Uncategorized – Page 9 – My Whisk and I

Sweet Potato Pecan Crumble

April 4, 2024April 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg sweet potatoes
60ml butter, softened
5ml salt
1,2ml cinnamon
grated zest of one orange
30ml orange juice
125ml cream
60ml brown sugar

Pecan crumble:
250ml pecan nuts
30ml brown sugar
2,5ml salt
30ml butter, softened
grated zest of one orange

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
Wash and dry the sweet potato and space them evenly apart on the baking sheet.
Place in the oven for one hour, remove and cool until the sweet potato can be handled comfortably.
Spray an ovenproof dish of 20cm x 20cm with cooking spray.
Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato and add it to a food processor with the butter, salt, cinnamon, orange zest, orange juice, cream and brown sugar.
Process until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and set aside.

Add the pecan nuts, sugar, salt, butter and orange zest to a food processor and blitz together.
Sprinkle the crumble over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, remove and serve warm.

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Most Basic Chocolate Cake

March 28, 2024March 28, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

330g butter, room temperature
550g sugar
5 eggs
5ml vanilla
620g flour
120g cocoa powder, sifted
3,7ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
250ml milk

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line two 22cm cake tins with baking paper.
(If you want a cake with three layers, double the batter and divide between three baking tins.)
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high speed until soft and creamy, scraping the mixture down once or twice during the mixing.
Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer running and then add the vanilla.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder to a bowl and mix through.
Add two spoonfuls of the dry ingredients and follow it up with a splash of milk, while the mixer runs on slow speed. Keep going until all is incorporated.
Divide the batter between the baking tins and bake for one hour.
Remove and allow the cakes to cool in the tins before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
Frost as desired.

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Aubergine Risotto

March 26, 2024March 25, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

350g aubergine, cubed
2 litres chicken/vegetable stock
45ml butter
45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
350ml arborio rice
100ml white wine
a pinch of saffron
150g parmesan cheese, grated
45g butter, cubed
100g pine kernels

Place a large pan on medium-high heat and pour in enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom.
Add the cubed aubergine and a generous sprinkling of salt and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Pour the stock into a saucepan, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a low simmer.
Set a large, wide saucepan on medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil to it.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter and oil. Fry for 2 minute.
Add the saffron to the white wine and pour into the pan. Keep stirring until the liquid has evaporated.
Add about 2 soup ladles of chicken stock and simmer until the stock is absorbed. Continue cooking the rice, adding half a cup of stock at a time, stirring and allowing each addition of stock to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite.
Add the cooked aubergine and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the risotto from the heat, add the parmesan and stir through.
Add the butter and scatter the pine kernels over.
Serve immediately.

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Pear, Date and Walnut Salad

March 24, 2024March 23, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3-4 pears
6-8 dates
50g walnuts
100g gorgonzola/blue cheese, broken up into chunks
150g rocket leaves

Dressing:
half a red onion, very finely chopped
15ml red wine vinegar
15ml Dijon mustard
15ml cold water
45ml olive oil

Slice the pears into 3-4mm thick slices and arrange them on a serving platter, overlapping slightly.
Cut the dates into quarters and scatter evenly over the pears.
Scatter the walnuts over as well as the blue cheese.
Top the salad with the rocket leaves.

For the dressing:
Add the onion, vinegar, mustard and water to a small bowl and whisk together.
Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until all is incorporated and the dressing is amalgamated.

Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and serve.

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Mini Aubergine Schnitzels

March 23, 2024March 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

about 9 small aubergines
125ml flour
5ml salt and a few groundings of black pepper
125ml water
100g all bran breakfast cereal

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
Place the aubergine on the prepared baking sheet and prick the skin and flesh all over with a fork.
Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, remove and allow to cool completely.
Carefully peel off the skins and place the aubergines back on the tray.
Squash the flesh with a fork so that the flesh spreads out to an even thickness. Set aside.
Add the flour, salt, black pepper and water to a bowl and stir to make a thin batter.
Add the all bran flakes to a food processor and blitz to rough crumbs.
Pour the cereal in a shallow bowl.
Now dip an aubergine in the batter, covering both sides and allow the excess batter to drip off.
Place the aubergine in the cereal and coat on both sides.
Place a pan on medium-high heat and add some vegetable oil to it.
Wait for the oil to heat up and fry the aubergine for 2 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
Serve warm.

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Pickled Vegetables

March 21, 2024March 20, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe is a guide with a few must-do steps and a whole lot of optionals where you get to choose according to your preference!!

vegetables of your choice e.g. cucumber, red onion, baby onion, carrot, cauliflower, green beans
flavourants such as fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, black or red pepper, mustard seeds, chilli flakes, pimento, all spice, garlic

Pickling liquid:
500ml white vinegar
500ml water
30ml salt
30ml sugar

Wash, rinse and dry your glass containers.
Clean and peel your vegetable of choice and cut it into pieces.
Tightly pack the vegetable into the jar and add your flavouring – I add about half a teaspoon of all the above spices as I like a punchy pickle.
Add the vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a small saucepan and place it on medium-high heat while stirring to dissolve the salt.
Remove from the heat as soon as tiny bubbles break the surface.
Pour the hot liquid onto the vegetables, covering it completely.
Secure the lid of the container and set aside to cool.
Place the container in the refrigerator for a minimum of three days.
Enjoy your pickles with a cheese/charcuterie board, on a sandwich, as a garnish/side with roasted meat or on its own as a snack.

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Tandoori Chicken

March 19, 2024March 18, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Marinade:
250ml greek yoghurt
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml ground ginger
15ml smoked paprika
15ml garam masala
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
5ml salt
15ml lemon juice

6 chicken breasts

Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a large mixing bowl and mix together.
Add the chicken pieces and cover them in the marinade.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 240℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
Place a metal wire rack on the tray and arrange the chicken pieces on it.
Cook in the oven for 25 minutes until blistered.
Remove the chicken from the oven and serve with a fresh side or salad.

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Green Beans/Haricot Verts with Lemon Vinaigrette

March 17, 2024March 16, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Vinaigrette:
45ml lemon juice
5ml sesame oil
40ml olive oil
a pinch of salt
15ml thyme leaves, chopped

350-400g green beans
10ml sesame seeds, roasted
1 lemon, zest cut into fine strips

Rinse the beans under running water and trim off the ends.
Place a large saucepan on the heat, fill it with water and bring to a boil.
Add the trimmed beans and cook for exactly 3 minutes.
Drain the beans and once again run cold water over it to stop the cooking process.
Shake the beans dry and pat with a clean dish towel. Arrange on a serving platter.

For the vinaigrette:
Add the lemon juice, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and thyme leaves to a bowl and whisk together.

Drizzle the vinaigrette over the beans and garnish with lemon zest, lemon slices and a sprinkling of the sesame seeds.

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Orzo Carbonara with Mushroom

March 14, 2024March 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g mushrooms, sliced
200g smoked bacon, cut into pieces
30ml + 30ml butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
500ml orzo
1 litre chicken stock
15ml chopped parsley
30ml thyme leaves
125ml cream
125ml grated parmesan cheese

Place a large pan on medium-high heat, add 30ml butter, a dash of cooking and the mushrooms.
Cook until golden, spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the bacon pieces to the same pan and cook until crispy on the edges. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the other 30ml butter and onion to the pan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour the orzo and stock into the pan, turn the heat down to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want a cooked orzo that has absorbed most of the water.
Add the parsley, thyme and cream and stir through.
Now add the mushroom and bacon back into the pan and warm through while stirring.
Sprinkle over the parmesan, add a few grindings of black pepper and serve immediately.

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Aubergine Frikadelle/”Meatballs”

March 12, 2024March 11, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml uncooked lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 large aubergines, cut into small dice
4 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml chopped parsley
200g white bread (about 5 slices)
30g parmesan cheese, grated
10ml salt
2 x 400g tins chopped tomato
5ml salt
45ml sugar
30ml Worcestershire sauce
a handful of basil leaves, chopped

Cook the lentils according to packet instructions, drain and set aside to cool.
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place a saucepan on medium heat and add some olive oil to it.
Add the chopped onion and cook until soft.
Add the diced aubergine, a pinch of salt and another drizzle of olive and stir-fry until really soft.
Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Take the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Break the bread into chunks and add it to a food processor. Whizz to crumbs.
Remove 125ml of the crumbs and set aside. Pour the rest of the crumbs into a large mixing bowl.
Add the aubergine mixture, lentils, parmesan, parsley, salt and a few grindings of black pepper to the food processor and whizz to a paste.
Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning.
Roll into 18-22 balls, place on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until crisp.
Add the chopped tomato to a saucepan and add the salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer until reduced – about 15 minutes.
Turn your oven onto the grill setting.
Pour the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish, place the aubergine balls on top and sprinkle over the reserved bread crumbs.
Drizzle with olive oil and grill in the oven for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle over the chopped basil and serve on steamed rice.