easy recipes – Page 3 – My Whisk and I

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.

Uncategorized

Mascarpone Cream Puff

March 7, 2024March 6, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g roll of puff pastry

Royal Icing:
1 egg white
500g icing sugar, sifted

edible flowers

250ml whipping cream
60ml caster sugar
250g mascarpone, room temperature
5ml vanilla
250g fresh raspberries

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut an extra piece of baking paper of the same size and keep aside.
Lay the pastry on a work surface and cut 7cm diameter circles from it with a biscuit cutter.
Place the pastry circles on the baking sheet, cover with the extra sheet of baking paper and place another baking sheet on top.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the royal icing:
Add the egg white to a mixing bowl and whisk to a froth.
Add the sifted icing sugar one spoonful at a time, stirring really well to incorporate. Keep going: add one spoonful of icing, stir for at least 30 seconds, add another spoonful, etc., until all the icing is incorporated or until you have a very stiff mixture.
Spoon the royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a 4mm nozzle and pipe a border on each of the pastry discs.
Set aside to dry and set.
Add a few drops of water to the royal icing – literally two drops at a time -and stir to thin it down to a very thick but spreadable consistency.
Drop a teaspoonful into each icing border and spread it out with the back of a teaspoon.
Decorate the discs with edible flowers/petals before it sets.
Put aside to dry completely.

Add the whipping cream and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl and whisk until it forms soft peaks.
Add the mascarpone and vanilla and whisk until thick – BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER-WHIP as the mixture will split.
Add the raspberries to the mascarpone cream and mix through with a wooden spoon, crushing some of the berries to release the juices.

Spoon the mascarpone cream onto a serving plate and place a pastry disc on top to serve.

Uncategorized

Garden Pea Pie

March 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 x 400g rolls of puff pastry
250ml grated Ementhal cheese
310ml cream
4 eggs
250ml frozen peas, defrosted
5ml salt
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water beaten together

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 26cm diameter pie dish with cooking spray.
Line the bottom and sides of the dish with one of the sheets of pastry. Trim the sides to make it neat and prick the bottom with a fork.
Line the pastry with baking paper, weigh it down with rice/beans and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
Turn your oven down to 180℃.
Add the cheese, cream, eggs, peas, salt and a few grindings of black pepper to a mixing bowl and mix together.
Pour the mixture into the baked pastry shell.
Place the second roll of puff pastry on a work surface and cut a 27cm diameter circle from it to form the pie’s lid. Decorate the lid with cut-outs from the scrap pastry if you like.
Place the pastry lid on the pie and lightly brush with the egg wash.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for 50minutes. Start watching the colour of the pastry after 25 minutes or so and place a piece of aluminium foil on top of the pie if it is browning too quickly.
Take the pie from the oven, let it stand for 10minutes and serve.

Uncategorized

Easy Potato and Bacon Pie

March 2, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1,5kg potato, peeled and diced
2 onions, sliced
250g bacon, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
250ml grated cheddar cheese
250ml cream
125ml chicken stock
5ml salt
5ml smoked paprika
1 x 400g roll puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water whisked together

Preheat your oven to 200℃.

Place the diced potato in a large saucepan with water and cook until just soft. Drain and set aside.
Add some vegetable oil to a pan set over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the bacon and cook until the onion is soft and the bacon is cooked.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Take from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the cheese to a large mixing bowl.
Pour in the cream and stock and add the salt, paprika and bacon and onion mix.
Stir to mix and spoon into a 28cm x 20cm ovenproof dish.
Lay the pastry flat on a work surface and cut shapes from it with a biscuit cutter.
Place the pastry pieces side-by-side on the pie filling and brush with the egg wash.
Bake in the oven for 25minutes or until golden.
Serve the potato pie straight from the oven.

Uncategorized

Dressed-up Chicken Pie

February 25, 2024February 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6-9 chicken breasts, skin removed
1 litre chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml turmeric
15ml chicken spice
15ml salt
10ml thyme leaves
250ml greek yoghurt
1 x 400g roll puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water whisked together

Cut the chicken into chunks and add it to a large saucepan.
Pour in the stock and add enough additional water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a simmer and cook for one hour.
Turn off the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the liquid. (This will ensure you have juicy, tender chicken for your pie!)
When it is cool enough to handle comfortably: drain and discard the liquid and pull the chicken meat into shreds.
Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Put a saucepan over medium-high heat and add a splash of oil.
Add the onion and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the turmeric, chicken spice, salt, thyme, yoghurt and shredded chicken and simmer for 20 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into a 20cm x 28cm ovenproof dish and allow to cool.
Lay the pastry flat on a work surface and cut long strips from it that is 2cm wide.
Lay two strips over the cooled chicken, forming an X. Lay another two strips 3mm to the outsides of the X-shape. Keep going until the chicken is covered in a non-weave lattice pattern.
Use a flower shaped cookie cutter to cut multiple pastry flowers and stick them onto the lattice by wetting only with water.
Brush the decorated pastry with egg wash and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden.
Serve warm with a salad.

Uncategorized

Savoury Puff Pastry Slices

February 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g roll puff pastry
pea shoots or any other soft herbs (you may press them for an hour or so before using but it isn’t necessary)
250g cream cheese, room temperature
250g frozen peas, defrosted
15ml finely chopped mint leaves
15ml finely chopped chives
a good pinch of salt

Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut an extra sheet of paper and set aside.
Place the lined baking sheet on a work surface and unroll the pastry directly onto it.
Trim the sides of the pastry so that you have a perfect rectangle.
Divide/cut the pastry in half lengthwise.
Mark the pastry, in its length, at 6cm intervals, so that you can cut it into rectangular discs.
NB: Cut the discs but do not move them apart – the sides will stay straight this way.
Lay the pea shoots/herbs all over the pastry and place the extra sheet of baking paper on top.
Flip the pastry over (keep it between the baking paper) so that the herbs face down. Refrigerate for one hour.
Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Add the cream cheese, peas, mint, chives and salt to a bowl and mix together. Set aside.
Take the pastry from the refrigerator and place another baking sheet on top of the baking paper.
Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
Spread the pea-cream cheese on to half the pastry rectangles and place another rectangle on top.
Serve the pastry slices at room temperature.

Uncategorized

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.

Uncategorized

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.

Uncategorized

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.

Uncategorized

Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake with Beef Ragout

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

Ragout:
30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
500g cubed beef
50ml tomato paste
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato
30ml Worcestershire sauce
30ml thyme leaves
500ml beef stock

Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake:
45ml butter
3 eggs
150ml cake flour
30ml polenta
a pinch of salt

For the ragout:
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the beef and cook until browned.
Add the tomato paste, chopped tomato, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and bring the beef to a low simmer.
Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and you have beautifully tender beef covered in a thick sauce.

For the Baby Dutch:
Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Add the butter to a cast iron frying pan of about 24cm diameter and place the pan in the oven to heat up.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or a suitable container for a stick blender and blend until the batter is completely smooth.
Open the oven door, swirl the hot butter around and up the sides of the pan and immediately pour the batter into the pan.
Close the door and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Do not open the door before 20 minutes, the pancake won’t rise!!
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate.

Spoon the ragout into the pancake and add some tomato and fresh spinach leaves on top.
Serve with a glass of crisp white wine.