A dreamed up recipe for a place called Prince Albert

Like a Midsummer’s Night Dream this Karoo Caprese came into being. Imagined by Adrian Lombard from De Kleine Prince he asked me to design a recipe for their signature menu, and together we paired it with two local drinks.
Six Dogs Distillery Karoo Gin, made from the wild things around them in The De Wet Valley, and Terra Madre Royal Gala single varietal cold pressed raw apple juice. A shaken and well chilled mixology with the gentle natural sweetness of the apple juice allowing the rich aromatic fynbos of the gin to sing.
The buttery cream from Gay’s Guernsey Dairy’s mozzarella, the syrupy jam of the fresh figs from Weltevrede Fig Farm balanced by the acidity from the spiced white balsamic pickle reduction. With wonderful olive oil, it turned out to be a symphony of summer flavours, washed down with generous sips of the apple gin cocktail.
INGREDIENTS:
● 8 fresh figs
● 16 slices of mozzarella (or 8 pieces burrata)
● 3 Green apples thinly sliced and pickled.
● A bunch of fresh sweet basil
● Pickling juice reduction.
● A rosa tomato vinaigrette
● Quality olive oil
● Salt and pepper
For the pickling juice:
● 100 g sugar
● 100 ml white balsamic vinegar
● 200 ml raw pressed apple juice
● 10 green peppercorn
● 1 stick of cinnamon
METHOD:
1. Make the pickle stock first by dissolving the sugar in the vinegar and apple juice over medium heat. Add the pepper corns and cinnamon and remove from heat.
2. Slice the apple very thin while massaging through the pickle stock all the while. Allow to pickle for about 2 hours.
3. Remove the slices and set aside covered. Transfer the pickling juice to a saucepan and reduce till a thin syrup is archived. Tint with beet or pomegranate juice and allow to cool completely.
4. Cut the mozzarella into 5 mm thick slices (or tear the buratta into equal parts)
5. Cut the figs into thick slices (about three per fig)
6. Arrange the figs and mozzarella intermittently with fresh sweet basil leaves (individual portions plated or a large platter)
7. Fold and arrange the pickled apples in and among the figs and cheese.
8. Dress with the olive oil, pickling reduction and rosa tomato vinaigrette
9. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt flakes.
Serve with bread slices and enjoy with a gin mixer.
Book your stay now at https://dekleineprince.com/
