In the Karoo, Friday evenings are traditionally a good time to prepare some nibbles in case the neighbours join you for a kuier. Or in case you want to nip next door and surprise them. Read the accompanying column for these recipes here.

Mushroom & cashew pâté

Mushroom and cashew pâté. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

Ingredients

1 punnet of brown mushrooms (or button)

200 g salted cashew nuts, finely chopped, then ground

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

A small glass of sherry

A tot of brandy

Juice of 1 lemon

A handful of fresh parsley, rinsed, dried and chopped very finely

250 ml cream cheese

3 Tbsp butter and another 3 Tbsp butter

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic gently until softened, stirring. Add the brandy and sherry and reduce on a higher heat, stirring, until mostly cooked away.

Remove the contents to a bowl or bakkie and keep to one side. Add the rest of the butter, melt it, and add the mushrooms. Cook them down until they release all their juices and then cook those juices away. Add the onion mix back to the pan, stir and let it cool to room temperature.

Add the cream cheese, finely ground cashews, parsley and lemon juice, stir to combine well. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Blend with a handheld blender or in a food processor but keep it a little coarse, this is a rustic pâté. Garnish with parsley and serve with crackers or crusty bread.

Tuna pâté with capers and mustard. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

Tuna pâté

Ingredients

2 x 170 g cans of light meat shredded tuna, drained

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp capers, drained and chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp Hot English Mustard

250 ml cream cheese

1 tsp coarse sea salt

Ground black pepper

Method

Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until softened. Add the drained tuna, capers, lemon juice, mustard and season with salt and pepper. Add the cream cheese. Blend with a handheld blender or in a food processor but keep it a little coarse. DM/TGIFood

Tony Jackman is Galliova Food Champion 2021. His book, foodSTUFF, is available in the DM Shop. Buy it here. 

Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks. Share your versions of his recipes with him on Instagram and he’ll see them and respond.

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