family meals – Page 7 – My Whisk and I

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.

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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.

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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.

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Soy Chicken with Pickled Cucumber

May 25, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced
60ml apple cider vinegar
5ml salt
5ml sugar

60ml soy sauce
30ml honey
4 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
30ml vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2,5ml ground coriander

For the pickle:
Add the sliced onion and cucumber to a bowl and pour the vinegar over.
Sprinkle over the salt, sugar and a few grindings of black pepper.
Mix through, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

For the chicken:
Add the soy and honey to a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
Add the chicken to the sauce and stir to coat.
Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil.
Add the garlic and coriander and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Take the breasts from the marinade and cook for 3 minutes per side. It is important to regulate the heat as the chicken can burn easily at this stage.
Add the reserved marinade and 60ml water to the pan.
Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Cover with a lid and cook the breasts for 15 minutes, turning half-way through the cooking time.
Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium-high.
Cook the chicken for another 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced and the chicken is shiny and glazed.
Serve with steamed rice, pickled cucumber and the sauce.

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Cucumber Avo Salad

May 22, 2023May 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g cucumber (about half an English cucumber)
2 avocados
30ml lemon juice
2 salad onions, finely sliced
chilli flakes

Peel the cucumber in alternating strips in its length.
Take out the seeds with a teaspoon, cut into bite-sized pieces and put it in a colander set in your sink.
Sprinkle 5ml salt over, toss together and leave to drain for about 20 minutes.
Slice the avocado in half, remove the pip and scoop out the flesh.
Cut in to 1,5cm cubes.
Add the avocado to a mixing bowl, sprinkle over the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Shake the cucumber pieces in the colander to get rid of any moisture.
Add to the avocado.
Add the sliced salad onions and mix again.
Now stir the salad vigorously until the avocado breaks down a bit.
Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Scatter over some chilli flakes and serve.

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Chunky Vegetable Soup

May 21, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The garnish for this vegetable soup was made by horizontally slicing a hotdog roll, drizzling it with olive oil and toasting it in the oven. The garnish on the crouton is homemade mayonnaise with cherry tomatoes and fresh soft herbs.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sticks of celery, leaves included, washed and chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, chopped
400g potato, peeled and cubed

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the tinned tomato and cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour in the stock, add the bay leave, carrot and potato and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Mash or liquidise half of the soup, cook another 5 minutes and serve with a fresh, crusty bread.

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Orange Glazed Carrots

May 13, 2023April 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg carrots, peeled
60ml butter, cubed
grated zest of one orange
2 + 2 oranges
125ml brown sugar
30ml thyme leaves
30ml pumpkin seeds

Fill a saucepan with water, add the carrots and bring to the boil.
Cook for 5-6 minutes until almost done – the cooking time will of course depend on the size of the carrots.
Drain and pat dry with a tea towel.
Place a pan on medium-high heat, add the butter and wait for it to melt.
Now add the orange zest, 60ml orange juice and the brown sugar.
Stir until most of the sugar has dissolved.
Add the carrots to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the glaze is shiny and thick enough to coat the carrots – between 5 and 10 minutes.
Watch the carrots in the glaze and regulate the heat – they burn easily.
Peel and slice the other two oranges and arrange the slices on a serving plate. Place the carrots on top of the orange.
Drizzle over any glaze in the pan, scatter the thyme leaves and pumpkin seeds over and serve with a smile.

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Sugar Bean Soup

May 11, 2023April 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g brown sugar beans
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large/2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 leeks, finely sliced
500g beef, 1,5 – 2cm cubes
2 litres beef stock
45ml Worcestershire sauce

Soak the beans in a bowl filled with cold water for a minimum of 6 hours.
Rinse the beans and add them to a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them by 3cm. Cook for 45 minutes. (If you are cooking them in a saucepan – simmer gently for 1 – 2 hours until soft when pressed between your fingers). DO NOT ADD SALT OR ANY OTHER FLAVOURANTS AT THIS STAGE!
Place another large saucepan on a medium heat and add a splash of vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic, carrots and leeks and gently cook until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the beef, season well with salt and pepper and stir-fry for 5 minutes.
Pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
Drain the beans, mash them roughly and add to the beef mixture.
Simmer the soup for 30 minutes while keeping a hawk’s eye on it as it will burn easily at this stage. Stir often and regulate the temperature.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.
Serve steaming hot with a fresh crusty bread.

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Poached Beef Fillet with Chimichurri Sauce

May 10, 2023April 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is an easy recipe that deliver fork-tender fillet and melts in your mouth…

Chimichurri Sauce:
60ml parsley
60ml chives
30ml thyme leaves
1 clove of garlic
2,5ml salt
125ml olive oil
45ml apple cider vinegar

1 whole beef fillet, trimmed
about 4 litres beef stock

For the Chimichurri Sauce:
Place the parsley, chives, thyme, garlic and salt on a chopping board and chop together until very fine.
Add the herb-mixture to a small bowl and pour in the olive oil and vinegar.
Stir together until the salt has dissolved.
Cover and set aside at room temperature so that the flavours can develop.

Put a cast iron pan over high heat and wait for it to warm up.
Pat the fillet dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
Now sear the fillet in the hot pan, on both sides. If the meat sticks to the pan when you want to turn it, it simply means it hasn’t caramelised enough. Be patient and wait until it comes loose easily and then turn it.
Place the browned fillet in a large saucepan and pour in enough stock to cover it by at least 3 cm.
Bring the stock to the boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for one hour. Do not cover the saucepan and check the liquid every now and then – top up the stock so that the fillet stays submerged.
Turn off the heat and now place a lid on the saucepan. Rest the fillet in the stock for one hour.
Remove the meat from the saucepan and pat it dry with a clean tea towel.
Slice in to 0,5cm thick slices and arrange on a serving plate.
Serve the fillet with the Chimichurri sauce.

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Tartiflette

April 28, 2023April 16, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg potatoes
200g bacon, diced
30g butter
2 onions, thinly sliced
125ml dry white wine
125ml cream
450g soft rind cheese of your choice, I used Camembert, traditionally Reblochon is used

Peel the potatoes and slice them into 1cm thick rounds.
Add the potato to a large saucepan and pour in enough cold water to cover. Season the water with salt and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the rounds are just tender – about 25minutes.
Drain the potato rounds and return to the saucepan. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the bacon.
Lower the heat once the fat renders, add the butter and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the wine and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the potato rounds and mix through.
Pour the cream over and mix again.
Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish.
Slice the cheese into halves, horizontally and arrange on top, cut-side down.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes – the cheese should be melted, bubbling and golden brown on top.
Serve immediately.