Gourmet Safari: A gastronomic journey through the wonders of Africa

Title: Gourmet Safari
Subtitle: A gastronomic journey through the wonders of Africa
Author: Donovan van Staden
Genre: Cookbook
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Imprint: Lifestyle
Cape Town, South Africa 2014
ISBN 9781432301569 / ISBN 978-1-4323-0156-9
Hardcover, dustjacket, 21 x 25 cm, 192 pages, throughout photographs

Description:

A lot has changed in the safari world over the past few years. There are many more lodges and therefore the competition is fiercer than ever. However, this is a good thing because everyone has to raise their game to stay ahead of the pack. The standard of the cuisine is no exception from this pursuit of excellence. In fact, the bragging rights for having the best food in the industry is at the top of our list of goals. What this evolution has resulted in is a new generation of 'bush fine dining'. This is not always easy to accomplish when the supply truck is stuck somewhere between here and Malawi or on a boat somewhere in the Okavango Delta. That being said, no one said it was going to be easy, and we wouldn't want it any other way. How would we describe our food? I'd say 'gourmet home cooking'. Take some good quality ingredients, add a dollop of respect and combine with a few good techniques. Blend until smooth, glossy and delicious and serve with a warm, welcoming smile. It sounds simple enough, but this is only possible with the dedication of talented and hardworking teams. The true stars of the show are the chefs. Day after day they work tirelessly to produce the meals that keep our guests' bellies full and content.

Recipe: Rooibos Crème Brûlée

By Chef Gomorena, Sanctuary Stanley's Camp, Okavango Delta, Botswana

700 ml fresh cream
2 medium or 3 full-flavour tea bags of rooibos tea
Zest of 1 orange
8 egg yolks
170 g castor sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
50 g castor sugar for the caramel crust

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place the cream, tea bags and orange zest in a saucepan and heat until just about to boil. Beat the egg yolks with the castor sugar until light and fluffy. Remove the tea bags from the cream mixture and stir the cream into the egg mixture. Add the vanilla essence and pass the mixture through a sieve. Pour the mixture into individual ramekins. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan half-filled with hot water. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes to create a good skin on top. Once cooled, sprinkle the top of the set custard with a thin layer of castor sugar. Using a blowtorch (and being very careful not to burn yourself), melt the sugar until it is golden brown in colour. Refrigerate overnight. Serves 10. (This recipe is part of Gourmet Safari: A gastronomic journey through the wonders of Africa)