weekday meals – My Whisk and I

Potato-Chorizo Soup

July 23, 2024July 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 200g chorizo sausage, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
800g potato, peeled and cubed
500ml chicken stock
500ml milk
5ml salt
a small handful of parsley

Place a large saucepan on medium heat and add a dash of olive oil and the sliced chorizo.
Cook the sausage for about 5 minutes and then add the onion.
Add the garlic once the onion is soft and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Now add the potato, stock, milk, salt and a few good grindings of black pepper.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring a few times.
Remove the sauce pan from the heat and mash the potato by hand.
Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning.
Sprinkle some parsley on top.
Serve the soup piping hot with fresh bread.

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Chicken-Potato Bake

June 25, 2024June 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1,5kg potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
100g butter, cubed
125ml milk
15ml olive oil
30g butter
1kg chicken breasts, cut into 3cm pieces
2 onions, chopped
200g bacon, chopped
125ml dry white wine
80ml flour
190ml chicken stock
190 ml cream
250ml frozen peas

Place the potato chunks in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook until the potato is tender.
Drain and return the potato to the saucepan.
Add the 100g butter and milk to the saucepan and mash the potato until smooth.
Season the mash with salt and set aside.
Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Place a frying pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil and 30g butter to it.
Cook the chicken chunks in batches until caramelised and brown.
Spoon the chicken into a ceramic oven dish and set aside.
Now add the onion and bacon to the same pan and cook on a medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and deglaze the pan by pouring in the white wine while stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over and while stirring for 1-2 minutes.
Add the stock a little at a time and then drizzle in the cream.
Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
Add the peas, stir through and pour the mixture over the chicken.
Top the chicken with the mashed potato and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

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Cauliflower Three-Cheese

May 14, 2024April 30, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg cauliflower florets (2 small heads)
45ml olive oil
60g butter
60ml flour
250ml milk
250ml cream
2,5ml salt
250ml + 125ml grated cheddar cheese
125ml + 125ml grated gruyère cheese
60ml + 60ml grated parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper.
Spread the cauliflower florets out in the tin, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, remove and set aside.
Turn your oven down to 180℃.
Add the butter to a small saucepan set oven medium-high heat and allow it to melt.
Add the flour and stir to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the milk while whisking for at least one minute. Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened.
Turn off the heat and add the salt.
Add the 250ml cheddar, 125ml gruyère and 60ml parmesan a handful at a time and stir vigorously until melted before adding more cheese. Keep going until all the cheese has been incorporated.
Add the roasted cauliflower to the sauce and stir to coat.
Now pour the mixture into a 28cm x 21cm ceramic dish and scatter over the remaining 125ml cheddar, 125ml gruyère and 60ml parmesan.
Bake the cauliflower cheese in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve as a side dish to any meat or as a comfort-bowl-of-goodness on its own.

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Simple Chicken

February 6, 2024February 5, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

3 onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 chicken breast, cut into small pieces
15ml chicken spice
15ml turmeric
10ml salt
375ml cooked rice
250ml frozen peas

Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add some oil to it.
Add the onions and fry until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle over the chicken spice, turmeric, salt and a few grindings of pepper.
Place a lid on the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and cook, stirring every now and then for another 10 minutes.
Add the peas and cook for 5 minutes or so until warm.
Serve a fresh tomato salad.

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Potato Omelette

January 18, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml olive oil
200g ham, cubed
200g potato, cooked and cubed
50g mushrooms
15ml thyme leaves
5 eggs
100ml milk
1,2ml salt
2 handfuls of croutons
250ml grated cheddar cheese

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Add the oil to an oven friendly frying pan set over medium-high heat.
Add the cubed ham, potato, mushrooms and thyme and stir-fry until the ingredients become golden on the edges.
Add the eggs, milk, salt and a few grindings of black pepper to a bowl and whisk together.
Turn the heat down to medium and pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Cook the omelette until it sets.
Sprinkle the croutons and cheese over and bake in the oven until cooked.
Serve with a fresh salad on sliced tomato.

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Garlic Butter Steak

November 22, 2023November 20, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml vegetable oil
1kg steak, cubed
60g butter, cubed
5 cloves of garlic, minced
a handful of parsley, chopped

Place a cast iron pan over high heat, pour in the oil and wait for it to heat up.
Season the steak cubes with salt and pepper and add it to the hot pan in a single layer. If it doesn’t fit, work in batches.
Cook the steak for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned all over.
Take it from the pan and keep on the side while you repeat the process with the rest of the cubes.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the butter.
Add the garlic to the pan and stir-fry for one minute.
Spoon the meat back into the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat the meat in the garlic butter.
Sprinkle over the parsley and serve as a main alongside a salad/veg or on a platter with tiny wooden skewers as a canapé.

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Pasta Risottata (Orzo Risotto)

November 4, 2023October 26, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
300g smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced
150g frozen petits pois (peas)
250g orzo pasta
20g butter, cubed
40g parmesan cheese, grated

Place a large heavy-based pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil to it.
Add the bacon pieces and cook until they are browned and crispy.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the peas and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
Now add the orzo and stir-fry it for a minute or so until it is mixed with the bacon and peas.
Pour 625ml of boiling water into the pan, add a pinch of salt and turn the heat down to a simmer.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the pan.
Taste the orzo; if it is not yet soft, add a little more water and continue cooking until al dente.
Add the butter and grated parmesan and stir through.
Taste again and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

Leftovers make a great salad the next day when you add some good mayonnaise and chopped parsley!

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New Retro Apricot Chicken

September 15, 2023August 30, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

125ml flour
45ml vegetable oil
8 chicken breasts, skin and bone removed
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml sumac
10ml salt
2 x 400g tins of halved apricots
250ml chicken stock
almond flakes

Add the flour to a shallow bowl and season with salt.
Place a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil.
Dip the chicken in the flour to coat both sides and fry in batches for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown. (Add extra oil to the pan if you need to)
Keep the browned chicken on the side.
Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Sprinkle the sumac and salt over and stir.
Pour the syrup and fruit of one of the tins of apricot into a blender and process until smooth.
Pour into the pan, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chicken breasts.
Cook for 20 minutes with a lid on, stirring every now and then.
Drain the second tin of apricots and add the fruit to the pan.
Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
Serve on couscous with almond flakes scattered over.

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Tomato and Leek Soup

September 8, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

45ml butter
30ml olive oil
4 leeks, washed and sliced in coins
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomato
15ml sugar
5ml salt
500ml vegetable stock
60ml cream
a handful of basil leaves

Place a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter and olive oil.
Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until just before the leaks start to caramelise.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the tomato, sugar, salt and vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
Blitz the soup with an immersion blender until smooth and place it back on a medium-high heat.
Pour in the cream and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Scatter over the basil leaves and serve with toasted cheese sandwiches.

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Chunky Vegetable Soup

May 21, 2023May 18, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

The garnish for this vegetable soup was made by horizontally slicing a hotdog roll, drizzling it with olive oil and toasting it in the oven. The garnish on the crouton is homemade mayonnaise with cherry tomatoes and fresh soft herbs.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 sticks of celery, leaves included, washed and chopped
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
3 carrots, chopped
400g potato, peeled and cubed

Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add some vegetable oil.
Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the tinned tomato and cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour in the stock, add the bay leave, carrot and potato and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 50 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Mash or liquidise half of the soup, cook another 5 minutes and serve with a fresh, crusty bread.