Caxton magazines staffThere’s no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen when medical specialists Duane Blaauw and Eftyhia Vardas entertain. From deciding what dishes to serve to pairing the wines, it’s a team effort all the way. They share their menu for a gourmet brunch
INGREDIENTS
- 750ml full cream Greek yoghurt
- 8–9 ripe, but not too soft, nectarines, halved and stones removed
- juice of half a lemon
- 30ml orange blossom honey or any light honey
- 10ml orange blossom water
For the pecan praline:
- 100g sugar
- 10ml water
- 100g unsalted pecan nuts, roasted
METHOD
1. Carefully place the yoghurt in the centre of a large, clean dish towel, gather up the edges and tie together. Hang over a large bowl for at least 2 hours. Discard the accumulated liquid, and using a spatula, scrape the thickened yoghurt into a dish. Chill until required.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place the nectarines in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour over the lemon juice then drizzle with the honey and orange blossom water. Bake for about 8 minutes; the fruit should be soft, but still retain its shape. Allow to cool in its juices.
3. To make the pecan praline: combine the sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over a low heat until it turns into a syrup and continue to cook, without stirring until it turns a light golden brown colour. Add the nuts and stir until they’re well coated. Pour the mix onto a lightly oiled baking tray and allow it to cool. Place the praline into a plastic bag and break into chunks with a wooden rolling pin.
4. To serve: place the nectarines in individual serving dishes, add the yoghurt, extra honey and the pecan nut praline. Garnish with slices of fresh nectarine and spoon over some of the remaining juice.
This recipe serves 8.
