easy – Page 4 – My Whisk and I

Apple Crumble

May 24, 2021May 23, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is an easy, uncomplicated apple crumble in one dish but it is full of flavour and absolutely delicious when served slightly warm with ice cream.

450g cooking apples
62ml sugar

Crumble:
40g oats
40g flour
40g butter, cubed
30g brown sugar
2,5ml cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Peel, core and cut the apples into quarters. Cut the quarters into chunks.
Add the apple pieces to a small saucepan with the sugar and 45ml water.
Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Spoon the apple into an ovenproof dish or individual ramekins. Put aside.

For the crumble:
Add the oats, flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon to a mixing bowl.
Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until it has an even crumb texture.
Spoon the crumb mixture onto the apple chunks.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.

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Chicken in Mushroom Sauce

May 5, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This creamy mushroom sauce adds richness to an otherwise very lean meat and transforms quick and ordinary to extraordinary and delicious.

4 – 6 chicken breasts
45ml butter
15ml vegetable oil
250g mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml thyme leave (or 5ml dried)
45ml white wine
250ml cream
125ml parmesan cheese, grated

Cut the chicken in half horizontally so that you have 2 very thin breasts.
Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Put a heavy bottom pan onto medium-high heat, add 30ml butter and the oil and cook the chicken until golden – about 3 minutes per side.
Remove the cooked chicken, cover and keep warm.
Turn the heat onto high and add 15ml butter.
Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes – you want caramelised, golden brown mushrooms.
Now add the garlic and thyme and cook for another minute.
Deglaze the pan by pouring in the wine and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the caramelised bits to come loose.
Turn the heat down to medium and the cream. Simmer for 3 minutes or until the cream thickens slightly.
Add the parmesan to the sauce and season well with salt and pepper.
Return the chicken to the pan and warm through for about 2 minutes.
Serve the chicken breast on rice, mashed potato or couscous, with lashings of the mushroom sauce.

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Sweet Potato Brownies

April 30, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These brownies are moist with an intense chocolate taste and surprisingly, very light in texture. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 – 4 days.

100g butter
250g dark chocolate, chopped
250ml sweet potato, cooked and mashed
125ml brown sugar
250ml granulated sugar
4 eggs
7,5ml vanilla
2,5ml salt
165ml flour
125ml cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Line a baking tin, 18cm X 28cm or 23cm X 23cm with baking paper.
Add the butter to a small saucepan and place on medium to high heat.
Take the saucepan off the heat as soon as the butter starts to make small bubbles and add the chopped chocolate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Add the mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Return to the butter and chocolate and whisk the mixture until the chocolate has melted and you are left with a smooth, emulsified mixture.
Add the chocolate and butter mixture to the sweet potato mix and stir through.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the same bowl and mix until incorporated.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake, comes out clean.
Cool the brownies completely, on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container for 3 – 4 days, at room temperature.

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Spinach Lentil Dahl

April 15, 2021April 14, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you like Indian food you will love this nutritious Dahl! It is really easy to make and a superb dish to serve when you are having friends over.

45ml ghee/olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
15ml ginger powder
1 chilli, chopped
5ml fennel seeds
5ml mustard seeds
10ml cumin seeds
15ml garam marsala
400g baby spinach
15ml sugar
16 mint leaves
125ml plain yoghurt
500ml lentils, uncooked
10ml salt
1 lemon

Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the packet. Set aside.
Add the ghee to a saucepan on medium heat and fry the onion for 2 – 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry on low heat until fragrant.
Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garam marsala and sugar. Stir the mixture for about one minute while cooking gently.
Add the spinach, mint and 45ml water to the saucepan and immediately cover with the lid. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place the spinach and spices into a blender, add 320ml water and blend until smooth.
Pour the sauce back into the same saucepan, on low heat.
Add the yoghurt, salt and the juice of about half a lemon.
Serve with fragrant rice and tomato salad.