vegetarian – Page 26 – My Whisk and I

15-Minutes Gnocchi

September 21, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

500g gnocchi
15ml olive oil
30ml butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml mixed Italian herbs
1 x 400g tin of diced tomato
125ml tomato sauce (ketchup)
125ml vegetable stock
80ml cream
5ml salt
a few grindings of black pepper
a few sprigs of thyme
parmesan cheese, to serve

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring it to a boil.
Add the gnocchi, cook for 2-3 minutes (they should start floating) and drain.
Drizzle with some olive oil and mix through so that the gnocchi doesn’t stick – set aside.
Place a saucepan or large pan on medium-high heat and add the butter.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the gnocchi to the pan and sprinkle the herbs on top. Stir to coat.
Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Spoon the gnocchi into a bowl and keep warm on the side.
Now add the tin of tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Pour in the cream, add the salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Add the gnocchi back into the pan and heat through.
Scatter some fresh thyme over and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately.

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French Meringue

September 20, 2022September 17, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 egg whites
a pinch of cream of tartar
220g caster sugar
food colouring

Preheat your oven to 140℃ and line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a clean large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the cream of tartar over and start beating the whites with electric beater on medium speed.
Once you have a soft peak you can start adding a teaspoonful of sugar to the whites, while beating continuously.
Incorporate the sugar before adding another teaspoonful of sugar. (If you want to be technical, you should have 30 second intervals in between adding, whisking and more sugar!)
Beat the mixture until all the sugar is incorporated and it is stiff and glossy.
Add a few drops of food colouring and gently fold through.
Scoop the meringue into a piping bag and pipe 2cm diameter circles onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes.
Switch off the oven but do not open it. Stand the meringues in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Milk Tart Stack

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

Pancake batter:
250ml flour
1ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
250ml milk
125ml water
62ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
ground cinnamon

Filling:
80g cornflour
1 litre milk
8 egg yolks
100g +100g sugar
10ml vanilla

For the pancakes:
Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Pour the milk, water, oil and eggs into a large jug and whisk together.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and add the liquid slowly and in a very thin stream.
Whisk on high speed for 2 minutes once all the liquid has been added.
Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and stand the mixture for one hour.

For the filling:
Add the cornflour to a mixing bowl.
Pour in a small amount of milk and stir to dissolve the cornflour.
Add the egg yolks and 100g of sugar and whisk together by hand. Set aside.
Pour the rest of the milk and the other 100g of sugar into a small saucepan and warm but do not allow it to boil.
Take the saucepan from the heat and drizzle the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking vigorously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly!! Keep going until all the milk has been added.
Pour the mixture back in the saucepan, place on a medium heat and stir until thick and glossy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Scrape the mixture into a clean bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Allow to cool completely.

Bake the pancakes in a 20cm diameter pan and set aside to cool.

Assembly:
Place one pancake on a serving platter.
Spoon a generous dollop of the custard onto the pancake and spread evenly.
Sift an even layer of ground cinnamon over the custard and repeat the layers until you have build a beautiful stacked cake.
End with a layer of filling and cinnamon.

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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.

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Saucy Udon Noodles

September 8, 2022September 7, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The recipe makes one large portion but may be doubled as needed.

Sauce:
30ml cornstarch
125ml water, room temperature
60ml soy sauce
45ml honey
15ml lemon juice
2,5ml sesame oil

200g udon noodles
100g mushrooms, pan-fried
cucumber cut into thin “sticks”
radish cut into thin “sticks”

Ensure that the mushrooms are cooked and the cucumber and radish have been sliced and prepped.

For the sauce:
Add the cornstarch to a small mixing bowl and add just enough of the 125ml water to dissolve the cornstarch. Stir briefly.
Add the rest of the water, soy, honey, lemon juice and sesame oil and whisk together until fully incorporated.
Place a pan on medium heat, add the sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
Remove the sauce from the heat as soon as it thickens – it is going back on so simply pull it away.

Cook the noodles according to packet instructions.
Place the sauce back on the heat and add the noodles.
Stir for about a minute so that the noodles absorb some of the sauce.
Spoon the noodles and any sauce into a serving bowl and arrange the mushroom, cucumber and radish on the noodles.
Serve immediately and slurp away!!

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Peanut-Corn Polenta

September 6, 2022September 5, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

2,5ml curry powder
2,5ml turmeric
2,5ml ground ginger
2,5ml onion seeds
2,5ml ground coriander
2,5ml ground cinnamon
83ml peanuts
3-4 corn cobs, kernels shaved off or 350g frozen corn kernels, defrosted
500ml (2x tins) coconut milk
500ml chicken/vegetable stock
2,5ml salt
250ml quick-cook polenta
a handful of parsley, chopped

Place a frying pan on medium heat and add about 45ml vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry powder, turmeric, ginger, onion seeds, coriander and cinnamon and cook while stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Now add the peanuts and stir them around in the spices for about a minute.
Add the corn kernels and stir-fry for another 3 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Pour the coconut milk and chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the salt.
Gradually whisk in the polenta, making sure there are no lumps.
Simmer, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until thick.
Stir half of the corn kernel mixture into the polenta.
Spoon on to a serving dish, spoon the rest of the corn on top and scatter with parsley.

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Sesame Cauliflower

September 5, 2022September 4, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 head of cauliflower (about 650-700g), cut into florets
125ml bread flour
190ml water
310ml panko breadcrumbs

Sauce:
Slurry: 30ml cornstarch and 30ml water
45ml soy sauce
15ml lemon juice
60ml honey
15ml sesame oil
2,5ml ground ginger
250ml water

3 stalks of green onion, sliced
a handful of sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 220℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Cut the cauliflower head in half. Break it into medium sized florets and cut off the stems. Set aside.
Add the bread flour and 190ml water to a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth.
Add the breadcrumbs to another bowl.
Now, dip a floret into the flour and water mixture, roll/coat it with the breadcrumbs and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Continue until all the florets are coated in breadcrumbs.
Space the florets on the lined baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden and dry.

For the sauce:
Prepare a slurry by whisking the cornstarch and water together. Keep aside.
Add the soy, lemon juice, honey, sesame oil, ginger and water to a small saucepan and whisk together.
Pour in the slurry while whisking continuously.
Place the saucepan on medium-low heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Pour the sauce over the baked florets and gently mix through to cover all the cauliflower in the sauce.
Serve with a scattering of green onions and sesame seeds.

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Chewy Breakfast Bars

August 31, 2022August 30, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

625ml rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
125ml almonds, chopped
83ml honey
56g butter, cubed
62ml brown sugar
2,5ml vanilla
1,2ml salt
125ml dried cranberries, chopped
80ml chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper.
Add the oats and chopped almonds to a baking sheet, spread it out evenly and bake in the oven for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture around and bake for another 5 minutes, until lightly toasted. Spoon into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Add the honey, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt to a small saucepan and place over medium heat.
Stir the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Allow it to bubble for 30 seconds and remove from the heat.
Pour the honey mixture into the bowl with the oats and almonds and mix well.
Add the cranberries and the chocolate chips and stir again.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and firmly press into the tin. Wet your fingers with water and press some more – this is really important for the mixture to stick together.
Cover the tin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Remove from the tin and cut into 12x bars.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
I like to wrap the individual bars in baking paper so that they are ready to be taken on-the-go!!

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Caramel Banana Pull-Apart Bread

August 24, 2022August 23, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

62ml tepid water
10g instant yeast
250ml milk, warm
30ml sugar
7,5ml salt
5ml ground cinnamon
62ml butter, melted
2 eggs
4 x 250ml + 83ml flour
1 x can/portion Dulce de Leche or Caramel Treat
3 bananas, sliced

Pour the tepid water into a small mixing bowl and sprinkle over the yeast. Stir until dissolved and set aside.
Add the milk, sugar, salt and cinnamon to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and whisk together by hand.
Stir in the butter, eggs and yeast mixture.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and gradually add the flour. You are looking for a dough that is soft enough to handle. It is usually ready when it easily pulls away from the sides.
Knead/mix for another 5 minutes.
Rub a few drops of oil on the inside of a mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and cover with a tea towel.
Allow to rise until double in size. (about 90 minutes)
Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour.
Roll the dough to a 0,5cm thickness and cut circles of dough with a biscuit cutter, about 8 cm in diameter.
You need about 22 circles to make two small breads.
Line two 11cm X 25cm loaf tins with baking paper.
Spread a teaspoon of caramel on half of each circle and place 3 slices of banana on top.
Fold the circle in half and place it in the prepared tin with the open ends facing up.

Continue until all the discs are in the loaf tin.
Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 40 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Bake the breads for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the baking tin.
Serve the pull-apart bread warm or at room temperature.