With winter upon us now, soups bubbling away on the stove are a quick save when ravenous kids come off the sports field after it’s already dark. So often, this is a pre-dinner meal in my house, and I love that everyone can help themselves to a ladle of soup while I get on with…
Minted Pea and Courgette Soup
If you’re looking for a light soup to warm you this winter, this minted pea and courgette soup is just the thing. It makes a great lunch on the go, or supper with a crusty bread and since it’s Monday, I thought I’d share a meat-free recipe. (As an aside, these little green guys go…
Easy Chicken Curry
As winter sets in in SA, I cherish this recipe that one of my neighbours taught me to make when I was really just learning to cook. This is a Durban-style curry. A good old South African version that I still turn to as my quick, go-to chicken curry for a winter weeknight supper. (Admittedly,…
Best Vanilla Sponge Cake
Making birthday cakes for the children in our family has become somewhat a tradition. I couldn’t very well do this for my siblings’ kids and not continue for my own. And just when I thought I was done, the next family baby arrived! Creating these special cakes for their birthdays with the help of my…
Lamb Kleftiko
Serves 8 to 10 This dish is a true example of cooking that is rewarded by time and patience. Kleftiko literally means “stolen” and originates from the times of the Greek revolution, when the Klephts stole lamb and cooked it very slowly, in deep holes in the ground over hot coals, sealed with soil so…
Hot Cross Buns
I ran my Easter cooking workshops this week and we had great fun with all sorts of Easter recipes, but I particularly loved teaching the baking of hot cross buns from scratch. It sounds terribly daunting but they’re actually a doddle – if you can get past the waiting time for the dough to rise….
Easter Cooking Workshop 2023
If you’re in Jo’burg, come and join me for a delicious Easter cooking experience, with recipes that will dazzle your friends and family! We’ll be making: – Hot Cross Buns from scratch! – Lamb Kleftiko with slow potatoes – Caraway roasted carrots – Easter egg choc chip cookies – Easter praline espressos – the best…
Butternut & Lentil Bobotie
Whenever there’s a Bobotie cooking in my kitchen, I always have good chutney on hand. My favourite is definitely Mrs. Balls! Chutney is a delightful condiment that you’ll find in many South African grocery stores or a “padstal” (or farm stall) that’s worth its salt. Find your favourite and serve it with this classic Cape…
Shakshuka with Brinjals
If you made the melanzane this weekend and have leftover brinjal, this is an excellent Sunday morning breakfast to make. One of my favourite things about the weekend is that breakfasts don’t need to be rushed. There’s plenty of time to cook, eat at one’s own pace and even wait to feel hungry before eating…
Ranch Salad
Here is the perfect salad for your weekend braai. When you picture a Ranch salad, the ingredients may vary a bit, because really, anything goes. You can probably bank on some corn, bacon and croutons being in the recipe, but what it really should come down to is the dressing. A few years ago, my…
Cheffy Mom 