The Roasted Dad’s Recipes

I am an entrepreneur based in Cape Town, South Africa. After the Covid-19 lockdown saw my business in financial distress, cooking was the creative outlet that helped to keep me sane. To keep track of my recipes, and encourage friends and families to join me, I started my instagram account The Roasted Dad.

Fast-forward to late 2021 - on a whim I (encouraged by my wife) enter MasterChef South Africa. It is a crazy time of life: running a 200 people business and struggling to keep it profitable, two small children with a third on the way, and about to move into a new house. But when I get selected to be one of the 20 contestants participating in the fourth season of MasterChef South Africa, I decide to go all in. Leaving my 7-month-pregnant wife to look after our then three and one-year-old children, I battled it out and came back home five weeks later with the trophy and a million rand prize money in my pocket.

It all started with an Instagram account, and then entering -and winning- MasterChef. But The Roasted Dad is so much more now. I now host Private Dinner Parties, Restaurant Take-Overs and Pop-Ups and Cook-with-Me Demos, and am a Key Note Speaker at events. I share recipes on my website and regularly post accommodation and restaurant reviews too. This is a glimpse into the wild and wonderful life I lead with my wife Lianne, and our three children Aiden (8), Olivia (6) and Harvey (4).

After winning MasterChef South Africa, I started sharing recipes on this blog. They are easy to produce at home, using basic cooking techniques with ingredients found at your local grocery store.

Recipe Index

Poultry Recipes

Red Meat Recipes

Seafood Recipes

Vegetarian Recipes

Salad Recipes

Dessert Recipes

Outdoor cooking

Whole Leg of Lamb Slow-Roasted Over an Open Fire
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Whole Leg of Lamb Slow-Roasted Over an Open Fire

We recently stayed at Ou Skool- an accommodation that is an absolute paradise if you enjoy cooking. Along with a well-equipped kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven, the indoor braai has traditional meat hooks that allow you to hang ingredients over the fire and cook them Argentinian-style.

I obviously had to try it.

We hung a whole leg of lamb over the fire together with honey and thyme-basted butternuts, mini red cabbages basted with balsamic vinegar and a whole pineapple.

This is not a quick midweek recipe. It is the type of cooking you do with friends, a glass of wine and nowhere else to be.

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Melanzane alla Parmigiana recipe
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Melanzane alla Parmigiana recipe

This is the Melanzane alla Parmigiana recipe we cooked at the Stir Crazy CookingCulinary Theatre. It was so delicious - you have to try it!

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Gnocchi side dish with fried curry leaves and raisins
side Shawn Godfrey side Shawn Godfrey

Gnocchi side dish with fried curry leaves and raisins

Gnocchi is often served up as a starter, but can also easily be made into a delicious side dish. I have fried sage leaves before, which is delicious, but when at Saloon in Woodstock I tried a dish with fried curry leaves and I was sold. I was keen to try this at home in a dish so here we are.

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Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Pizza
italian, pizza, pork Shawn Godfrey italian, pizza, pork Shawn Godfrey

Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Pizza

If you love pizza, you’ should really make it from scratch. For this recipe, I used regular bread dough bought in-store, but you can also make your own to feel like a real Italian! As toppings I added pancetta, grilled peach and fresh mozzarella. A delicious combination!

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Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Calzone
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Peach, Pancetta and Mozzarella Calzone

If you love pizza, you’ll love a Calzone! It is made with regular bread dough and folded in half once the toppings are added. For this recipe I used pancetta, grilled peach and fresh mozzarella.

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Blistered Tomatoes, Bocconcini, and Basil Leaf Salad
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Blistered Tomatoes, Bocconcini, and Basil Leaf Salad

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: sometimes it’s the simplest salad that’s the biggest hit on the menu.

Blistered tomatoes, bocconcini, basil leaves, a drizzle of olive oil and of course salt and ground pepper.

The recipe is simple, and if you’re looking for step-by-step, this is it!

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How to make your own pasta
main Shawn Godfrey main Shawn Godfrey

How to make your own pasta

Discovering home made pasta has given me the energy to never turn back! The flavour, texture and just how easy it is to make home made pasta gives me no excuse not to make it fresh. Making pasta by hand is also great activity to do with kids.

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Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Bistecca alla Fiorentina

After travelling to Florence I have dreams of the amazing florentine steak! Here are some of the secrets to cooking the perfect Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the renowned Florentine steak. Brace yourself for an explosion of flavour!

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