You can forget about boring sides this festive season. This red and green Christmas salad brings the cheer and the flavour!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
1 cucumber
300 g baby salad leaves
200 g feta, cubed
200 g strawberries, halved
¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
¼ cup dried cranberries

METHOD
1. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to cut the cucumber into ribbons.
2. Gently toss together all the ingredients in a large salad bowl.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Making the switch to a healthier festive season? Find out how here.

The post Make this red and green Christmas salad your summer go-to appeared first on MyKitchen.

Already preparing for all the leftovers you’re going to have this season? These roast vegetable and ginger snap cups are perfect for post-Christmas treats!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the ginger snaps
1 cup sugar
¾ cup flour
1 tsp ginger
110 g butter, melted
1–2 oranges (zest of 1, ½ cup juice)
For the roast vegetable purée
1 cup cream
2 cups leftover roast butternut and sweet potato
To plate
Leftover gammon, shredded
Leftover vegetables, julienned (we used carrots and broccoli)
Mustard seeds, toasted
Microherbs

METHOD
For the ginger snaps
1. Mix sugar, flour and ginger. Make a well in the middle.
2. Pour in butter, orange zest and juice. Whisk until smooth.
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a baking tray.
5. Drop teaspoons of mixture on to the tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Keep a close eye on the ginger snaps – you want them golden orange, no darker.
For the roast vegetable purée
1. Heat the cream, then pour it into a blender with the veggies. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
To plate
1. Spoon the vegetable purée into 4 glasses.
2. Top with gammon, veggies and a sprinkle of mustard seeds.
3. Place a ginger snap and some microherbs on top of each glass.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

What about your leftover fruit? Try this ginger and pineapple bake!

The post Roast vegetable and ginger snap cups appeared first on MyKitchen.

No festive meal is complete without a hearty roast! Make our December cover of herbed chicken with cranberry sauce for your family gathering this Christmas.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
For the herbed chicken
½ cup basil, finely chopped
½ cup origanum, finely chopped
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
8 thyme sprigs, picked and chopped
4 rosemary sprigs, picked and chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup butter, softened
2 chickens
4 tbsp olive oil
For the cranberry sauce
2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup cranberry juice
⅓ cup sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
¼ tsp salt
½ tbsp cornflour
⅔ cup water

METHOD
For the herbed chicken
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Mix together the herbs, lemon zest and butter.
3. Pat the chickens dry and gently rub the herbed butter onto the skin of each one.
4. Cut the zested lemon in half and add one half to the cavity of each chicken, along with any leftover herbed butter.
5. Place the chickens on roasting trays and truss them. Drizzle with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
6. Roast for 1 hour 15 minutes, until cooked through. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Serve with roast veg and cranberry sauce.
For the cranberry sauce
1. Add all the ingredients, except the cornflour and water to a pot. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk the cornflour and water together, then add it to the sauce stirring continuously until thickened. Cook for 3 minutes and set aside to serve.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz // HMimages.co.za

For a vegetarian alternative, try our roast cauliflower with yoghurt, toasted almonds and mint.

The post Cook the cover: Herbed chicken with cranberry sauce appeared first on MyKitchen.