Category: Meat

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.

 
 
 
 

Do-ahead · Meat

Easy Crockpot Carnitas

Belinda

I just love using my slow cooker and am always amazed at the moist, falling off the bone meat it produces.

Cook time  – 8 hours
Serves   10 to 12 people

4 – 5lbs pork shoulder
5 large cloves garlic
1 tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp roasted ground cumin
1 tsp chile powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp chipotle hot sauce (optional)
juice of 2 large limes
1/2 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed, preferably)
12 oz beer
1/2 cup salsa (Not too chunky)

Place the pork shoulder in the slow cooker. Roughly chop the garlic and place in the slow cooker. You can also rub it into the meat to get as much flavor as possible)

Sprinkle the meat with salt, cumin, chile powder, black pepper, oregano, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Rub the seasonings onto the pork.

Add lime juice, orange juice, beer and salsa. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Shred meat with two forks directly in the slow cooker (or take out, shred and replace in the sauce)
It should fall apart easily.

Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the shredded meat on the cooking sheet and pour a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the top.
Broil for 5 to 10 minutes or until you get browned edges on the pork.
Serve on tortillas with fresh cilantro, avocado and lime juice

 

Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Chicken saltimbocca skewers with white bean puree

Belinda

8 x 4 to 5 ounce boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
24 fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup store bought semi dried tomatoes
24 slices of prosciutto
olive oil, for brushing
rocket (arugula) leaves and lemon wedges for serving
White bean puree (see below)
1 regular can white Cannellini beans (16 oz) drained and rinsed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

8 to 10 skewers, soaked inwater for 1 hour

To make the white bean puree, put the drained and rinsed beans, garlic, lemon juice and rind, olive oil, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until a smooth paste forms.  Set aside.

Place the chicken pieces between two sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, flatten the fillets until 1/4 inch thin at the most.
Cut the chicken pieces into three until you have 24 equal sized pieces. Place 1 sage leaf and 1 tomato on each piece of chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roll up to enclose.

Wrap each chicken roll with a slice of prosciutto.
Thread three chicken rolls onto each skewer and brush with oil.
Preheat a chargrill pan or barbeque to high heat and cook the skewers for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with the white bean puree, rocket and lemon wedges.

 

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Whole30 compliant

Sausages with oregano, mushrooms and olives

Belinda

I am a self-confessed sausage freak and although this is really simple, it is packed with flavor

Serves 4

1lb your favorite sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, slices
400g can chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
7 fl oz beef stock
4 oz pitted Kalamata olives
1lb mushrooms, thickly sliced

Using kitchen scissors, snip the sausages into meatball sized pieces.
Heat a large pan and fry the sausage pieces on medium low heat in the oil for about 5 – 10 mins until golden all over.

Add the oregano and garlic, fry for 1 minute more, then tip in the tomatoes, stock, olives and mushrooms.

Simmer for 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a little.
Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat

Butternut squash bread pudding

Belinda1 Comment

Gorgeous!!      Serves 4 -6

Preheat oven to 375 F

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
ground or dried sage
4 cups sturdy, day old French or Italian bread, cut into large cubes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lb sweet Italian or spicy Italian pork sausage
1/2lb sliced mushrooms
1&1/2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup half and half
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 to 1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese

Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Oil a cookie sheet and toss the squash in the olive oil. Season with the salt, pepper and dried or ground sage. Bake at 375 F  for 40 to 45 mins.

Cut the bread into large cubes and put in the oven for about 5 minutes while the squash is cooking.
Remove to a large bowl.

Meanwhile saute the minced shallot in the olive oil and butter until wilted.
Add the minced garlic and saute briefly until soft then add the mushrooms and cook them through.
When the mushrooms are browned and nearly done cooking, add the chopped kale and saute for a few minutes. If necessary, add a little more oil. Season all with salt and pepper then remove from the pan and place all the cooked vegetables in the bowl with the cooked bread.

Use the same pan to cook the sausage. Remove the casings from the sausages, break up the meat in the pan and cook through. Add a little more olive oil if there’s not enough in the pan, to keep the meat from sticking.
Add the cooked sausage to the bowl with the vegetables, along with the squash when it’s cooked through.

Whisk the eggs, in another bowl and add the half and half, then the milk and stir in the cheeses.
Pour the mixture into the large bowl with the bread/vegetable/sausage mixture and mix it all together with a wooden spoon.
Let it sit for at least 15 mins in order for the bread to soak up the liquid.
You can also make the recipe to this stage and refrigerate overnight letting the bread soak well in the juices.
Pour it into a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes.
You can turn on the broiler to get it a little more browned near the ned of the cooking.

This recipe also reheats really well for leftovers!