Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / Gluten-free / Stuffed gem squash with savoury mince

Stuffed gem squash with savoury mince

by Jeanne Horak on December 12, 2005 48 Comments in Gluten-free, Main course - meat, Recipes, South African

Gem squash stuffed with savoury mince

Remember the excitement of a new relationship?  That wonderful time when you’ve just met somebody special and you are just mesmerised by every new fact you discover about them, and how you agonise over the things you do not yet know about them?  Awww, how adorable, he likes science fiction.  OMG, what if he has dirty toenails??!  etc etc ad nauseam.  Well, one of the big questions for me when I meet people (and particularly when I met Nick!) was what will his cooking be like?  In other words, would his “cook to impress meal” be a microwaved ready-meal, beans on toast or something a lot more interesting?  Now I had been to his place before for dinner, before we were actually an item and that time, he and his housemate had done a venison roast – a promising debut, but all the side dishes had been cooked by a friend of theirs, so I still wanted to see what he would do on his own.  In the interim, I hosted a dinner party at my house, for a group of friends that included Nick, and I can say with certainty that the first meal I cooked for him was fresh fish (butter bream in South Africa – heaven knows what it is called in the rest of the world!) served two ways: topped with tomato and onion stew and cheese (also known in my house as pizza fish) and  topped with spinach and feta (also known in my house as spanakopita fish ;-))

And so it came to pass that things progressed and I received a dinner invitation to his house.  By myself!  Oh joy!  Oh rapture!  I turned up at the appointed hour, floating on a cloud of perfume and happiness, not caring by that stage if he fed me Cuppa Soup and two-minute noodles.  But wait:  our boy has an ace up his sleeve!  Once we had chatted and had a glass of wine, we finally sat down to our first dinner a deux and with a flourish he produced… stuffed gem squash.  Clever clever clever.  Not too girly, but definitely a cut above your standard meat-and-potatoes (or, God forbid, beans on toast!).  By this stage, non South Africans are asking what the hell is a gem squash.  Well, let me tell you – it is probably the thing that South Africans abroad crave the most, second only to biltong.   In fact, when my half-sister emigrated to France in the 1970’s she missed gem squash so much that she smuggled a packet of seeds into France wth her and planted them in her garden there, just so that she could have a steady supply.

As I discovered when I arrived in the UK, squashes aren’t that big over here.  OK, so maybe they’ll carve a pumpkin at Halloween, but apart from that, you coudl say that the squash family (including things like butternut, kabocha/acorn and gem squash) have not made it big in the UK.  At first I thought it was a northern/southern hemisphere thing, but in the US, squashes of various descriptions are very widely eaten.  In the end, I think it may be a climate thing.  Squashes are generally like heat and cannot tolerate frost and many types simply don’t grow that easily over here.  Consequently, they have always been viewed as something rather exotic and best avoided by those with conservative palates!  Some of my English friends still view dishes cooked with butternut squash with a huge degree of suspicion and declare them to be “an Antipodean thing”.  But having said that, at least butternut is now available in pretty much every supermarket, while gem squash is available reliably at Waitrose and sporadically other supermarkets.  Hurrah!

 

Gem squash © J Horak-Druiff 2004

 

So – on to the technical stuff.  Gem squash originated in Central America and belongs to the botanical genus Cucurbita, which includes melons (!) and can be subdivided into Cucurbita maxima (Hubbard squash and buttercup squash); Cucurbita mixta (cushaw squash); Cucurbita moschata (butternut squash); and Cucurbita pepo to which gem squashes belong, together with most pumpkins, acorn squash, marrows and cucumbers.  More generally, though, squashes are categorised as summer or winter squash, which has little to do with their time of availability, but rather their time of harvesting and degree of maturity at harvesting.  WInter squashes are generally left until the end of summer before they are harvested, making their skin tough and making it possible to store them for consumption at a later date.  Summer squashes, on the other hand, are picked when they are still young and tender.  They need little or no cooking (e.g. zucchini) but don’t keep as well as winter squashes.  Included in this family would also be the wonderful pattypan squash which was a staple food back home but not something I’ve seen generally available in the UK 🙁

Now gem squash falls into the summer squash category, but I must say that the gem squashes vary greatly in terms of how thick their skin is – I guess this is a function of how early or late they were picked.  The ones we get in we get in South Africa (often sold by the roadside in 5 or 10kg bags!! And sooooo cheap!) tend generally to be pretty thick-skinned and once cooked, hold their shape.  Over here, however, they live up to their description and the skin is often soft enough to eat once cooked.  On the other hand, in South Africa we get baby gems – approximately the size of ping-pong balls and cooked in the blink of an eye.  You just eat the whole thing, no mess, no fuss – and they are SO sweet and delicious.  (I think these may be available elsewhere labelled as “8 ball” squashes?).

OK, I hear you ask, that’s all fine and well, but what do you do with a gem squash?  The labels in the supermarkets over here will tell you to peel and quarter the gems, scoop out the seeds and roast with olive oil.  And yes, you can certainly try that.  But personally, if I can avoid peeling a squash then I will!!  Here are some other ideas:

  • You can do what my dad still does to this day:  slice the squash in half around its equator, boil (or steam or microwave) until the flesh is soft enough to scoop out the pips easily, add a knob of butter in each hollow, mash the flesh inside the skin and season with cinnamon sugar.
  • Alternatively, if the idea of sweet vegetables is off-putting to you, try the same idea but with sea salt, black pepper and thyme.  I have even mashed mine up with a balsamic dressing which worked well.
  • Prepare and steam the squashes as above, then fill each hollow with a spoonful of vegetables of your choice mixed with pesto and serve (also ideal as a vegetarian meal).

Or you can serve them the way that Nick first served them to me – filled with savoury mince 🙂

GEM SQUASH STUFFED WITH SAVOURY MINCE (serves 2)

Ingredients:

400g lean mince (I have used beef, turkey and pork and all work well)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
about half a tin of chopped tomatoes
a splash each of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
a pinch each of basil and thyme
1 slice of bread, crumbed
grated cheese for topping

Method:

Prepare and steam the gem squashes as above (one squash per person).

While they are cooking, fry the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until soft.  Add the mince and fry gently until cooked.  Add the chopped tomatoes, the sauces and seasonings – taste to see if anything else is needed.  Chopped chillis can also be added if your taste runs to spicy.

When the meat mixture is heated through, place the gem squash halves on a baking sheet and carefully scoop out the seeds, leaving behind the flesh.  Fill the hollow of half with the meat sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and top with breadcrumbs.

Grill until the cheese has melted and the crumbs are crisp and golden, then serve with a big green salad and wait for your guest to fall hopelessly in love with you. 😉

More deliciousness for you!

  • Chilli con carne with a cornbread toppingChilli con carne with a cornbread topping
  • Courgettes stuffed with beef mince and cheeseCourgettes stuffed with beef mince and cheese
  • Chicken, roasted butternut and feta lasagneChicken, roasted butternut and feta lasagne
  • Melanzane alla ParmigianaMelanzane alla Parmigiana

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« EoMEoTE #13 – Jack Sprat and the Grand old Duke of York’s soldiers
Iced chocolate crunchies for a Christmas cookie swap »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Emma says

    December 13, 2005 at 9:13 pm

    Mmm Yum! When I was in South Africa for a month last summer stuffed gem squashes were my favourite dish. we had them with chickpeas, onion and lots of cheese, I just loved it!

    Reply
  2. Christina says

    December 13, 2005 at 10:48 pm

    LOL! It’s not just men who the way to the heart is through the stomach? Sounds very yummy. My Tesco has recently been getting in more than the usual pumpkin, acorn and butternut so I shall have to check it out. A dollop of golden syrup in mashed squash is a favorite of mine so I will definitely try your dad’s recipe out too.

    Reply
  3. St.Claire says

    December 14, 2005 at 8:14 pm

    The good old gem squash, fondly referred to in my South African childhood home as the sqaushy. Evberybody’s favorite as we were growing up. I must admit I do miss it out here in the states and the butter squash I substitute it with is not bad, but it is not that gem squash. My mom filled it with a mince smoortjie and topped it with cheese. That’s how I now do the butternut squash. Wow Jean this brings back memories.

    Reply
  4. Jane says

    December 15, 2005 at 12:19 pm

    Really enjoyed your blog.

    Reply
  5. Ivor says

    December 15, 2005 at 4:25 pm

    Mmmm, I’m missing home now 🙁 Nice to see you blogging, amongst other things, about SA. Really like your blog. Do drop in on mine sometime.

    Reply
  6. Yorkshire Soul says

    December 20, 2005 at 7:45 am

    I love butternut squash, it has a great wintery flavour, not too dissimilar to late season roasted parsnips, they do all seem to be imported into the UK though. Sweet potatoes too, mmmmm, gently roasted sweet potatoes with proper pork chops (plenty of fat, rind still on).

    Reply
  7. Pille says

    January 6, 2006 at 12:43 pm

    I got some gem squash from the farmer’s market last summer, where they were called canonballs:) I stuffed them as well – really cute!

    Reply
  8. Red Dog says

    February 1, 2006 at 12:59 pm

    Have started growing gems after 18 years in Oz. At last found seed grown by our local organic lady. Most of our friends think they are the small inedible melons that grow on the side of the road. So i do not have many takers. I am carrying out an education program though – will win in the end. RD

    Reply
  9. Arionrhod says

    February 22, 2006 at 1:44 am

    Well, hello! I just found this page because I was googling for , yes you guessed it: gem squash. I’m in Arizona. Does anyone have or know where I can get hold of some gem squash seeds in the US? I am dying for some and cannot get hold of any seed here. Help!!!

    Reply
  10. Brad says

    April 3, 2006 at 2:54 am

    Hey, thank you for an awesome article. I am from Durban but have lived overseas (UK and now Australia) for almost 9 years. When I go back the first things I have to get my hands on are a cold Amstel, a stick of biltong and a gem squash. I have been thinking about gem squashes a lot lately and explaining to my English girlfriend how, when we go to SA together, we will have them. Then, to my surprise, we were in our local vegetable market and there they were! Smaller and harder than their South African counterparts but gems nevertheless! So I did a quick Google search and found your entertaining blog which also reminded me how to cook them (I left SA at 19 and hadn’t done much cooking!). Thanks again!

    Reply
  11. kanre lesto-smith says

    April 11, 2006 at 9:32 pm

    Please please please can anyone tell me if they know of somewhere in the UK or website than I can get Gem Squash!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I MISS It and this recipe has made my mouth water. Any help will be appreciated. I am in the midlands in Stratford Upon Avon.

    Reply
  12. George Frost says

    April 19, 2006 at 8:32 pm

    Love the things and miss them terribly. I have some seeds and planted them last spring. (I live in Southern Spain so reasoned that they would grow well). Disaster, grew to half size then rotted. Perhaps I watered too much. I remember them in our back yard in Zim just growing out of the seemingly dry packed earth.
    So can someone advise me how to grow them, soils etc. I have hoarded some seeds so would appreciate any help.
    Thanks in advance.

    Reply
  13. Duncan says

    May 25, 2006 at 1:28 am

    Live in Melbourne, Australia, have seeds but no instructions on how, when, etc to grow, can anyone help. Mouth watering stuff!!

    Reply
  14. Nikki says

    June 16, 2006 at 4:08 pm

    Oh yes – I definitely rank gem squash as one of my most missed foods. I’ve searched in vain for it here in the States. I managed to find hubbard squash one year, but alas, no gems in sight. I buy the little acorn squashes though and cook them the same way – cut in half and baked or boiled – but they’re not as sweet.

    Reply
  15. megan says

    July 11, 2006 at 3:16 pm

    Just curious: I have heard that the Gem squash has absolutely no nutritional value……… Is this true.

    Reply
  16. Tom says

    July 20, 2006 at 9:54 am

    I bought some Gem Squash seeds from W.Robinson & Sons, Sunny Bank, Forton, Nr PRESTON PR3 0BN U.K. Tel:01524 791210.
    I have sown them this year and am experiencing something of a glut. The only problem with them is that the spread all over the place and take over the veg patch. Mind you they are WONDERFUL!

    Reply
  17. Elaine says

    September 1, 2006 at 3:31 pm

    Abel & Cole (www.abel-cole.co.uk) sometimes include gem squash in their organic fruit & veg boxes. Some came in the box just today! If you’re not on a box delivery system, I presume that you can order them solo from Abel & Cole as well. Thanks for the suggestions on how to cook them…I had no idea what to do.

    Reply
  18. ken johnston says

    September 20, 2006 at 10:57 am

    can any one tell me where to buy gem squash seed

    Reply
  19. Keith says

    November 7, 2006 at 1:32 am

    Free seeds!
    If you live in the USA, send me a stamped, self-addressed envelope, and I will return it with about 20 gem squash seeds. The seeds are saved from our current crop.
    Keith Meintjes
    3440 Wormer Dr
    Waterford, MI 48329
    USA
    We have done this for the last five years: Save seeds to plant the following year.
    And, if you need instructions: To grow (and cook) Gem Squash, follow any guidelines you may find for Acorn Squash.
    Offer expires March 31, 2007.
    Keith

    Reply
  20. Debbie says

    March 6, 2007 at 3:14 pm

    I have been advised that you can purchase Gem Squash in Asda’s, happy shopping.

    Reply
  21. Keith says

    March 11, 2007 at 12:36 am

    Since making the offer, I have received one or two requests a week. This week, three. All requestors get a few dozen seeds. I have plenty of seeds left.
    I actually do not care if you live in the USA or not. Just get me an envelope with sufficient USA postage stamps to reach you. Maybe the Customs will catch it, maybe not.
    What is great are the letters that people enclose with their requests. Seeds have gone to Alaska (short growing season, but 24 hours of sun!), to all kinds of ex-pats of Southern Africa, and to some who were visitors to ZA. Today, I even had an e-mail from Australia asking, not for seeds, but for growing directions.
    To harvest the seeds: Leave the squash on the vine until the vines die back. (Or, buy mature squash that are not all green but have a touch of yellow / orange colour on their skin.) Halve the squash, and scoop out the seeds before cooking. Rinse the seeds to remove them from the squash strands. Dry the seeds at room temperature for a couple of days, then store them in a resealable plastic bag.
    Keith

    Reply
  22. sumTing.com says

    June 25, 2007 at 4:13 am

    Gem Squash Seedlings

    Of the twenty gem squash seeds that I planted a couple of weeks ago, six of them sprouted. It doesn’t seem that the rest are going to sprout, so as of now I have six gem squash seedlings. I’m going…

    Reply
  23. Malcolm Campbell says

    August 8, 2007 at 7:34 am

    I’m seeking some Gem squash seed in Australia. Any chance?

    Reply
  24. charlotte blanch says

    August 31, 2007 at 4:16 am

    hello there,
    hopefully will have a bumper crop of gem squash next month… got seeds in SA last year and planted them late this spring( in ADKS mountains of NY ) if anyone wants seeds , pleae contact me .
    [email protected]

    Reply
  25. patty says

    September 29, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    I am english, married to a south african and living in the Rhode Island I was given 1/2 a packet of gem squash about 4 years ago, I planted them this summer and my garden has been overrun with delicious gem squash, I will be saving some seeds for next year. I planted so many, not sure if they would germinate, but they went gangbusters and grew over the lawn for yards!

    Reply
  26. Victor Steane says

    October 17, 2007 at 2:00 am

    Hi there,
    I’m a Rhodesian ex-pat and amazed to find so many others missing gem squash. I have tried butternut squash, but find it rather bland in comparison.
    I managed to get some seeds many years ago, but as they were so valuable to me I hoarded them like gold bullion and sadly they are now inactive. Thanks to comments from others I will now pursue replacements aparrently available in the UK.
    I do miss them very much (as well as boerewors but don’t hold out much hope for that item as well).

    Reply
  27. david morris says

    October 24, 2007 at 5:40 pm

    oh what can i say didnt god do well to give us gem sqaush the vegetable from the gods best cut in half the seeds scooped out boiled in water for 10 mins a little butter and black pepper

    Reply
  28. Kim Nicks says

    May 30, 2008 at 12:41 am

    Is there any way to still get gem squash seeds? I live in So Cal. and have not been able to find any. Thank you.

    Reply
  29. Susan Henry says

    August 29, 2008 at 11:28 am

    I ate the first gem squash of the season last night, from seeds that came by mail from SA….oh they were so good! I had forgotten how good they are!
    As for Boerewors, I have a local butcher make it for me…the Canadians cant get their tongues around the word, so it is politely called South African sausage!! Even the locals are eating it now. The smell of it cooking on an open fire reminds me of braaivleis at the beach!

    Reply
  30. Wendy Morley says

    September 23, 2008 at 1:08 am

    Hi, I found some gem squash (or jam squash as my brother Peter used to call them when he was little and we lived in Hilton,near Maritzburg)on Sunday on my way back from Toowoomba, S.E.Queensland at Tomatoland! I was so excited as i haven’t seen any in Australia since emigrating nearly 14 years ago! I will plant the seeds and hopefully have some luck or buy seeds which I see now are available from some suppliers here in Australia. thanks for your intersting blog and great ides for cooking gem squash. I like them cooked in microvave, scooped ou seeds and then fill with cooked peas and a blob of butter. Lots of happy childhood memories there.
    Wendy

    Reply
  31. Rachel says

    September 28, 2008 at 9:13 am

    /www.vegetableplantsdirect.co.uk
    If You go to this web address here in uk they have seeds and plants

    Reply
  32. Rachel says

    September 28, 2008 at 9:18 am

    Hi
    After 2 years of searching for Gems this is the closest i have come

    Reply
  33. Oanh says

    October 20, 2008 at 11:06 am

    Hi
    I’ve cooked from your recipes before, and love gem squashes – they’re so cute. Anyway, while I was googling for a recipe, I found the following and thought you should be alerted to it:-
    http://livelystone.multiply.com/recipes/item/3/Stuffed_gem_squash
    Seems like they’ve cut and pasted your recipe, without acknowledgement.

    Reply
  34. ray goodall says

    February 7, 2009 at 11:55 am

    is there a supplier in Nottingham for gem squash

    Reply
  35. Foxey says

    July 11, 2009 at 11:00 pm

    You can get it in Waitrose in the UK.

    Reply
  36. MaryAnn says

    September 23, 2009 at 10:15 am

    I have just today received 2 gem squash in my organic veg box from Riverford. (riverfordnorton.co.uk. They deliver to most of England.

    Reply
  37. marshypops says

    October 10, 2009 at 8:57 am

    Not sure if this “thread” is still active. I’ve got gem squash from Abel and Cole.
    http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/

    Reply
  38. Leslie Goodale says

    November 10, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Hi Everyone!
    Loved comments, didn’t know there was such a following for gem squash, as a Calgarian supply is very limited, to one month a year(imported by SA butcher shop).
    I was introduced by daughter-in-law ( an Aussie raised in SA). She is visiting parents in Aussieland and I would love to prepare and freeze the 8 gem squash I bought today before she returns next month.
    Wondering if I can cook and freeze like pepper squash or not.
    looking for boerewors! take heart we found some in small towns across the prairies (in Canada). Apparently there are a number of women who make it in their communities when they can’t buy it. Suggest you contact SA communities or if really desperate, we found our supplier through a SA doctor. Good Luck hunting! Leslie Goodale

    Reply
  39. Denver Bennett says

    January 17, 2010 at 10:08 am

    I’m a SA living in the UK. Is there anywhere that I can get hold of Gem squash and Boer Pampoen seeds? I’d love to grow my own!
    See images links!
    http://www.greatnorthroad.org/bboard/images/0306/pumpkin.jpg
    http://www.claireslittlegems.com.au/images/gem_squash.jpg

    Reply
  40. Mel Keyser says

    March 26, 2010 at 9:20 am

    Hi Denver. Gem squash seeds are available from http://www.mammothonion.co.uk. Boer Pampoen seeds are available from http://www.tozerseedsdirect.com/seeds/squash-winter-seeds. Hope they grow. I’m planting mine today.

    Reply
  41. Apriljenneson says

    September 15, 2010 at 11:26 pm

    My sister in SA has sent me gem squash seed (I’m in UK), which I grow every year. I never split the gems before boiling but pierce the shell at the equator. Once cooked I scoop the seed and discard and put the flesh into a collander and drain for half an hour. Then i put it back into a pot with some butter, salt, pepper and a tin of drained sweetcorn. Mix it all together until the butter has melted and either serve or freeze.
    I also split gems at the equator, scoop the flesh, put in a dab of butter, a little salt, pepper and nutmeg. I place them into vacuum bags and seal like that – uncooked. To cook, microwave or boil in the bag.
    I also grow Cape Gooseberries in the UK, if anyone is interested.

    Reply
  42. Apriljenneson says

    September 15, 2010 at 11:42 pm

    I can supply gemsquash seed in the UK. If you are interested, please email me at [email protected]

    Reply
  43. Robin says

    January 27, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    Seeds also available at
    http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gem-Squash-%2f-Winter-Squash-Gemstore-*-10-Seeds-*_W0QQitemZ270695356841QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=204055414248&rvr_id=204055414248&cguid=17b9d64f1280a0e203c64686ff3858b4
    10 for 99p plus postage

    Reply
  44. Amanda Lishman says

    March 14, 2011 at 1:53 am

    If you are in Australia you can buy the seeds from the Diggers Club in Melbourne. They do mail order heritage varieties of plants and seeds. this is the address http://www.diggers.com.au/gardenHerons.shtml I do not have any financial interest in the company I just buy seed formy garden from there. I bought Gen Squash out of curiosity as lots of South Africans I know comment on them. I know have rampant vines and found your site googling when to pick them!

    Reply
  45. Jean says

    November 20, 2011 at 3:32 pm

    A great way to serve gems. Remove pips and steam. Once cooked fill with tinned sweetcorn, top with grated cheese and a sprinkle of aromat. Place in oven to warm through and if necessary grill for a couple of minutes to brown top. It is very moreish.

    Reply
  46. Jennifer Taylor says

    May 17, 2012 at 7:42 am

    Just bought a lovely gem squash in the African Delights shop on Mowbray Road at Lane Cove. Also stocked up with boerewors, biltong, green fig and watermelon konfyt and Cape Gooseberry jam.
    The gem squash will be stuffed withj savoury mince and topped with cheese.
    Yummy!!!

    Reply
  47. Jennifer Taylor says

    May 17, 2012 at 7:50 am

    Just to wet your appetite – also available at African Delights are koeksusters (I freeze them) and melktert, as well as droewors and sosaties!!

    Reply
  48. Tracy-Ann Ralphs says

    April 19, 2016 at 7:08 am

    It sounds delicious. I am on an eating plan with umpteen veggies to eat a day and I just can’t do them all just steamed or boiled. This looks wonderful and is on the menu for tonight so I will let you know.

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes
  • Cauliflower steak Welsh rarebit

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Oxtail and red wine potjie
Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Jan Ellis pudding - a classic South African dessert
My big, fat South African potato bake

Featured on

Also available on

🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London! Every 🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London!

Everywhere you look, these long-legged floral supermodels are adding a splash of colour to parks and gardens and I just can’t get enough of them! It’s easy to see how they inspired a collective buying frenzy in 17th Century Holland, called “tulip fever”, but today there are less dramatic ways to enjoy them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where to see them at their best:

🌷 The ultimate tulipalooza is the annual opening of Keukenhof gardens outside Amsterdam where 7 million (!) bulbs burst into life each Spring. This year the gardens are open 24 March-15 May (click on the link in my bio for FAQs and my top tips for visitors)

🌷In London, Kew Gardens always has spectacular displays of tulips; but you can also see excellent and free tulips in most of the Royal Parks such as Regents Park. 

🌷The Hampton Court Palace tulip festival is on until 2 May and the Hever  Castle’s Tulip Celebrations until 24 April - both within easy reach of London.

🌷The Morges Fete de la Tulipe in Switzerland takes place every year against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Geneva - it is on until 8 May this year.

I spotted these spectacular red frilly parrot tulips beside St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday 🌹 Where is the best display of tulips that you have ever seen?
MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food restaurant in Wembley

Remember to save this post so you can find it later! 🔖

[Invited] If you thought Brick Lane and chicken tikka masala or madras were all there is to know about the food of the Indian subcontinent, think again! In the shadow of the Wembley arch,  @chefatulkochhar has opened his first casual dining restaurant,  showcasing the rustic, spicy, diverse street foods of India. 

Highlights when I visited included:
1. Carrot halwa
2. Papdi chaat
3. Chicken 65
4. Tandoori broccoli
5. Smoky aubergine chokha
6. A snap of all our mains - you can read all about these and more in the full review on my blog - click the link in my bio or go to:
 https://www.cooksister.com/2022/04/masalchi-atul-kochhar-indian-wembley.html

What is your favourite dish from the Indian subcontinent? Let me know in the comments 🌶🌶🌶
🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸 T 🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸

There is no season in London that I love more than cherry blossom season! From March through to April, trees in various parks and gardens in London put on an amazing display of delicate pink and white blossoms - and everything in the city seems a little more magical. This particular tree near St Pauls must be among London’s most photographed, and it’s not hard to see why 💕

Did you know that...

🌸cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower and are known as Sakura 

🌸In 1910, Japan sent the USA some cherry trees as a goodwill gesture… and the Dept of Agriculture inspectors nearly caused an international incident by burning them as they were carrying insects and diseases! But in 1915 Japan sent more cherry trees that survived the inspectors, and these marked the start of cherry trees in the USA.

🌸 Peak blossom season is usually only two to three weeks in March/April but is hard to predict as the weather and the subspecies of tree influence the timing.

🌸The cherry blossom capital of the  world is Macon, Georgia with 300,000 - 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.

🌸 There are over 200 different varieties of cherry blossom and some are purely ornamental (meaning they produce no cherries)

Where is your favourite place to see cherry blossoms in London or around the world? Let me know in the comments and happy blossom hunting! 🌸🍒🌸

#pinkpinkpink
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day to those of you who don't speak Welsh! 

1 March is the Welsh national day  and what better way to celebrate than surrounded by daffodils -  the Welsh national flower!

Did you know that:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The English name "Wales" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigner" - but the country's Welsh name "Cymru" means "friends" in Welsh.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The  Welsh language Cymraeg is the oldest language in Britain, at about 4,000 years old!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 There are more castles per square mile in Wales than any other European country.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Mount Everest is named after George Everest, the Welsh surveyor who first mapped the peak on western maps.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The beautiful Menai bridge (spanning the Menai Strait between the Isle of Anglesey and mainland Wales) was the first suspension bridge in the world.

Have you ever visited Wales? What did you like most about it?
*NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, *NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, capers and dill. Pretty in pink 💕

[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

Is there anything you will miss as Covid-19 restrictions start to be lifted?
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2022 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2022 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT