Uncategorized – Page 28 – My Whisk and I

Chicken and Guava Curry

June 16, 2023June 11, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 + 3 guavas, quartered and deseeded
500ml yoghurt
45ml vegetable oil
5ml mustard seeds
5ml cumin seeds
4 curry leaves
10ml ground coriander
5ml chilli flakes
5ml ground turmeric
5ml salt
10ml sugar

Add the two quartered guavas and 500ml yoghurt to a blender and blitz until smooth. Set aside.
Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan set over medium heat.
Add the mustard and cumin seeds and wait for it to start crackling.
Now add the curry leaves, coriander, chilli, turmeric, salt and sugar.
Pour in the guava and yoghurt mixture and add the chicken pieces.
Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the three quartered and deseeded guavas and stir through.
Simmer lightly for another 10 minutes.
Serve the curry on fragrant rice.

Uncategorized

Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

June 14, 2023May 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

60ml butter
1 onion, chopped
60ml flour
750ml vegetable stock
1 head of broccoli, chopped into small pieces, stems included
1 large carrot, finely diced
500ml milk
750ml grated mature cheddar cheese

Add the butter to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat and wait for it to melt.
Add the onion and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, while stirring.
Drizzle in the stock while whisking continuously.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Now add the broccoli and carrot, bring the mixture to a boil and reduce to a low simmer.
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Pour the milk into the mixture and stir to blend.
Decant about two thirds of the mixture into a blender and blitz until smooth.
Pour back into the saucepan and wait for the soup to come back to a low simmer.
Add the cheddar and stir through until melted.
Serve the soup piping hot with a crusty bread.

Uncategorized

No-Bake Oats Cookies

June 13, 2023June 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

110g butter, diced
350g sugar
80ml cocoa powder
120ml milk
5ml vanilla
160g peanut butter
280g oats

Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper (or line a cupcake tin with paper cups).
Add the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and milk to a saucepan set over medium heat.
Stir the mixture until the sugar has melted and it reaches a boil.
Allow to boil for exactly 60 seconds, without stirring.
Remove from the heat.
Add the vanilla, peanut butter and oats and stir until THOROUGHLY combined!
Spoon about 60ml of the mixture onto the lined baking sheets and set aside to set for an hour.
Store the oats cookies in a glass container.

Uncategorized

Orange Oatmeal

June 12, 2023June 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml oats, cooked
90ml butter, cubed
250ml caster sugar
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
juice of 2 oranges
juice of 1 lemon
segments of 2 oranges

Add the butter, caster sugar, orange and lemon zest and orange and lemon juice to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes syrupy.
Take the sauce off of the heat, add the orange segments and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
Spoon the oatmeal into servings bowls and top with the orange and sauce.

Uncategorized

Pull-Apart Bread

June 11, 2023June 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300ml milk
30ml butter
10g instant yeast
455g cake flour
80ml sugar
a pinch of salt
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 egg whites, beaten together
about 18 slices of ham
about 18 slices of cheese

Heat the milk and butter so that the butter melts and you are left with a lukewarm mixture.
Sprinkle the yeast on top of the milk and butter mixture, give it a stir and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer.|Add the yeast mixture and egg yolks too the mixing bowl.
Attach the dough hook and mix for 3 minutes on low speed.
Knead for another 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.`
Cover the mixing bowl with cling wrap and allow the dough to proof in a warm place until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide into 4 equal parts.
Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Roll one of the dough pieces into a circle of about 25cm. Place this dough circle onto the baking sheet.
Lay 5/6 slices of cheese over the dough, 5/6 slices of ham and another 5/6 slices of cheese.
Roll the next piece of dough into a circle of more or less the same size as the first.
Place it on top of the first circle.
Cut the dough circles into 16, (do 4, then 8 and then 16).
Take 2 pieces next to each other and make three twists in opposite directions. Keep repeating until all pieces have been twisted.
Cover with cling wrap and leave to proof for 15 minutes.
Repeat the process with the other dough.
Brush the bread with the egg white and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Uncategorized

Rosemary Truffles

June 10, 2023June 9, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

160g + 160g chocolate, chopped
5ml butter
30ml milk
80ml desiccated coconut
80g chocolate cake, crumbed
65g icing sugar, sieved
20g pecan nuts, chopped
15ml rosemary, very finely chopped
16 sprigs of rosemary

Add the 160g chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt completely.
Take off the heat and stir in the milk.
Add the coconut, chocolate cake, icing sugar, pecan and rosemary and stir through.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes.
Scoop 15ml portions into your hands and roll into balls.
Place on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate until set.
Scewer each truffle with a rosemary sprig.
Add the remaining 160g chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and stir every now and then to melt.
Dip the truffles into the melted chocolate and place them back onto the lined tray.
Stand the truffles at room temperature until the chocolate has set before serving.

Uncategorized

Mongolian Beef

June 9, 2023June 3, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

500g beef, sliced in strips
45ml cornstarch
15ml + 15ml vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml ground ginger
80ml soy sauce
60ml water
60ml brown sugar
15ml sesame seeds, toasted

Add the beef strips to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the cornstarch over and toss together so that the steak is coated in a thin layer.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and pour in 15ml of vegetable oil.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the soy sauce, water and sugar and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Pour the sauce into a jug and set aside.
Pour the remaining 15ml vegetable oil into the pan and turn the heat to medium-high.
Add the steak in batches and cook until it is browned.
Add all the steak back into the pan and pour in the sauce.
Simmer until the sauce is thick and glossy. It should coat the back of a wooden spoon evenly.
Serve the beef on steamed rice, scatter over the sesame seeds and serve.

Uncategorized

Candied Orange Slices

June 7, 2023June 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 oranges, sliced about 4-5mm thick
125ml water
125ml sugar
2 cardamom pods

Pour the water, sugar and cardamom pods into a small saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Now add the orange slices, bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
Place the orange in a glass container and pour the syrup over.
Serve with ice cream, citrus desserts, sponge cake and roast chicken or duck.

Uncategorized

Double-Tomato Pasta

June 6, 2023May 31, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g rigatoni pasta
250g cocktail tomatoes
60g butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 385g tins of chopped tomato, blitzed to a smooth sauce
10ml sugar
10ml salt
125ml cream

Cook the pasta as per the packet instructions. Keep warm on the side.
Slice the cocktail tomatoes in half.
Place a heavy-bottom saucepan on medium-high heat, add the butter and wait for the pan to heat up.
Add the tomato and cook cut-side down for about 4 minutes.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a splash of olive oil if the pan is dry and then add the onion.
Cook on medium heat until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute
Pour in the tomato, sugar and salt and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Pour in the cream and stir through.
Add the pasta to the sauce and cook until the pasta is completely covered with the sauce.
Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with a spoonful of the cocktail tomato and grated parmesan cheese.

Uncategorized

Balsamic Mushroom and Avocado Bagel

June 5, 2023June 3, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

The quantities given is for one person.

1 bagel
15ml + 15ml butter
15ml olive oil
200g mushrooms, quartered
5ml thyme leaves
30ml + 30ml balsamic vinegar
1 avocado pear, peeled and sliced

Halve the bagel and spread it with a thin layer of butter.
Place a heavy-bottom pan on medium-high heat, place the bagel cut-side down and cook until golden and toasted. Set aside.
Keep the pan on the heat, add the other 15ml butter and olive oil and wait for it to melt and heat up.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook for 3 – 4 minutes.
Add the thyme and 30ml balsamic vinegar and cook until the pan is dry. Remove from the heat.
Place the bagel on a serving plate and arrange the avocado slices on top.
Spoon the mushroom on the avocado and drizzle with the remaining balsamic vinegar.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Serve immediately.