Winter Warmers

COCONUT ROASTED CHICKEN

Time: 1 hr 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 whole free-range chicken
• 400ml coconut milk
• 400ml chicken stock
• 1 knob fresh ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 whole red chillies, slightly crushed
• 3 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 stick lemongrass, bruised
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
• Fry the chicken off with some olive oil (breast side down) in the pot to get a nice golden skin colour.
• Add coconut milk and stock to the pot on medium-high heat, then add ginger, garlic, chillies, lime leaves and lemongrass and bring to the boil.
• Place the pot in the oven with lid off, cooking for around 45 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken).
• Remove the chicken from the broth and let rest for five minutes.
• Skim excess fat off the top of the broth, then add lime juice, sugar and fish sauce and stir until sugar has dissolved.
• Chop chicken into pieces and serve in a bowl over rice, pour on coconut broth and garnish with fresh mint and chillies.

ZESTY BEEF PIE

Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4 pies

Ingredients:

• 700g chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes
• 3 tbsp olive oil, for cooking
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 sprig rosemary, finely diced
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups of beef stock
• Dash of red wine
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
• Season the flour with salt and pepper, then toss the meat in the flour and shake off any excess.
• In a large frying pan, seal the meat in olive oil over high heat until browned. Set aside.
• Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the frying pan and sautée carrots, garlic, rosemary and orange zest on low for two minutes.
• Return beef to the pan, add beef stock and red wine; simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. Take the lid off and cook for a further hour.
• Divide the mixture equally between four ramekins.
• Cut pastry into quarters and place a quarter on top of each of the ramekins and brush pastry with beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and serve with a side salad.

BANANA BREAD

Time: 1 hr 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 110g caster sugar
• 110g brown sugar
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 2 free range eggs
• 1 cup mashed, ripe banana (approx. 2 large bananas)
• 225g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• 100ml buttermilk
• 1 tbsp Nutella (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).
• Grease and line the base and sides of a loaf tin.
• Beat butter with a mixer until smooth and creamy, then slowly add sugars and vanilla extract, beating for a further three to five minutes until light in colour.
• Fold in one egg at a time, then add mashed banana and mix well.
• Stir together flour, bicarb soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour in half the buttermilk, mixing well at the same time. Add the other half of buttermilk and mix to ensure a smooth consistency.
• Swirl Nutella through the batter with a knife, as an option.
• Pour into prepared tin and bake for 60 minutes.