Week 9: Valentine's Day

Week 9: Valentine's Day



Steak, Egg & Chips with Herbed Chilli Butter

(Serves 2)

We’ve got the perfect Valentine’s Day meal for you – delicious, comforting and full of flavour, this new take on a classic favourite will certainly put a smile on your loved one’s face. 

For the chilli butter you’ll need:
100 g butter; room temperature
50 g mixed herbs of your choice (like Italian parsley, chives & thyme)
1 tbsp. chilli; finely chopped
1 clove garlic; very finely grated/chopped

Method
1. To make the herbed chilli butter, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Place on a sheet of cling film and roll into a sausage shape.
3. Place in the fridge and allow to chill for 30 min. before serving.

For the steak & egg you’ll need:
2 x 200 g steaks of your choice (like fillet); shaped into medallions
Salt and pepper; to taste
Olive oil
2 extra-large eggs
Water
2 tbsp. vinegar

Method
1. To make the steak, season the steak with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil.
2. In a griddle pan, brown your steak on all sides until caramelised, then cook to your preference – for medium-rare, 3 min. on each side (this will depend on size and thickness of steak).
3. Remove the steaks from the pan/braai and cover with foil.
4. Allow to rest for 5 min. while you poach the eggs.
5. To poach the eggs, bring water to a gentle boil, then add the vinegar.
6. Cook for about 3 min. so that your yolk is still runny in the middle.

For the chips you’ll need:
2 large potatoes; peeled and cut into chips
Oil; for frying

Method
1. Heat oil in a pot.
2. To make the chips, parboil your potatoes until just almost cooked.
3. Shallow-fry the chips until golden brown and crispy, then season with salt, and serve hot.

To serve, place your steak on a plate, top with the egg and the chilli butter and serve the fries on the side.

Tips: 

• If you don’t like the idea of a chilli butter or don’t like spicy food, you can swop this for an aioli or béarnaise sauce.
• If you have an ovenproof grill pan, you can finish your steak off in the oven. Preheat to 180 °C, then once your steak is browned on all sides, place pan in the oven and cook for 3–4 min. 
• Shallow-fry the chips rather than deep-fry as this gives the most satisfactory result of ‘soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside’ chips. 

Mango Panna Cotta 

(Serves 8)

Don’t be put off by the idea of a panna cotta. This easy-to-make, no-fuss, all-delight dessert is a guaranteed way of wooing a date, and leaving them wanting more…

For the mango jelly you’ll need:
4 mangoes; peeled and chopped
1 tbsp. gelatine

Method
1. Lightly grease 8 x ½ cup capacity moulds.
2. Peel mangoes, place flesh in a food processor and purée until smooth.
3. Measure out 1⅔ cups purée into a bowl.
4. Soak gelatine in 1 tbsp. water, then add ¼ cup boiled water and stir until dissolved.
5. Add to mango purée and stir until well dissolved.
6. Divide evenly between the moulds.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hr, or until set.

For the cream layer you’ll need: 
1⅔ cups cream
¼ cup castor sugar
1 vanilla bean; split lengthways
1 tbsp. gelatine

Method
1. To make the cream layer, combine cream, sugar and vanilla bean in a small saucepan.
2. Stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar.
3. Bring almost to boiling point, then remove from heat and leave to cool until just warm.
4. Discard vanilla bean.
5. Soak gelatine in 1 tbsp. water, then add ¼ cup boiled water and stir until dissolved.
6. Cool until just warm, then stir into cream mixture.
7. Pour over mango jelly and refrigerate for 2 hrs, or until set.

For the praline garnish you’ll need:
1½ tbsp. pistachios; roughly chopped
¼ cup castor sugar

Method 
1. Spread pistachios on a foil-lined heatproof tray, covering a 10 cm-diameter area.
2. Place sugar in a small saucepan with 2 tbsp. water.
3. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar has dissolved.
4. Bring to the boil (don’t increase the heat) and cook, without stirring, for about 6 min., or until
golden.
5. Let bubbles subside, then pour over pistachios and leave for 5 min., or until set hard, then roughly chop.

Turn panna cotta out onto serving plates. If it’s difficult to release, dip briefly in hot water, and try again. Top with praline garnish and serve immediately.

Tips: 

• You don’t have to use pistachios for the praline. Use any nuts of your choice or leave it out completely.
• When using gelatine, make sure that the temperature is not too high, as this will destabilise the properties in it, and your panna cotta will not set. 

Week 8: Summer Fruits

Week 8: Summer Fruits

Peach Tarte
Whether served with cream, ice cream or both, this peach tarte tatin looks extravagant while also being light on the wallet. With peaches in season, it’s even cheaper and fresher. Go on, treat yourself with this easy and delicious dessert.

(Serves: 6)

You’ll need:
1 packet ready-rolled puff pastry
6 peaches; halved and stones removed
75 g butter
75 g castor sugar
1 vanilla pod; halved and seeds scraped 
Vanilla ice cream; to serve

Method
1. Preheat oven to 190 °C. 
2. Unroll puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and cut into a 26 cm circle. 
3. Place on a baking tray and let chill in the fridge.
4. Slice the peaches into 2 cm slices, then set aside. 
5. Melt butter in a 24 cm ovenproof pan, then add the sugar, vanilla pod and seeds. 
6. Leave to melt without stirring until sugar dissolves. 
7. Allow sugar to reach a light caramel stage, then arrange the peach slices over the caramel in a spiral pattern. 
8. Cover with the puff pastry and gently tuck the excess ends of the pastry into the pan. 
9. Bake in the oven for 30 min. until golden brown and puffed.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 min. 
11. Loosen pastry from the edge of the pan with a butter knife, place a plate on top of the pan and carefully flip over. 
12. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips: 
• If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, make the caramel in any pan that you have. Once done, transfer to a 24 cm round cake pan (not spring-form) and follow the rest of the steps.
• Puff pastry cooks best in a hot oven, so make sure that your oven is preheated before you bake, otherwise the pastry will not puff as desired and will look soggy and undercooked.

Mango Cheesecake
Full of fruity flavour and ever so delicate, this mango cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert. Visit your nearest Shoprite store to buy fresh, in-season mangoes at a low, low price.

(Serves: 8–10)
You’ll need:
150 g Tennis biscuits 
80 g butter; melted
500 g plain cream cheese
½ cup castor sugar
300 ml cream; whipped
1 tbsp. gelatine
¼ cup hot water
4 mangoes; peeled and thinly sliced lengthways
1 mango; peeled and diced
2 tbsp. lime juice

Method
1. Place biscuits in a food processor and blitz until finely crushed. 
2. Add butter and blitz to combine. 
3. Press into a greased 20 cm round spring-form cake pan and chill for 15 min.
4. In a bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. 
5. Fold in the cream. 
6. Soak gelatine in a tbsp. of cold water, then gently stir into the hot water until dissolved. 
7. Add gelatine into the cream cheese mix and stir to combine. 
8. Pour half the cream cheese mixture on top of the biscuit base. 
9. Smooth out with a butter knife, then top with half the mango slices and the remaining cream cheese mix. 
10. Refrigerate overnight or for 4¬–6 hrs until set.
11. Remove cheesecake from fridge 15 min. before serving. 
12. Make a mango coulis by placing diced mango and lime juice into a blender and blitzing until smooth.
13. Arrange remaining mango slices over the cheesecake and drizzle with the coulis. 
14. Serve, and enjoy!

Week 7: Subsidy

Week 7: Subsidy

Breakfast Kota

Prepare a delicious family breakfast in no time with this easy-to-make breakfast
kota treat. You can easily tweak the recipe to your liking by adding different
ingredients, but be sure to use fresh Shoprite bread to perfect the meal.

(Serves 4)
You’ll need:

1 loaf Shoprite bread; not sliced
2 tbsp. butter; melted
8 large eggs
1 cup ham; diced
1 cup Cheddar cheese; grated
2 cups mushrooms; sliced
4 spring onions; thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes; halved
Fresh parsley

Method
Halve the bread diagonally, then cut each half horizontally so that you have 4
equal quarters.
Remove some of the bread from the crust to form a hole in the middle of each
quarter.
Brush each inside with the melted butter, then set aside.
Preheat oven to 180 °C.
Fill the bottom of each quarter with ham, cheese, mushrooms and spring onions,
then crack 2 eggs into each (eggs should be on top of the other fillings).
Season with salt and pepper.
Top with more cheese, tomatoes and parsley.
Place on baking tray and bake in the oven until eggs are cooked.

Apple & Bread Pudding

Do you have a sweet tooth that knows no limits? If so, then this affordable apple
& bread pudding is the perfect treat. Not only is it a comforting dessert, it’s also
great for when you have more than a few guests over for dinner or for dessert
after a lazy Sunday lunch.

(Serves 8)
You’ll need:

2½ cups milk
4 large eggs
½ cup sugar; divided
1 tbsp. vanilla essence
½ tsp. lemon zest
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
4 cups bread; cubed (about 6 slices bread; crust removed)
¼ cup raisins
3 tbsp. butter
2 apples; peeled, halved and cored
1 tbsp. lemon juice

Method
Heat milk in a pot over medium heat until starting to simmer.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy, then gradually add ¼ cup sugar.
Continue to whisk until pale, then slowly whisk in the hot milk, being careful not
to scramble the eggs.
Whisk in vanilla, lemon zest and nutmeg.
Add the bread and raisins to the mixture and gently fold in until bread is fully
soaked.
Set aside to allow bread to absorb the milk.
Grease a round 24cm cake tin with 1 tbsp. butter and preheat oven to 180 °C.
Cut each pear half into 4 slices, place into a bowl and add the lemon juice.
Heat a medium pan with 2 tbsp. butter and add the remaining ¼ cup sugar to the
melted butter.
Arrange the apple slices in a single layer.
Cook until apples start to brown and caramelise, being careful not to burn them.
Transfer the apples into the prepared cake tin and drizzle the caramel juice from
the pan over.
Set the cake tin on a shallow baking dish.
Pour some boiling water to reach ½-way up the sides of the cake tin.
On top of the apples, spoon in the bread mixture and press down.
Place in the oven and bake for 1–1¼ hrs or until bread is set and browned on the
top.
Remove cake tin from hot water and set aside on cooling rack and allow to cool
before unmolding.
Invert onto a platter and serve as is or with warm custard.

Week 6 : Back to School

Week 6 : Back to School

Scrambled Egg & Cheese sandwiches

Easy on the wallet and delightful on the palate, these scrambled egg and cheese sandwiches are the perfect way to start the school year. Pack your child a tasty, no-fuss first day Back2School meal.  

What’s your child’s favourite lunch box meal?

(Serves 4)

You’ll need:

8 eggs

¼ cup milk

2 tbsp. butter

2 spring onions; chopped

½ red pepper; diced

½ yellow pepper; diced

Salt and pepper; to taste

8 slices bread

4 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. sandwich spread

1 sp. garlic powder

1 cup Cheddar cheese; grated

½ cup cherry tomatoes; halved

1 tbsp. chives; chopped

Method

•       In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, stir in the spring onions and peppers, and season with salt and pepper.
•     Heat butter in a pan, add the egg and cook, stirring until done.
•     Spread butter and sandwich spread onto the bread, then sprinkle with garlic powder.
•     Top with eggs, cheese, tomatoes and chives.
•     Toast on a panini maker or snackwich machine.

Tip:

         To make life easier when packing lunches, plan ahead of time. Also try to incorporate what you are going to make for a packed lunch into your dinner so you only have to cook once. For instance, if you are having chicken for dinner, why not make chicken mayo sandwiches for the following day? That way you simply add extra pieces of chicken to your meal so that you can use those for the packed lunches. Or if you are having spaghetti and mince for dinner, make a little extra mince and use that for toasted mince and cheese sandwiches.

Meatball sandwiches

If you’re looking for a filling and delicious packed lunch sandwich, then look no further. These meatball sandwiches are packed with flavour and keep well until the following day. Use fresh basil to really make the most of this meal.

(Serves 2)

You’ll need:

4 slices bread
2 tbsp. butter; softened, mixed with 1 tsp. garlic powder
1 cup Cheddar cheese; grated

8 meatballs; sliced
¼ cup tomato pasta sauce; warmed
¼ cup Parmesan cheese; grated
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper; to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil

Method

1.     Spread bread with garlic butter.

2.     Top each slice with Cheddar cheese.

3.     Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat.

4.     Place bread in pan with cheese facing up.

5.     Allow the bread to brown and the cheese to melt (6–7 min.)

6.     Remove grilled bread from pan.

7.     If your meatballs are cold, gently warm the slices in the pan, then move to another plate.

8.     On one slice of bread, carefully arrange the warm/hot meatball slices.

9.     Spoon tomato pasta sauce over the meatballs, then sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

10.  Add a few ribbons of fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, then cover the sandwich with the top half of the bread.

11.  Firmly press the sandwich together, then place into sealable sandwich bags or tin.