Six winter meals that only need one pot to make

The coldest day of the year is here, with some temperatures dipping below zero in some parts of the country.

To keep you warm, one-pot winter meals are easy to prepare and very convenient.

These one-pot winter recipes will cover your cooking needs for the next couple of days during a cold front or any cold, generally unpleasant weather.

From a simple one-pot roast chicken to a South African twist on spaghetti, West African Jollof rice, a chicken vegetable stew, sausage and baked bean stew or a hearty breakfast and brunchtime snack, here are some easy dishes that require minimal effort and washing up afterwards.

One-pot winter meals:

Jollof rice recipe

This beloved West African dish has many versions, and packs a punch too. The spicy flavour makes it one of the most fitting winter meals.

Ingredients

• 1 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled
• 2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1-2 chillies (Scotch bonnet are authentic)
• 45 ml (3 Tbsp) sunflower oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 65 ml (1 x 115 g) Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste
• 750 ml (2½ cups) prepared chicken stock
• 10 ml (2 tsp) Packo Mild & Spicy Curry Powder
• 5 ml (1tsp) dried thyme
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 500 ml (2 cups) white rice
• 2 bay leaves

To serve: 30 ml (2 Tbsp) chopped parsley

Method:

1. Place the Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled, the red peppers and the chillies into a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
3. Add the onion and fry until soft and translucent.
4. Add the garlic and Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste and fry for two minutes more.
5. Add the tomato-pepper puree and stir.
6. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for ten minutes.
7. Add chicken stock, Packo Mild & Spicy Curry Powder and thyme.
8. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
9. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
10. Add rice and bay leaves and stir well.
11. Reduce heat and cover the saucepan with a lid.
12. Simmer, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
13. Add extra water or chicken stock if needed during cooking.
14. Remove the jollof from the heat.
15. Remove the lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
16. Fluff the rice with a fork, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Sausage and baked bean stew recipe

This stew can be made within 30 minutes and is a quick and easy meal to throw together with delicious pork sausages.

Quick tip: you can use ready-to-make mashed potatoes or fresh bread to serve.

Ingredients

• 15 ml (1 Tbsp) sunflower oil
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 8 frozen pork sausages
• 1 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled
• 5 ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
• 160 ml (⅔ cup) prepared chicken stock
• 1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 60 g (1 cup) baby spinach leaves, washed

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
2. Add the onion and fry over low heat until softened.
3. Add the garlic and fry for two minutes more and set aside.
4. In the same saucepan, brown the sausages on all sides.
5. Return the onions and garlic to the pan.
6. Add the Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled, the mustard and the chicken stock.
7. Bring to the heat and then add the Rhodes Quality Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce.
8. Continue simmering the sauce until the sausages are cooked through.
9. Season well to taste.
10. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat.

Serve over mashed potatoes or with fresh bread.

One-pot roast chicken recipe

In both warm and cold weather, roast chicken is always a winner. Try cooking the whole chicken in one pot with vegetables and potatoes, to ensure sure that no flavour is lost.

Ingredients

• 1 x 400g can Rhodes Quality Chickpeas, drained
• 65 ml (¼ C) butter
• 45 ml (3 T) sunflower oil
• 1 whole chicken, cleaned
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 ml (2 t) fresh thyme leaves
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 200 g baby potatoes, peeled
• 250 ml (1 C) prepared chicken stock

Method:

1. Heat the butter and the oil together in a large heavy-bottomed casserole dish.
2. Season the whole chicken with salt, pepper and thyme and place into the casserole dish.
3. Brown the skin well on all sides.
4. Remove the chicken from the dish and set it aside.
5. Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the dish and fry for a few minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to soften.
6. Add the baby potatoes and stir well to coat.
7. Return the chicken to the casserole dish.
8. Add the chicken stock and place the lid on the casserole dish.
9. Place the casserole dish into the oven preheated to 170˚C and roast slowly for 45 minutes.
10. Add the Rhodes Quality Chickpeas to the vegetables and stir well.
11. Replace the lid and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
12. Your choice: To thicken the sauce, remove one cup of the vegetables together with some sauce and blend to smooth with a handheld blender.
13. Return the puree to the remaining sauce in the dish and stir well to mix through.

Carve the chicken and serve.

One-pot boerewors spaghetti recipe

One-pot winter meals don’t have to be boring.

This South Africa favourite, boerewors with an Italian twist, will change things up in the kitchen when it comes to your winter meals.

Ingredients:

• 1 x 400g can Rhodes Quality Tomato Italian
• 500 g boerewors
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 330 ml ( 1⅓ C) prepared chicken stock
• 250 ml (1 C) water
• 250 g spaghetti
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• to serve: grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Remove the boerewors sausage meat from its casings and break into chunks.
2. Heat a large saucepan, and fry the boerewors meat until it begins to brown.
3. Add the onion and the garlic and fry until the onion softens. Drain any excess fat.
4. Add the Rhodes Quality Tomato Italian Style, prepared chicken stock and the water. Bring the sauce to a boil.
5. Add the spaghetti. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, for 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked, adding extra hot water to the saucepan if necessary. Season to taste.
6. Just before serving, sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Chicken and vegetable stew recipe

Another one-pot feel-good winter meal, this chicken vegetable stew recipe is versatile. If you don’t have chicken, you can use any vegetables in your pantry.

Ingredients:

• 1 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Tomato Chopped and Peeled
• 1 x 115 g cup Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste
• 1 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Whole Kernel Corn in Brine, drained
• 1 x 410 g can Rhodes Quality Green Beans Cross Cut in Brine, drained
• 125 ml (½ C) cake flour
• 2.5 ml (½ t) ground paprika
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 chicken thighs
• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 45 ml (3 T) sunflower oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• boiling water

Instructions:

1. Mix together the cake flour, paprika and salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour mix, dusting off any excess.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and brown the chicken pieces in batches until browned on all sides.
4. Set aside.
5. In the same saucepan, fry the garlic and the potato pieces for a few minutes.
6. Add the Rhodes Quality Tomato Chopped and Peeled and the Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste and stir well.
7. Return the chicken pieces to the saucepan and add enough water to cover.
8. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and with the lid closed, gently simmer the stew for about 30 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through.
9. Add the drained Rhodes Quality Whole Kernel Corn and Rhodes Quality Green Beans Cross Cut.
10. Simmer for a further ten minutes.
11. Serve over rice

Breakfast bacon and potato hash recipe

A one-pan easy breakfast or perfect brunchtime meal.

• 4 potatoes, peeled
• 30 ml (2 Tbsp) olive oil
• 200 g back bacon, diced
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 x 400 g can Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• handful of chopped Parsley
• 4 eggs
• 65 ml (¼ cup) mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Dice the potatoes into even sized cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan.
3. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, golden and crispy.
4. Add the bacon pieces and fry until crisp.
5. Add the spring onions.
6. Add the Rhodes Quality Tomatoes Chopped & Peeled and bring the sauce to the boil.
7. Season well to taste and stir in the parsley.
8. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
9. Make four wells in the hash and crack an egg into each well.
10. Sprinkle each egg with a little mozzarella cheese.
11. Replace the lid and cook until the eggs are cooked.
12. Serve immediately.

Cooking Tip: Replace the bacon with chicken rashers if preferred.

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