300g butter, cubed 250ml brown sugar 30ml flour 2,5ml ground cinnamon 250ml orange juice grated zest of one orange 1 orange sliced into wedges 1kg sweet potato, peeled and sliced into 1,5-2cm thick slices
Place a large shallow saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and brown sugar and allow to melt. Scatter the flour over and stir until thickened and smooth. Add the cinnamon. Drizzle in the orange juice while whisking and then add the zest and the wedges. Now add the sweet potato chunks, cover with a lid, turn the heat down to medium and cook without stirring for about 40 minutes. Remove the lid once the sweet potato is cooked and allow the extra moisture to cook off. Serve warm.
5-6 large potatoes 410ml flour 310ml cold water 30ml olive oil 2,5ml salt 160ml grated parmesan cheese 15ml chopped rosemary
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside. Slice the potato thinly and set aside. Add the flour to a mixing bowl and whisk in the water, olive oil, salt and grated parmesan. Whisk the batter by hand for a minute or two, until smooth. Add the sliced potato to the batter and mix it through by hand, making sure that the slices are coated with batter. Place hand-full potato slices on the prepared baking sheet and spread it out in an evenly layer with the potato overlapping. Scatter over the chopped rosemary and some extra grated parmesan cheese. Bake the flatbread for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, slice into pieces and serve hot.
10 shortbread biscuits 360g tin caramel treat 100g dark chocolate, chopped 150ml double cream
Place the biscuits in a plastic bag and smash them with a rolling pin until you have crumbs. Scoop a large heaped dessert spoon of crumbs into 6 ramekins/glasses and give it a shake to level out. Set aside. Scoop the caramel out of the tin into a mixing bowl. Stir/beat by hand until softened. Now scoop a spoonful of caramel onto the biscuit crumb and level it out slightly with the back of a teaspoon. Set aside. Place the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then. Beat the cream and chocolate with electric beaters for about 4 minutes – it has to become airy and thick. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and refrigerate for 2 hours. Take the cheat pot from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.
Line a 29cm x 39cm shallow baking tray (as you would use for a swiss roll) with baking paper and give it a spray with cooking spray. Place a medium saucepan on high heat, pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Gradually add the maize meal while whisking, until smooth. Place a lid on the saucepan and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. Place a large pan over medium heat and add some oil and the onion to it. Sprinkle over 1ml salt and cook until caramelised – about 15 minutes. Add the leeks and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the thyme leaves, balsamic vinegar and sugar and cook another 5 minutes. Add the spinach and stir-fry until just wilted. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Add half the cheese to the maize and stir through. Pour the maize mixture into the prepared baking tin and spread it out evenly. Spread the caramelised onion mixture, remaining cheese and biltong over the warm pap and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes. With the long side facing you, roll the pap into a log, using the paper to lift and roll. Cover the log and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200℃. Grease a 28cm ovenproof saucepan or baking tin. Cut the log into six even pieces and place each piece cut side up in the saucepan. Drizzle the cream over and bake in the oven for one hour. Serve directly from the oven.
1 onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 sweet pepper, chopped 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomato 1kg minced/ground beef 250ml beef stock 1 x 400g tin of red/black beans 1 chilli, finely chopped
avocado pear, sliced baby corn tomato, diced cos lettuce, quartered
Place a saucepan over medium-high heat, add some olive oil and fry the onions until soft. Add the garlic and sweet pepper and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped tomato, minced beef and stock to the pan and stir through. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has evaporated. Drain the beans and add it to the saucepan with the chilli. Cook for another 5 minutes or so while stirring. Remove from the heat.
Put your bowls together by incorporating: * the fried minced beef mixture * avocado pear *baby corn * chopped tomato * lettuce
This salad may be served warm or at room temperature.
Dressing: half a red onion, finely diced 15ml red wine vinegar 15ml dijon mustard 15ml cold water 45ml olive oil
1kg baby potatoes 200g smoked bacon, chopped into pieces one small bunch of green asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths 1 red onion, sliced a handful of soft herbs (basil, parsley, sage, chives)
For the dressing: Add the diced onion, vinegar, mustard and water to a small bowl and mix together. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens. Taste the dressing and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the potatoes until soft. Drain the water and place in a large mixing bowl. Cook the bacon in a pan until crispy and then add the asparagus pieces. Stir-fry on a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Pour the bacon, asparagus and pan juices over the potato and mix through. Add the sliced onion and herbs. Pour the dressing over while the salad is still warm and mix to serve.
Sauce: 125g butter 50ml flour 125ml chicken stock 250ml white wine 125ml lemon juice 1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed 125ml grated parmesan cheese 30ml chopped parsley lemon wedges, to serve
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Season the 80ml flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken in it. Add the olive oil and butter to a pan set over medium-high heat and wait for it to warm up. Fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes preside and remove from the pan.
For the sauce: Turn the heat down to medium. Melt the 125g butter in the same pan and sprinkle the flour over it. Cook while stirring for one minute. Add the chicken stock to the pan and whisk the sauce continuously. Pour in the white wine and lemon juice and stir until blended. Return the chicken to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and add the asparagus. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Take the pan from the heat, stir in the parmesan and sprinkle over the chopped parsley. Serve the chicken with lemon wedges on the side.
2 eggs 1 x 400g tin of black beans, drained 100g syrup 50g sugar 10ml vanilla a pinch of salt 70g cocoa powder, sifted 5ml baking powder 2,5ml bicarbonate of soda 30ml vegetable oil
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a muffin tin with 6 paper cups. Spray the linings with cooking spray and set aside. Add the eggs to a blender and blitz together until frothy. Now add all the other ingredients and process for 1 minute. Divide the mixture between the cups and bake for 25 minutes. Cool the muffins on a cooling rack, in the baking tin. Serve at room temperature.
200g tennis biscuits, finely crumbed (keep a handful aside for decoration/to serve) 60ml sugar 120g butter, melted 450g cream cheese, room temperature 125ml sugar 2 eggs 5ml vanilla 250ml sour cream 250ml mashed banana 5ml cornstarch 125ml milk 2 bananas, sliced whipped cream a handful of biscuit crumbs
Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a muffin tin with paper cups. Set aside. Add the biscuit crumbs, 60ml sugar and melted butter to a mixing bowl and mix until it resembles wet sand. Divide the mixture among the paper cups and press it down firmly in the bottom to form a base. Set aside. Add the cream cheese and 125ml sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed, scraping down a few times, until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and add the vanilla as well. Pour in the sour cream and mix until fully combined. Set aside. Add the mashed banana and cornstarch to a bowl and drizzle in the milk. Whisk by hand until combined and thick. Fold the mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the batter into the prepared biscuit bases. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Allow the cheesecakes to cool completely and place them in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Take the cheesecakes from the paper cups, scoop some whipped cream on top and decorate with slices of banana and a sprinkling of biscuit crumbs.
I made this cake with blood oranges but it can be made with regular oranges as well. You will need 6 oranges in total.
3 blood oranges, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds 15ml + 60g honey 75g butter, softened 1 blood orange, zested and juiced 3 eggs, separated 100g almond meal 90g polenta 200g ricotta cheese, drained a pinch of salt 110g caster sugar raw shelled pistachio nuts, to decorate crème fraîche, for serving
Syrup: 150g caster sugar 2 blood oranges, juiced
Preheat your oven to 160℃ and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper. Layer the blood orange slices on the bottom of the tin, in two layers. Drizzle the 15ml honey over and set aside. Add the butter, 60g honey and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed, until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. Take the bowl from the mixer and fold in the almond flour, polenta, ricotta and orange juice. Set aside. Add the egg white and salt to a clean bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the caster sugar until shiny. Fold the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Spoon the batter onto the orange slices in the prepared cake tin. Smooth the top and bake for 60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
For the syrup: Add the sugar and juice to a small saucepan set over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook until you have a light syrup – about 10 minutes.
Once the cake comes out of the oven, pour the syrup over and allow to cool. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the baking paper. Decorate with a scattering of pistachio nuts and serve with crème fraîche.
My Whisk and I 