light meals – My Whisk and I

Lemon Chicken Orzo

September 28, 2025by Karen Claassen1 Comment

5ml salt
2,5ml black pepper
5ml turmeric
5ml smoked paprika

8 skinless chicken breasts
30ml olive oil

1 onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
5ml Dijon mustard
125ml white wine
250ml orzo
500ml chicken stock
grated zest of one lemon
30ml lemon juice
2,5ml salt
15ml oregano, chopped
15ml parsley, chopped
190ml feta cheese, crumbed
lemon slices

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 26cm oven dish with cooking spray.
Add the salt, pepper, turmeric and smoked paprika to a small bowl and mix together.
Season the chicken with the spice mix.
Place a non-stick pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and then the chicken and cook until browned on both sides.
Remove the chicken and set aside.
Keep the pan on the heat but reduce the heat to medium.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for two minutes.
Add the mustard and wine and scrape up any brown bits from the pan. Reduce by half.
Pour the liquid into the prepared oven dish.
Add the orzo, chicken stock, lemon zest, lemon juice and crumbed feta and stir to mix.
Now lay the chicken pieces on the orzo and push them in slightly.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.
Remove and scatter over the oregano and parsley and garnish with lemon slices.
Serve warm.

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Mexican Bowls

November 7, 2024November 6, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sweet pepper, chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato
1kg minced/ground beef
250ml beef stock
1 x 400g tin of red/black beans
1 chilli, finely chopped

avocado pear, sliced
baby corn
tomato, diced
cos lettuce, quartered

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add some olive oil and fry the onions until soft.
Add the garlic and sweet pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped tomato, minced beef and stock to the pan and stir through.
Season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Drain the beans and add it to the saucepan with the chilli. Cook for another 5 minutes or so while stirring.
Remove from the heat.

Put your bowls together by incorporating:
* the fried minced beef mixture
* avocado pear
*baby corn
* chopped tomato
* lettuce

Serve while the beef is still warm.

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Orzo Carbonara with Mushroom

March 14, 2024March 13, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g mushrooms, sliced
200g smoked bacon, cut into pieces
30ml + 30ml butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
500ml orzo
1 litre chicken stock
15ml chopped parsley
30ml thyme leaves
125ml cream
125ml grated parmesan cheese

Place a large pan on medium-high heat, add 30ml butter, a dash of cooking and the mushrooms.
Cook until golden, spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the bacon pieces to the same pan and cook until crispy on the edges. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add the other 30ml butter and onion to the pan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour the orzo and stock into the pan, turn the heat down to medium and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You want a cooked orzo that has absorbed most of the water.
Add the parsley, thyme and cream and stir through.
Now add the mushroom and bacon back into the pan and warm through while stirring.
Sprinkle over the parmesan, add a few grindings of black pepper and serve immediately.

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Lamb Meze

February 18, 2024February 17, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
500g lamb sausage
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lemon, juiced (30ml)
60ml + 30ml pomegranate seeds
10ml honey
45ml pine nuts, toasted
a small bunch of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter.
Puncture the sausages by poking them a few times with a fork.
Add the sausages to the pan and fry until caramelised and browned.
Add the garlic, lemon juice, 60ml pomegranate seeds and honey to a pestle and mortar and mix vigorously.
Strain the juices into a large mixing bowl.
Remove the sausages from the pan and add them directly to the mixing bowl with the juices. Toss to coat.
Place the sausages on a serving platter and drizzle over the rest of the dressing.
Scatter over the other 30ml of pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and parsley.
Serve as is or with a fresh crusty bread.

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Bacon-Zucchini Fritters

February 15, 2024February 14, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300 – 350g zucchini
15ml salt
375ml grated cheddar cheese
250ml chopped bacon, uncooked
6 eggs, whisked together
375ml flour
7,5ml baking powder
vegetable oil, for frying

Wash the zucchini under running water and dry them.
Grate into a bowl, sprinkle over the salt and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Place the zucchini in a clean tea towel and twist and squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
Add the dry zucchini to a mixing bowl.
Fry the bacon bits until cooked and crispy, drain and add it to the zucchini.
Add the cheese and eggs and stir everything together.
Now add the flour and baking powder and stir to combine.
The batter should be thick enough so that it won’t spread in the pan – if it is too runny, add some more flour and if it is too stiff, add a few drops of water.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add about 15ml of vegetable oil. Wait for the pan and oil to heat up.
Place about 30ml of batter into the pan and press down on it with the back of a spoon so that it is more or less even. You should get 3-4 fritters in an average frying pan – do not overcrowd them!
Fry the fritter for 3 minutes on the one side, flip it over and fry for another 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Keep going until there is no batter left.
Serve the bacon-zucchini fritters warm as a snack or a side, or pack them at room temperature for a picnic or lunchbox.

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Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake with Beef Ragout

February 4, 2024February 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Ragout:
30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
500g cubed beef
50ml tomato paste
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato
30ml Worcestershire sauce
30ml thyme leaves
500ml beef stock

Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake:
45ml butter
3 eggs
150ml cake flour
30ml polenta
a pinch of salt

For the ragout:
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the beef and cook until browned.
Add the tomato paste, chopped tomato, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes.
Pour in the stock and bring the beef to a low simmer.
Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and you have beautifully tender beef covered in a thick sauce.

For the Baby Dutch:
Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Add the butter to a cast iron frying pan of about 24cm diameter and place the pan in the oven to heat up.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor or a suitable container for a stick blender and blend until the batter is completely smooth.
Open the oven door, swirl the hot butter around and up the sides of the pan and immediately pour the batter into the pan.
Close the door and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Do not open the door before 20 minutes, the pancake won’t rise!!
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate.

Spoon the ragout into the pancake and add some tomato and fresh spinach leaves on top.
Serve with a glass of crisp white wine.

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Salad Lyonnaise

September 23, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is true French bistro style – a delicious warm bacon and egg salad!!
Serves two.

30ml olive oil
200g smoked bacon, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 slices sourdough bread, cubed
four handfuls of frisée salad leaves
half an onion, sliced into rings
15ml vinegar
2/4 eggs

Dressing:
half an onion, very finely diced
15ml red wine vinegar
15ml Dijon mustard
45ml olive oil

Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and bacon to it.
Cook until the bacon is crisp.
Scoop the bacon out but leave as much of the rendered fat in the pan.
Add the garlic and cubed sourdough and toss in the bacon fat.
Turn the heat to low and fry for about 5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Remove from the pan.

For the dressing:
Add the diced onion, vinegar, mustard and 15ml cold water to a small bowl and whisk together.
Gradually add the olive oil, whisking all the time until you have a thick dressing.
Taste the dressing and season with salt.

Now, add the bacon, croutons, sliced onion and salad leaves to a mixing bowl.
Drizzle half of the dressing over and toss together.
Pile the salad onto 2 plates.

Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle boil and add the 15ml vinegar.
Crack the eggs into small bowls and gently lower into the water.
Poach the eggs for 3 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and place on top of the salad.
Drizzle the leftover dressing over the egg and salad and serve immediately.

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Breakfast Pide

July 20, 2023May 17, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Bread:
330ml warm water
5ml salt
5ml sugar
10ml instant yeast
750ml bread flour

Filling:
blanched spinach
red onion, sliced
tomato, chopped
grated mozzarella cheese
poached egg
sesame seeds

For the bread:
Add the water, salt, sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Add the bread flour and mix on low speed to form a dough.
Turn the speed up to medium and mix/knead for 5 minutes. You will be left with a soft but slightly sticky dough.
Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 240℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Dust a work surface with flour and divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
Roll the dough into a 10cm diameter circle with a rolling pin.
Place the dough rounds on the baking sheet and brush all over with olive oil.
Top the dough with some of the spinach, mozzarella, tomato and red onion, leaving a 1cm border on the outside edge.
Scatter the border of the dough round with sesame seeds and break an egg in the centre.
Bake in the oven for 13 minutes.
Serve warm.

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Beef Pide

July 11, 2023May 17, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Dough:
330ml warm/tepid water
5ml salt
5ml sugar
10ml instant yeast
750ml bread flour

Filling:
about 350g cooked, ground beef
250ml grated mozzarella cheese
a handful of basil leaves

For the dough:
Add the water, salt, sugar and yeast to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Stir the mixture together until the sugar has dissolved and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Add the bread flour and mix on low speed to form a dough.
Turn the speed up to medium and mix/knead for 5 minutes. You will be left with a soft but slightly sticky dough.
Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Preheat your oven to 240℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Dust a work surface with flour and divide the dough into 6 portions.
Roll out each piece of dough to form an oval.
Place the dough ovals on the baking sheet and brush with olive oil.
Top the dough with mozzarella and a few spoons of beef, but keep a 1cm border on the edges.
Fold the edges of the dough over the filling and pinch the ends together to form a boat shape.
Bake for 13 minutes.
Scatter over the basil leaves.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

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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.