A few things our editor is absolutely in love with this festive season.

Order a box of delectable goodies

Summertime… and the living should be easy! That’s why Just Graze Co. is our current obsession. The Opperman sisters curate delectable grazing boxes, which are the perfect no-fuss, zero-prep way for you to be able to enjoy impromptu summer gatherings and sunset picnics.

The Just Graze Co. Showstopper box is packed with charcuterie, cheese, crackers, and their signature preserve and pesto. If you’ve got a sweet tooth like me, add treats such as salted caramel profiteroles and red velvet cupcakes to round off the perfect picnic.

Leftover bubbly hack you’ll love

hat to do with flat, warm leftover bubbly at the end of the night? Reuse and reduce it! Pour it into an ice cube tray and pop it in the freezer. Use the cubes to deglaze your pan – the bubbles will help to lift the caramelised bits stuck on the bottom. These will bring more depth of flavour to your sauce, plus the warmth of wine.

Simply Seven Colours to celebrate

Celebrity chef, TV personality and award-winning cookbook author Zola Nene is back! Her third book, Simply Seven Colours celebrates the favourite flavours that made up a typical Sunday lunch with her family.

With each chapter dedicated to a specific colour, Zola invited you to choose your favourite dishes as you design your very own unique seven colours feasting menu.

Zola’s food journey celebrates the diverse cultural heritage of South Africa and is full of interesting flavours and delicious recipes (think spinach pap Isigwamba, steamed mielie bread Isinkwa Sommbila and curried bean stew Ubhontshisi) linked to heartfelt experiences.

 Simply Seven Colours by Zola Nene (R360), Penguin Random House South Africa.  

Invest in fabric food covers

Learn to love your leftovers by using these beautiful and practical fabric food covers from spaZa. Embellished with colourful African-inspired prints, these functional covers are made from 100% cotton on and are kind to the environment. The female-run business strives to make the world a better place by encouraging people to go plastic free.

It’s no secret what’s on our Ed’s wishlist for Christmas!

For more information or to shop spaZa products, visit their website www.spazastore.com or visit them in-store at their branch at the Watershed in the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.

Happy holidays everyone

Photography: Courtesy Images, Adobe Stock

The post Our Ed’s holiday wish list for foodies appeared first on MyKitchen.

Make sure your festive leftovers don’t go to waste! These chicken croquettes are the perfect way to get the most out of Christmas lunch leftovers.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
For the cranberry-bubbly sauce
2 cups MCC (or other good sparkling wine)
100 g dried cranberries
2 leeks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
For the chicken croquettes
2 cups leftover roast chicken, shredded
1 cup leftover potato bake, mashed
1 cup leftover stuffing
3 eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, to shallow-fry
To serve
1 cup leftover peas
1 cup leftover green beans, julienned
Dried cranberries
Microherbs

METHOD
For the cranberry-bubbly sauce
1. Place all ingredients in a pot and simmer for 20–30 minutes, until reduced by half.
2. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
For the chicken croquettes
1. Combine the chicken, potato bake, stuffing and 1 egg. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 150ºC.
3. Place 2 eggs, whisked, in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in another bowl.
4. Divide the chicken mixture into 4 balls. Dip each one in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs.
5. Heat oil and fry the croquettes for 10 minutes per side. Finish in the oven for 8 minutes, until golden and crispy.
To serve
1. Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl. Place a croquette on top.
2. Add peas and beans. Top with cranberries and microherbs.

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

Here at MK, we love a good wine infusion! Use up any leftover wine for these decadent mixed chocolate and wine truffles.

The post Chicken croquettes with cranberry-bubbly sauce appeared first on MyKitchen.

Raise a glass to festive cheer this Christmas with a locally-inspired rendition of one of the festive season’s best sippers: Amarula eggnog.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs, separated
½ cup sugar
2½ cups milk
½ cup double cream
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise pod
½ tsp mixed spice
⅓  cup Amarula Cream
3 tbsp brandy
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup whipped cream
2 tsp cinnamon
Festive sugar cookies, to serve

METHOD
1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and creamy.
2. Add the milk, double cream, cinnamon stick, star anise pod and mixed spice to a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the heat to cool slightly.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise pod, then slowly drizzle the milk into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.
4. Whisk in the Amarula, brandy and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until cold.
5. Just before serving, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them through the chilled eggnog.
6. Divide the Amarula eggnog into glasses and top with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Serve with sugar cookies on the side.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: K-Leigh Siebtritz // HMimages.co.za

And for the little ones? Whip up a child-friendly eggnog by heat some store-bought custard with the spices, allow to cool and whisk in whipped cream. Or you can try our gingerbread Horlicks topped with home-made meringue.

The post South African inspired Amarula eggnog appeared first on MyKitchen.

You can dig all you want this season with worrying about your waistline with these super delicious festive mince pie biscuits!

MAKES 9 biscuits // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the biscuits
1 cup nutty wheat flour
½ tsp salt
⅓  cup coconut oil, softened but not melted
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp cold water
For the mince pie filling
½ apple, peeled, cored and grated
¼ lemon, zested and juiced
¼ orange, zested and juiced
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 cup mixed dried fruit
¼ cup apricot juice
¼ tsp mixed spice
⅛  tsp ground cinnamon
⅛  tsp ground nutmeg
2 tsp cornflour

METHOD
For the biscuits
1. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add coconut oil and beat until combined. Add honey and beat again until it resembles sticky breadcrumbs.
2. Add the water and mix until a soft dough forms. Cover the pastry in cling film and set aside in the fridge.
For the mince pie filling
3. Place all ingredients, except corn flour, in a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 minutes.
4. Mix the cornflour with 2 tsp cold water to make a paste and stir it into the hot fruit. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
6. Roll the biscuit dough out and, using a 6 cm cookie cutter, cut circles out of the dough.
7. Divide the circles into two batches. Use a smaller decorative cutter to cut a shape out of the middle of one batch of circles, creating the ‘window’ biscuit.
8. Bake all the circles for 10–12 minutes until golden brown.
9. Spoon 1 tbsp of the filling on to each of the bottom biscuits and sandwich closed with the top decorative ‘window’ biscuit.

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

The little ones might not be as keen for these fruit mince treats, so why not spoil them with festive marshmallows?

The post Guilt-free mince pie biscuits for the festive season appeared first on MyKitchen.

Inject some fresh Mediterranean flair into your Christmas feast this year with our glazed gammon recipe. We do celebrate in summer, after all!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the gammon
2 kg boneless gammon
3 onions, halved
4 carrots, roughly chopped
3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 L apple juice
½ tbsp cloves
For the glaze
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup treacle sugar
3 tbsp English mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cinnamon
For the trimmings
6 apples
2 tbsp butter
175 g pomegranate seeds
Bay leaves, optional

METHOD
For the gammon
1. Add the gammon, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and peppercorns to a large pot.
2. Pour over the apple juice and top up with water until the gammon is covered.
3. Bring to the boil over high heat. Then, reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour 45 minutes.
4. Remove the gammon from the liquid. Cool slightly.
For the glaze
1. Whisk all the ingredients and season with salt.
2. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line the bottom and sides of a baking tray with foil.
3. Remove the netting from the gammon (if applicable) and cut away the skin, leaving as much fat as possible. Score a criss-cross pattern in the fat. Stick a clove in the middle of each diamond.
4. Brush half of the glaze all over the gammon and place on the prepared tray.
5. Roast for 10–15 minutes, until golden and crispy, basting with more glaze.
For the trimmings
1. Halve some of the apples and cut the others into wedges.
2. Melt the butter in a pan. Fry the apples, flesh-side down, for 2–3 minutes, until golden.
3. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush with the remaining glaze. Roast for 10–15 minutes.
4. Decorate your glazed gammon with roasted apples, pomegranate and bay leaves.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

This dish is an excellent option for Christmas lunch, but what about Christmas Eve? Our prime rib roast with mashed white beans is the perfect option!

The post COOK THE COVER: Glazed gammon with roasted apples appeared first on MyKitchen.

Can’t decide what to do for Christmas dessert? We’ve made it super easy with this decadent trifle cheesecake – a fun take on SA’s festive dessert.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 35 min

INGREDIENTS
For the crust
400 g ginger biscuits, crushed
⅓  cup melted butter, cooled
For the jelly
80 g sachet red jelly
For the filling
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
500 g cream cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp flour
To assemble
½ cup cream, whipped
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
⅓  cup raspberries
¼ cup cherries
Mini meringues, to decorate

METHOD
For the crust
1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Whizz the biscuits and butter together in a food processor. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a springform tin.
3. Blind bake for 10minutes, then set aside to cool.
For the jelly
1. Line a cake tin the same size as the one you used for your base.
2. Prepare the jelly according to the packet instructions. Pour into your prepared tin.
3. Refrigerate until set.
For the filling
1. Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cream, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla. Fold in the egg mixture.
3. Sift in the flour and fold in to combine.
4. Pour into the crust and wrap the outside edges of the tin in foil. Place in an oven dish filled with water to create a bain-marie.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour. Then remove it from the oven to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.
To assemble
1. Remove the jelly from the tin and place it on top of the cheesecake layer. Refrigerate it overnight.
2. Place the meringues under the grill, or blowtorch them until they are golden on the edges.
3. Decorate the top of the trifle cheesecake with the whipped cream, meringues, pomegranates, raspberries and cherries.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za

If you loved this mash-up of two treats, wait until you try our caramel chocolate Christmas cake!

The post Enjoy the best of both with our trifle cheesecake appeared first on MyKitchen.