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Posted on 2015-06-082016-04-06 by admin

S1 EP13 – UNDER AFRICAN SKIES

Neill’s ultimate client is an eccentric British IT millionaire who is the owner of, amongst many other properties, Leobo Private Game Farm in the Limpopo Province. Leobo, located at the top of an escarpment, is equal parts lodge and camp-for-adults, Leobo offers crocodile tug-o-war, quad bike racing, and helicopter paintball among other bizarre pastimes. At night, visitors head to the observatory, where a NASA-grade telescope provides breath-taking views of the heavens. It is here that his client entertains family and friends or, more often than not, makes his home available for friends to use when they’re in South Africa.

While Neill has catered for this client at many of his homes, it is the Lodge that is the ultimate test of his skills. It is a very long drive from Johannesburg so nothing can be forgotten. In this, the finale of the season, Neill will have to push himself to the limit in order to deliver the perfect dinner party for the guests.

Recipe 1: Smoked Mackerel Salad – serves 8

INGREDIENTS

DRESSING FOR SALAD:

Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon mustard
20ml grape seed oil
Salt and Pepper

DRESSING FOR MACKEREL:

1 large dessert spoon cultured cream
1 large dessert spoon creamed horseradish
juice ½ lemon
Salt to taste

300g Smoked Mackerel
Red Cress – Garnish

METHOD

PRE-PREP:

Dressing for Salad:

Place lemon, mustard, grape seed oil, salt and pepper in large bowl

Whisk together to form a loose vinegrette

Set aside

Dressing for Mackerel:

Place cultutred cream, creamed horseradish, lemon juice and salt in large bowl

Whisk together to form a thick mixture

Set aside

FINISHING:

Place baby leaves into dressing for saladCoat leaves evenly

Flake Mackerel in large bowl with dressing

Coat pieces evenly

SERVING:

Place baby leaves on plate

Top with smoked mackerel

Dress with baby red watercress

Recipe 2: Sautéed Foie Gras with Vanilla Scented Cherries and Macadamia

INGREDIENTS

FIG CHUTNEY:

3 Tablespoons Coconut Blossom Sugar
8 figs quartered

FOIE GRAS:

600g Foie Gras

Handful of Lightly toasted, sliced macadamia nuts.

METHOD

PRE-PREP:

Fig Chutney:Place medium size sauce pan over heatAdd the sugar and allow to caramalise

Stir through and remove from heat

Add Figs

Place back on the hob and allow to simmer until soft and juicy

FOIE GRAS:

Remove Foie gras from fridge

Slice with hot knife into small even portions

Return back to fridge to cool

FINISHING:

Set a large pan over a high heatRemove foie gras from fridge

Grind with pink salt

Place foie gras in pan and sear for 30 seconds each side

Set on paper towel to drain

Place fig chutney on hob over medium heat

Allow to warm through before serving

SERVING:

Place fresh figs on plate

Add macadamia nuts

Spoon fig chutney on plate

Top with cooked foie gras

Recipe 3: Venison Wellington with Home-Grown Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

VEGETABLES:

10 baby beetroots
10 sprigs thyme
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
5 cloves peeled whole garlic
15 baby carrots

VENISON FILLETS:

4 Whole Venison fillets (500 each)
Generous pinch of salt
1 Whole head garlic (pulled apart)
Splash Olive Oil
8 Springs of fresh rosemary

Baby watercress (garnish)

METHOD PREPPING:

BEETROOT:

Place large pot with water over high heatBring to the boil then add the beetroot

Season with fresh thyme

Cook until a knife can poke or slide through without resistance

Remove beetroots from water

Rub with fingers to remove skin

Set aside

Add carrots to the beetroot liquid

Cook until tender

Drain and remove from heat

Oil and season all the vegetables whilst still warm

Add 4-5 cloves of garlic and mix together

Set aside till needed

VENISON:

Place venison in tray

Season with salt

Set two large trays over hob on medium heat

Add oil to pan to warm up

Place venison into hot pan to sear

Add garlic cloves and fresh rosemary to the pan

Turn the venison once caramelised

Add butter to the pan and baste

Remove from heat

Allow to rest

FINISHING :

Pour out the resting liquid from venison into a small potPlace on the hob over low heatAllow to reduce

Place venison into oven to warm through

Remove from oven once warm

SERVING:

Set the vegetables on plate

Add baby watercress to the plate

Slice venison and dress the plate

Drizzle with the hot reduced liquid

Recipe 4: Mango and Banana Sorbet

INGREDIENTS

1 Small watermelon diced and seeds removed
Squeeze of Lime
Drizzle of Agave Nectar
Splash of Whisky

6 Ripe Sliced Mangoes – frozen

METHOD

PRE-PREP

WATERMELON:

Place Watermelon, Lime, Agave and Whisky in vacuum pack bag

Lay flat in vacuum pack machine

Seal with machine

Set aside until needed

FINISHING:

Place frozen mango through juicer (Oscar Juicer) to form sorbet

Remove watermelon from vacuum pack bag

Place in large bowl with liquid

SERVING:

Place 4 cubes watermelon in bowl

Add spoonful of sobet

Finish with watermelon sauce

Recipe 5: Lancewood Cheeseboard

INGREDIENTS

1 Block of Lancewood Cheddar Cheese1 Wedge of Lancewood Edam Cheese1 Wheel of Lancewood Goats Cheese
1 tub of Lancewood Cream Cheese
2 Packets of Crackers
Fresh Figs (garnish)

METHOD

Arrange all ingredients on boardServe and enjoy

Posted on 2015-05-272016-04-07 by admin

S1 EP11 – Sandy Geffen’s Dinner Party

The Executive Director of an international property empire, Sandy Geffen invites Neil to create a memorable dinner party at her magnificent home in the leafy Johannesburg. Neill’s mom is also invited to the celebrations and we see how Neill reacts to cooking for his one of his biggest critics and source of many of his cooking inspirations, his mom…

Recipe 1: Fresh Linguini with Lemon and Pecorino – serves 12

INGREDIENTS

RAVIOLI

550g pasta flour
6 egg yolks
4 eggs
Pinch crushed sea salt
Drizzle of olive oil

300g shaved pecorino

PARSLEY DRESSING:

100g Flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
55ml olive oil
Juice of 3 Lemons
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

PRE-PREP:
PASTA:

Place flour in food processorAdd sea salt

Drizzle olive oil into egg mixture and whisk

Pour eggs into flour

Mix together to form a rough crumb

Remove from food processor and knead till a firm, smooth ball is formed (10min)

Cover with cling film and set to rest in fridge for 3 hours

PARSLEY DRESSING:

Place chopped parsely in mixing bowl

Add Cape Estate olive oil and lemon juice

Season with Salt and Pepper

Mix together

Set aside until ready to use

FINISHING:
LINGUINI:

Remove pasta from fridge, Unwrap and place on floured surface

Roll pasta out, using a pasta machine until lowest setting is reached

Cut with a sharp knife to form linguini (flat 0.5cm slices)

Lay on a floured surface until ready to boil.

To blanche linguini

Set water to boil on high heat in a large pot

Add linguini to salted boiling water and cook for 2min

Strain into bowl

SERVING:
Add parsley dressing to warm pasta

Mix through until linguini is coated

Serve and top with shaved pecorino

Recipe 2: Poached and Roasted Baby Chicken – serves 12

INGREDIENTS

CHICKEN:

12 baby chickens
4l chicken stock
Bunch of thyme
1 head garlic (halved)
Drizzle of Cape Estate Olive Oil

BUTTERNUT:

2 diced and peeled butternuts
Salt
Pepper
Drizzle of Cape Estate Olive Oil

CABBAGE:

2 Head’s diced (4cm) sweet heart cabbage
3 Table spoons Cape Estate olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Dash of blackcurrant vinegar

PRE-PREP:

CHICKEN:

Prep chicken by removing legsPlace legs on roasting tray with salt and olive oilCook in oven for 40min at 180degreesSet aside until ready to serve

Bring chicken stock, thyme and garlic up to a boil

Poach chicken crowns in hot stock for 6 mins

Place crowns on roasting tray with salt and olive oil

Cook in oven for 20min at 180degrees

Set aside until ready to serve

PRE-PREP: Butternut

Place butternut on large oven tray

Season with olive oil, salt and pepper

Roast in oven for 25min at 180 degrees

Set aside until ready to plate

PRE-PREP: Cabbage

Set a large pot on hob over a medium heat

Add olive oil and heat up

Slowly add cabbage to pot

Allow to wilt and cook through whilst stirring

Season with salt and pepper

Add a dash of blackcurrant vinegar

Cook for a few more minutes

Remove from heat and set aside

FINISHING:

Remove chicken breast from crown and place in tray with chicken legsAdd chicken stock to tray for moistureHeat up large pot

Add cooked cabbage to warm through

Place butternut bake into oven at 180degrees

Warm through for 5min

SERVING:

Set roasted butternut on plate

Add cabbage

Top with chicken breast and leg

Finish off with a drizzle of chicken poaching liquid

Ready to serve

Recipe 3: Birthday Cupcakes – serves 12

INGREDIENTS

CUPCAKES:

250 g soft butter
250 g caster sugar
4 eggs
dash of milk
salt
1 table spoon baking powder
500g flour
50g Ginger tea powder
1 Vanilla pod (with seeds)

PLUM TOPPING:

6 Half and pitted plums
1 cup caster sugar

ICING:

2 tubs Lancewood Cream Cheese
½ cup icing sugar
Salt (pinch)

PRE-PREP:

Cream together butter and sugar until light in colour

Add ginger tea and seeds from the vanilla pod and mix through

Add 2 eggs until combined

Add half flour and half baking powder to mixture and stir through

Add the rest of the eggs to the mixture until smooth

Finish off with the rest of the flour, salt and baking powder and mix through until combined

Add a splash of cold milk and fold into mixture

Set aside in fridge until ready to use

FINISHING:

CUPCAKES:

Place cupcake batter into mouldsBake at 180degrees for 35min

Remove from oven and allow to cool on cooling rack

TOPPING:

Heat up non-stick pan

Add sugar and allow to caramalise

Add plums to pan (flat side down)

Coat plums with sugar

Cook for 8min or until soft

ICING:

Place cream cheese and icing sugar in bowl

Mix together until smooth

Ripple through any excess plum syrup

SERVING:

Place cupcakes on serving platter

Add warm roasted plum on top of cupacke

Top with icing and a pinch of salt

Posted on 2015-04-222016-04-06 by admin

Distell Luxury Brands partner with Neill Anthony Private Chef

Distell was selected as the brand partner of choice as its range of luxury products – wines, whiskies and cognac – provide the ideal and natural accompaniment to Neill’s five-star gourmet meals and the A-list clientele featured in the series. The Distell Luxury portfolio includes a range of carefully selected brands that meet the expectations of discerning consumers. “We are proud to be involved in the show as it is a natural fit for our brands. Neill is a talented chef – we really enjoy watching the magic he creates with his personalised menus,” commented Sarah Wassell, Distell SA Luxury Brands.

“Its always nice to work with brands such as Distell, because you know everything is all about pure quality. The range is versatile and offers a wide selection of spirits and wines to compliment any meal perfectly,” said Neill Anthony.