vegetarian – Page 38 – My Whisk and I

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

June 16, 2021June 4, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 cauliflower head
100ml Harissa paste (make your own Harissa with Fresh Chillies – recipe on this blog)

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Line a baking sheet/baking tin with aluminium foil.
Trim the outer leaves from the cauliflower and cut down the stalk so that the head can stand on its own.
Flip the head upside down and brush the bottom (and between the florets) liberally with the harissa paste.
Brush the rest of the paste onto the sides and top of the head so that the entire veg is covered in paste.
Cover the cauliflower with aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil covering and roast uncovered for another 30 minutes.
Cut the cauliflower into steaks or wedges to serve.

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Corn Fritters

May 20, 2021May 20, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Most cooks have a recipe for corn fritters but this is the one to keep AND it takes only 20 minutes to make, from start to finish!! Makes about 20 fritters, depending on the size of each fritter.

375ml flour
15ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
2 eggs
10ml butter, melted
1 can corn kernels, drained
1 can sweetcorn
125ml spring onion, finely sliced

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a mixing bowl.
Break the eggs in a small bowl and whisk together. Add to the flour.
Melt the butter in the microwave oven and pour into the flour mixture.
Now add the drained corn kernels, sweetcorn and sliced spring onion and mix everything together until you can not see any flour.
Place a heavy bottomed frying pan onto medium-high heat and cover the bottom with sunflower oil.
Scoop a spoonful of the corn mixture into the pan and flatten slightly so that it takes on a round shape.
Fry a few corn fritters at a time without crowding the pan.
Each fritter will need about two minutes cooking time per side before it is done.
Keep the cooked fritters warm until you have utilised all of the corn mixture.
Serve warm with sour cream or enjoy them plain.

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Cauliflower Mash

May 18, 2021May 18, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This cauliflower mash is silky smooth and makes the perfect base for a curry dish or stew. Add some steamed or roasted veg for a complete vegetarian meal.

about 700g cauliflower (one average head)
125ml milk
125ml cream
2,5ml salt
30ml butter

Cut the cauliflower into chunks, including the stalks, and place in a saucepan.
Add the milk, cream and salt and bring to a boil – DO NOT LET IT BOIL OVER!
Turn the heat down so that the liquid simmers lightly, put the lid on and allow to simmer until the cauliflower is soft enough to insert a toothpick into it easily.
Pour the cauliflower-milk mixture into a blender and add the butter. Process until the mixture is smooth and silky.
Season with salt, pepper and some more butter.
Serve warm with your favourite casserole or as a delicious side.

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Bitter Chocolate Banana Bread

May 11, 2021May 8, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This banana bread is delicious and chocolatey without being sweet and has incredible depth of flavour. I have included the substitutes for ingredients in brackets, to make it vegan. Enjoy this tea-time bread with a spread of salted butter.

220g banana, mashed (about three bananas)
5ml apple cider vinegar
35g butter, melted (nut butter)
300ml milk (soy milk)
100g sugar (Erythritol/any other sweetener)
a pinch of salt
200g flour
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml baking powder
50g cacao powder
40g + 40g dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a small bread tin (22cm X 11cm) with baking paper.
Mash the banana with a fork in a mixing bowl.
Add the vinegar, melted butter and milk and mix through with a spatula.
Add the sugar to this mixture and stir through.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cacao powder into the bowl and mix well.
Stir in 40g of the chopped chocolate.
Spoon the batter into the prepared bread tin and sprinkle the other 40g of chopped chocolate on top.
Bake the bread for 1 hour 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread, comes out clean.
Take the banana bread from the oven and lift the bread from the tin by holding the ends of the baking paper.
Cool the bread completely on a cooling rack before cutting.
Serve with a spreading of salted butter.

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Mushroom Galette

April 29, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

A galette is simply a free-form French pastry with either a savoury or sweet filling. Easy and quick to make, this mushroom galette is creamy, has depth of flavour and makes a perfect light lunch.

400g puff pastry
125ml cream cheese at room temperature

45ml butter
30ml vegetable oil
500g mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml thyme, lightly chopped
45ml port or sherry
250ml mozzarella cheese, grated

Egg wash of 1 egg and 15ml milk, whisked together

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the pastry big enough to cut a 26cm-diameter circle.
Place the pastry circle onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Spread the cream cheese onto the pastry with the back of a spoon, leaving a 2cm border of pastry, all around.
Set aside.

Heat a heavy bottom pan on high heat and add the butter and oil. (If your pan is not large enough to accommodate all the mushroom at once, add half the butter and oil).
Add the mushroom to the pan and fry at high heat so that the mushroom caramelises, about 3 minutes.
Now add the garlic and thyme and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
Spoon this mixture into a bowl to cool and put the frying pan back onto medium heat.
Add a splash of oil and cook the onion until soft. Add this to the mushroom mixture.
Put the pan back onto the heat once more and add the port, scraping down the pan with a spatula. Scrape the caramelised bits left in the pan as well as the reduced port onto the mushroom mixture.

Sprinkle two thirds of the grated mozzarella cheese onto the cream cheese and pastry.
Spoon the cooled mushroom mixture on top of the cheese and finish with the rest of the mozzarella.
Fold the 2 cm pastry that extends beyond the filling over and onto the mushroom mixture.
Brush the folded pastry with the egg wash and bake the galette for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
Serve as an aperitif or as a light lunch.

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Three-Cheese Potato Gratin

April 19, 2021April 14, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a triple-cheese take on the classic Potato Gratin!

6 – 8 large potatoes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml rosemary, finely chopped
250ml ricotta cheese
250ml mozzarella cheese, grated
250ml feta cheese, crumbed
250ml heavy cream
salt

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Peel the potato and cut each into slices not thicker than 5mm. Keep aside.
Mince the garlic and keep in a small bowl.
Chop the rosemary and keep in another small bowl.
Add the ricotta, mozzarella and feta cheese to a bowl and mix it through with your hands.
Now, select a medium sized, ovenproof dish and start layering.
Lay a third of the potato slices onto the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping.
Season with salt and then sprinkle with a third of the chopped rosemary and a third of the garlic.
Now spread a third of the cheese on top.
Repeat the layers until all the potato and cheese have been layered, ending with the last of the cheese.
Gently pour the cream onto the cheese layer and tightly cover the baking dish with aluminium foil.
Place the gratin into the oven and bake for 60 minutes.
Check whether the potato is cooked by inserting a sharp knife. If not, or if the cream isn’t absorbed, cover the dish once more and let it bake until fully cooked.
Remove the foil once the gratin is cooked and place it back into the oven for another 30 – 40 minutes, until golden brown.
Serve as a side dish or as a vegetarian dish with salad.

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Spinach Lentil Dahl

April 15, 2021April 14, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you like Indian food you will love this nutritious Dahl! It is really easy to make and a superb dish to serve when you are having friends over.

45ml ghee/olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
15ml ginger powder
1 chilli, chopped
5ml fennel seeds
5ml mustard seeds
10ml cumin seeds
15ml garam marsala
400g baby spinach
15ml sugar
16 mint leaves
125ml plain yoghurt
500ml lentils, uncooked
10ml salt
1 lemon

Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the packet. Set aside.
Add the ghee to a saucepan on medium heat and fry the onion for 2 – 3 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry on low heat until fragrant.
Add the fennel seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, garam marsala and sugar. Stir the mixture for about one minute while cooking gently.
Add the spinach, mint and 45ml water to the saucepan and immediately cover with the lid. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place the spinach and spices into a blender, add 320ml water and blend until smooth.
Pour the sauce back into the same saucepan, on low heat.
Add the yoghurt, salt and the juice of about half a lemon.
Serve with fragrant rice and tomato salad.

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Fig and Pomegranate Salad with Yoghurt Dressing

April 12, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This fruity, fresh salad is loaded with tastes of summer. The yoghurt dressing is healthy and can be drizzled in abundance as one should!

A mix of salad leaves, herbs and baby spinach leaves
Fresh, rip figs
1 large pomegranate
100g blue cheese

Yoghurt dressing:

90ml greek yoghurt
60ml olive oil
30ml lemon juice
90ml honey
5ml salt

Pack the salad leaves or whatever greens you prefer, onto a serving platter.
Tear or cut the figs into quarters and scatter onto the greens.
Now scatter the pomegranate seeds and chunks of blue cheese on top the salad.

Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small mixing bowl and whisk together until it amalgamates.
Liberally dress the salad.
Serve with crusty bread as a light lunch.

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Barley Salad

April 8, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Barley is a nutritious whole-grain and makes a delicious salad. In this recipe you may replace the roasted beetroot and carrots with leftover, roasted veg. The dressing in this salad pulls the dish together and perks it up to extra tasty!

250ml pearl barley
750ml water
10ml stock powder
about half an English cucumber, diced
one red onion, diced
a handful of basil and mint, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
about 125ml roasted beetroot, chopped
about 125ml roasted carrot, chopped
125ml pomegranate seeds

Dressing:

60ml lemon juice
zest of one lemon
60ml olive oil
60ml honey
5ml mustard
60ml mayonnaise
5ml salt
1 clove garlic, minced

Add the pearl barley, water and stock powder to a small saucepan and turn the heat onto high. Keep an eye on it as it gives off a lot of foam at first and can cause the pot to boil over.
When the water reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low so that it reaches a simmer.
Cover the pot with a lid and cook until the barley is done. The water should be absorbed after 25 minutes and the barley should have tripled in volume. It should be soft but chewy.
Take the saucepan from the heat, fluff the barley with a fork and put aside to cool.

For the dressing:

Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk for about a minute or until the dressing is amalgamated.

Add the cooled barley to a mixing bowl and mix with the cucumber, onion, herbs, tomato, beetroot and carrots.
Drizzle half of the dressing onto the salad and give everything a good mix.
Add the pomegranate seeds to the salad and drizzle with a little more dressing.
Serve the salad with the extra dressing in a jug.

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Pumpkin Fritters with Caramel Sauce

April 6, 2021April 6, 2021by Karen Claassen2 Comments

These are traditional pumpkin fritters. In South Africa the caramel sauce has been very popular for many years and in that sense I suppose, it can be seen as almost-traditional. As in all great stories, of which a recipe is one, there is a but … this caramel sauce is an approved version of the original and fabulously, more-ish!

500ml pumpkin, cooked and drained
500ml flour
90ml sugar
10ml baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 eggs

Cook the pumpkin by roasting it in your oven at 180℃ until soft. Scoop out the flesh and drain in a sieve over a bowl, to get rid of excess water.
Add 500ml of the pumpkin to a mixing bowl.
Now add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and eggs and mix everything together with a spatula.
Heat about 5cm oil in a heavy based saucepan.
Scoop up some batter with a teaspoon and fry in the preheated oil until golden. This should take about 3 minutes.
Drain the fritters on kitchen paper and keep them warm in a low oven.

Caramel Sauce:

250ml cream
125ml brown sugar
60ml butter, cubed
60ml golden syrup|
5ml vanilla

Add the cream and brown sugar to a small saucepan.
Turn the heat on to low and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the butter and syrup and turn the heat up to a gentle simmer.
Allow the sauce to bubble for 5 minutes while stirring.
Take the saucepan off the heat, stir in the vanilla and pour the sauce over the warm pumpkin fritters.

Serve some of the caramel sauce on the side.