Cheifitz - The Supper Club

Published in 2015 by Struik Lifestyle

(an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd)

Company Reg. No. 1953/000441/07

The Estuaries, 4 Oxbow Crescent, Century Avenue, Century City 7441

P O Box 1144, Cape Town 8000, South Africa

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Copyright in published edition: Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd 2015

Copyright in text: Phillippa Cheifitz 2015

Copyright in photographs: Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd 2015

ISBN (epub): 978-1-43230-669-4
ISBN (PDF): 978-1-43230-670-0
ISBN (print): 978-1-43230-440-9

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, digital, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers and the copyright owner(s).

Publisher: Linda de Villiers

Managing editor: Cecilia Barfield

Design manager: Beverley Dodd

Designer: Helen Henn

Photographer: Sean Calitz

Back cover photograph: Matthys van Lill

Author portrait on inside back flap: Christoph Heierli for Woolworths TASTE magazine

Stylist: Brita du Plessis

Stylist assistant: Elizabeth Ingram

Editor and indexer: Anja Grobler

Proofreader: Gill Gordon

Reproduction by Hirt & Carter Cape (Pty) Ltd

Printing and binding by RR Donnelley Asia Printing Solutions Ltd

The publisher wishes to acknowledge that the Assorted vegetable pickles recipe on was first published by the author in the Woolworths TASTE magazine.

I belong to a supper club that meets once a season. We match the menus to the season lighter and brighter for spring and summer, more serious for autumn and winter. We include freshly picked produce as it becomes available at our local market. My nearest one is the Oranjezicht City Farm Market on Saturdays. My supper club consists of eight people. My godson is passionate about cooking and unstoppable when it comes to trying new and exotic dishes. His wife, a stunningly beautiful Indian woman, tries her best to sneak in a chilli or two. Were purists and have to stop her if it will spoil a gently spiced Iranian lamb dish that took all day to make, but we do love her traditional Hindu dishes and Durban curries. A friend of mine is a brilliant chef and her husband is an importer of fine ingredients, travelling the world to source them. My cousin and his partner are social and gregarious, always cooking for friends, extravagantly generous. My husband helps me choose the menu. Each couple submits a four-course menu a nibble, a soup or salad or starter, a main and a dessert. Then we vote to decide which dishes we would most like to eat and which, together, would make the most delicious menu, both balanced and interesting. Each couple takes care of one course plus a fine wine match. We take turns to host the evening. Weve had such good times and splendid dinners, usually on a Sunday, taking time over the weekend to shop and prepare.

Everythings easy and, of course, Im including lots of quick recipes and ideas, but Im not counting the minutes. Its not my everyday give me half an hour kind of repertoire. Im happy to take the time to cook food that my friends will love to eat. The recipes are straightforward nothing too challenging for the home cook and can easily be used as the basis for your own supper club. Share the recipes with friends. Plan a menu, three or four courses, and let your friends choose what they would like to cook. Get together once a month, or once a season. Its fun to do making for memorable meals and great evenings.

Call them meze or tapas, they are a great way to get an evening going. Put out a spread and keep pouring the wine. If you make enough of them theres no need to bother with a main course. Its a relaxed way of spending time with friends. But if you prefer, choose one or two of the following dishes and follow with one bold main course.

• 200g300g mixed raw nuts (almonds, cashews, brazils or macadamias)
• 23 teaspoons melted butter
• 23 teaspoons curry powder or masala rub
• flaky sea salt to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 160C and roast the nuts for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Mix the butter and the curry powder or masala rub together and toss with the nuts. Add salt to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 68

• 425g jar queen green olives
• peel of 1 lemon, cut into strips
• 810 black peppercorns
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 tablespoons lemon-infused olive oil

1. Drain the olives (but set aside the jar). Pour boiling water over the lemon peel to rinse, then drain. Mix the lemon peel with the olives, peppercorns, garlic and 3 tablespoons oil. Pack back into the empty olive jar. Spoon the remaining oil over the top. Secure the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight to infuse the flavours.

Serves 8

This is a sharp, sweet-sour pickle, and very addictive.

• 113 cups white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• 12 cup water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 10 black peppercorns
• 5 bay leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
• 700g mix of crisp cucumbers, carrot, fennel and sweet onion

1. Sterilise a jar just large enough to take the vegetables. Trim, wash and dry the whole vegetables. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Peel the carrots and cut into thin strips. Slice the fennel and onions into half moons. Bring the vinegar, water, salt, sugar and peppercorns to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool, then add the bay leaves and garlic. Place the vegetables into the clean, dry jar. Pour over the cooled liquid, secure the lid on the jar and refrigerate for 2 days before using.

Serves 8

• 1 bunch kale, stems removed, washed and dried
• olive oil
• salt to taste

1. Tear the kale leaves into smaller pieces and toss with just enough oil to coat lightly. Preheat the oven to 230C. Arrange the leaves on a large oven tray. Bake for 15 minutes or until very crisp. Season with salt.

Serves 8

• 150g butter
• 50g can anchovies, drained and chopped
• 23 garlic cloves, crushed
• 23 tablespoons chopped parsley
• milled black pepper to taste

1. Pound together the butter, anchovies, garlic and parsley. Add a twist or two of ground black pepper. Serve with a sliced or torn baguette.

Serves 6

• 2 lemons
• water
• sea salt and milled black pepper