family meals – Page 8 – My Whisk and I

Banana and Carrot Bread

April 21, 2023April 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Serve this Banana and Carrot Bread as is or with a subtle cinnamon frosting to elevate it tot a cake!

500ml flour
250ml sugar
5ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
2,5ml ground cinnamon
2 eggs
250ml mashed banana (about three bananas)
83ml vegetable oil
250ml grated carrot
125ml pecan nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 25cm x 11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Add the eggs, mashed banana and oil to a jug and whisk together until amalgamated.
Pour the mixture into the flour and mix just until you can no longer see dry ingredients.
Add the grated carrot and pecan nuts and fold through until evenly distributed.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Test the bread by inserting a skewer to see if it comes out clean.
Cool in the loaf tin for 10 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
The bread should be completely cooled before slicing.

Cinnamon Frosting:
110g cream cheese, room temperature
80ml icing sugar, sifted
1,2ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla

Beat/whisk together for 1 min.
Smear on the top of the bread and top with pecan nuts.

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Pulled Brisket with gnocchi and gremolata

April 16, 2023April 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg brisket, fat on
2 onions, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 x 400g tin of diced tomatoes
240g tomato purée
60ml Worcestershire sauce
60ml apple cider vinegar
20ml wholegrain mustard
30ml brown sugar
10ml smoked paprika
store bought gnocchi

Preheat your oven to 160℃.
Add the onion, garlic, carrot and tinned tomato to a food processor and blitz until it is a thick saucy mixture.
Pour in the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar and paprika and blitz again.
Add 5ml salt and stir through.
Decant the sauce into an ovenproof saucepan.
Place the brisket on top of the sauce and then spoon enough of the mixture over to cover the meat.
Place a lid on the saucepan and bake in the oven for 4 hours.
Remove the brisket from the oven, take off the lid and leave to cool for 15 minutes or so.
Pull the meat and fat apart with two forks and add it to a saucepan.

Cook your gnocchi according to packet instructions.
Place the saucepan with the meat over a low heat, add the gnocchi and stir through.
Serve warm with gremolata.

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Hummus Pasta

April 11, 2023April 7, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This can be served warm or cold, as a fragrant pasta salad.

250g dried pasta (I used Cavatappi)
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 handfuls of baby spinach
250ml hummus
the juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
a handful of small basil leaves

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Reserve about a cup of the cooking water.
Add the olive oil to a large saucepan and cook the onion over medium-high heat until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the spinach and stir-fry for another minute.
Turn the heat down slightly and add the hummus.
Slowly add the cooking water of the pasta while stirring constantly. Stop adding water once it is of a consistency that will cover the pasta and still stick to it.
Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat with the sauce.
Squeeze over the lemon juice and grate the lemon over the pasta.
Taste and season with salt.

Serve the hummus pasta with grated parmesan cheese and a scattering of basil leaves.

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French Onion Pasta

April 4, 2023April 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is enough pasta for two hungry adults.

220g dry pasta of your choice – I used wholewheat
60g butter
2 large onions, sliced
2,5ml salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
60ml white wine
45ml thyme leaves
125ml beef stock
15ml Worcestershire sauce
125ml grated Gruyere cheese
60ml cream

Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Add the sliced onion and sprinkle over the salt.
Cook the onion for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you stir too often the onions will take a longer time to caramelise. It is also important to regulate the heat – if it browns too quick, it will be burnt and not caramelised.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Now add the wine and scrape any onion bits from the bottom of the saucepan.
Add the cooked pasta, thyme leaves, stock, Worcestershire sauce and stir to incorporate.
Finally add the Gruyere and cream and stir through.
Serve the pasta with extra grated cheese on top.

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Saucy Chicken

April 3, 2023April 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

200g bacon, diced
4 chicken breasts, skin removed
125ml flour
60ml panko breadcrumbs
5ml salt
60ml vegetable oil
60ml butter, cubed
60ml flour
625ml chicken stock
80ml milk
10ml Worcestershire sauce
5ml onion powder
5ml dried tarragon
2,5ml salt

Place a heavy-bottom saucepan on medium heat.
Add the bacon and cook until crispy and browned. Remove from the pan.
Place the chicken breasts on a flat surface and halve them horizontally so that you have 8 thin chicken portions.
Mix the flour, breadcrumbs and salt together in a shallow dish.
Coat the chicken generously with the flour mixture.
Pour the vegetable oil into the saucepan and allow it to warm up.
Fry the breasts for 3minutes per side, remove from the saucepan and set aside.
Remove the oil from the saucepan and wipe it clean with paper towel.
Now add the butter and allow to melt over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir around until it forms a paste. Cook for one minute while stirring.
Gradually pour in the chicken stock and milk and whisk continuously.
Now add the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and tarragon.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chicken back into the sauce.
Sprinkle over the bacon and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
Serve the chicken and the sauce on creamy mashed potatoes.

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Green Quiche

April 2, 2023April 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Pastry:
360g flour
150g butter, cubed
1 egg
100g cheddar cheese, grated

Filling:
45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch of Kale, chopped
125ml chicken stock
6 eggs
125ml cream
5ml salt

For the pastry:
Add the flour and butter to a mixing bowl and rub together with your fingers until the lumps are the size of peas.
Add the egg and cheddar and mix to bring together.
Knead the pastry by hand. It is very flaky and falls apart but push it together as best you can.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a loose-bottom cake tin or pie tin with cooking spray.
Roll the pastry into a rough circle shape even if it breaks apart and transfer (even if it is pieces) to the pie tin. Gently push the pastry out on the base and sides of the baking tin. It is okay to “patch” the pastry as long as there are no gaps for the filling to leak out.
Line the pastry with baking paper and dried beans.
Bake for 7 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake a further 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the filling:
Add the vegetable oil to a saucepan set over medium heat.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the kale and stir-fry until slightly softened and bright green.
Spoon the mixture into a blender, add the stock and blitz until smooth.
Add the eggs and cream to a mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
Add the kale mixture to the eggs and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into the pastry shell and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow the quiche to rest for 15 minutes before serving with whipped goats cheese.

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Oven Pumpkin Risotto

March 29, 2023March 28, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This oven risotto is one of the very best dinners you will make. It is low effort and easy cooking with delicious taste rewards. NB: do not substitute the pumpkin with butternut!!!

30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
150g smoked bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
250ml arborio rice
625ml chicken stock
60g butter, diced
500g pumpkin, peeled and diced (1cm x 1cm)
125ml grated parmesan cheese
15ml parsley, chopped

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Place an ovenproof saucepan on medium-high heat, add the oil and butter and add the bacon.
Fry until cooked and starting to turn crispy.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the fat.
Add the onion to the saucepan and cook until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Turn off the heat.
Add the rice, stock, 60g butter, pumpkin and cooked bacon to the saucepan and stir together.
Cover with a lid/aluminium foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the rice is soft.
Remove from the oven and stir in the parmesan.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.|Sprinkle over the parsley and serve.

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Potato-Cheese Pithivier

March 16, 2023March 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

600g potatoes, peeled and quartered60g butter
60ml olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
10ml wholegrain mustard
45ml sour cream
1 egg
a handful of thyme leaves
150g feta cheese, crumbled
2 x 400g Today puff pastry
egg-wash: 1 yolk + 15ml water whisked together

Line a baking sheet with baking paper and set aside.
Boil the quartered potatoes, cool completely and crush roughly.
Heat the butter and oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the onions, sprinkle with 2,5ml salt and cook for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Add the potato, onions, mustard, sour cream, egg, thyme and feta to a large mixing bowl.
Season with pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate.

Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured work surface and roll slightly wider.
Cut one 25cm circle from one pastry sheet and place on a cutting board.
Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut a 22cm circle from the second sheet of pastry and place on the prepared baking sheet.
Spoon the potato mixture on the pastry circle and form a nice even mound. Leave a 2 cm border.
Brush the border with egg-wash.
Lay the 25cm pastry circle over the mound and press the edges to seal. Trim off the excess pastry.
Cut a small hole in the centre of the top.
Score curved lines all over the top from the hole down to the edge, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Brush the pie all over with egg-wash and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Bake the pithivier for 40 minutes, until golden.
Slice into wedges and serve warm.

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Tomato Tart

March 15, 2023March 14, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g roll Today puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water beaten together
4 large tomatoes
a handful of basil
olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Unroll the puff pastry and place it on the paper. (Trim the pastry to fit the baking sheet)
Lightly score the pastry down the centre in the length. Now score it in half and then halve each square. You should have 8 squares – be careful to score and not cut through!
Whisk together the egg yolk and water and lightly brush the pastry all over.
Refrigerate until needed.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to the boil.
Make a cross incision (x) in the tomato skin on the bottom.
Fill a large bowl with ice water.
Now lower the tomatoes into the boiling water and simmer for 1 minute.
Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge it into the ice water.
Remove the skins once they start to curl back from the flesh.
Halve the naked tomatoes horizontally.
Remove the pastry from the refrigerator.
Place a basil leave in the centre of each of the marked squares.
Place half a tomato, cut-side down on the basil and drizzle the tomato with a few drops of oil.
Season with salt and pepper and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove the tart from the oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar while very warm.
Slice the tart into 8 portions and serve as a side.

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Spaghetti Bolognese

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

45ml vegetable oil
250g smoked bacon, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml rosemary leaves, chopped
1kg minced beef
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
10ml dried origanum
2 bay leaves
15ml sugar
60ml Worcestershire sauce
50g tomato puree
5ml salt
250ml beef stock
400g spaghetti, cooked
parmesan cheese

Place a large saucepan on medium heat and add the oil.
Add the chopped bacon and cook for 10 minutes.
Turn the heat down and add the onion, carrot, garlic and rosemary. Cook for another 10 minutes while stirring often.
Add the minced beef and stir-fry for 5 minutes, ensuring it is broken up.
Now add the tinned tomato, origanum, bay leaves, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and stock.
Bring the bolognese to the boil, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook for one hour until you have a rich, thick sauce. Stir the sauce every now and then while it cooks.
Cook the spaghetti, drain and spoon onto plates.
Serve the bolognese sauce on top of the spaghetti with grated parmesan cheese.