We’re turning your fresh picks from Food Lover’s Market into kitchen magic! This recipe section is all about making the most of your fruit and veg haul – with meals that are simple, flavourful, and packed with goodness.
Fall-Off-the-Bone Oxtail Stew
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1kg Food Lover’s Beef oxtail
1 onion, finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tin (400g) chopped and peeled tomato
2L water or beef stock
200g punnet Food Lover’s white button mushrooms
4-6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
50g brown onion soup powder
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Directions
Add the oil to a large cast iron pot over medium heat and brown off the oxtail pieces. Once golden brown, remove from the pot and set aside. Add the garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs.
Add the onion and allow to sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add the browned oxtail pieces back to the pot and add the tinned tomato and beef stock. Make sure that the meat is fully covered by the liquid – top up with more if necessary. Place the lid on the pot and allow to cook for 2 -2 ½ hours.
Then add in the mushrooms and carrots and allow to cook for another 2 hours on low heat until the oxtail has softened and the vegetables are cooked through. Top up with more stock or water if needed.
Mix the brown onion soup with 3 Tbsp of water before pouring into the stew. Allow the soup to thicken up the sauce. Season well with salt and pepper before serving.
Serve with some creamy mash, cooked pap or steamed rice and freshly chopped parsley.
Orange Poppyseed Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake sponge:
- 360g cake flour
- 12,5ml baking powder
- 5ml fine salt
- 225g Clover Mooi River butter
- 300g Food Lover’s Market white sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 7,5ml vanilla
- 250ml buttermilk (Clover Milk mixed with lemon juice)
- ¼ cup poppyseeds
- Zest of orange
Citrus syrup:
- 60ml orange juice
- 60ml lemon juice
- 125ml water
- 200g Food Lover’s Market white sugar
Butter cream icing:
- 250g Clover Mooi River butter – room temperature
- 500g icing sugar
- 40-60ml orange juice
- Pinch of salt
- Poppy and sesame seed brittle:
- ¼ cup poppyseeds
- ¼ cup un-toasted sesame seeds
- 1 cup Food Lover’s Market white sugar
- ¼ cup water
Special equipment: Silicone baking mat
Additional Notes Assembling the cake
- On a plate or cake board place your first layer of cooled cake.
- Using a spoon, pour some of the citrus syrup over the sponge to moisten.
- Spread a thin even layer of icing over the soaked cake layer.
- Add the next layer and repeat step 2 and 3 until all four layers have been assembled.
- Spread a very thin layer of icing al over the outside of the cakePlace the cake into the fridge for 10 min until the icing is set to touch.
- Remove from fridge and add a thicker final layer of icing all around the cake either smoothing it out or creating fun patterns to your liking.
- Break the brittle into pieces and decorate the cake how ever you like.
- Serve and enjoy.
Directions
Cake base
- Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celsius.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add in the poppyseeds and mix through. Place to one side.
- Add the orange zest to the sugar and rub it into the sugar using your fingers to release the oils and flavours into the sugar.
- In a mixer, cream together the orange zest sugar and Clover butter until light and fluffy.
- One by one add in the eggs, ensuring to beat properly between each addition.
- Add the vanilla to the buttermilk and mix through.
- Alternating between the flour mix and buttermilk, gradually add in batches of 3. Ensuring you mix well between each addition.
- Line your 3 x 20cm cakes tin with baking paper and spry with non stick spray.
- Divide the cake mix equally between the 4 x 20cm cake tins.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in cake tin at least 10 minutes to set, to ensure the cake does not break when it is removed.
- Remove the cake from the tin after 10 min and allow to cool completely.
- Citrus syrup
- To a medium pot, add your lemon juice, orange juice, water and sugar together. Bring to a boil until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour liquid into a flat deep sided baking tray to cool rapidly. Once cooled to touch, place into the fridge to cool completely. This syrup needs to be completely cooled to ensure it does not melt the butter cream icing once the cake is being assembled.
Butter cream icing
- In a mixer, cream the Clover butter until light and fluffy.
- In the mean while, sift your icing sugar.
- Once the butter has become light, fluffy and lump free, add your buttercream in 4 separate batches, mixing well in between each addition and making sure to scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl.
- Once all the icing has been added, add a pinch of salt. This will help break the sweetness.
- To the mixture add 30 – 60ml of orange juice.
- Place this to once side at room temperature until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Poppyseed and sesame seed brittle
- Line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat.
- In a pan, toast your sesame seeds until lightly brown. Remove and do the same with your poppyseeds. The poppyseeds will start to pop once they are ready.
- To a saucepan, add the water first and then the sugar.
- On a very low heat, melt the sugar until completely clear. Stir the mixture once to loosen the sugar from the base of the saucepan. Ensure that the mixture does not boil at the stage as this will case crystallisation of the sugar. Tip: place a lid over the pot, this will help the sugar melt easier.
- Once the sugar is completely melted, bring the heat up to medium – high. At this stage DO NOT mix this boiling mixture, as this will cause sugar crystals. Brush down the sides of the pot with a brush and some water to remove any crystals that have formed on the sides.
- Once the mixture has become an amber colour, pour into a thin layer onto the silicone baking mat and sprinkle with the toasted poppyseed, sesame seed mix. Leave to cool completely.
One Pan Whole Roast Chicken and Vegetables Recipe
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (1.5–1.8 kg)
2 lemons (1 halved, 1 zested and juiced)
6 garlic cloves (crushed)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp honey (optional for glaze)
2 tsp Maldon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
A handful of fresh thyme and rosemary
1 bulb fennel, sliced (optional, for roasting)
6–8 baby potatoes, halved
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, quartered
Additional Notes
Rest: Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with roasted veggies and extra lemon wedges
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
- Prepare marinade: In a bowl, mix lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, and chopped herbs.
- Season chicken: Pat the chicken dry. Stuff the cavity with the halved lemon and a few sprigs of rosemary and thyme. Rub the marinade generously all over the chicken and under the skin.
- Arrange vegetables: Scatter fennel slices, potatoes, red onion, and cherry tomatoes in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast: Place the chicken breast-side up on top of the veggies. Roast for 1 hour 20 minutes or until juices run clear and skin is golden. (Baste with pan juices halfway through.)
Beef Potjiekos with Hand-Rolled Dumplings
Ingredients
Potjie
- 30 ml cake flour
- 10 ml smokey paprika, plus 5 ml extra
- 2 kg beef stewing meat, cut into bite sized pieces
- 60 ml oil
- 30 ml butter
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 5 ml dried mixed herbs
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 250 ml beef stock (plus extra, if necessary)
- 60 ml tomato paste
- ½ packet brown onion soup powder
- 1 punnet button mushrooms
Dumplings
- 200 ml self-raising flour
- 5 ml paprika
- 3 ml salt
- 30 ml dried mixed herbs, finely chopped
- 60 ml butter
- 50 – 60 ml cold water
Additional Notes
Tips for Perfect Potjiekos:
- Coating Magic: Shaking the meat with flour and paprika in a plastic bag ensures even and efficient coating, saving you time and creating a more flavourful stew.
- Browning Bliss: Don’t overcrowd the pot when browning the meat.
- This allows for even browning and prevents the meat from stewing instead of searing.
- Softened Onions: Sauteing the onions until translucent adds sweetness and depth of flavour to the overall stew.
- Simmering Secrets: Low and slow is the key to a tender and flavorful potjie.
- Simmer the stew for at least 1 ½ hours, allowing the flavours to meld and develop.
- Add additional stock or water as needed to maintain the desired consistency.
- Dumpling Delights:Don’t Crowd the Pot: Leave space between the dumpling balls when placing them on top of the stew to allow for proper rising.
- Cooked Through: Ensure your dumplings are cooked all the way through before serving.
- They should be light and fluffy, not doughy in the centre.
Directions
Potjie
- Place the Flour, Paprika and Meat in a plastic bag and shake until the Meat is well coated with Flour.
- Heat the oil and butter in the pot and fry the floured meat to brown and remove Meat from Potjie.
- Add the onions to pot and fry until translucent.
- Place meat back in pot. Season well, adding the extra paprika.
- Mix the stock and tomato paste and add to the pot. Cover and simmer for about 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, and topping up with additional stock if necessary.
- Once the meat is tender, add the soup powder, dried herbs and stir well.
- Add the mushrooms, stirring in well.
- Check liquid level and adjust if too dry by adding extra water.
- Add dumpling dough, taking care to allow space between the balls. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked and risen.
Dumplings
- Sift the self-raising flour, paprika and salt.
- Add the herbs and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Using a spatula, cut in just enough water to form a soft, pliable dough.
- Divide the dough into 6 – 8 equal pieces and roll each into a ball with the palms of the hands.
- Place the balls on top of the meat mixture, cover with the lid and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the dumplings are well-risen and cooked through.
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry:
4 red onions, sliced
4 celery sticks, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
130 g Food Lover’s spicy chili paste
400 ml coconut milk
400 g Food Lover’s free range chicken breast, sliced into pieces
To Serve:
Jasmine Rice (Cooked according to on-pack instructions)
Lime Wedges
Fresh Coriander
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry
Spicy Coconut Chicken Curry:
- Fry the onion and celery in the olive oil for 10 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the Food Lover’s spicy chilli paste and stir until fragrant and then add the coconut milk.
- In a separate pan, fry the chicken breast on high heat until golden in colour. Once golden, add the chicken to the sauce and cook for 20 minutes.
To serve:
- Add cooked jasmine rice and top with a squeeze of fresh lime and chopped fresh coriander.
- For a vegan option, replace the chicken with 400 g cubed extra firm tofu or 2 tins of chickpeas.
Additional Notes
A quick and simple curry recipe, perfect for a quick midweek meal the whole family will love. Packed with flavour and just the right amount of heat thanks to Food Lover’s Spicy Chilli Paste and you can easily substitute the protein for a protein of your choice like 400g of tofu or 2 tins of chickpeas (drained). Serve this curry with sticky rice and some freshly chopped coriander.
Sweet n’ Tangy Calamari burger
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Ingredients
Calamari
4 Squid steaks, defrosted
Food Lover’s Signature Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon
coarsely ground black pepper
garlic salt
garlic butter
4 seeded hamburger buns, cut in half
Chunky Sauce
20 ml Food Lover’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 red peppers, halved and diced (or 1 red and 1 yellow)
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
2.5 ml paprika powder
60 ml Food Lover’s Signature Sweet Chilli Sauce
Additional Notes
High Heat, Short Time: Calamari cooks very quickly due to its delicate texture. Use medium-high heat on your grill and cook for a total of 3-6 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steaks.
Scoring for Success: Lightly score the surface of the calamari steaks in a crisscross pattern. This allows for even cooking and prevents curling.
Directions
Calamari
- Clean and oil griddle well, especially if you have recently cooked meat on it.
- When heat is medium-hot, lightly brush squid steaks with oil, cut a few crisscross score lines in the flesh and place on grid. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Calamari cooks very quickly; turn when it becomes opaque on the bottom. Cook other side, repeating the seasoning. The entire cooking process should not take more than 6 minutes.
- Just before removing the steak from heat, drizzle with fresh lemon juice. While the squid is cooking, you can toast the buns lightly on another part of the grid.
Chunky Sauce
- Heat oil in a pan; add onion and saute until onion becomes soft and translucent.
- Add chopped red pepper and continue to cook until pepper is soft.
- Add chopped tomato and paprika. Allow to simmer on low heat until mixture becomes soft and pulpy – it is not really a sauce, more a relish consistency.
- Stir in the sweet chilli sauce and remove from heat. You can use either hot or at room temperature.
Buns
- Lightly spread buns with melted garlic butter.
- Add condiments like lettuce, fresh cucumber slices, tomato to the bun bottoms.
- Top with the squid steaks and spoon the chunky sauce over the steaks.
- Place lid of bun on top and eat immediately.
