Lifestyle

Dear Jonno I enjoy your articles in Farmer’s Weekly, and am quite amazed at the variety of ideas and suggestions you always come up with. My...

So you haven’t got a wok? Haul out your skottel braai to make this Chinese-influenced take-away special. While a skottel is a compromise in this case, it’s one that certainly works.

Dear Jonno I have a 630m² plot on which I want to build an extended family home (single-storey) to accommodate our growing family. The house should...

Archaeologists can’t seem to agree on which was farmed first: sheep or goats. Judging from the wealth of recipes for lamb and mutton, my money is on sheep. Here’s a delicious lamb chop recipe with courgettes on the side.

The powerful tastes of this Israeli classic make this dish a splendid midday meal. There’s just the right combination of flavours to get your taste buds giddy with delight.

Given that the hamburger is really just a thick sandwich, here’s a jazzy riff on that old, old tune. Think we’ve just changed the meat? Read on for a whole new burger experience…

Jonno designs a one-bedroom cottage with a stilted wooden structure and a thatched roof for Annalie

Like many Chinese-influenced recipes, this transfers particularly well to the SA kitchen. It could easily be called Pietermaritzburg Chicken or even uKhahlamba Chicken. You decide.

I received emails from Vincent in KwaZulu-Natal and Thambo in the Transkei. Both have the same problem as most of us in South Africa: limited finances.

Duck is the most common poultry in China and contributes hugely to the cuisine. Red-cooked duck packs a great Asian punch and is a delicious alternative to a standard roast duck.

Jonno designs a holiday cabin with a rustic look.

There’s nothing like an egg to start the day. But why stop there? Add smoked salmon, tangy lemon, melted butter, and a slice of toast for a regal treat.

I received an email from Farmer’s Weekly readers, Mel and Greig, requesting me to travel to Mooi River, 30km from where I stay, to discuss their new home. After exchanging many ideas, we decided that the styling would be typically American.

A beef short rib is a praise song to fat. Yesterday, fat was bad for you. Today, it’s sort of OK. Tomorrow, who knows? If you worry about fat, it’s best to practise moderation in all things, succulent slices of beef short ribs included.

I have never understood the Kiev reference, since so much of this meal is Italian in style. While a bit fussy, this ingredient combination is really two recipes in one: stuffed chicken fillets and a splendid mushroom risotto.

The streams of the Amathole Mountains – including the Wolf River – were immortalised by Sydney Hey in his African fly-fishing text, The Rapture of the River. Mike Burgess travelled up the Keiskamma River in search of the rainbow trout of the Wolf.

For some, biryani exists only to give meaning and purpose to lentils. For others, a crabstick biryani is the ultimate in perfect taste.

I recently had a call from Farmer’s Weekly readers, Jack and Jill, the owners of a wildlife estate in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

South African palates are fine-tuned to enjoy Chinese- influenced cooking. Given the popularity of skottel cooking, this pseudo-wok is all you need for a high drama, high heat dining event in your own backyard.

In South Africa, we all know about braai competitions. Back in the USA, chilli con carne competitions are the big thing, particularly in the southern states along the Mexican border. Prizes are awarded for exciting new variants on this all-American classic. Try this one for size – and don’t forget that cold yoghurt chills chilli burn best.