With Mother’s Day fast approaching on Sunday, May 11, we got in touch with several successful Capsicum Culinary Studio alumni – many of whom attribute their passion for cooking to their mothers – and asked them a few questions that included sharing a recipe for something they’d make for their mom on her special day. Here’s what they had to say:
Pretoria campus graduate Charmaine Lehabe who is currently working as a Senior Chef de Partie at the Angus Hotel in Blairgowrie, Scotland says she will be celebrating Mother’s Day with a phone call to her mom and then “either organise her a massage or book a table for her and a friend to have lunch at her favourite restaurant.”
Lehabe says her favourite dish her mom made when she was growing up was Ting (fermented sorghum), with beef bones or a chicken stew. “It will always be something I crave, and I get her to make it for me when I’m home.”
And if she were home, what would she dish up for her mother on Mother’s Day?
“I would definitely make her breakfast, as I used to when I was a child. Growing up, it was the only way I could surprise and spoil her, so it’s become a tradition. She really loves my Orange & Elderflower Panna Cotta, so here’s the recipe for anyone else who wants to give it a go for their mom.”
Ingredients
- 2 tsp. powdered gelatin
- 120ml water
- 4 cups of cream
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 cup sugar
- Zest of 3 oranges
- 30ml elderflower syrup
Method
In a bowl, let the gelatin bloom by sprinkling it over water and sit for 5 min. In a pot, gently heat the cream, milk, sugar and orange zest until the sugar has dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture and stir with a whisk until dissolved, then strain. Pour mix into tumbler glasses and leave to set (about six hours) before decorating with edible flowers.
Capsicum Durban campus alumnus Isla Rechner returned to South Africa in late 2020 after spending several years working for the late chef Bill Granger in London. Now married and settled in Cape Town, Rechner is busy with her private cheffing services, food pop-ups, and creative ventures, including developing freezer meals and desserts.
“As a mother with toddler twins, we’ll most likely head to one of the local wine estates for a family-friendly breakfast or a relaxed picnic on Mother’s Day,” she says.
What was her favourite dish her Mom made when she was growing up?
“I think there’s always something wonderfully nostalgic about a mom’s cooking. My mom was never particularly enthusiastic about spending time in the kitchen, but her roast chicken was always beautifully comforting. It still brings back warm memories and is a dish I ask her to make when she visits.”
And what would she make for her Mom on this special day?
“As an experienced pastry chef, I’d definitely want to create a showstopper dessert for her. My white chocolate, basil, and strawberry tart is bursting with both flavour and colour. It’s also deceptively simple to make — which is always a win in my book.”
Rechner has shared the recipe with us below.
Isla’s White Chocolate, Basil, and Strawberry Tart
For the sweet pastry
Ingredients
- 375g plain flour
- 75g caster sugar
- 260g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg
Method
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and caster sugar. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg and mix until the dough forms. Be careful not to overwork it. Wrap the dough in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out the chilled pastry to 3mm thickness. Line a 20cm tart tin, trimming any excess. Chill the lined tart tin in the fridge for 1 hour to prevent shrinkage during baking. Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan). Blind bake the tart case: line the pastry with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and fully cooked. Allow to cool completely. (Note: Any leftover pastry can be wrapped tightly in cling film and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
For the white chocolate & basil ganache
Ingredients
- 200g white chocolate, finely chopped
- 280g Greek yoghurt (full fat)
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly torn
Method
In a small saucepan, gently heat the Greek yoghurt with the basil until warm. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the yoghurt to remove the basil leaves. In a heatproof bowl, combine the infused yoghurt and white chocolate. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water (double boiler) and stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pour the ganache into the cooled tart shell. Smooth the surface with a spatula. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until set.
To finish
- 10 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise (4 slices each)
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- A handful of baby basil leaves
- White chocolate curls, to garnish
Method
Place the sliced strawberries in a small bowl. Sift over the icing sugar and toss gently to coat. Arrange the macerated strawberries around the edge of the chilled ganache tart in an overlapping pattern. Garnish with baby basil leaves and a scattering of white chocolate curls.
Serve chilled for a beautifully balanced tart that’s as eye-catching as it is delicious.
Another successful Pretoria campus graduate, Hendrik Pretorius, is now co-owner of a popular restaurant in Lisbon, Portugal called Quest. Originally from Heidelberg, Gauteng, Pretorius worked at several top hotels and restaurants in Dubai after graduating, before moving to Portugal. He has also written a cookbook called The Sweet Side of Life which is due to be published this year.
“Although my mom passed away many years ago, I’ll be honouring her memory by cooking something she was well known for amongst friends and family – her Sout Tert (Savoury Tart). It was also my favourite dish when growing up and to this day it holds so many warm memories so I thought it would be a good recipe to share.”
“If I could get to spend a Mother’s day with her I’d bake her a carrot cake. She absolutely loved it, and I know it would make her smile.”
Hendrik’s Ma’s Sout Tertjies
For the dough
Rub 625g margarine into 6 cups flour, ½ tsp cream of tartar and 1½ tsp salt. Mix together 3 egg yolks, 60ml white vinegar and ¾ cup ice water. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and knead for a few minutes. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. When ready to use, remove from the fridge, roll out and cut into circles that can be placed in a muffin pan.
For the filling
- 2½ tbsp flour
- 60ml margarine
- 750ml milk
- 1ml salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 x 375g tin Vienna sausages, sliced
- 1 tbsp grated onion 1 tbsp
- 3 cups of coarsely grated cheese
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2ml mustard powder
Method
Make a white sauce using the flour, margarine, milk, and salt. Beat the eggs then stir them into the sauce. Add the sliced sausages, onion, cheese, cayenne pepper, and mustard powder and mix well. Spoon the filling into the pastry shells in the muffin pan. Bake at 180°C until light golden brown.
Until recently, Tinotenda Sadziwa was the Pastry Chef at Winslow’s Tavern in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the US but she’s now back home in Zimbabwe working as a full-time home baker, specialising in cakes, pastries and artisan breads. The Capsicum Cape Town campus graduate is currently being kept busy offering personalised Mother’s Day cake designs with heartfelt messages.
Says Sadziwa: “I already have orders for classic vanilla and rich chocolate cakes which I will adorn with fresh flowers to make the day extra special, and I’m also creating gift boxes filled with an assortment of baked goods that will include a handwritten note and a mini bouquet with each order.”
“I am also going to donate a cake to a local old people’s shelter to the grannies there; they also deserve to be celebrated.”
Sadziwa says her favourite dish that her mother used to make when she was growing up was lasagna and stuffed chicken.
“Each layer was a statement to her love. Eating her lasagna was more than just a meal, it was a cherished memory filled with warmth and love. Even now, the thought of it brings back fond memories of family gatherings and cozy Sunday evenings, reminding me of the joy that good food can bring.”
For Mother’s day this year, Sadziwa is going to make her mom’s all-time favourite – Grilled Chicken with Ratatouille. Here she shares the recipe.
For the Ratatouille
- 6 tbs olive oil
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into bite-size chunks
- 3 medium zucchini – cut into bite-size chunks
- Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 green peppers, chopped
- 2 red onions, diced
- 3 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 tbspn aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 15g fresh basil, plus extra to garnish
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 20 black olives pitted and halved
Method
Heat half of the oil in a large oven proof skillet over medium heat. Add the eggplant and fry until golden brown (2-3 minutes). Set aside in a large bowl. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and fry the zucchini. Don’t cook them all the way through, just until golden and slightly softened. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and set aside to the same bowl with the eggplant. To the same skillet add the peppers, onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the plum tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Reduce the heat to a medium-low, bring to a simmer and break the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Allow the sauce to simmer until it starts to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the fried veggies, cherry tomatoes, basil and thyme. Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until sauce is thick and veggies are tender. Alternatively, you can bake it uncovered in the preheated oven at 180°C for 30-35 minutes.
For the Grilled Chicken
- 1.5kg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tsp. rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest
Method
In a medium bowl, whisk garlic, oil, rosemary, oregano and thyme; generously season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to bowl and toss to combine. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour (overnight is even better). Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; preheat 5 minutes. Grill chicken, basting with reserved marinade and turning halfway through, about 6 minutes per side.
Serve with ratatouille and fresh ciabatta bread.
