lunch ideas – Page 8 – My Whisk and I

Whipped Feta Salad

September 9, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

200g + 50g feta, crumbled
100ml milk
350g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, diced
a handful of basil, chopped
half an onion, finely chopped
30ml balsamic vinegar
30ml olive oil
20g pine nuts, toasted

Crumble the feta into a blender’s cup and add half the milk.
Blitz with an immersion blender until it becomes emulsified – add the rest of the milk a little at a time, aiming for a creamy consistency that will sit on a plate.
Crumb the 50g feta into the whipped feta and spread on a serving plate.
Add the halved tomatoes, cucumber, basil and onion to a mixing bowl and pour over the balsamic, olive oil and salt and pepper.
Mix together and spoon on to the whipped feta.
Scatter over the toasted pine nuts and a few extra basil leaves.

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Tomato and Leek Soup

September 8, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml butter
30ml olive oil
4 leeks, washed and sliced in coins
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
15ml sugar
5ml salt
500ml vegetable stock
60ml cream
a handful of basil leaves

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil.
Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until just before the leaks start to caramelise.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the tomato, sugar, salt and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and place it back on a medium-high heat.
Pour in the cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Scatter over the basil leaves and serve with toasted cheese sandwiches.

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Beef and Veg Scone Pie

September 6, 2023August 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
50g tomato paste
1kg beef mince (ground beef)
1 aubergine, diced
500ml beef stock
15ml thyme leaves
5ml salt

Scone layer:
60ml vegetable oil
15ml sugar
100ml milk
1 egg
1 x 400g tin of corn kernels
250ml flour
1,2ml salt
8ml baking powder
30ml thyme leaves, chopped

Place a large saucepan on medium-high heat and pour in some vegetable oil.
Add the onion and carrots and cook until the onions are soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the tomato paste, minced beef and aubergine and stir to break up the mince.
Pour in the stock, add the thyme and salt and simmer for 30 minutes or until the mixture is dry.
Spoon the beef mixture in to a 28cm x 21cm ceramic dish and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the vegetable oil, sugar, milk and egg to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the corn kernels, mix through and set aside.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
Scrape the corn mixture into the bowl and add the thyme leaves.
Mix through – you will have quite a stiff dough.
Spoon the scone mixture on to the beef mixture and spread it out evenly with the back of a spoon.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until golden brown.
Serve the pie with a garden salad on the side.

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Chicken Spiedini

September 2, 2023August 17, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
30ml rosemary
15ml thyme
1 lemon, zest finely grated
5ml salt
1 kg chicken breast, skin and bone removed
190ml panko breadcrumbs
80ml parmesan cheese, finely grated

Warm dressing:
125ml olive oil
60ml butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
60ml lemon juice
30ml parsley, chopped
2,5ml salt

wooden skewers

Pour the olive oil into a large bowl and add the rosemary, thyme, lemon zest and salt and stir through.
Cut the chicken breasts into large chunks (about 4 pieces of chicken should go on to one skewer).
Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix through with your hands so that all the chicken get coated.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and parmesan over and mix again.
Skewer about 4 pieces of chicken on to a skewer.
Place a heavy-bottom pan on medium-high heat and wait for it to warm up.
Grill 4 – 5 skewers at a time for 4 minutes, flip them over and cook for another 4 minutes.
Keep the cooked chicken warm.

For the warm dressing:
Add the olive oil, butter, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and salt to a small saucepan.
Place on the heat and simmer the sauce, stirring every now and then for 3-4 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Place the chicken on a serving platter and drizzle over the warm sauce to serve.

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Onion Pie

August 28, 2023August 14, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

1 packet frozen puff pastry
30ml olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
5 eggs
125ml milk
125ml cream
5ml salt
15ml onion seeds
250ml grated mature cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and spray a deep pie dish (or a loose-bottom cake tin) with cooking spray.
Line the pie dish with the pastry. The sides should come up 4cm.
Pour the olive oil into a saucepan set over medium-high heat and add the onions.
Cook until soft, remove from the saucepan and set aside to cool.
Add the eggs, milk, cream, salt and onion seeds to a large jug and whisk together.
Add the grated cheddar to the cooled onions and mix through.
Spoon the onion mixture into the pastry lined baking tin.
Pour the egg mixture over and bake for one hour.
Serve the pie warm with a salad on the side.

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Mediterranean Orzo

August 26, 2023August 12, 2023by Karen Claassen1 Comment

200g chorizo sausage
30ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 x 400g tin of whole cherry tomato
10ml sugar
5ml salt
400g orzo pasta
400ml vegetable stock
a handful of basil leaves, chopped
parmesan cheese

Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion to it.
Fry the onion until just soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Cook for 5 minutes or so, stirring every now and then.
Add the orzo and stir through.
Pour in the vegetable stock and cook for about 10 minutes. The liquid has to reduce and the orzo should be tender when you taste it.
Scatter over three quarters of the basil and turn off the heat.
Stir through and serve with grated parmesan cheese and the rest of the basil scattered over.

curries, dinner, food, lunch, recipes

Lamb Curry

August 24, 2023August 3, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml sunflower oil
2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml salt
15ml ground ginger
5ml chilli flakes
10ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
15ml turmeric
2,5ml smoked paprika
30ml sugar
4 cloves
3 cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1 x 400g can of chopped tomato
2kg stewing lamb
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced
fresh coriander leaves

Add the sunflower oil and onion to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it begins to caramelise.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Now add the salt, ginger, chilli flakes, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika and sugar.
Stir through and then add the whole spices: cloves, cardamon, bay leaf and star anise.
Pour in the chopped tomato and give everything a good stir.
Add the lamb and stir until all the meat is covered in the spices.
Pour in enough water to cover the meat.
Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the diced potato, stir through and simmer the curry for another 30 minutes.
Serve on white rice with fresh coriander and a good chutney.

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Quick Beetroot Salad

August 23, 2023August 5, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 beets, cooked, peeled and cubed
30ml olive oil
30ml balsamic vinegar
1 small red onion, cut into thin slices
a pinch of salt
30ml chopped chives
a handful of walnut halves
50g feta cheese

Add the cubed beetroot, olive oil, balsamic, red onion and pinch of salt to a bowl and mix together.
Spoon onto a serving platter and scatter over the chives and walnuts.
Top the salad by crumbing the feta over.

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White Bean Soup

August 21, 2023August 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
30g butter
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 x 400g cans of cannellini beans
500ml vegetable stock
5ml finely chopped rosemary
5ml finely chopped thyme leaves
sourdough croutons to serve

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and butter and wait for the pan to heat up.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Drain 2 of the cans of beans and add the beans to the saucepan.
Pour the third can of beans, liquid and all, into a liquidiser and blitz until smooth.
Add to the saucepan.
Pour in the stock and add the rosemary and thyme.
Grind over some black pepper and stir together.
Bring the soup to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve piping hot with freshly made croutons.

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Bocconcini Pasta Salad

August 17, 2023August 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g fussily pasta, cooked and cooled
350g cocktail tomatoes, halved
60ml chopped parsley
60ml chopped basil
300g bocconcini cheese balls, halved
1 red onion, finely chopped
Dressing:
125g basil pesto
60ml olive oil
45ml red wine vinegar
15ml granulated mustard

Add the cooled pasta, tomatoes, parsley, basil, bocconcini and red onion to a large bowl and toss through.
For the dressing:
Blitz together the basil pesto, olive oil, red wine vinegar and mustard.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again.
Season with salt and pepper to serve.