Winter is the season for hearty flavours and an array of cosy meals like soups, stews and curries. Make these comforting (and tasty) meals to warm up the coldest of days.  

Yummy tomato soup with cheese toasties   

Serves 4 // Cooking time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients  

Cooking oil
1½ onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped 
1 tsp (5ml) paprika
2 tins (400g each) whole peeled tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved
50g sachet tomato paste
2 Tbsp (30ml) Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste  

For the cheese toasties  

8 thick slices bread, lightly buttered on both sides
1½ (375ml) cups grated Cheddar
⅓ cup (80ml) sour cream  

Method 

1. Heat some oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot, and fry for 8–10 minutes until onions are soft. 
2. Add the paprika and cook until fragrant. 
3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste, reserved tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce and 2 cups water. 
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, then season.
5. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

For the cheese toasties  

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Arrange 4 slices of bread on the tray and top with cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Top each one with a slice of bread to make 4 sandwiches.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes, turning halfway, until the bread is golden and toasted, and the cheese has melted.
4. Cut toasties in half and ladle soup into bowls. Top with a spoonful of sour cream.

Cook’s note:
The sour cream can be replaced with a drizzle of normal cream, a spoonful of cottage cheese or a dollop of plain yoghurt. 

Recipes & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen 
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz/hmimages.co.za 

Classic corn and mussel chowder 

Serves 4–6 // Cooking time: 45 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp (15ml) olive oil
1 packet streaky bacon bits
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
4 mielies, kernels removed
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 cups (1L) fish stock
1 Tbsp (15ml) butter
1kg mussels, cleaned
½ cup (125ml) cream  

Method 

1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Brown the bacon, then add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the mielie kernels, potatoes and stock. Simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
3. In the meantime, melt butter in a pan over high heat. Add the mussels and pop the lid on. Cook, checking regularly, until all the mussels have opened. Remove the meat from half the mussels, discarding the shells.
4. Transfer the soup to a food processor and blend until chunky.
5. Stir through the picked mussels and the cream. 
6. Ladle chowder into bowls and top with the remaining mussels still in their shells.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Chicken curry with masala curried yoghurt 

Serves 4–6 // Cooking time: 50 minutes + marinating 

Ingredients 

800g chicken pieces
Cooking oil 

For the marinade

2 tsp (10ml) ground coriander
2 tsp (10ml) chilli powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp (15ml) chopped fresh ginger
2 Tbsp (30ml) lemon juice  

For the curried yoghurt 

1½ cups (375ml) yoghurt
1 Tbsp (15ml) chilli powder
1 Tbsp (15ml) turmeric
1 Tbsp (15ml) garam masala
1 green chilli, finely chopped 

For the curry 

2 cloves garlic, minced
2cm piece ginger, grated
1½ onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp (15ml) tomato paste
3 tomatoes, finely chopped
1½ cups (375ml) curried yoghurt
½ Tbsp (7ml) ground cardamom
½ Tbsp (7ml) ground cloves
½ Tbsp (7ml) cinnamon
1 Tbsp (7ml) ground coriander
1 Tbsp (7ml) cumin
1 Tbsp (15ml) paprika   

Method  

1. Mix the marinade ingredients and toss with the chicken. Cover with clingwrap and marinate for at least 1 hour. 
2. Mix all the curried yoghurt ingredients together and set aside.
3. 3. To make the curry, heat oil in a pot over medium. Fry garlic and ginger until golden. Add onion and fry.
4. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes, and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the curried yoghurt and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add the spices, marinated chicken and 1½ cups water. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Shepherd’s pie with a cheesy potato topping 

Serves 6–8  // Cooking time: 1 hour 

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp (30ml) vegetable oil 
1 onion, finely chopped 
3 carrots, finely chopped 
2 celery stalk, finely chopped 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
500g beef mince 
2 Tbsp (30ml) tomato paste 
2 Tbsp (30ml) flour 
2 Tbsp (30ml) Worcestershire sauce 
1½ (7ml) tsp dried thyme 
Salt and pepper 
1½ (375ml) cups beef stock
½ cup (125ml) red wine 
2 bay leaves   

For the topping 

6 potatoes, peeled 
½ cup (125ml) milk 
2 Tbsp (30ml) butter 
¼ cup (60ml) Cheddar 
1 Tbsp (15ml) fresh thyme leaves  

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the onion, carrot and celery until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and fry until golden.
3. Crumble the mince into the pan. Fry for 3 minutes until browned, continuing to break up the mince using a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Season well.
5. Add stock, wine (or more stock) and bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits of flavour.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.

For the topping 

1. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Drain and mash until chunky. 
3. Add the milk, butter and cheese and mash until smooth and fluffy. 
4. Season to taste, then cover and set aside.

To assemble 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Spoon the mince filling into a 15 x 25cm casserole dish. 
3. Allow to cool before topping with the mashed potato.
4. Bake for 20 minutes until the potato topping is golden and crispy.
5. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

Cook’s note:
Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a month. When ready to use, simply defrost and reheat in a 180ºC oven. 

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Peet Mocke/hmimages.co.za 

Honey-BBQ roast brisket with creamy pap 

Serves 6 // Cooking time: 7 hours 

Ingredients 

2kg beef brisket 
2 tsp (10ml) garlic powder
2 tsp (10ml) chilli powder
2 tsp (10ml) salt
½ (7ml) tsp black pepper
4 cups (1L) beef stock   

For the honey-BBQ sauce 

½ cup (125ml) tomato sauce
½ cup (125ml) honey
⅓ cup (80ml) apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp (30ml) brown sugar
2 Tbsp (30ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp (10ml) Dijon mustard
1 tsp (5ml) garlic powder
1 Tbsp (15ml) cornflour mixed with 2 Tbsp (30ml) water  

For the creamy pap 

2 cups (500ml) Kreemymeel or Maltabella
2–3 cups (500–750ml) water
3 Tbsp (45ml) butter  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 130°C.
2. Rub the brisket all over with a mix of garlic powder, chilli powder, salt and pepper.
3. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients (except the cornflour).  
4. Place brisket in an ovenproof casserole dish, pour over beef stock and honey-BBQ sauce.
5. Slow-roast for 5–6 hours, until the liquid has reduced by half.
6. Remove the brisket from the dish and set aside, reserving the sauce/cooking liquid.
7. Place the Kreemymeel/Maltabella, water and butter in a pot over medium heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon and set aside. 
8. Pour the reserved sauce into a pot, bring to a simmer, then whisk in the cornflour paste. Cook, whisking continuously, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
9. Shred the brisket and add it to the sauce. 
10. Serve the honey-BBQ brisket with creamy pap.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za 

The post 5 winter warmers for the chilly season  appeared first on MyKitchen.

This shepard’s pie with a cheesy potato topping will transport you back to your childhood in the best way possible. It is also a perfect dish for those chilly winter evening!

SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME 1 hr 30 min

FOR THE FILLING

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Onion, finely chopped 1

Carrots, finely chopped 3

Celery stalk, finely chopped 2

Garlic cloves, minced 3

Beef mince 500 g

Tomato paste 2 tbsp

Flour 2 tbsp

Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp

Dried thyme 1 ½ tsp

Beef stock, 1 ½ cups

Red wine ½ cup

Bay leaves 2

FOR THE CHEESY POTATO TOPPING

Potatoes, washed and peeled 6

Milk ½ cup

Butter 2 tbsp

Cheddar ¼ cup

Fresh thyme leaves, to garnish 1 tbsp

FOR THE FILLING

1. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrots and celery. Fry for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.

2. Add the garlic and fry until golden.

Crumble the mince into the pan. Fry for 3 minutes until browned, continuing to break up the mince using a wooden spoon so it doesn’t form lumps.

3. Mix in the tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper.

4. Add stock, wine (or more stock) and bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits of flavour.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and glossy.

FOR THE POTATO TOPPING

1. Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Drain and mash until chunky. Add the milk, butter and cheese and mash until smooth and fluffy. Season to taste, then cover and set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2. Spoon the mince filling into a 15 x 25 cm casserole dish. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before topping with the mashed potato.

3. Bake for 20 minutes until the potato topping is golden and crispy.

4. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

Top tip Freeze any leftovers for up to 1 month. Store in an airtight container. When ready to use, defrost and then reheat in a 180ºC oven for 20 minutes.

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Peet Mocke/hmimages.co.za

Cosy up this winter with these delicious one-pot comfort meals

The post Shepherd’s Pie With A Cheesy Potato Topping appeared first on MyKitchen.

Cosy up this winter with these delicious one-pot comfort meals

Shepherd’s pie with a cheesy potato topping
SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME 1 hr 30 min

FOR THE FILLING

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Onion, finely chopped 1

Carrots, finely chopped 3

Celery stalk, finely chopped 2

Garlic cloves, minced 3

Beef mince 500 g

Tomato paste 2 tbsp

Flour 2 tbsp

Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp

Dried thyme 1 ½ tsp

Beef stock, 1 ½ cups

Red wine ½ cup

Bay leaves 2

FOR THE CHEESY POTATO TOPPING 

Potatoes, washed and peeled 6

Milk ½ cup

Butter 2 tbsp

Cheddar ¼ cup

Fresh thyme leaves, to garnish 1 tbsp 

FOR THE FILLING

1. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrots and celery. Fry for 5 minutes until the onion is soft.

2. Add the garlic and fry until golden.

Crumble the mince into the pan. Fry for 3 minutes until browned, continuing to break up the mince using a wooden spoon so it doesn’t form lumps.

3. Mix in the tomato paste, flour, Worcestershire sauce and thyme. Season well with salt and pepper.

4. Add stock, wine (or more stock) and bay leaves. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits of flavour.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick and glossy.

FOR THE POTATO TOPPING

1. Cook the potatoes in a pot of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Drain and mash until chunky. Add the milk, butter and cheese and mash until smooth and fluffy. Season to taste, then cover and set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2. Spoon the mince filling into a 15 x 25 cm casserole dish. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before topping with the mashed potato.

3. Bake for 20 minutes until the potato topping is golden and crispy.

4. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

Top tip Freeze any leftovers for up to 1 month. Store in an airtight container. When ready to use, defrost and then reheat in a 180ºC oven for 20 minutes.

One-pot Tuscan chicken
SERVES 4  •  TOTAL TIME 30 min

FOR THE CHICKEN

Salt ½ tsp

Pepper ½ tsp

Paprika ¼ tsp

Garlic powder 1 tsp 

Italian herbs 2 tsp 

Chicken breast fillets 4

FOR THE CREAMY GARLIC AND WHITE-WINE SAUCE

Vegetable oil 2 tbsp

Onion, finely chopped 1 

Garlic cloves, minced 3

Italian herbs 2 tsp

Tomato paste 2 tbsp

Paprika ½ tsp

Cherry tomatoes 125 g

White wine ½ cup

Chicken stock 1 cup

Cream 1 cup 

Parmesan 2 tbsp 

Baby spinach 2 cups

TO SERVE

Fresh basil ¼ cup

Fresh bread loaf, toasted

FOR THE CHICKEN

1. Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and Italian herbs. Press the sides of the chicken into the seasoning mix, coating evenly.

2. Add some oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned and golden. Remove the chicken from the heat and set aside.

FOR THE CREAMY GARLIC AND WHITE-WINE SAUCE

1. Glaze the same pan with more oil and reduce the heat to medium. 

2. Fry the onion until softened. Add the garlic, Italian herbs, tomato paste, paprika and tomatoes. Fry until fragrant.

3. Add the white wine and using a wooden spoon, scrape any bits off of the base of the pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes. Add the chicken stock
and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until reduced by half.

4. Keep the mixture on a simmer and stir through the cream, cheese and spinach. Place the chicken back into the pan. Spoon some sauce over the chicken to coat, then cover with a lid. Switch off the heat but keep the pan on the stove – this will allow the chicken to finish cooking through poaching.

5. Serve the Tuscan chicken with basil and some crusty bread on the side.

Top tip Add a side of rice to this dish to bulk it up. It’s perfect for lunch the next day, too.

Oven-baked meatball sandwiches
SERVES 8  •  TOTAL TIME 1 hr 30 min

FOR THE MEATBALLS

Breadcrumbs ½ cup 

Milk ¼ cup 

Pork mince 250 g

Beef mince 250 g

Egg, lightly beaten 1

Garlic cloves, minced 2

Onion, finely chopped ½ 

Black pepper ½ tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Dried oregano 1 tsp

Dried parsley 1 tsp

Fresh basil 1 tbsp 

Parmesan ¼ cup

Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp

TO ASSEMBLE

Hot dog or hero rolls 8

Butter, melted 

Mozzarella, grated 2 cups

Tomato pasta sauce 300 g

Fresh basil, chopped, to garnish 

FOR THE MEATBALLS

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Grease a large oven tray.

2. Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs, using about 2 tablespoons of mixture for each one. Ours weighed 30 g each. 

4. Bake meatballs for 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Remove from
the oven.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Grease another large oven tray.

2. Make a cut down the top of each roll. Brush the inside of each roll with melted butter and sprinkle with a bit of cheese. Stuff each roll with three meatballs, spoon some tomato sauce over the meatballs and top with a layer of mozzarella.

3. Bake rolls for 10–15 minutes until the rolls are toasted and the cheese has melted.

4. Top with the chopped basil and enjoy!

Top tip Whether you’re watching your favourite sports team or sitting outside admiring the sunset with family, these meatball sandwiches are sure to hit the spot.

Creamy baked chicken pasta
SERVES 4  • TOTAL TIME 20 min 

FOR THE CHICKEN FILLETS

Chicken breast fillets 4

Flour ¼ cup 

Egg 1

Panko breadcrumbs 1 cup

Parmesan, grated ½ cup

Italian herbs 2 tsp

Oil ¼ cup

FOR THE SAUCE

Small onion, finely chopped ½ 

Garlic cloves, minced 2

Butter 2 tbsp

Flour ¼ cup

Milk 2 cups

Chicken stock 1 cup

Cheddar, grated 1 cup

TO SERVE

Penne 500 g

Dried herbs, to sprinkle

 FOR THE CHICKEN FILLETS

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease an oven dish.

2. Lay your chicken breast on a chopping board and cover with cling film. Gently bash the chicken breast using a rolling pin until 1 cm thick.

3. Place the flour and egg in two separate bowls, and the breadcrumbs combined with the Parmesan and Italian herbs in a third bowl.

4. Coat both sides of the chicken in the flour, then dip into the egg and finish in the breadcrumb mixture.

5. Heat some oil in a pan until hot. Add the chicken breasts and fry in batches until golden, about 5 min

6. Set the fried chicken on some paper towel to drain.

FOR THE SAUCE

1. Add some oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and fry until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add
the garlic and fry until golden.

2. In a separate pot over medium heat, add the butter and stir until melted. Add the flour and mix well until a roux forms, about a minute.

3. Add the milk and chicken stock to the pot and whisk well to incorporate. Bring the mixture to a low simmer and whisk as it thickens. 

4. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the sauce along with the cheddar and mix quickly to help it melt.

5. Cook for a few minutes until thick. If you like, use a stick blender to blend the sauce until smooth. Season to taste.

TO SERVE

1. Add the pasta to some salted boiling water and cook until tender. Drain.

2. Slice the chicken into strips.

3. Serve the pasta in bowls topped with creamy cheese sauce, chicken and a sprinkle of dried herbs.

Top tip Halving the chicken breasts allows them to be nice and thin for when they are fried. This allows them to be cooked fully in the pan and super crispy without becoming dry from overcooking.

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg
Photography: Peet Mocke/hmimages.co.za

This tasty and comforting deep dish pizza recipe is inspired by the US. Did you know that this type of pizza is the most popular in Chicago?

The post One-Pot Comfort Meals appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’re looking for a new budget-friendly comfort meal, then this pork and Parmesan tagliatelle dish is what you need. The flavours are everything.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 30 min 

INGREDIENTS
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4 pork steaks, sliced
400 ml thick tomato stew
50 g breadcrumbs
2 tsp dried origanum
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dried rosemary
300 g tagliatelle, cooked
Parmesan, grated, to serve

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Fry the onions and pork until browned. Add the tomato stew, remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Mix the breadcrumbs with the herbs and dry-fry in a clean pan over medium heat until brown and crispy.
3. Spoon the pork-and-tomato mixture over the pasta, sprinkle with crispy breadcrumbs and Parmesan, and serve.

Regular spaghetti with meatballs? How boring. Rather embrace your South African heritage and make spaghetti with boerie meatballs instead!

The post Pork and Parmesan tagliatelle appeared first on MyKitchen.

This Asian chicken noodle soup is the perfect dish to make if you have some left-over rotisserie chicken, and especially if you’re feeling a bit sick!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 25 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cm ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 small red chillies, seeded and finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
1.5 L chicken stock
500g roast chicken, shredded
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
450g Hokkien or egg noodles
150g bok choy, roughly chopped
4 spring onions, sliced, to garnish

METHOD
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the stock and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce the heat, add the shredded chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the remaining stock, soy sauce and sugar and bring back to the boil. Add the noodles and bok choy and cook for 2 minutes, until the leaves have wilted.
4. Allow to stand for 5 minutes for the noodles to soften before dishing up into bowls. Garnish with spring onions and extra chilli to serve.

This wholesome feta-stuffed chicken with rocket salad has everything you need in a meal: lean protein, healthy fats, greens, cheese… Need we say more?

The post Asian chicken noodle soup appeared first on MyKitchen.

The post Loaded cheese toasties appeared first on MyKitchen.