lunch – Page 19 – My Whisk and I

Pork Rib-Eye Steaks with Grape Sauce

October 19, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

8 pork rib-eye steaks
a small handful of sage leaves, chopped
8-10 small onions, peeled and halved
50g butter
500g seedless grapes, half kept whole and the other half sliced in two
125ml balsamic vinegar
60ml brown sugar

Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the chopped sage and press the herbs onto the meat.
Place a saucepan on medium-high heat, add a splash of vegetable oil and brown the meat, about 4 minutes per side.
Take the steaks from the pan and keep on the side.
Add the butter to the pan and wait for it to melt.
Now add the onions, cut side down and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the grapes, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and simmer for 2 minutes.
Place the pork steaks on top of the grapes and onions and place a lid on the saucepan.
Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
Serve warm with mashed potato and a fresh salad.

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Chicken Roll-Ups

October 18, 2022October 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These roll-ups are the kind of food we graze on in summer. Pack a huge platter full of them, mix an exotic cocktail and sit back and relax.

4 tortilla wraps
250g cream cheese
190ml pickled sweet peppers, chopped
500ml grated cheddar cheese
625ml finely shredded chicken meat (leftovers are perfect!)
a small bunch of chives, chopped
salt and pepper

Add the cream cheese, pickled peppers, cheddar, chicken and chives to a mixing bowl and mix together.
Divide the mixture between the four wraps and evenly spread it right to the ends so that it is completely and evenly covered.
Roll the wrap as tight and evenly as you can and slice into discs.
Arrange on a platter to serve.

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Candied Pork Rashers

October 14, 2022October 14, 2022by Karen Claassen1 Comment

8 boneless, pork rashers
125ml brown sugar
2,5ml smoked paprika
7,5ml dried chilli flakes

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with aluminium foil. Stand a metal cooling rack in the baking sheet.
Spread the rashers on the metal rack in the baking sheet and salt them on both sides. Set aside.
Mix together the brown sugar, paprika and chilli flakes and spread it evenly onto each rasher.
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes, remove and flip the rashers.
Spread this side with the rest of the sugar mixture and immediately place it back in the oven for another 8 minutes.
Flip the rashers once more and bake for another 5 minutes per side, until beautifully browned and crisp.
Serve warm.

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Pampoenkoekie Tray Bake

October 13, 2022October 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe was developed by chef Khanya Mzongwana from Woolworths. I added a crumb to the original to add some texture but whether you have it in its “original” form or with the crumble is irrelevant …. you will love it!! The tray bake may be served as is South African tradition, as a side dish to meat or with the crumble and ice cream, as a dessert.

250g flour
10ml baking powder
60ml brown sugar
5ml cinnamon
2,5ml nutmeg
5ml salt
200g pumpkin mash
125ml milk
2 eggs

For the crumble:
135g flour
50g oats
62g brown sugar
112g butter, melted

For the caramel sauce:
200g sugar
100g butter
125ml cream

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 20cm x 20cm baking tray with cooking spray.
Add the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a mixing bowl.
Add the pumpkin mash, milk and eggs to another bowl and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir through. Do not over mix.
Scrape the batter into the prepared baking tray and set aside.

Prepare the crumble by adding the flour, oats and brown sugar to a mixing bowl and mix together.
Stir in the melted butter and mix together until the mixture forms large crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumble all over the pumpkin batter.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Make the caramel sauce by adding the sugar and butter to a small saucepan and wait for the butter to melt.
Simmer over a medium heat until it starts to turn a caramel colour. DO NOT STIR THE MIXTURE!
Whisk in the cream and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
Pour the sauce over the tray bake as soon as you take it from the oven.

Serve the pampoenkoekie tray bake as a side dish to meat or with ice cream, as a dessert.

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Mushroom-Courgette Galette

October 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 store bought puff pastry
125g cream cheese, I use chive flavoured
250g smoked bacon, cubed/chopped
200g mushrooms, sliced
a handful of thyme leaves
5 courgettes, cut into 3-4cm long sticks
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 30ml water whisked together

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Roll out the pastry and cut as large a circle from it as the diameter allows.
Spread the cream cheese on the pastry, leaving a 3cm border on the outside.
Place a pan on medium-high heat and fry the bacon pieces until cooked. Spoon into a bowl.
Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves to the pan and fry until golden.
Add the courgette sticks to the mushrooms and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
Spoon into the bowl with the bacon and mix through.
Now spoon this mixture onto the cream cheese.
Fold the 3cm border of pastry over the filling and brush with the egg wash.
Bake the galette for 40 minutes.
Serve warm.

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Chorizo and Spinach Carbonara

October 4, 2022October 3, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a cheat’s version of carbonara and makes a perfect weekday dinner. Feeds 4 adults.

300g dried pappardelle pasta (or spaghetti)
150g chorizo sausage, sliced
15ml thyme, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml lemon juice
45ml yoghurt
1 egg
100g baby spinach
50g parmesan cheese, grated

Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions.
Add the chorizo to a saucepan set over medium-high heat and fry for 3 minutes.
Add the thyme and garlic and stir-fry for another minutes or so.
Add the lemon juice, yoghurt and egg to a small bowl and whisk together with a fork.
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the yoghurt mixture while stirring.
Add the spinach to the saucepan and place it back onto the heat while stirring until the spinach is wilted.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle the parmesan over.
Mix through before serving.

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Chicken Salad

September 19, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

There is one sauce that doubles up as marinade and dressing!!

500g chicken breasts

Marinade/Dressing:
30ml olive oil
juice of 2 lemons (60ml)
30ml water
30ml apple cider vinegar
30ml chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
5ml dried origanum
5ml salt
black pepper

Salad:
lettuce
tomato, chopped
cucumber, chopped
red onion, sliced
avocado pear, sliced

Add all the ingredients for the marinade/dressing to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Pour half of the mixture into a jug and keep aside as the salad dressing.
Place the chicken breasts in the marinade for 30 minutes.
Place a pan on medium-high heat and add the chicken breasts. Cover with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes before flipping them over and cooking for another 4 minutes. Rest the breasts in the pan, with the lid on for another 5 minutes.
Arrange the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and avocado on a serving plate.
Slice the chicken and place on the salad.
Drizzle with the salad dressing and serve.

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Pad Thai Miso Noodles

September 15, 2022September 14, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe will serve 2-3 people. Double up on the sauce if you are serving more.

2-3 chicken breasts
15ml sunflower oil
10ml garlic salt
5ml origanum
5ml smoked paprika
30 ml butter

2 x 200g packets of fresh Pad Thai noodles

For the sauce:
15ml peanut butter
25ml miso paste
15ml sesame oil
7,5ml chilli sauce
10ml soy sauce
7,5ml honey
7,5ml lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
60ml chopped chives

Drizzle the sunflower oil over the chicken breast and rub all over.
Mix the garlic salt, origanum and paprika in a small bowl, sprinkle it over the chicken and rub it over the breasts.
Place a pan on medium-high heat and wait for it to heat up.
Add the butter to the pan and wait for it to melt.
Now add the chicken and partially cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 4 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook for another 3 minutes, once again with the lid partially on the pan.
Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.

Add all the ingredients for the sauce to a small bowl and mix together.
Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.
Add the noodles to the sauce ingredients and mix through to coat all the noodles.
Spoon into serving bowls, slice the chicken and place on the noodles.
Serve immediately.

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Chinese Flatbread

September 13, 2022September 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Also called Scallion Flatbread or Green Onion Flatbread, these tiny breads are flaky with a crispy outside and wonderfully soft inside. Easy and very straightforward to make!

250g flour
160g HOT water
sunflower oil

30ml sunflower oil
30ml flour
2,5ml salt
40g green onion/scallion, chopped

Add the flour to a mixing bowl and pour in the hot water. Stir with a spatula/spoon until no more flour can be seen.
Combine the mixture into a rough-looking dough with your hands.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set aside for 15 minutes.
Uncover and knead by hand until it becomes smooth.
Rub a thin layer of oil over the dough as well as on the work surface.
Roll the dough into a rectangle of about 43cm x 33cm.
Add the 30 ml sunflower oil, flour and salt tot a small mixing bowl and mix together.
Brush the mixture over the rolled dough and sprinkle the green onion over.
Roll the dough, from the short side, into a log that is not too tight.
Cut into 4 equal pieces.
Stand a piece on its cut side, press it down with your hand to flatten slightly and then roll out into a 13cm diameter circle. Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and pour a small amount of oil into it.
Wait for the pan to heat up and place the breads in the pan if you can fit all of them. You may also cook 2 breads at a time if space is a problem.
Place a lid on the pan and cook the flatbread for 3 minutes.
Flip them over and cook for another 2 minutes until done.
Serve while warm.

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Soufflé Omelette

September 12, 2022September 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 eggs, separated
salt and pepper
15g + 15g parmesan, grated
a handful of chives, chopped
15g butter

Separate the eggs into two large mixing bowls.
Add a generous pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper to the yolks. Whisk together and set aside.
Whisk the egg whites until firm, glossy peaks form.
Add half of the egg whites to the yolks and stir well until the whites are thoroughly combined and you have a looser consistency.
Mix in 15g of the parmesan as well as the chives.
Now add the remaining egg whites and gently fold the mixture together until well combined.
Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. Allow to melt and bubble.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan and spread the mixture with a spatula. Smooth the surface as well.
Cover the pan with a lid and cook until the top is just set – about 2-3 minutes.
Remove the lid and scatter the remaining 15g of parmesan on top and cook for another minute.
Slice the omelette out of the pan onto a serving plate and fold the omelette over on itself.
Serve immediately.