Eat Out Honours The Werf Restaurant for Sustainability

The Werf Restaurant won the Woolworths Sustainability Award at yesterday’s Eat Out awards held at The Grand West Casino in Cape Town. The Sustainability Award was judged by a separate panel of experts including Abigail Donnelly, Pavitray Pillay of WWF-SASSI, Sonia Mountford of Eategrity and Karen Welter of Longtable Project. Eat Out has worked with these partners to develop robust criteria for evaluating restaurants for this award.

Christiaan Campbell, Boschendal’s Executive Chef is elated with the win. For Campbell, the award raises awareness about issues he has long cared about: farming and cooking with integrity. “One could say I am a farming activist before being a chef – if we are to eat meat and grow healthy produce, animals should live dignified lives and we should make every effort to improve soil health following each harvest. I am proud that our Boschendal food garden and farming teams are forging ahead with these restorative practices – and the Eat Out award gives credit to this awesome team effort.”

According to Sonia Mountford of Eategrity, “Christiaan paved the way for sustainability-minded chefs long before it became a trend”. Four years ago, Campbell took the opportunity at Boschendal to steer the farm’s development in pioneering agriculture, taking an active interest in the estate’s soil health and using The Werf Restaurant to educate diners. “He not only understands the connection between how our food is grown – including how livestock is treated, human health and the health of the planet, but he also actively pursues ways to advocate for the principle of respect.”, says Mountford.

For Matt Stevens, Boschendal’s General Manager of Hospitality – the award goes a long way to crediting the overriding philosophy of the farm: “We are thrilled to win the 2018 Eat Out Sustainability Award and thank the judges for this prestigious recognition. This honour really goes to the heart of what we do at Boschendal – a daily collaboration between our farming, food garden and kitchen teams. Like Wendell Berry, we believe strongly that ‘eating is an agricultural act’ and are proud that The Werf Restaurant is producing an exceptional dining experience rooted in regenerative agricultural principles”

The Werf Restaurant is open Wednesdays to Saturdays for lunch and dinner and on Sundays for lunch only. The new Werf Bar situated in the restaurant is open Monday to Sunday 12:00 to close. There is no better way to celebrate exquisitely grown farm produce!

Meet the man behind our regenerative farming initiatives

We are thrilled to announce that we are the first farm in the Cape Winelands to be awarded world-renowned environmental and animal welfare certification from A Greener World (AGW). Certified Animal Welfare Approved by AGW is the only higher animal welfare certification in South Africa and the standards of this programme was developed with the help of veterinary and farming experts from across the globe to encourage and maximize high-welfare farm management that is practicable.

“We’re proud to certify farms like Boschendal that have demonstrated their commitment to transparency and verified, high-welfare, farming practices. These stewards of the countryside are building a greener world while elevating the market and level the playing field.” – AGW Executive Director, Tozie Zokufa

Who’s the man that made it happen?

In light of this accolade, we want to honour Farmer Jason Carroll and his exceptional team for all the hard work and dedication that they’ve put into taking care of our animals and the land they farm on. Jason has been at the forefront of change in livestock farming and he’s been a passionate farmer at Boschendal for nearly 6 years.

Jason worked as a farmer and butcher in the Eastern Cape and his journey towards sustainable farming started when his wife fell pregnant with their little girl. He recalls reading an article that links the alarmingly early onset of puberty amongst girls to the unnatural, hormone-induced food that both mother and child consume. Determined to find a solution that will provide a healthier alternative for his growing family, Jason managed to find a farming model with the potential to change our world for the better. His approach aligned perfectly with Boschendal’s vision of sustainable and ethical farming and he was soon brought on board to take the lead.

How do we farm?

Under Jason’s leadership, the farming project grew from 120 Black Angus cattle to a herd of between 500 and 700 cattle with approximately 150 calves being born per year. The farming model that he follows is based on collaboration with these wonderful animals – they graze at leisure in wide open fields and in return their activity helps our team to restore the soil, which is our most valuable asset. Jason and his team work together with the animals, bonded by mutual respect, as it was intended. While producing high quality grass-fed beef is certainly something we strive for, the emphasis is on why we do it and this greatly influences the how. Jason takes his lead from nature and bases his decisions on the principles of natural selection that would apply in the wild, all to ensure our animals enjoy a life worth living on the farm.

In addition to our Black Angus Cattle, our layer hens and forest-raised Duroc pigs also contribute to the regenerative farming project on the farm. Our highly intelligent Duroc pig families roam around in the forests, digging up unwanted roots from invasive plants in order to help us restore the natural flow of water from the mountains. Our pigs have never seen a slab of concrete, get to roll around in the mud and take their naps under the oak trees. Having been a cattle farmer his whole life, Jason admits he was pleasantly surprised by these magnificent creatures and now finds plenty of enjoyment sharing his mornings with them in the forest.

Our layer hens get moved around the farm in mobile chicken tractors and follow in the footsteps of the cattle. Besides eating all unwanted parasites and weeds, the chickens spread the manure from our Black Angus cattle all over the land while leaving their own trail of nitrogen-rich manure behind. A big bonus from having layer hens do the work, is the incredibly nutritious free-range eggs we get to harvest and enjoy. Although the chickens started out as happy helpers in the fields, egg production for our restaurants and Farm Shop has become a big part of our business too.

All of these animals play an important part in the process of becoming more sustainable and building a legacy of regenerative farming in the winelands, but the most important link in the chain that can’t be overlooked, is Jason’s right-hand man, Ralph Valentine. Ralph is his eyes and ears on the farm and assists him in leading the incredible livestock team without whom none of this progress would be possible.

“They understand the way we farm and without them, this entire operation would fall apart. They have mastered a unique skill set that can’t be taught elsewhere and they’ve learnt it all here on the farm. In 11 years as a farmer, these guys are the most diligent and hard-working team I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.”

Where do we go from here?

Being able to prove that this model works, even in the big leagues, Jason hopes to share what he’s learnt with the rest of the world and inspire the next generation of farmers to follow in his footsteps and make a change for the better.

“If we do this right and prove that a farm of this size can convert, “go green” and be sustainable, what stops any of the other smaller farms. We are the example and the ability we have to get the movement out there, to show how and why to do it is mind-blowing. In the end, I want people to learn from me and also to be able to enjoy a nice T-bone steak on a Friday – with or without garnish from the garden.”

Talking to Jason, you can immediately pick up his passion and strong belief that, if we can change the way the next generation sees regenerative farming, we can truly begin to reverse climate change. He hopes that his success will teach the next generation of farmers to start off better by caring for the environment and respecting the animals they work with. Given that the demand for meat is unlikely to decrease in the foreseeable future, we applaud Jason for choosing to be a part of the solution and helping Boschendal provide a healthier and environmentally friendly alternative.

When our fragrant, sweet and tangy plums come into season at Boschendal Wine Farm, summer is well under way. So, we’ve collected together 7 easy-to-follow recipes that make the best use of this sweet and juicy crop,
which is available to purchase in our Farm Shop.

With around 30 hectares under fruit, Boschendal Wine Farm is serious about plums. In fact Cherry plums are grown exclusively at BoschendalWine Farm. It’s a unique new fruit that’s a natural cross between plums and cherries. The Boschendal Plum Festival is a time to celebrate this most versatile, healthy fruit that’s rich in vitamins A, C and E and calcium, and which contains folic acid, potassium, iron and beta-carotene.

At the first bite, the cherry plum is sweet and spicy and then it rounds off with a tart and plummy finish. It originated from the Zaiger Breeding program in Modesto, California and 80 000 trees were planted at Boschendal Wine Farm. Cherry Plums are planted using an innovative trellising system with double row, high tree density and low tree-height which is ideal for Boschendal Wine Farm as we predominantly have a female workforce. This system allows for effortless pruning, thinning and picking without the use of ladders. During the first harvest, 36 tons of Cherry plums – roughly 90 000 fruits – were picked. Cherry plums are round in shape and between 35-40mm which makes them ideal for snacking and packing into lunch boxes. Gourmet chefs and home cooks alike enjoy using them in a range of recipes, some of them collected here.

Our recipes are simple and easy to follow. They showcase the versatility of this fruit, which the Romans boiled in wine to make a medicinal tea. Available in a range of varieties, each a different jewel-like colour, plums are more than a healthy addition to the fruit bowl – they’re also a versatile and healthy ingredient in the kitchen. Whether you roast, grill or bake them, pickle or preserve them, turn them into a crumble or serve them as the topping on a cake, the simple plum is highly adaptable. Plums made into jams and jellies and chutneys are always popular and they’re delicious cooked in stews and casseroles. Jam or chutney? If it’s jam, you’re after, happily plum jam is one of the simplest jams to make because they’re got so much pectin in them so plum jam always sets. For a little more flavour, just add the seeds of a vanilla pod or even some ginger.
If chutney is more to your taste and you like your meat spiced up, add cinnamon, ginger or cumin to your chutney.
Spicy plum chutney goes especially well with pork and with Gruyère or cheddar cheese.

PICKLED FRESH PLUM RELISH
Delicious with pork, venison or meat pâté.

½ jalapeno chilli, seeded and finely chopped
500g plums, pitted and cut in half and each half into quarters
200ml brown sugar
100ml cider or white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
Julienne strips of a ¼ orange
2ml coriander seeds
1ml salt

Place a small plate in the freezer. Put all the ingredients in a pot. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 45-60 minutes. Test the jam for doneness – when a teaspoon of jam gels on the frozen plate within 1-2 minutes. Transfer the relish to jars, cool at room temperature and refrigerate. It keeps for 3 months if unopened.

SPICED PLUM CHUTNEY
Delicious with pork, sausage and cheese platters.

1/3 cup sugar
½ cinnamon stick
1 star anise
6 ripe plums, pitted and chopped
Strip of orange rind
Pinch of cumin
1 tsp fresh ginger
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pour the sugar into a saucepan and add just enough water to dissolve it. Add cinnamon and star anise. Place on the stove and simmer until syrup reduces right down, the bubbles start to get bigger, and the syrup turns golden brown. Add the plums, orange zest, cumin and ginger. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with meat or chilled with cheeses

PLUM DIPPING SAUCE
Delicious as a dipping sauce for appetizers, spring rolls, dim sum, crispy chicken wings, mini pork sausages and mini chicken or pork meatballs.

5 plums, peeled, pitted and chopped
30ml sugar
30ml rice wine vinegar
5ml soy sauce
125 ml water
15ml vegetable oil
10ml fresh garlic, crushed or finely chopped
10ml fresh ginger, finely chopped

Heat the vegetable oil, add the garlic and ginger and gently fry for 1-2 minutes. Add plums and cook for 5-6 minutes until they disintegrate. Add rest of the ingredients, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

TOMATO AND PLUM SALAD
A fragrant quick and easy summer salad.

The salad:
400g tomatoes, any variety or size (cut large ones into 1cm wedges, cut cherry tomatoes in half)
400g plums, pitted and cut into 1cm wedges
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1g fresh coriander
Flaked sea salt

The dressing:
10ml castor sugar
30ml rice vinegar
10ml soy sauce
30ml sesame or olive oil
5ml ginger, freshly grated
½ clove garlic, crushed
¼ tsp orange rind, finely grated

Mix the salad ingredients together and put aside. Lightly whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss into the salad. Serve immediately.

BAKED WHOLE PLUMS IN SWEET WINE
A summer dessert that will leave you begging for seconds.

Serves 6

1kg large purple plums
¼ cup soft brown sugar
Butter
½ cup sweet hanepoot wine or semi-sweet rosé

To serve, mix together
½ cup plain yoghurt
½ cup fresh cream

Rinse and dry the plums. Arrange the whole plums upright in a single layer in a buttered ovenproof dish just large enough to hold them. Sprinkle with the sugar at 180°C for 10 minutes. Pour over the wine and bake for 25 minutes, or until tender, but still holding their shape. Serve warm with the well-chilled yoghurt and cream mix.

FRESH PLUM CRUMBLE
Most people use oats in crumbles but in summer, almond flour is a light alternative. Both works equally well.
Wheat- and gluten-free.

Serves 6

The filling:
1kg ripe, firm plums
Butter, for greasing
1 orange, zested and juiced
2 tbsp muscovado sugar
Fresh nutmeg, grated
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
Thick sour cream, for serving
Fresh mint, to garnish

The topping:
150g almond flour (or oats)
60g muscovado sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Fresh nutmeg, grated
60g cold butter

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Cut eight slices from each plum. Place in a 25cm x 15cm greased pie dish. Add the orange zest and juice and sprinkle with the sugar. Grate over a little nutmeg, tuck in the cinnamon and star anise. Mix the almond flour with the sugar and spices. Cut in the butter and rub in with your fingertips until sticky. Crumble over the fruit. Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown, crisp and the fruit is tender. Serve with sour cream and garnish with the mint.

MAPLE ROAST PLUMS WITH CINNAMON MUSCOVADO YOGHURT
A rich, aromatic finale to a long slow summer dinner.

Serves 4

8 slightly under ripe red plums, pitted and halved
200g Greek yoghurt
2 x 15ml tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
24g unsalted butter, softened
60ml maple syrup
4-star anise

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Stir the yoghurt, sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl, then leave to stand to let the sugar dissolve and the flavours deepen. In an ovenproof dish or shallow casserole, in which the halved plums will fit snugly, warm the butter, maple syrup and star anise just until the butter has melted; you can do this on the stove or in the oven. Either way, remove the dish from the heat. Place the plums in the dish, cut-side down, then turn them straight away cut-side up, transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, at which time you should baste the plums with the syrupy juices. Then give them another 10-20 minutes until they are just soft – a quick prod with a small fork should let you know – but still holding their shape. Let the dish sit out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving, with the aromatic yogurt in a bowl alongside.

Written by Boschendal

The Black Angus cows at Boschendal are free to roam and be social – as nature intended. It’s a little known fact that grazing is as important to beef as terroir is to wine, so with beef where the quality of the grazing and the personality of the farm comes through in the meat.

Boschendal’s beef is all about the subtle flavours of a pasture in perfect harmony with nature. The calves are born and raised in the fields, and all the cows have access to trees for shade and have plenty of space to lie down and chew the cud. These are social, happy cows and happy cows make for tasty beef.

Winter meat cuts like short rib and goulash are ideal for hearty family stews and slow-cooked dinners enjoyed at home. Our chefs have selected their favourite recipes using our new cuts of Black Angus beef to inspire your inner chef this winter.

Download our Angus Beef Recipes

Shop Our Butchery

BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING WITH A MARMALADE GLAZE AND CINNAMON & CITRUS BUTTER

Serves 6

The flavoured butter:

7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

A large pinch of ground nutmeg

A large pinch of ground cinnamon

Zest of 1 large orange, clementine or tango

8 x ½ inch slices of good-quality bread

9 large free range eggs

¾ cup superfine sugar

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 vanilla bean, scored lengthways, seeds removed

4 tbsp good quality fine-cut marmalade

Preheat the oven to 180°C. First make your flavoured butter by mixing the butter with the nutmeg, cinnamon and orange zest. Use a little of it to butter a medium sized shallow ovenproof dish. Butter the bread with the flavoured butter, then cut each slice in half diagonally. Put the slices in the buttered dish. Now separate the eggs, reserving all 9 yolks but just 1 egg white. Whisk together the egg yolks and egg white with the sugar, then gently heat the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla seeds and bean. Pour into the eggs, stirring all the time. Remove the vanilla bean, then pour the mixture over the bread and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes. Put the dish inside a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the roasting pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes until the custard has just set. Meanwhile, gently warm the marmalade, remove the dish from the oven and brush the marmalade over the top. Pop the dish back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Allow it to cool and firm up slightly before serving with crème fraîche or mascarpone cheese.

LEMON CURD

200ml lemon juice (4-6 lemons)

Grated zest of 4 lemons

200g caster sugar

4 free range eggs

4 free range egg yolks

180g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Put all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based saucepan, leaving out half the butter. Place over a medium heat and, using a hand whisk, whisk constantly while you cook the curd. Reduce the heat if it starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the curd reaches boiling point, you will notice large bubbles coming to the surface. Continue whisking vigorously for another minute and then remove from the heat. Off the heat, add the remaining butter and whisk until it has melted. Pass the curd through a sieve and into a container. Cover the surface with cling film, allow it to come to room temperature then chill for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, for it to firm up well. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

PRESERVED LEMONS

6 unwaxed lemons

6 tbsp coarse sea salt

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 large red chilli

Juice of 6 lemons

Olive oil

Before starting, get a jar just large enough to accommodate all the lemons tightly. To sterilise it, fill it up with boiling water, leave for a minute and then empty it. Allow it to dry out naturally without wiping it so it remains sterilised. Wash the lemons and cut a deep cross all the way from the top to 2cm from the base, so you are left with 4 quarters attached. Stuff each lemon with a spoonful of salt and place in the jar. Push the lemons in tightly so they are squeezed together well. Seal the jar and leave for at least a week. After this initial period, remove the lid and press the lemons as hard as you can to squeeze as much of the juice out of them as possible. Add the rosemary, chilli and lemon juice and cover with a thin layer of olive oil. Seal the jar and leave it in a cool place for at least 4 weeks. The longer you leave them, the better the flavour.

ROASTED SWEET POTATO WITH CITRUS DRESSING

Serves 6-8

2 sweet potatoes (about 850g in total)

3 tbsp olive oil

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

4 tbsp coriander, roughly chopped

¼ tsp dried chilli flakes

salt and pepper

The dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp orange, clementine or tangerine juice

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Start with the sweet potatoes. Don’t peel them! Cut them into 2cm cubes, spread them out on a baking tray and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle some salt and pepper, mix well with your hands and then roast in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until just tender. Turn them over gently half way through cooking.

To make the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl with some salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. When the potatoes are ready, transfer them to a large bowl while still hot. Add the spring onions, parsley, coriander and chilli. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to blend, then season to taste. Serve at once or at room temperature.

LEMON MERINGUE TARTLETS

½ quantity of lemon curd (see recipe, above)

6  pre-baked tartlet cases  

120g caster sugar

2 free range egg whites

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spoon the cold lemon curd into the tart cases, filling them three-quarters full. Leave aside, preferably in the fridge. To make the meringue, spread the sugar over an oven tray lined with baking parchment. Place in the hot oven for 5-6 minutes. The sugar should become very hot but musn’t begin to dissolve. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150°C. At the last minute of heating up the sugar, place the egg whites in the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Whisk on high speed for a few seconds until they begin to froth up. Now carefully pour the hot sugar onto the whisking whites in a slow stream. Once finished, continue whisking for a good 15 minutes, until the meringue is firm, shiny and cold. Use 2 spoons to dispense the meringue on top of the curd and create a pattern. At this point you can either leave the meringue totally white or you can place it in the oven for 1-3 minutes to brown the top very lightly. Serve at once or chill for up to 12 hours.

CITRUS RATAFIA

Ratafia are liqueurs, produced in France, by steeping fruits and peels in Armagnac. We have adapted the recipe and replaced the Armagnac with brandy

6 large oranges, or 8 clementines or tangos 

4 cinnamon sticks

1 cup sugar

1L brandy

Wash 2-3 of the fruit well and dry. Using a zester remove the outer zest only and cut into very thin strips. Juice all of the fruit and strain; you will need 2 cups of juice. Combine the juice and sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let stand until completely cool and add the brandy. Put the zest and cinnamon sticks in a glazed stoneware crock or glass pitcher. Pour in the citrus juice mixture, cover and let stand for 1 month at room temperature, stirring from time to time with a clean wooden spoon. Strain through coffee filter papers into bottles. Cover tightly and let age for at least 1 month before serving chilled.

ROASTED LEMON POTATOES

750g potatoes, unpeeled

1 lemon, finely sliced
2 bay leaves
Coarse salt
Black pepper, freshly ground
3 cloves garlic, left whole
60ml olive oil

Slice the unpeeled potatoes and place in a deep bowl with the finely sliced lemon, bay leaves, coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic (leave the cloves whole) and oil. Shake until the potato slices are covered in oil. Spoon the potato mixture into a baking dish, cover with the foil and bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until tender and golden.

CITRUS BUTTER

Fruit butters are delicious with scones, croissants, pancakes or your favourite morning toast. The butter will keep for several days in the fridge or many weeks in the freezer.

8 tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter
⅓ cup orange or any citrus marmalade,
½ tsp confectioners’ sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange, clementine or tango

Bring the butter to room temperature and blend all ingredients together. Shape into a log, wrap with parchment paper and keep in the fridge until needed. Return to room temperature before serving.

ORANGE PECAN BREAD

8 tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter, softened
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, separated
Grated rind of 1 large or 2 small oranges, clementines or tangos
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
½ cup fresh orange, clementine or tango juice
1 cup shelled pecans, chopped
Citrus butter (see recipe, above)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease an 8½ x 4½ inch loaf pan. Cream the butter. Add three-quarters cup sugar gradually, beating with an electric mixer until light. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, and the grated orange rind. Sift the flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt, and add the dry mixture to the batter alternately with ½ cup of orange juice, beginning and ending with flour. Gently mix in the pecans. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them carefully into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile, make the citrus butter and smear over the bread as soon as the bread is removed from the oven. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

BEETROOT WITH ORANGE

450g beetroot, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes

25g butter 

20ml marmalade

Juice of ½ orange, clementine or tango

Salt and pepper

Heat all the ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the beetroot is glazed. Season to taste and serve at room temperature with venison or duck.

CITRUS IN CHOCOLATE

4 large oranges, or 6-8 clementines or tangos

250g good quality bitter or plain chocolate

Peel, de-pith and completely skin the orange segments. Pat each of them dry with a tea cloth to remove any excess juice. Cover 2 baking trays with sheets of waxed grease-proof paper. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt with 15ml water on the top of a double boiler. Drop the orange segments, one at a time, into the chocolate, coating both sides. Remove with tongs onto the paper and then place the trays in the fridge to set. Serve at room temperature.

CITRUS AND ONION SALAD

The answer when you’re looking for an offbeat salad that will complement Italian or other Mediterranean menus. It should not sit around since the oranges soon begin tasting like onions and the charm of the whole thing is lost. Serve within 30 minutes of assembly.

6 large, firm, juicy oranges, clementines or tangos
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 tbsp best quality olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced paper-thin
1 cup black olives
¼ cup fresh chives, snipped
Black pepper, freshly ground

Peel the fruit and cut into 4-5 crosswise slices. Arrange on a shallow serving dish and sprinkle with vinegar, olive oil and oregano and leave for 30 minutes. Arrange the sliced onion and black olives over, sprinkle with chives, and grind on the pepper. Delicious served with pork and chicken.

LEMON CHICKEN WITH ZA’ATAR

With thanks to Sami Tamimi

Serves four

3 lemons
1 whole chicken, segmented into legs, thighs and breasts (or about 1kg chicken legs or supremes, skin on, if you prefer)
2 onions, peeled, sliced in half, then each half cut into 3 wedges
2 heads of garlic, skin on, sliced in half, widthways
2 tsp sumac
¾ tsp ground allspice
4 tbsp za’atar
90ml olive oil
200ml chicken stock (or water)
5g parsley, finely chopped
30g flaked almonds, toasted
Salt and black pepper

Slice 2 of the lemons into ½cm-thick pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Finely grate the zest of the remaining lemon and set this aside for later. Squeeze the same lemon to get about 1½ tablespoons of juice and add this to the mixing bowl along with the chicken, onions, garlic, sumac, allspice, 2 tablespoons of za’atar, 2 tablespoons of oil, the stock or water, 1½ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Mix well to combine, then cover with a large plate and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight, if you have time).

Half an hour or an hour before baking, take the chicken out of the fridge. It should be at room temperature before going into the oven. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Transfer the chicken to a large baking tray, skin side up, and pour over all the marinade and lemon slices. Drizzle the chicken with a tablespoon of oil and bake for about 45 minutes, giving everything a bit of a stir halfway through, until the chicken is golden and cooked through and the onions have taken on some colour. Transfer to a serving platter along with the lemon slices and any juices that have collected at the bottom of the tray. Some people will love to eat the lemon slices and others won’t. Either way, serve them with the chicken: they look great. Towards the end of the cooking time for the chicken, combine the parsley, lemon zest, the remaining 2 tablespoons of za’atar and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Spoon this over the chicken, finish with the almonds and serve.

ORAGE AND FENNEL SALAD

This is the kind of salad that is eaten at the start of an Italian feast as it cleans the palate and has wonderful flavours. Even though untraditional, it works well with feta cheese or goats’ cheese crumbled over the top, as both work really well with orange.

1 bulb of fennel, washed and finely sliced
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 cucumber, finely sliced
A large handful of radishes, with tops, washed and finely sliced
4 oranges, clementines or tangos peeled, segmented and pips removed
Optional: feta or goats’ cheese
Good quality herb or red wine vinegar
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl combine 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 6 or so tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Mix well. Combine the fennel, onion, cucumber, radishes and oranges, clementines or tangos in a bowl. Taste, season with salt and pepper, then divide between your plates and sprinkle with crumbled feta or goats’ cheese. Serve straight away.

This is the third in a series of articles introducing the Boschendal community to some of the extraordinary makers that provide their sustainable and farm fresh goods to the newly-launched Boschendal omni-channel store. Farmer Jason plays an important role in ensuring our meat selection is farm fresh and ethical.

Boschendal’s sustainable farming roots run deep. As the site of the original Rhodes fruit farm, and one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa, our connection to the soil, fauna and flora of our beautiful natural surroundings is part of the DNA of what makes Boschendal what it is today.

Regenerative farming is essential for sustainability

In fact, Boschendal recently became the first farm in the Cape Winelands to receive the prestigious Environmental and Animal Welfare certification from A Greener World. Our ethical approach to the animals and environment resident at our farm has also led to Boschendal becoming one of only 50 farms worldwide to be considered for a new regenerative farming certification, with a special recognition of our innovative collaboration with the animals that live here.

The driving force behind much our success in this regard is sustainable farmer Jason Carroll, Boschendal’s charming and nature-loving livestock manager.

“It is vital that people change their relationship with the animals that provide their food,” says Jason. “People need to understand where their food comes from, and be able to make informed decisions over how animals are treated prior to them landing on their plates.”

Free-roaming lifestyle for our animals

Jason tends to our majestic free-roaming Black Angus cattle that are the source of much of the mouth-watering farm fresh steaks, short ribs, biltong, mince, burgers and charcuterie found at our The Werf restaurant and The Deli, and more recently on the new Boschendal omnichannel store.

He also watches over the drove of Duroc pigs that roam the forests surrounding Boschendal, and keeps a watchful gaze on the layer hens clucking around the farm.

“The stunning countryside setting allows all our animals to roam freely and eat only the best, natural, additive-free grasses, much like what they would encounter if left to live in nature,” explains Jason. “The better our animals are doing physically and emotionally, the better quality meat they produce. We farm without any artificial interference, and stay far away from hormones and antibiotics.”

Healthy farm fresh meat from our farm to your door

The result? Boschendal farm fresh meat is lower in saturated fat, higher in vitamin E, and offers a rich blend of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. “Anyone purchasing farm fresh meat from our store can do so safe in the knowledge that the animals were treated well, that the meat is healthy and additive-free, and that the entire process was conducted in an ethically-conscious way.”

With a healthy understanding that much of the world’s current farming practices are unsustainable and, often, outright harmful to the animals, environment and ultimately people, Jason takes a holistic approach to the animals in his care.

“Boschendal’s commitment to regenerative farming practices creates a harmonious environment for our animals. As our Black Angus cattle graze peacefully in the farm’s wide-open fields, their natural activity creates opportunities for our team to naturally restore the soil, which then contributes to the quality of the other produce grown at Boschendal.”

Asked about the future, Jason says it is vital that we establish more sustainable ways of living for the benefit of our children and grandchildren. “Our farm animals sustain us and, in turn, it is our duty to ensure we create a sustainable environment for them. By pioneering ethically-conscious farming practices, we also create a blueprint for future generations for maintaining the health of our ecosystem. As much as this is a business, it is also a higher calling, one that is becoming increasingly vital as the effects of a changing climate take hold.”

The results of Jason’s expert care and guidance can be experienced on Boschendal’s omnichannel store. Look for the farm fresh sliced beef biltong, Angus beef ribeye and mouth-watering Angus beef bone broth here.

When I first came to Boschendal I thought that I would be doing the same thing that I have always done: farm beef. I have had a passion for cattle since I was old enough to open a gate, and I am privileged to have the opportunity to wake up every day to do something that I love.

I came here as a beef farmer. I have always been a beef farmer. I have picked bulls, mated cows, bred calves, weaned them, sold the oxen and then bred the heifers again. In my first few weeks of working at Boschendal, I came to a sudden realization that I am not a just beef farmer. While I may have a herd of five hundred Black Angus cattle that are arguably one of the top genetic herds in the country and I do the day to day chores of any beef farmer, I am not, first and foremost, a beef farmer. I FARM GRASS!

Grass is energy. Energy is weight and weight is money.

Taking care of your grass is the most important aspect of cattle farming. The beef is a product that comes off the grass.

There is a question, which Rob asked me over the phone once, that I continuously ask myself while I am out on the farm: “Is it natural?”

If you do a little research on animals that move in herds, you will see that the way the majority of farmers raise these animals is very far from natural. All ruminants have three things in common, according to Joel Salatin: “They mob, they move and they mow.” These three activities ensure that our pastures are eaten evenly with no selective grazing taking place. The animals are constantly moving over the grass, urinating and spreading the muck evenly over the pasture, which ensures natural fertilisation. The movement of the mob causes seeds to be spread and trampled into the grass, while simultaneously flattening the grass to ensure that the seeds are then protected and able to germinate in the moist environment. Most importantly, these animals are mowing the grass. They are eating grass, as nature intended, rather than grain or wheat or some chemical mix loaded with growth hormones and antibiotics that scientists have developed in a lab. Animals naturally MOVE in a MOB for safety, and they naturally MOW grass.

We have planted seven summer grasses into our pastures on Boschendal this year to emulate the natural grasslands that the cows would normally be grazing on. We also have winter grasses and legumes that grow slowly in summer and pick up in winter, thus allowing us to have fresh grass and legumes all year around. These diverse grass species are not only self seeding (the oxen themselves are an efficient seed distribution mechanism) but the range of nutrients and minerals that they provide for the cattle make additional supplementation unnecessary. The diversity that we encourage in our pastures will ensure that the animals get natural antibiotics, giving us a healthier animal and a healthier meat product, as fewer animals will fall prey to disease and require synthetic antibiotic injections.

The natural diet that our animals eat makes our meat not only delicious but also nutritionally beneficial to the consumer. The long-term effects of hormones and antibiotics that are fed to livestock and subsequently consumed by humans are only now beginning to be investigated, and the results are far from encouraging. Raising our livestock the natural way allows us to produce meat that is lower in saturated fat, higher in vitamin E, and has a balance of omegas 3 and 6. This is good news for the consumer’s health.

Boschendal is one of a growing number of farms, such as Farmer Angus at Spier, which are leading by example in a world that is becoming more centred on going green and treating animals humanely. We are raising our cattle the way that nature intended by allowing them to move around in a natural habitat while simultaneously eating what their bodies are made to process. The movement of the cattle encourages natural growth and fertilisation of our pastures, thus eliminating the need to use synthetic fertilisers. Our cattle are naturally healthier than those that are fed synthetic materials, and therefore produce a healthier meat product. We care about our animals and we care about what our guests are eating. We are raising good, hearty, natural beef and we control the whole process from farm to plate, thus allowing us to guarantee that our product is of top quality.

Boschendal, with its backdrop of sweeping mountains, deep ravines and imposing peaks are renowned throughout the world for its beauty. The farm is situated in the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest yet richest plant kingdom on earth with an astounding biodiversity of plant and animal life.

Although over the centuries many of the larger animals have been hunted out or had their habitat destroyed by agriculture, Boschendal is still populated by an abundance of indigenous creatures such as duiker, klipspringer, porcupine, mongoose, caracal and even leopard. Striking indigenous trees including ironwood, yellowwood, stinkwood and wild olive are still to be found on the farm. Invasive alien species, such as acacias, hakeas and pines are the target of on-going asserted clearing projects to prevent them from choking the water supply and unsettling the natural ecosystem. The clearing of more than 500 hectares of alien vegetation has had a significant and positive impact on the birdlife, the free movement of wildlife and most noticeably on the flow of the small rivers that are fed by the mountains. ‘’Four big steams now flow all year round; before we cleared the alien vegetation they were dry for most of the summer months’’ says Andre Lambrechts who has been the driving force behind the successful clearing operations.

A substantial portion of the protein served at Boschendal is from free-range animals. Not only does this reduce the food miles, but contributes significantly to the productivity of the soil, reducing the need for traditional fertilizer programmes. Cover crops in the vineyards not only helps to enrich the soil, but also inhibit weed growth and help with the control of pests and manage soil erosion.

Water saving strategies includes the removing of alien trees and plants and thereby securing a natural, more constant water supply, investing in conservation efficient irrigation systems, and using cover crops which also preserve soil moisture.