OCEAN TROUT WITH BABY LEEKS, CRUSHED POTATO & TOMATO BUTTER SAUCE

 

From Gordon Ramsay's book

"Gordon Ramsay Makes It Easy"

Serves 2

 

2 ocean trout fillets, skin on ( about 150g each)

6 gourmet potatoes

125g (half punnet) vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

125g baby leeks, halved

A few spring onions, chopped

2tbs classic vinaigrette dressing

 

Tomato Butter Sauce

1 tbs olive oil

125g (half punnet) vine-ripened cherry tomatoes

1 tsp sherry vinegar

1 tsp caster sugar

21/2 tbs thick cream

25g unsalted butter, diced

1tbs chopped basil leaves.

 

Score skin side of fish fillets deeply and pat dry with paper towel.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Heat oven at  190 degrees C.

For the sauce, heat the oil in a small non-stick pan, add the tomatoes and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until softened. Combine tomatoes, sugar and vinegar and blitz with a stick blender to puree. Pass through a sieve back into the pan. Add the cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Whisk in butter and basil and keep warm.

 

Put the tomato halves, cut-side up, on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake the tomatoes in the oven for 5 minutes. Steam the leeks until tender.

Drain the potatoes, toss with a little oil over medium high heat, then crush lightly with the back of a fork. Stir in the spring onions and the vinaigrette. Season to taste.

 

Heat oil in a non stick fry pan. Fry fish skin side down until the skin is crisp, then turn and cook for 30 seconds. Season lightly and rest in  the pan for a few minutes.

 

Pile the potatoes and leeks in the centre of 2 warm serving plates. Top with the fish, surround with the baked cherry tomatoes and serve with tomato butter sauce on the side.
I really enjoyed this combination. The sauce was very subtle and complimented the trout beautifully.

 

Cutlets

 

 





TURKISH APRICOT CHICKEN

 

 

This is an updated and spicy version of an old 70's favourite.

Thanks to Better Homes and Garden.

Serves 4

 

2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp ground turmeric

8 pieces bone-in chicken thighs

  (free range)

100ml olive oil

1 brown onion, finely diced

100g fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks

5 garlic cloves, bruised

2 green chillies, split lengthways

2 tbs tomato paste

2 pinch saffron threads

5 thyme sprigs

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 tbs honey

250g dried apricots, diced

200ml white wine

2 chicken stock cubes

Fresh mint

 

1.  Put sea salt, cumin, chilli flakes, cinnamon, coriander, pepper and turmeric in a large plastic bag. Add chicken and shake to coat.

 

2. Heat oil in large heavy based pan over a high heat. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion, ginger, garlic, and chilli and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, saffron, thyme, lemon zest and juice, honey, apricots and wine. Stir, bring to a simmer, then return chicken to pan.

 

3. Add stock cubes and just enough water to cover the chicken. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, simmer for a further 25-30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through and sauce is slightly reduced. Garnish with mint.

 

Serve with couscous and natural yoghurt.

 

Tip: I like to grind the spices rather than use already ground as the aroma fills the kitchen as you grind!

 

Cutlets





Orange Maple glazed Lamb Shanks

These sticky Glazed Lamb shanks were so popular I could have made two bowls of these shanks – the bones were licked clean and the only conversation to be heard was ‘mmmm’ ‘nomnomnom’.  

I think they liked it. 
I think one shank per person is plenty but the lads disagreed and gnawed on two each.

Thanks to Donna Hay for the inspiration for such a hearty aromatic lamb recipe.

Preparation         10 minutes

Cooking              15 minutes stove-top then 3 – 3 ½ hours in the oven. Needs occasional basting

Ingredients

8 Frenched Lamb Shanks

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea Salt and cracked pepper to taste

¾ litre salt reduced chicken stock

4 cloves garlic crushed

½ cup maple syrup. Use real maple syrup but does not need to be premium brand

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup malt vinegar

Peel of 1 well washed orange

3 sprigs rosemary

1/3 cup orange juice

Chopped mint for garnish

Method

You will need a wide deep heavy cooking pot with a tight fitting lid. I use my wide red cast iron lidded pot

Preheat oven to 180˚ C.

Season the lamb with sea salt and pepper.

On the stovetop - Heat the oil in the pan and brown the shanks, in batches if necessary.

Remove the lamb and add the stock, garlic, syrup, sugar, vinegar, rosemary, orange juice and peel. Bring to the boil the reduce heat and add the lamb shanks. 

Remove from stovetop, cover the pot ensuring lid is tightly sealed and place in oven.

Cook for 2 ½ hours checking and turning the shanks after 1 hour.

After 2 ½ hours, increase oven temp to 220 ˚ C. Remove the lid.  Roast for further 30 – 45 minutes uncovered but you need to turn and baste the shanks every 15 minutes until sauce thickens and shanks are deep golden and sticky glossy.

Remove the shanks and keep warm whilst you strain the juices and skim off the fat.

Taste and add a little more salt or pepper to your taste.

Then pour some of the sauce over the lamb and serve the remainder in a jug.

Serve with mint sauce. (Beerenburg from South Australia make a nice one if you don’t have time to make your own).

Sprinkle with finely shredded mint.

Is delicious served with either crunchy roasted potatoes or a combination of mashed potatoes, sweet potato or pumpkin and also lots of steamed greens.

                                        Enjoy!  Colleen

Inspiration for the grill from The Blonde Nomad and her Follow The Sun Adventures - Special Report

Twist on an old classic!

Following our recent visit to the Dometic Follow The Sun Launch Party and watching fellow blogger Kellie Stephenson aka The Blonde Nomad in the cooking demonstration we were inspired to create a family favourite using the humble sausage.  

When I arrived home a couple of youngsters came over and were keen to fire up the barbie and hear the sizzle of sausages - something I don't cook very often.  But I could not refuse their pleas and before long that unmistakeable aroma of snags on the barbie enveloped the yard and I too was daydreaming about "Following The Sun" and cooking in the great outdoors.

They chose: Pork and Fennel Sausages with grilled halloumi and zucchini, kale and spinach salad topped with mango chutney served on a laugen sandwich loaf.

You can follow Kellie and her adventures around Australia at…

https://www.facebook.com/theblondenomad

and read more about Dometic and their Follow the Sun Adventures at 

http://www.dometicfollowthesun.com.au/

The photos were snapped by one of the young guests and just as well they did, because dinner disappeared faster than a Public Holiday.  Hope you get a chance to "Follow the Sun" like Kellie and her family!

Sausages -  pick up your favourites (pork and fennel or lamb and rosemary perhaps) from a Great Local Aussie Butcher.  Cook on the barbie turning sausages regularly until cooked and a dark golden brown.

Salad

Grill halloumi and zucchini on an oiled grill. Finish with a generous drizzle of lemon juice, add fresh kale and spinach to your salad. Dollop a spoonful of Mango Chutney on the side.

Serve on traditional German Laugen sandwich bread which has just the right density of crunch and soft.

Mango Chutney  

(or you could use a good quality purchased one - maybe from a market or fete)

you will need sterilised jars to store your delicious Chutney

2 large mangoes - firm - chopped into chunks

2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic - chopped

1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons ginger - grated
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Use a medium saucepan, simmer ingredients 40-45 minutes until mangoes soften. Ladle into sterilised jars and seal.

                                          Enjoy!     Colleen and her hungry visitors

Summit Organics Farm Open Day

Special Report
From Mamma Marmalade

Farmer's markets provide the opportunity for city folk to support local farmers.  Just imagine if you had the chance to visit the farm where your wonderful organic herbs and vegetables are grown.  That is just the opportunity we enjoyed when Summit Organics held their recent farm walk.  On a chilly winter morning we gathered to listen to Rod and Tania explain how they raise the seedlings nurturing them until it is time to transplant into the fields.

Time to walk up the steep road to where the 6 acres of vegetables are grown.  We stop at the compost and soil preparation area for a talk on the importance of getting the growing medium just right, so as to nurture the plants.  Strong, healthy plants are more capable of fending off bugs and disease.

Then we saw row after row of gorgeous healthy certified organic vegetables, Carrots, celery, Asian greens, kale, parsley, coriander and more.

To keep their Organic certification is an extremely high labour and dollar investment so let's do our bit to support organic farmers.  Click on the link below to find out where they sell their outstanding produce.

And then to top of a great morning we are treated to farm grown Vegetable or Pumpkin Soup washed down with some delicious Lemon Myrtle and ginger cordial.

Summit Organics is situated 20 kilometres west of Uki  Northern NSW.
 

The farm is a family-owned 338-acre (128 hectare) property, right next to the World Heritage-listed Border Ranges National Park. The vegetable production area is an intensive market garden and utilises approximately six acres.

summitorganics.com

Potato Latkes

Want something a little more special for weekend breakfasts?  Whip up a batch of these healthier hash browns (better than a packet!) and watch them disappear. Best make a double batch.  To make these gluten free, simply substitute coconut or potato flour instead of plain flour.  Or why not add some grated parmesan as my eldest son attests, everything tastes  better with cheese.

  

Ingredients

1 organic/free range egg

1 organic/free range egg yolk

1 large onion

1.2 kgs potatoes

25 grams plain flour

1 tablespoon salt flakes

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or parsley

Oil for frying

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Peel and grate onion and potatoes.  A food processor makes this a breeze. Place in a colander and squeeze out as much liquid.

Tip into a clean bowl, add beaten egg and extra yolk, flour, salt, pepper and herbs.

Heat oil in a heavy based frypan.

Place 2 tablespoons of mixture into the oil, flattening the mixture with a spatula.

Cook for 6-8 minutes each side until golden.

Keep warm by placing cooked latkes on a tray in a hot oven (200 degrees).

This will make them crunchy, whilst you cook the remaining mixture.

Serve topped with a dollop of crème fresh or sour cream.

Enjoy,

Mamma Marmalade

Hearty Spiced Carrot and Garlic Soup

I love reading Nigel Slater's cookbooks because he connects the veggie patch and it's bounty with simple wholesome cooking.  This warming Carrot Soup is a perfect example.  Whilst the carrots may not come from my backyard, I like the way I can transform a bench laden with vegetables into such  flavoursome and satisfying bowls of sunny colour in the midst of winter.

Preparation       10 minutes

Cooking              1 hour.   Most of this is simmering on the stove and stirring now and then.

Makes a lot.  Freeze some in portion size containers.    (Naturally, you could reduce amounts to make less but it does freeze well)

Ingredients

Splash Olive Oil

5 brown onions, sliced

5 cloves crushed garlic

2 kilograms carrots, peeled and chopped.  I like to pick up a bag of bargain ‘juicing’ carrots

800 gram tin crushed tomatoes

½ red chilli, sliced.  (leave out or add more to your taste)

Good amount freshly grated pepper

1 litre Salt – reduced Chicken Stock

Small handful red lentils

1 – 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

Extra water from a recently boiled kettle

Chopped parsley

Chunks of toasted crusty bread

Method

Use a very large deep pot (with a lid) because you will be using a stickblender to moosh it up later and you don’t want an orange splattery kitchen

Warm a little oil in the pot and soften the onions, then add the garlic and chilli.

Add the carrots and allow them to cook and steam to soften slightly.

Stir through the tomatoes, stock, pepper and lentils.

Pop on the lid and let simmer for 40 minutes

Check the carrots with a knife to check they are soft and cooked

Taste. Add a tablespoon of the soy sauce.  Taste again and if needed add another tablespoon of soy if desired. Adjust the seasoning with extra pepper, salt or soy if you want.

Allow to cool a little then use a stickblender to moosh until smooth.

If it is too thick, add a little recently boiled water and re-blend until desired consistency.

Options

Add some cubes of cooked chicken

Or

A tin of rinsed, drained corn kernels

Or

Stir through some chopped parsley or mint or dill.

Serve with chunks of crusty bread

                           Enjoy!    Colleen

No Fail Lemon or Lime Curd



 



 

 

I have a confession, even though I sign off as Mamma Marmalade I struggle with making delicious lemon curd without the tell tale signs of over cooked eggwhite streaks through my mixture.  But thanks to the wonder of the internet and the generosity of fellow food bloggers I found this foolproof lemon curd technique, courtesy of Beth Dunham.  I like to have a mix of lemon and lime juice.

 

Ingredients

 

6 tablespoons of soft butter

 

1 cup caster sugar

 

2 large free range or organic eggs & 2 egg yolks

 

2/3 cup lemon and lime juice

Method

Cream butter and sugar, together for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and yolks one at a time still mixing on a low speed, continue beating for another minute or two until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add lemon/lime juice and mix on a slow speed until incorporated it will appear curdled but have no fear it will be a success!

Next, place curd into a small saucepan on low heat on the stove top. Stir continuously until the mixture is heated through and no longer appears curdled.  Then increase heat to medium and still stirring for approximately 15 minutes or until it is the consistency of whipped cream.

Pour into clean jars and allow to cool.

Curd will keep in the fridge for a week or freeze for later.

Delicious

Mamma Marmalade

 

 

 

 

Broccoli wth lemon butter

If you are tired of plain steamed broccoli, then give this a try. This is more of a tip than a recipe. 

Thank you to ceramic artist Kim Aitken for the gorgeous bowl.

Ingredients

1 head of broccoli
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup slivered almonds

 Method

Steam the broccoli.

In a small saucepan melt the butter, then add the lemon juice and zest.

Pour the butter over the broccoli and top with the slivered almonds.

Mamma Marmalade

Fragrant Ras el Hanout Slow Cooked Beef with Lemon

Be warned.  Cooking this meal will fill your home with the most amazing aromas and the family will be demanding "Is dinner ready yet? I'm starving".  And - it will taste even better.  

Ras el Hanout is a beautiful Moroccan spice blend meaning "Top of the Shop" and it's flavours are key to this recipe. You can later use the remaining spice blend to flavour rice, couscous, chicken or lamb dishes.

Oh -  This makes seriously good leftovers for lunch the following day - or breakfast! 

Inspiration comes from a recipe in “The Feast goes On”  by the Monday Morning Cooking Club as featured in Delicious Magazine.  I hope you enjoy my version as much as my family does!

Preparation     20 minutes

Cooking          15 minutes on stove top   PLUS   3 ½  hours in oven

Serves              6  or 8 smaller servings 

Ingredients

2 kg Chuck steak – trim away the thick white fat (should have about 1.5 kg meat) then cut meat in 4 cm cube chunks

Splash olive oil

4 level teaspoons (1 tablespoon) Ras el Hanout.  HINT:  Available from Delis.

1 small red chilli – deseeded and finely sliced.   OR     ½ to 1 teaspoon Dried Chilli flakes.

HINT: Taste your dish before adding the Chilli as the Spice Blend has Cayenne Pepper

¼ teaspoon each of Sea Salt and Pepper

3 onions - sliced

4 cloves garlic – crushed

1 large tin (approx. 800 gram) crushed tomatoes

¼ cup water

3 preserved lemon segments – Rinsed. Use the rind only, finely shredded.  Discard flesh and white pith.

1 tablespoon Honey

½ bunch coriander - chopped  

½ bunch Flat leaf parsley – chopped

1 tin Chick Peas - rinsed and drained

Plus:  Small handful red lentils on standby and maybe some water from a recently boiled kettle

Method

Preheat oven to 140-145˚ C. 

Use a large deep tight-lidded casserole dish that can be heated on stovetop and oven.

Heat a little oil in the pot then add the onions and brown slightly, uncovered. Add the garlic.

Add and brown the cubed meat stirring well.

Stir through the Ras el Hanout, salt and pepper.

Pour in the tomatoes and water along with the preserved lemon and honey.

Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes.

Taste and add the chilli to your taste. (I use ½ to 1 teaspoon dried Chilli Flakes)

Remove from stove.

Add a small handful of combined chopped coriander, parsley.

Cover pan with lid and place in oven.

Cook for 3 hours.  Check after 2 hours to ensure meat is still covered with liquid and moist, stir.

At the 3 hour stage – recheck and stir. If you feel it is a little watery add some red lentils to thicken. 

Or if needed a little water from a recently boiled kettle.

TIP:  It should be approaching the consistency of meat so tender it is ready to fall apart surrounded by a thick lusciously rich and moist gravy.

Add the cooked Chickpeas and stir through.

Cook for a further ½ hour .      NOTE:   This will be   3 ½ hours in oven in total

Remove from oven. I like to serve from the casserole dish as it helps keep it warm.

Scatter some of the combined parsley and coriander over the top.  Or Mint if you prefer.

Have warmed bowls ready and serve with steamed greens, perhaps some chunks of Turkish Bread and a bowl of Greek yoghurt.

                                                             Enjoy!      Colleen

Labna - make your own - Low Fat, Quick, No Fuss, No Cheesecloth needed

Labna is a great addition to so many dishes when you want a thick creamy dollop without much fat.

I use Low Fat Greek Yoghurt yet it still tastes so rich and smooth.  

I make my own Labna by simply straining Greek Yoghurt overnight to remove the whey.

                           

Some recipes suggest adding salt - but I don't - which allows me to use my Labna in either sweet or savoury dishes. 

                           

No need to muck around squeezing yoghurt through cheesecloth either when you only want a small amount - use a Herbal Tea diffuser (like the one pictured) and the work is done for you!  

I really like this small strainer - it holds enough yoghurt to make dollops for all the family,

- it sits neatly in a coffee mug so less likely to get bumped over in the fridge and it has a lid.  

- easy to wash up.  I pop mine in the dishwasher top shelf.  Easy. Perfect.

So,
here's how easy it is.
Spoon Low Fat Greek Yoghurt into a clean tea strainer.  Or, if making larger amounts you could use a larger strainer like the one in the photo below.  
Use a tall coffee mug as it is surprising how much liquid (Whey) will be removed.
Pop the lid on and leave in the fridge overnight.  
The prepared Labna, which has now thickened, can be used in so many savoury or sweet recipes.
The key to my version is small amounts prepared and used fresh.

If you want to store the Labna for a few days, roll into small balls and place in a sterilized jar with thyme stalks and top with Olive Oil.  Keep refrigerated.

HINT:  Mama Marmalade recommends tossing the whey over your garden beds for the nutrients.

You could also reserve the whey and cook it in various recipes. 

Try Labna dolloped over a warm plate of farro and mushooms  

or Pearl Barley and chicken

or roll small balls of Labna in Dukkah

or

for the sweet tooths

crumpets or chunky fruit toast with a spoon of Labna and a drizzle of honey and cinnamon.

The list goes on and on.  

                                                                      Enjoy!   Colleen

Chicken Freekah and Fetta Kale pilaf

Lemony freshness seems to pop out of this photo. All the family loved my version of a delicious Donna Hay recipe. Freekah is roasted green wheat grains which give a rich nutty flavour that works so well with the chicken and kale.  The plumped up lemony currants give it zing whilst the nuts add crunch and the fetta rounds it out with creamy saltiness.

Perfect served warm for a family dinner but equally satisfying as leftovers the next day with a green salad.

Serves 5 -6

Preparation 10 minutes

Cook             50 minutes (of which 40 minutes is simmering time)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Australian olive oil

2 brown onions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 red chilli finely sliced (optional – to your taste)

1 cup freekah – rinsed well then drained

2 cups (500 ml) Chicken Stock  (Salt reduced)

2 chicken breast fillets – skinless. (250 gm).  Cut into bite size slices

¼ cup pistachios – roughly chopped

¼ cup dried currants – soaked in a dash of lemon juice to plump up

½ bunch of kale. Removed from tough stem and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

200 gram fetta – crumbled

Pepper and salt – if needed.  To your taste.

½ cup mint leaves

¼ cup dill sprigs

Method

Heat a dash of oil in a large frypan. (use one that has a lid for later).

Add the sliced chicken and quickly brown until almost cooked.  Remove from pan and place in a bowl. Cover with alfoil and keep warm.  Chicken will be returned to pan towards ending of cooking.

Add onion to the pan.  Stir until softened slightly then add the garlic.

Add freekah, stock and chilli.  Stir and bring to boil.

Cover pan with lid and reduce heat and then simmer for 40 minutes.  Check and stir if needed.

If it is drying out too quickly, reduce heat slightly and add a little water.

Taste a little of the freekah to check it is cooked and not hard. Adjust cooking time if needed.

Return the chicken to the pan and then stir through the kale. 

Continue simmering the covered pan for another 5 minutes.

Stir through the nuts, currants, zest and fetta.

Taste and add pepper and salt as needed.

Top with mint and dill.

Serve.

                                              Enjoy!  Colleen

Oaty Almond Cranberry Biscuits

Oaty spiced biscuits with a nutty crunch and the sweet tang of plump cranberries - great to have on hand and will keep for 5 days (apparently!).  Good alternative to choc chip biscuits.  For a change you could use macadamias instead of Almonds - whatever you like - easy!

Quick to prepare and cook - but hard to stop at just one!

Preparation and mixing  10 minutes

Cooking                   12 – 15 minutes

Makes 36 biscuits

Ingredients

125 gram butter – softened

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup caster sugar

1 egg

1 ¼ cups Plain Flour – sifted

½ teaspoon each of : ground cinnamon, ground cloves

½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda

¾ cup Rolled Oats

1 ¼ cups dried Cranberries (try to use ones that are still plump and deep red)

¼ cup slivered almonds

Method

Prepare 3 flat un-lipped biscuit trays

Preheat oven to 160° C

Using electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar and eggs until pale and creamy.

Add the sifted flour, Bicarb and spices and stir through

Gently stir through the Oats, cranberries and almonds

The mix should make 36 biscuits ( 3 trays of 12) so divide mixture into 3.

Roll 12 (walnut sized) balls from each third of the mixture and place on tray spaced apart

To flatten the biscuits just slightly – use the tines (prongs) of a fork that has been dampened with water

Bake for 12 minutes. Check that biscuits are golden and cooked. They will harden a bit more on cooling.

If not cooked through, leave in oven for an extra 3 mins.  Should be cooked within 15 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

When cooled store in an air tight container. Hide.

                                                    Enjoy!  Colleen

Bread and Butter Pudding

Now winter is approaching it's time to indulge in some comfort foods.
Why not give this classic a go? You will enjoy the extra flavour boost the Grand Marnier adds.

Ingredients
6 slices of buttered bread crusts removed
1/3 cup of marmalade
6 eggs whisked
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier


Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
Spread the bread slices with marmalade cut into 4 triangles.  Arrange slices butter side up into an 8 cup capacity ovenproof dish.
Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar and Grand Marnier together.
Pour over bread slices and let soak in for 15 minutes.
Place the dish in a large roasting pan and pour in boiling water to come half way up the side of the dish.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the custard has set.

Delicious !!
Mamma Marmalade

Chocolate Ganache

Who can resist a slice of this glossy chocolate cake? The essential ingredient is the chocolate ganache. Looks tricky to master, but it isn't.

 

 Pour 500ml of cream into a saucepan and heat until nearly boiling, bubbles will appear around the edges. Take off the heat and add equal quantity (500g) of roughly chopped, best quality dark chocolate. Let stand for a minute or two, then with a metal whisk stir to combine. Continue to whisk until smooth and glossy.  Any excess ganache can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 2 weeks. (If it lasts that long!) Simply heat in a microwave or small pot when wanting to serve.

 

 

Mama Marmalade

Pork, Thyme and Crispy Bacon Meatloaves

Meatloaf is such a versatile recipe to keep handy.  These individual serves mean shorter cooking times and make great leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Chilled mini meatloaves could be included in your next picnic or you could slice the cooked meatloaves into 2cm rounds and serve on a platter with vegetables and salads.  

The Italian flavours in this recipe are enhanced by serving with a rich Tomato and onion salsa or Tomato sauce flavoured with more thyme or perhaps a little rosemary. The idea came from a wonderful Belinda Jeffery’s recipe that made one large meatloaf.  So, however you would like to prepare the meatloaf, the results will be flavoursome and nourishing.

Preparation   20 minutes

Cooking          35 – 40 minutes

Serves  6

Ingredients

500 gram combined Pork and Veal Mince

1 onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

40 gram Salami, diced very finely

2 - 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Hot English mustard powder

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped finely

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pepper to taste

Small amount finely chopped Red Chilli   (Optional)

40 ml milk – 2 tablespoons

1 egg – lightly beaten

1 cup Quick Oats Rolled Oats (or you could use fresh breadcrumbs)

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

4 slices of very finely shaved ham

40 - 60 gram of hard cheese of your choice (I used cheddar)  - shaved into fine slices

4 - 6 rashers of very thin bacon – lean and rindless. Leave whole or you can slice into slivers

Method

Preheat oven to 190° C

Using a large bowl, mix together very thoroughly the mince, onion, garlic, salami, mustards, pepper, herbs and parmesan

In a cup – measure out the milk and lightly beat in the egg

Pour into the meat mixture, combine well

Add the Quick Oats and mix through

Place a piece of Baking Paper (approx. 40cm long)  on the bench.

Pat the meat into a rectangle shape on top of the Baking Paper

Cover meat with the mint leaves.

Along one of the long edges, place the ham slices – should cover up about a 1/3 of the meat.

Lay the cheese slices on top of the ham slices.

Roll the meatloaf up like a swiss roll :

The longer edge is being rolled tightly.

Use the Baking Paper to help roll and remove the Paper whilst rolling.

TIP: you can leave this rolled up, wrap in plastic and store in the fridge up to 24 hours ready to cook later.

Slice the roll into 6 small meatloaf sizes.

Top each meatloaf with the bacon slices.

Place on a baking tray with a thin lipped edge, lined with baking paper.

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes.  Check at 30 minutes.

If necessary, pop under the grill for a couple of minutes to crisp up the bacon topping.

Serve with a thick tomato salsa style sauce and delicious steamed vegetables or salad.

                                                              Enjoy!   Colleen

GOLDEN CRUSTED CHICKEN AND BACON POT PIES

Aunty Fifi, this is for you.  When my Adorable Aunty visited a while ago I whipped up these little individual pies  -  in between lots of gossiping and laughing  -  which is just how a family visit should be. I have added a few extra ingredients to Valli Little’s (Delicious) recipe, making a satisfying comfort food for these cooler nights.

The pies can be served in any size ramekin or pie dish you prefer. Cooking times will then depend on the volume to be heated. Sometimes I top them with puff pastry but recently I seem to prefer a sourdough bread crust – both are easy and equally tasty.  

This is a very flexible recipe – no leeks? Onions or shallots are fine.  No chorizo – bacon or salami works well too.  The lemon juice is one ingredient I do recommend adding right at the end – it adds a zing and brightness to the dish – so if you like lemons as much as I do, be sure to add a squeeze.

HINT: I like making a large quantity and saving some to reheat another day. Instructions are at the end of this recipe.

Preparation      15 – 20 minutes (some can be done during the cooking time)

Cooking            15 – 30 minutes

Baking               20 minutes for ramekin about 200 ml size

Using                 Large frypan to cook filling

                           Oven heated to 200°  Celsius

                           Ramekins or pie dishes

Serves               6 – 7 depending on size       (good to make extra to freeze for later)

Ingredients      

20 g butter

½ tablespoon Olive Oil

3 leeks (pale part only) – washed well and thinly sliced – could use white onions instead

4 rindless bacon rashers – diced

½ chorizo sausage – diced. Or Few slices salami –sliced finely (leave out or add more –depends on you)

800 gram chicken thigh fillets – fat removed, cut into 3cm pieces- approx bite size

2 Tablespoons plain flour

Good pinch of nutmeg and of smoked paprika (a little more if you like)

200 ml salt reduced chicken stock

200 ml light sour cream    OR     you could try Greek style Low Fat Yoghurt – be sure it is thick, not watery

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaved parsley

2 tablespoons lemon juice  AND  the Zest     (you may need to juice a ½ lemon)

Salt and Pepper  to taste

TOPPING

1- 2 sheets frozen Butter puff pastry – defrosted   (depends on size of ramekin tops)

Egg wash

  

OR

SOURDOUGH BREAD TOPPING

¼  stale sourdough bread loaf including crust

2 tablespoons butter

Teaspoon finely chopped herbs – eg thyme, rosemary and/or parsley

Couple of teaspoons Olive Oil

Method

Preheat oven to 200°  Celsius

Heat butter and oil in large pan over low heat on stovetop.

 Add leeks bacon, salami and fry gently.

Add chicken pieces and cook until chicken almost cooked through

Sprinkle in flour, nutmeg and paprika. Stir thoroughly – no heavy lumps

Stir in stock and increase heat to medium. Bring to gentle boil.

Reduce heat. Season

Remove from heat.  Cool slightly (warm –not hot) and stir in sour cream

Stir again then add parsley and lemon juice.

Set aside and prepare ramekins

Lightly grease inside of ramekins

Fill with chicken mix.

For pastry topping:

Place ramekins on defrosted pastry – cut out circles approx 1 cm wider than top

Egg wash lip of ramekin. Gently place pastry on top

Press to seal. Make a couple of cuts in top to allow steam to escape

Brush with some egg wash

For Sourdough topping 

Blitz the bread, butter, herbs and oil in a food processor to get crumbs, allow some of the bread as 4cm cubes size. Do not overprocess.

Pile on top of the chicken mixture and press in slightly.

Then for both topping methods

Place on strong oven tray (one with a slight lipped edge to retain spills)

Bake for 15 -20 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

HINT: making a large quantity and saving some to reheat another day.

Find freezer-proof ramekins / pie tins that are also suitable for ovens.

Place a small freezer bag into the ramekin.

Spoon some of the cooked chicken filling into the freezer bag so the ramekin is almost full.

Tie or knot the freezer bag excluding as much air as possible.

Leave the filled bag in the ramekin, then place them into the freezer – preferably overnight.

Next day or 6 hours later:

Remove the freezer bags from the individual ramekins. Leave contents in the freezer bags.  No need to keep the ramekins in the freezer at this stage. They will now be set in the quantity to refill those ramekins when you want to use them to reheat later.

Place the small frozen parcels into a larger zip bag or freezer plastic box, named and dated.

They are now ready to use within a month.

To re-heat.

Remove the individual freezer bags from freezer. Defrost in fridge – preferably. 2 – 3 hours.

Lightly grease the ramekins

Spoon the chicken mixture (stir to break up any frozen chunks)  into the ramekins and spread with either of the topping lids desired.

Bake in oven per above instructions.

                                 Enjoy!   Colleen