AS the unpredictable August weather swings from sunny and fine to wet and windy, homemade hearty winter meals such beef stroganoff and mash will remain a firm favourite at most family dinner tables.
Here’s an easy recipe to tantalise those taste buds and ensure a filling dinner – including a little something sweet for dessert.
Beef stroganoff
Preparation time: 15 minutes; cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
600g beef fillet, chopped into strips or cubes
2Tbs sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
300g mushrooms, chopped
40g butter
2 cups (500ml) beef broth or stock
1tsp mustard
2/3 cup (150ml) sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2Tbs flour
Method
Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the beef over high heat.
Remove the beef and allow to cool.
Reduce to medium heat and melt the butter.
Cook the onions for one minute and then add the mushrooms.
Cook until golden brown.
Add the flour and cook for one minute.
Return the beef to the saucepan, stir in the beef broth, sour cream and mustard.
Add the salt and pepper.
Serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Creamy mashed potato
This is probably the easiest mashed potato recipe you will ever find – it practically cooks itself.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves eight
Ingredients
1.3 kg of potatoes, peeled and quartered
6Tbs butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
Method
Add the potatoes to a pot and cover them in cold water.
Bring to the boil on a high heat.
Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk, salt and pepper using a potato masher until smooth and creamy.
Milk tart
‘Melk tert’ is a classic Afrikaans dessert that has grown to be a firm favourite among all South Africans.
The local flea market or school sports day wouldn’t be the same without a serving of milk tart.
Preparation time: 20 minutes; cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
Pastry
2 cups of flour
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
125g butter
Pinch of salt
Filling
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 1/2 Tbs flour
3 large eggs
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 Tbs cornflour
1 cup sugar
Cinnamon for dusting
Method
Pastry
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the egg.
Mix in the baking powder, flour and salt.
Mix until it is a stiff dough.
Press into a pie dish and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Filling
Bring the milk to the boil on medium-low heat.
Beat the eggs, sugar, flour, cornflour and salt.
Add to the milk mixture and stir continuously until it thickens.
Stir in the butter and vanilla essence.
Pour into the pie shell and allow to cool in the fridge.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
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