Whether you’re hosting a picnic, brunch or simple garden tea, these dishes, created by top chefs who share a love for gardening, are easy, sustainable and packed with seasonal flavour.
Beetroot Tarte Tatin
By Jessica Shepherd and Luke Grant
A stunning savoury spin on a classic French pastry. Earthy beets caramelised in brown sugar and butter, topped with puff pastry, and finished with crème fraîche, salad leaves, or edible flowers.
Ingredients: 10 to 12 medium-sized beetroots; 2 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 cloves garlic; a few thyme leaves; sea salt, to taste; 1 cup crème fraîche. Garnish options: salad leaves; edible flowers.
Method: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Trim and boil the beetroots in cold water for 20–30 minutes until tender, then drain, cool, and peel. In a heavy-based ovenproof skillet, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar until it begins to caramelise. Carefully add the red wine vinegar (it will steam), thyme, and crushed garlic. Remove from heat. Cut the cooked beets in half lengthways and layer them on top of the caramel mixture. Cut a round from ready-made puff pastry to cover the beets, cutting a small cross in the centre for steam to escape. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is golden and puffed. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter. Top with crème fraîche and garnish with fresh garden leaves or edible flowers. Serve immediately.
UJU Spice seasonal salad
By Chef Mokgadi Itsweng
A fresh, flexible, plant-based salad showcasing what’s in season – served with a bold homemade dressing.
Salad ingredients: 500g heirloom tomatoes; segments of 1 grilled orange; 100g mange tout; 50g vegan cheese balls or feta; a handful of microgreens.
Dressing ingredients: 1 tbsp UJU Spice Cook’s Seasoning Salt; 50ml white wine vinegar; 80ml olive oil; 1 tsp honey; 1 garlic clove, chopped; 1 tsp grated ginger.
Method: Arrange the salad ingredients on a platter. Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Drizzle over the salad, top with microgreens, and serve fresh.
Lemongrass ginger beer
By Chef Nti
A refreshing, fragrant homemade brew made with lemongrass, ginger, and pineapple – perfect for summer sipping.
Ingredients: 625g sugar; 250g fresh ginger, chopped; 150g lemongrass, chopped; 4 litres water; juice and zest of 2 lemons; 10g yeast; 1 pineapple, peeled and cubed.
Method: Boil 1 litre of water, then add the sugar, lemongrass, and ginger, stirring until dissolved. Pour in the remaining water, lemon juice, zest, and yeast. Let the mixture ferment at room temperature for 10 to 12 hours. Strain, chill, and serve with pineapple cubes and optional ice.
Details: Follow @GardenDaySA on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter. And don’t forget to tag your posts with #GardenDaySA. Visit GardenDay.co.za for events, toolkits, recipes and more.
