Sticky Chicken Wings

Sticky Chicken Wings

An essential at any braai and a promising start to your outdoor Christmas feast, this sticky chicken wing recipe is simply out of this world. A lip-smacking peach chutney dipping sauce brings a lovely sweetness to the meat and the grilled peach halves make for an ideal accompaniment too. These braai very quickly so be sure to keep an eye out and baste regularly to prevent any dryness. Serve with peach halves and scatter some sliced red and green peppers over the wings to add a bit of festive cheer to the table.

Serves: 6-12 as a starter (2-4 portions per person)

Ingredients:

Sticky baste:

½ cup sweet chilli chutney
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ of tinned peach halves’ syrup

Chicken wings and spices:

12 (1 kg) chicken wings
3 tsp. chicken spice
4 tsp. canola oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Peach chutney dipping sauce:

3 tsp. canola or olive oil
½ red pepper, finely chopped
½ green pepper, finely chopped
410 g tin halved peaches, drained with syrup reserved
1 cup peach chutney

Method

Sticky baste:

1. In a small pot, combine balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and ¼ of the tinned peaches’ reserved syrup (see dipping sauce ingredients).
2. Reduce over stove until it has reached a thick, sticky consistency.
3. Add sweet chilli chutney.
4. Remove from heat.

Chicken wings:

1. Place 1 sheet of heavy tin foil on a braai grid over medium heated coals.
2. Mix chicken spice and canola oil together.
3. Coat chicken wings with spice mix.
4. Brush one coat of sticky baste reduction over chicken wings.
5. Place chicken wings onto the braai grid, ensuring that they receive indirect heat (in other words, the heat should not be directly under the wings).
6. Turn frequently and keep on brushing both sides of the chicken wings.
7. Braai for about 25-30 minutes.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Peach chutney dipping sauce:

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a pan.
2. Fry half of red and green peppers for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Chop half of the tinned peaches finely. Mix with peppers and add peach chutney.
4. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper.
5. Cook for 2 minutes and take off heat.
6. Heat 1 teaspoon of canola oil on a griddle pan and grill the rest of the peach halves.
7. Serve with chicken wings.

Tips and variations:

1. Chicken wings can be pre-cooked in oven at 180°C for 40 minutes before braaiing with sticky sauce.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Homemade Chips and Dip

Homemade Chips and Dip

Tossed with coarse salt and strung along a skewer, these golden-fried potato chips are a terrific braai snack to enjoy around the fire – perfect if you’re looking for outdoor Christmas food ideas. And, trust us, you’ll rarely see guests’ faces light up as much as the moment they get their first taste of the to-die-for homemade dip. Tasty, quick and easy, this recipe is almost too good to be true.

Serves: 8 as starter or side

Ingredients

Potato chips:

4-5 large potatoes
Canola oil, for deep frying
Salt and pepper

Dipping sauce:

180 g tub smooth cottage cheese
38 g packet Ritebrand onion soup
1 cup Ritebrand mayonnaise
¼ cup sweet chili sauce
1 small freshly chopped chili, pips removed

Method

Potato chips:

1. Pre-boil potatoes until they have a medium consistency (test with bamboo skewer).
2. Remove from warm water immediately when done.
3. Slice potatoes.
4. Preheat oil on stovetop to a very high heat. Make sure you use enough oil to cover the potato slices.
5. Fry potatoes until crisp.
6. Remove and dry on paper towel.
7. Toss with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve hot or cold, they will be delicious either way.

Dipping sauce:

1. Mix all the ingredients together until the onion soup powder is more or less smooth. It will still have some crunchy pieces.
2. Serve potato chips hot or cold, they will be delicious.

Tips and variations:

1. Serve fried potato slices on bamboo stick.
2. Use paper serviettes instead of paper towels.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Stuffed Butternut

Stuffed Butternut

You’ll get two side dishes in one with this bright and beautiful butternut recipe. After being dusted with its favourite spice, cinnamon, the butternut is baked to become a wonderful and aromatic base for its fragrant stuffing. Seeing as it’s one of the easiest traditional South African recipes, we’ve used a yellow rice and raisin filling as a simple way to add local flair to your Christmas meal. Feel free to serve with basil leaves for extra colour.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

4 medium-sized butternuts
1 cup white or basmati rice
125 g dried saltanas
1 chopped white onion
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 tbsp. margarine
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. turmeric
Salt and pepper
½ green pepper
½ red pepper

Method

1. Cut butternut in half.
2. Remove the pips but not the skins.
3. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
4. Put a knob of margarine in each half.
5. Cover butternut with foil.
6. Place in preheated oven of 180°C and bake for about 40 minutes until soft.
7. Cook cup of rice as per packet instructions.
8. Drain rice and add sugar, turmeric, salt and saltanas.
9. In a pan, fry onions, red and green peppers.
10. Add cooked rice to pan ingredients.
11. Remove baked butternut from oven.
12. Scoop out a small amount of butternut and add to pan mixture.
13. Drizzle canola oil or olive oil over butternut.
14. Add salt and pepper according to taste.
15. Wrap each butternut in foil. Place on an outside braai for a further 10-15 minutes.
16. Fill butternut halves with rice mixture and serve.

Tips and variations:

1. Turn into a main meal by scooping out more butternut and adding bacon bits or shredded chicken to the filling.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Paptert

Paptert

This paptert recipe is a classic South African favourite served in style. We specifically used braai pap because it's slightly coarser, which brings a lovely crumble to the dish. Layers upon layers of taste and texture, this paptert can easily be served as an all-in-one side and even works incredibly well on its own. Although you can use any shape of dish you want to, a rounded version definitely has a certain charm to it - this will become especially apparent once you start serving those delicious, steaming, savoury slices.

Serves: 8-10 as a side dish

Ingredients

4-5 cups braai pap or maize, ready-prepared
250 g bacon bits
Margarine, for frying bacon
1 tbsp. sweet chilli sauce
415 g cream-style sweetcorn
400 g tinned whole peeled tomatoes
250 g mixed frozen veg
1 cup Orley Whip
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
4-5 Rosa or vine tomatoes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Fry bacon bits in margarine and sweet chilli sauce.
3. Line a round 22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with non-stick cooking spray or margarine.
4. Layer ingredients in the pan as follows:
- First layer: pap
- Second layer: bacon bits
- Third layer: creamy sweetcorn and ½ cup of cheddar cheese
- Fourth layer: pap
- Fifth layer: whole peeled tomatoes
- Sixth layer: mixed frozen vegetables
- Seventh layer: pap
5. Pour cream over the paptert.
6. Cover pan with heavy-duty foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and top with ½ a cup of grated cheddar.
8. Cool down for 5 minutes.
9. Release loose-bottomed cake tin.
10. Garnish with grilled Rosa or vine tomatoes.
11. Cut the paptert and enjoy.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Tin-can Chicken

Tin-can Chicken

It might look a little odd at first, but this whole chicken recipe’s fun cooking method is very effective and a definite conversation starter at your Christmas braai. Although we used a can of Coke, it can easily be made with beer instead. Either way, you’ll end up with juicy, tender meat thanks to liquid steaming the chicken from the inside. Other than the drink, the recipe calls for little more than spice rub both on the inside and outside of the bird before you prop it onto the can.

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

1.5 kg whole chicken
¼ cup chicken spice
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt and pepper
3 tsp. canola oil or olive oil
330 ml can Coca-Cola

Method:

1. Mix the spices in the canola oil.
2. Rub over the chicken.
3. Open your Coke tin and place it on a solid surface on the braai.
4. Take the chicken by the leg and place it on the open coke tin in an upright position.
5. Place the chicken on the fire over medium, indirect heat.
6. Cover the chicken with the braai lid. If your braai doesn’t have a lid, improvise by placing a pot over the chicken.
7. Let the chicken rest before carving.

Tips and variations:

1. Coke can be replaced with a beer can.
2. This can also be done in an oven at 180°C for 1 hour 45 minutes.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Sticky Iron Brew Ribs

Sticky Iron Brew Ribs

Sweet, sticky, juicy ribs – no outdoor Christmas celebration would be complete without them. We added Iron Brew to the marinade recipe here and it definitely lends a gorgeous but subtle fruity flavour to the mix. A really good tip to keep in mind is to let the ribs marinade in the fridge overnight. That way, the meat will start absorbing the flavours well in advance. And remember, the more layers of baste you add as you braai, the stickier the ribs will get.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1.5 kg lamb spare ribs (can also use pork or beef)
1 tsp. lamb and steak spice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup Iron Brew cold drink
¼ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup chutney
¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Pour Iron Brew into a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add balsamic vinegar and reduce until thickened to a sticky baste.
3. Add chutney and tomato sauce.
4. Reduce further to a sticky baste.
5. Rub ribs with lamb spice and black pepper.
6. Place a single sheet of heavy-duty tin foil on a braai with hot coals.
7. Baste sticky sauce over ribs and place on braai.
8. Keep on basting ribs and turn until nearly cooked after approximately 30 minutes.
9. Remove from fire and cut into strips.
10. Place strips back onto the braai (onto sides) and keep on basting.
11. Add salt to taste.

Tip and variations:

1. Precook ribs in oven of 180°C for an hour before placing on braai.
2. Replace Iron Brew with Coke.
3. Be sure to braai the ribs over medium coals and keep basting the meat as you braai. If you put too much marinade on in the beginning you could end up burning the outer layer of the meat.


Recipe supplied Kanaän Produce of Promise

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Ice Cream Sandwiches

It’s amazing how easily some biscuits and a tub of ice cream can be transformed into both an extraordinary Christmas dessert and a great way of spending time with the kids. Fun and colourful, these ice cream sandwiches can be made using any or all of your favourite biscuits. Just hand everyone a spoon and let them build their own yummy towers, then finish the creations off with a swirl of decadent chocolate sauce.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Box of Shoprite Checkers Select Christmas cookies
200 g peanut brittle
110 g (2 x 55 g) Black Cat Peanut Butter Chocolates
2 L vanilla ice-cream
150 g dark chocolate slab
1 cup Orley Whip or fresh cream

Method

1. Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to defrost slightly.
2. Place peanut brittle in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush it into smaller pieces.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut the Black Cat Peanut Butter Chocolates into smaller pieces.
4. Mix above into the ice cream and refreeze.
5. Use any cookies and build ice-cream sandwiches.
6. Serve immediately.

Sauce:

1. Melt chocolate slab and Orley Whip or cream over a pot of boiling water.
2. Reduce until sauce has medium consistency.
3. Serve over ice-cream sandwiches.

Tips and variations:

1. For the sauce, fresh cream or Orley whip can be replaced by ¼ cup of Old Brown Sherry or chocolate flavoured liqueur.
2. You can add chopped cherries, marshmallows or any other chocolate to your ice-cream mixture.
3. Use BarOne instead of chocolate slab.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Banana Boats

Banana Boats

Perfect for a summer’s day braai, this easy dessert is a fabulous one for the whole family. The bananas’ marshmallow fillings will melt to a yummy, gooey consistency, made all the better with the swirls of chocolate. Make this an after-lunch activity with the kids and let everyone fill up and decorate their own bananas. Sprinkle colourful sweets over these Christmas braai treats as a finale and tuck in.

Serves: 8 - 10

Ingredients:

8-10 bananas
110 g (2 x 55 g) BarOnes, sliced
50 g chocolate chips
5 marshmallows per banana

Method:

1. Place a sheet of foil on grid.
2. Place each banana on a piece of heavy-duty foil.
3. Slice down the center.
4. Pack full of marshmallows, chocolate chips and BarOne slices.
5. Wrap the tin foil around the stuffed banana.
6. Place it on coals of a campfire or braai for 15 minutes - checking it quite frequently.
7. Remove from fire, grab a spoon and enjoy.

Tips and variations:

1. Substitute chocolate chips with any chocolate sweets chopped into pieces.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Pavlova

Pavlova

Far from your ordinary pavlova recipe, this stunning dessert is exactly what you need if you want to finish your Christmas meal with something sensational. Large, golden homemade meringues are a treat in themselves but, sandwiched with a nutty crunch filling, they’re simply irresistible. There’s no doubt that you’ll make jaws drop and mouths water with this one.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

8 large egg whites
2 cups caster sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. (heaped) crunchy peanut butter per meringue
1 cup Orley Whip or cream
Fresh strawberries or fruit in season

Method

Meringues:

1. Preheat oven to 120°C.
2. Whisk eggs (using electric mixer if possible).
3. Slowly add caster sugar spoon by spoon, along with cream of tartar.
4. Whisk until egg whites are firm but not dry.
5. Place baking paper on a large oven tray.
6. Divide meringue mixture into 8 portions and spread onto baking paper.
7. Bake in oven for 2 hours turn down to 100°C.
8. Remove and allow to cool down.

Topping:

1. Whisk Orley Whip or cream until firm.
2. Scoop crunchy peanut butter and cream on top of the meringues.
3. Layer with freshly cut strawberries or fruit in season.

Tips and variations:

1. Meringues can be made up to a month in advance if kept in an airtight container.
2. Meringues can also be used in a trifle or in a quick dessert alongside marshmallows and cream (called Eton mess).
3. Use caramel instead of peanut butter for the filling.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Festive Lamingtons

Festive Lamingtons

This special festive lamington recipe is one of the easiest ways to do Christmas baking like a pro. Although we made cake batter from scratch, feel free to buy ready-made plain sponge cake and use that instead. If you don’t have festive-shaped cookie cutters, you can always create your shapes using a knife or simply serve the lamingtons as squares. Colourful, heavenly, melt-in-mouth goodness - it can’t get any better.

Makes: 25

Ingredients

Cake:

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1½ cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup full cream milk
Pinch of salt

Sauce:

6 tbsp. cocoa powder
1½ cups water
2 cups sugar
5 tbsp. margarine
2 cups coconut

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Mix butter and sugar to a creamy consistency.
3. Add eggs one by one and keep on mixing.
4. Sift all the dry ingredients.
5. Add to butter and sugar mixture along with milk.
7. Line a 22 cm x 22 cm pan with non-stick spray or margarine.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
10. Cut into approximately 25 square blocks.
11. Melt all sauce ingredients together in a pot except for the coconut. Boil on stovetop for 2 - 3 minutes.
12. In separate bowls, colour one cup of coconut with crimson red food colouring and the other cup with yellow food colouring.
13. Dip cake squares in chocolate sauce.
14. Remove and roll in coconut.

Tips and variations:

1. Use Christmas-shaped cookie cutters instead of cutting cake into squares.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Sweet and Sour Tongue

Sweet and Sour Tongue

With a careful selection of all the right seasoning and fruity flavours, this exquisite dish is always a favourite for the festive table. The secret to this tongue recipe is to cook the meat slowly and to make sure that the meat remains submerged in water so that it cooks through. It’s delicious with rice and can be served with a variety of hot or cold salads and vegetables. We created homemade pickles to serve alongside the tongue dish, but you can also buy ready-made ones from Shoprite.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Tongue:

1.5 kg pickled tongue
2 onions
2 large celery sticks
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 chicken stock cubes, dissolved

Sauce:

2 cups dried apricots, boiled until soft
3 cups tongue stock
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup raisins or sultanas
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. Maizena
1 tsp. English mustard
2 tbsp. cold water

Method

Tongue:

1. Chop onion, celery, carrots and dissolved chicken stock. Place in large pot on stovetop.
2. Place tongue on top of vegetables in the pot.
3. Cook slowly on low heat for 6 hours until soft.
4. Keep on adding water until cooked.
5. Remove from pot, allow to cool and remove skin from tongue.
6. Slice thinly.

Sauce:

1. Strain the stock that was used to cook the tongue.
2. Heat 3 cups of the strained tongue stock in a pot.
5. Add apricots, sultanas, brown sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.
6. Mix Maizena and English mustard together in cold water.
7. Add to stovetop mixture.
8. Cook sauce for another 2-3 minutes until Maizena is cooked.

To serve:

1. Layer tongue on one half of a flat meat dish.
2. Place rocket leaves with olive oil, salt, pepper and two wheels of crumbed feta cheese on the other half of the dish.


Pickles:

1. Buy Robertson pickled mix and add grape, apple, brown or white wine vinegar according to recipe. Pour pickle mix into jars and add vegetables. Otherwise, simply buy ready-made pickles from Shoprite.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Pilchard Pâté Pinwheel Sushi

Pilchard Pâté Pinwheel Sushi

This pilchard pâté pinwheel recipe shows you a simple way of preparing lovely gourmet-looking bites that are perfect as festive starters. Best of all, you don’t even have to prepare dough from scratch - the clever use of white bread will have you looking like a pro in no time. Sprinkle some chopped chillies over the rounds for a dash of colour and a bit of bite.

Serves: 12 people as a starter

Ingredients

400 g tin pilchards in tomato sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 small red chili
1 loaf of white bread
2 large eggs
¼ cup of milk
Canola oil, for frying
Parsley or chives, to garnish
1 small red chilli, to garnish

Method

1. Mix pilchards, mayonnaise, chillies, a pinch of salt and pepper together.
2. Take one loaf of white bread and cut off the crust.
3. Roll each slice until thin – the bread must not be able to break when rolled.
4. Spread pilchard mix thinly onto each slice.
5. Roll each slice like a pin.
6. Cut roll into 4 smaller pieces.
7. Whisk eggs and milk together.
8. Dip each roll in the egg and milk mixture.
9. Heat Canola oil in pan and turn down to medium heat.
10. Fry both sides of each roll in the pan.
11. Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley or chives.
12. Add another finely chopped small red chili.
13. Serve as a sushi starter.

Tips and variations:

1. Serve as a starter on a bamboo skewer or with chopsticks as “sushi”.
2. Serve with soya sauce and a pinch of wasabi.
3. The cut off crust can be cut into small cubes, fried and served as croutons in any salad.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Sweetcorn and Spinach Bake

Sweetcorn and Spinach Bake

A few shortcuts and ready-made ingredients make this one of the easiest side dish recipes you’ll ever have the pleasure of preparing. Not only are the corn and spinach flavours intertwined excellently, but every bite is a stunning exploration of textures. Feel free to serve this in one large dish or a couple of smaller ones, the gorgeous colours will prove to be the perfect addition to your Christmas table either way.

Serves: 8 as a side

Ingredients

1 packet of Smash
415 g tin creamed sweetcorn
4 large spinach leaves
6 eggs
¼ cup cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup cornflakes
2 cobs sweetcorn for garnish (optional)
1 tbsp. English mustard
1 cup fresh cream or Orley Whip

Method

1. Prepare Smash as per packet instructions.
2. Chop spinach finely.
3. Whisk eggs and add English mustard.
4. Mix the eggs, Orley Whip and baking powder together.
5. Add the Smash mix.
6. Add the finely chopped spinach and cornflakes.
7. Pour into an oven dish.
8. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes in an oven preheated to 160°C.

Tips and variations:

1. Turn the dish into a main meal by adding 2 wheels of crumbed feta cheese and/or pan-fried bacon bits.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Beetroot and Bacon Baskets

Beetroot and Bacon Baskets

Between the bacon baskets and flavoursome red onion garnish, this beetroot recipe will let you discover a world of flavour that fits in the palm of your hand. We used an upside down muffin pan as a simple, yet ingenious way to create mini bacon baskets that are sure to impress. Needless to say, you’ll definitely be adding some festive charm to the table when you add these striking, deep red creations to your Christmas menu.

Serves: 8 as a side dish

Ingredients

8 small baby beetroots or 4 medium-sized beetroots
1 white onion
1 red onion
1 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. margarine
Salt and black pepper
1 cup Orley Whip
2 tsp. lemon juice
100 g (1 wheel) feta cheese

Method

1. Boil beetroot with one teaspoon of salt until cooked, but firm. Strain and leave to cool.
2. Turn muffin pan upside down. Line bottom of pan with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Layer individual pieces of streaky bacon onto the upside-down muffin pan in crisscross pattern to create cups (3 packets of bacon will make 8).
4. Place bacon in a cold oven, then turn the oven onto grill (starting in a cold oven is the most effective method to follow for crispy bacon).
5. After 10 minutes, keep a watchful eye and grill bacon until crisp. Remove from oven immediately once crisp.
6. Remove basket from muffin pan gently.
7. Fry the onions in a pan with a teaspoon of canola oil and margarine.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Whisk fresh cream or Orley Whip with lemon juice to make a sour cream.
10. Place onions in the bottom of baskets.
11. Top with a baby beetroot or beetroot chopped into chunks.
12. Garnish with crumbed feta cheese, black pepper a dollop of sour cream.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Pineapple Mousse

Pineapple Mousse

With marshmallows providing a wonderful shortcut to a delectably light mousse, this easy, flavoursome Christmas dessert is an entertainer’s dream. Here, the soft and creamy dessert is served with grilled pineapple pieces for a bit of flair. Scooped into pineapple halves and given a festive garnish, the mousse becomes a tropical delight that will be served (and received) with a sweet smile.

Serves: 8 - 10

Ingredients

227 g tin crushed pineapple, drained
250 ml (1 cup) Orley whip
400 g packet marshmallows
2 tbsp. pineapple jelly powder
4 large pineapples, to serve
4 red cherries for garnish (optional)

Method

1. On a stovetop, melt marshmallows in pot over another pot of boiling water (use the double-boiler method).
2. Add crushed pineapple.
3. Whisk Orley Whip and jelly powder. Slowly add to marshmallow mix and fold in gently.
4. Remove mixture from heat, pour into a container and set in fridge for about 30 minutes.
5. Cut open 4 large pineapples.
6. Remove flesh, cut into pieces and sprinkle with brown sugar.
7. Grill in griddle pan or place under grill in oven.
8. Fill pineapples with mousse and garnish with grilled pineapples, chopped marshmallows and cherries (optional).

Tips and variations:

1. Mousse can also set in muffin pans or jelly moulds.
2. Add cayenne pepper to the fresh pineapple for a bit of bite.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Christmas Cookies

Christmas Cookies

A classic Christmas baking essential, these scrumptious cookies are perfect if you’re looking for a fun way to spend quality time with the little ones. Not only are these incredibly easy to make, but few things will get everyone into the holiday spirit better than decorating their very own festive treats. The list of shapes you can create is virtually endless so, if you want something extra special for your Christmas tree, why not string a ribbon through the biscuits and make decorations out of them?

Ingredients

Biscuits:

1 cup margarine
1½ cups sugar
5 large eggs
6 cups cake flour
3 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. Allspice

Topping

¼ cup milk
2 tsp. sugar
1 large egg, whisked

Method

1. Cream sugar and margarine together. Add eggs.
2. Sift cake flour, baking powder, Allspice and salt.
3. Mix the dry ingredients with the egg mixture until a soft dough is formed. Cover with cling wrap, place in fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C.
5. Line baking trays with non-stick cooking spray or margarine.
6. Sprinkle cake flour onto your work surface.
7. Break dough into smaller pieces and roll out with cake roller.
8. Use Christmas-shaped cookie cutters no larger than 5 cm in diameter to create different shapes.
9. Place shapes onto baking trays, leaving spaces in-between.
10. Make the topping by mixing eggs and milk. Use it to paint the dough shapes lightly, then sprinkle sugar over the dough.
11. Bake for 8-10 minutes on the middle tray of your oven, or until cookies are light golden in colour.
12. Allow cookies to cool down.
13. Transfer to a cooling-rack to cool down completely.
14. Store in an airtight container.

Tips and variations:

1. If you want to use the cookies as Christmas tree decorations, use a bamboo skewer to create a hole in the dough shapes before you bake them. Once they’ve cooled completely, simply tie ribbons through the holes. Try this with star, angel and heart shapes.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Orange Amasi Tarts

Orange Amasi Tarts

These are simply scrumptious and unbelievably cost-effective. You’ll be smitten from the first moment you sink your teeth in and taste that slightly salty crust along with the sweet, soft jelly and Amasi filling. Feel free to use lemon jelly powder instead of orange, this will give the tarts a flavour that’s slightly more similar to a cheesecake. We’ve topped the tarts with cream and a touch of lemon zest as this not only looks gorgeous, but rounds off the flavours perfectly. You can even add a cherry to make it look more festive.

Makes: 4 small 10cm tarts

Ingredients

1 packet (80 g) of Shoprite Ritebrand orange jelly
225 ml boiling water
12 Tennis Biscuits (4 biscuits per 10 cm tart)
1 cup Orley Whip dessert topping
110 ml of Amazi
1 cup of baking margarine
4 red cherries for garnish
4 mint leaves

Method

Crust

1. Use a rolling pin to crush Tennis biscuits.
2. Melt the margarine on stovetop.
3. Combine Tennis biscuits with melted butter.
4. Line tart tins with non-stick spray or margarine.
5. Press crust mix into the tins. Press tightly to the sides and spread evenly.
6. Leave in fridge to rest for 15 minutes.

Filling

1. Mix orange jelly powder with boiling water.
2. In a separate bowl, mix Amazi and 110ml of the Orley Whip together.
3. Add to warm jelly mixture.
4. Remove tins with crust from fridge.
5. Divide and pour mixture into the 4 tins.
6. Place in fridge to set for approximately 2 hours.
7. Loosen flan tins and place tarts on a serving plate.
8. Serve with rest of whipped Orley Whip.
9. Garnish with red cherries and mint leaves.

Tips and variations:

1. Replace cherries with strawberries.
2. Zest of one orange can be used as garnish.
3. Orange can be cut up and used with a few mint leaves, ice and a pot of tea for iced tea. Add water to taste.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Quick and Easy Christmas Trifle

Quick and Easy Christmas Trifle

One delightful layer of flavour after the other, there’s nothing like a traditional Christmas trifle. One of the best things about this dessert is that you can make it your own by changing layers to suit your taste. We’ve given this variation a generous dose of creamy caramel and divine chocolate chunks, which really sets it apart. Feel free to substitute the fruit cocktail pieces with any of your favourite fruit and, if you want to add a bit of kick to the dessert, simply drizzle sherry over the finger biscuit layer. Just don’t use too much, the biscuits are best if they’re still crisp.

Serves: 8 - 12

Ingredients

1 packet (80g) of Ritebrand red jelly
1 packet (80g) Ritebrand green jelly
2 cups custard
200 g pack of Boudoir biscuits
360 g tin caramel treat
425 g tin fruit cocktail pieces, drained
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ cup Old Brown Sherry
64 g (2 x 32 g) Flake chocolates
110 g (2 x 55 g) BarOnes, chopped
1 cup Orley Whip or 1 spray can whipped cream
Strawberries, to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Make red and green jelly in separate glass bowls as per packet instructions and set in fridge for about 2 hours.
2. Pack trifle ingredients in single layers as follows:
- First layer: Red jelly
- Second layer: Boudoir biscuits
- Third layer: Half of the caramel
- Fourth layer: Half of the fruit cocktail pieces
- Fifth layer: Half of the custard
- Sixth layer: Half of BarOne chocolate pieces
- Seventh layer: Green jelly
6. Repeat all the layers as many times as your bowl allows.
7. Top with whipped Orley Whip.
8. Garnish with crumbled Flake chocolate and a few sliced strawberries.

Tips and variations:

1. Replace tin of fruit cocktail with 4 to 6 large sliced bananas.
2. Add lemon juice to prevent bananas from turning brown.
3. Drizzle Old Brown Sherry to taste over Boudoir biscuits.
4. Replace tinned fruit with seasonal fresh fruit.
5. Any chocolate can be replaced with your favourite.
6. Prepare red jelly in your most beautiful 750 ml parfait glass bowl and layer the rest of your trifle ingredients on top of it.
7. Serve the trifle in jars.

Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Glazed Gammon

Glazed Gammon

Don’t let the thought of making Christmas roasts intimidate you. Not only is this gammon recipe easy to follow, but its unique flavour is moreish in every way. Apple cider brings a distinct sweetness without being overwhelming, allowing the pork flavours to be enhanced beautifully. Remember that this is quite a salty cut of meat so it’s best to be conservative with seasoning.

Serves: 8 – 10 (if using a 2.2 kg boneless cut)

Ingredients

2.2 kg boneless gammon
2 cups (500 ml bottle) apple cider
Water
¼ cup apricot jam
2 cubes (60 g each) chicken stock
100 g margarine
2 tsp. brown sugar

Method

1. Place gammon in a pot and fill the base with 6 cm of water.
3. Add apple cider and chicken stock cubes.
4. Simmer for approximately 2 hours 15 minutes. A good guideline to use is to simmer the meat for 55 minutes for each kilogram it weighs.
5. Melt margarine and apricot jam.
6. Remove gammon from pot and coat with apricot jam mixture.
7. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 220°C until sugar is crisp and crumbly.

Tips and variations:

1. Apricot jam can be replaced with a mixture of honey and mustard.
2. Apple cider can be replaced with beer.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise

Roast Leg of Lamb

Roast Leg of Lamb

Few things are as festive (and impressive) as a whole roast leg of lamb. Being a naturally flavoursome cut of meat, this Christmas roast won’t ask for nearly as much effort as you might think. We used the classic rosemary and lamb pairing here and made it extra special with some dates, bacon and garlic. Just keep in mind that the bacon pieces already add some saltiness to the dish, so you don’t need to go overboard when you season the meat.

Serves: 12

Ingredients

3 kg leg of lamb with shoulder attached
1 tsp. Ina Paarman Olive and Rosemary Spice OR Robertson Steak and Chops Spice
5 ml balsamic vinegar
¼ cup canola or olive oil
½ block (125 g) pitted dates
250 g bacon bits
5 heads of garlic
10 rosemary sprigs
1 large cauliflower head
1 large broccoli head
20 medium carrots
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Meat:

1. Mix oil and spices together.
2. Cut slits (1 – 5 cm deep) all over the leg of lamb, spaced 2.5 cm apart.
3. Cut dates into small pieces.
4. Clean 1 head of garlic into cloves. Cut cloves into lengthwise quarters.
5. Push dates, bacon bits and garlic into cuts. Top with smaller rosemary sprig pieces.
6. Repeat until all slits are filled.
7. Rub meat with spice mixture.
8. Place in large oven pan and cover with sheet of heavy-duty foil.
9. Place in middle of oven at 180°C and bake for 4½ - 5 hours. The inside will be a little pink and juicy.
10. Remove from oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving into thin slices. Garnish with the remaining rosemary sprigs.

Vegetables:

1. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into pieces.
2. Peel carrots keep them whole.
3. Put separately into microwave dishes and cover.
4. Cook on high for 5 minutes.
5. Add vegetables to the oven pan 15 minutes before cooking time is complete.

Tips and variations:

1. When it comes to cooking time, a good rule of thumb to use is to add 50 minutes of oven time for every 500 g of meat.


Recipe supplied by Kanaän Produce of Promise