Friends. Food. Flavour. is the culmination of a long journey.

Michael Olivier and Roelien Immelman, a very talented illustrative designer, agreed to go in a partnership on Friends. Food. Flavour., and including the recipes of friends, the book was born. The dishes are eclectic with Immelman’s superb illustrations and Mike Robinson’s sensitive photography.

Try this delicious recipe from the book:

Christine Capendale’s Beef Fillet with Burrata and a Caper Sauce

Christine Capendale is a truly busy cook and food writer. Her latest book, Meals, was published in 2019. An internet friend, I often use her recipes as recommendations to partner my wine reviews.

Capendale says, ‘This dish looks sumptuous served on a large platter for everybody to help themselves. Serve it accompanied with crispy potato wedges. If you cannot find burrata, use any other fresh, soft mozzarella cheese, such as fior di latte, bocconcini or nodini.’

Serves 4

Pair with: Ah! A brilliant Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients

• 40 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly milled black pepper
• 1 kg beef fillet
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 30 ml capers, drained and rinsed, lightly chopped
• 50 ml lemon juice
• 5 ml honey
• 300 g mixed exotic baby tomatoes (yellow, red and green varieties)
• 15 ml chopped chives
• 250 g burrata
• 80 ml crispy onions
• Fresh basil and rocket for garnishing

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix 15 ml of the olive oil with sea salt and milled black pepper and rub into the beef fillet.

Heat a griddle pan over medium heat and grill the fillet, turning, for about 6 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer the fillet to a roasting pan and roast for 10–15 minutes in the preheated oven until cooked to your liking. Rest the meat for 10 minutes before cutting it into thick slices. Drizzle with the pan juices.

While the fillet is roasting, heat another 20 ml olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion and capers. Cook until the onion is soft and the capers become crispy. Add the lemon juice and honey and reduce the sauce. Season with sea salt and milled black pepper.

Halve and quarter the baby tomatoes and mix them with the remaining 5 ml olive oil and the chives. Season with sea salt and milled black pepper.

To serve, place the meat on a large serving platter and drizzle with the caper sauce. Add the tomatoes to the platter and top with the burrata and crispy onions. Garnish with fresh basil and rocket.

Categories Cookery Lifestyle Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Friends. Food. Flavour. Michael Olivier Penguin Random House SA Recipes