March 2011 – Prue Leith’s Fabulous Foodie Finds

As chefs we are always automatically on the hunt for new ingredients or inspiration from wonderful suppliers, books, magazines, films or other restaurants. As lecturers we love to share so keep an eye on this space every month to learn about our latest culinary joys!

Wagyu Beef @ The Butcher Shop and Grill

Rare ingredients are one of the things we love hunting down at Prue Leith Chefs Academy, so finding wagyu beef at the butchery of this popular steak house was quite a treat. Their meat cuts in general are fantastic (aged for 21 days) but it is the wagyu that has us in awe. The beautifully marbled kobe-style beef is imported from Australia and will set you back R600/kg, but as all foodies know, quality and rarity comes at a price! Also spend time to talk meat to butcher and chef Mike Baker.

The Flavour Thesaurus: Pairings, recipes and ideas for the creative cook. By Niki Segnit

Coming up with creative ideas for new menus can be quite a challenge especially when the menu changes often. The chefs at the Academy rushed out to get this fantastic guide to flavour pairings that was published last year. The guide is divided into flavour categories e.g. earthy, green and grassy or citrusy and ingredients with their favourite pairings are listed in each category.

Segnit draws inspiration from classic dishes as well as modern creations and experiments from current chefs such as Heston Blumenthal.  So expect to find combinations that you are already familiar with, but be ready for suggestions to pair mushrooms with blueberries and cauliflower with chocolate! This is a fascinating read.