lunch recipes – My Whisk and I

Rocket/Aragula Salad

June 12, 2024June 11, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Dressing:
30ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
2,5ml salt
1,2ml black pepper

120g rocket/aragula leaves
Parmesan cheese shavings
balsamic vinegar reduction

Add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk together. Put aside.
Place the rocket leaves in a salad bowl and add parmesan shavings by pulling a vegetable peeler over the surface of parmesan cheese.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad, mix together and arrange on a serving platter.
Drizzle some balsamic vinegar reduction over and serve.

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Roasted Pumpkin Stew

May 28, 2024May 21, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml sugar
5ml ground cinnamon
10ml salt
1kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm pieces
1 x 385g tin of chopped tomatoes
250ml beef stock
1 small pumpkin, 500g cubed and the rest cut into wedges
15ml cornflour
1 x tin coconut milk

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Place large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and onion and cook until the onion is soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir through.
Now add the beef cubes, chopped tomatoes and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Gently cook the meat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the pumpkin wedges to the roasting tin and brush vegetable oil all over. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the wedges for 15 minutes, flip them over and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
Add the cubed pumpkin to the saucepan and simmer for another 20-30 minutes until beautifully soft.
Mix the cornflour with 45ml of the coconut milk and drizzle the mixture into the saucepan.
Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve the pumpkin stew on steamed rice with a wedge of roasted pumpkin on top.

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Sticky Pork Chops

May 12, 2024April 30, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 cloves of garlic, minced
60ml tomato sauce
45ml soy sauce
30ml sunflower oil
60ml sugar
10ml Worcestershire sauce
15ml apple cider vinegar
6 – 8 thick pork chops

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Add the garlic, tomato sauce, soy, sunflower oil, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar to a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stir the sauce until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer until reduced to a very thick sauce, stirring occasionally. (This should take 10 minutes or so)
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.
Lay the chops in the prepared roasting tin and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
Brush the chops with a generous amount of the sauce and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Flip the chops and brush with the remaining sauce.
Return the roasting tin to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Serve immediately.

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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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Cheesy Orzo

May 2, 2024April 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g orzo pasta
45ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml thyme leaves, chopped
250ml cream
1 lemon, grated zest and juice
250ml grated parmesan cheese
40g pine kernels, toasted

Place a large saucepan over high heat, pour in a good quantity of water and add a teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion to it.
Cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour in the cream, turn down the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced – 3 minutes or so.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parmesan and stir through.
Now add the drained orzo to the sauce and simmer for another 2 minutes while stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Spoon the orzo on to a serving dish and scatter the pine kernels over to serve.

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Beef and Pumpkin Coconut Curry

April 28, 2024April 23, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30m vegetable oil
80ml rogan josh curry paste
10ml ground ginger
15ml sugar
1,5kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm cubes
1 x 385g tin chopped tomato
250ml beef stock
600g pumpkin, cut into 3 cm cubes
15ml cornflour
1 x 385ml tin coconut milk

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry paste, ground ginger and the sugar and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cubed beef and stir to coat in the curry paste.
Pour in the chopped tomato and stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer the beef for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add the pumpkin cubes and simmer for another 20 minutes or so.
Mix the cornflour with 3 spoonfuls of the coconut milk and drizzle this slurry back into the remaining coconut milk while whisking.
Pour the coconut milk mixture into the curry and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve the beef and pumpkin curry on fragrant, steamed rice.

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Caramel Pumpkin Tart

April 23, 2024April 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml flour
250ml sugar
5ml salt
750ml cooked, drained pumpkin
60ml butter, melted
250ml cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten together
5ml ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce:
250ml brown sugar
125ml butter, cubed
60ml milk
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the flour, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl, stir to mix and set aside.
Add the pumpkin, butter, cream and eggs to another mixing bowl and beat together with a spatula.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
Scoop the mixture into a 23cm diameter pie dish and level the surface.
Bake in the oven for one hour.
Sprinkle the pumpkin tart with the cinnamon as soon as you take it from the oven.
Set aside to cool somewhat – it is ideal to serve when warm.

Caramel Sauce:
Add the sugar, butter and milk to a small saucepan set over a low heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat up, do not stir again and bring the mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat down slightly and cook the sauce until it thickens and has lost its wateriness. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Drizzle the pumpkin tart with the caramel sauce and serve.

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Prawn Curry

April 21, 2024April 19, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
15ml turmeric
15ml ground coriander
15ml ground cumin
30ml curry powder
1 kg prawns, shelled and deveined

Curry sauce:
30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green chilli, chopped
10ml ground ginger
15ml curry powder
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground turmeric
15ml ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
250ml coconut milk

Pour the olive oil into a large mixing bowl and add the turmeric, coriander, cumin and curry powder to it. Mix through.
Add the prawns and stir to cover with the spice paste. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Place a saucepan on medium heat, add the vegetable oil and onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the green chilli, ginger, curry, cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds.
Now blitz the two tins of tomatoes and add it to the saucepan.
Turn down the heat and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
Add the marinated prawns, pour in the coconut milk and simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes.
Serve the prawn curry with fresh coriander and steamed rice.

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Tandoori Chicken

March 19, 2024March 18, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Marinade:
250ml greek yoghurt
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml ground ginger
15ml smoked paprika
15ml garam masala
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
5ml salt
15ml lemon juice

6 chicken breasts

Add all the ingredients for the marinade to a large mixing bowl and mix together.
Add the chicken pieces and cover them in the marinade.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat your oven to 240℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.
Place a metal wire rack on the tray and arrange the chicken pieces on it.
Cook in the oven for 25 minutes until blistered.
Remove the chicken from the oven and serve with a fresh side or salad.

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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.