Chef Lucas Carstens - Simonsig Cuvee Head Chef
Originally from Nelspruit, Head Chef Lucas Carstens, feels completely at home in the winelands kitchen of Simonsig’s Cuvée restaurant. Having honed his culinary skills at another Stellenbosch hot spot, Terroir, followed by a stint at Reuben’s at the 5-star One & Only hotel in Cape Town, Lucas is ready to set his own course at this popular Winelands destination.
Equally inspired by French Provençal flavours, homegrown South African tastes and Asian ingredients, this versatile chef sources the finest local ingredients to create a feast of uncomplicated dishes with a sustainable conscience.
“Today, sustainability by having your own vegetable garden or even breeding your own fish, and then serving it in your restaurant, is the way to go. I explore with new meat cuts and reduce our carbon footprint by relying heavily on local produce,” shares this Institute of Culinary Arts graduate.
Dining with Lucas at Cuvée, guests can expect nothing less than ‘back to basics’, honest food, made with the freshest ingredients, with the greens harvested from the herb and vegetable garden on Simonsig Estate. Working side by side with his team, they stock their pantry with as much local produce as possibly to support the surrounding communities.
Lucas’ classical training and global approach to cuisine saw him cooking for high profile guests during his career, including Oscar-star Denzel Washington. Not your typical fiery chef, Lucas is laid back and very likeable. His love of food comes from his heart and as a result he has mastered a broad range of cuisines.
“The Stellenbosch Winelands has a lifestyle second to none. We have access to beautiful ingredients, great local talent and an endless wine supply. What more could one want,” shares a man who values ginger as the ultimate ingredient.
To get in touch with Lucas:
Tel: (021) 888 4932
Email: cuvee@simonsig.co.za
Website: www.cuveeatsimonsig.co.za
Springbok Pie
Serves 4
Ingredients
5 unit’s springbok shanks
2500 ml Veal stock
500m ml red wine
1 small stick of cinnamon
4 juniper berries
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt
pepper
2 x bouget garni (thyme, bay leaf, 6 peppercorns and parsley)
100ml olive oil
4 puff pastry rounds about 15cm in diameter , baked and puffed.
Method
Start by seasoning the meat with salt and pepper, then sear the meat in a large sauce pot until brown.
Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
In the same pot add half the carrots onions celery and garlic and fry the mire poix till nice and brown, then add the wine to the browned mire poix and “deglaze”, making sure to scrape the pot surface to remove all the brown goodness.
Let the wine boil down until almost evaporated. Then transfer the shanks back to pot and cover with the veal stock, add the cinnamonbouquet garni and juniper berries, and let the meat simmer slowly for about 5 – 6 hours.
Remove the shanks from the liquid and set aside to cool, then strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and set aside. When shanks are cool enough to handle carefully remove the meat from the bone making sure that the meat is still large and chunky and not to small, and set aside .
In a large sauce pot again, start by frying the remaining carrots celery and onion till golden brown add the bouquet garni, add the strained cooking liquid and reduce till halved. Strain the sauce trough a muslin cloth or fine sieve and set aside. the sauce should be very rich dark and glossy.
To assemble add the meat to the sauce and slowly bring to simmer. Place the puff lids into an oven and quickly heat up on a tray.
Dish the hot pie mix into separate serving bowls, place the hot puff lids on top and serve with your favorite garnish. At the restaurant we serve it with bacon lardons, parsnips and spinach.
Rabbit Confit Terrine
Makes one terrine
Ingredients
2 rabbits; cleaned and portioned into 12 pieces
500g coarse sea salt
350g brown sugar
60ml brandy
2000ml duck fat
350ml rabbit jus
salt
pepper
Method
Combine the coarse salt, brown sugar and brandy in a large container and mix through. Then place the rabbit pieces into the salt mixture and make sure all the pieces are covered. Leave in salt mixture for about 4 –6 hours.
Remove the rabbit pieces from the salt mixture and rinse well.
Place the rinsed rabbit pieces in a large heavy based pot and cover the rabbit pieces with the duck fat. Place the pot on med heat and let the rabbit cook slowly for about 3 – 4 hours making sure the fat simmers ever so slightly, and never boiling. Remove the confit rabbit from the fat and let it cool slightly, remove the rabbit meat from the bone and set aside, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Heat up the rabbit jus, and pour over the meat, making sure the jus covers all the meat; this will keep it together and help it to set into the mould.
Line a terrine mould with plastic wrap, and place all the rabbit meat into the lined mould, pressing as hard as you can to make sure the mould is well stuffed with the rabbit meat.
Cover the terrine mould with plastic wrap and leave in fridge to set over night or at least 4 hours.
Ingredients
bourbon pickled vegetables
750 ml jack daniels
750 ml white wine vinegar
600 g sugar
60 ml mustard seeds
60 ml coriander seeds
2 bay leafs
Vegetables of your choice (we use cauliflower,onions,babymarrow,carrots.)
Method
Place all the ingredients except for the vegetables into a large pot and bring to a boil, cook for 10 min. Meanwhile place the vegetables into sterilized jars.
When the pickling liquid is ready pour the hot liquid into the vegetable jars and seal with lids. Quickly place the jars in boiling water to seal and sterilize again.
To assemble
Slice the terrine into slices and serve with toasted bread and pickles .
Serves 12
Chocolate Satandagi
Serves six to eight people
Frozen Ganache
125 g 65 – 70% dark chocolate, chopped
125 ml cream
25g brown sugar
Heat the cream and sugar to boiling point. Pour over the chopped chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is dissolved. Set aside and leave to set completely. At this stage you can put the ganache into the refrigerator to set. When completely set, roll into balls the size of walnut. Stick toothpicks in and put in freezer overnight to freeze.
Batter for Satandagi
2 egg yolks
20 g castor sugar
Whisk these two ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved.
130 ml milk
160 g cake flour, sieved
Whisk the milk into the egg yolk mixture, following the sieved cake flour.
3 egg whites
30 g castor sugar
Whisk the egg whites to soft peak, add the sugar and whisk to meringue. Fold the meringue into the flour mixture.
Miso and preserved ginger ice – cream
700ml full cream milk
300ml cream
8 egg yolks
200g castor sugar
2 tbls miso paste or to taste
3 tbls preserved ginger, chopped or to taste
Heat the milk and cream together, to boiling point. Remove from the heat and set aside. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar to light and fluffy. Gradually add the milk and cream mixture until everything is incorporated. Place back on the heat over a bainmarie and cook the custard to 86 C or until it covers the back of a wooden spoon. Stirring continuously. When the custard is cook, remove from the heat and place over a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Stir in the miso paste and chopped ginger. Place in a ice cream churner and churn following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Carrot and Orange Panna cotta
285 ml cream
350 ml combined orange and carrot juice reduced to 210 ml
4 leaves gelatin
150 g castor sugar
Bring the cream and reduced juice to the simmer. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve into the simmering liquid. Meanwhile soak the gelatin leaves in a bowl of cold water until softened. Squeeze the extra water from the gelatin and add to the warm mixture, stirring until dissolved. Pour the mixture into desired moulds or a terrine mould lined with plastic wrap. place in fridge and leave to set.
Chocolate soil
For the chocolate biscuit
50 g butter
15 g cocoa powder
40 g castor sugar
50 g cake flour
pinch salt
For the vanilla biscuit
50 g butter
25 g icing sugar
25 g corn flour
50 g cake flour
5 ml vanilla extract
For the chocolate biscuit: Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything comes together. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180 C for 8 – 10 min.For the vanilla biscuits: Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until everything comes together. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake at 180 C for 8 – 10 min, until nice and golden.When both biscuits have cooled completely process separately in a food processor to fine crumbs. Combine together.
Black Sesame Tuile
75 g butter
75 g castor sugar
25 g glucose syrup
25 ml milk
150 g black sesame seeds
Place the butter, sugar, glucose syrup and milk into a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until they melt together. Fold in the sesame seeds and leave to cool. Heat the oven to 200 C. Spread the mixture thinly on a non-stick baking sheet. Cook until golden, about 6 – 8 minutes. Leave to cool and brake into desired size pieces.
To assemble the plate.
Dip the frozen ganache balls into the satandagi mixture and fry at 160 C in vegetable oil until nice and golden. Remove the toothpicks and serve with the ice cream that is served on a little bit of soil. a slice of panna cotta and to garnish a black sesame tuile.
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