Lorna Maseko gets a cookbook

Former professional ballet dancer, TV personality, celebrity chef and businessperson Lorna Maseko can now add cookbook author to her CV. And it’s a book as bright and bold as her personality.

Celebrate with Lorna Maseko is a food journey through the TV chef’s life.

From anecdotes about the township of Alexandra where she says her love for food came from, to memories of enjoying a burger and chips when she participated in the Prix De Lausanne ballet competition, this is a memoir of her culinary life.

In it, she tells you how traditional dishes can be recreated using a bit of imagination and how to prepare the perfect steak.

Maseko says it was the success of her SABC3 show – The Hostess – that lead her to create this book.

“I thought I would share some of my favourite recipes from The Hostess – well, at least the ones viewers absolutely loved the most,” Maseko says.

“I’ve tweaked them a little and also elevated them to the next level.”

APPLE, FIG AND BRIE TART

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 roll ready-made puff pastry

2 eggs, beaten

50g butter

4 apples, thinly sliced

4 fresh figs, sliced

2 tablespoons honey

80g Brie cheese

¼ cup crushed walnuts

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Roll the puff pastry out on to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a rectangle. Cut 2cm off each side. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg and place the 2cm strips you have cut off on each side of the rectangle.

The egg wash acts as glue.

Then lightly brush the rest of the pastry and, using a fork, prick holes in the dough.

Place the dough on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until fluffy and golden brown.

While the pastry bakes, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sliced apple and figs, drizzle with honey and simmer until soft.

Remove from the heat.

Remove the puffed pastry from the oven, arrange the apples and figs on the pastry and top off with generous dollops of Brie.

Garnish with the slightly crushed walnuts.

• This recipe was taken from Celebrate with Lorna Maseko. Published by Human & Rousseau. It's available at all good bookstores for R360