Sit down for a sunshine soirée that will have your Greek feast guests sipping, sharing and celebrating this festive season. Make it a memorable feast with something out of the ordinary: a Med spread fit for a summer Christmas.  

Grilled calamari salad with dill yoghurt 

Serves 6

A fresh salad that’s the perfect start to a big Christmas lunch.  

Ingredients 

For the dill yoghurt  

1 cup double-cream plain yoghurt
Handful dill, chopped 
1 small red onion, sliced
1 lemon, zested and juiced  

¼ cup olive oil + extra for frying
2 sprigs origanum, leaves chopped 
Salt and milled pepper
800g calamari tubes
350g cherry or medley tomatoes, halved
200g pitted olives of choice 
1 Tbsp capers (optional) 250g pickled peppers
1 small red onion, chopped 
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
Handful fresh basil  

Method 

1. For the dill yoghurt, combine all ingredients, season and set aside.
2. Combine olive oil, origanum and seasoning. Pour mixture over calamari and set aside to marinate for 1 hour.
3. Heat a griddle pan over high heat.  
4. Cook calamari in batches for 3-5 minutes until charred.
5. Toss calamari and remaining ingredients together. Season. 
6. Serve calamari salad drizzled with dill yoghurt. 

Roast leg of lamb with mint chutney 

Serves 6-8 

The fresh mint chutney takes our lamb roast straight down to flavour town!

Ingredients 

2kg bone-in leg of lamb 
Salt and milled pepper
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs each rosemary and thyme, leaves picked and chopped 
10-15 sprigs dill, chopped
1-2 sprigs origanum or sage, chopped
1 Tbsp honey
3 lemons, zested and juiced (reserve juiced lemon halves) 
½–1 cup olive oil
3-4 small onions, peeled and halved or quartered   

For the mint chutney  

Handful fresh mint 
Handful fresh coriander
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
2 limes or 1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 ½ Tbsp honey or sugar 
Cold water  

For serving  

Roasted carrots
Handful dill and mint 
Crispy smashed potato salad with tzatziki
Toasted flatbread  

Method 

1. Generously season lamb and set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients, except the onions, and rub all over lamb to coat. 
3. Allow to marinate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
4. Transfer lamb to an ovenproof dish or roasting tray. Nestle onions and reserved lemon halves around lamb and pour over excess marinade liquid. 
5. Preheat oven to 200°C.
6. Cover with foil and roast for 31⁄2 hours, basting with pan juices every 45 minutes. 
7. Reduce heat to 180°C, remove foil and cook for another 30 minutes until browned.
8. Combine mint chutney ingredients and roughly blitz in a food processor or with a stick blender, adding a splash of water if needed. Blitz until chunky or smooth, if you like, and season.
9. Place lamb on a platter and top with chutney and fresh herbs. Serve with salad and flatbreads on the side.  

Phyllo orange cake 

Serves 6-8 

Serve this scrumptious orange-scented cake with vanilla ice cream as soon as it comes out the oven. 

Ingredients 

2 oranges, sliced (or use blood oranges when in season)
1 cup (250ml) water
1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar 
1 vanilla bean, cut open and seeds removed (or use 1 tsp vanilla essence) 
1 box (500g) phyllo pastry, cut in half
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup (220g) castor sugar
1 cup (250ml) canola oil
1 Tbsp (15ml) baking powder
2 oranges, zested and juiced
1½  cups (375ml) double-cream plain yoghurt
1 cup (250ml) milk
Vanilla ice cream, for serving  

Method 

1. Combine orange slices, water, sugar and half the vanilla in a small pot over medium heat. Simmer to reduce and reach a syrupy consistency.
2. Remove oranges slices and arrange on baking paper. Set aside. 
3. Whisk together eggs, egg yolk, castor sugar, oil, remaining vanilla, baking powder, orange zest and juice, yoghurt and milk until well combined.
4. Pour half the batter in a 30x20cm tray lined with baking paper.
5. Crinkle each sheet of phyllo pastry and pack tightly over yoghurt batter until the tray is filled.
6. Pour over remaining yoghurt mixture, shaking the tin until batter is spread evenly.
7. Set aside for 20 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C.
9. Bake cake for 50-55 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
10. Pour prepared syrup over cake while still hot.
11. Serve garnished with candied orange slices and ice cream.  

Recipes & styling: Gail Damon 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons

The post A Mediterranean feast for Christmas   appeared first on MyKitchen.

Take a trip with us to Mexico this evening by making this incredibly tasty sardine Veracruz with roasted tomatoes and olive tapenade!

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 90 min

INGREDIENTS
For the olive tapenade
1 cup green olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 cup olive oil
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tbsp chives, chopped
3 tbsp thyme, chopped
For the roasted tomatoes
10 ripe plum tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
For the sardines
3 tbsp olive oil
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
12 fresh or frozen sardines, scaled
Salt and black pepper
2 radishes, thinly shaved

METHOD
For the olive tapenade
1. Combine all the ingredients. Set aside.
For the roasted tomatoes
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Halve the tomatoes lengthways and lay them, seed-side up, on a baking tray.
3. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the garlic and thyme on the tomatoes.
4. Drizzle with oil and place in the oven for about an hour.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down.
For the sardines
1. Preheat your oven on grill.
2. Combine the oil, parsley and garlic in a bowl.
3. Place the sardines on an oven tray and season with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle over the parsley mixture and radishes.
4. Place the tray in the oven and grill the sardines for about 10 minutes, until their eyes begin to turn a slightly milky colour.
5. Remove from the oven and serve with the olive tapenade and roasted tomatoes.

If you’re looking for an appetizing superfood meal, this smoked mackerel with vegetarian patties and fig salad recipe, has your name on it!

The post Sardine Veracruz with roasted tomatoes and olive tapenade appeared first on MyKitchen.

Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad incorporating toasted or fried flatbread croutons. It’s a great way to repurpose day-old pita. Give it a try in this tuna and bean salad.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
1 pita bread
400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
170g tin tuna, drained and flaked
180g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 celery stalk, finely sliced
100g rocket
½ cucumber, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
Salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Preheat oven grill to high.
2. Place the pita bread under the grill for a few seconds to puff. Cut open and return to the grill to toast for about two to three minutes on each side until browned. Tear into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and season well.
4. Toss the mixture together with the toasted pita pieces and serve with lemon wedges.

Is there anything quite as good as Middle Eastern food like falafels with hummus and dukkah? 

The post Tuna and bean fattoush appeared first on MyKitchen.

Serve this gourmet shakshuka with fresh coriander, lime wedges and toast or crusty bread for the ultimate breakfast spread for two.

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, finely chopped
2 red peppers, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tin chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp chopped parsley
4 eggs
½ cup feta, crumbled

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Heat some olive oil in an oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and red pepper and fry for 6–7 min.
3. Add the garlic and spices and fry for another 2–3 minutes.
4. Add the vinegar and tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and parsley. Season well with salt and pepper.
6. Make 4 wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each.
7. Sprinkle with feta and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until the eggs are done.

Recipe: Chiara Turilli
Styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

If you’re big on breakfast feasts, you simply won’t be able to get enough of our traditional English flatbreads for brekkies too!

The post Vegetarian gourmet shakshuka for two appeared first on MyKitchen.

Whether you’re following the Mediterranean diet or are simply keen to try it, this chicken involtini with spinach should be first on the menu!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the chicken involtini
4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp finely chopped origanum
½ cup baby spinach
12 basil leaves
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1½ cup Rosa tomatoes, halved

METHOD
For the chicken involtini
1. Place the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of cling film or baking paper and bash them with a rolling pin until they are evenly 1 cm thick.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper and origanum. Drizzle over the chicken breasts, coating them evenly.
3. Divide the spinach and basil between the chicken breasts, laying the leaves neatly over each one. Roll and secure with a toothpick.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C.
5. Heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6. Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and balsamic vinegar, then add the tomatoes. Simmer until heated through.
7. Pour the tomato sauce over the chicken and transfer to an oven dish.
8. Bake for about 12 minutes, until cooked through.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Loving the Mediterranean flavours? Try our pasta nero with fresh mussels.

The post Mediterranean chicken involtini with spinach appeared first on MyKitchen.

A delicacy straight from the Mediterranean, this delicious chorizo stuffed calamari dish is the perfect flavour-filled option for seafood lovers!

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the stuffed calamari
75 g Chorizo, finely chopped
50 g feta, crumbled
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp breadcrumbs
10 g origanum, chopped
1 kg calamari tubes
To serve
1 lemon, cut into wedges
¼ cup origanum, roughly chopped
¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped

METHOD
For the stuffed calamari
1. Combine all ingredients, except the calamari tubes. Divide between the calamari and stuff each tube, pinching the tops closed and securing with a toothpick.
2. Warm up a griddle pan over medium heat. Turn the heat to high, brush each piece of calamari with olive oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side.
3. Drizzle with extra lemon juice and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, until cooked through and golden brown.
To serve
1. Top calamari with lemon wedges, fresh origanum and parsley.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Chorizo stuffed calamari appeared first on MyKitchen.