NAME: _Chicken and Leek Casserole Gratin
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 dbl chicken breast or two marylands
6 medium potatoes
1 leek
1 large brown onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp lard
100g streaky bacon
1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek seed
600ml buttermilk
1 tbsp plain flour
1 chicken stock cube
150g cheddar cheese
METHOD:
Wash the potatoes, place in a steamer with the chicken pieces and steam for 40 - 60 minutes, until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a skewer, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Grate all the cheese, divide into three portions. Pull the chicken off the bone and tear into chunks. Cut to about 1/2 inch cubes.
Peel and slice the onion into half inch thick slices, fry in the fat in a hot frypan until browned, then lift out of the fat and place in a layer on the bottom of a casserole dish. Use the same fat to fry the bacon, diced to about half inch squares, lift from the fat, and set aside.
Slice the leek into half inch rings, wash well and dry with a tea towel or paper towel, place in the frypan and fry until beginning to brown. Peel and slice the garlic thinly and add to the leek, then add the bacon back again, and the spices. Fry a further three to five minutes then add about a quarter of the buttermilk and let simmer for around five to ten minutes. Add one third of the cheese, he cubed chicken pieces, stir to mix, and remove from heat.
Slide the skin off the potatoes and slice three of them into 1/4 inch slices, lay over the onions, then lift the leek / chicken mixture out of the buttermilk and layer that on top of the potato. Slice the last three potatoes and lay those over the top of the casserole.
Put the frypan back on the heat, stir the flour in and keep stirring, add the remaining buttermilk, the crumbled chicken stock cube, and one third of the cheese, heating gently until the cheese dissolves. Pour the mixture over the contents of the casserole, working it down among the contents, then crumble the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake in a moderately hot oven for 30 - 50 minutes until the cheese browns.
SERVING:
Serve after allowing to rest for ten minutes or so.
NOTES:
Nothing. Just enjoy.
ENJOY!
Friday, 26 September 2014
Saturday, 20 September 2014
Beer and Barley Bunny Ballyhoo
NAME: _Beer and Barley Bunny Ballyhoo
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
METHOD:
SERVING:
Serve as is with crusty bead and butter, perhaps a dollop of sour cream. This sized serving could feed four average appetites or two hungry ones.
NOTES:
I like faba beans, but there's no reason you couldn't use cannelini beans or something similar. Or different mushrooms, come to think of it.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 rabbit
2 medium onions
3 medium potatoes
3 medium carrots
4 - 6 kale leaves
1/4 cup barley
1 cup dried swiss brown mushrooms
1/4 cup dry faba beans (or pinto or navy - faba just seem nicer)
370ml (one small bottle) of beer.
salt
pepper
flour
beef or rabbit dripping
chicken stock cube
METHOD:
Preparation:
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of clean water, change it and soak some more, depending on the beans you've decided to go with. About an hour before beginning the cooking, open the beer and let stand while doing everything else so it has a chance to go flat.
Directions:
Cut the rabbit into fryable sized portions, salt lightly and fry them off until golden in the dripping, then put them in an appropriately sized pot, Slice the onions into really thick slices, fry them and the barley off unti the barley begins to show browning and put in the pot, also the drained faba beans. Deglaze the frypan with 500ml of water and add that to the pot. Add a further 1.5L water and the stock cube, and bring to a boil then simmer for around an hour, remove the rabbit pieces and continue to simmer for another hour until the barley is tender.
Cut the potatoes and carrots into big (3cm approx) slices and add those, add the dried mushrooms, shred the kale and add that too, let it simmer until the carrots are just tender. By now the liquid should be well reduced so add around half the beer (more or less according to taste, make up the balance with water if necessary) and allow to come to a simmer again. Gradually add a paste of about 4 tsp flour and water and stir in, checking for desired consistency as you go. Don't feel you need to add all the flour, nor that you should only use four teaspoonsful or less. Don't forget it will continue to thicken for a few more minutes.
Debone the rabbit meat and add it back into the stew, then remove from heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes or so before serving.
SERVING:
Serve as is with crusty bead and butter, perhaps a dollop of sour cream. This sized serving could feed four average appetites or two hungry ones.
NOTES:
I like faba beans, but there's no reason you couldn't use cannelini beans or something similar. Or different mushrooms, come to think of it.
ENJOY!
Sunday, 14 September 2014
"Meat" Meat Pies
NAME: _"Meat" Meat Pies
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
500g lean minced beef
2 tbsp besan flour
juice of half a small lemon
2 tsp rock salt
2 tsp raw sugar
3 tsp granulated garlic
1 (or 2, to taste) tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup coarse burghul
200g (approx) frozen mixed vegetables
8 eggs
1 cup and a bit grated cheese
METHOD:
Put minced beef, besan flour, and lemon juice into food processor with steel blades. Put ingredients from rock salt to cumin seeds into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder, add to food processor and process to fine consistency. Be careful to make sure everything stays cold, and process in short bursts so as not to make greasy. (Warm fat "breaks" and smears through the meat mixture. It alters the texture and the flavour.) Add the burghul and process until barely mixed through. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. This gives the cracked wheat time to absorb some moisture out of the meat mixture.
Place the frozen vegetables, salt, pepper, lemon, and olive oil into the food processor and process in bursts until the vegetables are in coarse crumbles. Set aside.
Divide the meat mixture into as many portions as you intend to make pies. In my case, I used eight micro loaf tins, so formed eight portions. Place a portion in each dish, and use either another dish or something similar to force the meat to adopt a pastry shell shape.
In my case, a toothpick cylinder made the ideal pressing block. I wrapped it in plastic wrap for hygiene's sake, and for ease of cleaning up. Add a spoonful or two of the vegetables to each pie and smooth out, then break an egg into it, top with grated cheese. Bake at 190C for around 40 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown.
SERVING:
May be served hot or cold. If hot, rice or mashed potato is a good choice of accompaniment, along with a vegetable cooked in tomato based sauce, I used okra garlic and onion in tomato sauce. Serves four when served with sides.
NOTES:
The only reason lean mince was specified is because if it is not kept almost frozen, the fat will "smear" during the processing, and that affects the texture and flavour of the shells. Smeared fat also affects how the burghul absorbs moisture out of the meat mixture.
The idea came about because I like meat kibbeh and wanted to try a Turkish / Arabian based dish but of my own recipe. It is even GPG (my wife, aka "Guinea Pig Goddess") approved. Thank you Kerry for testing my food experiment ideas with me. You're a brave woman. %)
This style of "meat pie" can be the basis for a whole lot of different recipes. As they can be served cold as mezzes, you could make up different batches and serve as party food. Or adjust the sides to suit each different style. The secret to the pastry casing is the food processor developing the meat glutens, and then the starch (burghul, polenta, chickpea flour, etc) being given time to absorb and bind.
Six variations I can think of right away:
-Minced lean pork, fine polenta, cayenne pepper and cumin for the shell, refried beans and chilli con carne for filling, nacho cheese for the topping, would be Mexican style,
-Or substitute chorizo and olive based filing topped with sliced tomato and herb crusting to make Spanish style. Both served with white rice, tomatoes, chillies, and side salad type things.
-Minced lamb, burghul, curry spice for the shell, chicken / tomato / raisin / cardamom based filling, and goat cheese topping for a Middle Eastern version...
-For the ultimate meat lovers, make a beef shell as above with a minced lamb, burghul, and toasted pine nut filling, and close the top with more beef shell. This would be a "kibbeh meat pie." Serve both Middle Eastern versions with lentil and raisin rice or pilaf style.
-Minced beef, basil, polenta, with a filling of bolognese style sauce with small pasta stars and topped with slices of tasty cheese for Italian style. Serve with garden salad dressed with olives, cheese, pickled capers.
-Minced goat or lamb with mint and burghul, filling of chopped eggplant moussaka and topped with goat feta for Greek style. Greek salad goes without saying.
ENJOY!
 |
| Shown served with buttered riced potato topped with grated cheese. |
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
500g lean minced beef
2 tbsp besan flour
juice of half a small lemon
2 tsp raw sugar
3 tsp granulated garlic
1 (or 2, to taste) tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup coarse burghul
1 tsp cooking salt
1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
juice half a small lemon
1 tbsp olive oil8 eggs
1 cup and a bit grated cheese
METHOD:
Put minced beef, besan flour, and lemon juice into food processor with steel blades. Put ingredients from rock salt to cumin seeds into a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder, add to food processor and process to fine consistency. Be careful to make sure everything stays cold, and process in short bursts so as not to make greasy. (Warm fat "breaks" and smears through the meat mixture. It alters the texture and the flavour.) Add the burghul and process until barely mixed through. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. This gives the cracked wheat time to absorb some moisture out of the meat mixture.
Place the frozen vegetables, salt, pepper, lemon, and olive oil into the food processor and process in bursts until the vegetables are in coarse crumbles. Set aside.
Divide the meat mixture into as many portions as you intend to make pies. In my case, I used eight micro loaf tins, so formed eight portions. Place a portion in each dish, and use either another dish or something similar to force the meat to adopt a pastry shell shape.
 |
| Note the toothpick dispenser wrapped in plastic and used as the stamp. |
SERVING:
May be served hot or cold. If hot, rice or mashed potato is a good choice of accompaniment, along with a vegetable cooked in tomato based sauce, I used okra garlic and onion in tomato sauce. Serves four when served with sides.
NOTES:
The only reason lean mince was specified is because if it is not kept almost frozen, the fat will "smear" during the processing, and that affects the texture and flavour of the shells. Smeared fat also affects how the burghul absorbs moisture out of the meat mixture.
The idea came about because I like meat kibbeh and wanted to try a Turkish / Arabian based dish but of my own recipe. It is even GPG (my wife, aka "Guinea Pig Goddess") approved. Thank you Kerry for testing my food experiment ideas with me. You're a brave woman. %)
This style of "meat pie" can be the basis for a whole lot of different recipes. As they can be served cold as mezzes, you could make up different batches and serve as party food. Or adjust the sides to suit each different style. The secret to the pastry casing is the food processor developing the meat glutens, and then the starch (burghul, polenta, chickpea flour, etc) being given time to absorb and bind.
Six variations I can think of right away:
-Minced lean pork, fine polenta, cayenne pepper and cumin for the shell, refried beans and chilli con carne for filling, nacho cheese for the topping, would be Mexican style,
-Or substitute chorizo and olive based filing topped with sliced tomato and herb crusting to make Spanish style. Both served with white rice, tomatoes, chillies, and side salad type things.
-Minced lamb, burghul, curry spice for the shell, chicken / tomato / raisin / cardamom based filling, and goat cheese topping for a Middle Eastern version...
-For the ultimate meat lovers, make a beef shell as above with a minced lamb, burghul, and toasted pine nut filling, and close the top with more beef shell. This would be a "kibbeh meat pie." Serve both Middle Eastern versions with lentil and raisin rice or pilaf style.
-Minced beef, basil, polenta, with a filling of bolognese style sauce with small pasta stars and topped with slices of tasty cheese for Italian style. Serve with garden salad dressed with olives, cheese, pickled capers.
-Minced goat or lamb with mint and burghul, filling of chopped eggplant moussaka and topped with goat feta for Greek style. Greek salad goes without saying.
ENJOY!
Friday, 22 August 2014
Chicken Lasagna alla Ted
NAME: _Chicken Lasagna alla Ted
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Filling
1 chicken breast half
1 small brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 medium turnip
1/4 medium swede
1 medium carrot
several leaves kale
2 red european capsicums
1 tsp crushed chilli
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fish sauce (or one anchovy shredded)
1 tsp light soya sauce
2 tsp capsicum powder (paprika)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp plum jam
sufficient lasagne sheets.
Bechamel topping
100g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
150g cheese
1 cup cream
1 egg
2 tsp hot english mustard
METHOD:
Filling
Dice onion and garlic finely, add to saucepan. Remove skin (if any) from chicken breast and knife chop into very small dice, (more coarse than mince - barely) and add to saucepan. Pare skin from, and then julienne, the turnip and swede, add those to the saucepan. Finely dice one red capsicum and add to saucepan. Peel and cube the carrot, add to saucepan. Add the olive oil, and place on high heat.
Fry until browning begins, stirring often, then add the plum jam, capsicum powder, thyme, fish oil and soya sauce, continue frying until all liquid is absorbed and browning begins again, then add tomato, and about one tin of water. (1.25 cups) Reduce to a fast simmer. Season with ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Remove stems from kale leaves, finely shred, and add to saucepan, also cut remaining capsicum to rings, quarter the rings, add to saucepan. Leave simmering for half an hour to an hour.
Bechamel topping
Dice or grate the cheese. Warm the butter in a saucepan, add a half teaspoon of salt, dissolve the English mustard, and then add the flour, stirring contantly. Keep stirring and add the cream, enough water to form a paste, and the cheese. Set aside once partially thickened.
Lasagne
Layer as a normal lasagne, spread a *thin* layer of filling on the bottom of dish, then layer lasagne sheets and fillng, then top with bechamel topping.
Bake in medium low oven for an hour or until a skewer meets no resistance from the pasta, and the top is golden brown.
SERVING:
Serve immediately.
NOTES:
Chicken mince might work, but I think it would be too fine. The plum jam is important.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Filling
1 chicken breast half
1 small brown onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 medium turnip
1/4 medium swede
1 medium carrot
several leaves kale
2 red european capsicums
1 tsp crushed chilli
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fish sauce (or one anchovy shredded)
1 tsp light soya sauce
2 tsp capsicum powder (paprika)
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp plum jam
sufficient lasagne sheets.
Bechamel topping
100g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
150g cheese
1 cup cream
1 egg
2 tsp hot english mustard
water, salt, pepper, etc as per instructions
METHOD:
Filling
Dice onion and garlic finely, add to saucepan. Remove skin (if any) from chicken breast and knife chop into very small dice, (more coarse than mince - barely) and add to saucepan. Pare skin from, and then julienne, the turnip and swede, add those to the saucepan. Finely dice one red capsicum and add to saucepan. Peel and cube the carrot, add to saucepan. Add the olive oil, and place on high heat.
Fry until browning begins, stirring often, then add the plum jam, capsicum powder, thyme, fish oil and soya sauce, continue frying until all liquid is absorbed and browning begins again, then add tomato, and about one tin of water. (1.25 cups) Reduce to a fast simmer. Season with ground black pepper and salt to taste.
Remove stems from kale leaves, finely shred, and add to saucepan, also cut remaining capsicum to rings, quarter the rings, add to saucepan. Leave simmering for half an hour to an hour.
Bechamel topping
Dice or grate the cheese. Warm the butter in a saucepan, add a half teaspoon of salt, dissolve the English mustard, and then add the flour, stirring contantly. Keep stirring and add the cream, enough water to form a paste, and the cheese. Set aside once partially thickened.
Lasagne
Layer as a normal lasagne, spread a *thin* layer of filling on the bottom of dish, then layer lasagne sheets and fillng, then top with bechamel topping.
Bake in medium low oven for an hour or until a skewer meets no resistance from the pasta, and the top is golden brown.
SERVING:
Serve immediately.
NOTES:
Chicken mince might work, but I think it would be too fine. The plum jam is important.
ENJOY!
Thursday, 24 July 2014
Austrian Style Potato fry
NAME: _Austrian Style Potato fry
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
3 tbsp pork lard
2 tbsp butter
5 - 6 medium potatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
METHOD:
Peel potatoes, slice into around 7mm (3/8") thick slices. Just barely melt the lard and butter in a large frying pan, arrange the potato slices and sprinkle with the salt, pour the water over, and increase heat. Allow the water to boil away, reduce heat slightly, and leave until underside of potato begins to crisp and brown. Turn sections over using a spatula, allow the potato to break up as you do so. Again, leave until it crisps and turns light brown, keep doing so until about a quarter of the potato is crispy, more or less according to taste.
SERVING:
Serve hot.
NOTES:
This is the most basic version, what they all have in common is that the water is used at the beginning to steam the potato, and then as the water evaporates the fats take over and brown the by then slightly fluffy potatoes.
Other things to try are a sprinkle of cayenne or white pepper at some stage in cooking, or (my favourite!) sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over on the second to last turn-over, and a couple of eggs beaten with salt and cayenne before the last turnover.
If done in the last way, this is a meal in its own right...
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
3 tbsp pork lard
2 tbsp butter
5 - 6 medium potatoes
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
METHOD:
Peel potatoes, slice into around 7mm (3/8") thick slices. Just barely melt the lard and butter in a large frying pan, arrange the potato slices and sprinkle with the salt, pour the water over, and increase heat. Allow the water to boil away, reduce heat slightly, and leave until underside of potato begins to crisp and brown. Turn sections over using a spatula, allow the potato to break up as you do so. Again, leave until it crisps and turns light brown, keep doing so until about a quarter of the potato is crispy, more or less according to taste.
SERVING:
Serve hot.
NOTES:
This is the most basic version, what they all have in common is that the water is used at the beginning to steam the potato, and then as the water evaporates the fats take over and brown the by then slightly fluffy potatoes.
Other things to try are a sprinkle of cayenne or white pepper at some stage in cooking, or (my favourite!) sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over on the second to last turn-over, and a couple of eggs beaten with salt and cayenne before the last turnover.
If done in the last way, this is a meal in its own right...
ENJOY!
Ted Style Chevups
NAME: _Ted Style Chevups
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
150g minced beef
2 tsp raw sugar
2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp psyllum husk
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp beef dripping
METHOD:
Well mix everything but the dripping by hand in a bowl, form into a log about 7cm (3") diameter, flatten to about 1cm (1/2") thickness and 9cm - 10cm wide, and square up the ends with the edge of a knife, then refrigerate for at least an hour. Then cut the log across into 1cm strips. You should get around ten 1cm x 1cm x 9cm chevups. Multiply quantities if you want to make more.
Heat the dripping in a frying pan to medium heat, and fry the chevups until brown and slightly crisped on each side.
SERVING:
Serve hot.
NOTES:
My father spent time in Hungary and liked the chevups (spelled "cevapcici" which is prnounced "chevup-chi-chi") so he and I started varying recipes and spices. I like powdered red chilli in them, too. Cevapcici are skinless sausages, so follow sausage-making basics - keep everything cold as possible while mixing, mix well so that the mixture begins to cohere but don't allow the fat to smear, and allow setting time in the refrigerator (at least an hour, preferably a day) before cutting into slices.
I feel that dried garlic granules gives the best flavour, but I've also finely chopped fresh garlic and onions, sprinkled those with salt, mixed and let stand for an hour beforehand and that tasted not too bad either. Experiment. I think making these with lamb mince would be delicious, especially if you add fine-chopped fresh mint leaves and a few teaspoons of lemon juice and some cumin powder.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
150g minced beef
2 tsp raw sugar
2 tsp sweet paprika powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp psyllum husk
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp beef dripping
METHOD:
Well mix everything but the dripping by hand in a bowl, form into a log about 7cm (3") diameter, flatten to about 1cm (1/2") thickness and 9cm - 10cm wide, and square up the ends with the edge of a knife, then refrigerate for at least an hour. Then cut the log across into 1cm strips. You should get around ten 1cm x 1cm x 9cm chevups. Multiply quantities if you want to make more.
Heat the dripping in a frying pan to medium heat, and fry the chevups until brown and slightly crisped on each side.
SERVING:
Serve hot.
NOTES:
My father spent time in Hungary and liked the chevups (spelled "cevapcici" which is prnounced "chevup-chi-chi") so he and I started varying recipes and spices. I like powdered red chilli in them, too. Cevapcici are skinless sausages, so follow sausage-making basics - keep everything cold as possible while mixing, mix well so that the mixture begins to cohere but don't allow the fat to smear, and allow setting time in the refrigerator (at least an hour, preferably a day) before cutting into slices.
I feel that dried garlic granules gives the best flavour, but I've also finely chopped fresh garlic and onions, sprinkled those with salt, mixed and let stand for an hour beforehand and that tasted not too bad either. Experiment. I think making these with lamb mince would be delicious, especially if you add fine-chopped fresh mint leaves and a few teaspoons of lemon juice and some cumin powder.
ENJOY!
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