Category: Meat

Asian flavors · Meat

Pork fillet, asparagus and baby corn stir-fry

Belinda

Pork fillet is so lean, even leaner than chicken breast and is such a versatile piece of meat. A pork fillet usually comes in one piece weighing about 1lb 3oz, so it’s the perfect thing to have in the freezer.
This is lovely just served with some steamed rice.

Serves 4

1 clove garlic
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/3 tsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 pork fillet (1lb 3oz or thereabouts) thinly sliced
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tsp sesame oil
6 fresh shitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
6oz whole baby corn, drained
4- 6 spears of asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 inch lengths on the diagonal
2 tbsp oyster sauce

Place the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, pepper and rice wine in  bowl and mix together well.
Add all the pork and stir until it is well coated in the marinade.
Heat a wok over high heat, add half the oils and swirl to coat the sides of the wok.
Add half the pork mixture and stir fry for about 2 minutes or until the pork changes color.
Remove the pork from the wok.
Repeat with the remaining oils and pork mixture.
Add the mushrooms, corn and asparagus to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Return the pork and any juices to the wok and stir in the oyster sauce.
Cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes or until it has evenly heated through.
Divide among four bowls poured over hot rice.

Gluten Free · Grains · Meat · Poultry

Easy chicken and pork paella

Belinda

This is much less difficult than a normal paella and very pungent.  Paellas are not stirred right to the bottom of the pan during cooking in the hope that a thin crust of crispy rice will form.
This is considered one of the best parts of the paella and for this reason it is a good idea to use a non stick frying pan.

Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large red pepper (capsicum), seeded and cut into 1/2” strips
1 1/4 lbs chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 lb Spanish chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2 “ slices
1/2 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 lb green beans, cut into 3/4” lengths
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1/4 tsp saffron threads dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
2 cups short grain rice
3 cups hot chicken stock
6 lemon wedges

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan or paella pan over medium heat.
Add the red pepper and cook for 6 minutes or until softened. Remove from the pan.
Add the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes or until brown on all sides. Remove.
Add the sausage to the pan and cook for 5 minutes or until golden on all sides.  Remove
Add the mushrooms, garlic and lemon zest and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomato and red pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the tomato is soft.
Add the beans, rosemary, parsley, saffron mixture, rice, chicken and the sausage.
Stir briefly and add the hot stock. Do not stir.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges.

Fish · Meat

Gloria’s Fish Wellington

Belinda

This is such a lovely recipe and much lighter and less expensive than beef Wellington.
Gloria used to cook for my mother and father after my mother became ill and I remember her making this, but I’ve never seen the recipe in any book.
It’s well worth trying and you can also make a nice cream fish sauce to go with it,  but it’s not necessary.

4 rashers bacon, finely chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1lb white fish  fillets, chopped
1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1/2 cup cream
2 eggs, separated
1 tbsp dried dill weed
1 packet frozen puff pastry, thawed

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Combine the bacon and onion in a small frying pan and cook for about 3 minutes or until soft.
Put the fish, breadcrumbs, cream, egg whites and dill in a food processor and process until combined.
Empty into a bowl and stir in the bacon mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Tip into  a 8″ by 5″ greased loaf tin and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes.
Cool to room temperature.
Roll the pastry to about 10″ by 14″ rectangle and brush the edges with the beaten egg yolks.
Place the fish loaf in the center of the pastry rectangle, roll up, seal and trim any excess pastry around the edges.
Place onto a greased baking tray and brush all over with beaten egg yolk.
Bake until golden, about 30 mins or so, depending on your oven. Check occasionally.

Meat

Baked Italian sausages with potatoes and rosemary

Belinda

Easy, satisfying and warming. You can also add some bite-sized pieces of chicken thigh to this recipe.

Serves 4

6 Italian sausages
1 1/2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thick
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 large rosemary stalks
6 unpeeled cloves garlic
sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 thick slices Ciabatta bread
3 fl oz olive oil
1 handful Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Slice the sausages into 1 inch pieces and place in the roasting pan.
Add the potato slices, paprika, rosemary, garlic cloves, sea salt and pepper
Tear the ciabatta into bite sized pieces and add to the roasting tray
Drizzle the oil over everything, season well and gently toss to combine
Place in the oven and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are  tender and the sausages and bread are golden brown.
Top with the chopped Italian parsley and serve with a green salad

 

Meat · Pasta

Pasta with spicy sausage, fresh basil and Dijon mustard

Belinda

This is a Nigel Slater recipe which is fabulous, rich and unctious! I can feel the Southern Californian weather just start to nod towards Fall and that is my favorite season here.

This recipe is for 2 but you can easily double or treble it.

4 spicy Italian sausages
olive oil
4 handfuls (about 1/2 lb) of dried pasta. (any tube or shell shape that catches the sauce)
1 glass of white wine
dried chile flakes, a pinch or two
a small handful of chopped fresh basil, plus a few leaves for garnish
a tbsp of Dijon mustard, smooth or grainy
8 fl oz heavy cream

Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta.

Split the sausages open and take out the filling. Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan, just enough to lubricate the bottom.
Discard the sausage skin, crumble the meat into the hot pan and fry till sizzling and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Salt the water generously and add the pasta.

Pour the wine into the sausage pan and let it bubble a little, scraping up all the sticky sausage goo on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the chile flakes, season and add the chopped basil.
Add the mustard and pour in the cream and bring slowly to a simmer. Cook for a minutes or two, stirring now and again.

When the pasta is tender, about 9 minutes after coming to a boil, drain and tip into the creamy sausage sauce.
Serve piping hot garnished with a few sprigs of fresh basil

Appetizers · Baking · Meat

Easy bacon and cheddar pull-apart bread

Belinda

This is almost not a recipe, but I was reminded of this yesterday and forgot it was in my “bottom drawer”!  Perfect for football season and SO tasty.

10 oz of your favorite mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 large round loaf of soft bread like a French or Italian loaf
10 oz diced, sliced bacon, cooked till crisp
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tbsp dry Ranch dressing mix from a packet

Cut the bread in 3/4 inch intervals, being careful not to cut all the way through.
Cut again in the same way, crosswise, still not cutting through. You are going to need a good sharp knife for this!
Place the shredded cheese in between all the cuts then sprinkle with the cooked bacon.
Blend the melted butter with the Ranch mix and drizzle evenly over the top of the bread.
Wrap in foil and bake at 350F for 15 minutes, uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.
Serve hot and pull apart the pieces to eat.

You can add fresh herbs, garlic and all sorts of other things to this bread and it just gets better!

 

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Coq au riesling

Belinda

This is one of the great Nigel Slater’s recipes. I love his food as it has so much flavor and is easy.
I know you’ve probably had Coq au vin many times, but this is ten times tastier, creamier and has a real depth in flavor.
Make sure you serve this with really good warm crusty bread because everyone will be wanting to mop up the incredible sauce.

Serves 2 but you can easily double or treble it

4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz bacon (streaky) or pancetta, diced
2  onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 joints of organic, free range chicken on the bone, seasoned with salt and pepper (I used whole chicken legs)
10 oz small cremini (brown) mushrooms, halved or quartered
16 fl oz medium dry white wine, such as Riesling
10 fl oz heavy cream
4 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy shallow cast iron dish like the one in the photograph (Le Creuset) and pour in the oil.
Put in the diced bacon or pancetta and let it color a little then add the onions and garlic.
Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not yet colored.

Scoop the bacon and onions out with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the cooking juices, then add the seasoned chicken pieces.
Let them brown lightly on all sides. A moderate heat is best for this but be prepared to add a little more oil if the butter shows signs of browning.

Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the juices in the pan and continue cooking for 10 mins, then return the bacon, onions and chicken pieces to the pan.
Turn up the heat, pour in the wine and bring quickly to the boil and then turn it down to a simmer.
Let everything cook at a gentle bubble for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.

Lift the chicken out of the pan and pour in the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir in the chopped parsley.
Continue cooking at an enthusiastic bubble until the cream starts to thicken slightly.

Return the chicken to the pan.
When the chicken is thoroughly hot and the sauce has thickened it is time to serve!

Appetizers · Meat

Italian sausage and gorgonzola stuffed baby Portabella mushrooms

Belinda

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!  Anything to do with Italian sausage with that gorgeous fennel flavor has me, and the addition of Gorgonzola  (or St Agur Blue cheese) is just incredible.

Serves 10 to 16 people as an hors d’oeuvres

Preheat the oven to 350 F

1lb sweet Italian sausage
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 & 1/4 cups Mountain Gorgonzola (the creamy one) You can use a little less if preferred, but I like my flavors bold!
32 baby Portabello (Crimini) mushrooms
salt and pepper
a good handful fresh basil, shredded

Cook the sausage meat in a skillet, crumbling it with a fork until the pink is all gone.
While it’s cooking, take the stems out of the mushrooms and chop up the stems.
Add the crushed garlic and mushrooms stems to the sausage and cook for 1 minute and turn the heat to low.
Add the mascarpone cheese, breadcrumbs,  gorgonzola ad shredded basil.
Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the mushrooms with the cooked filling and line up on a lined baking sheet.

Bake in  a preheated 350F  for about 20 to 25 minutes

There will most likely be filling left. you can eat it on bread or crackers!
 

 

Gluten Free · Meat · Whole30 compliant

Easy and quick oven roasted mustard/herb crusted racks of lamb

Belinda

Serves 6

These are divine and so easy and quick. For me living in Los Angeles, the best lamb to buy is New Zealand lamb and Trader Joes sell a great rack of lamb, unfrozen and vacuum packed.
Be careful not to overcook the lamb and 25 minutes is the perfect time for me to achieve this color above. I have been known to double the mustard/herb topping
This is a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa and is bulletproof.

1 1/2 tbsp Kosher salt
2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup good Dijon mustard
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 racks of lamb, “frenched”  Trader Joes has already done this for you

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the salt, rosemary and garlic until they’re as finely minced as possible. Add the mustard and balsamic vinegar and process for 1 minute.

Place the lamb in a roasting tin, not too deep, with the ribs curving down and coat the tops with the mustard mixture.
Allow the lamb to stand for 1 hour at room temperature.

Roast the lamb for exactly 20 minutes for rare or 25 minutes for medium rare.
Remove from the oven and cover with aluminum foil
Allow to sit for 15 minutes, then cut into individual ribs and serve


Breakfast · Egg based · Gluten Free · Meat

Egg and chile chorizo with pork sauce

Belinda

A light brunch or lunch with a difference!  (Serves 4)

4 large organic eggs, at room temperature
1 lb ground pork
6 oz chorizo, diced small
2 tbsp Chinese chile oil
4 slices bacon, cut to the same size as the chorizo
3 sticks celery, diced small
3 shallots, sliced small
4 carrots, diced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
a good handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped  (coriander)
500 mls (16.9 fl oz) good chicken stock
oil for frying

To a hot skillet, add a couple of tbsp of oil and saute the celery, shallots and carrots over a low heat for 10 minutes until starting to soften.
Add the diced bacon and ground pork and cook, stirring, until the ground pork is browned.
Add the garlic and chile oil for a final minute.
Add the chicken stock, raise the heat until it is bubbling, and reduce the heat until low.
Leave to cook slowly while you prepare the eggs.

Take a smaller skillet and add water to about halfway up. Heat to simmering and turn down to very low.
Add the 4 eggs slowly and poach very gently until the white is just done and no more as they will keep cooking.

Serve the egg on tops of the pork with some scattered cilantro (coriander) over the dish.