Slice the ends off the tomatoes so that you have straight edges. Place the tomato on one of the straight edges and halve it horizontally. Cut out the flesh on the inside so that you are left with 2 tomato rings. Place a frying pan on medium-high heat, add a splash of vegetable oil and place the tomato rings in the pan. Cook for 2 minutes, until warm and flip around. Now break an egg in each tomato ring, season with salt and pepper and place a lid on the pan. Cook until the egg is set to your liking and serve at once.
This dish may look dull in all its beige-browny colours but it certainly delivers on flavour, easy of preparation and of course, it is made in one saucepan!
6 pork chops 45ml oil 45ml butter 3 onions, sliced 30ml sugar 2 cloves of garlic, minced 45ml honey 15ml lemon juice 200ml chicken stock 1 x 380g can of pie apples
Set a heavy bottom pan on medium-high heat, add some vegetable oil to it and brown the chops. Remove from the saucepan and keep aside. Add the oil and butter to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Add the onions and sugar and stir-fry for at least 15 minutes until soft and starting to brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Now add the honey, lemon juice and chicken stock. Stir to mix for one minute or so. Add the apples and spread it out evenly before arranging the pork chops on top. Cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and spoon the apples and sauce over the chops. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve the pork with a crispy coleslaw salad.
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and spray a 23cm diameter loose-bottom pie tin with cooking spray. Put a frying pan on medium-high heat and wait for it to warm up. Add the butter, wait for it to melt and then add the mushrooms. Fry until golden. Take the mushrooms from the heat and set aside. Line the prepared pie tin with the pastry and prick the base all over with the tines of a fork. Line the pastry case with baking paper and dry beans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake the shell for another 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and lower the oven temperature to 180℃. Add the eggs and sour cream to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Scatter the enoki mushrooms over the base of the pastry shell and pour the egg mixture over. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake the quiche for 40 minutes. Serve warm (not hot!) with a salad on the side.
These marinated eggs are delicious as a healthy snack or added to any asian dish and theeeee perfect companion for a slurpy bowl of noodles!! Serve them as breakfast, lunch, dinner and in-between..
Add the water, soy sauce, vinegar and honey to a jug and whisk together to blend the ingredients. Set aside. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Lower the eggs into the boiling water with a spoon and cook for 7 minutes, or to your liking. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice and keep on the side. Transfer the eggs to the ice bowl after the 7 minutes. Once the eggs have cooled enough to handle it is really easy to peel them when kept under the cold water. Place the peeled eggs in a container and pour the marinate over. Cover and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. The eggs must be submerged in the marinade – place a weight on top to keep them covered in the liquid. Remove from the soy mixture, slice and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs to serve.
The eggs in these photographs were marinated for 24 hours – very dark colour and strong umami taste!!
There is one sauce that doubles up as marinade and dressing!!
500g chicken breasts
Marinade/Dressing: 30ml olive oil juice of 2 lemons (60ml) 30ml water 30ml apple cider vinegar 30ml chopped parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 5ml dried origanum 5ml salt black pepper
Add all the ingredients for the marinade/dressing to a mixing bowl and whisk together. Pour half of the mixture into a jug and keep aside as the salad dressing. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade for 30 minutes. Place a pan on medium-high heat and add the chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes before flipping them over and cooking for another 4 minutes. Rest the breasts in the pan, with the lid on for another 5 minutes. Arrange the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and avocado on a serving plate. Slice the chicken and place on the salad. Drizzle with the salad dressing and serve.
1 head of cauliflower (about 650-700g), cut into florets 125ml bread flour 190ml water 310ml panko breadcrumbs
Sauce: Slurry: 30ml cornstarch and 30ml water 45ml soy sauce 15ml lemon juice 60ml honey 15ml sesame oil 2,5ml ground ginger 250ml water
3 stalks of green onion, sliced a handful of sesame seeds
Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut the cauliflower head in half. Break it into medium sized florets and cut off the stems. Set aside. Add the bread flour and 190ml water to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Add the breadcrumbs to another bowl. Now, dip a floret into the flour and water mixture, roll/coat it with the breadcrumbs and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the florets are coated in breadcrumbs. Space the florets on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden and dry.
For the sauce: Prepare a slurry by whisking the cornstarch and water together. Keep aside. Add the soy, lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger and water to a small saucepan and whisk together. Pour in the slurry while whisking continuously. Place the saucepan on medium-low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then. Pour the sauce over the baked florets and gently mix through to cover all the cauliflower in the sauce. Serve with a scattering of green onions and sesame seeds.
This is without doubt my favourite salad! If you are a fan of tomato, this is a must-try.
4 x 2cm thick slices of sourdough bread 6-8 fresh, ripe tomatoes at room temperature half a cucumber 1 small red onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 125ml olive oil 60ml balsamic vinegar juice of 1 lemon a bunch of fresh basil leaves
Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Cut the sourdough slices into cubes of 1,5 – 2cm. Spread the bread cubes on the prepared baking sheet and liberally drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the bread is golden and crisp. Remove from the baking sheet and set aside to cool.
Dressing: Chop 3-4 tomatoes into very small pieces. The chopping is best done in a shallow bowl so that you preserve all of the tomato’s juice. Add the tomato and the juice to a small mixing bowl. Chop the onion as finely as you can, mince the garlic and add to the tomato. Now add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice. Mix these ingredients together and seasonal with salt and pepper. Make adjustments according to your liking.
Slice the remaining 3-4 tomatoes into chunks and place in a large mixing bowl. Cut the cucumber into chunks and add that as well. Pour the dressing over the tomato and cucumber and mix through. Scatter the croutons and basil on top of the salad and mix through. Transfer to a serving platter.
Base: 160ml peanut butter 60ml golden syrup 160ml desiccated coconut
Filling: 200g chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped 500g tofu, room temperature 160ml brown sugar 30ml cocoa powder, sifted 22,5ml cornstarch
Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper. Add the peanut butter, syrup and coconut to a mixing bowl and stir together. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press evenly over the base of the tin. Place the cake tin in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the chopped chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water and allow the chocolate to melt. Remove from the heat once it is smooth and put to the side to cool slightly. Add the tofu, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and melted chocolate to the bowl of a food processor. Blitz together until smooth – scrape the mixture down once or twice. Pour the tofu mixture over the base and bake for 30 minutes, until set. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 hour. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Whether you choose to cook your vegetables on an open fire or in roast them in the oven , this is the sauce to boost that flavour and have everyone coming for seconds!
30ml butter, melted 15ml vegetable oil 15ml wholegrain mustard 20ml lemon juice 30ml thyme leaves 1ml salt
Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
Flame grill: Place your selection of vegetables on the griddle over medium hot coals. Baste and turn the veg every 1-2 minutes for about 12 minutes in total – this of course depends on the veg you chose! Remove from the heat and serve as a side.
Oven roasting: Preheat your oven to 200℃ and place your selection of vegetables on a roasting tray. Liberally baste the veg with the sauce and place in the oven for 7 minutes. Open the oven and baste and turn the vegetables before roasting for another 5-7 minutes more, depending on the vegetables you have chosen to roast. Serve immediately.
This is my adaptation of the delicious Donna Hay salad with roasted cauliflower. Serves 4 as a main.
For the avocado dressing: half an avocado (taken from the 2 avocados you need for the salad) 125ml greek yoghurt 15ml lemon juice 60ml water
Add all the ingredients to a mixing jug and blitz together with a stick blender. Season to taste and set aside.
For the salad: 1kg cauliflower florets 2 x 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed under cold water 60ml olive oil 5ml salt 2 avocado pears, halved and sliced 12 radishes a handful of mint leaves
Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a large baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the cauliflower and chickpeas on the lined baking tray and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle the harissa and salt over. Roast for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Spoon the cauliflower and chickpeas onto a serving platter and top with the avocado slices, radishes and mint leaves. Drizzle the salad with the avocado dressing and serve.
My Whisk and I 