When a character from a movie or television show boasts about the food they are eating, I think it is safe to say a majority of viewers, including myself, are curious as to what the food actually tastes like.
After watching the Showmax series ‘Recipes for Love and Murder,’ I was greatly surprised how much of the show revolved around food. I don’t know why that was the case because the title somehow speaks for itself.
This mesmerising murder mystery series by South African author Sally Andrew combines delectable recipes with a thrilling narrative as the protagonist, Tannie Maria, a South African amateur detective, uncovers dark secrets while exploring her culinary heritage.
Maria sees food as ‘medicine for the body and heart’. She envies romance as much as she enjoys cooking and eating. But it's death that shakes up her life when one of the correspondents to her column is brutally murdered.
What also pulled my interest in this series was that Cathedral Cellar wines' very own ambassador chef, Mynhardt Joubert, played a pivotal role in making the story of Maria come to life.
Joubert was the head food stylist on set while filming in Prince Albert in 2021 who had to ensure that each recipe and dish on screen would do Maria’s deft cooking justice – albeit that these were inspired by, but not exactly the same as in the book.
Despite unique challenges, such as seasonal ingredient availability during filming, his culinary expertise allowed him to adapt the recipes while maintaining the essence and flavours that captivated readers of the book.
With first-hand insight into the recipes, Joubert had added his own unique twist to some of Maria’s dishes, and he is encouraging fans of the detective series to do the same.
"These recipes are hearty and traditional and are perfect food partners to Cathedral Cellar's line-up of delicious wines," he said.
Writer Sally Andrew commented: "I am delighted that Tannie Maria is walking across the veld and across the globe in her red vellies into people's homes and kitchens.
“I am grateful to Both World producers, Chef Mynhardt, and all the people who have enriched and widened Tannie Maria's world.
“As an author, it is a joy to offer some delicious ingredients that others can change and add to, creating something new, unique, and fresh, while retaining some of the core flavours."
Below, chef Mynhardt Joubert has shared some of his recipes that you can try at home inspired by the series.
Carrot, coconut, and pineapple cake with beetroot frosting and fresh purple Parisian figs
Serves: 10-12
Ingredients
Cake
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 ½ cups canola oil
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
3 cups grated carrot
200ml desiccated fine coconut
100g almonds, chopped
170g dates, chopped
1 tin crushed pineapple, drained
Frosting
½ cup butter softened
250g tub cream cheese
500g icing sugar
15ml beetroot powder
2 tsp vanilla essence
100g white chocolate, melted
Fresh flowers
Method
Cake
Place the sugar, eggs, vanilla, oil, and banana in a stand mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Sieve the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt, and cinnamon together and add to the wet ingredients.
Mix until combined and add the carrots, coconut, almonds, dates, and pineapple and mix through.
Divide the batter into 2 x 25cm prepared cake tins and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool properly before frosting.
Frosting
Whip the butter and cream cheese together until pale and fluffy.
Add the icing sugar, beetroot powder, and vanilla and whip.
While the frosting is whipping, pour in the melted chocolate and let the machine run until the frosting has doubled in size.
Vegetable soup
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
250g jewel sweet potatoes
250g butternut
250g red pepper
250g green beans
250g cauliflower
250g spinach
250g leek
2 stalks of celery, chopped (some of the green tops chopped fine)
250g onion
15ml curry powder
250g rosa-tomatoes
30ml tomato paste
3 bay leaves
2 lemon's zest, grated
250g fresh parsley, chopped (retain 100g)
50ml olive oil
1l strong vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Soup noodles
Method
Chop all the vegetables into equal size cubes, about 1 cm. Retain ⅓ of the mix for later.
In a large soup pot on medium heat, soften the onions, leeks, and garlic in olive oil until just translucent.
Add the celery and red peppers and fry for 3 minutes.
Add all the other ingredients (except the retained parsley and lemon zest).
Simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
Test for seasoning and turn up the heat to reduce the soup.
Add the retained vegetables and cook for 15 minutes longer.
Add the soup noodles and the rest of the parsley and remove from the heat.
Serve with good olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh bread.
You can read the latest Food digimag here.