Vinegar šašlõkk

Original recipe in Estonian here 

1kg pork shoulder, cut up into roughly equal-sized chunks (4x4x1.5cm is the recommendation from the original recipe)

112 ml 8% vinegar (or 30 ml 30% vinegar - you should have 9ml of acetic acid, if I calculated correctly. You can do the conversions based on that volume, depending on the concentration of your vinegar)

4-5 large onions, cut into thin rings

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

Add everything into the same bowl. Mix and massage the vinegar into the meat for around 15 minutes, then leave to marinade in fridge overnight. 

Thread meat and onions onto skewers, cook on the braai, and enjoy.

Vindaloo (original style)

Amazingly brilliant. I've not changed anything from this recipe:

75ml cider vinegar
700g pork shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks
4 tbsp ghee, neutral or coconut oil
500g onions, finely sliced (about 4 medium onions)
60g tamarind pulp
10 garlic cloves, finely sliced
5cm thick length of ginger, cut into slim matchsticks
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
2-4 small green chillies
10 curry leaves (optional)
1 tbsp jaggery or soft brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black mustard seeds

For the masala
2 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder or paprika
Seeds of 8 cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
8 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric
5cm cinnamon stick

Grind masala ingredients, then add in the vinegar. Rub into the pork and leave to marinade for 3 to 4 hours. 

Heat the ghee in a large pot, then fry the onions over a medium-low heat until soft and golden. Meanwhile, soak tamarind pulp in 120ml of hot water for 15 minutes, then gently rub off pulp from seeds, then strain off the liquid and set aside, and discard the solids. 

Add garlic and ginger to the onions and stir in, cook for another 5 minutes, then add tomatoes, chillies and curry leaves and cook until tomatoes start to break down.

Add the pork and marinade, turn up heat to medium-high, mix in jaggery (sugar), salt and mustard seeds, and then add tamarind liquid. Bring to simmer, turn heat down, cover and cook for an hour. 

After an hour, remove the lid and thicken on a low heat for another 30 minutes. Serve with rice, naan or whatever.

Royal potato salad a l'Ottolenghi

800 g new potatoes, washed 

150 g frozen peas

20 g parsley leaves

20 g basil leaves

60 g pine seeds

60 g parmesan

2 cloves garlic

200 ml olive oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

handful of mint leaves

5 boiled eggs (or 15 quail's eggs)

salt and pepper

Wash the potatoes, boil for around 20 minutes until soft but firm. Boil the eggs until ready (I reckon about 4 minutes is enough), then refresh in cold water. Blanche the peas for 30 seconds in boiling water, then rinse and refresh in cold water.

While the potatoes are boiling, add the parsley, basil, pine seeds, garlic and parmesan to a food processor and blend. Add in olive oil bit by bit until you have a runny pesto. 

When the potatoes are cooked and have cooled enough to handle, cut them in half or quarters, then mix in with the pesto, mint leaves and vinegar. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

Peel and quarter the eggs, mix in gently with the potatoes, and serve. Add extra mint or parsley as garnish if you want.

French onion soup

Slow-cooker special to make a French classic. The original recipe I used (available here) doesn't require caramelising the onions. However, I think it would be that much better (and it was excellent when we made it in the winter) if you do take the extra effort to caramelise them. Here's my adaptation of a French classic.

Will serve lots. Recipe designed for a 5.7-litre slow cooker:

1.5 kg onions, thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one)
100g butter for frying
2 tbsp sugar
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1.5-2 l beef stock
1/2 cup sherry (or use wine vinegar)

Salt and pepper to taste

Baguette, sliced lengthwise

2 cups grated cheese (Gruyère or something similar)

Caramelise the onions in a big pan or two for about 30-45 minutes. To do this, slice the onions into rings or half-rings. Put a big pan on a medium heat with butter, thyme and bay leaves, then leave to cook, occasionally stirring. After 10 minutes, add the sugar and sprinkle salt over the top. (This step can also be done directly in the slow cooker, in which case at everything at the start and leave the onions ot cook for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally).

Next, move everything into a slow cooker. Add the onion mix, stock and sherry, season with salt and pepper, cook for an additional 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. At the end, discard the bay leaves and thyme. 

Switch on the grill in the oven. Put the baguette under the grill and cook for 1-2 minutes either side. 

Dish up some soup into an oven-proof bowl, top with a baguette slice or two, then top the bread with cheese. Put back into the oven and grill for around 2 minutes until the cheese has melted and is cooked.

Kohupiima pannkoogid (Curd pancakes)

• 100 ml flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
• 500g kohupiim / milk curds
• Pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Fry with a bit of vegetable oil, serve with jam or other sweet toppings.

Peri-peri chicken livers

A cheap and easy meal or snack for all occasions. Spiciness can be adapted according to taste. Based on this recipe.

500 g chicken livers, cleaned
butter for frying
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 tbsp peri-peri sauce, or to taste (I have it on good authority that you can use sweet chilli sauce too. Alternatively, peri-peri sauce is quite easy to make at home)
juice of 1 lemon
125 ml cream
salt and pepper for seasoning
parsley, to serve
crusty bread, to serve

Melt the butter in a hot pan and fry the livers and until golden-brown on both sides. Add the garlic and peri-peri sauce and fry for another minute or so, then add the lemon juice and cream, season and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with parsley and eat with bread on the side.

Soba, aubergine and mango salad

Just incredible. Courtesy of Yotam Ottolenghi's book, Plenty:

120 ml rice vinegar
40 g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 fresh chilli, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
zest and juice of 1 lime, plus extra juice to taste
sunflower or rapeseed oil for cooking
2 medium aubergines
250 g soba noodles (made from buckwheat flour)
1 ripe mango (or 2, depending on how much mango you want)
handful each of coriander and basil, roughly chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly

For the dressing, bring the vinegar, sugar and salt to the boil and cook for a minute. Take off the heat, add in the garlic, chilli and sesame oil, and leave to cool. Once cooled, add the lime juice and zest.

Dice the aubergine into 2cm pieces. Fry until golden brown. Once cooked, sprinkle salt over the aubergine and place in a colander to drain.

Cook the soba noodles for around 5-8 minutes depending on the pack instructions. Once cooked, drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and leave to drip dry. Original instructions say to squeeze out the excess water - not sure if this is entirely necessary, but you do you.

Dice the mango into chunks similar in size to the aubergine. Roughly chop the herbs. Throw the noodles, aubergine, mango, herbs, onion and dressing into a big bowl, mix everything together, then leave to marinade for an hour or two. Serve with bread.

Can serve as a main meal or a side, depending on how hungry you are. Add whatever you want to the salad - tofu and mushrooms spring to mind.