During the cold winter months, there is nothing better than a hearty dinner after a long day, especially when it can be made in minutes.
So, whether you are looking to feast on a bowl of stew, or tuck into a delicious meal of meatballs, these speedy midweek meals are just the ticket.
30-minute fennel and tomato seafood cioppino stew
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1 fennel bulb, diced finely
2 green bell peppers, diced finely
1 yellow onion, diced finely
6-8 garlic cloves, minced (depending on how large they are)
4 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
2 bottles (240ml) clam juice
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 kg frozen shrimp
3-4 cups spinach or kale (optional)
Finely dice the onion, green bell peppers, fennel bulb, and garlic. You can also chop them in the food processor to save time.
Heat olive oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat then transfer the vegetables into sauté for 5 minutes. I like to add the fennel first since that vegetable is the sturdiest and takes the longest to cook. Followed by the onion, garlic, then lastly, bell peppers. After the vegetables have been cooking for 3 minutes, add in the fennel seeds and stir.
Once the vegetables have begun to sweat and have softened, add in the liquids so they do not burn. Pour in the clam juice, vegetable or chicken broth, and canned diced tomatoes. Stir together.
Cover the pot and let the soup simmer on medium-low for 20-25 minutes to let all the flavours meld together. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Lastly, add the shrimp for the last 5-7 minutes of cook time. To help the shrimp cook faster, stir them into the soup as opposed to letting them hang on top.
For an extra serving of vegetables, add spinach or kale. Do this for the last 3 minutes of cook time so they do not get too wilted.
Toast a French baguette and serve the soup!
Recipe by Feast Local.
Corn, avocado, and biltong salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 cobs of sweetcorn
1 packet lettuce
1 large avocado pear, sliced
100g cherry tomatoes halved
125g sliced biltong
Balsamic dressing
80ml olive oil
45ml balsamic vinegar
5ml mustard powder
15ml honey
Salt and ground black pepper
Method
Blanch the sweetcorn and remove the kernels from the cob with a sharp knife.
Put a layer of salad leaves on a serving platter or in a bowl.
Add the sweetcorn, avocado pear, tomatoes, and biltong.
Drizzle with the dressing and serve.
Dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a bottle and shake well.
Recipe by Angela Day.
Spicy Italian meatballs
Adding beans or other legumes into mince dishes is a great way to save money.
Ingredients
½ bunch coriander
1 brown onion
400g can kidney beans
1 tbs ground cumin
1tbs chilli powder
3 garlic cloves
1.5 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 egg
500g lean beef mince
Method
Place all ingredients (except oil, egg, and mince) into the blender, blending until smooth.
Transfer into a bowl and combine with mince and egg.
Roll into small balls and cook until brown in olive oil.
Combine with tomato paste.
Recipe by Ricki-Lee.