Women’s Day: surprise her with these full-proof GIFS recipes!
As SA honours its phenomenal women over the upcoming Women’s Day long weekend, we’ve asked some of the guys here at GIFS to share their favourite, works-beautifully-every-time, anyone-can-do-it recipes – so you can show the special woman/women in your life – your mum, sister, aunt, gran, significant other – how much you appreciate them!
Kershen’s Roast Chicken
You’ll need:
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon of any dry rub in chicken marinate or spice (I prefer turmeric powder as it’s a natural anti-inflammatory and a great anti-oxidant!)
- Organic sea salt
- Black Pepper
- 1 whole garlic
- Thyme
- 1 large Lemon
- ¼ cup of Salted butter
- Paper towel
- 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic
Method:
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
- Remove chicken from packaging and rinse. Ensure that the chicken cavity is empty.
- Use a paper towel to dry the chicken.
- Rub chicken generously with turmeric powder or dry rub of your choice, and then with the ginger and garlic.
- Then rub in the salted butter (Round 1).
- Generously season the outside and the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper, and season with thyme.
- Place 4,2 cm cubes of butter inside the chicken together with 4 cloves of cleaned garlic and 4 stems of thyme.
- Scour a large lemon and insert into the chicken.
- Put chicken into the oven on a roasting tray for 45 mins
- After 45 mins, baste the chicken with the leftover salted butter (Round 2), and season with a little more salt and pepper.
- Roast for a further 45 mins.
- Remove chicken, cover with foil and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve your roast with a simple Greek salad and your favourite wine as a light meal, or with your favourite starch for a heartier meal.
- Leftovers make for a great cold chicken salad or the family favourite: toasted chicken and mayo sarmies.
Brendan’s Beef Strogonoff
You’ll need:
- 1 large onion
- 2 ½ teaspoons of crushed garlic
- 1 large green pepper
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 packet of sliced mushrooms
- 1 packet of tenderized steak
- 1 tablespoon of paprika
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dry/fresh thyme
- 100ml Sherry
- 250ml cup of fresh cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Fry onions with garlic on a low heat until golden brown.
- Add sliced green and red peppers and fry until soft.
- Add bay leaves, dried/fresh thyme and sliced beef. Allow to cook until meat has browned.
- Add paprika and sherry. Cook for a further 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
- Put a teaspoon of brown sugar and stir for a while.
- Remove from stove until it cools down.
- Add the fresh cream and stir well.
- Close the lid and wait for 10 minutes to settle.
- Serve with any type of rice.
Brendan’s Turmeric Chicken
You’ll need:
- 1 large onion
- 2 ½ teaspoon of crushed garlic
- 6 peppadews (from jar)
- 4 pieces of chicken breast
- 1 ½ tablespoons turmeric
- 1 ½ tablespoons of chutney
- 1 can of beer
- 1 tablespoon dried/fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Fry onions with garlic on a low heat until golden brown.
- Add chopped chicken breast and cook until golden brown.
- Add turmeric evenly until chicken is covered. Add thyme. Allow to cook for 10 minutes.
- Add beer and allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add peppadews and cook until soft.
- Add chutney and salt and pepper as desired. Allow to simmer for a further 25 minutes.
- Can be served with Couscous, Basmati rice or normal rice.
Brendan’s Lamb Bunny Chow
You’ll need:
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon crushed ginger
- 2 ½ teaspoons quality curry powder (preferably from Durban)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 kg lamb pieces
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tin butter beans
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 tablespoons of crushed chillies
- 2 finely chopped tomatoes
- 5 white potatoes quartered
- Fresh coriander (optional)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 large sticks of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of garam masala
- 1 fresh full loaf white bread not sliced
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Fry onions on a low heat until golden brown.
- Add curry leaves, chillies, turmeric, ginger, fennel seeds, cinnamon, garam masala and garlic.
- Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add lamb and salt. Stir until lamb is mixed with ingredients.
- Cover and simmer on a medium heat for 20 minutes.
- Stir occasionally until lamb is braised.
- Add potatoes and water when needed, be careful not to put too much.
- When potatoes are half-cooked, add chopped tomatoes, butter beans and coriander and stir until mixed well.
- Allow to simmer until potatoes, butter beans and lamb are soft.
- Cut bread into desired quantities and remove the middle.
- Add lamb curry to bread and sprinkle chillies and fresh coriander on top as desired.
Rhyan’s Nachos
You’ll need:
- 150 g Dorito Chips
- 300 g lean minced beef
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 Ripe avacado pear (cut into small blocks) or guacamole
- 1/2 can tomato puree
- 1 cup Gouda cheese, grated
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- Sour cream (as a dip)
- 3 diced chillies (optional)
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 200 deg C – spray a cast iron ovenproof pan with cooking oil
- Layer the Doritos in the bottom of the pan – set aside
- Cook the Ground Beef until done – season with Salt and Pepper – add the can of Tomato Puree – let cook for 2 minutes – spoon the meat mixture on top of the Nachos/Doritos.
- Sprinkle both cheeses over.
- Transfer the ovenproof pan to the oven for about 10 minutes – until the cheese has melted to your liking.
- Remove from the oven – top with the Guacamole or Avocado pear – sprinkle the tomato and onion over
Note: You can substitute beef mince with any type of mince, soya product, or even a spicy tomato chutney. If you’re in a rush, leave out the mince/chutney completely.
ENJOY!!!
It’s a wrap by Stan!
Step 1:
Steam drumsticks for 10 mins with bit of turmeric, garlic and salt. Then remove and drain water.
Step 2:
Marinate drumsticks in a large bowl with orange juice (3 tablespoons), jeera powder, dhania powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, rosemary , thyme and mint.
Step 3:
Then wrap the chicken drumsticks into puff pastry and bake/grill in oven until the puff pastry becomes golden brown.
Serve with potato wedges and Salsa.
Reuben’s Coconut Malva
For the malva cake, you’ll need:
- 380 g soft butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 10 ml vanilla essence
- 7 large eggs
- 2 cups cake flour
- 30 ml Baking powder
- 4 cups desiccated coconut
- 2 cups full cream milk
You’ll need this for the coconut syrup:
- 5 cups sugar
- 5 cups water
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 5 ml vanilla essence
- 120 g butter
And this for the cream topping:
- 2 cans of dessert cream
- 20% of the coconut syrup
Method (Malva Cake):
- Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla essence and eggs and beat well.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour and mix in the baking powder and desiccated coconut.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mix, alternating with the milk to prevent the mixture from getting too thick.
- Scoop the batter into a baking dish and bake for 55-60 min.
- Whilst still in the baking dish, score the cake into desired sizes – this will allow the syrup to incorporate.
Method (Coconut Syrup):
- Dissolve the water and sugar in a pot and place on a hot stove
- Add the coconut milk, vanilla essence and butter
- Bring to a boil until a thin syrup coats the back of a spoon
- Pour 80% of the hot syrup over the cake
Method (Cream Topping):
- In a separate bowl, mix the dessert cream and 20% of the cooled syrup
- Pour onto the coconut malva with each serving
Corne’s Sticky Toffee Dessert
You’ll need:
- 190 g plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 120 g soft brown sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 120 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Toffee sauce:
- 120 g butter or margarine
- 200g soft brown sugar
- 250 ml double cream
Method:
- Pre heat oven to 170 degrees
- In a large bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder. Add the sugar and mix well.
- In another bowl, add the milk, eggs, vanilla essence and melted butter. Whisk together until frothy foam forms on top.
- Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix together until smooth.
- Pour into greased baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake is firm on top, start checking after 20 min.
- For the sauce, add the butter, sugar and cream into a large saucepan and simmer over medium-high heat until sauce is smooth and dark brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 min before serving with pudding.
Corne’s secret ingredient: Cut Wilson’s Cream Caramels into little pieces and add to the flour mix just before you put it into the oven!!!
Enjoy!
So, now you can spoil your special woman/women with a delicious homemade lunch or dinner. Or, since it’s a long weekend, you can do both – two or three times over! We’d love to know how you fared – tag us with your pics @GIFSSouthAfrica & @gifs_sa so we can celebrate with you!
#GIFSCares
3 August 2020