These dinner heroes serve up hearty helpings using just one pan. The best part? You won’t have a sink full of dirty dishes!  

Fragrant one-pot coconut & tomato soup 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

2½ Tbsp coconut oil
1½ cups baby tomatoes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced 
3cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
3 lemongrass stalks, bruised 
4 Thai lime leaves
2 tsp chilli flakes
1 Tbsp sugar 
2 cups vegetable stock
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
5 basil leaves 
Juice of 1 lime 

Method 

1. Heat ½ Tbsp coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and fry until just soft and the skins start to burst. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining coconut oil in the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic and ginger, and fry for 3 minutes, until soft. 
3. Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, chilli flakes and sugar. Allow to cook for 1–2 minutes. 
4. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Mix in the coconut milk, basil and lime juice, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes. 
5. Ladle soup into bowls and discard the lemongrass and lime leaves. Top with the tomatoes and serve.

Cook’s note Once you’ve added the coconut milk, don’t bring the soup back up to the boil. Keep it at a very gentle simmer to prevent the soup from splitting.   

Recipes & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth Van Nelson/HMimages.co.za 

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 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.

Words by: Liezl Vermeulen 
Recipes and Photographs: Fresh Living magazine 

One-pot-wonder trinchado 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1kg rump or fillet
2 large onions, diced
2 red chillies
1 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup beef stock
1 cup red wine
1 bay leaf, plus extra for serving
½ cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 sprig fresh rosemary, to serve 

Method 

1. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan. Seal the steak on each side, depending on your preferred doneness, and set aside to rest.
2. Lower the heat and sauté the onions in the remaining steak residue in the pan. Add 2 Tbsp water for the onions to turn soft without burning. When the water has evaporated, add the chillies and garlic and cook for about a minute.
3. Add the stock and wine. Bring to a boil and stir continously.
4. Add the bay leaf and simmer on low heat for 3 minutes.
5. Add the cream and stir through. Cut the steak into strips and add to the sauce.
6. Season the trinchado to taste and serve with a sprig of rosemary.

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

No-bake stovetop beef lasagne   

Serves 4

Ingredients   

Glug of olive 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  
8-10 lasagne sheets, parcooked 
1 jar (400g) tomato passata or 1 can (400g) tomato purée  
1½ cups beef stock  
Juice and zest of 1 lemon  
½ cup each grated mozzarella and Cheddar  
Fresh basil, for serving   

Method   

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry onion for 5 minutes or until soft. 
2. Add mince, breaking up into small chunks. Allow mince to caramelise for 5-10 minutes (don’t stir), then season well. 
3. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, chilli flakes, paprika and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. 
4. Add parcooked lasagne sheets, tomato passata or purée, and stock. 
5. Press the pasta sheets into the liquid to submerge and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes. (Make sure the pasta is always covered in sauce and not sitting on top.) 
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest, top with cheese and season. 
8. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden. 
9. Serve straight from the pan, garnished with fresh basil.

The post 4 Hearty one-pan dishes perfect for weeknight dinners  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Wow the crowd at your next potluck party! These 4 crowd-pleasing and easy-to-share dishes are guaranteed to get everyone talking (and asking for the recipe) at your next festive gathering. 

Halloumi & melon summer salad  

Serves 6

Bulk up this meal by serving with couscous, bulgur wheat or brown rice.  

Ingredients  

For the balsamic vinaigrette  

¼ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 
2 tsp wholegrain mustard 
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 tsp honey    

For the salad 

Oil, for frying
1 block (300g) halloumi, thinly sliced
1 packet (40g) rocket
350g exotic mixed tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced 
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ribbons
2 blocks feta, crumbled
½ red onion, sliced into petals 
1 papaya, peeled and sliced into thin wedges 
5–8 radishes, thinly sliced   

Method 

1. Combine balsamic vinaigrette ingredients and set aside.
2. Add oil to a hot pan and fry halloumi until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper. 
3. Combine remaining ingredients on a serving platter and season. Top with crispy halloumi and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette just before serving.

Phyllo chicken pie 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 2 hours 10 minutes 

Ingredients 

Olive oil
750g chicken thighs
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock
¼ cup chopped golden raisins
2 Tbsp chopped coriander
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
½ cup almonds, toasted and chopped
400g phyllo pastry
½ cup melted butter 

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken thighs. Set aside.
2. In a separate pot, heat oil and fry the onion until soft. Add ginger, cinnamon and turmeric, and fry for 2 minutes. Add flour and fry for 1 minute.
3. Add stock, raisins, coriander, parsley and the chicken, along with any oil and pan juices. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, until the chicken falls off the bone and the liquid has reduced. Remove chicken skins and bones.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C.
5. Place the chicken mixture in a baking dish and scatter with the almonds. Layer 10 phyllo sheets over the top, spreading generous amounts of butter between each sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

No-bake stovetop beef lasagne 

Serves 4 // Total time 1 hour 

Ingredients

Glug of olive 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  
8–10 lasagne sheets, par-cooked 
1 jar (400g) tomato passata or 1 can (400g) tomato purée  
1 ½ cups beef stock  
Juice and zest of 1 lemon  
½ cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar  
Fresh basil leaves, for serving    

Method   

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry onion for 5 minutes or until soft.  
2. Add mince, breaking into small chunks. Allow mince to caramelise for 5–10 minutes (don’t stir), then season well.  
3. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, chilli flakes, paprika and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes.  
4. Add par-cooked lasagne sheets, tomato passata or purée and stock.  
5. Press the pasta sheets into the liquid to submerge, and bring to a boil.  
6. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes. (Make sure the pasta is always covered in sauce and not sitting on top.)  
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest, top with cheese and season.  
8. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.  
9. Serve straight from the pan, garnished with fresh basil. 

 Summer trifle with a twist  

Total time 30 minutes // Serves 10–12

Ingredients  

2 packets (80g each) peach jelly 
2 (350g each) madeira cake layers, cut into squares 
2 100g punnets raspberries + extra for serving
1L custard 
5 yellow-flesh nectarines, quartered + extra slices for serving 
375ml cream 
110g caster sugar 
3ml vanilla essence   

Method  

1. Prepare jelly according to packet instructions and set in a 3L trifle bowl. 
2. Top with half the madeira cake squares and half the raspberries. 
3. Pour custard over cake and layer with remaining cake and raspberries, then nectarines. 
4. Whisk together cream, caster sugar and vanilla to firm peaks and spoon onto fruit. 
5. Serve topped with extra raspberries and nectarines.

The post 4 dishes to bring to your next potluck party appeared first on MyKitchen.

Our editor Chad January shares his failproof Cheat’s lasagne to turn this meal into more in a matter of minutes.  

Cheat’s lasagne 

Serves 4 

To make this even richer, swap out milk for cream or stir through dollops of plain cream cheese or cultured cream. 

Ingredients 

3 Tbsp butter 
3 Tbsp flour 
2 ½  cups milk 
¼ cup grated Cheddar (optional)
Pinch of ground nutmeg 
Salt and milled pepper 
1 cup panko breadcrumbs 
½ tsp garlic powder 
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, + extra for serving 
500g lasagne sheets, cooked 
½ batch best-ever beef ragu
2 cups grated mozzarella 
Olive oil  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Grease a large deep baking dish or 4 individual ovenproof bowls. 
3. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and stir through the flour until mixture is smooth. 
4. Pour in milk, a little at a time, while whisking until all milk has been added and sauce has thickened, about 5-6 minutes. 
5. Stir through Cheddar (if using) and nutmeg. Season. 
6. Toast breadcrumbs in a dry hot pan until lightly golden. Stir through garlic powder, basil and season. Set aside. 
7. Arrange half the pasta into prepared baking dish, almost pappardelle style. 
8. Add generous helpings of beef ragu, white sauce and half the mozzarella. 
9. Repeat process with remaining ingredients. 
10. Drizzle with oil and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted. 
11. Serve while hot, scattered with toasted breadcrumbs and fresh basil.

Recipes & Styling: Chad January
Photos: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Meat-free baby marrow and spinach lasagne

The post Try this failproof cheat’s lasagne recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

All you need is a stove, a large pan and these lasagne ingredients to brink Italy into your kitchen.

No-bake stovetop beef lasagne  

Serves: 4  //Total time: 1 hour 

Ingredients  

Glug of olive 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  
8-10 lasagne sheets, par-cooked 
1 jar (400g) tomato passata or 1 can (400g) tomato purée  
1 ½  cups beef stock  
Juice and zest of 1 lemon  
½ cup each grated mozzarella and cheddar  
Fresh basil leaves, for serving  

Method  

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat and fry onion for 5 minutes or until soft. 
2. Add mince, breaking into small chunks. Allow mince to caramelise for 5–10 minutes (don’t stir), then season well. 
3. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, chilli flakes, paprika and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. 
4. Add par-cooked lasagne sheets, tomato passata or purée and stock. 
5. Press the pasta sheets into the liquid to submerge, and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring gently every 5 minutes. (Make sure the pasta is always covered in sauce and not sitting on top.) 
7. Stir in lemon juice and zest, top with cheese and season. 
8. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden. 
9. Serve straight from the pan, garnished with fresh basil. 

The post No-bake stovetop beef lasagne appeared first on MyKitchen.

This deconstructed vegetarian summer lasagne, stuffed with all our favourite summer produce, can be layered and baked like the traditional version too!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME ± 30 mins

INGREDIENTS
50g butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp paprika
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
5 medium baby marrows, sliced diagonally
3 large leeks, sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped
180g ricotta
330g lasagne sheets, cooked in salted, boiling water for 5–7 minutes

METHOD
1. In a pot over medium heat, melt 40g of butter. Add the flour and cook for about a minute. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
2. Add the lemon juice, cayenne pepper and paprika, and then season. Stirring constantly, cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the taste of flour has cooked away.
3. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and remaining butter and fry the baby marrows, leeks and onion until soft and lightly browned. Add the rosemary and season. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the ricotta.
4. Assemble each serving individually: stack white sauce, the filling and a lasagne sheet. Repeat.

This potato crust pizza is an easy vegetarian meal that you can customise as you please to suit everyone’s taste buds.

The post Summer lasagne appeared first on MyKitchen.

Try this mouth-watering beef lasagne, consisting of a tomatoey mince mixture, a creamy béchamel sauce and layers of pasta…

INGRIDIENTS
12–16 lasagne sheets
2 cups grated cheddar
For the mince
250g bacon, chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg mince (½ lamb, ½ beef is ideal)
2 carrots, grated
2 × 410g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 sprig rosemary
2 tbsp chopped origanum
Salt and pepper
For the béchamel
1 onion
4 cloves
1L milk
2 bay leaves
80g butter
⅓ cup flour
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

METHOD
For the mince
1. In a large pot, dry-fry the bacon until golden. Remove and set it aside
2. In the bacon fat, fry the onion until golden and soft, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers, and fry for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and brown the mince, stirring every now and again.
4. When all the extra liquid has cooked out of the mince and it has some colour, add back the bacon, onion and peppers. Add the remaining ingredients.
5. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
For the béchamel 
1. Stud the onion with the cloves.
2. Place the milk, onion and bay leaves in a pot and bring to the boil. Switch off the heat and let the milk sit for 15 minutes. Strain.
3. In another pot, cook the butter and flour for 3–5 minutes. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes, still whisking.
4. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
The assembly
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2.  Soak the lasagne in boiling water for 10 minutes.
3. Layer the ingredients in a 20 × 20 cm ovenproof dish: one fifth of the béchamel, 3–4 lasagne sheets, a quarter of the mince.
4. Repeat 3 times, ensuring you end on a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle with the cheese.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling.

Want something with more vegetables? Try this delicious Ratatouille bake.

The post Classic Beef Lasagne appeared first on MyKitchen.