gesinskos – My Whisk and I

Crispy Potato Salad

May 11, 2024April 29, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg baby potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
smoked paprika
half an English cucumber, sliced
1 small red onion, diced

Dressing:
60ml greek yogurt
30ml mayonnaise
5ml wholegrain mustard
15ml lemon juice
10ml dill, chopped

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Fill a large saucepan with water and cook the potatoes until done.
Drain and cool slightly.
Crush the potato with the bottom of a glass by pressing down on it. It shouldn’t be thicker than 1cm once crushed.
Lay the potato on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle some olive oil over. Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Flip the potato over and repeat.
Bake in the oven until crispy – about 20 minutes or so.
Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside.
Add the diced cucumber and onion to a serving platter and arrange the crispy potato on top. Mix lightly.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

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Chicken Stew/Tavuk Sote

July 4, 2023May 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml olive oil
600g chicken breasts, cut into 2cm cubes
1 onion, chopped
half a green bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 1cm cubes
2 red bell peppers, deseeded and cut into 3cm cubes
75g tomato purée
5ml smoked paprika
5ml sugar
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
200ml water
a large handful of parsley, chopped

Place a large saucepan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and wait for it to heat up.
Brown the chicken in batches and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the onion and peppers. Cook for about 10 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir every now and then and add more olive oil if needed.
Add the tomato purée, paprika and sugar and cook for another minute.
Now add the chopped tomato, chicken and water and stir to mix.
Season with salt and black pepper.
Bring the mixture to the boil, lower the temperature and simmer for 25 minutes.
Take off the heat. Sprinkle in the parsley, mix through and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Serve the stew on rice or bulgar wheat.

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Garlic Steak and Potato

May 29, 2023May 20, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

700g steak, sliced in to strips
80ml soy sauce
15ml + 30ml olive oil
30ml + 30ml butter
700g potato, cut into wedges
6 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml chilli flakes
5ml rosemary, finely chopped
10ml thyme, finely chopped

Add the steak strips, soy sauce, 15ml olive oil and a few grindings of black pepper to a bowl and mix through. Set aside to marinade.
Place a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add 30ml olive oil and 30ml butter.
Add the potato wedges and cook for 10 minutes or so, stirring every now and then, until fork-tender.
Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Add the other 30ml butter to the same pan over medium heat and wait for it to melt.
Add the garlic, chilli, rosemary and thyme.
Drain the marinade from the steak and keep aside.
Add the steak strips to the pan and fry until browned.
Pour in the marinade and cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
Add the potato and cook until warmed through.
Check the seasoning and adjust to your liking.
Serve with a crispy salad.

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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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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.