Emile Celebrity Cook-Off Winner

Duck and an unrestrained pinotage won the day. Esteemed wine blogger Emile Joubert won the Spekko Rice Celebrity Cook-Off challenge on 28 March at The Palms in Woodstock.

His Portuguese inspired, quasi French preserved duck dish was finally cooked in a Moroccan tagine on the stove top. In his blog on his Spekko experience, he suggests that a light red wine may round off the dish to perfection.

In this “duck a la Emile” there are also some Iranian saffron, a touch of paprika (possibly Spanish), a bit of garlic and some Spekko Parboiled Long Grain Rice from Thailand. Spiced further by Emile’s talent as provocative raconteur, the result was certainly worth the standing ovation he got from marketers and judges alike.

In a gallant effort to stem the tides of votes for Emile, Koekedoor finalist Murray Pienaar produced a rice Brule spiced with cardamom, coconut and fennel.Murrya traveled with his ingredients from Plettenberg Bay for the occasion.

Mynhardt Joubert (Kokkedoor Season 1 co-winner) made an impression with a beet flavoured rice dessert rounded off with macaroons and berries. Mynhardt, now from Paarl where he is the KWV ambassador, also runs a coffee shop.

Johane Neilson, the food editor of Tuis/ Home – one of Media 24’s top performing consumer titles – prepared a Nasi Goreng with chicken, prawns and of course the sweet Indonesian soya sauce ketjap manis.

Fritz Brand, blogger at www.realmencancook.co.za prepared a daring Chorizo stuffed arancini recipe. Visit his site for some nostalgic food stories, such as the baked lamb necks which are now all the vogue.

Judges on the day included bloggers Anelda Potgieter (www.lifeisazoobiscuit.com) and Nina Timm (www.my-easy-cooking.com). Martelize Brink whose morning show on RSG is currently the favourite foodie radio link, served as 3rd judge.

In February last year Spekko Rice embarked on a series of Celebrity Cook-Off Pop-Up events at The Market at The Palms in Cape Town. The next event will take place on 16 May where some of the biggest names in the foodie business will compete in a Spekko Saman Brown Rice cook-off.