Road trips and padkos that includes meatballs, chicken sausage rolls and many other memorable budget recipes.
Tuna sandwich with basil cottage cheese
Serves 4 • Total Time 25 Min
Ingredients
½ head broccoli
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp crushed garlic
250g smooth cottage cheese
15g fresh basil
salt and milled black pepper
8 slices low GI or seed bread
½ cup sliced cucumber
170g tinned shredded tuna, drained
Method
- Blanch broccoli in salted boiling water for a minute. Drain and refresh in iced water.
- Briefly blitz broccoli in a food processor.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, cottage cheese and half the basil. Briefly blitz mixture and season.
- Top four slices of bread with remaining basil, cucumber, cottage cheese mixture and tuna. Top with remaining slices of bread and serve.
Pork meatball salad jars
Serves 4 • Total Time 30 Min Plus Refrigeration
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
vegetable oil for frying
1 onion, chopped
500g pork bangers, casings removed
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 egg, whisked
3 slices white bread, torn, or 1 cup breadcrumbs
salt and milled black pepper
FOR THE DRESSING
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp honey
½ lemon, juiced
salt and milled black pepper
¼ head red cabbage, shredded
½ cucumber, sliced
100g assorted tomatoes, quartered
4 Mason jars, for transportation
Method
- Heat oil in a pan and fry onion for 3-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Combine remaining meatball ingredients, add onion and season.
- Roll into 16 balls and chill for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Heat oil in the same pan and fry meatballs in batches for 5-7 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
- Combine dressing ingredients and season.
- Layer dressing, salad bits and meatballs into each Mason jar. Store in a cooler box until ready to serve (shake to dress salad).
Herby chicken sausage rolls
Serves 4 • Total Time 1 Hour
Ingredients
2 chicken breast fillets, sliced
2 carrots, grated
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and milled black pepper
400g puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp sesame seeds (optional)
½ cup double cream plain yoghurt
2 Tbsp peri-peri sauce
fresh coriander for serving
Method
- Preheat oven to 200˚C.
- Place chicken, carrots, parsley, breadcrumbs, zest, lemon juice, and seasoning into a food processor and blitz to combine.
- Place the pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll out lengthways. Cut into 4 equal rectangles, about 10x15cm.
- Divide filling into four portions and roll each one into a log. They should be slightly shorter than the length of a pastry rectangles.
- Place a portion of filling in the centre of each pastry rectangle.
- Fold one edge of pastry over filling and tuck in. Roll to enclose filling and press down on edges to seal. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling.
- Halve pastries and score the top.
- Place on a lined baking sheet, brush with egg and sprinkle with seeds, if using.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Mix yoghurt and peri-peri sauce in a serving bowl to make a dip.
- Serve sausage rolls with yoghurt dip and garnish with coriander.
Chicken salad with chive vinaigrette
Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
4 chicken breasts on the bone
glug olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme
salt and milled black pepper
500g Green beans, trimmed and blanched
20g Hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
80g baby gem lettuce
FOR THE DRESSING
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
pinch sugar
¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped chives
½ clove garlic, minced
salt and milled black pepper
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Rub chicken with oil and season with thyme, salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until cooked. Set aside to rest.
- Whisk dressing ingredients, season to taste and add a squeeze of lemon.
- Halve lettuce heads, toss with a little dressing and arrange on a platter.
- Debone chicken and cut into thick slices. Toss chicken, green beans and hazelnuts, if using, in remaining dressing and pile on top of lettuce.
- Finish with a drizzle of dressing and serve.
Chef’s Tip: Instead of adding hazelnuts, try crumbled feta or a boiled egg.
Words: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine
