Africa-Press – Lesotho. This Christmas enjoy your roast turkey or chicken, matooke, kalo, rice and other staples with simple, easy-to-prepare side dishes, using everyday ingredients readily available in our local markets and supermarkets.
On the menu is: lemon and garlic potato wedges, sausage kebabs, spiced fried plantain, carrot, corn and French beans stir fry and pineapple upside down cake for dessert.
LEMON AND GARLIC POTATO WEDGE These potato wedges are coated in a lemon and garlic sauce with a touch of mustard. They are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and scrumptious to the last bite! Ingredients (Serves 6)
11⁄2 kg medium-size potatoes, peeled and washed, The juice of two large lemons, 60ml (1⁄4 cup) olive oil or sunflower oil, 30ml (2 tbsp) yellow mustard, one heaped tsp Aromat, 15ml (1 tbsp) dried oregano, 2.5ml (1⁄2 tsp) freshly ground black pepper, one heaped tsp garlic powder, 80ml (1/3 cup) hot water, one small chicken stock cube, Finely chopped parsley , Lemon wedges for garnishing (optional)
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/gas mark 6. Grease a large-rimmed roasting pan or baking dish with a little oil and put aside. Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the hot water to make chicken stock.
Cut the potatoes into thick wedges, put them in a pan of water and put aside. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, Aromat, oregano, black pepper and garlic powder.
Drain the potatoes and put them in the bowl with the lemon juice mixture. Mix well to ensure that each potato wedge is coated well with the mixture. 3.
Spread the potato wedges in the prepared baking tray in a single layer and pour the chicken stock over them as evenly as possible. 4. Cover the pan with aluminium foil and roast for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and roast uncovered for a further 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. 5. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and garnish with lemon wedges for a festive touch.
Serve hot. SAUSAGE KEBABS Smoked sausages are best suited for this recipe, although if these are not available frankfurters or ordinary sausages will do. Ingredients (Serves six)
500g smoked sausages, sliced into 1 inch thick rounds, 1⁄2 inch thick cubes fresh pineapple, one red onion, cut into one inch cubes, two large red bell peppers, cut into one inch cubes, two large green bell peppers, cut into one inch cubes, 30ml (2tbsp) oil, one heaped tbsp paprika, one heaped tbsp.
garlic powder, 1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 120ml (1⁄2 cup) barbeque sauce, 1⁄2 tsp salt Method 1. Soak 12 wooden skewers in a large bowl of water and put aside.
Place the sausage and vegetable slices into a large bowl and drizzle the cooking oil over them. 2. Combine the paprika, garlic powder and salt and black pepper in a small bowl and sprinkle over the sausage and vegetables.
Gently mix so that everything is well coated with the oil and spices. 3. Remove the skewers from the water and starting 2cm from the bottom, thread each skewer with a piece of green pepper, sausage, pineapple, onion, sausage and red pepper.
Continue threading the skewer in this manner leaving a space of about 2cm free at the top. Do this for all 12 skewers. 4. Grill the kebabs over a hot grill or under the grill in your oven at 180C/350F/gas mark 4, about 15cm from the heat source (turn on the heat so that it comes from only the top part of the oven and not the bottom).
5. Grill the sausage kebabs brushing them frequently with the barbeque sauce and turning them occasionally until evenly cooked.
Serve hot. SPICED FRIED PLANTAINS This recipe wraps the natural sweetness of fried ripe plantains in a delightful blend of aromatic spices. Ingredients (Serves six)
Nine large, ripe plantains, 21⁄2 tbsp mixed spices 1⁄4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1⁄2 tsp salt, 1⁄4 tsp red chili powder (optional), Oil for shallow frying Method
1. In a small bowl, mix together the mixed spice, cinnamon, salt and red chili powder if using. 2. Peel and slice the plantain into diagonally slices about 1 cm thick.
Put them in a large bowl, drizzle 11⁄2 tbsp oil over them and gently toss so that all the slices are covered with a little oil. 3. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the plantain slices and gently toss to cover each slice well with the spices.
4. Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a large frying pan and fry the slices, turning them regularly until they are golden brown all over.
Drain and serve hot. CARROT, CORN AND FRENCH BEAN STIR FRY This colourful mixed vegetable dish is healthy, tasty and quick and easy to prepare. Ingredients (Serves 6)
One handful French beans, chopped into small pieces, four large carrots, diced, 3 cups boiled maize kernels or sweetcorn, two medium onions, sliced, two large clove garlic, minced, one heaped tsp Royco, dissolved in two tablespoons cold water, one chicken stock cube, crumbled up, Chicken spice seasoning, Oil, Aromat.
Method 1. Heat 2tbsp oil in a saucepan and fry the onions for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook frying for a few minutes. 2. Add the carrots, maize/sweet corn, French beans, chicken stock cube and chicken spice and cook stirring for a few minutes.
3. Add the Royco and a little water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, for only a few minutes, so that the vegetables remain nice and crunchy. Serve hot. PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Pineapple upside down cake is a dessert that will never fail to impress! To obtain the pineapple juice required for this recipe, blend a few chunks of fresh pineapple with or press them through a fine sieve.
Ingredients (For the bottom of the cake pan) 50g (1⁄4 cup) light brown sugar, 30g (two tablespoons) butter/margarine, 30ml (2 tbsp) pineapple juice, one ripe pineapple (slice into 6-7 1⁄2cm thick slices), 11 or more cherries, For the cake
240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, (8g) 2 tsp baking powder, (3g) 1⁄2 tsp baking soda, 70g (1⁄4 cup + 11⁄2 tablespoon) sugar, two large eggs, 60ml (1⁄4 cup) pineapple juice , 180ml (3⁄4 cup) plain yoghurt, 113g (1⁄2 cup) butter/margarine, melted and 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence
Method 1. Lightly grease a 9 inch/23cm round cake pan and preheat the oven to 177C/350F/gas mark 4. 2. Heat 2tbsp butter/margarine and 2tbsp pineapple juice over medium heat stirring until the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.
Pour this sauce into the cake pan. 3. Remove the centre cores of each pineapple slice without damaging them. Put one slice in the centre of the pan. Cut the remaining 5-6 pineapple slices in half and arrange them around the center pineapple ring.
Put a cherry in the centre of each ring. 4. For the cake batter – in a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add the sugar and whisk once more to combine.
Make a well in the centre and set aside. 5. Whisk the eggs in another bowl. Add the yoghurt, pineapple juice, melted, cooled butter and vanilla and whisk together until well blended.
6. Pour the yoghurt mixture into the flour mixture and gently fold together until the flour is fully incorporated.
The batter will be thick and lumpy. Using a large serving spoon, gently scoop the batter over the pineapple rings being careful not to move them. Gently smoothen the top.
7.Place the cake tin on a baking tray lined with aluminium and bake foil for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with no wet batter.
8. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes and then hold a large platter over the pan and invert the cake pan and platter together. Lift off the cake pan and cool completely before serving.
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