This halloumi sticks with red pepper salsa and avocado creme recipe is a spectacular, fresh and an overall crowd pleasing dish!

SERVES  4 // COOK TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the halloumi sticks
160 g halloumi
Olive oil, to brush
250 g phyllo
1 egg, whisked
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
For the avocado creme
⅓ cup yoghurt
1 avocado
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp chopped mint
For the red-pepper salsa
125 g cherry tomatoes
1 red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried chilli

METHOD
For the halloumi sticks
1. Cut the halloumi into 1 cm sticks. Brush with olive oil.
2. Cut each sheet of phyllo into 2 long strips to fit the halloumi sticks. Place a halloumi stick on the edge of each strip and roll up tightly. Seal the edges with whisked egg.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a pot and fry the halloumi sticks in batches until golden and crispy, about 45 seconds per batch. Drain on paper towel.
For the avocado creme
1. Blend together all the ingredients until smooth.
For the red-pepper salsa
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Toss together tomatoes, pepper and oil. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove the tomatoes and set aside. Roast the pepper until charred and blistered.
3. Place the pepper in a ziplock bag and leave for 20 minutes to sweat. Remove from the bag, peel and seed.
4. Place the roast pepper and tomatoes, chilli, salt and pepper in a blender, and blend until slightly chunky.
5. Serve the red-pepper salsa and avocado creme with the halloumi sticks

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen

For another cheese filled dish try our scrumptious loaded cheese toasties recipe!

The post Halloumi sticks with red-pepper salsa and avocado creme appeared first on MyKitchen.

We are so lucky to live in a country where we have beautiful, fresh seafood by the plenty. A traditional paella, like this one, is always a crowd-pleaser at dinner parties or lazy Sunday lunches.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
1 L chicken stock
Pinch of saffron
¼ cup butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1½ cups rice
200 g chorizo, cut into 2 cm pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
500 g prawns, peeled and cleaned
12 large black mussels
½ cup peas
Salt and black pepper
Parsley, finely chopped, to garnish
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

METHOD
1. Heat the chicken stock in a saucepan over low heat. Add the saffron, and cover.
2. Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onion and sweat over low heat for 10 minutes or until translucent. Pour in the rice and stock and simmer for 12 minutes.
3. In a separate pot, sear the chorizo in olive oil until golden brown. Add the prawns and cook for about 4 minutes. Add the mussels and peas, then cover and steam for 6 minutes.
4. Discard the unopened mussels. Add the mussels, chorizo, prawns and peas to the rice. Season, garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Top of your delicious bowl of Paella with our irresistible candied jalapeño chillies preserve.

The post Paella appeared first on MyKitchen.

Add some freshness and colour to your bunny chow bowls by topping them with ribboned carrots, fresh parsley and some cooling plain yoghurt.

MAKES 4 // COOING TIME 1 hour 50 min

INGREDIENTS
500 g stewing lamb cubes
1 sachet red curry paste
2 cups water
2 beef stock cubes
250 g store-bought bread dough

METHOD
1. Heat some oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the lamb cubes and fry until well browned.
2. Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the water and beef stock cubes, reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 1 hour, until reduced and the lamb is tender. Season.
3. Divide the dough into 8 balls and add them to the pot. Cover with the lid and let the dough steam in the pot for 15 minutes.
4. Dish the lamb up into bowls and serve with the dumplings.

Recipe & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Have some leftover dumplings? Enjoy them with our garden vegetable soup.

The post Deconstructed bunny chow bowls with dumplings appeared first on MyKitchen.

Planning a casual get-together? You don’t have to put together a massive spread or spend hours cooking. This fresh corn salad with honey and basil is a quick and delicious side you can serve to guests.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
5 mielies
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp honey
½ cup basil, torn

METHOD
1. Cook the mielies in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and place in a bowl of ice water to stop them cooking further. Allow to cool, then cut the kernels off the cobs.
2. Toss together the corn kernels, onion, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice and honey in a serving bowl. Top with the basil.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli

The post Fresh corn salad with honey and basil appeared first on MyKitchen.

This tasty side dish of green beans with crispy pancetta, roasted chickpeas and mint is perfect for bringing with to family lunches and get-togethers.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 20 min

INGREDIENTS
200 g chickpeas, soaked overnight
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp pepper
300 g green beans
100 g pancetta
10 g mint

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Place a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to the boil. Add the chickpeas and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and rinse the chickpeas in cold water.
4. Place the chickpeas in a roasting tray and drizzle with the oil and salt. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Remove and toss with the paprika, cumin, coriander and pepper, return to the oven and roast for another 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in salted, boiling water and refresh in ice water.
7. Fry the pancetta in a hot pan until crispy on both sides.
8. Remove the pancetta from the pan and add the green beans to the same pan so that they soak up all the flavour.
9. Assemble the salad by layering all the ingredients on a platter.
10. Tear the mint leaves and sprinkle on top. Serve with a dressing of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for extra taste.

The post Green beans with crispy pancetta, roasted chickpeas and mint appeared first on MyKitchen.

Need to whip up a quick feast? These roast chicken, beetroot, goat’s cheese and puff pastry rounds (deconstructed roast chicken pies, if you wanna get fancy) are great for last-minute dinner dashes! Plus, all the elements look amazing together on the plate.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 45 min

INGREDIENTS
400 g puff pastry
1 rotisserie chicken
125 g chicken liver pâté
450 g cooked or pickled beetroot
36 g beetroot crisps
100 g goat’s cheese with black pepper
½ cup Peppadew chutney
½ red onion, sliced into slivers
Microherbs, to garnish

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly floured surface and use a cookie cutter to cut out 3 cm rounds. Place the rounds on a lined baking tray and bake for 8–12 minutes, until puffed up and golden.
3. Wrap the chicken in foil and place in the oven for 10–15 minutes to warm up without drying out. Remove from the oven and carve it just before serving.
4. To plate, spread pâté in a circle on a plate using the back of a spoon. Place a piece of chicken off-centre on the pâté and arrange the puff pastry, cooked beetroot, beetroot crisps, goat’s cheese and dollops of chutney around it. Garnish with the red onion slivers and microherbs.

The post Plate up like a pro: Deconstructed roast chicken pies appeared first on MyKitchen.