lunch inspiration – Page 9

Fish Parcels

February 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 portions of hake
2 sweet peppers, sliced
100g green olives, pitted
30ml capers, roughly chopped
60ml peppadews, chopped
2 lemons, quartered

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Cut 4 pieces of baking paper to more or less 30cm x 30cm.
Place a portion of hake in the centre of each paper square and season with salt and pepper.
Add the sweet peppers, olives, capers and peppadews to a small bowl and mix through. Divide the mixture equally and spoon onto the fish.
Squeeze the juice of a quartered lemon over.
Bring the two opposite sides of the paper together and fold over twice.
Now twist the ends to enclose the filling.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Serve the fish in its paper parcel.

Uncategorized

Green Bacon Salad

February 16, 2023February 15, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250g smoked bacon
125ml yoghurt
125ml mayonnaise
a squeeze of lemon juice
45ml olive oil
80ml milk
100g + 100g feta cheese
3 cos lettuce (or other crunchy lettuce)
125g sugar snaps
250ml frozen peas, thawed
1 avocado pear, sliced

Dice the bacon and cook until done and slightly crispy on the edges. Set aside to cool.
Add the yoghurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, olive oil, milk and 100g of feta cheese to a blender and blitz on high speed until smooth. Set aside.
Arrange the lettuce on a serving plate.
Scatter over the sugar snaps, peas, avocado pear and bacon.
Spoon/drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Crumb the remaining 100g feta on top, add a few grindings of black pepper and serve.

Uncategorized

Panzanella Salad with Burrata

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

Traditionally panzanella/Italian bread salad is not served with cheese but the creaminess of the burrata adds a deliciousness beyond words!

4 x 2cm thick slices of sourdough bread
6-8 ripe tomatoes, room temperature
half a cucumber
1 burrata cheese
1 small red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
125ml olive oil
60ml balsamic vinegar
juice of one lemon

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the sourdough slices into cubes of 1,5-2cm – they should look like chunky croutons.
Spread the bread on the prepared baking sheet and liberally drizzle with olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the croutons are golden and crisp.
Remove from the baking sheet and set aside.
For the dressing:
Chop 3-4 tomatoes into very small pieces. The chopping is best done in a shallow bowl so that you can preserve all of the tomatoes’ juice.
Add the tomato and its juice to a 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 the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.

Slice the remaining 3-4 tomatoes into chunks and place in a large bowl.
Slice the cucumber into chunks and add to the tomato.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through.
Scatter the croutons and basil over and mix again.
Spoon the salad onto a serving plate and place the burrata on top.
Serve with a cold Babylonstoren Rosé.

Uncategorized

Apricot Chicken

February 14, 2023February 13, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

8 skinless chicken breasts
250ml mayonnaise
250ml apricot chutney
300ml water
15ml mild curry powder
250g dried apricots
45ml thyme leaves

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place the chicken in a large oven dish, spacing them so that they aren’t crowded.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the mayonnaise, chutney, water and curry powder into a jug and whisk together.
Pour over the chicken.
Chop half the apricots and sprinkle on the chicken.
Cover the oven dish with aluminium foil and place in the oven to cook for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil and scatter the rest of the apricots over.
Cook the chicken (without the foil) for another 15 minutes. Spoon the liquid over the chicken from time to time.
I serve this dish on couscous which is great for absorbing the abundance of sauce. A tomato and basil salad is the perfect pairing for a great weekday dinner!

Uncategorized

Quick Gazpacho

February 13, 2023February 12, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

half an English cucumber, cut into chunks
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 ripe tomatoes, quartered
1 red chilli, chopped
30ml olive oil
80ml apple cider vinegar
a bunch of basil leaves, chopped

Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz together.
Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning – it is soooo important!
Refrigerate the soup until you want to serve it.
Spoon into soup bowls and serve with ice cubes and a fresh crusty bread.

Uncategorized

Tomato and Plum Tart

February 9, 2023February 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 roll butter puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg and 15ml water beaten together
3 large tomatoes
3 ripe plums
15 thyme leaves
15ml honey
250g flavoured cream cheese (I used chive flavour)

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Lay the pastry on the baking paper and cut a 1,5cm strip off each side.
Brush the pastry with some egg wash and lay the strips onto the pastry border.
Prick the inside of the pastry with a fork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes and plums into wedges and place in a mixing bowl.
Drizzle with the honey, season with salt and pepper and scatter the thyme leaves over.
Brush the entire pastry sheet with the rest of the egg wash.
Now spread the cream cheese onto the inside block of the pastry, using the back of a spoon.
Arrange half the tomato and plum mix onto the cream cheese.
Bake the tart in the oven for 30 minutes.
Top the warm tart with the remaining tomato and plums and season once more.
Serve slightly warm.

Uncategorized

Potato-Cheese Flatbread

December 11, 2022December 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Yields two flatbreads

3 potatoes, cooked (about 250 – 350ml cooked potato)
60ml butter
250ml cheese, grated (I use parmesan and cheddar)
5ml salt
5ml garlic salt
15ml chives, chopped
250ml yoghurt
375ml self-raising flour
butter

Mash the cooked potato while it is still warm and mix in the butter, cheese, salt, garlic salt and chives. Set aside to cool.
Add the yoghurt and flour to a bowl and combine.
Knead until you have a smooth ball of dough – add a small amount of flour if the dough is too sticky.
Divide the dough in two balls.
Roll out into a circle of 1cm thickness.
Add half the potato mixture, flatten into a smaller circle and gather the edges of the dough around the filling. Pinch together the dough to seal the potato filling.
Flip the filled dough and gently roll it out to a disk shape that will fit your pan.
Pan-fry on both sides on medium heat, until golden, brushing with melted butter.
Serve the bread warm.

Uncategorized

Orzotto Alla Norma

December 5, 2022December 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 aubergines
olive oil
250g cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
15ml fresh thyme, chopped
300g orzo
100g parmesan cheese, grated
a handful of fresh basil
1 Burrata

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Slice the aubergine into discs, spread them out on the prepared baking sheet and generously drizzle with olive oil.
Scatter the cherry tomatoes over the aubergine and bake for 30 minutes.
Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add some olive oil.
Fry the onion and garlic until soft.
Add the chopped tomato and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer for 15 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Cook the orzo according to packet instructions.
Drain the orzo and add it to the tomato sauce.
Add the grated parmesan and stir through.
Spoon the orzo into a serving dish and top with the aubergine, roasted tomato and burrata.
Serve with fresh basil leaves scattered on top.

Uncategorized

Pasta with Peanut Butter Sauce

December 1, 2022November 30, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

You may serve any pasta with this peanut butter sauce but it does coat spaghetti rather well. This is enough sauce for about 250g dry weight, spaghetti.

125ml peanut butter
30ml soy sauce
30ml brown sugar
15ml lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
90ml very warm water
100ml peanuts, chopped

Cook the pasta of your choice while making the sauce/keep your pasta warm.
Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and garlic to a LARGE mixing bowl and whisk together to blend. The mixture will be extremely thick but keep stirring and mixing with the whisk until blended.
Add about 15ml of the warm water to the mixture and stir/blend/whisk until the water has been incorporated.
Keep adding a small amount of water and whisking until all the water is incorporated and you are left with a smooth, thick sauce.
Add the hot pasta to the sauce and toss through until the pasta is covered in the sauce.
Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle the chopped peanuts over to serve.

Uncategorized

Miso Cauliflower

November 28, 2022November 27, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 large cauliflower
olive oil and spices of your choice
2 cans black beans
2 cloves garlic, minced

Miso-Cheese Sauce:
15ml butter
15ml flour
15ml miso paste
500ml milk
15 ml sirachia sauce
50g cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the cauliflower into steaks and place on the prepared tray.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and spices of your choice and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Drain the black beans in a small saucepan, add the garlic and place over a medium-low heat until warm.
Blitz the mixture to a smooth pureé.
Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Miso-Cheese Sauce:
Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter and flour.
Stir until the butter has melted and you have a paste.
Add the miso paste and stir to mix.
Drizzle in the milk while whisking and cook for 3 minutes while stirring.
Turn the heat down to low and add the sirachia sauce and grated cheese.
Stir until the cheese has melted.

Spoon the black bean pureé on to a serving plate and arrange the roasted cauliflower on top.
Drizzle the miso sauce over and add a few micro greens to serve.