Beef Barley and Vegies Broth

NAME: _Beef Barley and Vegies Broth

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 -2 kg beef spare ribs
1/3 cup wheat

1/3 cup pearl barley

1/2 cup dried peas

1/2 cup red kidney beans

1/2 cup faba beans or black eye beans

1 swede
1 carrot
several stalks celery
2 tsp salt
2 tsp peppercorns
2 tsp cumin seeds

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METHOD:
Put 4 litres of water in a large pot, add the salt, pepper, cumin seeds, and the beef, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for around two hours, until the meat is soft. Meanwhile, soak the dried grains and pulses in a few litres of water.

After two hours, remove the meat from the broth and set it aside, strain the broth and discard the solids. Skim the fat, and return to the stove. Drain the grins and pulses and add to the broth, along with enough water to make up 4 litres again. (Generally around 1.5 - 2 litres will have evaporated.) Bring back to the boil, and simmer, covered, for another two hours, then check.

When the beans and other ingredients are soft, peel and dice the carrot and swede to about 1.5cm cubes, cut the celery stalks to about 2cm slices, add to the pot. Strip the majority of the meat from the ribs, cube to around 3cm, also return that to the pot, bring it back to the boil again, and simmer until the vegetables are soft.

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SERVING:
It's soup. Put it in a bowl and eat it. Maybe with crusty bread.

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NOTES:
Beef spare rib meat wins, hands down.

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ENJOY!

Seaweed Salad

NAME: _Seaweed Salad

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Sheets of thin seaweed. (See Notes)
2 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp light soya
1 tsp rock or sea salt
1 shallot

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METHOD:
Cut the seaweed sheet into 2mm strips with scissors, place in a saucepan with plenty of water and bring to a boil, then immediately remove from heat, strain, and rinse. Set aside. (This step removes the sand and salt dust adhering to the seaweed and softens it preparatory to the next step.)

Meanwhile, in the saucepan, combine the liquid ingredients, salt, and a few thin slices of shallot, place over medium heat, add the seaweed back once the liquid has warmed through, stir several times, and allow to simmer gently until the seaweed is at the required degree of doneness. (I tend to leave a lot of texture in it.)

Turn out into a bowl and allow to cool in refrigerator.

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SERVING:
As a side with many Asian dishes, or just over steamed rice, an excellent flavour and

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NOTES:
I've used a few kinds of seaweed, the really crispy kinds that are used for nori and sushi rolls are NOT suitable, neither are the dyed green ones. You want naturally-dried seaweed and kelp for this dish. Or if you can pick it up fresh, that's even better. Remember that most kinds of seaweed are edible, but do consult a foraging website or manual first.

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ENJOY!

Roast Potatoes and Paprika Cream Vegetables

NAME: _Roast Potatoes and Paprika Cream Vegetables

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
8 small potatoes
1 zucchini
6 yellow button squash
1 green capsicum
1 medium carrot
1 tin crushed tomatoes
sprig rosemary
1 tbsp paprika powder
4 cloves garlic
1 litre chicken stock)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup yoghurt
100g sharp cheddar
small qty dripping or butter
Salt and pepper to taste

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METHOD:
Scrub and then boil potatoes in salted water. Place sprig of rosemary in water for five minutes then remove and set aside. Keep boiling until potatoes are soft, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, boil stock to reduce to about half, then add the tinned tomatoes, garlic cloves, paprika, and the sliced carrot.

While this is simmering place the potatoes into a suitable baking dish, and crush crush the top of each potato, then add a pat of butter or dripping, several rosemary needles, some flaked salt, and enough crumbled cheddar cheese to top. Use a spoon or ladle to drizzle some of the stock and tomato over the potatoes, place in the oven at 210C.

Quarter the zucchini lengthways and chop roughly into cubes, similarly dice the button squash and capsicum. Add to the sauce, as well as a few needles of rosemary. Once the vegetables have softened but are not yet mushy, stir in the sour cream and turn the heat off.

Potatoes are done when the cheese and sauce topping browns slightly.

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SERVING:
Serve two potatoes pressed flat so they open up, top with vegetables, and spoon a dollop of yoghurt over. Serve at once.

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NOTES:
Something about yoghurt/sour cream and a salty paprika/tomato sauce is irresistible. If you use vegetable stock and olive oil, this is a vegetarian meal.

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ENJOY!

Fennel and Turmeric Rabbit Stew

NAME: _Fennel and Turmeric Rabbit Stew

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 kg rabbit
3 tbsp fat (I used half rabbit dripping, half olive oil)
3 - 4 cm of turmeric root
1 large or two mall fennel bulbs plus some stems and leaves
1 large brown onion
3 cloves garlic
2 carrots
1 parsnip
3 potatoes
3 tbsp mustard (American or Dijon)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp flour

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METHOD:
Joint the rabbit, salt very lightly, and fry the pieces slowly, reducing the heat to braise for about 10 further minutes once it has slightly browned. Remove pieces from pan and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, peel and rough chop the onion, garlic, and fennel and a few sections of fennel stem and leaves if you have them, add to the pan on low heat, allow to braise slowly. After ten minutes grate the turmeric onto the onions, add the mustard and stir through, then remove the meat from the bones and cube to about 3cm, add to the pan, cover and allow to cook slowly for around 20 minutes, adding splashes of water if necessary to keep it moist.

Peel and dice the carrots, parsnip, and potatoes, dice, and add to the pot along with a few glasses of water, season to taste. Keep simmering until the vegetables are at the desired softness, mix the flour with a few tablespoons of water and add just enough to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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SERVING:
Can be reheated but doesn't really gain anything, and besides, it's going to get eaten up anyway...

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NOTES:
You can add a sprinkle of nutmeg. And as to the rabbit dripping, you can use lard or beef or all olive oil or any combination - I just like that my rabbits have enough body fat to make dripping from. %) The mustard needs to have some bite but not overpower. I used Mild English in fact, but Dijon or American would have been better.

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ENJOY!

Paprika Potatoes

NAME: _Paprika Potatoes

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 - 3 potatoes
50 g butter
3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sweet paprika
3 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp mayonnaise

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METHOD:
Peel the potatoes and cube around 2cm in size. Place in a saucepan with the butter and water, add half of the half teaspoon of salt and about a quarter of the paprika. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to simmer until all the water has evaporated.

Fold together the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining salt and paprika in a bowl. When the butter in the saucepan begins to brown and the paprika becomes fragrant, turn off the heat, allow to cool slightly, and add the cream mixture.

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SERVING:
Use as a side carb to tomato chilli based meals. Serve immediately. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.

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NOTES:

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ENJOY!

Moroccan Chicken Wrapchiladas

NAME: _Moroccan Chicken "Wrapchiladas"

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INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 side of a chicken breast
1 brown onion
1 cup basmati rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tin brown lentils
1 tbsp besan flour
1-2 tbsp ras al hanout
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
100g goat feta
1 cup rough cut parsley
salt

coriander and cumin seed wraps.
6 lebanese flatbreads around 20cm diameter
3 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil

tomato basting sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp ras al hanout
1 tsp salt

Ras Al Hanout
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

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METHOD:
Make the Ras al Hanout by thoroughly mixing the spices in the ingredients list, set aside. Either make the flatbread wraps, or buy them ready-made. The ready made ones are a trifle thin, but they are useable. To make, brush lebanese flat breads with olive oil, sprinkle with the mixed spice seeds, and roll with a bottle or rolling pin to embed the seeds.

Simmer the rice in 2 cups of water and about a teaspoon of salt until water is absorbed, set aside, and fluff up once or twice while making other ingredients.

Skin the chicken breast and cut into 1cm or slightly smaller sticks, cutting with the grain of the meat. Peel the onion and slice into around 12 - 16 segments lengthways. Fry in the 2 tbsp olive oil until the onios begin to brown slightly, then add the ras al hanout and fry for about two minutes more, until the spices are fragrant, then add the tomato paste and water, allow to thicken to almost dry consistency again, take off heat and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, mix the tomato paste, water, spice, and salt to make the basting sauce. Cut about half the goat feta into small 5mm - 1cm cubes, keep the rest chilled until needed. Drain and rinse the lentils.

Hand mix the rice, lentils, chicken, and parsley in a large bowl, then heap 1/6th of the mixture onto each wrap, add some cubed feta cheese into each portion, roll into a tube, and place into baking dish with the seam side down. Brush with the basting sauce, crumble the remaining feta cheese over, and bake in a medium oven (185C) for 25 minutes.

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SERVING:
May be served immediately hot, or cold. Serve with a green salad.

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NOTES:
Ras al Hanout (there will be heaps left over) keeps in a sealed jar for months. It's not as hard as it looks so take it step by step, and -

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ENJOY!