Simple Things - A Great Cup of Coffee

Not a meal - merely a delightful cup of coffee!  Sometimes the simple things . . . .

Sweet Lamb Stew!

Sweet lamb chops stew (4-quarters)!  Yummy in the tummy!  
Recipe below!

Ingredients

4 Lamb chump chops (can use 4-quarter or neck chops to equal amount), 3 large brown onions chopped, 1 teaspoon of raw sugar, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 2 teaspoons vinegar.  

Method

Use a heavy based fry pan add a tablespoon of oil and brown meat in small batches so it doesn't 'stew'.  When meat is browned cook the onions in the same pan until soft .  Put meat and onions aside.  Make a gravy in the same pan using the browning and juices.  To make gravy add one heaped tablespoon of flour and mix to paste with juices and remaining oils and any lamb fats. Slowly add one cup of water and blend well to avoid lumps.  Cook until simmering and allow to thicken.  If it seems very thick add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup water then add sugar, tomato sauce and vinegar and mix well.  Return meat and onions to same pan and bring to a very low simmer with lid off.    Slow cook until the lamb is falling off the bone - about one and 1/2 hours.  You can allow stew to continue cooking to thicken and reduce the sauce.  Serve with steamed vegetables - potato, carrot etc.  You can add the cooked vegetables to the stew for the last 20 minutes to warm through.  Serve with peas, spinach, broccoli or your favorite greens.

Orangey Food Week! Home Cookin'!

Fresh local Mackerel in paprika flour and pan fried- delicious!

Fresh tomato pasta

Baking Fail then Success!

Tried some baking and had a massive Muffin Fail!  Made my own recipe and used ginger marmalade as the wet ingredient - must have become molten hot and turned to toffee so though muffins looked OK they were hard and almost burnt in the middle.  So went out on a limb - everyone has always said I can cook great fruit cakes but not sponge cake as too heavy handed.  So tried the ol' corn flour sponge recipe.   Yummy!

Corn Flour Sponge and ginger jam and cream!

Ginger Jam Muffins - try having a bite - extra crunch in the middle - toffee!

 

See the browning - toffee leaking through to top!

Even the wildlife won't eat them!

Beef Rissoles and Gravy

500g mincemeat (ground beef)
4 eggs
2 onion chopped finely and microwave 3 Min's then cool (can dunk in ice water and drain)
1 cup breadcrumbs or more if needed to combine
1/3 cup tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon dried herbs (or fresh mixed Italian style herbs such as marjoram, sage, parsley, thyme or what ever you have in the garden)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chicken stock powder
2 tablespoons plain flour, for dusting the rissoles
2 tablespoons oil, the rissoles (for frying, you may need more oil. I use as little as possible - can use oil spray but need to spray each side as turning to brown so coated

Optional additives depending on preference
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon mustard powder
Chili's
Spicey pastes
Grated cheeses (don't overdo this or rissole can break apart - Parmesan is good as dry and full of flavour)

Gravy
I use a gravy I have frozen from roast beef dinner but you can use a packet gravy of choice or make gravy in pan - remove rissoles and take pan off heat - add 2 tbsp plain flour and mix well with juices and fat in pan - slowly add cold water - around a cup or cup and half - mixing as you go - don't need lumps! - place back on pan and cook until thickened to your liking - add salt and pepper to taste.   Return rissoles to pan and simmer until done.  Serve.

Directions:
Mix all the wet ingredients together gently so as not to over compact the mixture - use a fork or your hands.  Then add bread crumbs until a mixture that will form rissoles is obtained - that is loose but will hold shape if formed into a ball.  Shape into 4 or 6 round balls and dust with the flour. Heat oil on high in a heavy based frying pan until the oil is hot. Place the Rissoles in the hot oil but don't over crowd your pan or they will stew instead of browning. Make sure the Rissoles do not burn or will taste awful. Keep watch and turn the rissoles over when one side is browned and slightly crispy (make sure they don't burn!). Depending on the thickness of the pan and the size of the rissoles, it may take about 3-4 minutes to cook the Rissoles on each side. Cook all sides the same way so rissoles are brown all over then turn the heat down to medium and add the gravy - need to have a pan deep enough for gravy to almost cover rissoles.  Cook until done but not overcook or will become dry and not pleasant to eat.  Need to be cooked through but still moist inside. Time similar to cooking burgers. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes and baby peas.

Cooktown Butcher Rump Steak

Left Overs for Dinner! Mm Yummo!

Left over vegetables (beetroot, potato, kumara, pumpkin, carrots, tomato and cabbage - reheated and two eggs added - salt and pepper - this was delicious!

Simple Vegetable Platter! Yum!

No Knead Bread - Easy Peasy!

Recipe - 4 cups plain flour (or 3 and half plain and half cup wholemeal) 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast powder, 1 & half teaspoon salt, 2 cups warm water. Mix together - forms a sticky dough - cover with foil and leave 18 hours at room temperature. flour bench and place dough on flour - shape into a slipper shape to fit your tray, sprinkle with flour (he uses corn meal), cover with tea towel and leave 2 hours to rise. Place in a hot oven 220 degrees for 35 - 45 mins until cooked. DONE!

Tasty Beef Stew Recipe

Ingredients: 3 tbsps vegetable oil, 1 kg cubed beef, seasoned flour to coat beef, whole baby onions, 3 chopped onions, 3 stalks chopped celery, 2 chopped carrots, 2 tabsp tomato paste, 3 anchovies, 3 cloves garlic finely chopped, 1/2 cup port, Worcestershire Sauce, 2 cups chicken stock, 2 tins crushed tomatoes, 4 potatoes chopped, 1 tbsp dry oregano,1 tbsp dry basil, 4 bay leaves, 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper.
HINT: Don't add SALT as already salty ingredients!

Heat oil in heavy pan over moderate heat - coat beef in seasoned flour and brown beef in batches - don't overcrowd pan or will stew instead of browning - place aside. Brown onions first then add celery and carrots to colour slightly, put all aside. Add tomato paste, anchovies and garlic to pan and cook off for a minute, add port to deglaze pan.

Place beef and vegetables in a large stock pot, add Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, tinned tomatoes, potatoes, dry herbs, pepper and pan liquids (port etc) - liquid should only just cover the meat and vegetables - if not covering add a little water. Bring to a simmer (don't boil or meat will get dry and stringy!) and cook 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours - check tenderness of beef and remove when vegetables and beef cooked to your liking. If on very low heat can cook longer and when beef tender will be ready to serve. Often tastes better the day after so can cook ahead and serve the next day if the smell doesn't make you want to eat it the same day!

Pan Seared Salmon Fillet