Culinary Hotline - Branwin Philander
Executive chef Branwin Philander creates three of his favourite dishes!
Ingredients:
Three-Cheese Pancakes:
- 1½ cups (190 g) cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ cups (310 ml) milk
- ½ cup (60 g) mature cheddar, grated
- ½ cup (60 g) mozzarella, grated
- ½ cup (60 g) Gruyère cheese, grated
- Butter or oil, for frying
Bacon Jam:
- 200 g streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp water
Cheese Sauce:
- 30 g butter
- 2 tbsp cake flour
- 1½ cups (375 ml) milk
- ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan, finely grated
- ½ cup (60 g) mature cheddar, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve:
- 4 large eggs, poached
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- 200 g streaky bacon, cooked until crisp
- Honey, for drizzling
- Fresh chickweed, to garnish
How To Make Three-Cheese Pancakes With Bacon Jam, Poached Eggs & Avocado
- Cook the chopped bacon until its fat renders and it begins to crisp. Add the chilli, followed by the vinegar, sugar and water. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until sticky and glossy.
- For the cheese sauce, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan and cheddar, then season.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the eggs and milk separately, then mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold through all three cheeses.
- Cook spoonfuls of batter in a lightly greased non-stick pan for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles appear. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden.
- Stack the pancakes and spoon over the cheese sauce. Top with avocado, crispy bacon and a poached egg. Add bacon jam, drizzle with honey and finish with chickweed.
Ingredients:
Quinoa-Stuffed Calamari:
- 8 medium calamari tubes, cleaned
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 small baby marrow, finely diced
- ½ onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp basil pesto
- ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan, finely grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil, for cooking
Peperonata:
- 2 red peppers, thinly sliced
- 2 yellow peppers, thinly sliced
- 4 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Serve:
- 150 g chorizo, sliced
- 12 large prawns, cleaned and deveined
- 4 large eggs
- Fresh basil leaves
- Olive oil
How To Make Quinoa-Stuffed Calamari Wth Peperonata, Chorizo & Prawns
- Sauté the onion and baby marrow in olive oil for 4–5 minutes. Combine with the cooked quinoa, pesto and Parmesan, season and cool slightly.
- Pat the calamari dry and fill each tube no more than three-quarters full. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Sear in a hot oiled pan for 1–2 minutes per side, then cook briefly until just done.
- For the peperonata, soften the peppers in olive oil for 8–10 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovies, then stir through the capers, lemon zest and juice. Fold in the herbs and season.
- Fry the chorizo until golden. Add the prawns and cook in the rendered oil for 1–2 minutes per side. Fry the eggs separately until crisp-edged with soft yolks.
- Spoon the peperonata onto plates. Slice and arrange the stuffed calamari over it, then add the chorizo, prawns and fried eggs. Finish with basil and pan juices.
Ingredients:
Shortcrust Pastry:
- 250 g cake flour
- 125 g cold butter, cubed
- 75 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 large egg
- Pinch of salt
Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse:
- 250 g mascarpone
- 250 ml whipping cream
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Spiced Plum Compote:
- 4 ripe, soft plums, stones removed and roughly chopped
- 50 g caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 tbsp water
- Lime Jelly:
- 150 ml water
- 50 g caster sugar
- Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes
- 2 gelatine leaves
To Assemble:
- 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh wood sorrel
- Vanilla ice cream
How To Make Mango Tartlets With Vanilla Mousse, Spiced Plum Compote & Lime Jelly
- Rub the butter into the flour, sugar and salt until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the vanilla and egg, bring together gently, then wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the pastry and line 6 tartlet tins. Chill for 10 minutes, then blind bake at 180°C for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 6–8 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
- Beat the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Whip the cream to soft peaks, fold it through the mascarpone and chill in a piping bag.
- Cook the plums, sugar, cinnamon, star anise and water for 10–15 minutes until thick and glossy. Remove the spices and cool.
- Soak the gelatine. Heat the water, sugar, lime zest and juice until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, stir in the squeezed gelatine and chill in a shallow container until set. Cut into cubes.
- Fill each pastry shell with plum compote and pipe over the mousse. Add mango slices, lime jelly, mint and wood sorrel. Serve with vanilla ice cream and extra compote.