Chef Siba Mtongana suggests amazing Father's Day treats to try this Sunday

With Father’s Day celebrated on Sunday, 18 June, House and Garden SA spoke to acclaimed South African chef, Siba Mtongana, who shared how she and her family would spend this occasion. The powerhouse businesswoman and personality also generously opened up about some of her favourite Father’s Day recipes and offered a must-see gift suggestion for dads who have a sweet tooth.

Chef Siba explained that this day would be filled with love, cheer, and appreciation for fathers. “We will wake up early to call my two dads to see if they have received their special gift from us as a family and wish them a happy Father’s Day. Then we spoil him [Brian] with cards and presents we have been collecting for this special day.”

“The morning will be spent at home so that we can thoroughly spoil Brian. We have bakes and all sorts of goodies that will go with a special breakfast in bed. He is an early riser so I hope he stays in bed long enough for the kids to serve him his breakfast! Then we will take him for a special lunch at Siba - The Restaurant, for a gastronomic and lastly take him out for sundowners.”

Reflecting on the importance of celebrating dads, the 38-year-old noted that fathers are an integral part of a home and should be shown gratitude too. “They bring so much value in the home in so many ways and I do feel that they are often not as appreciated or celebrated as much as moms, so it is important that we shine the spotlight on them.”

Chef Siba shares Father’s Day winner meals

The wonderful meals suggested by Chef Siba are perfect for Father’s Day, and with winter in full force in South Africa, they are also excellent comfort foods for colder weather.

Starter option: Crustless Quiche

This is the perfect starter, takes 15 minutes to prepare, has a 25-minute cook time, and serves 12, making it perfect for small dinner parties.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 slices Parma ham (prosciutto), halved

• 15 ml olive oil

• 1 small red onion, finely diced

• 150 g red and yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 75 g pitted black olives, chopped; optional

• 50 g mild feta cheese, cut into pieces

• 30 ml chives, chopped

• 250 ml milk

• 6 large eggs

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 30 ml Parmesan cheese, finely grated

METHOD

– Preheat the oven to 180° C. Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with two halves of a prosciutto slice in each muffin cavity.

– Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft. This should take about four minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

– Add the tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and chives. Place equal spoonfuls of the mixture into the prepared bases.

– In a jug or large measuring cup, whisk together the milk and eggs, and season. Pour equal amounts of this whisked mixture into the prepared bases. Sprinkle over the parmesan.

– Bake for 15 minutes until golden, nicely puffed, and set. Cool for a few minutes and then gently remove the tartlets from the muffin tin.

Stuffed Beef Fillet

This dish takes 15 minutes to prepare, has a 30-minute cook time, and serves six or more people. This works well as a main course.

BEEF FILLET

• 1,5 kg beef fillet

• 45 ml ocanola oil

• 5 ml flaked sea salt

• 2 ml ground black pepper

STUFFING

• 30 g butter

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 150 g shimeji mushrooms with stems

• 125 g brown rice, cooked

• 15 ml thyme, picked and finely chopped

• 15 ml parsley, finely chopped

• 120 g baby spinach leaves, stemmed and finely chopped

• 50 g pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped (optional)

• 60 ml dried cranberries, roughly chopped

COOK IN

• 15 ml canola oil

METHOD

– To make the beef: Preheat the oven to 200°C and lightly grease a roasting pan with oil. Pat dry the fillet with kitchen paper towelling. Using a sharp knife, butterfly the meat on a meat board.

– Now flatten the meat using a meat mallet. Be gentle – don’t puncture the fillet. Flatten as evenly as possible. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper all over.

– To make the stuffing: Heat the butter and sauté the onion for 4 minutes until soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes.

– Add the cooked brown rice along with the herbs and spinach. Cook for two minutes until the spinach is slightly wilted, but not cooked through.

– Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pistachios and cranberries. Allow the stuffing to cool until it is cool enough to handle.

– To cook: Place the cooled stuffing on the mid-section of the butterflied meat. Roll as tightly as you can, neatly tucking in the edges. Tie the meat with string at 5 cm intervals.

– Heat a frying pan on high. Add a dash of the oil. Brown the meat for three minutes on each side until golden brown.

– Transfer to the prepared roasting tray and roast for 10 minutes if you like your fillet medium-rare or for up to 18 minutes should you prefer to serve your fillet medium.

– Remove from oven and rest for five minutes, allowing the juices to settle before cutting it. Place on a platter and serve.

Spinach and Cheese-Stuffed Butternut

This delicacy takes 15 minutes to prepare, has a cook time of one hour, and serves six or more people. This is a wonderful option for lunch if your dad is a vegetarian.

BUTTERNUT

• 2 small to medium butternuts

• Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 30 ml melted butter

• 8 thyme sprig leaves, rinsed

• 60 ml honey, to drizzle

CREAMY SPINACH

• 15 ml butter

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 500 g spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped

• 10 ml vegetable stock powder

• 125 ml pouring cream

• 125 ml soft mozzarella, grated

• 125 ml Parmesan, grated; plus extra for topping

METHOD

– To make the butternut: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the butternut halves on a lightly greased roasting pan. Score each butternut half with a knife, making a criss-cross diamond-shaped pattern.

– Season with salt and pepper, dot with the butter and place some thyme sprigs on each butternut half. Drizzle with honey. Roast for 20 minutes until half done.

– To make the creamy spinach: Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant. Add the spinach and stir in along with the stock.

– Pour in the cream and cook for five minutes until the spinach is slightly wilted. Set aside and add the two grated cheeses. Mix until well combined and melted. Remove the butternut halves from the oven.

– Scoop spoonfuls of the creamy spinach into each butternut half and top with extra cheese.

– Bake in the oven for 20 more minutes until the butternut is cooked through and the cheese is golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Cut into slices and serve warm.

Citrus Mini Malva Puddings

These dessert take 25 minutes to prepare, have a cook time of 50 minutes and serve 12 people.

INGREDIENTS

• 250 ml water

• 125 ml castor sugar

• Small pinch of salt

• 3 oranges, thinly sliced

BATTER

• 30 g butter, cubed

• 125 ml full cream milk

• 15 ml apple cider vinegar

• 2 extra large eggs

• 250 ml castor sugar

• 30 ml apricot jam

• 375 ml all-purpose flour

• 5 ml bicarbonate of soda

• Pinch of salt

SAUCE

• 115 g butter

• 60 ml castor sugar

• 125 ml orange juice

• 250 ml pouring cream

TO SERVE

• 310 ml vanilla custard

• 12 scoops vanilla ice cream

• 60 g pistachio nuts, chopped (optional)

METHOD

– Preheat the oven to 180ºC and liberally grease a standard 12-hole muffin pan with butter.

– In a saucepan, heat the water and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the orange slices and cook for two minutes. Set aside.

– To make the batter: In a small saucepan, heat the butter, milk, and vinegar and for 2 minutes. It will curdle slightly, which is fine, just whisk it until well combined. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

– In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the eggs and add two tablespoons of sugar at a time until all the sugar is mixed in and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the apricot jam and beat some more.

– Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together and sift a third of it into the egg-and-sugar mixture, alternating with the warmed milk mixture until well combined. Continue until all the ingredients are mixed in but be careful not to over-mix.

– Using a measuring cup, scoop the batter into each hole of the muffin pan until just over half full. The mixture is enough for a standard 12-hole muffin pan. Tap the muffin pan to remove air bubbles and bake in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes until baked.

– To make the sauce: Heat a small saucepan and melt the butter and sugar in the orange juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a light caramel colour. This takes about five minutes.

– Add the cream, whisking quickly. Gently simmer for eight minutes until slightly thickened and velvety. Make sure the sauce has a pouring consistency and is not so thick that the baked malva won’t absorb it.

– Once the malva is baked through, remove the pan from the oven and poke small holes all over each pudding. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of sauce over each mini pudding, gently releasing the edges to allow the sauce to seep through down the sides too.

– Return the pan to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes until the puddings are sticky and luscious. Remove from the oven and top with partially dehydrated citrus slices. Serve warm or chilled with fresh vanilla custard, ice cream, and a sprinkle of pistachio nuts.

Gift idea for Father’s Day

Shortbread Hearts

This gift would be the perfect Father’s Day gift if your dad has a sweet tooth. It takes 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.

INGREDIENTS

• 375 ml (1½ cups) all-purpose flour

• 2 ml baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 125 ml (½ cup) castor sugar

• 180 ml (2/3 cup) desiccated coconut

• 140 g (½ cup +1 T) cold butter, diced

• 15 ml cold water, optional

TOPPING

• 200 g white Lindt chocolate, melted

• 15-30 ml colourful sprinkles

METHOD

– Place the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and desiccated coconut into a large bowl and mix well. Cut the butter into small blocks and rub it into the flour mixture to form a breadcrumb-like textured mixture.

– Add some water, if needed, and gather with both hands to form a soft cookie dough. Be careful not to overwork the dough. Cover with cling wrap and chill for one hour.

– Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180ºC and lightly grease a baking tray with baking spray. Remove the dough from the fridge and lightly dust a clean working surface with flour. Roll out the dough on the working surface and using a small or medium heart-shaped cutter, cut out the heart shapes and place in a prepared baking tray.

– Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until straw-like and slightly golden. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool down. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate.

– Once the shortbread has cooled down, dip one side of the heart into the melted white chocolate and sprinkle with the colourful sprinkles. Allow the chocolate to set by cooling on the rack again.

– Pack the shortbread into a jar, and tie with a ribbon to gift to your special dad!