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

Yummy South African pap (maize meal) arancini recipe
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Yummy South African pap (maize meal) arancini recipe

Pap (or maize) arancini is a South African variation of the Italian dish. Swopping traditional risotto for the with stywe pap (stiff maize porridge), the balls are oven-baked. Served on a tomato base and covered with cheese, this dish pairs well with boerewors.

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Exotic Pumpkin & Butternut Salad on Whipped Feta
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Exotic Pumpkin & Butternut Salad on Whipped Feta

Easter is traditionally when South Africans serve up a leg of lamb or lamb roast, but a good host includes some vegetarian dishes as well, to serve as either a side for the meat-eaters in your midst, or for vegetarians to dish up as their main.

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Beetroot Salad with Whipped Feta, Bacon, Roasted Olives and Toasted Pecan Nuts
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Beetroot Salad with Whipped Feta, Bacon, Roasted Olives and Toasted Pecan Nuts

With December here, Christmas is fast approaching and so over the next few weeks I will be sharing my favourite Christmas recipes. This Beetroot Salad with Whipped Feta, Bacon, Roasted Olives and Toasted Pecan Nuts is a crowd pleaser. To make a vegetarian version, you can replace the bacon with citrus slices. 

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Green & Gold Rugby Pull Bread
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

Green & Gold Rugby Pull Bread

With the onset of the rugby season you may be looking for some new snacks and braai sides. I created a few during the Rugby World Cup and will share them over the next few weeks. Starting off with this quick and easy pull bread recipe.

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A different way to serve an Asparagus Side
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

A different way to serve an Asparagus Side

Generally asparagus are pan-fried with a little olive oil, and some salt and pepper. But if you’re wanting to serve up a more exciting asparagus side, look no further! This recipe includes some exotic ingredients which come together in a flavour combination that no one will be able to resist. Sometimes a side becomes more popular than the main meal, and this roasted asparagus dish has that potential!

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A Simple Starter: Camembert Bake
Shawn Godfrey Shawn Godfrey

A Simple Starter: Camembert Bake

I love cheese, and cheese is even better when it’s melted. This recipe is a delicious, but simple starter made with Goat’s Cheese camembert. It can be served as a starter or a snack, with some toasted ciabatta or crackers. Let everyone dip in and you will see, soon there will be nothing left!

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5 Steps to ensure you make the Best Risotto
starter, main Shawn Godfrey starter, main Shawn Godfrey

5 Steps to ensure you make the Best Risotto

Ah, risotto – the creamy, comforting Italian dish that holds a special place in the hearts of food lovers worldwide. While its velvety texture and rich flavours make it a standout dish on restaurant menus, making risotto at yourself at home is not easy. Risotto demands patience and following a few steps religiously.

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