Weeknight meal inspiration

Ingredients:

For the polenta:

• 4 cups liquid (use a mix of water and vegetable stock)
• 160 g Woolworths polenta
• sea salt, to taste
• 2 T salted butter
• ½ cup Grana Padano, grated, plus extra for topping
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil

For the tomato topping:

• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 350 g Woolworths exotic tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup Woolworths black Mission olives in brine
• ½ x 180 g jar Woolworths roasted cherry tomatoes, drained
• sea salt, to taste
• black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• juice of ½ lemon
• fresh basil, to garnish
• Grana Padano, to garnish

Method:

1. To make the polenta, bring the liquid to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly whisk the polenta in a steady stream to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring often, until the mixture thickens.
2. Season with salt, stir in the butter and Grana Padano. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.
3. Pour the cooked polenta onto a baking sheet and smooth out to about 1.5–2 cm thick. Allow it to cool completely until firm. Once set, cut the polenta into discs (or squares, if preferred) and top with more grated Grana Padano, if desired.
4. Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the polenta pieces until golden and crisp on both sides.
5. To make the topping, heat the olive oil in the same pan and gently fry the tomatoes until blistered and juicy. Add the olives and cherry tomatoes and cook for another couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
6. To serve, arrange the crispy polenta pieces on a plate, spoon over the warm topping, and garnish with more Grana Padano and fresh basil.

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Ingredients:

• 1 litre amasi or buttermilk
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T paprika
• 1 T chicken seasoning
• 1.5 kg free-range deboned chicken thighs

For the coating:

• 180 g cake flour 
  1 T fresh thyme leaves 
  1 T garlic powder 
  1 T onion powder 
  1 T paprika 
  1 T chicken seasoning 
  100 g Woolworths salsa nacho chips, crushed 
  canola oil, for frying 
  2 limes, juiced 
  2 T habanero sauce

For the slaw:

• 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into matchsticks
• 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 2 baby cabbages, thinly sliced
• 50 g fresh coconut, thinly sliced
• 50 g whole almonds, roughly chopped

For the dressing:

• 1 x 400 g can coconut milk
• 2 limes, juiced
• ¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise
• 2 t honey

Method:

1. Combine the amasi or buttermilk with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and chicken seasoning, then add the chicken. Marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight if possible.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the ingredients for the coating, gently stirring in the nacho chips.
3. Remove the chicken from the fridge, shake off the excess marinade, then thoroughly coat each piece in the seasoned flour coating and place on a board.
4. Heat the oil to 160°C in a saucepan or to a medium-high heat. To check whether the oil is hot enough, drop a small piece of nacho chip into the oil. If it bubbles and floats immediately, the oil is ready for frying.
5. Gently shake off the excess coating and place the chicken pieces into the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry in batches until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Serve with the slaw.
6. To make the slaw, place the dressing ingredients in a bowl and stir until completely combined. Add the remaining ingredients and coat in the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to use.

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Ingredients:

For the marinated onions:

• 4 Woolworths sweet onions, finely sliced into rounds
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T sea salt flakes
• 2 T sumac

For the whipped feta:

• 100 g Woolworths South African plain feta
• ½ cup double-cream yoghurt
• 1 T olive oil
• ½ t crushed garlic
• 250 g baby spinach
• 1 Woolworths olive baguette, torn into quarters and toasted

Method:

1. Combine the onions and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Place the feta and yoghurt in a small blender and pulse for 10–15 seconds until whipped and fluffy, but not completely smooth.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over a low heat and sauté the garlic for 3–5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
4. Layer the whipped feta and spinach on the toasted baguette and top generously with the onions.

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Ingredients:

• 1 t freshly ground black pepper
• 410 g can butter beans in brine
• 2 T butter
• 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method:

1. Toast the black pepper in a pan for 2–3 minutes, or until fragrant. Once toasted, add the beans including the brine and bring to light simmer.
2. Once the bean brine has thickened and resembles heavy cream coating the beans, add the butter and remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano and serve with more black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

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Ingredients:

• 1 T butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ cups cream
• 200 g Woolworths smoked salmon ribbons
• 12 sundried tomatoes quarters in olive oil vinaigrette
• ½ lemon, zested and juiced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 400 g spaghetti, cooked al dente, for serving
• 1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 
2. Add the cream, trout and sundried tomatoes. Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the lemon juice and zest.
3. Season and toss with the spaghetti. Garnish will dill.

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