Forget fancy cookbooks – the real kitchen hacks are passed down with love (and a dash of sass) from moms. The MK team shares some of their mothers’ most treasured tips and tricks that continue to inspire their cooking today. 

Sjaan van der Ploeg, Deputy Food Editor 

An overarching theme of my mom’s cooking over the years was her incredible confidence in substituting. Over the decades her dishes received praise repeatedly and weekly we’d say “mom, please show us the recipe this is amazing”, her face would first go pink, then her response: “I just threw it together”. Her ability to look at a recipe and simply add and remove ingredients on a whim had me in awe. Confidence like that can only be achieved after many years of experience. She knew what would work better, what the dish needed more of or simply what she wanted to add that we had in the fridge. It taught me to be more playful with cooking, experiment more, use what is there and trust my palette.  

Cameron Adams, Junior Designer 

One kitchen tip my mom taught me is how to make perfect caramelised onions. She always said not to rush them, keep the heat low, stir patiently and let the onions slowly turn soft, golden and sweet. 

Aneeqah Emeran, Digital Editor 

The best advice my mom has given me? “To make cooking easy and more enjoyable you have to work with a system.” She advises prepping everything beforehand and that you clean up as you go along so that once the dish or pot of food is done, there’s barely much left to clean up. I don’t know about you, but not having much to clean up after a meal is a win in my books. However, her most important lesson is to “cook with love” – this is the magic ingredient for a memorable meal. 

Christi Nortier, Features Editor 

My mom has taught me that setting the table, throwing open the windows, lighting the candles and putting on some music can and should be a daily indulgence. Her special touch has always created a sense of occasion around our meals, making us linger longer after our knives and forks have been put down. It’s about that sense of intention, care and creativity. The trick is to make it easy for yourself: she always kept the tableware, serveware and even the matches in a beautiful cupboard that was easy to get to. Or you could do it my way: my dining room table is always set – you never know when “an occasion” might come up!    

Mpho Komane, Social Media Manager 

Since my mom gave me these two valuable tips, I still use them every time! The first one is to add sugar to tomato based sauces and soups to make it less tart. The second? She told me to boil boerewors first before you grill it. The sausage will come out fully cooked and juicy. 

Taahirah Wallie, Advertising Sales Co-Ordinator  

My mom always told me to “clean as you go”. She’d repeatedly say that a clean kitchen would make the process a lot easier. Plus, it will cut down on your cooking time by far.  Anything to avoid a big mess! 

Aaliyah Omar, Editorial Assistant 

She always said “steal with the eye” when learning how to cook! My mom has gifted me many Indian and Malay cookbooks but always claimed that I’d learn more from simply watching her in the kitchen and picking up some of her best habits. 

Photography:  Freepik

Also read: Chef Kerry Kilpin’s Roast Leg of Lamb Recipe for Mother’s Day

The post Tips that work: Kitchen wisdom moms passed down appeared first on MyKitchen.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with Executive Chef Kerry Kilpin’s roast leg of lamb – a recipe rooted in cherished childhood traditions around the family table and created to bring loved ones together in a meaningful way. 

Long before she was running the kitchens at Tryn and Bistro Sixteen82 at Steenberg Farm in Cape Town, Chef Kerry Kilpin’s love of food was shaped around the family table on the farm – through a ritual that carried both comfort and the bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye when she left for boarding school at the end of each holiday.   

“We would all sit down as a family for lunch, and it was, without a doubt, a roast leg of lamb with roast potatoes. There had to be extra roast potatoes, cauliflower with cheese sauce, another green vegetable, and loads of gravy,” recalls Kerry. 

When Kerry thinks back on those family lunches, it’s the little details that come rushing back – the smell of lamb drifting across the farm, the sneaky hands grabbing golden roast potatoes before they ever reached the table, the scramble for the best cuts and the playful fight with her brother over the prized ‘kinkle’ bone. Most of all, it was the joy of sitting down together, no distractions, just family. 

Cooking with heart, not perfection 

Today, Kerry carries that memory into her cooking at Steenberg, not replicating it exactly, but as something to reinterpret for modern life. “It’s those small tweaks, a bit of mustard in the cheese sauce or some wine in the gravy, that elevate it. But the heart of it is still the same.” 

Her Mother’s Day version of this classic roast is intentionally simple: a roast prepared with care, crispy potatoes, a comforting sauce and seasonal sides. 

“Food is connection,” Kerry says. “It’s about creating memories and time together. That’s what makes it special.” 

Spoil your family with Kerry’s version of this delicious roast this Mother’s Day: 

Chef Kerry Kilpin’s Roast Leg of Lamb recipe 

Ingredients 

1 leg of lamb roast
1 small onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
3 cloves garlic
4 button mushrooms, sliced
1 sprig rosemary
5 sprigs thyme, picked
600ml beef or lamb stock
200ml Sauvignon Blanc (When making for a young family with children, I prefer to use white wine, this can be substituted with red wine.)
1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced into rings
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon cornflour
Knob of butter
 

Method 

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C. 
2. Prepare your roasting tray by making a bed of vegetables using the chopped onion, carrot, garlic, mushrooms and rosemary. 
3. Season the lamb well with salt, pepper, picked thyme and lemon juice. Layer the top of the roast with the sliced onion and drizzle with olive oil. Place the lamb on top of the vegetable bed. Pour the stock and wine around the vegetables. 
4. Cover the roast with foil and cook for 30 minutes at 200°C. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C and roast for a further 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of the joint and whether you are using a bone in or bone out. Bone in takes longer to cook. 
5. After 1 hour of cooking, remove the foil and allow the meat to brown until cooked to your preference. 
6. Remove from the oven and rest the meat for 10-15 minutes on a platter, loosely covered before carving. 
7. To make the gravy, remove the rosemary sprig. Blend the roasting juices and vegetables until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to approximately 350ml, add a knob of butter and thicken with cornflour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    

Recipe: Chef Kerry Kipling
Photography: Supplied 

The post Chef Kerry Kilpin’s Roast Leg of Lamb recipe for Mother’s Day appeared first on MyKitchen.

Indulgent flavours and hearty portions make this combo a steakhouse comfort classic. 

Smoky BBQ pork ribs & cheesy loaded fries

Serves 4 

Ingredients  

2kg raw pork spare ribs
Salt and milled pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1 shallot, diced (or use red onion)
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
½-1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 cup BBQ sauce 

For the cheesy loaded fries 

Canola oil, for frying
1kg frozen fries
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
½ cup beer
1½ cups milk
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup grated mozzarella
¼ cup grated Grana Padano
Handful chopped parsley + extra to garnish
Salt and milled pepper 

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Season pork ribs and place in oven for about 30 minutes.
3. Heat butter on a medium heat, fry shallot and garlic for about 4-5 minutes. Add smoked paprika and chilli flakes, if using. Fry stirring for another minute. 
4. Add BBQ sauce, lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season. 
5. Lower oven temperature to 180°C. Generously baste the pork ribs with the BBQ sauce, cover with foil and roast another 1½ hours, basting every 30 minutes. 
6. Increase oven temperature again to 200°C. Remove the foil, baste again and roast for another 20 minutes until sticky. 
7. For the cheesy loaded fries, heat oil until shimmering hot.Fry the fries until golden, drain on kitchen towel and season. 
8. Heat butter until melted, add flour and stir to create a smooth slurry. Add beer and stir until incorporated. 
9. Add milk and mustard, whisk until smooth. Cook for about 5-8 minutes. The sauce must simmer for the flour to cook. Once the sauce has simmered for a few minutes, remove from heat then add cheeses and parsley. Stir until melted. Season. 
10. Pour the sauce over the fries and serve with sticky pork ribs.

Recipe & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 
Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Hot & sour pork broth recipe

The post Smoky BBQ pork ribs & cheesy loaded fries appeared first on MyKitchen.

Add as much Parmesan as you can afford – it can never really be too much! For added protein, serve topped with sliced chicken breast. 

Green risotto with cheap-n-cheerful pesto

Serves 4 

Ingredients

300g baby marrow
3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil blend
Salt and milled pepper
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 sprigs thyme (optional)
1½ cups (300g) Arborio or risotto rice
1½ cups dry white wine
4½ cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
⅓ cup grated Grana Padano (any hard cheese works well, too)
Lemon juice, to taste
½ cup defrosted peas
⅓ cup green pumpkin seed pesto

Method

1.  Slice baby marrow into 3cm chunks.
2.  Heat half the oil over high heat in a medium-large pot. Sauté baby marrow, stirring regularly until lightly browned and tender, about 3 minutes. Season, remove and set aside.
3.  Heat remaining oil over medium-low heat. Sweat the onions gently for 5 minutes, or until translucent and soft, not browned.
4.  Add garlic, thyme and rice, then increase heat to medium-high and fry until rice smells nutty, about 3 minutes. 
5.  Pour in wine and cook, stirring continuously until almost completely reduced – about 4 minutes. Season. 
6.  Add stock ½ cup at a time, stirring well until almost all the liquid has reduced. (Your bubbles will be many and small in the beginning and will gradually become fewer and larger.) 
7.  Once all the liquid has been added and rice is coated in a thick, glossy sauce, add cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
8.  Stir through baby marrows, peas and pesto. 

Good idea

Serve with golden brown seared and sliced chicken breast to bulk up the protein in this meal. You can also swap ¼ – ½ of the risotto rice with barley for a higher fibre meal. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Farm-style white bread

The post Green risotto with cheap-n-cheerful pesto appeared first on MyKitchen.

This smoky relish works well with pap, eggs or braai meat. 

Breakfast sandwiches with red pepper relish

Makes 2 cups relish/ Serves 4 

Ingredients

For the relish

4 red peppers, charred and skinned
Glug olive or canola oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 Tbsp chutney
Salt and milled pepper

For the sandwiches

8 thick-cut bread slices
Butter, for spreading
300g mozzarella
30g rocket
8 eggs, fried or poached

Method

1.  Char the peppers over an open gas hob flame, turning regularly using steel tongs to ensure even char, until blackened all over. (You can also grill the peppers on high if you don’t have a gas stove.) 
2.  Remove and place in a large bowl, then cover with clingfilm, allowing pepper to sweat. (This process will loosen skins, making it easy to peel.)
3.  After 15 minutes, uncover and brush away all the black skins off the peppers using your fingers. (You can even rinse the pepper briefly under water to get rid of any tiny black flecks.)
4.  Slice peppers open, discard stem and seeds. Slice into strips.
5.  Heat a glug of oil in a pot over medium heat.
6.  Fry garlic for a minute until golden, but not brown. Add remaining relish ingredients, stir to combine and leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid has reduced to a thick, sticky sauce. Cool and store in the fridge until using, for up to three weeks.
7.  To make sandwiches, butter 8 slices of bread on both sides. Fry in a hot pan until golden. 
8.  Place a handful of grated cheese on 4 of the slices, return to pan and cover to allow the cheese to melt. 
9.  Spoon 1 cup relish on remaining 4 toasted slices, then top with rocket and eggs. Season. 
10.  Sandwich closed with cheesy bread and serve immediately. 

Listen up

When charring your peppers, popping is the sound of success! It’s the liquid in the pepper that builds up steam then pops open fibres when hot enough. Once the popping quiets down, turn slightly to ensure flame makes contact all over the pepper. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Croissant breakfast casserole 

The post Breakfast sandwiches with red pepper relish appeared first on MyKitchen.

The mince almost caramelises by rendering out the fat while cooking in the lip-smacking sauce. The golden rule is to never overcrowd your pan. 

Asian mushroom & mince stir-fry

Serves 3-4 

Ingredients

3 Tbsp canola oil
300g mixed mushrooms
150g pork mince or pork sausage meat
400g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper
2 tsp grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 Thai red chillies, deseeded and sliced (optional)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
Lemon juice to taste (lime works well, too)
1 cup sliced Swiss chard (or pak choi)
Rice noodles (or rice), for serving
Spring onions and coriander, to garnish

Method

1.  Heat a small drizzle of oil in a hot pan over high heat until almost smoking.
2.  Add mushrooms in 2-3 batches and fry, occasionally pressing down with a spatula (you should hear a squeaking sound) to brown well. Remove, season and set aside. 
3.  Add another drizzle of oil in the same pan and stir-fry mince in 2-3 batches. (This is important, as overcrowding will steam mince instead of sear and brown.) Season lightly and continuously move the mince with a spatula, breaking up lumps of meat, until well browned.
4.  Add grated ginger, garlic, red chillies, soy-, oyster- and fish sauces. Stir-fry until sticky. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
5.  Toss through the Swiss chard, stirring to wilt, then return mushrooms to reheat.
6.  Serve stir-fried mince over noodles, topped with spring onion and coriander.

Listen up

• Mushrooms are little sponges, so it’s best to cook them over high heat with a little oil. To know if your pan is hot enough, add a mushroom and press down onto it using a spatula. If the mushroom makes a squeaking sound, it’s hot enough. 
• For mince to crisp up and caramelise, your pan should not be overcrowded. You should hear a searing sound throughout cooking the mince, although it will soften while cooking, which indicates the fat is rendering out and meat is browning. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Braai grid mushroom pizza

The post Asian mushroom & mince stir-fry appeared first on MyKitchen.