Latest news with #winterrecipes
News24
6 days ago
- Health
- News24
Eight soul-warming winter pasta bowls to try this season
Supplied The winter season calls for cosy, comforting bowls, and pasta fits perfectly offering versatile warmth to your dinner table. These are eight recipes, with creative twists on classic pasta dishes. From fishy meatballs to spicy vegetarian arrabbiata, each dish promises home-style comfort. Winter means soft jerseys and comforting bowls of something warm, thick, and hearty that practically hugs you from the inside out. When it comes to comforting dishes, pasta is the undisputed champion. The versatile starch is a year-round sensation, showcasing its incredible ability to adapt to cooler weather, conquer weeknight dinner dilemmas, and even inspire a little culinary flair. From slow-simmered ragus bubbling for hours to the vibrant zest of garlic and olive oil, these are eight pasta dishes that will keep you well-fed and cosy. Want to make this later? Tap on the bookmark ribbon at the top of your screen and come back to it when you need to shop for ingredients or start cooking. Pilchard meatball pasta Often forgotten in the corners of the pantry, canned tomatoey pilchards get the star treatment in this recipe. They're transformed into tender, omega-rich meatballs simmered in a bright tomato sauce and tossed with spaghetti. Penne puttanesca Puttanesca is a dish born from rebellion and pantry raids. This punchy classic doesn't ask for much but delivers in spades. Anchovies, garlic, olives, and capers create a bold, briny base mellowed by sweet tomato. Pork neck carbonara This recipe is traditional Italian Carbonara but made in Mzansi. This proudly South African twist swaps guanciale for a smoky, braaied pork chop —because sometimes breaking the rules makes the dish. Velvety egg sauce meets fire-charred pork on fresh pasta, resulting in an indulgent, soulful, bowl. Tomato meatballs with risoni Busy? Feeding four in under 30 minutes? This one-pot wonder's got you. Juicy beef meatballs cooked in a tomato-rich broth, with tiny risoni (aka orzo) soaking up every drop. Toss in Parmesan and basil, and watch everyone act like you cooked all day. Technically a soup, but emotionally a blanket. This gnocchi soup bowl delivers soft potato pillows in a herb-rich chicken broth that practically hums with comfort. It's perfect for sniffly days, long nights, or when you need to feel like someone's cooking just for you. Garam masala, prawn, pea and Gruberg risotto It's technically not pasta, but risotto deserves a seat at the table. This recipe is an east-meets-west hug in a bowl where plump prawns, sweet peas, and the earthy warmth of garam masala are all stirred into creamy arborio rice and finished with nutty Gruberg. Supplied/Kamini Pather Lasagne potjie Layered, lazy, and lit by firelight. This dish turns the Italian Sunday staple into a proudly South African gathering moment. Cooked low and slow in a potjie over open flames, with a cheeky hit of Six Gun seasoning, it's lasagne reimagined as a social event. TRY | Braaiving the elements: 6 hot braai tips to beat the winter chills Rich, spicy linguine arrabbiata Simple, spicy, and impossible to forget, Arrabbiata may mean 'angry,' but this dish is pure joy. Just tomatoes, garlic, chilli, and olive oil are four ingredients that can change your evening. Add Parmesan and adjust the heat to taste (but don't be shy — winter wants fire).
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
Don't skip the 'hated' ingredient for the best chicken soup
Chicken soup: the best winter soup of all time? While I could very easily devour a bowl of any soup at any time in the colder months – leek and potato and minestrone are current favourites – a nourishing chicken soup always makes me feel instantly soothed in the winter months. Because it's cold and flu season, I always lean more towards broth-like chicken soups, but when a friend recommended me this old-school creamy chicken soup recipe I was hesitant to try it. Why? Celery. Celery: a divisive soup ingredient I've never been a celery fan. Hate's a strong word, but where celery's concerned, I think it's appropriate. Even as a kid I despised it, and now as an adult I'm quick to replace it or omit it from recipes altogether. Something about the grassy flavour, the bitter taste and the smell makes me want to run for the hills. What Australia thinks of celery in soup I know I'm not the only one who thinks this way. We asked our Facebook community whether they're fans of celery and we were met with decidedly mixed reviews. While some loved the taste, there were many who were very vocal about their opinions. Here's what they said: 'That's a no from me.' – Keryn 'Ohhh no no no… yuck.' – Lesley 'No, not a fan. It tastes horrible.' – Melanie In defence of celery in chicken soup Despite my celery concerns, the chicken soup recipe looked so hearty and delicious that I still thought it was worth a try – and I definitely trust this particular friend's food recommendations. Plus, the 4.8 star rating across over 70 reviews was pretty convincing: 'This one is a WINNER! Chicken dinner …. so nice. It's going to become a regular monthly meal.' – Vittoriasecrets 'Beautiful soup! Hubby is a soup fanatic and looooves this.'- doodooyang 'Really delicious recipe. First time making chicken soup and it turned out really well.' – GinaB Why you should put celery in your soup It was Amira, our Digital Food Director, who reassured me that not only will celery mellow when cooked in this recipe, but it's the celery that actually helps make the recipe taste as good as it does. She says: 'Celery is often used to make stocks and broths as it adds a mellow herbaceousness and helps balance flavours.' 'It's also always used in mirepoix (a mixture of onion, carrot and celery) as a flavour base for stews, sauces and soups.' Celery in chicken soup: the verdict I put my celery fears aside, listened to Amira, and made the recipe exactly. And you know what? She was right! Once the celery has done its job of adding flavour, all the lumps of used celery get discarded, and all you're left with is smooth, velvety, creamy chicken soup. Instant comfort! The recipe basically comes together in two steps: the flavouring of the stock and combining the cream. Step 1 Begin by creating the stock with chicken maryland pieces, liquid stock, onion, celery and leek. Simmer for about an hour to allow the flavours to develop and the chicken to cook. Once it's ready, remove the chicken to shred the meat and strain out any solids. Step 2 The next and final step is creating the cream base with butter, flour and pure cream. The two components are combined and the shredded chicken is returned to the pot to create a luscious creamy, rich and hearty soup. So step aside, minestrone, leek and potato and chicken broth. This is without question my new go-to winter soup recipe.
