Long-time foodie, first time cookbook author, Liziwe Matloha presents straightforward recipes for family and friends in Dinner at Matloha’s. But don’t just take our word for it, try them out yourself, with these recipes taken from the book.
INDEX
“To bring out the best flavours, use extra virgin olive oil for roasting the tomatoes.”
Makes ± 1½ litres (4–6 servings)
1.2 kg ripe roma tomatoes
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 large onion, chopped
1 can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
30 g fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp sugar
1.5 litres vegetable stock
250 ml fresh cream
Basil pesto or fresh basil leaves, for garnish (optional)
Cut the tomatoes in half lengthways and spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1–2 Tbsp olive oil, turning to coat all sides, and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic cloves. Place in a preheated oven at 200°C and roast for 40–45 minutes.
Place 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with their juice, the basil leaves, sugar and the oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic.
Add the warm stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
Remove the pot from the stove. Using a hand-held blender or jug blender, blend the soup to a smooth consistency. Just before serving, gently reheat the soup and stir in the cream.
Sticky Pork Ribs
“For this recipe, you need fresh belly ribs from the butcher (not the marinated, pre-cooked ribs sold in supermarkets). Belly ribs are also known as St Louis-style ribs, after the US city where they originated.”
Serves: 2–3
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
1.2 kg fresh or smoked pork ribs
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
METHOD
Combine the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, ginger, orange zest and juice in a bowl and stir until well combined.
Place the ribs on a baking tray or ovenproof dish and pour over the marinade, rubbing in the seasoning to coat the ribs all over. Leave overnight, in the fridge. (If you are in a hurry, marinate the ribs for at least 1 hour.)
When ready to cook, place the ribs in an oven preheated to 190°C. Bake for 30–40 minutes, turning halfway.
When the ribs are ready (see Cook’s note), brush them with BBQ glaze, coating them well. Season to taste before cutting into portions and serving with fried or baked potato wedges or chips.
BBQ GLAZE
INGREDIENTS
½ cup bottled tomato sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
1½ Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp finely grated onion
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
Pinch ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
METHOD
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and stir to combine.
Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes. Keep warm and use as directed in the recipe.
COOK’S NOTE
Garlic powder is more concentrated than garlic salt, so don’t overdo it.
No time for peeling and chopping? Buy ready-chopped garlic and ginger and use 1 tsp each. For a touch of extra heat, add ½ tsp ready-chopped red or green chillies.
To check for doneness, use tongs to lift up one end of a rack of ribs (bone side up). When the rack bends easily and the meat in the middle begins to tear apart, the ribs are done.
"Moroccan spice rub is an aromatic, fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, cloves, ginger and black pepper that is just perfect with succulent slow-cooked lamb. Serve with oven-roasted potatoes or fragrant basmati rice and your choice of vegetables."
Serves: 4
4 lamb shanks
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper to taste
Flour, for dusting
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
10 garlic cloves, chopped
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Tbsp Moroccan spice rub
250 ml chicken stock
250 ml dry white wine
250 ml water
300 g baby potatoes, halved if necessary
Season the lamb shanks and dust lightly with flour. Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a nonstick pan and brown the shanks on all sides (you may need to do this in batches). Place the browned shanks in a large ovenproof casserole or roasting pan. (If you like, deglaze the pan with a little boiling water or warm stock and add the juices to the roasting pan.)
Add the onion, garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, Moroccan spice rub, chicken stock, wine and water to the roasting pan.
Cover with a lid or heavy foil and roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for 1½ hours.
Remove the dish from the oven and add the baby potatoes. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Return to the oven for a further hour, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. (If the potatoes are not tender at the end of the cooking time, remove the lamb and continue cooking the potatoes while the lamb rests.) Once the potatoes are done, strain the pan juices into a gravy boat or small bowl, discarding the herbs.
COOK'S NOTE
Lamb shanks benefit from a long, slow cooking time, so don’t try to speed things up. Allow 2½ hours cooking time, plus 20–30 minutes for prep.
“To soak up all the lovely juices, serve this with rice, steamed bread straight out of the pan, or a fresh, crusty loaf. The stew has plenty of vegetables, but there’s nothing to stop you from adding more veggies on the side to boost the goodness.”
Serves 4–6
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp ground paprika
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 kg stewing beef, cut into cubes
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped or thinly sliced
1 sachet (50 g) tomato paste (regular or beef flavour)
1 litre beef stock, plus extra
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into chunks
6 baby potatoes, peeled and cut in half
Fresh thyme or other herbs, for garnish
“Try something different: instead of Worcestershire sauce, substitute the same amount of soy sauce, Marmite or Bovril.”
Place the garlic, fresh herbs, paprika, and salt and pepper in a large bowl or zipper bag. Add the beef cubes and toss until they are coated. Set aside for at least 1 hour, or overnight, to allow the flavours to infuse.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides (do this in batches if necessary). Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Return the meat to the pot along with the beef stock and Worcestershiresauce. Stir thoroughly.
Cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and simmer for 90 minutes. After this time, add the carrots and celery, stir to combine, and continue to simmer, covered, for another 30 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables are tender. The sauce should be thick, but if you prefer it thinner, add a little extra beef stock. Adjust the seasoning and scatter over some fresh thyme or other herbs before serving.
Makes one 28 cm cheesecake or 6-8 individual servings
1 packet pineapple or lemon jelly
1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
200 g biscuits, crushed
4 Tbsp (60 g) butter, melted
1 tub (250 g) plain cream cheese, at room temperature
1 can (385 g) condensed milk
Seasonal berries, for garnish
In a heatproof bowl, whisk the jelly powder into the boiling water until dissolved. Set aside to cool completely.
To make the base, place the crushed biscuits in a bowl, add the melted butter and mix through. Firmly press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of a large (± 28-cm) loose-bottomed pie dish, or 6–8 individual glasses. Place in the fridge while you complete the filling.
To make the filling, place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add the condensed milk and beat until smooth.
Add the cooled jelly mixture and beat until combined.
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base. Refrigerate for 3–4 hours, or until set. If applicable, remove the cheesecake from the pie dish before serving. Garnish with fresh berries.
