Delicious lamb leg steaks

3-4 cloves garlic
salt
pepper
3 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp chopped rosemary - chop as fine as possible
2 tbsp olive oil plus more when cooking
4 lamb leg steaks
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp sour cream/cream
1 sprig thyme

Grind the garlic, salt, pepper, oil and anchovies into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the chopped rosemary and mix.

Massage the mixture onto the steaks. Cover and let it marinate for a couple of hours.

Heat a pan to high. Add a dash of oil and put the steaks in searing each side off for two minutes.

Then reduce heat and cover and cook each side for a few minutes (to the required level of done-ness). I cooked the steaks for about 4 mins on each side till there was a slight spring when you touched the meat. This was a nice medium rare.

Take the steaks out and keep aside covered to rest.

Toss the mushrooms into the pan with the thyme and sauté for a minute. Add the mustard and the stock and bring to a boil with the pan juices.

Add a dollop of cream and mix. take is off the heat and serve over the steak.

Enjoy!

Stir-Fried Eggplant with Homemade Chilli Sauce

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, trimmed, halved
5 tbs peanut oil
½ bunch coriander leaves, stems and roots, finely sliced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 tsp Sichuan pepper and salt

For the homemade chilli sauce
½ cup peanut oil
6 long red chillies, roughly chopped
10 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
7cm piece ginger, roughly chopped
1 tbs tamari soy sauce

For the Sichuan pepper and salt
1 tbs Sichuan peppercorns
3 tbs sea salt flakes

Method:

1. Cut eggplant into 5cm irregular and same-sized pieces, then sprinkle well with sea salt and spread onto a tray in one layer. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. Rinse well, then drain and pat dry with paper towel.

2. To make the chilli sauce, heat the oil in a wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add chillies, garlic and ginger and stir constantly over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook, still stirring, for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir through the tamari.

3. Dry-roast peppercorns and salt in small heavy-based frying pan until the peppercorns are fragrant and begin to ‘pop’. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool, then grind to a powder in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. (You can store the mixture in an airtight container).

4. Heat the peanut oil in a wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly. Add eggplant and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and stir-fry for a further 5-7 minutes or until eggplant is tender.

5. Add the chilli sauce to the eggplant and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the coriander and spring onions, tossing to combine.

6. Transfer to a large serving plate and season with Sichuan pepper and salt. Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 as part of shared meal. Serve with rice, bread or roti.

Source: www.masterchef.co.au - Kylie Kwong

Chicken and Leek Lasagne

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, trimmed, washed, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g chicken mince
150g fresh ricotta (or feta)
salt and pepper, to season
40g butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1¼ cups skim milk
700g bottle Italian tomato sauce
400g fresh lasagne sheets
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan

Method:

1 Preheat oven to 180C. Heat oil in a large, heavy-based pan over medium heat. 
Add leek and cook for 4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
Add chicken, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, and cook until brown. Remove from heat and stir in ricotta. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

2 To make white sauce, heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When melted add flour and stir until well combined. Cook for 1 minute or until bubbles form. Remove from heat and slowly add milk, stirring constantly, until well combined. Return to heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

3 Pour ¾ cup of the tomato sauce into 
a lasagne dish and spread evenly. Cover with a layer of pasta. Top with a third of the meat mixture and then a third of remaining tomato sauce. Cover with pasta. Continue to layer with meat mixture, tomato sauce and pasta, ending with a layer of pasta and tomato sauce. Spread white sauce over top and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe: www.mindfood.co.nz

Cottage Pie with Guinness

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
900g lean minced beef
Sea salt and black pepper
3 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
A few thyme sprigs, leaves only
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
330ml bottle of Guinness
5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
300ml chicken stock
1kg floury potatoes, peeled and roughly cubed
50g butter
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan or cheddar cheese, plus extra for grating
1 large egg yolk

Method
1. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Season the mince with salt and pepper and fry, stirring, in two or three batches, until nicely browned. Once cooked, tip the mince into a sieve or colander to drain off the fat.

2. Place another large pan over a medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. When hot, fry the onions, with the garlic and thyme, for 8-10 minutes until soft and golden. Add the browned mince, tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir constantly for 4-5 minutes.

3. Add the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce and boil until the liquid has reduced by half. Pour in the stock and return to the boil.

4. Turn the heat down and simmer for 20-25 minutes, by which time the mixture should be thick and glossy.

5. Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes if it doesn’t seem quite thick enough. Remove from the heat.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to a pan of salted water, bring to the boil and cook until tender. Drain and return to the hot pan for 15 seconds or so, to dry out, then take off the heat. Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pan or mash smoothly. Mix through the butter, cheese and egg yolk. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

7. Spoon the mince mixture into the bottom of a 2 litre pie dish. Spoon the mashed potato on top and rough up the surface with a fork. Grate over some extra cheese and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.

Recipe: Gordon Ramsay

Garlic prawn couscous

Serves 2

1 cup couscous
1 cup water
1 1/2 tbsps oil
salt to taste

3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 medium - large onion finely chopped
1 small bowl frozen peas and sweet corn
8-10 small of 6 large prawns

1. In a bowl pour the water, 1/2 tbsp oil and some salt to taste and bring to boil.
2. Stir in the couscous and keep aside covered for about 15 mins or till all the water is absorbed.
3. In a pan, heat the rest of the oil and fry the onions and garlic.
4. The onion needs to be translucent. add the prawns and saute.
5. Add the peas and corn and cook.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper and maybe a little chilli powder if you want.
7. With a fork, fluff out the couscous.
8. Once the veg and prawns are cooked, add the couscous to the pan and mix throughly.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot & Enjoy!

Basic Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

30 g fresh yeast or 21 gms dry yeast (i.e. 3 7 gm sachets or about 7 tsps)
30 gms honey (or sugar)
625 ml just over tepid water
1 kg strong bread flour (I use all purpose flour)
30 gms salt
Some extra flour for dusting

Method:

1. Dissolve the yeast and honey/sugar in half the water
2. On a clean surface or in a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast mixture.
3. Using your fingers, making circular movements, slowly bring in some flour till the yeast mixture is absorbed.
4. Pour the remaining water into the well and slowly incorporate all the flour to make a moist dough. (Some flour may need more water while others less so adjust the quantities accordingly).
5. Knead the dough well to activate the gluten and develop the structure of the dough. Use the extra flour on you hands to stop the dough from sticking.
6. Lightly flour the dough, shape it into a round and place on a baking tray.
7. Deeply score the top of the dough with a knife so that it can relax and prove with ease.
8. Leave it for about an hour or so in a warm draught free place till it doubles in size. (I usually pop it in the oven of the microwave- both switched off of course! Cover it with cling film to speed things up a bit.)
9.  When the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out by punching it and kneading it again for about a minute.
10. Now you can shape it into whatever shape you like - round, flat, stuffed... - and leave it to prove again. This second proving stage is important to give the bread its lovely soft texture.
11. Once it has doubled in size, you can bake your loaf. Be careful not to knock the air out when putting it in the oven, Be gentle while closing the door etc. 
12. Put the loaf into a pre-heated oven (depending on the recipe variations you are following - for the plain loaf, I baked it at 200 for 25-30 mins) 
13. You can tell its cooked by knocking the bottom. If it does not sound hollow pop it back in the oven.
14. Once done, place on a rack to cool... cut slices or chunks.
    
    Enjoy!  

Beef Steak

This is what I do...

2 beef steaks
1 tsp dried herbs (I use what ever variety I have - mixed herbs usually)
1 tsp salt
some pepper to taste
1 small onion chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushroom
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup stock
1 small knob of butter
2 tbsps oil

Sprinkle salt, herbs and pepper along with 1 tbsp oil on the steaks. Rub in and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet and place the steaks in it. it should sizzle when you put the steak in.
Cook steak on each side for 3-4 mins till it is browned.
Put the steaks on a plate that is oven proof and place in a very hot oven on the grill setting.
Put the onions into the skillet and fry till slightly brown.
Add the mushrooms and stir.
Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pan (i.e.lift all the meat that's stuck to the skillet)
Take the steaks out of the oven and let them rest.
When the wine is reducing, add the stock and then put in the butter.  Just swirl the butter around . You don't need to stir it in. Take it off the heat.
Place the steaks on a serving plate and pour some of the gravy on it. Serve with boiled vegetables, salad or mash.

Enjoy!

Hearty Beef Stew

This is a lovely stew and a meal in itself. Use whatever meat you want or even omit the meat and make it a vegetable stew. Just start with frying the onions.


Serves 2 -3 people
200 gms beef cut into cubes (1 use one steak and cut it up)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
6-7 mushrooms sliced (I use white button)
1 cup peas
2 medium or 1 large potato cubed
1 tsp garlic paste or 2-3 cloves garlic chopped fined
1-1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 sprig rosemary leaves stripped and chopped
a handful of parsely chopped
3/4 cups cream
1 tsp cornflour
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsps oil (i use olive but you can use any cooking oil)


1. Heat oil in a pan. Dry the beef and brown it. (the beef must be dry or it won't brown properly). Take the browned beef out and keep aside.
2. Tip in the onions and fry till it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add rosemary and stir.
3. Add the carrots and potato and fry for a 2-3 mins. Add mushroom and bell pepper and stir. Cook for another 3 mins  on medium heat.
4. Add beef and mix. Then add stock  (enough to cover the meat and veg) and cover pan. Let it simmer for about 10 mins. Check after about 7 mins to make sure it is not catching at the bottom of the pan.
5. Add peas, check if the meat is cooked by piercing through with a fork. If it pierces easily it is cooked.
6. Dissolve cornflour in a little water/stock and pour into the pan. Mix well.
7. Add the cream and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let the stew come to a gentle boil. Add the chopped parsley reserving some to garnish.
8. If the liquid seems to be too thick, add a bit more stock and boil.
9. Serve hot with bread or rice and garnished with the remaining parsley.


I had it with Zopf and it was divine!