Seafood Feast!
Ingredients
Festive Rock Star Oysters Fresh West Coast Oysters with French Mignonette sauce and Ex Girlfriend Sauce
  • 16 – 20 Fresh West Coast oysters
French mignonette sauce
  • 2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) red wine vinegar
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) rice vinegar
  • 10ml (2 teaspoons) sugar
  • 2,5ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt
  • 15ml Cape Herb and Spice Bold Black Peppercorns
Ex Girlfriend Sauce
  • 30ml of Willow Creek Basil Olive Oil
  • A handful of fresh coriander
  • A handful of fresh basil
  • A handful of fresh mint
  • 100ml apple cider vinegar
  • 50ml brown sugar
  • 15ml fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 green chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Festive Salmon Mousse Terrine
  • 5 large leaves gelatine sponged in cold water
  • 125ml of boiling water
  • 1cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and grated rind of two lemons
  • 75ml of chopped red onion
  • 75ml of chopped pickled cucumber
  • 5 of hot sauce or Tabasco
  • 50ml of tomato puree
  • 30ml of smoked Spanish Paprika
  • 10ml of Cape Herb and Spice Company Pink Salt
  • Handful of chopped fresh herbs like spring onion and dill or fennel
  • 500ml of chopped salmon (salmon off cuts work wonders and much more affordable)
  • 500ml of whipping cream
  • Cucumber ribbons and caper berries to garnish with some more fresh soft herbs
Marinated calamari tubes and tentacles with citrus, peppers and shallots
  • 1kg calamari tubes and tentacles, cleaned
  • 1 large red pepper, deseeded and cubed
  • 1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and cubed
  • 250ml Extra Virgin olive oil
  • 125ml White wine vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange, 1 lemon and 1 lime
  • Some black peppercorns
  • 4 Bay leaves
  • 30ml coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
  • 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small chilli, deseeded and chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Festive Rock Star Oysters Fresh West Coast Oysters with French Mignonette sauce and Ex Girlfriend Sauce
  1. Serves: 8 -10 Prep Time: 15 minutes Passive Time: 4 hours or overnight
  2. I firmly believe that oysters hold all the secrets of the sea and are best eaten during the winter! They have a completely different concentrated taste during these months and gets elevated to star status when washed down with some local MCC Here is our take on this exotic dish – the mignonette sauce is über delicious made with shallots adding a gentle flavour to the oysters and the ex-girlfriend sauce has been a firm favourite over many years. I was given the recipe by a lady who I rented a room from in Irene in Pretoria, but the original recipe is from a Braam Kruger book and rumoured to be the recipe of the beautiful actress Grethe Fox. It can be eaten with almost anything but turns fresh oysters into a rock start dish and great for festive entertaining!
French Mignonette sauce
  1. Mix all the ingredients together and place in the fridge overnight to let the flavours develop.
Ex Girlfriend Sauce
  1. Place all the ingredients in a jug blender, season to taste and blend until smooth
  2. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
Notes and tips
  1. Oysters freeze incredibly well – open them and freeze them on a flat surface and thaw on ice 30 min before serving – makes entertaining a dream
  2. Medium sized oysters are the best to use in terms of size and flavour.
  3. Both sauce recipes are easy to double in size if you have a large party to cater for.
Festive Salmon Mousse Terrine
  1. I grew up in the era of moulded terrine like salads and mousses and it is 100% synonymous with the festive season for me. We serve this salmon mousse terrine as part of a seafood festival which takes it to a different level served as a starter with oysters and calamari tentacles. It can me made at least two days in advance and will save you spending hours in the kitchen.
  2. Serves: 10 – 12 guests Prep Time: 35 minutes Passive Time: overnight Easy to prepare
  3. Soften the gelatine in the cold water in a large mixing bowl then squeeze all the waiter out and whiip into the boiling water to dissolve. Let it cool
  4. Whisk in the mayonnaise, lemon juice and rind, red onion and cucumber, Tabasco, smoked paprika, salt, and fresh herbs. Stir to blend completely and refrigerate until the mixture begins to thicken slightly, about 30 minutes.
  5. Place the salmon in a food processor and blend until smooth – add a bit of cream to loosen the mixture and fold into the thickened mayo mixture
  6. Whip the cream until it is thickened and gently fold into the salmon mayo mixture
  7. Transfer to a mold and let it set overnight. Gently loosen the terrine with hot water for 3 seconds and turn out onto plate
  8. Garnish with cucumber and caper berries and some gold leaf for extra decadence
Marinated calamari tubes and tentacles with citrus, peppers and shallots
  1. The idea of marinated seafood takes me straight the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Marinating seafood is an age old tradition that was used to extend the life of the food source before any refrigeration was available. I can eat this right through the year but we celebrate the hot summer festive season with this dish. Serve with fire roasted baguette, fresh oysters and a salmon mousse to make for a glorious seafood starter feast! Yum!
  2. Serves: 6 – 8 people Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes Passive Time: 4 hours or overnight Easy to make
  3. Place the peppers, olive oil, vinegar, water, citrus zest and juice, peppercorns, bay leaves, coriander seeds, shallots, garlic and chilli in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
  4. Cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft.
  5. Add the calamari and cook for 2 minutes. Cool down.
  6. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight to marinate.
  7. Serve chilled