There are quite a few things dishes that I’ve never managed to make as well as my mother, no matter how many times I made it. It caused me endless frustration at one stage in my life but I’ve now accepted that food is an extension of the self and can, often, not be duplicated. I remain singular in my determination to duplicate two recipes that – chicken pie and this, a port, date and pecan mousse that I will share with you today. In the 1990′s South Africans still produced Port (and a good one at that) but when it became protected in Portugal, it became known

as fortified wine. Here I used KWV Muscadel Jerepigo – a typically South African port with a rich, enormous sweetness that isn’t cloying at all but with a whiff of raisiny acidity – absolutely perfect for this!

Ingredients

• 1 packet Port-wine jelly – to make 500 ml of liquid
• 250 grams dates
• 250 ml port
• 3 egg whites
• 100 grams crushed pecan nuts

Method

• Make the jelly as per instructions but substitute half the boiling water with the port and refrigerate until just starting to set
• Boil the dates in a little water and process until smooth
• Mix the crushed nuts with the dates
• Stir the date and nut mixture into the jelly and stir well
• Whisk egg whites to firm peak stage and fold into the jelly, nut and date mixture and gently cover with cling wrap
• Refrigerate until firm – anything from half a day to a day.
• Serve as is or if you have actually lost weight over this season, add whipped cream.