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A fresh bake from the oven is often the ultimate comfort food, whether it’s a one-pan meal like roast chicken, or a decadent dessert like a pudding or cake. However, newbie cooks can be intimidated by managing the temperature and settings of an oven. Baking can also be seen as a troublesome activity requiring lots of cleanup: Let’s face it, none of us enjoys the chore of cleaning our oven!
The Brandt 60cm Built In Pyrolytic Oven FP1067XS takes the guesswork out of baking with its 6 Position Autoprogram function, which manages the oven’s temperature, cooking method and timing for you. Simply select your type of dish, place it in the oven as indicated, and enjoy the results! Cleanup is also made easy thanks to its pyrolytic cleaning function and self-cleaning catalytic panels, which effectively destroy grease to make your oven shine again.
Tray-Baked Chicken & Vegetables With Creamy Spinach
PREP 10 mins plus 1 hour marinating.
COOK 45 mins.
Serves 4
CHICKEN & VEG TRAYBAKE
• 8 pcs chicken thigh and drumsticks.
• 2 tbsps dried oregano.
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper.
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme.
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed.
• 1 lemon.
• 4 tbsps olive oil.
• 200 g cherry tomatoes.
• 2 zucchinis, diced.
• 1 kg Russet potatoes, cut into wedges.
• 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt & black pepper.
CREAMY SPINACH
• 500 g frozen spinach.
• 1 tbsp butter.
• 1 clove garlic, minced.
• ¼ cup shallots, chopped.
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg.
• ¼ cup cooking cream.
• Salt & black pepper.
1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Marinate chicken with oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, thyme, garlic, olice oil, salt and pepper for at least an hour in the fridge.
2. Boil potato wedges till tender, toss with cherry tomatoes, diced zucchini, olive oil, salt and pepper. Place tomatoes and potatoes on the baking tray and add marinated chicken pieces on top, skin side up.
3. Drizzle remaining marinade over chicken pieces. Bake for about 30 mins, until chicken is cooked through and skin is golden brown.
CREAMY SPINACH
1. Meanwhile, cook frozen spinach in boiling salted water for 1 min, drain and press to release as much water as possible. Finely chop and set aside.
2. In a frying pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic, cook until soft and fragrant, add spinach and stir-fry till dry.
3. Add cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook till cream is reduced by half, then serve immediately with baked chicken.
Sticky Date Pudding
PREP 20 mins plus 25 mins resting.
COOK 30 mins.
Serves 4-6
• 120 g pitted dates.
• 1 tsp baking soda.
• 55 g softened butter.
• 70 g sugar.
• 1 egg.
• 85 g plain flour.
• ¼ tsp baking powder.
• ½ tsp ground ginger.
• ¼ tsp salt Baked To Perfection.
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
• 120 g brown sugar.
• 150 g cream.
• 40 g butter.
• Vanilla seeds.
1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Boil pitted dates in water and remove from heat. Add baking soda, and let stand for 25 mins. Strain pitted dates, reserving 60 ml of water.
2. Blend water and dates together, and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt, then set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in egg until batter is uniform, scraping down the sides when necessary.
5. In a bowl, mix dates mixture and dry ingredients into butter mixture, until uniform. Pour into a prepared pan and bake until cooked through.
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
1. In a saucepan, heat all ingredients, whisking frequently. Cook on medium heat for about 5 mins, until slightly thickened.
2. Serve pudding and sauce warm.
Chef’s Tip: Try variations on this pudding by using dried apricots instead of dates, or a pinch of cloves instead of ginger. You can also add walnuts or pecans to the pudding for some extra crunch!
One-Pot Wonders
The Thermos Shuttle Chef TCRA4500 uses heat retention to keep food tasty and warm without having to use your stove for long periods of time, helping you save gas and electricity. Its portable handle also means you can take it outdoors, to potlucks and picnics!
Minced Meat Macaroni
Serves 4
• 450 g minced meat of choice.
• 2 cups elbow macaroni, 2 cups.
• 1 onion.
• 2 tomatoes, cubed.
• 2 tbsps soy sauce.
1. Fill your Thermos ® Shuttle Chef inner pot with water. ®
2. Bring elbow macaroni to boil, close inner pot lid and place inner pot into the Shuttle Chef outer pot. Let it sit for 7 to 9 mins.
3. In the meantime, wash and cut tomatoes into small cubes and dice onions.
4. Drain water from inner pot, and set elbow macaroni aside. In the inner pot, stir fry onions slightly and add minced meat. Stir well and add cubed tomatoes and elbow macaroni. Season with soy sauce.
5. Bring to the boil for 5 mins, cover inner pot with lid and insert into the Shuttle Chef ® ® outer pot. Let it sit for 20 mins before serving.
Cheesy Fish Porridge
1. Wash and cut salmon into bite-sized pieces.
2. Peel ginger and juice it. Mix ginger juice with salt and marinate the salmon for 5 mins.
3. In the meantime, peel and mince carrot into tiny pieces, and cut mushrooms into bite-size cubes.
4. Rinse rice thoroughly and drain water. Heat and boil rice with water in the Thermos Shuttle Chef inner pot for 5 mins. Add salmon, carrots and mushrooms.
5. Stir well, and boil for another 5 mins. Once boiling, cover inner pot with lid and insert into the Shuttle Chef ® outer pot. Let it sit for 1 hour. 6. Add in cheese salt and mix well before serving.
Quickie Comfort Food
Strapped for time to prep dinner? It can be tough to make healthy, delicious food for the family, especially since dishes like soups and stews are often time-consuming to prepare. Between spending hours at work and needing to spend quality time with your husband and kids, the last thing we want is to wait hours to whip up a good, hearty meal.
Save precious time in the kitchen with the WMF NATURamic Pressure Cooker, which reduces cooking time by up to 70 per cent. Made with high-tech ceramic with a steel core, it cooks food faster using less liquid to make yummy meals. Shorter cooking time means vitamins and minerals are preserved, making it healthier for you and your family. It’s also a breeze to use and clean, with a one-touch dial system and easilydetachable handle. Cooking was never this easy!
Truffle Infused Mushroom Soup
FOR GARNISH
• Truffle oil.
1. In a heated WMF NATURamic Pressure Cooker, saute onions with butter until flavours are released.
2. Add mushrooms to cooker, followed by chicken stock, salt and pepper.
3. Secure the pressure cooker according to instructions, and leave to cook for about 5 to 10 mins until mushrooms are soft.
4. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture.
5. Finish by adding cream, stirring until you get the desired consistency. Garnish with a drizzle of truffle oil.
TIP: Make a vegetarian version of this soup by substituting vegetable stock for chicken stock, using a mix of veggies like carrots, onions, celery and herbs. Simply chop them up, cover with water, and simmer them in your WMF NATURamic Pressure Cooker for at least 20 mins.
Abalone Porridge
FOR GARNISH
• Spring onions.
• Cilantro.
• Sesame oil.
1. In a WMF NATURamic Pressure Cooker, saute garlic and ginger with oil, until flavour is released.
2. Add the rice and stir for 1 min, until rice turns a little translucent.
3. Add remaining ingredients, and give a final stir. Cover and bring to a boil. Remember not to exceed the indicated maximum water level.
4. Cook until desired consistency. Garnish with spring onions, cilantro and sesame oil, and serve hot.
Chef’s Tip: To give abalone a softer texture and more intense flavour, remove the label from the can, bring to the boil and simmer for about an hour in your WMF NATURamic Pressure Cooker before cooking. (This process usually takes up to three hours when boiling in a standard pot.) Reserve the broth from the can to add to your porridge, for extra flavour.
