Dairy Free Beef Stroganoff

 

2 tablespoons oil                             

1 brown onion, sliced 

3 cloves garlic, chopped

250g mushrooms, sliced 

250g beef steak, sliced 

1/2 cup beef stock 

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard 

270ml coconut cream

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

Heat oil in a pan and saute onions and mushrooms over medium- low heat. Remove and set aside. 

Fry beef over high heat for 3-5 minutes Add stock, mustard, and the cooked onions and mushrooms.

Stir in coconut cream and tomato paste. Cover the pan with a lid, simmer until tender and soft.

Serve over mashed potatoes or rice for an authentic dish or over egg noodles for the international version.

Poppy Seed Hamentaschen without a Rolling Pin

 

Dough

3½ cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

½ cup finely ground almonds 

250g butter 

1 cup icing sugar 

3 tablespoons caster sugar 

2 eggs 

Pinch salt 

Poppy Seed Filling 

300 grams ground poppy seeds (approx. 2⅓ cups) 

1 cup caster sugar 

1½ cups milk or orange juice 

3 tablespoons honey 

Lemon zest (optional) 

Sift flour and almonds.  Beat butter with icing sugar and caster sugar.  Add eggs to the butter.  Add the sifted flour and almonds, baking powder, and salt to the butter. Mix until dough is formed. Shape it into a log shape the width of the circles you want to make - approx 2 1/2 " in diameter. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and put in freezer for at least two hours.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook milk, sugar, and poppy seeds for 15 minutes.  Add the honey and lemon zest and cook 5 minutes more. Let cool. 

Cut frozen dough into thin slices about 1/4 inch wide. Turn dough to prevent one side getting flat. Place circles on parchment lined baking sheet.  Put about 1/2 teaspoon of filling in the middle of each circle. Fold up dough into a three pointed triangle and pinch the edges.  Bake about 10 minutes in 375℉ (180°C) oven until golden.

One Pot Creamy Mushroom Spinach Pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 yellow onion, diced 

salt, to taste - pepper, to taste 

[not too much salt!]

200g sliced mushrooms

2 lge cloves garlic, finely chopped 

2 cups chicken broth [use stock cube]

120ml 1/2 cup heavy cream

250g pasta

150g spinach

50g - 1/2 cup - Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onion into the pot and stir. Cook down for 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and stir to incorporate with the onion. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to evenly season. 

Add chicken broth and heavy cream to the pot and stir. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook according to package instructions, being sure to stir every 1-2 minutes to keep the pasta from clumping together. (Cook time may be a little longer in this recipe than when the pasta is boiled in water.) When the pasta is al dente, add the spinach and stir until the spinach cooks down and incorporates. 

Add parmesan and stir until it’s well-incorporated and you’re left with a smooth sauce. Top off with extra parmesan and serve. 

Curried Pasta Salad

250 g colored spirals pasta cooked, cooled
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper

1/2 cup raisins
1 large can sliced peaches, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped

mix peach juice with mayonnaise
to make dressing

Gingernut Log

250 g packet ginger nut biscuits

600 ml cream

Caramel sauce

Whip cream in a bowl until thick.

Spread cream mixture on both sides of ginger nut biscuits and stand on ends and sandwich them together to form a log.

Cover ginger nuts with rest of whipped cream to create a log effect.

Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow the biscuits to soften under the cream.

                                                                                    Drizzle with caramel sauce.

Jamie Oliver Fish Pie

Ingredients 

for the mashed potato topping

1 kg potatoes peeled and chopped into large chunks

400 g frozen peas

2 tablespoons butter

zest of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

for the fish pie filling

500 ml 2 cups milk

1 bay leaf

200 g frozen hake fillets

200 g frozen smoked haddock fillets

2 onions finely chopped

2 carrots finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

3 tablespoons flour

1 heaped teaspoon English mustard

40 g 1/2 cup mature cheddar, grated

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

2 onions finely chopped

2 carrots finely chopped

Place the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water or in a steamer and cook until soft. Pour boiling water over the peas to de-frost them then blend in a food processor. Mash the potatoes then mix in peas, butter and lemon zest. Season to taste. 

Pre-heat the oven to 200°c. 

To make the fish pie, poach the fish in the milk with the bay leaf. When the fish is cooked, remove the fish and flake into large chunks. Reserve the milk. 

In a large, oven-proof frying pan fry the onion and carrot in a splash of olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir then add the milk the fish was poached in to create a creamy sauce. Add the English mustard and fish and stir well then add the cheese and lemon juice and stir. Season to taste. 

Top the fish filling with the mashed potato and create indents with a spoon which will become nice and crispy in the oven. Place the pie in the oven and allow to bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then serve.

Almond and Raspberry Cake

2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
6 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups almond meal


Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick and glossy.
Using a metal spoon, gently fold in raspberries and almond meal, until combined.
Bake for 40 minutes at 160C or until golden and firm.

Orange Coconut Cake

1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
125 g butter
1 cup caster sugar
1 tbs orange rind grated
2 egg
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour

ICING
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp soft butter
2 tbs orange juice


Combine coconut and ½ cup milk in a bowl. Stand for 1 hour.
Cream butter, sugar and orange rind until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat well.
Stir in flour, coconut mixture and orange juice.
Pour into a greased and lined 23 cm x 12 cm loaf tin.
Bake at 180C for 45 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
Stand for 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
Mix all icing ingredients together until smooth and spread over cake.

Quinoa, Kale, Avocado, Pomegranate Salad

250g quinoa
200g kale, big bunch
3 spring onions, washed and chopped
1 pomegranate, seeds
45g pumpkin seeds ( ⅓ cup)
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 avocado, cut into small pieces
parsley to garnish

Measure 1½ cup of quinoa, rinse well and place into a pot. Add exactly double the volume of water and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for exactly 15 min. After 15 min remove from the heat and leave to stand for 5 min. Fluff up with a fork and transfer to a mixing bowl.
Wash kale, chop into smaller pieces, drop into boiling water for 2 mins, then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Drain well and place in mixing bowl.

Add cooked quinoa, spring onions, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper.  Top with avocado pieces and garnish with parsley.

South African Cheese Cake

250g plain sweet biscuits [Marie]
250g butter, melted
6 eggs separated
1 cup caster sugar
500g light Philadelphia cream cheese
250g Philadelphia regular cream cheese
200ml pure cream


Preheat oven to 180 C.  You will need a deep 31 x 28 cm baking dish.

Process biscuits and mix with melted butter, press into bottom of baking dish.

Beat egg yolks until light and fluffy and gradually add sugar. Add cream cheese, one third at a time, and beat on high speed to ensure no lumps. Slowly add cream and beat until smooth.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the egg whites one third at a time, then pour mixture onto cheesecake base.

Bake 50 mins until golden brown and slightly wobbly. Serve at room temperature.

South African Brisket

Large piece of brisket
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chutney
1 pkt french onion soup
1 cup diet coke
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Mix all ingredients and pour over brisket, cover with foil and bake in oven at 160/180 for about an hour and a half or until cooked.
Allow meat to rest for 30 minutes, then slice thinly and return to sauce and re-heat for extra 30 minutes before eating.

Teriyaki Baked Chicken

1 orange, juiced
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon sesame oil

8 chicken drumsticks

Mix sauce ingredients, pour over drumsticks
Bake in moderate oven, turning several times, until crispy and sticky