Category: Meat

Appetizers · Fish · Fruit · Meat

Chorizo, prawn and banana cakes with harissa yoghurt

Belinda

These beauties are from the wonderful Yotam Ottolenghi. What a great combination of flavors and textures!
Makes about 15 fritters, to serve four as a snack or first course.

3 cooking chorizo sausages, skin removed and discarded, meat finely chopped (150g net weight)
100g Greek-style yoghurt
1 tsp rose (or regular) harissa
2 ripe bananas (but not so ripe that they have brown bits), peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
80g sustainably caught ready-peeled raw king prawns, roughly chopped
1 green chili, deseeded and finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
2cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated (to end up with about ½ tsp)
2 limes – zest finely grated, to get 2 tsp, then cut into wedges
¼ tsp ground coriander
10g cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
Salt
2 large egg whites
3 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Put a large nonstick saute pan on a high flame. Once hot, fry the chorizo for four minutes, stirring regularly, until nice and crisp, then tip into a large bowl (including any oil that leeches out) and leave to cool a little.

2. In a small bowl, fold the harissa into the yoghurt – don’t mix them together so much that they turn into a uniform mass, but rather just swirl the harissa through the yoghurt, so it ends up with attractive red marbling. Cover with cling-film and refrigerate.

3. Add the bananas, prawns, chili, garlic, ginger, lime zest, ground and fresh coriander, flour and a quarter-teaspoon of salt to the chorizo and stir to combine. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, then gently fold into the fritter mixture, taking care not to knock out too much air.

4. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan on a high flame. Once the oil is hot, turn down the heat to medium and, in about three batches, carefully spoon the mixture into the pan, one tablespoon per fritter and spaced well apart. Fry for two minutes on each side, until crisp and golden brown, then use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate lined with kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining batter.

5. Serve warm with the harissa yoghurt and lime wedges alongside.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Meat · Soup

Pork noodle soup with ginger and toasted garlic

Belinda

This soup, based mostly on pantry staples, can be made with a variety of proteins, noodles and greens depending on what you have on hand. Snow pea leaves are exceptional here, which can be found in many Asian grocers year-round, but spinach, Swiss chard or other dark leafy green would work well. Don’t skip the raw onion, the soup’s finished complexity depends on it.

Recipe by the wonderful Alison Roman

Serves 6
3 tbsp neutral oil, grapeseed, vegetable or canola
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb ground pork
1 ½ tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more to taste
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari, plus more to taste
1 large bunch pea leaves or spinach, thick stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger (from about a 1 1/2-inch piece)
6 oz rice noodles (thick- or thin-cut), cooked and drained
½ medium red, yellow or white onion or 3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped

Heat vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium.
Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the slices become nicely toasted and golden brown, 2 or 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove garlic and set aside.
Add pork and red-pepper flakes to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, using a wooden spoon or spatula to break up large pieces, until the pork is well browned and in small bite-size pieces, 5 to 8 minutes.
Add chicken broth, soy sauce and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes or so, until the pork is very tender and the broth tastes impossibly good. (Give it a taste and season with salt, pepper, red-pepper flakes and soy sauce, if you want.) Add pea leaves, half of the onion slices, and all of the ginger. Stir to wilt the leaves.
To serve, ladle soup over noodles and top with remaining onion, cilantro and toasted garlic.

Dairy-free · Fish · Meat

Cod with chorizo and white beans

Belinda

Chorizo and red peppers give this cod dish a nice Spanish flavor. This is a really easy way of cooking fish and there’s plenty of delicious veg to go with it.
A lovely recipe from “The Hairy Bikers”.

Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
6oz (150g) cooking chorizo, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced1 red pepper
9oz (250g) white cabbage, shredded
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
7 fl oz (200ml) red wine
2 tbsp tomato purée
14oz (400g) can of white beans (preferably cannellini), drained and rinsed
4 filets of cod or other thick white fish, skinned
salt and black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan or frying pan with a lid. Add the chorizo and brown it quickly on all sides, then remove it with a slotted spoon. If there’s a lot of fat in the pan, spoon off all but about 2 tablespoons.

Add the red onion, red pepper and cabbage and cook them over a medium heat until they have started to soften, then add the garlic and thyme. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then turn up the heat and pour in the wine. Leave it to bubble and reduce for a couple of minutes, then stir in the tomato purée, beans and about 250ml of water. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the pan and leave to simmer until the vegetables are just tender. Put the chorizo back in the pan. Season the cod steaks with salt and pepper and place them on top of the beans and veg. Cover the pan and leave to steam very gently for about 15 minutes or until the cod has just cooked through.

Serve sprinkled with parsley, if using, with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Meat · Rice

Bolognese risotto

Belinda

This fabulous, comforting recipe comes from Delicious Magazine.

“If it’s comfort food you’re on the lookout for, then you’ve landed on the right recipe. Two of our favorite go-to dishes, bolognese and risotto, have been combined to make a cheesy, rich and comforting bolognese risotto bake. We’ve used a good dash of Worcestershire sauce too, for bags of flavor.”

SERVES 6-8

Vegetable oil for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2″(2cm) dice
2 red peppers, chopped into 1/2″(2cm) dice
2 tbsp tomato purée
300g risotto rice (such as arborio)
150ml red wine
400g ground beef
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
750ml beef stock
100ml whole (full fat) milk
100g grated mozzarella (the dry kind for cooking) or a sharp cheddar

Heat the oven to 400F/ 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
In a large wide hob-safe braiser, heat a glug of oil, then add the onion, garlic, carrots and peppers. Cook on a medium-high heat, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes. The vegetables should start to soften and color a little. Season with salt and pepper, then add the tomato purée and rice.
Stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent.

Turn up the heat to high and add the red wine. Let the wine bubble and reduce, stirring all the time. Once the wine has reduced by about half, add the ground beef and break up into the rice and vegetables.
Lower the heat to low-medium, stir in the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and half the stock, then bring to a gentle simmer.
Slowly add the remainder of the stock and the milk, little by little, stirring all the time as the risotto thickens. This should take 40-50 minutes.

Once the rice is just al dente (firm to the bite), scatter the grated cheese in an even layer over the rice. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden and the risotto is bubbling.

Tips
Regularly stir the risotto to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan, adding enough water to make sure it’s your preferred consistency.

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat

Pork Sausage & Apple Stuffing in Pancetta Cups

Belinda

Stuffing baked in pancetta cups! These are fantastic made on the day but even better the day after because the flavors meld together even more. They reheat very well in the oven – both the pancetta and the tops crisp up again in the oven.

16 slices of pancetta, around 12cm/5″ in diameter (so it fits the muffin tin nicely)
1 lb / 500g Italian pork sausage, casings removed
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 granny smith apple, skin on, finely chopped
1/3 cup slivered almonds, roughly chopped
5 cups slightly stale white bread, cut into 1/3″ / 1cm cubes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth (or turkey)
1/2 cup heavy cream (not whipped)
1 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried sage)
1 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
Salt and pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350F/180C with the oven rack in the middle.
Get 2 muffin trays and partially stack them so you have 16 muffin holes and the “joined” muffin tins will fit on one shelf (Note 4).
Line the holes with pancetta.
Heat a large fry pan over high heat. Add the pork sausage and cook it, breaking up the meat as you go. Cook until the sausage changes from pink to light brown and some of the bits starts to brown – about 5 minutes.
Remove the sausage into a bowl and drain the excess fat.
Return the pan to the stove and reduce the heat to medium high. Add the butter, and once melted, add the onion and celery. Sauté for around 3 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Add the apple and almonds, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes.
Remove the fry pan from the stove. Add the bread and gently stir to combine.
Add the chicken stock/broth, cream, sage and thyme and sit to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the egg and stir until mixed through.
Divide the mixture between the 16 pancetta cups.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.

To make ahead, transfer to a cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate until required. Then reheat in a 180C/350F preheated oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the pancetta and top is crispy.
* Use a good quality loaf like Vienna or cob loaf. This recipe is not suited to supermarket sandwich bread – it becomes too soggy. It is also not suited to sourdough because then there will be a slight sour flavor.
**The bread should be slightly but not rock-hard stale. It is recommended to cut into cubes and leaving it overnight on the counter, uncovered, spread on a tray. I cut it into cubes, put it into a cold oven, turned it on to 180C/350F, then turned it off after 5 minutes and left the bread in there for 15 minutes or so while I got on with the rest of the recipe. This worked perfectly.

Meat

Sweet and saucy pork chops

Belinda

From Bon Appetite Magazine
For weeknight-friendly pork chops that cook in record time but are still succulent, we turn to an unexpected ingredient: sugar.
A pinch sprinkled over the surface helps the chops caramelize and develop a golden-brown crust before the meat has a chance to dry out. For maximum juiciness, we finish cooking them in a buttery-tangy pan sauce that then gets spooned over just before serving

I buy my pork chops from the wonderful website “D’Artagnan” and I get the 12-14oz Berkshire Pork Porterhouse chops. They are so moist and marbled and taste much better than regular pork.

2 1″-thick bone-in pork rib chops (look for the most marbled ones you can find, preferably with some fat cap too)
Kosher salt
1½ tsp. sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 sprigs rosemary
1 Tbsp. drained capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Season the pork chops with salt and sprinkle evenly with ½ tsp. sugar. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook chops, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook just until second side is lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer chops to a plate (they won’t be fully cooked); reduce heat to medium.

Pour remaining 1 Tbsp. oil into same skillet and add shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until softened and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.

Add vinegar and remaining 1 tsp. sugar to skillet. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until vinegar is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add rosemary, capers, and ½ cup water (or chicken broth) to skillet; season with salt. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a very low simmer. Add butter and swirl pan continuously (and vigorously) until sauce becomes smooth, glossy, and emulsified.

Return pork chops to skillet, arranging darker side up. Simmer gently in sauce, swirling occasionally, until chops are cooked through, about 3 minutes (a thermometer inserted near the bones should register 135°).

Transfer pork chops to plates and spoon sauce over.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Meat · Rice

Cantonese Beef Rice Bowls

Belinda1 Comment

I keep 3 or 4 1lb packages of organic ground beef in the freezer for those “What am I going to cook today?” sort of days. Here is another lovely recipe with a difference from food blog “The Woks of Life” I highly recommend the blog too.

Cantonese beef rice bowls are made with browned ground beef, simmered in stock, spices, oyster sauce, soy sauce simmered to perfection and served over rice.

1 tbsp oil
1lb ground beef (450g)
1 medium onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 cup chicken stock (590 ml)
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
steamed rice (to serve)

Heat a wok over high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the ground beef and cook until slightly browned, breaking up any large chunks of beef. Add the onion, garlic, and Shaoxing wine, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the onion is translucent, and then add the chicken stock.
Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the oyster and soy sauces, sesame oil, and white pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cover, add the peas, and stir-fry for one minute.
Stir up the cornstarch slurry (since the starch will separate from the water when left to sit), and drizzle the slurry into the sauce while stirring constantly. The sauce should thicken until it coats a spoon. If it’s not thick enough, add more cornstarch slurry (a couple teaspoons at a time) or simply let the sauce simmer and reduce a bit longer. If it’s too thick, add a bit of water. You can make these adjustments until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
Serve over steamed rice!

Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Meat · Pasta

Chinese spaghetti bolognaise

Belinda

Recipe from the blog “The Woks of Life”

I thought this was such a cool idea when I found this recipe. Fusion food at it’s best

8 oz. dried spaghetti (225g)
Salt
1 tbsp oil
12 oz. ground beef (340g)
1 medium onion (finely diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 tsp Shaoxing wine (or dry cooking sherry)
2 cups chicken stock (475 ml)
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions, undercooking it by about a minute (it will finish cooking in the sauce). While the pasta is cooking, start the sauce.
Heat a wok over high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the ground beef and cook until slightly browned, breaking up any large chunks of beef. Add the onion, garlic, and Shaoxing wine, and turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the onion is transparent, and then add the chicken stock.
Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the oyster and soy sauces, sesame oil, and white pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cover, add the peas, and stir for one minute.
Stir up the cornstarch slurry (since the starch will separate from the water when left to sit), and drizzle the slurry into the sauce while stirring constantly. The sauce should thicken until it coats a spoon.
Drain the pasta, and add it directly to the wok. Toss until the pasta is coated in sauce. Feel free to add some of the pasta cooking liquid if the sauce is too thick, and add more cornstarch slurry if the sauce is too thin.
Serve!

Meat

Pork tenderloin with gorgonzola butter

Belinda1 Comment

This is a wonderfully simple and highly flavorful dish to make, especially if you want to impress!

Screen Shot 2020-08-07 at 3.50.22 PM

Serves 6

4 pork tenderloins, approx 2lbs in total
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, for the frying pan
1/2 cup (120ml) dry white wine
3/4 cup (180ml) whipping cream
1/4 lb (113g) gorgonzola cheese, at room temp
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp minced chives

Preheat the oven to 350F
Season the pork all over with salt and pepper.
Oil a heavy cast iron frying pan lightly with vegetable oil and heat over high heat.
Add the pork and brown on all sides. Remove from the pan to a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 mins until cooked through but still a bit pink

In a small saucepan, reduce the wine over moderate heat to 1 tbsp (15 mls)
Add the cream and reduce by half.
Remove from the heat and whisk the gorgonzola and butter into the sauce, whisking constantly until incorporated. Season to taste and add the chives.

To serve
Slice the tenderloin into 1-inch (2.5cm) slices and place on heated plates.
Surround with the sauce and serve immediately with some crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Meat

Roast pork tenderloin with stir-fry cabbage and spiced figs

Belinda

Recipe by Nigel Slater

This is so lovely with the spiced cabbage and red onion stir-fry.

roast pork with figs Nigel Slater

Serves 3

1lb pork tenderloin, silver-skin removed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds ( love to roast my cumin before using)
1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
8 green cardamom pods
3/4 lb cabbage leaves
6-8 fresh figs
6 tbsp white vermouth

Make sure the tenderloin is dry to the touch, patting it with kitchen paper if not, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
Warm the olive oil in a roasting tin over a moderate to high heat then add the pork and brown lightly, turning it from time to time so all sides color to an even toasty brown. About 6 or 7 minutes.
Remove the roasting tin from the heat, lift out the pork and leave to rest under a large upturned bowl or a piece of foil.

Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Place the roasting tin over a moderate heat, add the onion to the fat and oil already in the tin, then leave to cook over a moderate heat, with an occasional stir, for 15-20 minutes, until soft and sweet.

Put the cumin and coriander seeds in a mortar. Crack the cardamom pods, extract the tiny brown seeds from within and add them to the spices. Pound to a coarse powder with a pestle. (A spice mill will do it even more quickly.)
Stir the ground spices into the onion and continue cooking.

Wash and dry the cabbage leaves, then stack one on top of another and roll them up. Now shred them into ribbons about 1/8 ” thick. Stir the cabbage into the onion, tossing well with 2 spoons or a pair of tongs, to mix everything thoroughly.

Slice the pork into 1″ (3cm) thick pieces.
Cut the figs into quarters, depending on their size.
As soon as the cabbage has wilted – about 2 minutes – remove the mix to a warm serving dish and cover.
Pour the white vermouth into the pan and let it bubble furiously for 30 seconds, then return the slices of pork and their resting juices, along with the figs, to the pan and continue cooking for 3-4 minutes.
Spoon the meat, figs and juices over the cabbage and onions and serve.