Friday, December 12, 2008

Meat a la Pizzaiola

Although beef fillet is a relatively expensive cut of meat, in this recipe you use only half a kilogram to feed four people. The meat cooks quickly, so there is little shrinkage and as fillet is lean, there is no waste. The recipe will work just as successfully if you use veal, pork, or chicken. Add a few drops of Tabasco sauce if you want to make the sauce more piquant. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) lean beef fillet
1 teaspoon oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 spring onions (shallots), chopped
4 leaves fresh basil, roughly chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste (optional)
Garnish: Spring onion (shallot)

Method:

1. Cut the meat into thin strips, about 1/2 x 2 inch (1 x 5 cm).
2. Brush oil over the base of a heavy frying pan and heat the pan over medium-high heat.
3. When hot, toss in the meat and stir-fry until well sealed and browned (approx. 2-3 minutes).
4. Set the meat aside on a warm plate and continue as follows. To the hot frying pan add the garlic and the mushrooms and stir-fry for a further few seconds until the mushrooms are lightly cooked.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, spring onions (shallots), fresh basil, pepper and salt, and bring to a simmer. Now return the meat to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the meat is cooked and the dish is hot.
6. Finally, spoon the meat and sauce onto a bed of rice or noodles, garnish with spring onion (shallot) and serve.

Cheese, Garlic and Herb Bread


Liven up everyday sandwiches with this tasty loaf, inspired by the flavors of Italy. Recipe makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients:

4 cups strong all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sachets rapid-rise dried yeast
4 ounces (125 g) cottage cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4-6 sun-died tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast. Make a well in the center; gradually stir in 1/4 pint (150 ml) lukewarm water, or enough to form a dough. Add the cottage cheese, egg, basil, oil, garlic, tomatoes and Parmesan. Beat well, until dough leaves sides of the bowl clean.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
3. Put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clear plastic wrap and a tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a baking tray.
5. Knead the dough gently on a floured surface for 2-3 minutes. Shape into an oval and transfer to the baking tray.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Cooks Tip: If the dough seems slightly sticky when kneading, add a little flour, then knead until a smooth dough forms.

Pickled Beef

You may never have considered making your own pickled beef, so this delicious recipe may be an eye-opener. The commercial product tends to be full of salt and saltpeter, which is not desirable. Recipe serves 8.

Ingredients:

2 pound (1 kg) piece of beef topside
12 whole cloves
1 cup wine vinegar (red or white)
1 cup red wine
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1 medium onion, chopped

Method:

1. Trim any fat from meat.
2. Stick cloves into meat, evenly distributed.
3. Place meat in a bowl large enough to hold it snugly.
4. Combine vinegar, wine, sugar, mustard, mustard seeds, garlic, peppercorns and onions and pour over meat.
5. Cover tightly and refrigerate for three days, turning once or twice each day.
6. Remove meat from bowl and place in a large saucepan.
7. Strain marinating liquid through a sieve into smaller saucepan. Bring to the boil and strain over meat.
8. Cover, bring to boil, immediately lower the heat and simmer gently until meat is cooked through (about 1 hour).
9. Serve hot with boiled or mashed potatoes and cooked red cabbage or cold with bread or with a salad.

Rice Omelet


Rice omelets make a great supper dish. In Japan, they are a favorite with children, who usually top them with a liberal helping of tomato ketchup. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 skinless, boneless chicken thigh, about 4 ounces/125 g, cubed
8 teaspoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 carrot, diced
2 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
2 cups cooked long grain white rice
2 tablespoons (30 ml) tomato ketchup
6 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons (60 ml) milk
1 teaspoon salt, plus extra to season
Freshly ground black pepper
Tomato ketchup, to serve

Method:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in a frying pan. Fry the onion for 1 minute, then add the chicken and fry until the cubes are white and cooked. Add the carrot and mushrooms, stir-fry over a medium heat until soft, then add the parsley. Set this mixture aside. Wipe the frying pan with kitchen paper.
2. Melt a further 2 teaspoons butter in the frying pan, add the rice and stir well. Mix in the fried ingredients, ketchup and pepper. Stir well, adding salt to taste if necessary. Keep the mixture warm. Beat the eggs with the milk in a bowl. Stir in the measured salt and add pepper to taste.
3. Melt 1 teaspoon of the remaining butter in an omelet pan. Pour in a quarter of the egg mixture and stir it briefly with a fork, then allow it to set for 1 minute. Top with a quarter of the rice mixture.
4. Fold the omelet over the rice and slide it to the edge of the pan to shape it into a curve. Slide it on to a warmed plate, cover with kitchen paper and press neatly into a rectangular shape. Keep hot while cooking three more omelets from the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately, with tomato ketchup.

Skewered Lamb

Baked jacket potatoes and a large mixed salad makes this a memorable meal. Recipe serves 4 (3 skewers each).

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat natural yogurt
3 tablespoons French mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground oregano
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 pound (500 g) diced lean lamb

Method:

1. Mix yogurt with mustard and herbs, add lamb and stir well.
2. Stand for 10-12 hours.
3. Remove rosemary and bay leaves.
4. Thread meat onto skewers, grill or barbecue until cooked.

Tomato Focaccia


Italian flat bread flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and rosemary. Recipe serves 10-12.

Ingredients:

6 cups strong all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 sachets rapid-rise dried yeast
2 ounces (60 g) Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 pint (150 ml) milk
1/2 cup olive oil
3.5 ounces (100 g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil ( about 1/2 cup) drained and chopped

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the yeast, Parmesan, rosemary and pepper. Heat together the milk and 1/2 pint (300 ml) water until lukewarm, then add half the olive oil. Pour into the flour mixture and stir to form a soft dough, adding more water if needed.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 5 minutes, or until smooth. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and knead into the dough for 2-3 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a large, lightly oiled, mixing bowl; cover with oiled, clear plastic wrap and a tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease two 13 x 9 inch (33 x 23 cm) Swiss roll tins with olive oil.
5. Remove dough from the bowl and knead lightly for a few seconds. Divide into equal halves, then roll out to fit the tins. Drizzle the remaining oil over the dough. Cover loosely with clear plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and leave to rise for about 30 minutes.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.

Cooks Tip: Instead of using fresh olive oil, take some from the jar of sun-dried tomatoes. The oil will have a delicious flavor absorbed from the tomatoes and herbs.

Pesto Risotto

If you buy the pesto - and there are some good varieties available nowadays - this is just about as easy as an Italian risotto gets. Recipe serves 3-4.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 cups risotto rice
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 3/4 pints/1 litre/4 cups simmering vegetable stock
3 tablespoons (45 ml) pesto
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra, to serve (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the spring onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until the spring onions are soft but not browned.
2. Add the rice and cook over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the grains of rice are coated in oil and the outer part of the grain is translucent and the inner part opaque.
3. Pour in the wine. Cook, stirring, until all of it has been absorbed, then start adding the hot stock, a large spoonful at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each addition of stock has been absorbed before adding the next.
4. After about 20 minutes, when all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender, stir in the pesto and Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasoning and then cover and rest for 3-4 minutes. Spoon into a bowl and serve, with extra Parmesan, if you like.