4 Famous foodies share their go-to holiday dishes

Published on 28th November, 2024 at 09:00 am

December is a time for sun, beach, celebrations and… eating. At least, that’s according to these four celeb foodies who put food at the centre of their holiday plans. We asked them what they’ll be cooking on repeat.

Reading time: 5 minutes

In this article you will learn:

• The go-to holiday dishes of four well-known social media foodies
• Their recipes so you can make them at home

Zola Nene

Follow her on Instagram @zola_nene

The darling of the local food industry, Zola Nene is a TV chef celeb, food stylist and award-winning cookbook author. After a long tenure as the resident chef at Expresso, Zola has hosted some of the country’s top food shows, including The Great South African Bake Off and Wedding Bashers.

Her latest cookbook, Simply Seven Colours, is a testament to her love of bringing the family around the table for a celebratory meal, which is why she was a clear choice of foodie celeb to ask for her go-to holiday dish. Her answer? Sticking to tradition, Zola loves a marmalade-glazed gammon.

“Gammon is one of those roasts that you are likely to have once a year on Christmas -that’s what makes it feel special and like a festive treat. It truly symbolises Christmas for me and my family, it’s always the first roast to be completely devoured. That salty sweet combo is too good!”

Marmalade-Glazed Gammon

1 orange
2 kg boneless uncooked gammon
4 slices ginger
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
Water, enough to cover the gammon
1 tbsp chopped ginger
¼ cup sugar
½ cup orange marmalade
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Grate the zest of the orange and set aside. Cut the orange in half. Juice one half and set the juice aside. Slice the remaining half of the orange.
2. Place the gammon, orange zest, orange slices, sliced ginger, bay leaves and cloves in a large pot, then cover with water. Place a lid on the pot and bring to a boil over hight heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Remove the gammon from the pot, discard the rest, then remove the netting/string from the gammon.
3. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
4. Cut the skin off the gammon. Remove any excess fat and discard. Mix the orange juice, chopped ginger, sugar and marmalade, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Place the gammon in a roasting dish. Brush the glaze over the gammon, then roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Baste halfway through, after 15-20 minutes, then continue roasting until the glaze becomes sticky and golden. Once cooked, baste the gammon for a final time, allow to rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve.

As featured in her book, Simply Seven Colours.

Zaynab Paruk

Follow her on TikTok @zaynabparuk

A self-proclaimed ‘average baker’ – but really anything but – Zaynab epitomises the everyday kitchen enthusiast. Following her on TikTok or Instagram, you’re privy to her relatable kitchen flops, her trendy social media skits, and her enviable fashion. But even more so, you’re given a daily feed to her delicious culinary creations.

True to social brand, when we asked her what her go-to holiday dish was, it was a baked treat: chocolate brownies. “They are enjoyed by everyone and one of the easiest recipes I have on my page. You can add so many different toppings and use up all the extra chocolate you have in the house.

They also freeze really well so you can make a double batch and keep some in the freezer for whenever you have guests over for a cup of tea.”

Chocolate Brownies

125g soft butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup or more of chocolate chopped up

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in the eggs and mix.
4. Add in flour, cocoa and vanilla and mix till combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate pieces.
6. Pour the mixture into a lined tray and bake for about 20-25 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Aakifah Francis

Follow her on TikTok @aakifahfrancisbraaf

Aakifah’s unadulterated love for food is infectious. From easy, hearty home-made favourites to indulgent takeaway restaurant treats, Aakifah reminds us to enjoy our food whole-heartedly and without restraint.

Which is why her choice of holiday dish is beef nachos: they’re unashamedly indulgent and so quick and easy to make during busy summer days.

And this recipe has a particularly special story for Aakifah: “It’s mine and my husband’s favourite dish, and perfect for date night at home. It was also the first meal I made as a wife in our home.

The best part about this beef nachos recipe is that if you don’t want to have it as nachos, you can turn it into a burrito with lekker coriander lime rice.”

Aakifah’s Beef Nachos

1 tbsp cooking oil
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp crushed garlic
500g beef mince
Salt & pepper to taste
1 pack Old El Paso Mild Beef Taco Spice Mix
150ml water
1 can Mexican-style tomatoes, onions & chillies
Sugar to taste
1 can kidney/black beans (optional)
Tortilla chips of choice (she uses Doritos or Fritos)
Sour cream
A handful of grated mozzarella & gouda cheese
1 tomato, diced
Lettuce, chopped
1 red onion
Coriander, to serve
Wedges of lime or lemon, to serve

1. Add oil to your pot.
2. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add crushed garlic and let it cook until fragrant.
3. Add your mince, season with salt and pepper, and allow to cook until it is browned.
4. Add the taco seasoning pack with 150ml water, mix, then allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add the canned Mexican-style tomatoes, onions and chillies with a pinch of sugar, and allow to cook for about 5 minutes.
6. Now add your kidney or black beans and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. To assemble, layer your tortilla chips, some cheese, then your mince, and top with chopped lettuce, tomato, guacamole (see recipe below) and sour cream.
8. Garnish with some fresh coriander and wedges or lime or lemon, and enjoy!

Guacamole

1 avocado, mashed
½ tsp crushed chillies (optional)
Chopped coriander
½ finely chopped red onion
Juice of ½ lime
1 tbsp sour cream
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix the ingredients together in a bowl and season to taste.

Nompumelelo Nkosi

Follow on TikTok @mpruedie1

Nompumelelo’s dishes are equal parts nostalgic, delicious and easy on the budget and the clock. Her cooking is inspired by the meals her grandmother, uMaZulu, used to make her as a child, but her style is pure social media savvy: simple video, shot in real-time, with her trademark voice overs.

In honour of her grandmother, she chose cooked stewing mutton, rice and salads as her go-to dish for every festive season: “For the longest time, my family would have hardbody chicken, ujeqe and salads on Christmas Day. One day we complained to my grandmother and she changed it to her stewing mutton and rice dish which we had for many years until she left earth in 2018.

That dish will always be dear to me because of the memories it brings. We were a family of four – just me, my grandmother and my two siblings – and she loved Christmas because she loved us. We’d wake up early to clean and help her do her magic in the kitchen to enjoy that meal every Christmas Day.”

While she works from her grandmother’s memory and not from her recipes, you can find Nompumelelo’s video of her cooking stewing mutton for the past Heritage Day here.