Simple Thai stirfry

We are busy moving - I am super excited!! But that also means limited time, energy and resources (my pots and glassware are already packed!) Tuesday is meat night, though, so I defrosted some tenderised steak. I thought of a traditional stirfry, but didn't have all the veggies fresh on hand. Or frozen, mind you. This is what I came up with:

Ingredients

750g tenderised steak, cut into strips

2tbs butter

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

1tbs golden syrup

1tbs honey

1tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2t ground ginger

1 apple, grated

1/2t english mustard

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method

Melt the butter. fry the apple, raisins and sunflower seeds a little, 

Add the meat. Fry a little. 

  

Whisk the honey, syrup, vinegar, mustard and ginger together. Add to the meat and mix well. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Lower the heat, put on the lid and let it slowly cook a little to develop the flavours. Turn off the heat, keep covered. Re-heat when you are ready to dish up. 

We had it with microwave potato and some Cottage-Mayo sauce. Very interesting combination of flavours, very delicious. and low-carb to boot!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Butter Veggies

Chunky mix vegetables is one of my favourite quick veggies to make for a meal.  But I normally grill it and I wanted to do something different. So I cooked it in butter. And it came out truly delicious - and quite sweet! Didn't need any salt, either. It's amazing how wonderful the natural flavours of fresh food are...

Ingredients

1kg chunky vegetable mix
4tbs butter
1/2 onion, chopped

Method

Melt the butter. Fry the onion. 

Add the veggies and fry until soft. 

And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

The FLOP! Baked Boerewors Roll

Yes, this came out one gigantic flop. Luckily my family were too hungry to complain! The idea is interesting, though - a twist on the plain Boerewors Roll - but like I said, the execution of it wasn't quite so...uhm... good. The veggies however, were totally divine. 

Ingredients

800g Boerewors
1 roll puff pastry
1 410g tomato & onion
1x packet white onion soup
500ml water
150g cheese, grated
1/2 onion, chopped
1 punnet of mushrooms, sliced

Method

Roll out the puff pastry and spread a thin layer of butter over it. Sprinkle the cheese over, then the onion. 

Then spread the mushrooms over. Place the wors on the dough, so you can roll it over. 

Place in a baking dish, I cut mine to fit better. 

Throw some tomato & onion around it. 

Dissolve the soup in the water and add to the tomato & onion. 

Bake in an oven at 160degrees C until cooked. 

 Serve with some Butter Veggies and enjoy!

What I will change next time: After the butter, spread Tomato Paste, then a little sugar, some origanum and then the cheese & onion. Then mushrooms. Mix the soup in 250ml water and pour around the Rolls and bake. This should result in a thicker sauce complimenting the Baked Roll. 

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch 

Crumbed Mushrooms

Now I don't know about you, but I have been trying to make the perfect crumbed mushrooms since forever, and I have never succeeded. However, a lightning bolt of inspiration struck yesterday and I did it. I made the perfect crumbed mushrooms!! And it's so ridiculously easy...

Ingredients

1 punnet of whole mushrooms
2 eggs
breadcrumbs
cooking oil

Method

Wash the mushrooms.

 Beat the eggs well and pour over the mushrooms, Fold the mushrooms gently over, to cover all of them with the egg. 

Cover with crumbs. 

Heat the oil. I found that using an oil rack-thingy, really helped getting the mushrooms evenly fried.

Once the oil is ready, place the mushrooms in the rack-thingy in the pot and fry until golden brown. 

Remove from the oil and tip the rack-thingy onto some kitchen towels to drain off excess oil. 

Serve warm with Cheese & Bacon sauce, or an Onion-Pepper sauce!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Cheese & Bacon Sauce

I really love my sauces. And I love playing around with different tastes, and ways to make delicious sauces that is also low-carb. 

Ingredients

50g butter
1 onion
200g bacon, finely cut
150g cheddar cheese, cubed
1 cup cream
1/2t hot english mustard

Method

Melt the butter. Fry the onion and bacon until starting to brown. 

Add the cream and mustard. Remove from heat and add the cheese. Stir. 

Switch to low heat, stir regularly until all the cheese have melted. Remove from heat, cover and let it stand for about 10 to 20 minutes, for the flavours to develop. Reheat when needed, and cook on a low heat until it reaches the thickness you want. 

Enjoy over crumbed mushrooms or a Perfect Baked Tenderloin!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Perfect Baked Tenderloin

I just love my Sunday Lunches.... It symbolizes opulence, abundance and joy. Family and love. Food has the ability to create ambiance, mood and to bring people together. That is why it is so important to eat together. Not in front of the tv, but at a table. You do food no justice in front of the tv - probably why so many instant meals exist today, all tasting exactly the same: like cardboard. You don't notice cardboard in front of the tv, You enjoy your food much more at a table. As well as the company... Families who eat together, stay together!!
So for yesterday, I decided to make something I never have before, but always wanted to: a whole fillet... or tenderloin, if you prefer. BUT... it has to be medium rare. I really get upset if it is cooked more than medium rare. So, it seems that the time spent baking it, depends on the temperature. At 200degrees C, you cook it 15-20min per 500g of meat for MEDIUM. I decided to go for 10-15min for medium RARE...

Ingredients

+- 1kg of whole fillet/tenderloin
1tbs italian herbs
1tbs sweet basil
1/2t ground black pepper
1tbs olive oil
1tbs soya sauce
50g butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 200degrees C. This is very important. Even for a thermofan - preheat the oven! The meat needs to be room temperature. Remove all extra sinews, if the butcher didn't already. 

Mix the herbs and pepper and olive oil and soya together and rub it over the meat, covering it well.

Melt the butter in a pan. It needs to be very hot. Quickly seal the meat on all sides in the butter. 

Place in a shallow oven dish. Place in the oven for 20-25min for medium rare. Remove from oven, and let the meat rest for minimum of 10minutes before cutting. Pour over the juices from the quick seal earlier.

After resting, cut it up and serve.

I served a garden salad, crumbed mushrooms and cheese and bacon sauce. It was truly a Sunday Feast!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Chicken in Sauce

Yesterday was chicken or fish night. And I chose chicken. It kind of developed as I made it, but the end result was absolutely divine.... My word, I couldn't stop eating... Perfect for a Sunday Lunch, as this is a slow meal. Mine baked for about 3 hours, I think. Enough time for all those delicious flavours to develop. 

Preparation Time: 5min

Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Difficulty Level: Very easy

Serves: 6

Ingredients

6 pieces of chicken

3 twigs of fresh rosemary

1/2t fennel

pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

1 cube chicken stock

1 packet of mushroom soup

500ml boiling water

2tbs soya sauce

1tbs balsamic vinegar

Method

Place the chicken pieces in an oven-proof dish with a lid. 

Pour over the soya sauce and balsamic vinegar. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the water, and add the mushroom soup. Whisk properly and pour over the chicken. Add the fennel, nutmeg and rosemary. 

Cover and bake at 140degrees C in the oven for about 3-4 hours. Before serving, remove the lid and put on grill for about 10min , just to get a little colour on the chicken. (We couldn't wait to eat, we completely forgot to take the picture!! 

Serve with brown rice and mixed veggies.

Enjoy! It's pure deliciousness on a plate...

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Cheesy Potato & Biltong Bake

Tuesday is supposed to be Meat night, but I was busy (still) painting the house, kids homework, trying to make cottage cheese, and butter (5th attempt - I just don't understand it, no cream wants to turn to butter!!) and I wasn't in the mood for MEAT. Perhaps because I devoured half a kilo of biltong during the day... hhhmmm..
The biltong also became my inspiration! I like cooking with biltong, it already has a unique, rich flavour to it, and it gives an air of decadence to the meal - it is, after all, a delicatessen item, and expensive! 
I made this bake in separate bowls for each person eating. The idea of your own privately prepared meal, makes you feel special, plus it saves on dishes! The ingredients was enough for us 5 family members.

Ingredients

5 medium to large potatoes (1per person)
5t margarine (1t per person)
1/2 punnet mushrooms
1 onion, halved and sliced
5tbs thick cream (1tbs per person)
10tbs cottage cheese (2tbs per person)
5 handfulls of biltong (1 handful per person)
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese (1/2 cup per person)
1tbs margarine

Method

Cook the potatoes whole, either on the stove or in the microwave. Slice it open in the bowl. Add the teaspoon of margarine, salt & pepper. 

Melt the tbs of margarine in a pan, fry the onion and mushrooms until nicely browned.

 Scoop the cream and cottage cheese over the potato. Add the biltong, then the onion and mushrooms, and lastly cover with the cheddar cheese. 

Bake in the oven at 160degrees C until cheese is fully melted and starting to brown. Enjoy this decadence with or without a salad - I was way too hungry to bother with the salad!! And the best part: this fabulously delicious meal, is actually low-carb!!!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Red Wine & Bacon Mince

Mince Night. Monday Night. So that's exactly what I made... mince. But this mince is a bit different. Much more delicious than you ever imagined mince could be. And, you can use it in the fabulous Baked Mince Roll, too!!
Since I am sincerely trying this week to limit the carbs, I did not make any starches with this dish. I merely dished it up on some bread for the other family members. It didn't really need much more, although macaroni or rice will be lovely. I imagine even over a potato with some grated cheese.... but that's for another Day...

Ingredients

500g mince
1 onion
1/2 punnet mushrooms, sliced
80g margarine
250g diced bacon
1tbs margarine
1tbs balsamic vinegar
2tbs soya sauce
1t spice for mince
1/2 cup red wine

Method

Melt the 80g margarine in a pan. Fry the mince in the margarine. Add the balsamic vinegar, soya sauce, spice for mince and red wine. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Melt the tbs margarine in a pan. Fry the onion, mushroom and bacon until nicely browned. 

Add to the mince mixture and mix thoroughly. 

Let it simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until well stewed. Dish up, or leave until you are ready to dish up, at which point you just reheat it.

 Dish up with bread, rice, pasta or potatoes. I did it with bread.

And mine without the bread for the low-carb version.

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch

Strawberry Salad

The recipe for this divine salad was hidden inside the recipe for the Veggie bake... I just have to place this recipe on its own - it really is such a simple salad, but simply delicious!!

Ingredients

1 apple - cut into strips
4 strawberries - cut into pieces
1/2 rind feta cheese - crumbed
1 lemon - juices squeezed
Salt & Pepper to taste (if required, we didn't even use any)

Method

Mix through.

That's it. The lemon prevents the apple from turning brown, and adds wonderful flavour, without being sour!!  (notice the glass of wine?? I LOVE cooking with my wine!!) 

Chicken Pie with Apple

I have another chicken pie recipe, but that one is classified... hiehie... However, I wanted to try another way of making chicken pie, an easier way, less ingredients, etc. This is what resulted - and although the taste is pretty amazing, I am not entirely happy with the recipe and will have to revisit this one, with a couple of amendments. For now, though, this is it. The apple came as inspiration, and it does add quite an interesting sweetness. 

Preparation time: 20min
Cooking/baking time: 6 hours
Difficulty level: Easy
Serves: 8

Ingredients

5 chicken pieces (white meat)
200ml water
1tbs soya sauce
1cup sago
250ml cream
1 star anise
2 bay leaves
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
2tbs mayonnaise
salt & pepper
1 onion, chopped
1 tin (200g) mushrooms/ half punnet sliced mushrooms
1 apple, grated
2tbs butter
1 roll puff pastry

Method

Place the chicken in a slow cooker. Add the water, soya sauce, star anise, bay leaves and nutmeg. Cook for about 5 hours, until very tender. 

The more tender it is, the easier it is to remove the bones. Once cooked, strain the liquid into a separate bowl, 


and remove the bones (and skin, if you're so inclined). Mince the meat finely by using two forks and pulling the meat apart. 

Add the sago to the liquid and let it sit until most of the sago is see-through. 

Melt the butter in a pan, fry the onion, apple and mushrooms until starting to brown.

Add to the chicken meat. Add salt (sparingly) and pepper to taste. 

Whisk the cream and mayonnaise together and add to the sago mixture. 

Add the meat to the sago mixture and mix well. Lightly roll out the puff pastry. Scoop the mixture into an oven dish, 

and cover with the puff pastry. Brush with eggwash or milk. 

Bake in the oven at 160degrees C for 30min to an hour, until the pastry is nicely browned. 

Dish up, with a fresh garden salad, or the famous Strawberry salad.  

Enjoy!

Yours in oil and veggies

Risch