Lion Sands - Biltong Pate

There are few dishes more South African than biltong. We eat it anywhere and with any meal or just in between. Lion Sands have mastered the art of biltong pate - a tasty way to serve biltong to those who trying it for the first time.

• Half Medium Onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp Butter
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• 400g Finely Shaved Biltong
• 1 splash of Brandy
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 1/4tsp Braai Spice
• 1 handful of Fresh Italian Parsley

Method

·         Pan Fry the Onions  in the Butter until golden brown

·         Season to taste, a little more black pepper always goes down well.

·         Add the Finely Shaved Biltong & Braai Spice and Fry until soft & flavorsome

·         A Splash of Brandy can be added for extra flavor.

·         Remove from the heat and pass through a blender

·         Before removing from the blender add the cream cheese & chopped Italian Parsley

·         Place into ramekin dishes and place in the fridge to set over night.

MORE - Carrot and Pecan Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Icing

 Andrea, in the More reservations office, is actually a chef by trade. She often brings her homemade treats to the office for us to sample. These are delightful cupcakes are very popular and you'll be lucky if there is one left by the end of the day!

INGREDIENTS:
375 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
2.5 ml salt

5ml cinnamon

250 ml finely grated carrots
60 ml chopped pecan nuts
250 ml milk
90 ml sunflower oil
250 ml sugar
3 eggs
5 ml vanilla essence
Icing
1 x 230 g tub Lancewood smooth cream cheese
140 g icing sugar
80 g white chocolate, melted

METHOD: Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Add carrots and nuts and mix to coat with flour. Heat milk and oil together. Cool slightly. Beat sugar, eggs and essence together until creamy and light. Add flour mixture and milk and oil mixture. Mix and spoon into cupcake cases placed in a muffin tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool.

ICING
Beat together cream cheese and icing sugar until creamy. Add the chocolate and mix well.

Andrea proudly presents her cupcake



PJ and Ashley couldn't resist the cupcakes!



Madikwe Safari Lodge - Vetkoek with Curry Mince Filling (Vegetarian Option too)

Before setting off on the afternoon game drive, Madikwe Safari Lodge packs out a spread of scrumptious treats including freshly prepared vetkoek. The key to this dish is the curry filling, either meat, chicken or vegetarian. The more curry spice you add the hotter the filling will be so take it easy if you're not keen on a hot vetkoek filling!

Vetkoek
Ingredients
6¾ cups Flour (all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons Salt
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 packet Yeast
Lukewarm water
Cooking oil (for frying)

How to make the dough
Mix sugar and yeast with some lukewarm water and leave to foam.
Sift flour and salt.
Pour yeast in flour and knead.
Keep adding water and knead until you have a consistency like a bread dough.
Leave the dough in the bowl and cover the bowl with a cloth.
Leave the dough to rise for about 45 – 60 minutes until it is about double its original size.

How to make the vetkoek
Pour the cooking oil into a frying pan to have about 3 or 4 cm of oil in the pan. Heat the oil to about 200°C.
Divide the dough into balls about the size of a tennis ball.
Flatten the dough until it is about 3 centimetres thick and about the size of your palm.
Place two or three pieces of the flattened dough at a time into the oil. Fry each side until golden brown.

Beef Filling for Vetkoek
1 onion, chopped
1tsp chopped garlic
1tsp chopped ginger
1 leek, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
500g lean beef mince
2tbsp curry powder
2tbsp cumin
2tbsp tumeric
2tbsp coriander
1tsp ground cloves
1 cup chutney
1tbsp oil
salt and pepper

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil. Fry all the vegetables until translucent. Add the spices and allow the aromas to develop. Keep stirring and be careful not to let the vegetables stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the beef and allow to brown. Season with salt and pepper and allow the mince to cook through. Just before serving, mix in the chutney to create a sweet and spicy flavour to your mince.

Now, cut open your vetkoek and stuff with mince - best serve warm!

Vegetarian Filling
4 potatoes, chopped, cooked
salt
2tbsp oil
2tbsp chickpeas (cooked)
2tbsp rough chopped cashews
1tsp fresh ginger, chopped
1tsp garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2tbsp curry powder
2tbsp cumin
2tbsp tumeric
2tbsp coriander
1tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup cooked peas

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil. Fry onion until translucent and add the garlic, ginger, chickpeas and cashews. Saute for about 3 minutes and then add the spices. Cook for 1 minute before adding the potatoes and peas. Season with salt and pepper.