BEEF AND BROCCOLI STIR-FRY
Serves 6-8
15ml soy sauce
15ml dry sherry
15ml sweet chilli sauce
5ml sesame oil
15ml cornflour
500g rump steak, sliced thinly
250g broccoli, broken into small florets
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 sticks of celery, sliced
½ red pepper, cut into strips
½ yellow pepper, cut into strips
1 red onion, cut into wedges
300g egg noodles
Sauce
30ml oyster sauce
15ml dry sherry
15ml soya sauce
15ml honey
15ml cornflour
Combine the soy sauce, sherry, sweet chilli sauce, sesame oil and cornflour together in a bowl. Add the beef slices and stir until coated. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Blanch the broccoli by pouring over boiling water and allowing to stand for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Prepare the rest of the vegetables. Pour boiling water over the noodles and allow to stand until soft then drain.
In a large frying pan or wok, heat some oil and swirl to coat. Add the beef and fry for 1 minute. Flip the beef slices over and add the garlic. Fry for another minute. Remove and set aside.
Add a bit more oil and stir-fry the vegetables for a few minutes.
Return the beef and pour in the sauce. Add the broccoli and bring to the boil.
Stir until the sauce thickens.
Serve over noodles.
SAUCE: Combine all ingredients and mix well.
HONEY-GLAZED SALMON WITH LIME BUTTER
Serves 4
4 salmon fillets, about 500g, skin on
125ml flour
45ml honey
30ml olive oil, for frying
Lime butter sauce
90g butter, cubed
60ml lime juice
10ml lime zest
1 clove of garlic, minced
3ml salt
2ml ground black pepper
Place salmon fillets on a cutting board or plate, sprinkle flour over each and spread evenly to coat. Evenly drizzle honey over each side of the flour-coated fillets.
Swirl the olive oil in a non-stick pan to coat evenly and heat over medium heat.
Once hot, carefully place salmon in the pan and cook for 3-5 minutes per side until cooked through and golden.
Serve immediately on a bed of mash potato drizzled with lime butter sauce.
SAUCE: Place butter in a small saucepan. When melted add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil.
Boil for a minute or two until thickened. Pour over the salmon.
BUTTERNUT AND CHICKPEA CURRY
Serves 6-8
30ml oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5ml grated ginger
5ml finely chopped garlic
4 cardamom pods, bruised
15ml coriander seeds
15ml cumin seeds
10ml ground cumin
10ml curry powder
5ml ground turmeric
a pinch of chilli flakes
400g can of chopped tomatoes
500g butternut, peeled and cut into 1 cm dice
400g can of coconut milk
2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
15ml fresh lime juice
30ml Greek yoghurt
125ml chopped coriander
Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for a few minutes.
Add ginger, garlic, cardamom, coriander seeds and cumin seeds and fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
Add the spices and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
Add the butternut and coat in the spice tomato mix, then add the coconut milk and chick peas.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the butternut is tender. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Serve with basmati rice.
CAPRESE MAC AND CHEESE
Serves 6
300g pasta
60g butter
50ml flour
375ml milk
125ml sour cream
5ml Dijon mustard
60g grated cheddar cheese
100g grated mozzarella
60ml grated Parmesan
60ml basil, chopped
3 tomatoes, sliced
extra mozzarella slices
60ml basil pesto
basil for garnishing
Cook pasta according to directions to al dente.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute.
Slowly pour in milk while whisking. Increase the heat and bring mixture just to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, mustard, cheeses and basil stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in the drained pasta
Place the mixture in an ovenproof dish and top with overlapping tomato and mozzarella slices. Drizzle with basil pesto.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20-30 minutes. Remove and serve sprinkled with extra basil.
MEDITERRANEAN BAKED CHICKEN
Serves 4-6
12 chicken portions
salt and pepper
60g butter
30ml olive oil
2 x 400g tins of tomato and aubergine mix
30ml tomato paste
a pinch of sugar
4 baby marrows, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1 red onion, sliced into wedges
100g packet of olives, pitted
100g feta cheese
Preheat oven to 180°C. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil and fry the chicken until golden brown. Place in an ovenproof dish. Mix the tinned tomato, tomato paste, sugar and vegetables together. Pour over chicken with olives and feta. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Note: Any flavoured tinned tomato mix can be used if the tomato and aubergine mix is not available. - The Star