Yummy baked chicken

Baked chicken is always a favourite in our household, mainly because it's always a surprise and also because it never really comes out the same. I have various versions and like to keep everyone guessing as to which combination it will be. The accompaniments are always the same: rice, peas, carrots, squash, that kind of thing, whatever you fancy, but the chicken is as follows:

Chicken - I use thighs because I think they are the tastiest part of the chicken. Use enough for the number of people you are cooking for, according to their capacity! Place a layer of thickly sliced onion in the bottom of a shallow casserole dish. Put the chicken pieces, skin side up, on top and pour any of the following over it. Ensure that the quantity is not too skimpy - there is nothing worse than not enough sauce to pour over the whole plate!

1. Mix 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup chutney, 1/2 cup syrup, 2 Tblsp Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Add chilli if liked. Pour over chicken and cover with lid or tin foil, bake for 30 mins at 180 deg C, take off foil and cook another 15 mins until skin is brown and crisp.

2. Mix 1 cup orange juice (or peach or mango), 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup chutney. Cook as above.

Experience will tell you whether to cook at a lower temperature and when the cut-off point is between cooked to perfection and burnt! Never wander off and check Facebook or emails when this critical point is about to be reached.

A meatless meal

Sometimes I just get tired of meat and long for a big plate of vegetables! I'm sure you do too, and here is the easiest way to solve that:

Lightly steam a selection of your favourite vegetables. My preference is: carrots, butternut, peas, beans, broccoli, celery and chopped spinach. Make a cheese sauce with plenty of mustard, or a white sauce to which a teaspoon of cayenne pepper has been added. Cayenne is exceptionally good for a variety of ailments and you should use it at every opportunity. There should be enough sauce to completely coat the cooked vegetables - there is nothing worse than a thin layer on top! I also add onions which have first been softened in a little grapeseed or olive oil, as the flavour is much better when a little brown. These should be added to the vegetables which you have placed in a suitable ovenproof dish and then the sauce poured over and cajoled into all the gaps with a spoon. You can see strips of streaky bacon on top - this is for the meat-eaters, or alternatively you can spread a layer of mashed potatoes like a pie crust, brushed with melted butter before putting into a hot oven for about 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp or the potato golden brown.

If you don't fancy a rich sauce, rather put big chunks of feta cheese all over the place to give it a bit of body before putting in the oven.

Delicious!

Traditional South African Bobotie

This is a couple of steps up from plain old meatloaf! You can add as much curry powder as you like, but it is actually the taste of the lemon leaves that gives it the memorable flavour.

1kg mince (beef or lamb, or you can use leftover minced roast meat)
Mix 1 slice white bread with milk (most recipes tell you to pour a cup of milk over the bread then squeeze it out. This is totally unnecessary. Just use enough milk to wet the bread.
Slice 2 onions thinly and simmer briefly in water to soften, then drain.

Combine these ingredients with the following:
1 egg
1 Tablesp curry powder or more if you like
2 teasp salt and 1/2 teasp pepper
1/2 (Tablesp turmeric
2 Tablesp vinegar
1/2 cup roughly chopped raw almonds
1/2 cup seedless raisins (I prefer unbleached sultanas)

Wet your hands with cold water and mix everything thoroughly with your hands. The water will prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands and it is more effective and creatively satisfying to get involved with your ingredients rather than poking around with utensils. Our hands were designed as the original utensils.

Pat into an ovenproof dish not more than 3 inches deep. Roll up 6 or 8 fresh lemon leaves and press them upright into the meat. Bake at 180 deg C for 45 minutes (adapt according to the size of the dish), then remove from oven. Beat 1 egg with 1/2 cup milk and pour over the bobotie. Return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes until  slightly browned.

Serve with rice and plenty of chutney.

One of our most traditional  and well-loved dishes here in South Africa.

Comfort food

When the days start to grow cooler, my thoughts turn to comfort food - one-dish, multiple ingredient recipes that are full of rich flavour and satisfyingly filling. If minced lamb is available, that is best, but otherwise leftover roast lamb, finely chopped or minced can be used and the cooking time reduced.

Chop 2 onions and fry until softened in oil of your choice - I prefer grapeseed oil which is healthy and has a higher flashpoint than sunflower.
Add 500g minced lamb and fry until crumbly and browned.
Add 2 grated carrots, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon each of thyme and rosemary and 300ml beef stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can add any other vegetables you like, but then adjust the seasoning upwards. I like to add peas.
Simmer for about 40 minutes. Better if made in morning so that flavour can develop.

Put in baking dish and cover with a layer of fluffy mashed potato - no recipe needed for that!

Brush with milk and bake at 180 deg. C for about 30 mins or until topping is crisp and golden.

A delicious, tummy-warming treat!