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.

 One pan, endless flavour. From gooey lasagna to a pizza that’s pure joy, these recipes are downright delicious… all with minimal mess! 

Italian chicken and bean traybake  

Serves 4 

Ingredients  

Salt and milled pepper 
3-4 frozen chicken leg quarters, defrosted 
Glug olive oil 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
½ cup red wine (optional) 
1 can (400g) tomato purée 
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock 
2 Tbsp sugar 
1 tsp dried herbs (like basil, rosemary or Italian herbs) 
2 cans (400g each) kidney beans, drained 
3 salad tomatoes, quartered 
Fresh basil, for serving  

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 190°C.  
2. Season chicken and place in an ovenproof dish.  
3. Bake for 25–30 minutes until it starts to brown.  
4. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté onion for 5 minutes or until golden.  
5. Add garlic and fry for another minute.  
6. Add wine, if using, and cook until reduced.  
7. Add tomato purée, stock, sugar and herbs, then cook for about 3 minutes.  
8. Remove chicken and pour sauce around it.  
9. Add beans and tomatoes and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. Garnish with basil just before serving.  

Recipe & photograph courtesy of Fresh Living Magazine

Stovetop beef lasagna 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
500g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs (or parsley, added at the end)
8-10 lasagne sheets
1 jar (400g) tomato passata
1½ cups beef stock
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup mozzarella, grated
½ cup Cheddar, grated
Basil leaves, for serving
Side salad or crusty bread, for serving  

Method 

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add oil. 
2. Sauté onion until soft and fragrant. Add mince and cook to brown. Season.  
3. Add garlic, tomato paste, chilli, paprika and herbs, allowing to cook for 5 minutes.  
4. Add lasagne sheets, passata and stock, then bring to a boil.  
5. Reduce to a simmer, gently pressing pasta into sauce.  
6. Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, gently stirring every 5 minutes for even cooking. (Make sure pasta is covered in sauce.)  
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest. 
8. Top with cheese and cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on, steaming until melted.  
9. Serve with basil, a side salad or crusty bread, if you like.

Recipe & photograph courtesy of Fresh Living Magazine

Salami & olive pan pizza 

Makes 1 (35cm) pizza  

Ingredients 

Bread flour, for dusting
600g store-bought bread dough
Olive oil, to grease the pan
⅔ cup pizza sauce 
1½ cups (225g) grated mozzarella
20g sliced salami
¼ cup whole black pitted olives
½ tsp dried origanum
Salt and milled pepper  

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 
2. Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll dough into a 32cm circle of about 2-3cm thick.
3. Generously grease a 35cm round, deep pan with olive oil. Place dough into the pan, pressing up to the sides.  
4. Flatten the dough in the middle slightly to create a thick border and use a fork to indent the pizza base. Bake for 5 minutes.  
5. Spread pizza sauce over the base and sprinkle with grated mozzarella.  
6. Top with salami, olives and sprinkle with origanum. Season.  
7. Bake the pizza for about 12-15 minutes or until cooked and golden. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

The post One-pan dinners that practically make themselves appeared first on MyKitchen.

Celebrate the month of love with recipes that blush in romantic reds – designed to make every bite feel like a delicious love letter. 

1. French toast with yoghurt & balsamic strawberries 

Serves 4-5 

Ingredients 

For the balsamic roasted strawberries:  

¼ cup honey (or castor sugar) 
¼ cup balsamic vinegar 
2 tsp vanilla essence or seeds of 1 vanilla pod 
650g strawberries, halved  

1 Ouma bread loaf, cut into 8-10 slices 
3 eggs 
2 shakes ground cinnamon 
¼ cup milk 
Butter and oil for frying 
2 cups plain double-cream yoghurt 
Sugar or honey, to sweeten 
Lemon zest  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Combine honey (or caster sugar) and balsamic vinegar with vanilla essence (or seeds). Toss balsamic mixture through the strawberries.  
3. Transfer mixture to a baking dish and roast for 25-30 minutes, shaking the tray or dish (not stirring) every 10-15 minutes. Set aside.  
4. For the toast, mix together the eggs, milk and cinnamon.  
5. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil and a knob of butter. (Combining the two will ensure the butter doesn’t burn, but browns.)  
6. Dip bread in the egg mixture, ensuring bread is covered with egg all over but not drenched. Fry 1-2 slices at a time in the butter until golden brown on both sides. Remove and repeat with the remaining bread.  
7. Sweeten your yoghurt with honey or caster sugar, if you like.  
8. Serve toast topped with yoghurt and warm berries on the side.

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomon 

2. Tomato, mozzarella & pomegranate salad

Serves 6  

Ingredients 

160g rocket and watercress salad mix
400g tomato medley, sliced
1-2 fresh mozzarella balls
100g pomegranate rubies
Handful of dill, leaves torn
1 packet (60g) store-bought croutons 

For the salad dressing: 

⅓ cup avocado oil
3 Tbsp red wine or pomegranate vinegar
1 finely grated garlic clove
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and milled pepper

Method 

1. Place the salad leaves in a serving bowl or platter.
2. Arrange tomato and mozzarella on the salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate, dill and croutons. 
3. Whisk together dressing.Toss dressing through the salad just before serving.  

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons 

3. Frikkadels on unbeatable beetroot raita 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients  

For the frikkadels  

1 packet (500g) lamb or beef mince 
1 onion, finely chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
¼ cup breadcrumbs 
1 egg, whisked 
2 lemons, zested and juiced 
1 tsp each ground cumin and cardamom 
½ tsp cinnamon 
Handful chopped fresh mint, parsley and coriander 
Salt and milled pepper 
Oil, for frying  

For the raita  

3-4 cooked beetroots, grated 
1 cup plain double-cream yoghurt 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
Squeeze lemon juice 
½ tsp ground cumin 
1-2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped (optional) 
Chopped salad, rocket or micro herbs, for serving 

Method 

1. Combine the frikkadel ingredients and season. 
2. Roll into golf ball-sized balls (about 5cm) and chill in the fridge for 15-30 minutes.  
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. 
4. Fry frikkadels for 10-12 minutes, until they are golden-brown all over and cooked through. 
5. Combine raita ingredients and season. 
6. Spread raita on a platter, top with frikkadels and salad, and serve.

Recipe & photographs courtesy of Fresh Living magazine

4. Ruby stone fruit fridge cheesecake

Serves 8 

Ingredients  

For the base   

1 packet (200g) ginger biscuits 
1/3 cup (80g) butter, softened   

For the filling   

2 tubs (175g each) medium-fat cream cheese 
1 cup (200g) castor sugar 
1 punnet (100g) raspberries 
½ cup (125ml) cream 
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence  

For the topping  

3 plums, thinly sliced 
3 nectarines, thinly sliced 
1 punnet (100g) fresh raspberries 
Handful pomegranate rubies  

Method  

1. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb. Add the butter and mix to combine. 
2. Press the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Chill until set.  
3. Blitz together the cream cheese, half the sugar and raspberries. Add a splash of milk if needed.  
4. Whisk together the cream, remaining sugar and vanilla to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. 
5. Whisk a third of the cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Then gently fold in remaining cream.  
6. Spoon the mixture over the biscuit base and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
7. Before serving, decorate tart with sliced fruit (shaped into spirals or roses), berries and pomegranate rubies. Serve cold.

Recipes & photos courtesy of Fresh Living magazine

Also read: 3 Mexican dishes to turn mealtime into a fiesta

The post 4 Romantically red recipes for the month of love appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sun’s out, forks up! These simple summer pastas are light, bright and ready to rescue dinner with minimum fuss and maximum flavour. 

Chicken, basil & pasta rice 

Serves 4 

A comforting and easy meal, with a touch of pesto for freshness. 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
550g skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 3 pieces each
Salt and milled pepper
1 punnet (500g) cherry tomatoes
½ cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup pasta rice (also called risoni pasta)
Basil pesto, for serving
Basil leaves, for serving 

Method

1. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat.
2. Season chicken and brown all over. Remove and set aside.
3. Add tomatoes, wine, stock, garlic, pasta rice and seasoning and bring to the boil. 
4. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes.
5. Return chicken to pan and cook for another 5-8 minutes or until pasta and chicken is cooked. 
6. Serve straight from the pan with dollops of basil pesto and basil leaves. 

Stovetop beef lasagne

Serves 4-6 

This Italian classic is made in half the time by cooking the pasta in the sauce. 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
500g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried Italian mixed herbs (or parsley, added at the end)
8-10 lasagne sheets
1 jar (400g) tomato passata
1½ cups beef stock
1 lemon, zested and juiced
½ cup mozzarella, grated
½ cup Cheddar, grated
Basil leaves, for serving
Side salad or crusty bread, for serving 

Method

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add oil.
2. Sauté onion until soft and fragrant. Add mince and cook to brown. Season. 
3. Add garlic, tomato paste, chilli, paprika and herbs, allowing to cook for 5 minutes. 
4. Add lasagne sheets, passata and stock, then bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce to a simmer, gently pressing pasta into sauce. 
6. Cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes, gently stirring every 5 minutes for even cooking. (Make sure pasta is covered in sauce.) 
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest.
8. Top with cheese and cook for another 10 minutes with the lid on, steaming until melted. 
9. Serve with basil, a side salad or crusty bread, if you like.

Garlicky basil & mussel pasta 

Serves 4 

This pasta is a quick, mid-week summer meal that’s filled with flavour. 

Ingredients

1 box (500g) crumbed garlic half shell West Coast mussels
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 packet (400g) red lentil pasta, linguine or spaghetti
1 tub (120g) basil pesto
1 Tbsp butter
1 packet (125g) mangetout
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4-5 radishes, sliced
Salt and milled pepper
Lemon or lime juice, to finish
Basil leaves, to garnish 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200˚C.
2. Place mussels on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and roast for 15-20 minutes. 
3. Cook pasta according to packet instructions.
4. Drain, rinse and toss pasta with pesto.
5. Heat a pan with butter on a medium-high heat, fry garlic and manget out for about 3-4 minutes. 
6. Divide pasta, mussels and radishes between 4 plates. 
7. Season and drizzle with lemon or lime juice and garnish with fresh basil. 

Also read: Green goddess chicken salad

One-pan tomato sauce & pasta 

Serves 4 

The oven turns tomatoes even sweeter to create a punchy pasta sauce. 

Ingredients

2.5kg ripe salad tomatoes, quartered
Salt and milled pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp brown or white sugar
5 cloves garlic, sliced
½ punnet (10g) thyme or origanum, leaves picked
1 packet (500g) tagliatelle nests
Parmesan shavings
Handful basil leaves 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on two baking trays (take care not to overcrowd the trays). 
3. Season, drizzle with oil and balsamic vinegar.
4. Sprinkle with sugar, add garlic and herbs. 
5. Roast for 40-45 minutes or until tomatoes have gone soft and slightly caramelised. 
6. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to packet instructions.
7. Toss tomatoes and pan juices with pasta.
8. Garnish with Parmesan shavings and basil leaves just before serving. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Workday wins: Inspiration for 4 quick pasta lunches

The post 4 Light & bright pastas for summer appeared first on MyKitchen.

Who says saving money means skimping on taste? Beat Janu-worry with clever, budget‑friendly recipes that are easy to cook, delicious to eat and kind to your pocket. 

Pork sausages with spiced chickpeas  

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

2 cans chickpeas, drained 
1 Tbsp cumin 
1 tsp each allspice and smoked paprika (cayenne pepper works, too)
Salt and milled pepper 
Glug olive oil 
500g pork sausages 
¾ cup double cream yoghurt 
3-4 Tbsp harissa paste (or use 2 Tbsp chilli paste) 
1 cucumber, finely chopped 
Juice of ½ lemon 
Parsley and toasted pita, for serving   

Method  

1. Preheat the oven grill on high, or the air fryer at 180°C. 
2. Toss chickpeas, spices, seasoning and oil together and place in a roasting pan.  
3. Arrange sausages on top and grill for 20-25 minutes, tossing occasionally, until cooked through.  
4. Divide yoghurt between serving bowls and swirl through harissa paste.  
5. Scatter over crispy chickpeas and place sausages on top.  
6. Spoon over the cucumber and drizzle with lemon juice.  
7. Garnish with parsley and serve with pita on the side. 

Recipes & photos courtesy of Fresh Living magazine  

Sweet potato rösti with yoghurt and creamy tuna 

Serves 6  

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp oil
4 spring onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
600g sweet potato, grated
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup flour
½ tsp cumin
½ cup plain yoghurt
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 cans tuna, drained
¼ cup micro herbs 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Fry spring onion in oil until soft, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and fry for 1 minute.
3. Place the grated sweet potato in the middle of a clean dish cloth and squeeze out some of the moisture.
4. Combine potato, eggs, flour, cumin, onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Dollop spoonfuls of the sweet potato mixture onto the baking tray and shape into circles.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until crispy, flipping halfway through.
7. Combine yoghurt, mayo, lemon juice, dill and cayenne pepper. 
8. Spread some of the yoghurt topping over each rösti and top with creamy tuna and micro herbs. 

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za 

Also read: Budget battles: Pasta dinners for under R200 each

The post Budget-friendly meals appeared first on MyKitchen.

Beat the heat with the crisp crunch of cucumbers! These cool recipes are the ultimate summer sidekick – light, tasty and guaranteed to keep things fresh when the days get hot. 

Refreshing cucumber and rosemary spritzers 

Makes 4  

Ingredients 

5cm piece cucumber, chopped
1 tsp rosemary
600ml dry white wine
200ml soda water 

To serve 

4 cucumber ribbons
1 cup ice
4 sprigs rosemary
4 slices radish (optional) 

Method 

1. Place the cucumber and rosemary in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding the pulp.
2. Divide the cucumber liquid between four glasses. Pour in the wine and soda water and gently stir to combine.
3. To serve, arrange a cucumber ribbon on the inside of each glass and add a few blocks of ice. Top with a sprig of rosemary and a slice of radish.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Cucumber granita  

Makes 6 cups   

Ingredients 

¼ cup castor sugar 
1 cup boiling water 
1½ large cucumbers, chopped + extra slices for serving 
2 limes or 1 lemon, zested and juiced 
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger 
1 green apple, sliced 
1 punnet (20g) fresh mint, leaves picked  

Method 

1. Add sugar to boiling water and stir to dissolve. 
2. Place remaining ingredients into a food processor, then add the sugar solution. 
3. Blend for 20-30 seconds until combined and smooth. 
4. Pour mixture into a shallow tray or container. Use a few if necessary – the liquid should be in a thin layer.  
5. Freeze mixture for 2-3 hours. Use a fork to scrape every 20 minutes to create the fine ice crystals. Serve in glasses with slices of cucumber.

Words: Sjaan van der Ploeg 
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

Rice and red kidney bean burgers with cucumber-garlic yoghurt 

Serves 6 

Ingredients 

For the rice and red kidney bean burgers 

1 can red kidney beans, drained
¾ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
Salt and milled pepper 

For the cucumber-garlic yoghurt 

1 cup yoghurt
½ cucumber, grated and drained
1 clove garlic, crushed
 

To serve 

6 seeded brown rolls, halved 
Handful baby spinach
2 carrots, ribboned
½ red cabbage, thinly sliced 

Method 

1. For the rice and red kidney bean burgers, pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor until well combined.
2. Shape the mixture into 2cm thick patties. Rest on a baking tray. 
3. For the cucumber-garlic yoghurt, combine all the ingredients and set aside. 
4. Preheat a pan with olive or coconut oil. Once hot, add your patties and gently fry for 10–12 minutes until heated through.
5. To serve, toast your bread rolls. Spread the yoghurt over the rolls, then top with a burger patty, baby spinach, carrot ribbons and red cabbage. 

Recipe & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Cucumber goddess sandwich  

Serves 2  

Ingredients 

For the mayonnaise pesto  

¼ cup mayonnaise 
2 Tbsp basil pesto  

To serve  

4 slices seeded brown bread, toasted 
½ large cucumber, thickly sliced 
1 avocado, sliced 
Handful lettuce, washed 
Small handful micro herbs 
1 lemon, juiced 
Salt and milled pepper  

Method 

1. Combine mayonnaise and pesto. 
2. Spread two slices of bread with pesto mayo and top each with a layer of cucumber, avocado,lettuce and herbs.  
3. Finish each sandwich with a drizzle of lemon juice and seasoning. Close with remaining toast to create a sandwich. 

Chef’s tip: Bulk up this sandwich with shredded rotisserie chicken, ham or roast beef for a more substantial lunch.   

Words: Chad January
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

Also read: 4 Summer sorbet recipes you’ll crave all season

The post 4 Cool cucumber recipes perfect for summer days appeared first on MyKitchen.