Save this delicious recipe for the next time you host brunch at home. These summery berry mimosas will be the perfect warm welcome.

SERVES 8 // COOKING 10 min

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup caster sugar
2 cups cranberry juice
2 bottles sparkling wine (or berry juice)
16 cherries
8 rosemary sprigs

METHOD
1. Add the lemon juice to one saucer and the caster sugar to another.
2. Dip the rim of each Champagne flute first into the lemon juice and then into the caster sugar. Set aside for minutes.
3. Fill each glass a third of the way up with cranberry juice, then top off with the sparkling wine.
4. Drop two cherries into each glass and garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

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

In case you need to refresh your memory on hosting, we’ve put together a guide on how to achieve the perfect brunch.

The post Make these summery berry mimosas for your next brunch 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.

These fun reindeer sloppy joes are sure to bring the festive cheer this year, so why not get the kids involved and make them together?

MAKES 10 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800 g beef mince
4 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tsp origanum
1½ tbsp tomato paste, plus extra to assemble
To assemble
10 rolls
5 baby tomatoes, halved
2 cheese slices
10 raisins, halved
10 pretzels

METHOD
For the reindeer sloppy joes
1. Heat a dash of oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 8 minutes, until soft.
2. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until fragrant.
3. Add the mince and brown for 8 minutes. Then add the tomato sauce, sugar, tinned tomatoes, origanum and 1½ tbsp of the tomato paste. Season well and simmer for 20 minutes.
To assemble
1. Slice open each roll and fill with tbsp of mince.
2. To make noses, use a toothpick to attach half of a tomato to each roll.
3. Use the wide end of a piping nozzle to cut eyes from the cheese. Stick them to the rolls using extra tomato paste. Put raisin halves in the middle of each eye to make pupils.
4. Break each pretzel in half and stick them into the top of each roll to make antlers. Enjoy immediately.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Christmas in South Africa wouldn’t be the same without hot summer nights by the braai, and the little ones will love snacking on these drool-worthy Snickers s’mores after their supper.

The post Cooking with kids: Reindeer sloppy joes 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 go all-out gourmet with this beef Wellington by coating the beef in foie gras or veganise it with a filling of mushrooms and lentils.

SERVES 10 // COOKING TIME 45 min

INGREDIENTS
500 g portabellini mushrooms, finely chopped
⅓ cup Port
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tbsp thyme
500 g baby spinach
800 g beef fillet, trimmed
2 tbsp English mustard
1 roll puff pastry
3 egg yolks
1 tsp water
Pinch sea salt

METHOD
1. Heat some olive oil in a pan and fry the mushrooms until the liquid has cooked away, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the Port and simmer for 5–10 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
3. Heat some more olive oil in a separate pot and sauté the onion, garlic and thyme until soft. Add this to the mushrooms, then remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Place the spinach in a colander. Pour boiling water over it, then immediately pour over cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Lay the leaves flat between clean tea towels. Set aside.
5. Season the beef well with salt and pepper and sear in a very hot pan for about 3 minutes. Brush with mustard and set aside.
6. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface. Cut into a 35 × 45 cm rectangle. Lay out on a lined baking tray and rest in the fridge.
7. Arrange the spinach in an even rectangle on a layer of cling film. Top with an even layer of the mushroom mixture. Lay the beef fillet across it horizontally.
8. Using the cling film to help you, roll up the beef with the spinach as tight as possible. Wrap and seal in the cling film, and freeze for 30 minutes.
9. Whisk yolks and water, brush over rested pastry.
10. Remove the cling film from the beef roll and lay it down on the pastry, 5 cm from the edge. Roll it up tightly in the pastry, trim the edges and press down the seam to seal. Crimp the edges closed and cut away any excess pastry. Brush all over with egg wash.
11. Refrigerate for 1 hour, then brush with more egg wash and sprinkle with sea salt.
12. Preheat oven to 200ºC. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until golden brown all over. Allow the beef Wellington to rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe: Nicola Naudé
Styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Speaking of beef and pastry – this beef and leek pie is another favourite.

The post Traditional English beef Wellington with mushroom-Port stuffing appeared first on MyKitchen.

Timamoon Lodge chef Kelly Hammond calls these delicious litchi, pomegranate and rose cocktails the Red Lotus, an ideal beverage for two love birds spending some quality time together.

SERVES 2 // COOKING TIME 5 min

INGREDIENTS
90 ml litchi puree (4–5 litchis)
¼ cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup vodka
2 dashes Angostura bitters
½ tsp rose water
Splash sparkling wine

METHOD
1. Add all the ingredients, except the sparkling wine, into a cocktail shaker.
2. Shake with ice for a few seconds and then pour into glasses.
3. Top up with sparkling wine and garnish with fresh whole litchis.

Recipe, styling & photography: Kelly Hammond

Complete date night with these strawberry stuffed chicken breasts, also from Kelly’s Timamoon menu.

The post Litchi, pomegranate and rose cocktails appeared first on MyKitchen.