HomeFOOD & WINEBake the bread. Light the braai. Invite the friends. Let’s eat.

Bake the bread. Light the braai. Invite the friends. Let’s eat.

Honestly. Who doesn’t love Donna Hay! And Too Easy is one of her best cookbooks yet … crammed with all the simple shortcuts you need, for all the delicious food you want. She says she wants to make cooking easy, simple, quick and fun, and this book certainly does all that and more. Ten Minute Snacks. Tossed Together Dinners. One Pot Pastas. Brilliant. Harper Collins

Paul Hollywood (swoon already) loves a good loaf. And he’s put together a mouth-watering collection of 100 Great Breads … from basics like milk loaf, beer bread, pitta bread, to loaves with stilton and bacon, date, prune and pecans, chocolate and sour cherry. But also scones, brown bread ice-cream, cheese biscuits. Great no-nonsense tips, too. Hamlyn

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Food choices matter. And we should all be asking ‘was it locally produced, did the crop grow without chemical interventions, did the animal have a good life?’. Questions asked by Scott Gooding and Matilda Brown, regenerative farmers and owners of The Good Farm Shop, who’ve compiled this collection of everyday family recipes for a nourishing, hopeful life. Meals built around protein – meat and plant-based, and free from gluten and processed ingredients. The Good Farm Cookbook is all chunky heirloom tomato salad with crispy bacon and anchovies, steak and chips with black olive butter, salted caramel and honey no-churn ice cream. It’s food that is good for you. And for the planet. Murdoch Books

The weather’s fine and it’s time to braai.

Jan Braai Atmosfire has just hit the bookshelves, and it’s a scorcher. A massive, juicy, 400-plus pages of all the braai recipes you’d expect … and a whole load you’d never imagined. More than 200 tasty dishes that can be cooked over, and enjoyed next to, a wood fire. Jan’s added hints, techniques and anecdotes, the images are delicious, and this may well be the only braai book you’ll ever need. From trad faves like boerewors rolls with monkey gland sauce and cheese braaibroodjies to the more unexpected Peking duck and braai Bolognese and spanakopita. For those with a sweet tooth, buy this book for the puds … brandy and cola malva pudding, chocolate fondant potjie pud, banana bread potjie … sweet sweet endings to your family braai. Also in Afrikaans as Jan Braai Atmosvuur. R590, Penguin

What would Summer be without the juicy lushness of peaches, plums and nectarines?

For the Summer of 2024, fab recipe developers and food stylists Emma Nkunzana and Masego Mbonyana have teamed up with Juicy Delicious to create a catalogue of South African-inspired dishes. Whether you are hosting beach picnics or swish parties, braaiing in your backyard or cooking up a three-course feast, stone fruit add a hit of freshness that will wow your guests.

Tips for making the most of the season

Masego and Emma’s tips to make the most of the South African stone fruit season

  • For easy peeling of poached nectarines, submerge cooked nectarines into an ice bath for two to four minutes.
  • Grill halved peaches or nectarines until caramelised, then serve them as a side dish for braaied meats. They are just as fantastic as an easy dessert, drizzled with honey, sprinkled with cinnamon and serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.
  • Make a glaze using pureed peaches or nectarines, adding a touch of brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and mustard. Brush it over your roast meats during the final stages of cooking for a sweet, tangy finish that balances savoury flavours.
  • Create a festive stone fruit salsa by combining diced plums, peaches, or nectarines with chopped red onion, fresh coriander, and a squeeze of lime. This fresh and zesty salsa is perfect as a topping for grilled chicken, braaied fish, or even over nachos for a summer twist.
  • If you want a tarter flavour from your stone fruit, choose slightly under ripe ones. They also hold their shape well for a stunning presentation.
  • Add thinly sliced nectarines or plums into a summer salad with mixed greens, toasted nuts, and crumbled blue cheese. The combination of sweet, juicy fruit and the salty richness of the cheese creates a beautiful balance of flavours.

For the most imaginative dishes, pop over to juicydelicious.co.za where you’ll find Emma’s Braaied Chicken Gizzard Wraps with Plum Coleslaw, her Stone Fruit Atchar with Dombolo, Chicken & Caramelised Nectarines with Fragrant Rice, and Peach Shisa Nyama Marinated Chicken Flattie. From Masego, Biltong, Plum & Mint Salsa Blinis, Chicken Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Plum Chutney and glorious Spiced Nectarine Crumble.

Curry marinated grilled peaches and blueberry salad

Masego’s Curry marinated grilled peaches and blueberry salad is an artful blend of spices and citrus with the juiciness of peaches and blueberries topped with the smooth saltiness of Danish feta cheese. Serves 4 to 6

You’ll need: 4 peaches, cored and cut in eighths, 60ml olive oil, 1 tsp curry powder, ½ tsp orange zest, 125g blueberries, 80g wild rocket, 100g pecan nuts, lightly roasted, 100g Danish feta

Honey dressing: 60ml honey, 60ml olive oil, 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 lemon, zest and juice, 10g Italian parsley, finely chopped, salt and pepper to taste

To make: In a mixing bowl, combine prepared peaches with curry powder, olive oil, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Combine well and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Heat a griddle pan over high heat place, peaches on the pan and grill on each side until you have charred marks and set aside to cool. Reserve the curry marinade for the dressing.

For the honey dressing, combine the reserved curry marinade with honey, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest and juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

To assemble, on a salad platter plate, lay rocket, grilled peaches, blueberries, pecan nuts and crumble feta cheese. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss salad just before serving.

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