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The Guardian
29-07-2025
- The Guardian
One-pot wonders: the secret to campsite cooking
I am limited to one pan and a burner when I camp. What would chefs recommend making?Maxwell, by email Happy campers need supplies, and Ryan Cole, executive chef and co-owner of Salsify at The Roundhouse in Camps Bay, South Africa, doesn't mess about. 'We have three square boxes: one dedicated to dry goods, one to oil, salt, pepper and utensils, and the third to camping toiletries; we also have a dual compartment fridge-freezer.' Whatever your set-up, a considered mobile store-cupboard of spices, stock cubes, good oil, grains, pasta, tins of coconut milk and the like will really come into its own. Got tinned tomatoes? Make shakshuka for a campside breakfast. 'We always take a lightly spiced onion relish and add that to tinned tomatoes for the base,' Cole says. Otherwise, he'll use long-life or nut milk to whip up some breakfast pancakes: 'That's super-simple.' Mitch Tonks, founder and CEO of Rockfish, is no stranger to confined cooking arrangements: 'I live on a boat, so I'm used to limited space. That's why I love one-pot dishes.' Pasta, he says, really suits this way of cooking. Ditalini, or other small, short tubes, with pancetta and peas, for example, will have you eating very well in the great outdoors – scout's honour. 'Put 75g pasta in a wide pan with a teaspoon of chicken powder or a quarter of a crumbled stock cube. Add cured smoked pancetta, tinned or frozen peas and a chopped tomato, then pour in 225ml water.' Simmer the lot for 10-15 minutes, until the pasta is cooked and the water has evaporated, then grate in some parmesan or stir in a tablespoon of mascarpone and eat. Wholesome, hearty meals are a balm when you're camping, Cole says. A favourite starts by dusting bony cuts of meat (lamb neck or oxtail, say) with flour, then caramelising them in oil: 'Take them out, add onion, garlic and carrot, and sweat until soft. Return the meat to the pan, and cook for half an hour with some stock, water, wine, beer or whatever liquid you have floating around the campsite.' Tip in some new potatoes, then leave to bubble away gently for two or three hours while you shoot the breeze: 'You can make that to feed one, two or 10, and there's nothing better on a summer's night. Or any night, really.' It's worth having snacks in your arsenal, too, says George Husband, co-founder of Gorka, the London-based pop-up: 'Bring a zip-lock bag of 750g flour, two teaspoons of instant yeast [or even a premix bread flour from the supermarket] and a pinch of salt, then add water the night before you want to cook it, or even when you crawl out of your sleeping bag in the morning. You now have a flatbread dough that's ready to fry.' Once cooked, slather the bread with butter and honey, and 'that's a great snack for hiking trips'. And if your idea of a good time includes something sweeter, keep things simple with s'mores or thin millet pancakes, Cole says: 'Do this in a pan that's almost too hot, so the edges caramelise, then put in a couple of marshies and a bit of maple syrup.' Roll them up, squeeze over some lemon juice and job's a good'un. But remember, he adds, less really is more when you're in the countryside: 'The more you take with you, the more you have to bring back!' Got a culinary dilemma? Email feast@
The Independent
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Salsify in Cape Town: The fine dining restaurant rewriting the South African food story
What does it take to be named Restaurant of the Year? Those words conjure a certain set of expectations: a beautiful setting, warm hospitality, knowledgeable staff, a focus on seasonality and sustainability and, obviously, perfectly delicious food. You'd expect all these things as the minimum, plus a little something extra that makes it special. Salsify nails every one of them, and then some. It has that extra something – a chef at the helm who couldn't hide his passion if he tried. Though it sounds like a cliché, chef Ryan Cole of Salsify – pronounced 'sal-si-fee', not 'fie', as I kept blurting out – genuinely lives and breathes his work. Whether it's fishing several times a week with his brother to supply the restaurant (their dad was a commercial fisherman), foraging for indigenous ingredients that 'tell the South African story,' sourcing sustainable produce or, you know, running two lauded businesses (the other is COY, a more laid-back but nonetheless excellent destination), it's clear he means it when he says, 'there was never anything else'. Salsify is housed in The Roundhouse – a national monument dating back to 1786, which served first as a guardhouse and then a hunting lodge. Perched at the base of Cape Town's Table Mountain, with sweeping views of the Atlantic, it's a setting that does a lot of the talking. But Ryan insists Salsify is 'about a sense of time and place'. 'It's an experience, a longer journey – put your seatbelt on and trust us.' From the hand-washing ceremony (my palms had never felt so soft or smelled so good) to the welcome mountain-sage cocktail served in the preservation chamber – apple-y fresh and delivered in a room daubed with graffiti by Louis de Villiers aka Skullboy – Salsify is full of sensory surprises without ever tipping into excess. A desire to be 'ingredient-led' means there's nowhere to hide. Ryan says he'd 'prefer taking off a plate, opposed to adding to,' and as he told the 2025 Eat Out Awards after winning: 'We stand for a few things: no bulls**t, honesty and flavour.' That ethos translates into exquisite, understated dishes – some dictated by what's been caught that day. A parsnip and chicken skin tart is smoky, delicate and absurdly tasty; its texture almost as appealing as its flavour. Springbok tartare, dressed with a lightly spicy Asian influence, is impossibly tender, offset by teensy pieces of popcorn. Steamed pork jowl sounds intimidating, but it couldn't be softer; its crunchy topping is delightfully reminiscent of pub pork scratchings. Ryan knows how to keep guests happy from the outset – with a 12-hour sourdough and milk-stout butter dusted with lemon, served alongside a small glass of stout – and right to the end, with the Salsify chocolate bar, best described as a fatter, denser, fudgier Twix. Something that adds to the experience – particularly for visitors – is the abundance of new things you'll get to try. In just one (admittedly sizeable) meal, I tasted spekboom on an oyster; umfino, made from pap (a maize dish that's a staple in any Cape Townian's diet) and leafy greens; chokka, a squid found off the South African coast; chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish; and cake made from the tropical plant pandan – along with many more ingredients you just can't get in the UK. This pride in South African food and ingredients isn't unique to Salsify. At De Tafel at the Palm House Hotel and Spa – a gorgeous place to stay that exemplifies South African hospitality – the menu 'takes its cue from the indigenous flora and flavours of the Cape'. That felt true enough; I recognised fewer ingredients than I didn't – from kaapse suurings and veld patat to kappertijies, confetti bush and suikerbossie. My palate felt awakened in a way it hadn't in years. A standout discovery was snoek – a lean, local species of snake mackerel often turned into a smoked pâté that, bizarrely, pairs perfectly with marmalade. It's also a brilliant way to use up leftovers from the braai – that's a BBQ, to Brits. That pride extends to wine too, although it's something the rest of the world hasn't quite caught up with yet – as my colleague Hannah Twiggs wrote back in March. Despite its Mediterranean climate, deep-rooted winemaking tradition and truly breathtaking wine regions, South Africa still struggles to shake off its reputation as a budget alternative to the French classics. Wines here are often massively underpriced in British supermarkets – seen as the 'cheap option.' That perception seems to be shifting. Babylonstoren in Stellenbosch – a working farm, winery and luxury hotel – provided the official wine of this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show: a 2024 Mourvèdre Rosé. My own top tip, after trying (almost too) many bottles championed by South Africa's tourism agency, Wesgro, is to look out for SA Chenin Blancs. Crisp, subtly fruity and refreshing, it quickly became my wine of the summer. I particularly loved a bottle from Jordan Wines, but I picked up a brilliant one in Tesco when I got home – yet more proof of the undervalued prices. Naturally, South African wine features heavily at Salsify, and a Charles Fox 2016 Cœur de Cuvée was one of the most spectacular sparkling wines I've tasted. But I must also mention my peruse-the-menu cocktail – a rhubarb cosmopolitan. Tart, sweet and tangy, it's the kind of drink that would drive Carrie Bradshaw crazy. Almost as crazy as Ryan is about cooking. He's only ever wanted to quit once – deathly hungover, he tells me – and if he couldn't cook, he'd 'burn the place down. And by place, I mean the world.' Luckily for us, he's still doing his thing – and South Africa is all the better for it. Since my visit, Salsify was ranked No 88 – on its debut entry – in the World's 50 Best Restaurants Top 100 list for 2025. Here's how to braai fish like Ryan, paired with a summery curried salad. BBQ fish and summer curried salad Ingredients: 1x 2kg whole fish (preferably sea bass or kingfish) Zest and juice of 1 lemon Zest and juice of 1 lime 2 tbsp Maldon sea salt 50g butter, softened to room temperature 1 clove garlic, finely grated 1 apple, juiced 1 carrot, juiced 1 tsp medium curry powder 40ml olive oil 30ml apple cider vinegar 100ml Greek yoghurt 1 head butter lettuce, leaves picked 1 tub ricotta 1 pomegranate 30g salted roasted cashew nuts 1 cucumber, peeled into ribbons For the fish: Ask your fishmonger to butterfly your fish and remove the head, leaving the collar on and the belly whole. Method: 1. Light a fire and allow the coals to burn down to embers. Season your fish with the zest and juice of both the lemon and lime, 1 tablespoon of Maldon salt and a good crack of white pepper. Place the fish skin side down on the grid over the coals. Cook for 4-6 minutes, then flip onto the other side and cook for 1 minute. Allow the fish to rest for 3 minutes, before brushing the soft butter, with one clove of finely grated garlic mixed in, over the flesh. For the summer curried salad: 2. Mix the carrot and apple juice together in a heatproof pan and place over heat. Reduce the juice by ⅔, then remove from the heat and add curry powder, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. Allow the mixture to cool, then stir through the yoghurt. 3. Add the lettuce, pomegranate, cucumber and cashew nuts to a bowl. Toss together with the yoghurt mix and ricotta. Serve alongside your fish.
Irish Post
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
Ten Minutes with Sarah Allen of Flook
FOR three decades, Flook have been at the cutting edge of folk music, blending dynamic energy with inventive musicality. Flook's fifth album Sanju was released in May and is available on all digital platforms and on The band also just been awarded prestigious 'Group of the Year' title at the annual TG4 Gradam Ceoil Awards which can be viewed on line at Flute player Sarah Allen took time out to answer our questions What are you up to, Sarah? Right now, I am rushing around preparing for our upcoming Flook tour of Japan. We've been to Japan quite a few times over the years—it's one of our favourite places to tour. The people are so kind and respectful and friendly, and the pace toggles between super calm and super frenetic. It will be great to be back. We called our latest recording Sanju, which very broadly speaking is the Japanese word for 30, as Flook are celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. Which piece of music always sends a shiver down your spine? Allegri's Miserere Which musician or singer has most influenced you? A chance meeting with legendary free improvising jazz drummer John Stevens single-handedly changed the course of my musical life. From there on in everything I had previously learned about music was challenged and reset; it was the starting point of a much more creative and fulfilling musical journey. What's on your smartphone playlist at the minute? I've been listening a lot to Bonny Light Horseman's latest release Keep Me on Your Mind / See You Free - I saw them live at The Roundhouse last Autumn - they were AMAZING! I'm also really enjoying The Charming Smile and the Glorious Life from up and coming band Wesley. The lead singer Jamie is the son of my good friend Al Jones, fiddle player from The Barely Works. Other favourites include Laura Wilkie's new album Vent and Brìghde Chaimbeul's new single Bog an Lochan. What are your family roots in Ireland? My Irish roots are only very distant, from way back in the 1600s when my forefathers on my father's side came from up around where Brian (Finnegan) lives in the Armagh area, before they emigrated to Australia. What is your favourite place in Ireland? I love the bustle of Galway and the wildness of West Cork. What has been your favourite venue? We played with Dreamers' Circus last November at Islington's Union Chapel and will be back there for our own gig this coming November - it's such a beautiful space to play music and to hear music - almost other worldly. Which living person do you most admire? My Dad. The tune Ninety Years Young on our new Flook recording Sanju was written for him, though this year it will be dedicated to my Mum (equally admired) for her big birthday in May this year. Which trait in others do you most admire? Kindness What would be your motto? Peace comes when you realise that everything that's out of control should be out of your mind too. What's the best advice you've ever been given? Always stay curious In terms of inanimate objects, what is your most precious possession? My Granny's wedding ring. It was her one remaining treasured possession and she gave it to me shortly before she died. What's best thing about where you live? The street where I live, on the shabbier side of Hampstead Heath, must be one of the friendliest places in London; everyone looks out for everyone else. Plus we have the Heath across the road with its Lido and swimming ponds. . . . . and the worst? I'm struggling to think of anything I don't like! Who/what is the greatest love of your life? My daughter, Maisy - recently turned 18 and shortly heading off on her own adventures Upcoming gigs 4th June 2025: Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall LIVERPOOL 5th June 2025: The Met BURY, Gt MANCHESTER 6th June 2025: Brewery Arts KENDAL 7th June 2025: The Reeling GLASGOW 8th June 2025: The Glasshouse GATESHEAD 5th July 2025: Festival of Flutes DERRY See More: Flook, Folk Music, Traditional Music
TimesLIVE
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
A trio of award-winning chefs and their special moms this Mother's Day
NINA DU TOIT Head Chef Salsify at The Roundhouse, Camps Bay, Cape Town Eat Out Woolworths Restaurant of the Year I grew up in Johannesburg with my mother Lea Holtz and two siblings, I'm the eldest child. My mom has always made delicious food. We grew up eating very healthy, organic food and my mother has a gift for cooking vegetables and making them taste amazing. After school I wanted to do something practical and my mom asked me what I love doing, it was ultimately cooking and making food for others where I was always happiest. There are many food memories growing up. My mom always made us lunch when we came home from school, and we all sat together and enjoyed dinner together too. In summer she would make us 'fruit soup' which was a fruit salad basically with polenta which she cooked and pressed and then cut into squares. It was all served together in a fruit juice... this was an interesting stand out dish she made, we loved it! But jokes aside she makes a delicious organic chicken soup (all ingredients must be organic otherwise it's not right) and to this day we ask her to make it. My mom would wake up at 5am every morning before us and make us school sandwiches. Always on rye or homemade bread. I was fussy and couldn't eat unroasted bread so mine was always toasted first. Every day was different: lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, gherkins you name it. They were amazing. We did trade them some days at school though for the other children's white bread because that was not allowed in our house. Celebrating Mother's Day together is tricky now that I live in Cape Town and work in a busy restaurant where our patrons come and celebrate their mothers with us. I always send my mother a meal from a restaurant she loves and always include a care package or a spa voucher because she's still my biggest supporter in all I do. When she visits, she still cooks and looks after everyone about her and the topic of conversation about the table is always food. She's always enthusiastic and excited to make dinner together and I love how food always brings people together. I am lucky to have grown up with the best organic food and today I try to find the best produce because I know how good it is for you and I can taste the difference. Anything I make my mom loves. I made her gnocchi once — we make for one of our dishes at Salsify — and she was blown away at how light and delicious they were. She is an excellent baker and we often share recipes with each other and different flours and ingredients we've used. She always made us a birthday cakes which were always exceptional. She's always experimenting with new health products, and she has a little shop in Johannesburg where she sells organic vegetable and health products. Nowadays she makes gluten free, sugar free cakes for her cafe and they are really delicious... you wouldn't be able to tell it's not the real deal. Her banana bread is awesome. LEA'S GLUTEN FREE BANANA BREAD My mother Lea Holtz runs the Collaborative Healing Centre in Johannesburg offering alternative healing and sells organic vegetables, gluten free cakes and biodynamically made compost. It's inspiring to see my mother's dream become a reality. Makes one loaf 5ml (1 tsp) bicarbonate of soda 4 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork 125ml (1/2 cup) butter or oil 125ml (1/2 cup) sugar at most 3 eggs 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence 500ml (2 cups) gluten free flours, buckwheat, spelt, rice or cassava, well sifted 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder Pinch of salt 125ml (1/2 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped 1. Mix the bicarbonate of soda into the banana mix. Melt the butter and let it cool a bit before beating in the sugar, eggs and vanilla. 3. Sift the gluten free flours well and add baking powder, pinch of salt and roughly ground or chopped walnuts. Pour into a greased medium loaf pan and bake at 180 deg C for 40 — 50 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.
