OLUCHI LLOYD BLOG
OLUCHI LLOYD BLOG
This Sunday, the 26th November 2023 is known as some as stir-up-Sunday. The name comes from the opening words from the Book of Common Prayer’s collect for the Sunday before Advent, “Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”. Traditionally, this is the Sunday before advent (3rd September, this year). […]
Traditional Christmas Pudding Read More »
A ‘couronne’ is a French crown bread, often served for Easter or Christmas. This version blends British and European flavours, using mincemeat and home-made marzipan. It’s decorated in the French fashion with pistachios and glacé cherries. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Serves: 12 (+2 hours proving) Ingredients:For the couronne:250g (9oz) strong white bread flour,
Mincemeat and Marzipan Couronne Read More »
Despite the name, these buns are actually Swedish and are typically served as a Christmas-time snack. They’re flavoured with saffron and cardamom and include quark cheese. Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 12 (+2 hours proving) Ingredients:250ml (1 cup) milk1 tsp saffron threads50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter500g (1lb 2oz) strong white bread flour, plus
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 10 minutes/Makes: 24 These Caribbean savoury treats are an excellent way of using up leftover tortillas and also make excellent savoury nibbles or starters for Christmas or New Year. Ingredients:For the tortillas:spray oil6 white whole-meal or seeded soft flour tortillas (19cm [7½in] diameter) For the filling:1 red bell pepper, de-seeded
Tortilla Toastie Cups with Beans, Avocado, Mango and Mint Read More »
This is a modern South African twist on the traditional mince pie, blending naartjies (South African tangerines) with mincemeat in a filo pastry case that’s both quick to make and tasty. Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time: 15 minutes/Makes: 12 Ingredients:25g (1oz) olive oil (or melted butter)150g (5½oz) mincemeat (use one with lots of fruit)125g (4½oz)
This is an alternate Christmas or Boxing Day dinner. I’ve used kudu here, South African venison but this recipe works just as well with lamb or northern hemisphere venison. The secret to this recipe is slow cooking, so you end up with tender and succulent meat. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 120 minutes/Serves: 6 Ingredients:2.25kg
Slow-roast Shoulder of Venison Read More »
Speculaas are a classic Dutch festive biscuit (cookie) typically made for Christmas. They make an excellent snack (they go well with mulled wine), can be baked as edible Chrismas gifts and can also be made as edible Christmas tree decorations. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 12 Ingredients:100g (3½oz) plain flour1 tsp cinnamon½ tsp
Speculaas Biscuits Read More »
This is a classic festive cheesecake, made with a base of traditional Dutch speculaas biscuits (see previous recipe). If serving for dinner (either for Christmas or New Year) this cheesecake can be prepared the day before, but needs to be decorated just before serving.Prep time: 120 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Serves: 8-10 Ingredients:For the base:100g (1/2
No-bake Speculaas Biscuit Cheesecake Read More »
Plakali is an Ivorian accompaniment or ‘swallow’ made from home-fermented cassava. It’s also made in Ghana and Togo where it’s known as Agbélimakoumè. Prep time 20 minutes/Cook time 30 minutes/Serves 4 (+2 days fermenting) Ingredients:1 cassava tuber Method:Cut the ends off the cassava then peel the tuber, slicing down the cassava in a spiral pattern
This classic Ghanaian recipe is of mixed yam, cocoyam and plantains served with a stew of smoked fish and turkey berries. Known as kwahu nsusua in Ghana, turkey berries are the fruit of Solanum torvum. Turkey berry is native from Florida and southern Alabama through the West Indies and from Mexico through Central America and
Ampesi with Kontomire Stew Ghana Read More »
Kedjenou is a spicy stew that is traditionally prepared with chicken or guinea hen, and vegetables. It is one of the most popular dishes from Côte d’Ivoire, which is where we are headed today. Kedjenou (also called kedjenou poulet and kedjenou de poulet) is typically slow-cooked in a canari, a traditional earthenware pot that takes
Prep time: 10 minutes/-/Serves 4 This is a classic Ivorian light salad that can be served as a quick lunch with bread or can be used as a side salad for a large meal. Ingredients:1 large avocado2 ripe heirloom tomatoes100g peeled prawns (shrimp)2 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp lemon juicesalt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Salade d’avocat aux tomates et aux crevettes Read More »
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 60 minutes/Serves: 5 (+1 hour marinating) Ingredients:1 good-quality grain-fed chicken2 chicken bouillon cubes, crumbles1/2 tsp ground black pepper1 tsp garlic powder2 tsp hot chilli powder3 tbsp of olive oil Method:Spatchcock the chicken by cutting along the backbone with kitchen shears or a serrated knife. Prise the two halves of the
Poulet braisé à l’Ivorienne (Ivorian-style Roast Chicken) Read More »
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 80 minutes/Serves: 6 The name of this classic Ivorienne (from Côte d’Ivorie) literally translates as ‘fat rice’ and is also sometimes called ‘riz gras à l’Ivorienne’ and it made with chicken rather than beef or goat meat it can be called riz gras au poulet, just as this meat version
Riz au Gras (Ivorian Fat Rice) Read More »
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 25 minutes/Serves: 4 This is the Ivorian recipe for the pepper (chilli) sauce that’s typically served as an accompaniment to fermented cassava couscous, attiéké Ingredients:20 small habanero chillies3 onions1 large, ripe, tomato1 garlic clove2 bay leavessalt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil4 tbsp Dijon mustard Method:Combine
Piment d’Attiéké (Pepper Sauce for Attiéké) Read More »
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 70 minutes/Serves: 4 This is the Ivorian (from Côte d’Ivoire) version of the jute mallow based sauce that’s prepared (in various ways) all across West Africa. Though it can be served with rice, kpala is most typically served with plakali (see next recipe). Traditionally this recipe is made with fermented
Kpala (Jute Leaf Sauce) Read More »
This must be up there amongst the contenders for the national dish of Côte d’Ivoire. Attiéké, a couscous made from grated, fermented and dried cassava served with fried plantains, fried fish pieces served with a tomato-based sauce. It’s the plantain (aloko) that bulks up the meal with one plantain served per person for a light
Attiéké et Aloko Poisson (Attiéké and Plantain with Fish) Read More »
Also known as thiebou niébé, this is a classic but simple Senegalese dish of smoked and dried fish (kethiakh), salted and dried fish (guedji), dried beans, vegetables and seafood with mixed vegetables served on a bed of rice. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time 90 minutes/Serves: 5-6 Method:250ml (1 cup) oil250g (1/2 lb) kethiakh (smoked and
Thiebou Kéthiakh (Rice with Dried Fish, Seafood and Vegetables)thiebou-kethiakhe. Read More »
Mbaxal Dieune Also known as mbaxal diw tiir this is a traditional Senegalese dish that’s essentially a riff on thiéb bou dieune bou wékh except that less rice is used. This recipe also incorporates dikhatou, sometimes known as African aubergine, a bitter member of the solonaceae family that is a feature of Senegalese cookery. Prep
Tiep bou wekh (White Senegalese Rice and Fish)tiep-bou-wekh. Read More »
Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 15 minutes/Serves: 4 Also known as otor, this is a spicy dish of plantain or yam served with hard-boiled eggs and avocados that makes for a light lunch or supper dish that kids absolutely adore. Ingredients:2 Ripe Plantains, peeled and sliced1/2 Habanero or Scotch Bonnet Pepper1/4 Small brown Onion, coarsely
