Eskom has been dropping the ball since approximately 2007. We’ve got a few load shedding meals that can all be executed easily ahead of time, or during load shedding itself, so that there are no nasty surprises when the power goes off.
All of these options require minimal prep time and effort, and the ones that need power can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
Five quick & easy load shedding meals for summer
RED HEIRLOOM POTATO SALAD
Parboil the potatoes before Eskom cuts you off, and finish off the rest of the salad at your leisure. All you’ll need is red onions, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice and whatever else you regard as an essential in a potato salad. If you don’t have red heirlooms, just use your faves.
PANZANELLA
Cold soups and salads are the absolute best during summer. For bread and tomato lovers, there’s no better better salad than panzanella. It’s so easy to make as well, just get yourself some high-quality tomatoes and it’s critical to use stale ciabatta/sourdough bread. The only pre-planning you’ll need is toasting the squares of bread in the oven before load shedding hits. As far as cold soups go, we’ve got a few cool suggestions and recipes below, and they can all be prepped ahead of time and refrigerated until your heart desires them most.
RECIPE: Spanspek, culatello & cucumber soup
RECIPE: Chilled carrot, orange & cabrito soup
TENDER STEM BROCCOLI SALAD
You can blanche broccoli florets in boiling water over a gas hob if you’re lucky enough to have one. If not, blanche them while there’s still power and then toss them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Then the rest of the salad can be made later and seasoned with sesame seeds, sesame oil and soy for a delicious Asian take.
BRAAI
Throw a sirloin steak on the braai and slice it up served with a delicious pepper sauce or as is, just remember to rest it after cooking or put a capable braai-master in charge and you’re good to go. Also, what’s better than a chicken cooked on a Weber? Not many things. Here’s our foolproof guide to cooking a superb steak on the braai.
CHEESEBOARD & CHARCUTERIE
The wondrous thing about a cheeseboard is that it can contain literally anything you want. A classic savoury cheeseboard will contain cheese, charcuterie, nuts and bread, but nothing is stopping you from including figs, grapes and chocolate. Turn your cheeseboard into a dessert, and all it requires is premium confectionery ingredients and a bit of an artistic touch. Critically, electricity is not a prerequisite. Get it all started with some premium cheese and melba toast and move through the gears from there.
If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with an artisanal food gift hamper from Sol’s. Hit us up with your best load shedding meals in the comments. Follow our Instagram account too.
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