SHOPPING LIST
Butternut (1)
Cauliflower (1)
Chicken (1)
Chicken stock (1L)
Coriander (20g)
Cream (250 ml)
Garlic (1 bulb)
Lemon (1)
Mozzarella (80g)
Mushrooms (125g)
Onions (2)
Peas (210g)
Penne (500g)
Plain yoghurt (125 ml)
Pork sausages (350g)
Thyme (35 ml)
Total price: R177
CHECK YOUR PANTRY
Butter (170g)
Cake flour (280g)
Carrots (2)
Curry powder (1 tsp)
Dried mixed herbs (2 tbsp)
Eggs (3)
Milk (250 ml)
Olive oil (2 tbsp)
Self-raising flour (130g)
Smoked paprika (½ tsp)
Vegetable oil (to deep-fry)
CHICKEN, PEA & THYME POT PIES
SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 30 min // HANDS-OFF 20 min
INGREDIENTS
125g butter
265g cake flour
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
½ chicken, roasted and roughly shredded
250 ml milk
140g frozen peas
250 ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp chopped thyme
1 egg, beaten
METHOD
1. To make the pastry, rub 125g butter into 250g flour, then add 1–2 tbsp ice-cold water to bring the dough together. Work gently, or the dough will become tough. Cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. To make the filling, heat the oil and fry the onion until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the carrots, chicken and 2 tbsp flour to the pot and mix well so flour covers everything.
4. Add milk and cook until the sauce thickens. Add peas and stock, and cook until thick again. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the thyme.
5. Spoon into 4 ramekins and leave to cool.
6. Preheat oven to 200°C.
7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5 mm thick. Cut into 1 cm-wide strips. Weave the strips into a lattice large enough to cover the tops of the ramekins. Cut out 4 lids and place on top of the cooled chicken mixture. If you don’t want to make a lattice top, you can go simpler. Cut pastry into 4 lids and cover the ramekins. Crimp the edges with a fork and tear a small hole for the steam to escape.
8. Brush the pastry with egg and bake for 20 minutes, until golden on top.
QUICK VETKOEK & CHEAT’S CURRIED MINCE
SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 20 min
INGREDIENTS
For the vetkoek
1 tbsp butter
125g self-raising flour
Pinch salt
125 ml plain yoghurt
1 egg
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
For the curried mince
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
350g pork sausages, casings removed
1 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp self-raising flour
250 ml chicken stock
70g frozen peas
½ cauliflower, broken into florets
Salt and pepper
METHOD
For the vetkoek
1. Rub the butter into the flour. Add the salt.
2. Mix together the yoghurt and egg, then fold into the flour.
3. Divide the mixture into 4.
4. Heat the oil in a pot. Spoon the mixture into the oil and fry until it is golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.
For the curried mince
1. Heat oil and fry onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the sausage meat and curry powder and cook until meat is brown.
3. Stir in the flour, then add the stock, peas and cauliflower. Cook until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the vetkoek filled with curried mince.
CAULIFLOWER FLATBREAD WITH BUTTERNUT & CHICKEN
SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 45 min
INGREDIENTS
½ cauliflower, broken into florets
80g mozzarella, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper
250 ml peeled, cubed butternut
2 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ chicken, roasted and roughly shredded
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Coriander, to serve
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking tray.
2. Place the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs. Place in a bowl with 2 tbsp water and cover with cling film. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.
3. Add mozzarella and egg, and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Spoon on to the baking tray and shape into a large oblong. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Steam the butternut until cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over high heat. Pan-roast butternut until golden on all sides. Right at the end, add the garlic and smoked paprika.
7. Toss butternut, chicken, 1–2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp zest with the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Arrange on the base.
8. Top with coriander to serve.
CREAMY MUSHROOM & BUTTERNUT PENNE
SERVES 4 // HANDS-ON 25 min
INGREDIENTS
250 ml peeled, cubed butternut
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
125g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp chopped thyme
2 tbsp cake flour
500 ml chicken or veg stock
250 ml cream
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
500g penne, cooked according to packet instructions
METHOD
1. Steam the butternut until cooked, about 15 minutes. Drain.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil and fry the mushrooms until golden. Add garlic and thyme and fry for 1 minute.
3. Mix in the flour. Add chicken stock and cream and cook until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan over high heat. Pan-roast the butternut until golden.
5. Add the butternut and mixed herbs to the mushroom sauce.
6. Stir through the cooked penne and serve.
Recipes & Styling: Caro Alberts Photography: Juliette Bisset/HSMimages.co.za
