Few dishes are as tasty and comforting than a homemade pie. From a spectacular spinach and feta hand pie to a tasty, tart berry pie, make one of these yummy pastry dishes today!  

Spinach & feta hand pies

Serves 8 // Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients 

1 cup butter
½ cup water
2 cups cake flour
400g spinach, steamed
4 wheels feta, crumbled  

Method  

1. Bring the butter and water to a boil over high heat. Remove from the stove and add the flour. Whisk until fully combined and a dough forms. Allow to cool.
2. Roll the dough out on a floured surface and cut out eight 10 cm rounds.
3. Mix the spinach with the feta and divide it between the pastry cases. Place the filling on one side and fold over to create a half-moon, pressing the edges down to seal. Freeze.
4. When ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight. Arrange on a lined baking tray and bake at 200°C for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

Quick tips: For an extra-rich pastry, replace the water with full-cream milk, making sure not to burn it. When you cook with feta, taste before adding salt, as the cheese will add saltiness to the dish. 

Recipes & styling: Leila-Ann Mokotedi
Photography: Jotham van Tonder 

Meat-free mushroom pie with sesame pastry 

Serves 8 // Cooking time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients 

For the sesame pastry 

¼ cup black sesame seeds
1 tsp cracked black pepper
400g cake flour
220g butter
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold water
1 egg, beaten 

For the mushroom filling 

110g butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
¼ cup flour
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 cups milk
½ cup grated mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp olive oil
10g thyme
450g mixed mushrooms, chopped  

Method  

For the sesame pastry 

1. In a food processor, pulse the sesame seeds and pepper until ground. Add the flour, butter and salt. Pulse until combined.
2. Add the water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture comes together into a dough.
3. Turn out the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to rest for 1 hour.

For the mushroom pie filling 

1. Heat 1 tsp butter and fry the garlic until golden.
2. Melt ¼ cup butter in a pot over low heat. Remove from the heat and mix in flour, mustard, fried garlic, and salt and pepper.
3. Return the pot to the heat. Gradually add the milk, stirring, until the sauce is smooth.
4. Remove from the heat again and add the cheeses. Mix until melted.
5. Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil, another 3 Tbsp butter and thyme in a pan. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden. Mix half the mushrooms into the cheese mixture.

 To assemble  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 23cm baking tin.
2. Cut the ball of pastry in half. On a floured surface, roll out half to fit the tin. Press it into the tin and blind bake it for 10 minutes.
3. Pour the cheese filling into the pastry case. Top with the remaining mushrooms.
4. Roll out the rest of the pastry and cut into 1cm strips. Lay out all the horizontal strips on top of the pie first. Fold half of them back on themselves. Working from the middle of the pie out, lay down a vertical strip, then weave it in.
5. Brush the pastry lattice with egg and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Chicken enchilada pie 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

For the filling 

1 Tbsp veg oil
1 onion, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 chicken breasts
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp chilli flakes
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp origanum
1 Tbsp flour
2 eggs
½ cup sour cream  

For the shell 

4 large flour tortillas
Vegetable oil, to brush
1 cup grated Cheddar 

Method

For the filling 

1. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry onion and garlic until golden. Add chicken, stock and spices. Boil for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and the stock has reduced.
2. Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the flour and cook until the sauce is thickened.
3. Remove from the heat and cool, then add eggs and sour cream. Mix well.
4. Shred the chicken into small pieces. Add the pulled chicken to the reduced sauce

For the shell 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a large pie tin.
2. Arrange 3 tortillas in the tin, overlapping slightly to cover the base and the sides. Spoon in filling and sprinkle with cheese.
3. Place 1 tortilla on top to cover and press down gently. Cut a cross in it to let the steam out. Brush with oil. Bake for 20 minutes.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za 

Beef and leek pie with a black pepper shortcrust pastry crust 

Serves 6–8 // Cooking time 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients 

For the black pepper shortcrust pastry 

290g butter, cubed
4 cups flour
2 tsp cracked black pepper
¾ cup cold water
1 egg, whisked  

For the beef and leek pie filling  

2 Tbsp butter, for frying
1 clove garlic, crushed
5 leeks, finely chopped
1 Tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
500g beef chuck, cubed
400g chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock
2 tsp flour 

Method 

For the black pepper shortcrust pastry 

1. Use your fingers to rub the butter, flour and black pepper together until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water and bring together until a dough forms.
3. Lightly knead into a ball. (Do not overwork, or it will lose its ‘shortness’ or texture.) Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a square pie tin or casserole dish.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 5mm thick.
6. Cut the dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of the pie tin. Roll the leftover dough into a ball and refrigerate. Blind bake the shell for 15 minutes.

For the beef and leek pie filling 

1. Fry garlic and leeks for 5 minutes. Add the spices, then the beef, tomatoes and stock.
2. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, until beef is tender. Pull beef apart and mix with 2 tsp flour.
3. Roll out the remaining dough. Spoon the filling into the pastry shell and top with the dough. Crimp the edges with a fork.
4. Brush with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za
 

Mixed berry pie 

Cooking time 50–60 minutes

Ingredients 

For the pastry 

2 cups flour
2 Tbsp icing sugar
145g butter, cubed
6 Tbsp cold water
1 egg, whisked  

For the filling 

1 cup each blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries
½ cup brown sugar + extra to top
Zest and juice of 1 lemon  

Method  

1. Mix flour and icing sugar. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
2. Add water and mix until a dough forms. Knead lightly to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C and set out a pie tin.
4. Roll out the dough to 5 mm thick. Cut out a circle a little bigger than the pie tin. Drape it over the tin and press into the sides and base. Crimp the edges.
5. Roll the remaining dough into a ball and return it to the fridge.
6. Mix all the filling ingredients and spoon into the pie shell.
7. Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into 5 strips.
8. Lay 3 strips across the pie and weave the other 2 strips through them. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges.
9. Brush the top of the pie with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the pastry is golden.

Recipe & Styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen

The post 5 yummy homemade pie recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.

Lock in moisture and taste by wrapping, coating and folding extra flavour around chicken and fish – with something sweet at the end to tie it all up. 

Baked coconut fish tacos 

Serves 4 

Ground oats make for a healthier crumbed coating, and adding extra coconut boosts flavour and fibre. 

Ingredients 

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1kg fresh hake fillets
Salt and milled black pepper
2 eggs, whisked
4 multi-seed or white flour tortillas
1 avocado, mashed
1 lemon, juiced
1 jalapeño, sliced
1/4 red cabbage, shredded 
Fresh coriander, for serving  

Method 

1. Blitz oats in a blender to create a coarse flour. 
2. Combine oat flour and coconut in a large bowl.
3. Pat dry hake with kitchen towel, slice into 5cm strips and season well. 
4. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
5. Add egg to a bowl and dip fish strips into egg, then coat in oat flour mixture and set aside. (Repeat process for a thicker crumb). 
6. Place fish strips onto a lined baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. 
7. To make the taco shells, switch off oven and hang the tortillas over wire racks in the oven for 2-3 minutes.
8. Combine avocado and lemon and season well.
9. Fill tacos with avo mixture, jalapeño, red cabbage and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.

Salt-crusted baked whole fish 

Serves 4 

The salt crust locks in moisture and helps to cook the fish slowly and evenly for a fall-apart, flaky fish.  

Ingredients 

1 whole white fish, scaled and guts removed (we used locally caught jacopever, but any sustainable fish works well) 
2 limes or lemons, sliced 
1 lemon, sliced 
3 cloves garlic, sliced 
Handful fresh dill  

For the salt crust  

1 cup cake flour, plus extra for dusting 
1/4 cup coarse salt 
1 lemon, zested 
1 egg white 
Handful fresh thyme 
Handful fresh coriander  

To serve  

Fresh rocket 
Lime or lemon wedges 
Crispy baby potatoes   

Method 

1. Stuff the cavity of the fish with lime, lemon, garlic and dill.
2. For the crust, blitz together flour, salt, zest, egg white and herbs to make a stiff dough. Add more flour if the mixture is too wet and sticky.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick.
5. Brush fish lightly with oil and cover fish with dough, making sure to tightly seal edges.
6. Place fish onto a greased baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Allow fish to cool slightly before transferring to a serving platter.
8. Take care to break open crust to reveal fish – remind guests not to eat the salt crust. Scatter with fresh rocket and serve with lime or lemon wedges and crispy baby potatoes.

Air fryer chicken lettuce cups 

Serves 4-6 

No air fryer? No problem! Oven bake at 200°C for 18-20 minutes or until golden. 

Ingredients 

For the pickled onions 

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar
2 red onions, sliced  

1 packet (about 500g) chicken breast fillets
Salt and milled black pepper
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup sesame seeds
2 eggs, whisked
1 lemon
1 cup yoghurt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 cucumber, grated
2 butter lettuce heads, leaves separated
Fresh coriander, for serving  

Method 

1. Place vinegar, water and sugar into a pot and bring to the boil.
2. Place onions in a bowl and cover with hot pickling liquid. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
3. Cut chicken into 5cm strips and season well.
4. Combine breadcrumbs and sesame seeds in one bowl and eggs in another.
5. Dip chicken strips into egg and then into breadcrumbs to coat evenly. (Repeat process for a thicker crumb).
6. Place batches of strips into an air fryer basket and cook for 7-10 minutes at 200°C on the baking setting. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.
7. Remove, drizzle with lemon juice and set aside to cool.
8. Combine yoghurt, garlic, cucumber and season well.
9. Fill lettuce leaves with chicken strips, top with yoghurt mixture and pickled onions and garnish with fresh coriander.

Bacon-wrapped beer can chicken 

Serves 4 

Wrapping chicken in bacon prevents it from drying out as it roasts 

Ingredients 

1 whole chicken, giblets removed 
Glug canola oil 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 packet (200g) streaky bacon 
1 can (500ml) milk stout beer 
1/4 cup melted butter 
1 lime or lemon, zested and juiced 
3 Tbsp maple or golden syrup 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme, plus extra for serving  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Rub chicken with oil and season generously.
3. Lie chicken breast-side up and wrap with bacon in a lattice pattern, taking care to cover completely. Secure bacon using toothpicks.
4. Remove 1/4 of beer from can and insert can into cavity of chicken, standing it upright.
5. Combine butter, lime or lemon zest and juice, maple syrup and thyme to create a glaze.
6. Brush chicken with 1/4 of mixture, taking care to coat it evenly.
7. Roast for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes or until cooked through, basting with butter mixture every 15 minutes. (No power? No problem! Cook the chicken over medium coals in a closed weber braai.)
8. Remove toothpicks, scatter with extra thyme and serve while hot. 

Asian fish cabbage parcels 

SERVES 4 

No bamboo steamer? Simply place parcels in a colander over a tight-fitting pot of simmering water. Cover with a lid and steam it up! 

Ingredients 

1 whole cabbage, leaves separated 
500g hake fillets, cut into thick chunks 
1 Tbsp sesame oil 
2 cloves garlic, grated 
1 tsp grated fresh ginger 
2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander 
Salt and milled black pepper 
2 carrots, peeled and julienned 
1 red onion, julienned 
Sesame seeds, for serving 
Sweet chilli sauce, for serving  

Method 

1. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. 
2. Blanch cabbage leaves in water for about 15-20 seconds, until soft and pliable. Set aside to cool completely. 
3. Combine hake, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and coriander and toss. Season well. 
4. Spread one cabbage leaf onto a clean work surface. 
5. Fill with hake mixture, carrot and onion then roll up cabbage leaf to enclose filling completely. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients. 
6. Fill a bamboo steamer with cabbage parcels and place over a pot of simmering water. 
7. Cover and steam for about 7-10 minutes. 
8. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot with sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Leek, potato and Cheddar pastry ring 

SERVES 4 

No bamboo steamer? Simply place parcels in a colander over a tight-fitting pot of simmering water. Cover with a lid and steam it up! 

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp butter 
Glug oil 
2 cloves garlic, sliced 
1 tsp mustard seeds 
1 bay leaf 
1 packet (300g) leeks, thinly sliced 
6 potatoes, peeled and diced 
Salt and milled black pepper 
1 roll puff pastry, defrosted 
1 egg yolk, whisked 
1 1/2 cups grated mature Cheddar 
Fresh herbs of your choice, for serving   

Method 

1. Melt butter in a pan, add oil and fry garlic for 30 seconds. 
2. Add mustard seeds and bay leaf then cook for another minute. 
3. Stir through leeks and potatoes, season, cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until tender. Stir occasionally to prevent mixture from sticking.
4. Tip mixture onto a plate and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes. 
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
6. Roll pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to make a rectangle of about 50cm in length. Brush edges with egg yolk. 
7. Mix cheese through cooled vegetables and spoon along the length of one half of the pastry. 
8. Fold over pastry to cover filling and crimp edges to seal. 
9. Shape log into a ring and seal two ends together. Place onto a greased and lined baking tray. 
10. Brush pastry ring with remaining egg yolk and score the top. (This allows steam to escape while cooking). 
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through. 
12. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.

3-ingredient chocolate covered strawberry yoghurt popsicles 

SERVES 6-8 

Feel free to swap out the white chocolate for dark or milk chocolate. We know everyone has their favourite! 

Ingredients 

4 tubs (175g each) double cream strawberries and cream yoghurt 
1 packet (200g) frozen mixed berries 
4 slabs (80g each) white chocolate 

Method 

1. Blitz together yoghurt and raspberries until smooth.  
2. Divide mixture between 6-8 lolly moulds and freeze for 2-4 hours until half frozen.  
3. Pop in lolly sticks and freeze for a further 6 hours or until solid.  
4. Melt chocolate over a double boiler, cool slightly and pour into a tall glass or jug. 
5. Dip each popsicle into chocolate until it is submerged and then carefully remove. 
6. Allow excess chocolate to drip off. Turn popsicle upright and hold for 30-60 seconds to allow chocolate to set.  
7. Return to freezer and repeat process with remaining popsicles.

Words: Chad January

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

Also read: Pastry-wrapped camembert with grilled plums

The post Wrap ideas the whole family will enjoy appeared first on MyKitchen.

Nothing says winter more than indulging in a steaming hot bowl of hearty soup that warms you from within. 

Potato and leek soup with roasted nuts and cauliflower 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45-50 Min 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
300g leeks, sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1kg potatoes, cubed
2½ cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2-3 tsp salt
Milled black pepper
1 cup cream
300g cauliflower florets
50g raw pumpkin seeds
50g raw almonds
50g raw hazelnuts

Method

1. Preheat oven 200°C. 
2. Heat oil and butter in a large 6-8L pot. 
3. Fry leeks, thyme and garlic for 5 minutes or until softened. 
4. Add potatoes, stock, water, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 
5. Add cream and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 
6. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden. 
7. Remove thyme and blitz soup with a stick blender until smooth. 
8. Toast pumpkin seeds, almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Remove and chop finely. 
9. Serve soup in bowls topped with roasted cauliflower, toasted nuts and seed sprinkle.

Recipe & photographs courtesy of Fresh Living Magazine.

The post Potato and leek soup with roasted nuts and cauliflower appeared first on MyKitchen.

From silky smooth to thick and hearty, these classic soups will become your go-to guide for many winters to come, promises editor Chad January. 

Nothing says winter more than indulging into a steaming hot bowl of hearty soup that warms you from within. Think iconic’s like chicken noodle, spicy tomato and hearty & chunky vegetable soup. PLUS all the trimmings to pair each soup with, from toasties, croutons, quesidillas and more. 

Tomato soup with anchovy butter toast 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 20-30 Min  

Ingredients

FOR THE SOUP  

2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 onions, chopped  
4 cloves garlic, sliced  
8 sprigs fresh thyme  
4 sprigs fresh oregano  
50g tomato paste  
1 Tbsp brown sugar 
2 tsp soy sauce  
6 salad or plum tomatoes, grated 
800g (2 cans) chopped tomatoes  
1 cup vegetable stock  
Salt and freshly milled black pepper 

FOR THE ANCHOVY BUTTER TOAST  

1/3 cup butter, softened  
1 Tbsp chopped chives 
1 Tbsp chopped parsley  
2 cloves garlic, grated  
2 anchovy fillets, minced 
1 tsp capers, finely chopped  
1 tsp wholegrain mustard  
8 slices sourdough or rye bread, cut into thick strips and toasted  

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onion until soft and golden. 
2. Add garlic and herbs and fry for another minute until fragrant. 
3. Stir in tomato paste, sugar and soy sauce and cook until sticky, about 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add grated tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring. 
5. Add canned tomatoes and stock. Simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes. 
6. Blitz soup until smooth. Season well. 
7. Combine butter, herbs, garlic, anchovies, capers and mustard. 
8. Spread over toast and serve alongside hot soup. 

Moroccan lamb soup 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 2 Hr 20 Min 

Ingredients

2 onions, sliced  
2 carrots, peeled and sliced  
2 stalks celery, sliced  
1 red pepper, sliced  
Salt and milled black pepper  
500g lamb goulash  
2 Tbsp canola oil  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
100g tomato paste  
150g harissa paste  
2 Tbsp ground cumin  
2 Tbsp ground coriander  
1 tsp ground cinnamon  
2 bay leaves  
6 tomatoes, quartered  
4 cups beef stock  
1 orange, zested and juiced  
1 Tbsp brown sugar  
410g (1 can) chickpeas, drained  
Fresh mint, for serving 
Fresh parsley, for serving 
20g flaked almonds, toasted  

Method

1. Blitz onion, carrot, celery and red pepper in a food processor. 
2. Season lamb well and heat oil in a large pot. Brown meat in batches, remove and set aside. 
3. Add blitzed vegetables to pot and sauté. Add a glug of olive oil if needed. 
4. Add garlic and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
5. Stir in tomato paste, harissa paste, spices and bay leaves. Fry until fragrant. 
6. Add tomatoes and stock and return lamb to pot. 
7. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 ½  to 2 hours or until meat is tender. 
8. Stir through orange zest and juice, sugar and chickpeas. Simmer for another 8-10 minutes. 9. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with mint, parsley and almonds.

Creamy mixed mushroom soup 

Serves 6 • Total Time 30-40 Min 

Ingredients

Canola oil  
250g button mushrooms, sliced  
250g exotic mushrooms, sliced  
2 onions, chopped  
4 stalks celery, sliced  
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
8 sprigs thyme  
4 cups vegetable stock  
Salt and freshly milled pepper 
1 cup cream  
2 Tbsp butter 
2 Tbsp flour  

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot over a high heat and brown mushrooms in batches. Remove from pot and set aside. 
2. Sauté onion and celery until soft and stir through garlic and thyme. 
3. Return ¾ mushrooms back to pot and cover with stock. Season well. 
4. Simmer soup for about 15-20 minutes and then blitz with a stick blender until smooth. 
5. Pour in cream and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes. 
6. Combine butter and flour by rubbing it between your fingertips and whisk into soup, taking care to break up lumps. 
7. Simmer for 5 minutes and season to taste. 
8. Divide soup between bowls and top with remaining mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme and milled black pepper. 

Potato and leek soup with roasted nuts and cauliflower 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 45-50 Min  

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil  
1 Tbsp butter  
300g leeks, sliced 
4 sprigs fresh thyme 
3 cloves garlic, chopped  
1kg potatoes, cubed  
2 ½ cups vegetable stock  
2 cups water  
2-3 tsp salt  
Milled black pepper  
1 cup cream  
300g cauliflower florets  
50g raw pumpkin seeds  
50g raw almonds  
50g raw hazelnuts  

Method

1. Preheat oven 200°C. 
2. Heat oil and butter in a large 6-8L pot. 
3. Fry leeks, thyme and garlic for 5 minutes or until softened. 
4. Add potatoes, stock, water, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 
5. Add cream and simmer gently for 10 minutes. 
6. Toss cauliflower with olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes or until golden. 
7. Remove thyme and blitz soup with a stick blender until smooth. 
8. Toast pumpkin seeds, almonds and hazelnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Remove and chop finely. 
9. Serve soup in bowls topped with roasted cauliflower and toasted nut and seed sprinkle. 

Creamy seafood soup 

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min 

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil  
2 onions, chopped 
2 red peppers, finely chopped  
4 cloves garlic, chopped 
2-3 bay leaves  
6-8 sprigs fresh thyme 
50g tomato paste 
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce  
2-3 tsp brown sugar 
1 Tbsp smoked paprika  
¼ cup white wine (optional)  
3 cups fish or vegetable stock  
400g can chopped and peeled tomatoes  
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed  
Salt and milled black pepper  
12-16 prawn tails  
300g mussels, cleaned  
200g hake fillets, skinned and cut into chunks  
½ cup cream  
10g fresh parsley, chopped  

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and sauté onions and peppers for 5-8 minutes. 
2. Add garlic, bay leaves and thyme and fry for 1-2 minutes. 
3. Increase heat and stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and paprika and cook until sticky. 
4. Add white wine, if using, and cook for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Add stock, tomatoes and potatoes and season well. 
6. Reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft. 
7. Add seafood and simmer gently, covered, for 3-5 minutes. 
8. Stir through cream and parsley and adjust seasoning to taste. 
9. Serve soup with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. 

Tom yum soup 

Serves 4 • Total Time 20 Min 

Ingredients

1 Tbsp sesame oil  
3 Tbsp tom yum paste 
2 Tbsp fish sauce  
2 Tbsp soy sauce 
1 lime, juiced  
4 cups vegetable soup  
1 cup coconut milk  
240g shiitake mushrooms  
200g baby pak choi, halved  

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot and fry tom yum paste for about 1-2 minutes. 
2. Add fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice. 
3. Add stock and coconut milk and simmer for about 15 minutes. 
4. Stir through mushrooms and pak choi and cook for another 3-5 minutes. 
5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot.

The post 6 Hearty Soups Perfect for Winter appeared first on MyKitchen.

Trish van der Nest has shared a second collection of deeply personal and treasured recipes from her second cookbook, Cooking with Love.  they are over again Drawn from her life, they are meant to be made over and – and then passed on.  

It all started as a way to keep the blues away. Trish van der Nest launched a weekly cook-off between herself, her husband and four adult children during the 2020 lockdown. The teams were judged on their table settings and food according to a theme. The result?  

Huge laughter, showstopper meals and a reason to look back on that frightening time with at least a bit of warmth. During that period, lawyer and homeopath Trish wrote not one but two cookbooks.  

A friend of Trish’s commented on her first book, Home Food, that he was grateful that the recipes that made his life so full have been preserved and shared. Aren’t we lucky to have a second volume, and perhaps we should take a leaf out of her book and remember to jot some of our own recipes down…  

R320, Penguin Random House  

SALMON AND LEEK PIE WITH CHEESY CAULIFLOWER MASH 

Total Time 45 Minutes • Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

800g cauliflower florets  
1 cup grated Parmesan 
1 cup grated mozzarella  
1 Tbsp olive oil 
400g leeks, thinly sliced 
4–6 salmon portions (± 125g each), skin removed and cubed 
Salt and black pepper to taste 
250g crème fraîche 
250ml pouring cream  
Fresh dill or leafy herbs, optional, for garnish  

Method 

1. Steam the cauliflower until just tender. Place in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add half the grated Parmesan and mozzarella and process until combined. (Don’t add salt, as the Parmesan is salty enough). Set aside. 
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan on medium, and stir-fry the leeks until soft. 
3. Arrange the salmon and leeks in an ovenproof dish and season to taste. Spoon over the crème fraîche and pour over the cream. 
4. Spoon over the cauliflower mash, spreading it to the edges of the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella. 
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, until the salmon is cooked and the cauliflower mash is golden. Scatter over some chopped dill or leafy herbs before serving.

‘My father, Les Marlow, was not a dessert man, but he was firmly of the belief that if you were going to indulge, there was only one dessert worth having, and that was crème caramel.’  

CRÈME CARAMEL 

Makes 1 • Serves 6-8 

Ingredients

FOR THE CARAMEL  

½ cup castor sugar  
¼ cup water  
¼ tsp cream of tartar  

FOR THE CUSTARD  

2 cups (500 ml) milk  
1 tsp vanilla paste or the seeds of  1 vanilla pod  
3 eggs plus 2 egg yolks  
¼ cup castor sugar  

Method

FOR THE CARAMEL  

1. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. As it comes to the boil, add the cream of tartar. 
2. When the caramel starts to turn golden-brown, remove from the heat. 
3. Spray a mould or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Carefully pour the caramel into the mould, swirling it around so the caramel forms a thin, even layer on the base, then turn it upside down and let any excess caramel drain away onto baking paper. Take care, as the caramel will be extremely hot. (This can be done up to a day ahead). 

FOR THE CUSTARD  

1. Place the milk in a pot and bring almost to the boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla paste or seeds. 
2. Combine the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Beat until thick. Pour the warm milk into the egg mixture and stir through. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into the mould. 
3. Stand the mould in a deep roasting pan and pour in enough water to come half-way up the sides. 
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour, or until just set. Remove the mould from the water bath, place on a tray and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or up to a day. 
5. To release the crème caramel, run a sharp knife around the edge of the custard, then dip the base of the mould in hot water. 
6. Cover the mould with a serving plate and invert it, then carefully remove the mould, allowing any extra caramel to drizzle over the top of the custard. 

NOTES  

• To make individual crème caramels, use ramekins or small moulds. 
• Instead of castor sugar, you can use xylitol castor sugar or a baking sugar alternative (a finely textured blend that is ideal for baking). 

Words by Christi Nortier 
Photography: Donna Lewis  

The post Must-Try Recipes By Author Trish van der Nest appeared first on MyKitchen.

What were winters made for if not loads of pastry and pie? Practice your shortcrust skills with this delicious beef and leek pie.

SERVES 6–8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
290 g butter, cubed
4 cups flour
2 tsp cracked black pepper
¾ cup cold water
1 egg, whisked
For the beef and leek pie filling
2 tbsp butter, for frying
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 leeks, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
500 g beef chuck, cubed
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock

METHOD
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
1. Use your fingers to rub the butter, flour and black pepper together until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water and bring together until a dough forms.
3. Lightly knead into a ball. (Do not overwork, or it will lose its ‘shortness’.) Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a square pie tin or casserole dish.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 5 mm thick.
6. Cut the dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of the pie tin. Roll the leftover dough into a ball and refrigerate. Blindbake the shell for 5 minutes.
For the beef and leek pie filling
1. Fry garlic and leeks for 5 minutes. Add the spices, then the beef, tomatoes and stock.
2. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, until beef is tender. Pull beef apart and mix with 2 tsp flour.
3. Roll out the remaining dough. Spoon the filling into the pastry shell and top with the dough. Crimp the edges with a fork.
4. Brush with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Wondering what else you can make with your extra leeks? This savoury leek bread and butter pudding is scrumptious!

The post Beef and leek pie with a black pepper shortcrust pastry crust appeared first on MyKitchen.