As the chilly winter weather sets in, so does the desire for comfort foods. Comfort food has a way of transporting you back to your childhood and doing just that, comforting you. And in the winter months, as we are all in hibernation and bulking up guilt-free, comfort food almost always has a way of finding its way into our respective kitchens. Because, really, is there anything better than a creamy soup or mac ‘n cheese when the temperatures are below 15°C outside? Ahead, we have gathered the best comfort food recipes, guaranteed to get you through the winter.
Yummy plummy bread and butter pudding (Serves: 4)
Ingredients
10 slices of stale white bread, crusts removed and buttered on both sides
2 heaped tbs strawberry jam
Zest and juice of one lemon
6 large plums, stoned and chopped into small pieces
350ml milk
125ml cream
2 large eggs
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp caster sugar
Extra caster sugar for sprinkling
Flaked almonds (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cut the buttered bread into triangles.
Place the jam, lemon zest, and juice, along with the plums, into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
Arrange half the bread in a baking dish, spoon over the plum mixture and cover with the remaining bread.
Whisk together the milk, cream, eggs, cinnamon, and caster sugar. Pour it over the bread and let the pudding stand for 30 minutes before baking.
Sprinkle over the caster sugar and almonds if you are using them.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the custard has just set and the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar.
Serve
Recipe by Jenny Morris
Roasted sweet potatoes with sour cream (Serves: 8)
Ingredients
8 medium sweet potatoes
¾ cup sour cream
¼ cup salted pumpkin seeds, toasted
Lay a large piece of aluminium foil on your middle oven rack; preheat to190°C.
Use a fork or pairing knife to prick each sweet potato in a couple of spots.
Once the oven is hot, place the sweet potatoes directly on the foil; roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a pairing knife.
Split the sweet potatoes lengthwise and divide the sour cream among them.
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan, over medium heat, for about 6 minutes, or until fragrant, popping slightly and lightly browned, shaking the pan to prevent scorching.
Sprinkle each with pumpkin seeds, and serve right away.
Note: Mix a few shakes of hot sauce or chilli paste into the sour cream to make it spicy; drizzle the sweet potatoes with maple syrup to make them sweet; feel free to use a different crunchy topping, such as chopped nuts or toasted unsweetened coconut flakes.
The roasted sweet potatoes can be cooled, sealed in a zip-top bag, and refrigerated for up to three days.
Recipe from cookbook author Julia Turshen
Homemade vegan Kota
Ingredients
Vegan mince
Coconut oil
Pink salt
Origanum
Ground cumin
Garlic
Onion
Diced mixed peppers
Directions
Soft fry all the ingredients.
Grill vegan sausages in olive oil.
Bake potatoes in the oven with vegetable seasoning.
Layer your Kota (you can add your preferred sauces and additional ingredients like lettuce).
Recipe by television personality Mercy Mogase
Carrot and ginger soup
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 inches (about 5cm) of ginger, peeled and grated
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock
For the pesto
100g fresh flat-leaf parsley
50g hazelnuts, toasted
50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
150ml extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat. Next stir in the onion, garlic, potato, ginger, and carrots. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the carrots are tender.
Remove the lid and pour in the hot stock, stirring well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Pour the soup into a food processor and blend to a smooth consistency.
Next, make the pesto by placing all the ingredients into a food processor and blitzing for a few seconds. The pesto should be chunky and not too blended.
To serve, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with the pesto.
Recipe by chef Clodagh McKenna
These recipes were published in the latest edition of the IOL Food digital magazine. You can read it here