Tucked away in the magical Matusadona mountains, Changa Safari Camp is in the heart of Lake Kariba, boasting nearly 4 kilometers of lakeshore frontage. Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake, covering almost 5,600 square kilometers and this vast expanse of freshwater is home to some fantastic fish species including the famous Tiger fish, Tilapia bream, Catfish and the mighty Vundu. Needless to say, for most of the year, Lake Kariba is truly one of the greatest places in Africa for fishing and it is firm favourite activity to do at Changa Safari Camp.
We recently had the pleasure of hosting distinguished Zimbabwean born food blogger and cookbook author Sarah Graham and her family to bring in the New Year with us at Changa Safari Camp. From early morning fishing trips to candle lit dinners on the beach, Sarah, Rob and the girls enjoyed their stay with us, promising to return on their next Kariba trip. We were delighted to offer them “a thousand happy memories”.
Our Head Chef Sheunopa Mhaka, known around camp as, Chef Sheu, is one of Sarah Graham’s biggest fans and he was so excited to have a celebrity foodie in house over the festive holidays.
FRESH KARIBA BREAM EN PAPILLOTE
“Making a parchment envelope in which to bake a fillet of fresh Kariba bream is one of the simplest and effective ways of cooking, as it seals in the all the juicy flavours” Head Chef Sheu.
Cooks in: 15 – 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
750g fresh Kariba bream
18 inches of baking parchment paper
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 clove garlic – minced
1 red onion – julienned
2 carrots- julienned
2 zucchinis – julienned
A splash of white wine
1 tablespoon of butter
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Place the fillet Kariba bream lengthways on the baking paper, season well with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the vegetables on top, dividing evenly. Top the vegetables with the lemon slices, the sprigs of thyme, the butter and white wine.
4. Carefully fold in the sides of the paper over the fish and fold over the top and bottom. Then all that is left it so tie it altogether with string to make a neat and pretty parcel.
5. Place on a baking tray and pop it into the hot oven for 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and flakes apart easily.
6. So easy and delicious! Serve with lemon on the side, a fresh green garden salad, freshly baked bread and a chilled glass of white wine for the perfect luncheon.
