lunch – Page 16 – My Whisk and I

Pizza Rolls

March 3, 2023March 2, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2 x 400g puff pastry rolls, thawed
400ml tomato sauce for pizza
400g sandwich ham, sliced into squares
200g salami, sliced
200g green olives, halved
a handful of basil leaves
500g mozzarella cheese, grated
egg-wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water, whisked together

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Unroll both the puff pastry rolls and place one horizontally in front of you on a work surface.
Brush a 2cm wide strip at the top of the pastry with water and overlay the other pastry roll so that the two overlap. Press the overlapping sections together.
Spread the tomato sauce over the entire pastry.
Scatter the ham, salami and olives evenly over the tomato sauce.
Arrange the basil leaves across the surface and top the entire pizza with the grated cheese.
Now lift the edge of the pastry closest to you and start rolling it up into a roll. Work lightly as you do not want to tear the pastry.
Slice the roll into 4cm thick slices and then lay the slices flat (cut-side down) on the baking sheet.
Brush the top and sides of the rolls with the egg-wash.
Bake the pizza rolls for 25 minutes until oozy and golden.
Serve immediately.

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Melon and Feta Salad (with Basil Dressing)

March 1, 2023February 28, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

150ml olive oil
250ml tightly packed basil leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
2,5ml salt
15ml lemon juice
15ml apple cider vinegar

cos lettuce
1 small melon
200g feta cheese
3 tomatoes

For the dressing:
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz at high speed for one minute. Set aside.

Arrange some lettuce leaves on a serving platter.
Slice the melon in half and take out the seeds.
Cut the melon into slices and then cut the flesh out of the skin,
Scoop a few melon balls from the flesh if you have a melon scoop.
Arrange the melon on the lettuce.
Slice the feta and tomato into slices and add it to the melon and lettuce.
Drizzle the basil dressing over the salad and serve.

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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.

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Italian Herb Chicken

February 26, 2023February 24, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is one of the most rewarding meals and it is put together in LESS THAN 30 MINUTES!!

6-8 chicken breasts, bone- and skinless
125ml olive oil
half an onion, chopped
60ml lemon juice
30ml apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
125ml cup packed with basil leaves
60ml cup packed with mint leaves
15ml rosemary, chopped
3 anchovy fillets/15ml anchovy spread

Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and drizzle over some olive oil. Rub the oil all over the breast and season with salt and pepper.
Roast the chicken for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven and cover with aluminium foil to rest. Set aside.
For the herb dressing:
Add the oil, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, herbs and anchovy to the cup of a blender and blitz at high speed for one minute.

Arrange the chicken on a serving platter and spoon over the herb dressing.

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Sweet Potato Gratin

February 22, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg sweet potatoes, peeled
250ml grated Gruyére cheese
250ml grated cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
375ml cream
15ml thyme leaves, chopped
1ml ground nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a ceramic dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
Slice the sweet potatoes into very thin slices – not thicker than 2mm.
Arrange the slices in a single layer overlapping slightly, in the oven dish.
Mix the two cheeses together and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese on the sweet potato. Keep going with the layers until you have a quarter of the cheese left. Set aside.
Add some vegetable oil to a saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook while stirring, for about 1 minute.
Pour in the cream, thyme and nutmeg and simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes. It should thicken slightly.
Add the last quarter of the cheese to the saucepan and stir through until melted.
Season the cream with salt and pepper and pour it over the sweet potatoes.
Place the dish in the oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly – about 45minutes. Check that it is fully cooked by inserting a sharp knife in the centre.
Remove the gratin from the oven, rest for 15 minutes and serve.

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Tartare Sauce (and homemade mayonnaise)

February 20, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a delicious tartare sauce made from the easiest ever homemade mayonnaise!!

Mayonnaise:
250ml oil of your choice – I like a specific brand of olive oil but you may use any seed oil you like)
2 egg yolks
15ml English mustard
60ml lemon juice

Add the oil, yolks, mustard and lemon juice to a mixing bowl and blitz at high speed with a stick blender. Keep going until you have a thick and creamy sauce.
Season with salt.
You may keep the mayonnaise in a glass jar in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Tartare sauce:
250ml homemade mayonnaise
a handful of basil leaves
4 gherkins, chopped
15ml capers, chopped

Add the mayonnaise and basil leaves to a mixing bowl and blitz with a stick blender.
Add the chopped gherkins and capers and mix through.
Check the seasoning and serve with fish.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.