Uncategorized – Page 11 – My Whisk and I

Cauliflower Chicken

February 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
15ml butter
1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
200g bacon, chopped
200g baby spinach
250ml cream
15ml thyme leaves, chopped
6-8 chicken breasts
200ml grated mozzarella cheese
3 salad onions, sliced

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and spray a 28cm x 21cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter to it. Wait for the butter to melt.
Add the cauliflower florets and bacon bits and stir-fry for 10 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
Turn off the heat and add the cream and thyme and mix through.
Spoon this mixture into the prepared oven dish and set aside.
Wipe the pan clean and spray with cooking spray.
Season the chicken and then brown the breasts by cooking them for about 2 minutes a side.
Arrange the chicken on top of the cauliflower mixture and then push it down slightly.
Sprinkle the cheese around the chicken and then the salad onions over everything.
Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

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Tomato and Peach Salad

February 20, 2024February 20, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g mixed, heritage tomatoes
200g mixed cherry tomatoes
4 peaches
1 small, red onion
1 Burrata cheese
a handful of basil leaves

Dressing:
30ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice
15ml balsamic vinegar
a pinch of salt
a few grindings of black pepper

Slice the tomato into quarters/thick slices and place on a serving plate.
Half the cherry tomatoes and add to the heritage tomatoes.
Wash and dry the peaches and then slice into wedges.
Slice the red onion and add to the tomato and peach.
Break the burrata into chunks and place on top of the other ingredients.
Chop the basil leaves and sprinkle over the salad.

Dressing:
Add all the ingredients to a cup and whisk together.
Drizzle over the salad and serve.

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Lamb Meze

February 18, 2024February 17, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
500g lamb sausage
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced (30ml)
60ml + 30ml pomegranate seeds
10ml honey
45ml pine nuts, toasted
a small bunch of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter.
Puncture the sausages by poking them a few times with a fork.
Add the sausages to the pan and fry until caramelised and browned.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, 60ml pomegranate seeds and honey to a pestle and mortar and mix vigorously.
Strain the juices into a large mixing bowl.
Remove the sausages from the pan and add them directly to the mixing bowl with the juices. Toss to coat.
Place the sausages on a serving platter and drizzle over the rest of the dressing.
Scatter over the other 30ml of pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and parsley.
Serve as is or with a fresh crusty bread.

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Potato Twists

February 17, 2024February 17, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g mashed potato
200g + 120g butter, cubed and very soft
10ml salt
1 egg
500ml flour
10ml baking powder
10ml mild curry powder
half a small onion, finely chopped
120g bag of salt and vinegar potato chips, finely crushed

Warm the mashed potato if it is cold.
Add the 200g butter and salt to the potato and mix through.
Now add the egg and stir until the ingredients are blended.
Sift the flour and baking powder over and mix until it comes together in a dough ball.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the 120g butter, curry powder and onion to a small bowl and melt together in the microwave oven.
Stir to mix and set aside.
Add the finely crushed potato chips to a shallow bowl and set aside.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the potato dough with a rolling pin.
Cut the dough into 1cm x 3cm strips.
Dip each strip into the curry mixture and then crumb it in the potato chips.
Twist each strip and lay it on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12 minutes until golden.
Serve the potato twists warm or at room temperature. They are very good with a dip or sweet chilli sauce.

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Bacon-Zucchini Fritters

February 15, 2024February 14, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300 – 350g zucchini
15ml salt
375ml grated cheddar cheese
250ml chopped bacon, uncooked
6 eggs, whisked together
375ml flour
7,5ml baking powder
vegetable oil, for frying

Wash the zucchini under running water and dry them.
Grate into a bowl, sprinkle over the salt and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Place the zucchini in a clean tea towel and twist and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
Add the dry zucchini to a mixing bowl.
Fry the bacon bits until cooked and crispy, drain and add it to the zucchini.
Add the cheese and eggs and stir everything together.
Now add the flour and baking powder and stir to combine.
The batter should be thick enough so that it won’t spread in the pan – if it is too runny, add some more flour and if it is too stiff, add a few drops of water.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add about 15ml of vegetable oil. Wait for the pan and oil to heat up.
Place about 30ml of batter into the pan and press down on it with the back of a spoon so that it is more or less even. You should get 3-4 fritters in an average frying pan – do not overcrowd them!
Fry the fritter for 3 minutes on the one side, flip it over and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Keep going until there is no batter left.
Serve the bacon-zucchini fritters warm as a snack or a side, or pack them at room temperature for a picnic or lunchbox.

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Mushroom Chicken

February 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4-6 chicken breasts
60ml flour
45ml + 30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
300g mixed mushrooms
5ml thyme leaves
2 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml wholegrain mustard
15ml sour cream
125ml dry white wine
125ml chicken stock
30ml lemon juice

Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and beat them so that they are an even thickness.
Pat the meat dry, season with salt and pepper and dredge them through the flour.
Add 45ml vegetable oil to a pan set over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook until golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add 30ml vegetable oil and the butter to the same pan and wait for it to heat up.
Add the mushroom and thyme leaves and fry for about 4 minutes – the mushroom should be caramelised and golden on the edges.
Turn the heat down, add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the mustard, sour cream, white wine and chicken stock and stir to mix.
Place the chicken back in the pan, cover with a lid and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, drizzle the lemon juice over and serve immediately.

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Punchy Tomato Tart

February 11, 2024February 10, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 sheets frozen pastry
100g cream cheese (I used garlic and herb flavoured), room temperature
350g mixed tomatoes
100g blue cheese
egg-wash: one egg yolk whisked with 15ml water
a handful of basil leaves, chopped

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place one sheet of pastry on the baking sheet and trim it neatly into a square or rectangle.
Cut 1cm wide strips, the length of the other pastry and place them neatly on the outer borders so that it forms a frame.
Spread the cream cheese on the inside section of the “frame” and spread it out evenly.
Slice the tomato into thick slices and arrange a layer on the cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Break up the blue cheese and arrange pieces of it all over the tomato.
Finally add another layer of tomato and drizzle over some olive oil.
Brush the outside edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.
Remove the tomato tart from the oven and drizzle with some more olive oil.
Sprinkle the basil over when you are ready to serve.

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Steak Sandwich

February 10, 2024February 10, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g steak, cubed or sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 French loaves/baguette
100g butter, softened
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml Worcestershire sauce
125ml beef stock
250g provolone/mozzarella cheese, sliced

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil or baking paper.
Place a large pan on high heat and add a splash of oil.
Add the cubed steak and fry until browned and caramelised.
Spoon it into a bowl and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium-high, add some more oil to the pan and fry the onion until just soft.
Spoon the steak back into the pan and add the Worcestershire sauce and stock to it.
Cook, stirring occasionally until the stock has evaporated and the meat and onions are moist and shiny.
Slice the baguette open and place the bottom halves on the baking sheet.
Add the butter and garlic to a bowl and mix together.
Hollow out the bread with your hands and spread the garlic butter over the halves. Set aside.
Take the steak and onions from the heat and spoon it onto the bottom halves.
Now top it with the sliced cheese and place in the oven until the cheese has melted.
Place the top halves of the baguette on top of the melted cheese and bake for another 3 minutes or so to warm it through.
Remove from the oven and slice into portions to serve.

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Kale and Quinoa Salad

February 8, 2024February 7, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

125ml uncooked quinoa, prepared according to the packet instructions and cooled down
250ml thinly sliced kale
250ml thinly sliced baby spinach
2 red apples, cut into sticks/julienned
100g goat cheese, crumbled
60ml flaked almonds

Dressing:
60ml apple cider vinegar
30ml honey
15ml Dijon mustard
60ml olive oil

Add the quinoa, kale, spinach, apple, goat cheese and almonds to a large salad bowl and set aside.
Add the apple cider vinegar, honey and mustard to a small bowl and drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through to serve.

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Simple Chicken

February 6, 2024February 5, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
15ml chicken spice
15ml turmeric
10ml salt
375ml cooked rice
250ml frozen peas

Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add some oil to it.
Add the onions and fry until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle over the chicken spice, turmeric, salt and a few grindings of pepper.
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring every now and then for another 10 minutes.
Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes or so until warm.
Serve a fresh tomato salad.