Friday, November 20, 2009

SLOW COOKED SPICED LAMB SHANKS

This is another Jamie Oliver recipe that we love. This dish is from his Naked Chef Cookbook. I've cooked lamb shanks in different ways but this is my favorite so far.

The recipe calls for baking but i opted to cook it in my slow cooker so i don't have to babysit the dish while cooking and the aroma around the house..hhmmmm...yum!! Should you decide to cook this in yor slow cooker follow the step up to 9, then set your slow cooker according to how long you want it cooked.

Y: 4 servings

4 lamb shanks
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small dried red chilli or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chilli
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 large carrot, quartered and finely sliced
6 sticks of celery, quartered and finely sliced
2 medium/large onions, quartered and finely chopped
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
170ml / 6fl oz dry white wine
6 anchovy fillets (I used the anchovy tube paste)
2 x 400gr/14oz cans of plum tomatoes
1 handful of fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
***Mushrooms -this is my addition to the the recipe


1. Season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Smash up the coriander seeds and dried chilli and mix with the chopped rosemary and dried marjoram.

3. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it in well.

4. Dust the lamb with the flour.

5. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides and then remove from the pan.

6. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions and a pinch of salt and sweat them until softened.

7. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to reduce to a syrup.

8. Pour in the white wine and allow to simmer for 2 minutes.

9. Add the anchovies (these really seem to intensify the lamb flavour) and then add the tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it.

10. Bring to the boil, put on the lid and simmer in the oven at 180C/350F/gas5 for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1/2 hour.

11. Skim off any fat and taste for seasoning.

12. Finally, stir in a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley.

You can serve this with mash potatoes, rice, couscous or polenta.



Browning the shanks!



YUMMM!!!!! Spiced Lamb Shanks w/ Polenta








ENJOY!!!!




Tuesday, November 17, 2009

BEEF BUNS SEMI-HOMEMADE

The holidays are upon us w/c also means food festival ergo lots of left overs, well, that's my opinion. I thought of sharing another or one of my morphed dishes.

I've thought of "morph" to avoid the " YMCA's"..Y-esterdays M-eal C-ooked A-gain. Don't get me wrong i do re-heat food but there are some times that you get tired of same old same old, but if you morph your dishes, your family will never know you have served them YMCA.

Bun also called Baozi is a taditional Chinese stuffed bread. These could either be steamed or baked stuffed w/ pork or chicken.

Now, my version is a semi homemade. The bread is a store bought crescent roll, the beef is from my left over pot roast.









FILLINGS (SAVORY OR SWEET) MUST BE COLD SO YOU CAN SEAL THE DOUGH W/O A MESS.

BAKE W/ SEAM SIDE DOWN.

FOLLOW THE CRESCENT ROLLS BAKING TEMP AND TIME.

EGG WASH AS SOON AS THE BUNS STARTS TO DRY UP, PUT BACK IN THE OVEN UNTIL BUNS ARE BAKED AND GOLDEN BROWN.