Latest recipes from La Motte

Seafood was regularly collected by the indigenous people and when the first European pioneers arrived at the Cape, they too were fortunate in being able to catch an abundance of fish in the seas along the Cape coast. Bountiful catches of steenbras, kingklip, harder (mullet), elf (shad), mackerel and snoek were recorded by Jan van...

In the days of the old Cape, fowl of any shape and size was popular on the menu, from Muscovy duck to guinea fowl, partridge and wild peacock. While chicken is the most popular bird for cooking today, duck offers that something extra for a special occasion. The ideal meat for sweet flavours and scented...

It is hard to cook without eggs. Much more than the breakfast variations, eggs are essential in baking and many other classic recipes. Luckily, eggs are easy to find. Not only are some of us lucky enough to have a chicken run from which we can get fresh eggs daily, but supermarkets offer a selection...

Recipe for Mulled Wine Kumquat Jam Ingredients 1.5 kg kumquats washed and sliced 1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (we prefer the 2012 La Motte Syrah) 750 g granulated sugar 3 cinnamon sticks 2 star anise 4 cloves zest of 2 lemons Method Place all the spices in a muslin cloth and tie closed with...

Recipe for Strawberry, lemongrass & ginger jam Ingredients 2 kg strawberries, stemmed and rinsed 1.4 kg white sugar Zest & juice of 2 lemons and 2 limes 1 stick lemongrass, chopped 20 g ginger, peeled and finely chopped 5 g Salt Method Layer strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, lemongrass, ginger and salt in a container, cover...

Being seasonal and sustainable is very fashionable – and with good reason. But there truly is nothing new under the sun. In the early days of the Cape, seasonality and sustainability were of the utmost importance and in fact, these culinary traditions still reflect in the way we go about food in the Cape Winelands today. ...

Sweet potatoes were planted by Jan van Riebeeck at the Cape and were usually baked or cooked whole, mashed or cut up and stewed with sugar, cinnamon or naartjie peel and butter. A humble vegetable that makes a beautiful accompaniment to the traditional winter-time snoek in the Cape. Sweet Potatoes Serves 4 Ingredients 4 medium...

Winter is citrus season in the Western Cape and it is the ideal time to use the lovely sweet and sour flavour combinations in the kitchen. This original recipe for the Citron Tart in our Cape Winelands Cuisine Cookbook used cake flour or eggs as thickening agents, but we have adapted it for today’s modern...

Braised (gesmoorde) snoek is an inexpensive, traditional dish that makes a regular appearance at the table during the cold Cape winters. The most well-known method for preparing this dish is as follows: Sauté onions in lots of butter together with pepper, salt, fresh ginger, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of fresh chilli. then...

Carbohydrates have fallen from grace. Regardless of their nutritive value, affordability or ability to keep, admitting to eating, preparing or heavens forbid enjoying anything containing carbohydrates is almost social suicide in certain circles. A staple food in many countries however, carbohydrates are served in various forms all over the world, but most notably in a...