[cape chef]

I had the privilage today to assist one of my associates cater an authentic South African event.

She is from Ghana, and her husband is the US ambassader to Ghana.

There is a charity program in CT called “Child Guidence Center”

Many people donate everything from cases of wine; to art to catered affairs and then they conduct a silent auction. The cuisine of South Africa was one of the things people could bid on. It was donated by her brother in law who is head of pedeatrics at Stamford Hospital in CT.

The bid for this event sold for $20.000.00 and will be held tonight and then again next Saturday with ten people dining at each event.

I wanted to share with you the menu for this event because it was all very new to me and offered me a wonderful cultural experieance.

First course

Akra- Black-eyed bean with onions and green peppers (everything was cooked together then mixed into a fritter type batter and deep fried)
Khebob-Tenderloin, onions, pepper grilled on a skewer (dusted with Soyu, very intence powder of peanuts, chilies, onion and garlic)
Fish Balls- Flaked white fish (snapper) onions, garlic, green pepper and black pepper (pureed, rolled into balls, rolled in breadcrumbs and deep fried)
Vegetable meat patties-Short pastry with ground beef, onions and black pepper (not unlike an empanada)
Tropical fruit Extravaganza- Pineapple, quava, oranges, mangoes, papaya and watermelon (on skewers)

Main Meal
Fish in pastry-Whole red snappers par roasted then covered with homemade puff pastry scales and baked again.
Yakayaka/Abodoo-corm meal steamed (White cornmeal formed into pancakes and steamed)
Red sauce- Tomatoes, onions, garlic and vinegar (used as a base for a # of dishes)
Gari Foto-Dried cassava,steamed with shrimp and beans.
Jollof rice-Rice cooked in a tomato based sauce with vegetables.
Garden salad (you know the deal hereJ)
Broiled Chicken-seasoned with garlic, onions, black pepper and parsly.
Yam balls (really Yucca) Mashed with onions, black pepper, parsly, and eggs. Rolled in breadcrumbs and fried.
Chickpea sauce- Chickpeas cooked with sugar, onions and tomato sauce.
Fried Plantains-you know this one.
White rice.
Beef olives-Pounded medallions of tenderloin rolled with a filling of carrots,onions and bread,then baked and topped with an intense tomato based sauce.
Spinach with Aguise-This is a stewed dish with flaked salmon and dried shrimp.

Dessert
Banana fritters-blended banana mixed with sugar,eggs and milk
Ice Cream J
Sponge lemon pudding-
Savoury twisted cakes with peanuts
Liquor Afrikoko
Ofam and Nuts-Ripe mashed plantain baked in palm oil.
Bread and butter pudding
Friut salad
Tiger nut pudding-Tiger nut juice, rice meal, milk and sugar.

Keep in mind all this food is for ten people only!
I learned a great deal today about South African Cuisine and it’s culture as well as making new friends and supporting a great charity.

[Jim]

B,
Sounds intense! Is there a particular wine pairing that is suiutable? There seems to be a lot of different tastes & combinations going on.
Sounds like a great cause!!

[phatch]

I really like yuca (cassava root) Fun to see it used here.

Phil

[Suzanne]

I hate to quibble, but most of that looks more WEST African than SOUTH African.

But it all sounds delicious, and I'm sure if YOU made it, it WAS.

[Fish]

Originally posted by Suzanne
I hate to quibble, but most of that looks more WEST African than SOUTH African.

Yeah, that's definitely not South African food. It's hard to say what is South African, but not hard to say what isn't.

- S (ex-South African)

[Suzanne]

My knowledge of South African cuisine only comes from books (and a little from G-Squared here ). It is one of the most varied and interesting to me, as it comes from native peoples plus a multitude of foreigners -- British, German, South Asian, Dutch, Malay, even French. The agricultural riches of different regions and the expanse of seacoast also contribute greatly. Other parts of Africa have a different "palate" simply because of the availability (or lack) of foodstuffs. South Africa has the advantage of climate and land to provide a wide variety of foods.

[chrose]

Isn't it great getting to learn and sample new cuisines?!
Even the simplest sounding chicken dish has a whole new taste than you expect. Enjoy it CC. You're lucky to get to do this.

[cape chef]

For me the whole idea of helping with this event was to learn.

And I did, so for me it was a blessing. I may of been off a few hundred miles but you get my point.

There are some common threads that do bind the vast regions. Particulary starches,weather it's rice in the west,millet or maize in the north,or plantians,yams,or cassava in the south and east,starches are considered "real food" while sauces and stews as an example are there to help the starch down.

Peanuts also are found almost everywhere in soups and stews.

Looking back at the menu I was pleased to assist with I guess you could say I was all over Africa.

[Suzanne]

Yes, and it must have been terrific!