Author: Karen Claassen

Hi and welcome to my blog! My name is Karen and I love cooking simple, uncomplicated, flavourful food. My cooking is inspired by seasonal ingredients, punchy flavours, an awareness of sustainability and of course by the likes and dislikes of my family and friends that sit around my table as well as you, the virtual guests around my table! I am a chef, recipe developer and food stylist and generate my own content. I am also completely addicted to recipe books, of which I have an extremely large collection but the essence of my food is about celebrating life and all the fabulousness that we can add by creating good food. Thank you for reading my blog. Please keep on giving me feedback and may your kitchen, as mine, be filled with joy and the best tasting food!
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Korean Pancakes

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Korean Pancakes
Korean Pancakes

These pancakes are a delicious snack, light lunch or canapé. The recipe yields two pancakes which is enough for one person or a snack for two sharing. Savoury and crispy has never tasted as good!!

Dipping sauce:
30ml soy sauce
15ml vinegar
5ml honey
5ml sesame oil
2,5ml sesame seeds

Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.

For the pancakes:
250ml zucchini, cut into stick not wider than 4mm (or grated if you do not want to do the cutting!)
190ml flour
30ml cornstarch
1 clove garlic, minced
2,5ml salt
1 egg
190ml ice cold water
about 60ml vegetable oil

Cut the zucchini into sticks no thicker than 4mm.
Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic and egg together in a mixing bowl.
Drizzle in the water while whisking continuously, to form a smooth batter.
Heat about 30ml of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Arrange half the zucchini in the pan and spread it out evenly.
Pour half the batter over the zucchini sticks and leave to cook for 4 minutes.
Flip the pancake and cook for another 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy.
Remove the pancake from the pan, slice into chunks and serve with the dipping sauce.

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Loaded Salad

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Loaded Salad

As with most salads this is a combination of ingredients rather than a recipe.

hard-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
pan-fried halloumi cheese (see recipe for Pan-Fried Halloumi)
butter bean hummus (see recipe for Butter Bean Hummus)
rocket leaves
olive oil
lemon juice
sesame seeds

Arrange the halved eggs, halloumi slices and rocket leaves on a serving platter.
Spoon the hummus into a small mixing bowl and thin it down with equal amounts of olive oil and lemon juice. Taste as you go and adjust the consistency to your liking.
Dress the salad with the hummus dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

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Flapjacks with Berry Sauce

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Flapjacks with Berry Sauce

Makes about 9 flapjacks

For the flapjacks:
62ml sugar
1 egg
125ml milk
15ml butter, melted
250ml flour
10ml baking powder
1ml salt

Add the sugar and egg to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat together until creamy.
Add about half the milk and the melted butter and beat to incorporate.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add it to the mixture with the engine running on low.
Gradually drizzle in the rest of the milk so that you are left with a smooth batter.
Place a frying pan on medium-high heat and add a dash of vegetable oil.
Drop spoonfuls of the batter in the pan and fry 1-2 minutes per side.

For the Berry Sauce:
350g frozen berries
62ml sugar
30ml lemon juice

Add the berries, sugar and lemon juice to a small saucepan and place it on a low heat.
Stir the mixture every now and then until the berries are defrosted and the sugar dissolved.
Take the saucepan from the heat and blitz the berry mixture with a stick blender until smooth.
Place the saucepan back onto the heat and bring to a simmer.
Turn the heat down to medium and cook the sauce for 4 minutes.
Decant the sauce into a jug and place in the refrigerator until needed.

Serve the warm flapjacks with the cold berry sauce.

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Pan-Fried Halloumi

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Pan-Fried Halloumi

Halloumi cheese, cut into 0,5cm slices
vegetable oil

Dressing:
2 red chillies, very finely chopped
20ml parsley, very finely chopped
15ml lemon juice
30ml olive oil
a pinch of salt

Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and stir together. Put aside.

Place a heavy frying pan on medium to high heat and wait for it to become hot.
Add about a teaspoon of oil to the pan and give it a swirl.
Now lay the halloumi slices down in the pan without them touching.
Fry for about one and a half minutes before flipping and frying the other side. Do not move the cheese around when frying as you will lose the caramelisation and beautiful golden crust!
Keep going until all the cheese is fried.
Place the halloumi on a serving dish and spoon over the dressing while still hot.
Serve immediately.

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Butter Bean Hummus

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Butter Bean Hummus

This is the creamiest hummus you will ever taste and I love it for its versatility!! Keep it in the refrigerator and use as a spread on crackers on sandwiches, as a dip with veg or thin it down and use it as a salad dressing.

1 x 400g can butter beans
30ml tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
the juice of one lemon (30ml)
30ml olive oil
5ml salt

Add all the ingredients to a liquidiser and blitz together until completely smooth.

Store in the refrigerator.

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Twice Baked Cheese Soufflé

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Twice Baked Cheese Soufflé

This is an easy soufflé, packed to the brim with flavour!

75ml flour
250ml milk
a pinch of nutmeg
5ml salt
4 eggs, separated
250ml Gruyére cheese, grated
250ml cream
5ml dried tarragon
rocket leaves
15ml olive oil
5ml lemon juice
a pinch of salt

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and brush 6 heatproof ramekins with sunflower oil – be generous!
Add the flour to a small saucepan but do not place it on the heat.
Drizzle in some milk to form a paste.
Place the saucepan on medium heat and slowly drizzle in the rest of the milk while whisking continuously.
Simmer the mixture while stirring for about 3 minutes – you want the mixture to be very thick.
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the nutmeg and salt and mix through.
Allow the mixture to cool until it is warm to the touch but not burning your finger.
Add the egg yolks one at a time and stir until incorporated.
Stir in the cheese and put aside.
Beat the egg whites to medium-stiff peaks and fold it into the cheese mixture.
Spoon the batter into the ramekins.
Place the ramekins in a roasting tin and fill the tin about 2-3cm deep with hot water.
Bake the soufflés for 20 minutes.
The soufflés will deflate once you take them from the oven, but do not panic!!
Turn your oven down to 180℃.
Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and unmould the soufflés – they are now upside down…
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and add the tarragon.
Bring the cream to a boil, turn off the heat and allow to stand for about 10 minutes.
Spoon the cream onto the soufflés and bake them for another 15 minutes.
Serve immediately with a side of rocket dressed with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

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Chicken Salad

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Chicken Salad

More of an idea than a recipe but absolutely fabulous and delicious!!

Dressing:
45ml olive oil
15ml grape vinegar
2,5ml mustard
15ml honey
a pinch of salt

Per portion/person:
1 fresh mango, peeled and sliced
1 smoked chicken breast, sliced
a handful of rocket leaves

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and whisk until amalgamated.
Dress the rocket leaves with half the dressing and set aside.

Layer the salad by arranging the mango slices on a plate, the chicken slices on top of that and finally top it with the rocket leaves.
Drizzle with some of the remaining dressing and serve.

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Gazpacho

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Gazpacho

This is a delicious cold soup for warm summer days. Spice it up by adding a chilli or two or add a handful of freshly chopped basil leaves. Feeds 4-6 adults.

1 large English cucumber, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 fresh tomatoes, diced
30ml olive oil
60ml grape vinegar
salt and pepper
fresh chilli or basil leaves, to serve

Dice the vegetables and add it to a large mixing bowl.
Add the garlic, olive oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
Scoop half the mixture into a liquidiser and blitz.
Pour the liquid back into the mixing bowl and mix through with the diced vegetables.
Refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours so that the flavours can develop.
Serve the soup with a few ice cubes and chopped chilli or basil leaves.

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Tropical Chocolate Bread

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Tropical Chocolate Bread

This is a great variation on banana bread and perfect for brunch when served with roasted peaches. Keeps for 2-3 days in an airtight container but it is very good when toasted thereafter.

150g butter
190ml caster sugar
2 eggs
30ml milk
2 ripe bananas, sliced
250ml self-raising flour
5ml bicarbonate of soda
62ml dodo powder, sifted
125ml desiccated coconut
160g De Villiers Cocoa Nut Butter Chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 11cm X 25cm X 7cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat on medium-high speed until creamy.
Add the eggs, milk and sliced bananas and mix for another minute.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder together and stir into the mixture.
Take the bowl from the mixer, add the coconut and chocolate and stir through by hand.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Turn the bread out onto a wire rack to cool.
Slice to serve.

Honey-Roasted Peaches:
6 fresh peaches
15ml butter, cubed
62ml honey

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones.
Place the peach halves on an oven tray and dot the cubed butter over it.
Drizzle over the honey.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until caramelised and golden brown.
Serve on a toasted slice of Tropical Chocolate Bread.