Category: Meat

Breakfast · Do-ahead · Egg based · Meat

Pancetta and Gruyere cheese breakfast casserole

Belinda

I have a weakness for these “cold weather” Sunday family breakfasts! They are so comforting and tasty especially with our fire on in the kitchen, steaming hot coffee, laptops and newspapers strewn around.
This is great because you can prepare it the night before, refrigerate and throw in the oven when you get up in the morning. The family will awaken to the smell of baking cheese and pancetta!!
It’s important to mark a weekend with something different!

Serves 4 to 6

4 cups day-old egg enriched bread, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2lb thickly sliced pancetta, diced
6 large eggs
1&1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder (I use Colmans)
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 heaped cup freshly grated gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)

Grease an 8 inch square baking dish and spread the cubed bread in the bottom.
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium to low heat.
Add the onions, salt and sugar.
Saute until they are lightly caramelized, a golden brown color, for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another heavy skillet, heat the other tbsp olive oil over medium heat saute the pancetta until the fat is almost all rendered and it begins to get crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set on a paper towel to drain.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, dry mustard, thyme and nutmeg.
Season with about 1/4 tsp of the salt and a generous amount of black pepper.
Spread the pancetta over the bread cubes then layer the onions on top.
Sprinkle the grated gruyere cheese on next then pour the egg mixture over the entire thing.
Press down on the top gently so that all the bread cubes get soaked a bit with the egg mixture.
Cover and refrigerate overnight

In the morning, preheat the oven to 350 F and take the casserole out of the fridge while the oven is preheating.
Bake, uncovered for 30 to 50 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top begins to brown.

NB – The baking time will be greatly dependent on the depth of the dish you use.
Check the interior with a knife. if it comes out clean, the bread/custard is baked through.
Cover with foil near the end of cooking is the top is brown enough for your taste.

Do-ahead · Meat

Braised lamb with dates and Zinfandel

Belinda

I have made this several times and it is always raved about. Tender lamb cooked with the sweetness of dates melted into the sauce to thicken and then the Zinfandel!

Serves 6 to 8

6 tbsp olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 1/2lbs leg of lamb, cut into 2 inch cubes
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 heaped tsp ground cumin (roasted preferably)
1 1/2 tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups lamb or beef stock
1 1/4 cups chopped, pitted Medjool dates
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 cup dry, full bodied red wine such as Zinfandel.
1 cup crushed tomatoes
Juice and grated zest of 1 orange

Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 350 F
Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large ovenproof braiser or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add carrots and saute for another 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Pat the meat dry. Place the flour in a large ziplock plastic bag and add salt and pepper to taste. Shake to mix. Place the lamb cubes in the bag and seal tightly. Shake the lamb until it is lightly coated on all sides with the flour.

Add 2 tbsp (or more) of remaining olive oil to braiser over medium heat. Add half of the meat and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 mins, transferring the browned meat to the bowl with the vegetables as they brown.
Add remaining oil, if necessary and brown remaining meat. Return the onion-meat mixture to the braiser.

Add the garlic, cumin, coriander and ginger and stir to coat the meat and vegetables, about 1 minute.
Add wine, stock and tomatoes and bring to the boil over high heat, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the dates and orange juice and zest and return to the boil.

Cover the braiser, transfer to the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender. Don’t overcook!
If the sauce is very thin, remove the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and boil the sauce so it reduces and thickens. I didn’t need to do this as the dates thickened the sauce very well.
Return the meat and vegetables to the braiser and season to taste.

Transfer to a warmed serving platter if you like and garnish with the fresh parsley and cilantro.
Serve immediately.

Do-ahead · Meat

A traybake of roasted Italian sausages, potatoes, ciabatta and rosemary

Belinda

This is one of those traybake-style dishes that you can really add what you like to, as long as you toss it all in the olive oil and seasonings so that everything is well coated in order to caramelize beautifully! Make sure the pieces are roughly all the same size so that it cooks evenly. The whole family will love it and all you need is a big salad to accompany.

Serves 4

6 Sweet or spicy Italian sausages
1 1/2 tsp paprika
4 long rosemary stalks
smallish-sized potatoes, halved
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
About 12 to 16 cherry tomatoes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 thick slices of good ciabatta bread
plenty of fruity olive oil
1 large handful Italian parsley

Preheat the oven to 400 F
Slice the sausages into 1 1/2 inch pieces and place in the roasting pan.
Add the potatoes, tomatoes, paprika, rosemary, garlic cloves, sea salt and black pepper
Tear the ciabatta into bite-sized pieces and add to the roasting tray
Drizzle over about 1/4 cup olive oil, season and gently toss to combine.
Place in the oven and cook, stirring occasionally for 40 mins or until the potatoes are tender and the sausages and bread are golden brown.
When ready to serve, top with the chopped Italian parsley and serve.

NB   Mushrooms, halved are also nice in it

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Poultry

Mustard stuffed chicken breasts

Belinda

This is so lovely and simple. The creaminess of the mozzarella with the tangy wholegrain mustard makes it extra special.

Serves 4

5 -6 oz large fresh mozzarella ball, torn into small pieces
3 oz strong cheddar cheese, grated
1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
8 rashers smoked bacon

Heat the oven to 400 F .
Mix the cheeses and mustard together.
Cut a slit into the side of each chicken breast then stuff with the mustard mixture.
Wrap each stuffed chicken breast with 2 bacon rashers each, not too tightly, but enough to hold the chicken together.
Season and place on a baking sheet or pan and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or so, basting once.

Tip- If you want to use less bacon, stretch out each bacon rasher using the back of a knife to make each one longer and thinner and use only one.

Do-ahead · Meat · Poultry

My turkey meat muffins

Belinda

These are fun and easy to make and are great to have cold the next day. You can use a muffin or cupcake tin and they are so much more flavorsome than ordinary old meatloaf. You can vary the amounts of ingredients, I tend to like a very flavorsome blend.

Makes about 18 cupcakes, or 12 muffins

2lbs ground turkey (I use the dark meat, but either is good)
1 large onion, chopped in the food processor
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp Worcester sauce
2 heaped tsp sweet paprika
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 extra large egg

Glaze

1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 F

Get your largest bowl and put ALL the ingredients except the glaze ingredients into it.
Wash your hands, (remove any wedding rings) and plunge your hands into the mixture and mix it all together thoroughly so the egg is well blended and everything else is well blended.

Get out your muffin or cupcake tins and spray each hole with oil. Also with your hands, or an ice cream scoop, fill each hole with the meat mixture.

Brush the tops of each meat muffin with the ketchup then sprinkle over the grated parmesan cheese.

Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes.

Do-ahead · Meat · Nuts

Moroccan-spiced pie with harissa yoghurt dressing

Belinda

Ground meat is such a great way to save money but also have a dish that is spectacular to look at and eat. Ground lamb is so much more flavorful than ground beef and marries very well with the Moroccan spices. Thank you to the BBC Good Food Magazine for this recipe.

1lb ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin seeds. (I roast my own then grind them as they pack more flavor that way)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp salt
4 medium carrots, grated coarsely
2 raw beets (beetroot) grated
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
5 tbsp butter
5 tbsp olive oil
15 sheets (200g) of Filo pastry
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tbsp olive oil for frying the meat

For the harissa yoghurt

2-3 tsp harissa
7 fl oz of Greek yoghurt
2 -3 tbsp milk
pinch of paprika

Put the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the ground meat until browned all over.
Add the garlic, ginger, spices and seasoning and stir in to the meat, frying for about 4 -5 minutes.
Add the carrots, beets, cranberries and most of the pine nuts, reserving about 1 tbsp for decoration.
Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes checking for taste then set aside and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 425F
Melt the oil and butter together in a pan. Brush a 11 inch round loose bottom fluted flan tin with the oil and butter. Lay one sheet of the filo pastry in the bottom, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the tin.
Brush lightly with oil and butter (you may need more than the recipe says) and continue to layer up to
8 sheets of pastry at alternate angles so that the whole base of the tin is covered and you have plenty hanging over the sides all round the tin.
Pile the cooked meat mixture into the tin and bring the pastry up over the filling, scrunching the pastry on top. Add 5 or 6 more sheets of filo on top to cover the top, brushing lightly with the butter/oil mixture then drizzle the remaining butter and oil mixture over the top.
Bake for 20 minutes and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp.

Mix the harissa paste with the yoghurt and milk and sprinkle with a little paprika.
Slice the filo pie and serve hot with the harissa sauce on the side

 
Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat

Butterflied shoulder or leg of lamb marinated in Indian spiced yoghurt

Belinda

This is simply divine and the spiced yoghurt really makes it so tender and flavorful. Personally I like New Zealand lamb the best, and if you are making it for 6 people, then buy 2 boned shoulders as they have the most flavor.

Serves 4 (if you’re using two shoulders then double the recipe)

About 1 & 1/2 lbs boned leg or shoulder of lamb (Shoulder may have more fat but it has much more flavor)
2 good sized lemons, juiced
4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, leaves stripped
1 tbsp salt

8 fl oz natural yoghurt (don’t use low fat yoghurt)
2 fresh red chillies seeded
bunch cilantro (fresh coriander) chopped
3 good sized cloves garlic
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground cloves
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp ground cardamon

bunch fresh rosemary

Tenderize the lamb by opening it out and rubbing it all over with the lemon juice, 1 tbsp salt and the thyme leaves.
Leave for at least 4 hours then throw away the excessive lemon juice.

Whizz the yoghurt with the rest of the ingredients (except the rosemary) in the food processor to make the marinade.
Rub the marinade all over the meat and leave to marinate overnight in the fridge

Heat the oven to 450F. Put the lamb on a rack over a bed of the fresh rosemary in a roasting pan. If you don’t have a baking rack that fits in the roasting pan, don’t bother, it works fine either way.
Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked
Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes, covered with foil.
Slice and serve

 

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Meat

Tonnato sauce (Italian tuna sauce) with sliced pork fillet

Belinda

This is the easiest and most delectable cold sauce to put over thinly sliced pork fillet.
You can also use thinly sliced turkey, chicken, veal and even roasted peppers. It’s so versatile and I highly recommend it.

Serves 4

For the pork
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1lb pork fillet

For the sauce
3.5 oz a good brand of canned tuna in olive oil, drained
2 egg yolks
2 anchovy fillets
8 – 9 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 -2 tbsp capers
freshly ground pepper
chopped parsley to garnish

Pout the stock into a large saucepan and poach the pork fillet for 20 minutes until cooked through. Leave it to cool in the stock.
When the fillet is quite cold, remove them it the stock and slice thinly. Arrange on a serving plate.

Meanwhile, put the drained tuna into a food processor with the egg yolks and anchovy fillets. Turn the motor on and gradually add the olive oil in a very thin trickle.
Add the ground pepper and lemon juice, to taste
Spoon the sauce over the pork and scatter with capers
Garnish with parsley and serve

 

Gluten Free · Meat · Nuts · Salad

Grilled asparagus,mozzarella, prosciutto and melon salad

Belinda

Thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for this recipe. I like to serve this with a fillet of broiled wild salmon on the side.

4 -6 servings

3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
1 lb asparagus
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 small melon (about 12 oz) peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2″ cubes
4 oz fresh mozzarella, cut into 3/4″ cubes
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. bake for 12- 14 minutes until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Chop the prosciutto into 1/4″ pieces
Place a grill pan over medium high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. In a medium bowl toss together the asparagus and 2 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2- 3 minutes each side until crisp tender.
In a medium bowl combine the lemon juice and 2 tbsp olive oil. Whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the melon and mozzarella cheese and toss until all ingredients are combined.
Arrange the asparagus on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the melon and mozzarella cheese on top of the asparagus.
Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette over the top. Sprinkle the prosciutto and pine nuts on top and serve.

To toast the pine nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 8 to 12 minutes until lightly browned

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Meat · Nuts

Persian Rice

Belinda

I just love rice dishes, especially with these spices!

Serves 4

1 cup jasmine rice
4 tbsp butter
3-4 tbsp pine nuts
3-4 tbsp currants
3/4 lb leg or shoulder of lamb cut into small cubes
1-1/2 cups lamb stock, using 2 lamb stock cubes
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt to taste

Season the small lamb cubes with salt and pepper then in a solid pan saute the lamb in a little oil and 2 tbsp of the butter on a medium heat till color turns and it starts to brown a little.
Add the other 2 tbsp butter and the chopped onion. Saute until the onions get soft.
Add the rice and other ingredients and fry for 2 -3 mins.
Finally, add the stock, bring to the boil then turn down the heat, cover and cook for 20 mins or until the rice absorbs all the stock.
Rest for 20 minutes, before serving