Estelle Sacharowitz thinks about food all the time. “It’s all about us. It’s about you, it’s about me, it’s about people. It’s about our complexities, memories and sweetness. It’s about trying to capture time in a form that is familiar, comforting and definite … It’s about creativity and curiosity. It’s about needs, primal and necessary, and also emotional.

“Make and eat something that causes you to stop and think, this is wonderful. Life is full of wonder,” she says. 

Now, try Sacharowitz’s Portobello Mushroom Lasagne, followed by the All-Time Flawless Cheesecake. Recipes below.

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Portobello Mushroom Lasagne

For me, the portobello is the ideal mushroom. I marvel at its meaty, earthy tones and how it infuses those irresistible umami notes. It really is unsurpassed in this lasagne, a dish typically associated with mince, and yet these baby bella mushrooms magically create a comparable depth of flavour; meatiness without the meat. Of course, a good crisp, dry white wine helps, layering the stock with complexity and cutting through any acidity (and drinkable with the meal, obviously!). 

The shallots, more delicate and less sharp than onions, add a subtle sense of garlic, which partners well with the mushrooms. The texture is creamy, but not overtly so, which – fortunately or unfortunately – enables me to enjoy seconds. I don’t think the dish needs a side, but if you want one, I suggest a simple, leafy green salad with a lemony vinaigrette. 

Note: You may substitute portobello mushrooms with brown, cremini, shiitake, or porcini. Clean them beforehand with damp paper towel or a damp pastry brush, gently removing any dirt. But please don’t soak them; they easily absorb water and will generate too much liquid during cooking.

serves 4–6

Ingredients

• ½ x 250g box lasagne sheets
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for sprinkling
• Chopped fresh chives for sprinkling

Mushroom layers

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups chopped shallots
• 1kg portobello mushrooms (or a mix of mushrooms of your choice), sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup chopped fresh thyme
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 250g smooth cream cheese
• ½ cup chopped fresh chives

Sauce

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 cups milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1⁄3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 3 Tbsp cake wheat flour (or more if necessary)

Method

To prepare the mushroom layers, heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the shallots for five minutes. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper, then fry until the mushrooms are browned. Add the thyme and garlic, and fry for another three minutes. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and fold in the cream cheese and chives.

For the sauce, heat the butter in a medium saucepan, then stir in the milk, salt, pepper, paprika and parsley. Add the flour and whisk until slightly thickened. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease an 18 x 25cm baking dish.

Spoon half the mushroom mixture into the prepared dish. Cover it with pasta sheets. Spread some of the sauce over the sheets. Repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano and chives on top. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Lasagne must rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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The All-Time Flawless Cheesecake

As a little girl I only loved my mother’s cheesecake. I don’t know why. Loyalty perhaps, or because I was suspicious of such a thing – it did not seem like a cake at all – and therefore I only trusted the version my mother and I made together. I fear I have missed out – a confession I finally made when I tasted my great friend Beila’s recipe. She is a marvellous baker. Over the years, we have shared the most cherished moments of our lives … and the most cherished recipes. She is known about town for her delectable cheesecake and I have made it many times. 

This version is based on Beila’s original recipe, with the addition of ginger in the sour cream topping. I love cooking with ginger; it enhances dishes both sweet and savoury. Embodying warm, spicy tones, it isn’t bitter, but it does have bite. It is earthy and citrusy, melding into the sour cream, and forming a robust base to the dense, creamy filling (laced with brandy, yum). I think my mother would be proud. 

serves 8

Ingredients

• Preserved ginger in syrup, sliced, for decorating
• Fresh cherries for decorating (optional)
• Fresh mint for decorating (optional)

Base

• 1¼ packets ginger biscuits, crushed
• 125g butter

Filling

• 1kg smooth cream cheese
• 2 heaped Tbsp potato flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup thick cream
• 4 jumbo eggs
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp whisky or brandy
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Sour Cream Topping

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 Tbsp ginger syrup
• 1 drop vanilla essence

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

To make the base, mix the ginger biscuit crumbs and melted butter together, then press onto the base of a 24cm springform tin. Bake for five minutes and remove from the oven to cool (but leave the oven on for the next baking).

For the filling, combine the cream cheese, flour, sugar and cream in the bowl of a mixer at a slow speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat slowly after each addition. Add the lemon juice, whisky or brandy, and vanilla, then mix. Pour the mixture into the springform tin over the biscuit base and bake for 20 minutes. Switch off the oven and leave the cake inside until the oven is cool. Remove from the oven and refrigerate.

Beat the sour cream topping ingredients together on a slow speed. Spoon over the chilled cheesecake and decorate with the ginger slices, as well as cherries and mint, if using. DM/ ML

It’s All About the Food by Estelle Sacharowitz is published by Penguin Random House SA (R430). Visit The Reading List for South African book news – including recipes! – daily.

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