All the fiesta fun of nachos – crispy, creamy, fiery – stacked smartly in a grab-and-go salad jar. 

Nacho salad jar

Serves 4 

Ingredients

For the mince: 

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
500g beef mince
1 sachet (50g) tomato paste
2 tsp each cumin, coriander and smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 can (400g) whole cherry tomatoes in tomato juice
Handful parsley, chopped
Salt and milled pepper

½ can (205g) corn kernels, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeño, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
1 lime, zested and juiced
200g cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ small red onion, finely chopped
Handful coriander, finely chopped
1 can (400g) black or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup sour cream (optional) 100g Cheddar, coarsely grated
Nacho chips, to serve 

Method

1. For the mince, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onions for about 4 minutes. 
2. Add garlic and mince, allow to brown for about 4-5 minutes while stirring regularly. 
3. Add tomato paste and spices; stir while cooking on a high heat for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Lower the heat and add tomatoes. Cook uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until all the juices have evaporated, resulting in a thickened sauce. Add parsley and season. 
5. Separately, combine corn, jalapeño, lime zest and juice to taste. Season and set aside. 
6. Combine tomatoes, red onion and coriander. Season and set aside. 
7. Layer the nacho jars starting with the mince, followed by the corn salsa, beans, sour cream, tomato salsa and cheese. 
8. Serve with nacho chips on the side.

Cook’s tip: Limes can be costly when out of season; swap them for about 30ml of lemon juice if you like.  

Recipes & styling: Lichelle May

Photographs: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Microwave magic: Quick bean nachos 

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Add variety to your menu with this butter-rubbed chicken – it’s a fusion of flavour!

Stuffed roast chicken 

Serves 6-8 

Ingredients

½  cup butter, softened 
1½ Tbsp smoked paprika 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
5 cloves garlic, finely grated 
8 sprigs thyme, picked and chopped 
3 sprigs rosemary, picked and chopped
Handful parsley, finely chopped
Salt and milled pepper
1 (about 1.8kg) large chicken, giblets removed 
Chicken stuffing 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Mix butter, paprika, lemon zest and juice, garlic and herbs together. Season. 
3. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the meat, without tearing it. 
4. Rub ¾ of the flavoured butter underneath the skin of the chicken and spread the remaining butter on top of the skin. Season well.
5. Place the stuffing into the chicken cavity, placing some around the chicken. 
6. Roast the chicken uncovered for 20 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C and roast for another 45-60 minutes or until cooked and golden. 
7. Serve hot out of the oven with side dishes of your choice.

Chicken stuffing 

Makes enough for 1 chicken 

Mix the meat of 500g sausage of your choice, with ¾ cup breadcrumbs, 1 punnet (20g) chopped herbs of your choice (such as parsley, coriander, dill or thyme), zest of 1 orange or lemon. Season. Shape into golf ball-sized meatballs. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Tomato, mozzarella & pomegranate salad 

The post Stuffed roast chicken  appeared first on MyKitchen.

The pepper crust and biltong butter is a powerful combo.

Pepper crusted rib-eye 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

2 (450g each) rib-eye steaks
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ cup black peppercorns
1 Tbsp sea salt flakes
Biltong butter, for serving 
1 punnet (30g) wild rocket 

Method

1. Pat the steaks dry with kitchen paper. Brush all sides of the steaks with mustard.
2. Crush peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Combine the pepper and salt in a dinner plate.
3. Press all sides of the steaks into the spice mix to create a pepper crust.
4. Braai the steaks on medium-hot coals for about 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking process.
5. Rest the steaks for 10 minutes before slicing.
6. To garnish, dollop with biltong butter and scatter with wild rocket.
7. Serve steaks with your favourite sides and salads.

Biltong butter 

Makes about 1 cup 

Combine ½ cup softened butter with about ½ cup biltong dust, ½ tsp ground coriander and a handful of chopped parsley. Season. Serve spread onto bruschetta or chill, scoop and serve on steaks. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Ultimate Cape Malay leg of lamb 

The post Pepper crusted rib-eye  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Spice up your lamb cut this holiday season. Shred left overs for sandwiches or wraps.

Ultimate Cape Malay leg of lamb 

Serves 8 

Ingredients

2kg leg of lamb, bone in
10 cloves garlic
2 cups amasi
7 Tbsp Cape Malay spice blend
Salt and milled pepper
3 onions, sliced
500g rainbow carrots, washed
1 whole garlic bulb, halved
Olive oil 
⅓ cup butter 

Method

1. Using a pairing knife, pierce the lamb in the shape of an ‘X’ and press a garlic clove into each opening.
2. Mix together the amasi and spice. Season.
3. Rub the lamb with the amasi marinade, season and allow to marinate for 4-6 hours or ideally overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C.
5. Place the marinated lamb into an ovenproof dish and scatter the onion, carrot and garlic halves around the lamb. Drizzle with olive oil and dot butter around the lamb.
6. Roast uncovered for 30 minutes. Lower heat to 160°C, cover with foil and roast for another 1½ hours or until the meat pulls away from the bone.
7. Serve the lamb with your choice of sides.

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Side dishes that might upstage your meaty mains for your festive feast 

The post Ultimate Cape Malay leg of lamb  appeared first on MyKitchen.

This chunky cut of meat requires low and slow cooking, making it the perfect dish to prepare the day before. Swap it for thick-cut beef shin for an everyday cut.

Chilli and plum hammer roast 

Serves 8-9.

2 (about 1.6kg each) beef shin hammer roasts
Salt and milled pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 stalks celery, finely sliced
1 spring onion, chopped
1 punnet (20g) coriander, stalks and leaves separated
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3cm knob ginger, peeled and sliced
6 whole dried red chillies
1 stick cinnamon
2 star anise
1 cup Chinese rice wine (mirin) or dry sherry
½ cup apple cider vinegar
3 limes, juiced
¼ cup soy sauce
1 cup beef stock
¼ cup brown sugar
6-8 plums, halved 

For serving
Chilli, sliced
Coriander leaves
Spring onion, sliced 

Method

1. Bring meat to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Season meat and brown in oil in an ovenproof pot over high heat. Remove and set aside.
3. Reduce heat and sauté celery and white parts of spring onion for 5 minutes.
4. Add coriander stalks (chopped), garlic, ginger, chillies and spices and fry for another 3 minutes.
5. Deglaze pot by adding rice wine, then remaining liquid ingredients and brown sugar.
6. Return meat to pot (ensuring it’s submerged in liquid) and add plums.
7. Cover and roast at 170°C for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 150°C and cook for 3 hours.
8. Switch off oven and leave roast in for an hour or two, or overnight.
9. Reheat pot on the stove, remove meat and reduce sauce, adding some butter to make a glossy gravy.
10. Serve meat and plums on a platter with gravy, garnished with chilli, coriander and spring onion greens.

Flavour check-list 

Salty: stock, soy sauce
Fat: beef shin
Sweet: cinnamon, star anise, rice wine vinegar
Acidity: apple cider vinegar, plums, lime
Heat: chillies 

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Donna Lewis

Also read: Roast potatoes on cumin-garlic yoghurt with coriander chutney 

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