Taste of Christmas: Festive food gifts you can conjure up at home

South Africans are blessed to have a summer Christmas, says Eastern Cape chef Annelie Oosthuizen. 

“Families gather, friends pop in and al fresco dining is a way of life for South Africans during the festive season,” she rightly says.

The three recipes Annelie is sharing today make for excellent edible Christmas gifts and can all be done ahead of time: “Zero last-minute shopping required!” 

While you are at it, Annelie says, you can bulk up the recipes to stock your own grocery cupboards, as these eats will be a lifesaver when you need to quickly rustle up a platter of scrumptious snacks for a light lunch or as nibbles with drinks.

Annelie is the owner and chef of Petronella Fine Dining and Catering, a Port Elizabeth-based business.

More about chef Annelie Oosthuizen

Where and how did your food journey start?

My passion for food began in my grandmother’s kitchen, where I spent hours observing and tasting creations made on a humble wooden stove and listening to Ouma passing on precious family recipes.

How was your business born? 

Petronella was born from a love and respect for the art of cooking, and the women on whose shoulders I stand today. I studied political science and economics, but have been in the hospitality industry since 2000. I’ve worked both as executive chef and as a lecturer in hospitality studies and food preparation. Several of my then-students are now the senior staff of Petronella, which I established in 2009.

How has Petronella grown over the years?

I started the business as a second job from the small kitchen in my Port Elizabeth flat. Today we are contracted to four venues and various corporate clients. We are an all-women team of seven permanent and 15 casual staff.  

What career highlights are you proudest of? 

I’ve been fortunate to cook for the ambassadors and consuls of France, Norway and Germany, current and previous presidents of South Africa, chancellors and vice-chancellors of several universities, the governor of the Reserve Bank, and a slew of musicians, writers, politicians and socialites. 

In 2015, I was privileged to receive a national merit award from the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the famous French society of gastronomy founded in 1248, for my contribution to “the art of the table in the Eastern Cape”. 

In 2017, I received my international diploma in food preparation cum laude, and was inducted in the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs as Chef Rôtisseur. I was promoted to Maître Rôtisseur in 2018, and my kitchen was accredited as only one of 50 in South Africa for excellence in the culinary arts. 

What is the most memorable event you’ve catered for?

I was one of three South African chefs to take part in the Alliance Française’s So!Chef Six Hand Dinner in 2016 and 2017, and got to cook with renowned chefs from France and Reunion.

In 2016, I cooked a nine-course South African heritage lunch for 40 international chefs, which was featured in the American Gastronome Magazine. 

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your industry?

The pandemic and lockdown have had a devastating effect on the hospitality industry as a whole. 

Everyone was talking about reinventing your business, but it struck me that, for me, it was not about reinventing, but rather building on what Petronella stood for, and readjusting our approach and offering. The women chefs at the heart of my business have shown incredible versatility and resilience.

How did you adapt to these circumstances in your business?

We increased our online presence significantly and the reaction was overwhelming. We started a week-day Pot Luck Club, our focus with each new recipe being on healthy, tasty, freshly made family food. We had a great response — I think people could taste love in our food. 

We cooked our hearts out, using the time together to create, pray and give each other hope that we will prevail.

Did you receive help for your team from TERS? 

We received help from TERS, the South African Future Trust and a government loan for SMMEs. And we were blessed that, when weddings resumed, especially at level 1, we were able to return to what we love doing.

What has this experience taught you? 

We have learnt to be thankful, patient and to realise that nothing really belongs to us — we are mere custodians and dependent on each other. We are each other’s hope and strength.

Our survival does not depend on government, politicians or aid packages, but on the basic belief that every team member has intrinsic value and with talents, creativity and strength we can all benefit from. 

Chef Annelie’s recipes: Home-made festive food gifts

Here are the three recipes from Annelie’s arsenal of eats. You can get cracking on these before the festive season gets under way in earnest.

RECIPE: Biltong and Nut Dukkah 

“This makes an excellent topping for salads, seasoning for vegetables or just enjoyed with good bread dipped in olive oil,” Annelie says.

Yields: 500g

STEP 1: 

INGREDIENTS

100g almonds

50g pecan or walnuts

60g sunflower seeds

10g coriander seeds

METHOD

1. Roast these four ingredients for two to three minutes in a dry roasting pan.

2. Place in a food processor and blend quickly. It must still be chunky and not form a paste.

STEP 2: 

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp fennel seeds

65g white sesame seeds

25g black sesame seeds

10g black cumin seeds (can be replace with normal cumin seeds)

1 tsp dried garlic flakes

METHOD

Roast these five ingredients for two to three minutes in a dry roasting pan.

Place in a food processor with the other ingredients and blend together really quickly.

STEP 3:

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

2 tsp cumin powder

160g powdered biltong

METHOD

Add to all the other ingredients. Use the food processor, but just a few pulses to blend everything together.

Put into airtight glass jars and decorate. The dukkah will keep for about two weeks in an airtight container.

RECIPE: Red Wine Onion Marmalade

Yields: 100g (enough for 1 mason jar)

“This condiment is an excellent addition to any cheese board and goes especially well with softer cheeses like brie or camembert,” Annelie says. Top your favourite grilled steak with brie and red wine onion marmalade for the last few minutes of grilling, until the cheese is melted and the meat perfectly cooked.

STEP 1:

INGREDIENTS

5 white medium-sized onions 

40g butter

METHOD

Melt butter in a large roasting pan over a low heat. Add onion rings and allow to soften and caramelise, all still over low heat. It should not change colour. It will become almost see-through (10 to 15 minutes).

STEP 2:

100g white sugar

500ml red wine

METHOD

Add to the onions and make sure you mix it through. Use a metal spoon as a wooden spoon will stain. Keep it on a low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the syrup becomes sticky and onions are the colour of red wine.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps for about three weeks.

RECIPE: White Cheddar, Cumin and Thyme Savoury Biscuits

These cheesy biscuits burst with flavour, Annelie says. “You can store them in an airtight container for about seven days, but you can freeze the cookie dough for up to three months so that you can use to whip up freshly baked biscuits in 20 minutes!” The actual roll of cookie dough could also work as an edible Christmas gift. 

Yields: 15 biscuits 

INGREDIENTS

170g good-quality white cheddar, coarsely grated (any cheddar can be used as substitute)

½ cup softened butter

1 tsp cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp lemon rind

1¼ cup cake flour, sifted

1½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1 tbsp dried thyme 

METHOD

Place cheese, pepper, salt, cumin, lemon rind, thyme and butter in a bowl and mix on medium speed until butter is creamy and cheese is properly incorporated.

Add flour and mix slowly until dough comes together. Do not over-mix. Rather use your hands to knead lightly together. Make sure the flour is properly mixed in.

Shape the dough in the form of a log (about 15cm) and wrap it in plastic wrap. Tightly turn the corners of the wrap so it forms a neat and tight log.

Rest the dough in the fridge for about an hour or you can freeze it at this stage for later use.

When dough is rested, use a sharp knife to slice it into 1 to 2cm slices.

Heat oven to 180°C.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place cookies carefully, leaving about a 1½ cm space in between them.

Bake for 15 minutes or until just golden brown.

If you bake the cookies from frozen, let the dough defrost a little so you can slice through it. Let the slices defrost and follow the same method as above.