the short ribs in a roasting tray with 3tbsp home-made basting at 150°C for two hours. Remove from the liquid and allow to cool. Vacuum seal into individual portions
For vegetable hot-pot: Boil the soaked beans in a pot and cook for 45 minutes. Do not discard the liquid. In a separate pot, add the olive oil and fry the onion, carrot, celery and leek for 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar, tomato paste and fresh tomatoes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cooked beans with the liquid. Add the water, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper and cook for about 20 minutes.
To serve: Pour the white bean hot-pot into a serving dish. Take the short ribs out of the vacuum pack, grill and serve on top of the hot-pot.