Biltong - under a parmesan blanket

Hierdie een is nou in Engels maar dis gedoen vir 'n spesiale geleentheid ... ek is nogsteeds Man Kos.

Few things are as traditional South African as Biltong. The Americans makes something similar and call it beef jerky but true South African Biltong has a taste and texture of its own.

Biltong is almost always the first thing expats talk about when food is mentioned and no Rugby game is complete without biltong.

In this day and age of high food awareness it is just natural that we will want to renew biltong and dress it in designer ware instead of the traditional khaki clothes.

With this in mind and some inspiration from a good foodie friend I embarked on a mission to dress biltong for a fancy party.

Biltong under Parmesan Blanket

You will need:
1.Some form of a base, cracker cookies or biscuit.
I simply used a sjerrie glass and cut little circles out of a slice of bread.
Lightly coated the discs with some olive oile and baked in the oven at 180C for 10 minutes.

2. Finely sliced medium wet biltong.
You could use thinly sliced Parma Ham.

3. Parmigiano Regianno crumbs
I buy these in tubs

4. Parmigiano Regianno ribbons
I sliced it with a vegetable peeler.

5. Conserved Green Figs.
This is another South African delicasy.

6. Chili paste
7. Pickeled Jalapeño slices
8. Pickled Onions

It is very important that you understand the tastes of the components and make sure your balance is correct.

Method:

Dressing the biscuits

1. Place a knife tip of chili sauce in the center of the bicuit.
2. Squash a pea sized piece of greenfig between your fingers and palce it over the chili paste.
3. Place slither of the pickled onion.
4. Place slither of the jalepeno.
5. Take some parmesan crumbs and scater it over the base and filling.

Parmesan Ribbons

6. Make a little bundle of the biltong, about a teaspoon, and press onto the base. Cover the filling.
7. Finally cover all of it with parmesan ribbons.

Oven on Grill and place the rack in the middle. Be careful the cheese melts quickly and will burn.

And there you have it, lovely biltong under a parmesan blanket.

Be careful not to overwhelm the biltong and cheese with the fig. The fig is there to balance the saltiness of the biltong and the cheese.

Have fun in the kitchen till I write another story.

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