The mince almost caramelises by rendering out the fat while cooking in the lip-smacking sauce. The golden rule is to never overcrowd your pan. 

Asian mushroom & mince stir-fry

Serves 3-4 

Ingredients

3 Tbsp canola oil
300g mixed mushrooms
150g pork mince or pork sausage meat
400g beef mince
Salt and milled pepper
2 tsp grated ginger
4 cloves garlic, grated
2 Thai red chillies, deseeded and sliced (optional)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
Lemon juice to taste (lime works well, too)
1 cup sliced Swiss chard (or pak choi)
Rice noodles (or rice), for serving
Spring onions and coriander, to garnish

Method

1.  Heat a small drizzle of oil in a hot pan over high heat until almost smoking.
2.  Add mushrooms in 2-3 batches and fry, occasionally pressing down with a spatula (you should hear a squeaking sound) to brown well. Remove, season and set aside. 
3.  Add another drizzle of oil in the same pan and stir-fry mince in 2-3 batches. (This is important, as overcrowding will steam mince instead of sear and brown.) Season lightly and continuously move the mince with a spatula, breaking up lumps of meat, until well browned.
4.  Add grated ginger, garlic, red chillies, soy-, oyster- and fish sauces. Stir-fry until sticky. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning to taste.
5.  Toss through the Swiss chard, stirring to wilt, then return mushrooms to reheat.
6.  Serve stir-fried mince over noodles, topped with spring onion and coriander.

Listen up

• Mushrooms are little sponges, so it’s best to cook them over high heat with a little oil. To know if your pan is hot enough, add a mushroom and press down onto it using a spatula. If the mushroom makes a squeaking sound, it’s hot enough. 
• For mince to crisp up and caramelise, your pan should not be overcrowded. You should hear a searing sound throughout cooking the mince, although it will soften while cooking, which indicates the fat is rendering out and meat is browning. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Braai grid mushroom pizza

The post Asian mushroom & mince stir-fry appeared first on MyKitchen.

Ready to shake up your weekly menu? These 4 vegetarian recipes are anything but ordinary! From a golden mushroom, asparagus and pea tart to a creamy cauliflower mac and cheese – these veggie meals are packed with flavour, fun and flair. 

1. Mushroom, asparagus and pea tart  

Ingredients 

1 roll puff pastry, defrosted
250g cultured cream
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander
Salt and milled pepper
1 bunch asparagus tips, trimmed
1 punnet (250g) white button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp melted butter  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 
2. Roll pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to about2mm  
3. Press the pastry into a greased23cm rectangular loose-bottomed tin. Prick the base with a fork. 
4. Combine crème fraîche, mustard and herbs. Season well. 
5. Spread mixture over pastry base and bake for 10 minutes. 
6. Add asparagus and mushrooms, then bake for 15-20 minutes and remove from the oven. Season. 
7. Scatter with peas, drizzle with butter and return to the oven for another 5-8 minutes. 
8. Slice and serve while warm. 

Recipe and photographs: courtesy of Fresh Living magazine. 

2. Chunky baba ganoush with onion rings  

Ingredients  

For the baba ganoush   

4 medium brinjals
2 whole garlic cloves
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and milled pepper, to taste  

For the onion rings   

6 Tbsp flax seeds, blended to a flour
7 Tbsp water
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 cup flour
Flax seeds, for crumbing 

For the tomato paste   

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water or oil
1 cup rosa tomatoes
¼ cup dates
½ large red onion
½ cup olive oil
1 tsp miso paste
Chilli, to taste  

To serve   

Olive oil
Chilli, chopped
Bread or crackers  

Method  

1. For the baba ganoush, preheat the oven to 180°C. Create 2 foil parcels, each with 2 brinjals a garlic clove. Drizzle with oil, season well and wrap tightly. Bake for 40 minutes. Open the foil packets and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove and set aside. 
2. For the onion rings, mix flaxseed flour with the water. This will be your “egg wash”. Dip the onion slices in the egg wash, then the flour to form a coating. Dip in flax seeds for a crispier  Fry the onions in 180°C oil for roughly 4-6 minutes, until golden and crispy. Leave in a warm oven until ready to serve. 
3. For the tomato paste, place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 
4. To serve, place the brinjals on a plate, break open with a fork and mash the flesh. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Top with tomato paste, onion rings and fresh chilli. Enjoy with crackers or bread. 

Recipes & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

3. Cucumber goddess sandwich   

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   

4. Cauliflower mac and cheese   

Ingredients   

2 Tbsp butter 
2 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
3 sprigs each thyme and rosemary 
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets 
2 cups milk 
1 cup cream 
2 cups grated Cheddar 
1 packet (500g) macaroni, cooked
1 punnet vine or cherry tomatoes 
3 slices crusty bread, torn into chunks    

Method   

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.  
2. Heat butter and oil in a pan and sauté the onion until golden. 
3. Add garlic, herbs and ¾ of the cauliflower and fry for 1 minute. 
4. Pourin milk and cream, then simmer gently for about 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.  
5. Mash cauliflower to create a sauce and stir through the cheese.  
6. Toss pasta through sauce and transfer into a greased ovenproof dish.  
7. Top with tomatoes and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and cheese has melted.

Recipe & photographs: courtesy of Fresh Living magazine 

Also read: Cosy vegetarian weeknight dinners (in under an hour) 

The post 4 Vegetarian recipes to add to your meal plan ASAP appeared first on MyKitchen.

Prepare these flavour bases in advance to speed up weeknight cooking. 

Tomato sofrito  

Makes 2 cups 

The most versatile of our three sofritos, it can form the base of most of your weeknight dinners. Also, you can switch up its flavour profile from Italian to Mexican and more. 

Ingredients

2-3 Tbsp olive oil blend 
2 onions, chopped 
1 red pepper, finely diced 
1 bunch celery, thinly sliced 
4 cloves garlic, chopped 
4 tomatoes, grated  

Method

1. Heat oil over medium heat. 
2. Sauté onions for 10-12 minutes, stirring regularly, until onion turns translucent and slightly golden (not dark brown – if this happens, turn down heat slightly).
3. Add pepper and celery, and another glug of oil if needed, then sauté while stirring until softened, about 8-10 minutes. 
4. Stir in garlic and fry for 1 minute. 
5. Add tomato and cook until liquid is almost evaporated. 
6. Season and set aside to cool, if storing. 

Change it up:  

Make it Spanish: Add smoked paprika. 
Make it Mexican: Add ground coriander, cumin, paprika and chilli flakes. 
Make it French: Add red wine and omit the red pepper.  

Use it to make:  

• Vegetable or chicken parmigiana 
• Meaty minestrone soup 
• Shakshuka 
• Vegetarian tomato pasta 
• Tomato and feta pasta bake 
• Beef Bolognese for various pasta dishes

Leek & mushroom sofrito 

Makes 2½ cups 

Leeks, a part of the garlic and shallot family, add a buttery sweetness to this base. Perfect for Italian or French pairings. 

Ingredients

Glug of oil 
300g white button mushrooms, quartered
1 onion, chopped
1 bunch (4 large) leeks 
3 sprigs thyme 
3 sprigs rosemary 
2 cloves garlic, chopped 
Salt and milled pepper 

Method

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot or pan. 
2. Fry mushrooms for about 5 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside. 
3. Add more oil, lower heat and sauté onions for 8 minutes until onion turn translucent and slightly golden (not dark brown – if this happens turn heat down slightly).
4. Add leeks and herbs then fry for another 10-12 minutes until leeks start to fall apart, softening completely.
5. Stir in garlic and fry for about 1-2 minutes. 
6. Return mushrooms to pan, season and set aside to cool, if storing. 

Change it up: 

Make it spicier: Add chilli oil when adding garlic. 
Make it more affordable: Omit the mushrooms and add beef stock or a teaspoon. 

Use for:  

• White bean and mushroom soup 
• Creamy Tuscan chicken rissoni bake 
• Mushroom risotto
• Creamy chicken pasta
• Chicken pie

Curry spiced sofrito 

Makes about 1 cup 

This fragrant sofrito pairs well with beans and legumes, chicken, beef or fish. 

Ingredients

Glug of oil 
2 large onions, chopped 
4 sticks celery, finely sliced (optional) 
5-6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated 
1-3 chillies, chopped (or pierce and add whole for a milder heat) 
2cm turmeric, grated 
4cm ginger, grated 
2 sprigs curry leaves 
2 Tbsp mild or strong curry powder 
1 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 cardamom pod, crushed (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon 

Method

1. Heat oil over medium heat. 
2. Sauté onions for 10-12 minutes until they turn translucent and slightly golden (not dark brown -if this happens turn heat down slightly). 
3. Add celery, if using, and sauté for another 5 minutes until softened. 
4. Stir in remaining ingredients, adding a bit of oil if starting to catch, and fry for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Season and set aside to cool, if storing. 

Change it up:  

Make it Thai: Add lemongrass to your sofrito and coconut milk to your dish. 
Make it African: Swap the chilli for harissa paste and omit the curry powder.  

Use for:  

• Spiced butternut and sweet potato soup 
• Creamy chickpea curry, tarka and roti
• Curried mince and rice 
• Beef or pork curry on flatbread with yoghurt 
• Curried potato bake

By: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

The post Make-ahead bases appeared first on MyKitchen.

This classic combo that needs no introduction: eggs, mushroom and avo. Add crispy bacon to your egg breakfast bowl for a salty edge. 

Egg breakfast bowls 

Serves 4 

Ingredients

For the crispy beans 

410g white beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, chilli flakes and dried basil
Salt and milled pepper
2 Tbsp corn flour
¼ cup olive oil  

150g button mushrooms, sliced
Canola oil, for frying
1 Tbsp butter
4 eggs, fried
4 tortillas, toasted
2 avocados, diced and drizzled with lemon juice 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Arrange beans on a baking tray and pat down with paper towel to remove excess moisture. Bake for 10 minutes to dry out. Remove.
3. Toss beans in seasonings and corn flour. Place on a lined baking tray and coat in a generous drizzle of olive oil.
4. Roast beans for 20-30 minutes, or until crispy and golden.
5. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and fry mushrooms, about 10 minutes or until golden. Remove and set aside.
6. Add another drizzle of oil in the same pan, along with butter and fry eggs to desired consistency – we opted for saucy, runny yolks.
7. Top tortillas with eggs, crispy beans, mushrooms and avocado. Serve warm. 

Recipes & Styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg 

Food assistant: Lerato Motau 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons

The post Egg breakfast bowls  appeared first on MyKitchen.

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.

Cook-in sauces are a cost-effective way to efficiently whip up a low-effort meal. For MK’s Test Kitchen, we’ve put large brands to the test.

In the ring

The team tasted two brands from the following sauces to find out which one came out on top:

Sweet & sour sauce

Royco Sweet and Sour cook-in sauce, 415g (R53)
vs
DENNY Sweet and Sour cook-in sauce, 415g (R53)

Tasting team:

“Denny won it for me! It provided both a sweet and sour taste, and was beautifully balanced.” – Oreneile Modise (Food Intern)

“I’m not one to stand in the kitchen for hours – I’d rather buy a sauce and have it taste like I made it! Denny’s sweet and sour sauce really appeals to me. Its silky texture and tangy flavour coats my tongue in such a filling way -a definite winner in my eyes!” – Geraldine Amoko (Senior Copy Editor)

“I enjoyed both sweet and sour sauce brands, but if I had to choose – I would go for Denny.” – Anelitha Hiti (Lifestyle Intern)

Final thoughts:

DENNY grabbed the win here, as it came across as the most exciting and well rounded sauce overall.

Mushroom sauce

Knorr Creamy Instant Mushroom Sauce, 38g (R19)
vs
Lancewood Mushroom Sauce, 250ml (R40)

Tasting team:

“When it comes to the mushroom sauce, Lancewood wins hands down. The sauce tastes like mushrooms because it contains mushrooms, and you get the full herby flavour. Knorr was just not up to scratch.” – Christi Nortier (Lifestyle Editor)

“Lancewood wins the category. It’s tough to compare the two because Knorr is a dry mixture and is thus more muted and artificial. Lancewood is able to get the fresh, homemade taste across as those tubs have a much shorter shelf life.” – Gail Damon (Food Contributor)

Final thoughts:

The team’s reactions were passionate about this one! Knorr wins on affordability and shelf life, but Lancewood’s fresh offering just pushed it to the side. To make a fresh mushroom sauce from scratch would cost more, so Lancewood is the winner!

Tomato-based sauce

Monteverde Passata Crushed Tomatoes, 400g (R37)
vs
Ina Paarman Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, 400g (R73)

Tasting team:

“The Monteverde passata was too acidic when compared to Ina Paarman, which was well balanced, light and fresh.” – Christi Nortier (Lifestyle Editor)

“One of my favourites from the day was Ina Paarman. It was delectable, rich and full of flavour.” – Anelitha Hiti (Lifestyle Intern)

Final thoughts:

Monteverde is significantly more affordable and forms a base for a sauce that needs a few more bits and a simmer to soften its sharp tomatoes. Ina Paarman’s sauce secures the win because it’s ready to heat and eat, saving you time while also delivering on flavour.

The post Saucy short cuts appeared first on MyKitchen.