Crispy Potato & Lamb Hotpot

Have you noticed how much attention we pay to the first...the first...anything, really. But in this context, the first blogpost of the year. Like a needy person, it demands your entire attention. It is important to get it right, to make sure that it will keep the readers entertained. It needs to reflect the correct trend and set the tone for the rest of the year.

On the other hand, the last post of the year could be ....whatever, nobody would notice as long as it ends with a resounding Happy New Year. Though in the case of the Crispy Potato & Lamb hotpot, to ignore it, would be a mistake. Take it as a Lancashire Hotpot which has had a make-over, with its potato swirl, it is very pretty. One of the most succulent dishes, I made this year. And last but not least it is very easy to make....so here we go.

Crispy Potato and Lamb Hotpot

Ingredients

700g lamb leg steaks
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, sliced
225g carrots, diced
1 celery stick, diced
800g potatoes, not peeled and evenly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (plus extra sprigs)
50g black pudding, cut into chunks
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
500-600ml hot lamb stock
25g butter, melted

Method
Heat a tbsp of the oil in a lidded casserole. Add the onions, carrots and lamb, fry for no more than 10 minutes until the meat turns brown and the onions are soft.
Season with black pepper and stir through the flour.

Add the bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce to the pan, stirring to catch any bits sticking to the bottom. Add the stock, bring to simmer then cook with the lid on for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

Meanwhile, slice the potatoes as thinly as you can.

Take the casserole dish off the heat and arrange the potato slices upright on top, your slices will need to be in small stacks, don't bother to separate. Create a few swirls. Drizzle with the remaining oil, season with pepper and top with 2 sprigs of thyme.

Cover the dish and cook in the oven for 1h30 mins. Remove the lid and cook for another 45 minutes. The potatoes will turn brown. Sprinkle with thyme and parsley before serving.

Happy New year - Thank you so much for visiting in your thousands to read this blog in 2019 - Just last month there was just over 21 000 of you popping in, and that is a lot of people...Thank you again. Hope to see you soon

Slow Braised Shank of Lamb

Today could have been very different. For various reasons, I turned down a day visit to The Foxhunter; a restaurant said to be one of the most exciting in Wales; owned by television chef Matt Tebbutt and located in Nant-y-derry, bet you that is an adorable village too. If I had gone, I would have learned about  PGI Welsh Lamb.

As it goes, I am still slightly ignorant about Welsh Lamb and its PGI status which doesn't stop me having an opinion on the subject and here it goes:

We probably have some of the best lamb on earth, the PGI badge recognises its quality and acknowledges farming good practices. It also means that only sheep  born and raised in Wales and slaughtered in approved abattoirs can legally be described as Welsh Lamb.

It's soon lambing season, remember that lamb meat keeps in the freezer for up to nine months. If sometimes lamb might look expensive, there is no reason to ignore the less expensive cuts which are excellent braised, casseroled, stewed and slow-cooked.

 

At Pebble Soup HQ, there is no slow cooker, all is done in the oven, it may provide less control but it works very well too, that's how this recipe was done.

 

Slow Braised Shank of Lamb

 

Ingredients

1 Lamb shanks (per person, though I use one for two)

15ml (1tbsp) olive oil  

3 or 4 Onion, peeled and quatered  

1 Red and 1 green chilli, sliced

5 unpeeled garlic cloves

1/4 pint Lamb stock (or vegetable bouillon)

Rosemary sprigs, sage and bay leaves to flavour 

2 tbs tomato paste 

 

Method  

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 use an oven-proof casserole if unavailable use an oven tray with high sides and aluminium foil to cover tightly

Place the lamb in a big casserole pot and season with salt and pepper be generous with the seasoning and drizzle the oil over.

Cut the onions into quarters, add to the pot with (unpeeled) garlic cloves, rosemary sprigs, sage and bay leaves.

Mix the bouillon with the tomato paste

Pour over the lamb, place the lot in the oven and let it cook for 2h1/2.

Serve with roasted potatoes and vegetables

More Lamb Recipes on Pebble Soup
Great British Chef's Slow  Cooked Lamb Shank
Moussaka

and the ultimate
7 Hour Slow Roast Shoulder of Lamb by Greedy Gourmet

Moussaka

As the holidays are in full flow, our attention is drawn to foreign dishes. Take Moussaka, now-days regarded as a symbol of Greek cuisine, what would be our surprise if we were told that it has been "borrowed" from another land.

Let me tell you a tale which will blow your hat away.

Moussaka originates from the days of Sinbad, Shehrezade and Aladdin. It's a dish which was enjoyed by Caliphs in the glorious days of Baghdad.

Muhklabah as called by the persians in Medieval times was originally a simple and tasty dish, composed of meat (lamb or beef), aubergines and topped with cheese.

 

On its way to Greece, it stopped over in Armenia and it that ancient land it became a traditional fare, a family dish made with lamb meat, topped with eggs and cheese.

 

It's only when it arrived in the country now known as Greece that it acquired its white sauce topping. Now-days there are many moussaka variations and many vegetables can be used instead of aubergines, e.g. potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes etc....

Last autumn when we hopped from a Greek island to another among the many marvels which left me wide-eyed, my jaw dropped when on a street corner, where a few stalls had been hastily put together, I spotted white aubergines.

 

I have absolutely no idea what these albino eggplants taste like but I never had never seen such a thing before nor ever since. Of course all these fabulous things were duly recorded.

 

Greek cuisine is one I would love to love, the ingredients are healthy and superb but I have had too many rip-off, luke-warm dishes in restaurants where nobody cared so I am slightly wary. But I will be the first to recognise that nothing beats a glorious home-made moussaka, preferably hot.

If a whole book could be written about Moussaka, there is a few essential things to know.

First, it's a dish of many components which takes a long time to cook, so a few cheats won't go amiss.

Then, there is a debate about the aubergines. Should they be salted? though it's not necessary since current aubergines have had the bitter taste removed, it's still favoured by some chefs, as when they are salted they don't absorb the oil as much.

Last but not least, the bottom of the dish must be layered with parboiled potatoes to absorb the oil.

 Moussaka

This is His moussaka recipe. A delicious home-made moussaka from an old recipe book by Marie Stone



Ingredients

3 medium aubergines

400g onions

250ml olive oil (give or take)

500 to 650g mince raw lamb or mutton

pinch of cinnamon

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 crushed garlic clove

2 potatoes parboiled and sliced

salt and pepper

210 ml stock

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp tomato paste

225ml bechamel sauce

4 tbs grated cheese

 

Method

Heat the oven to low temp 180C (mark 4/ 350F)

Cut the aubergines into slices, about 1cm thick, salt and put aside to drain.

Dry them and fry them gently in olive oil. When they are soft, remove from the oil.

Put the onions finely chopped adding more oil if needed. When the onions begin to colour, add the meat, cinnamon, parsley, sugar and garlic.

Cook until brown.

In the meantime parboil the potatoes and when ready slice them about 1cm thick.

In a ovenproof dish place the potatoes and then layer the aubergines with the cooked mixture, season.

Repeat until you run out of both, always finish on a layer of aubergines.

Warm the stock and add the tomato paste, pour over the layers and cook in a slow oven (180C) for about 1 hour.

Make the bechamel sauce, add 3 tablespoons of cheese. Cover the aubergine layer with the sauce, sprinkle the last spoonful of cheese over it turn the over a little higher and cook until the top is brown which will take about 20 minutes.

post in association with Schwartz

 

 

 

Tzirani Gololig & Thingamidoodah

When I have a minute to enjoy other blogs' recipes, I drop by Belleau Kitchen for its creativity and genuineness. This month, I was wickedly tempted to play with its Thingamidoodah, a randomiser actioned by baby luck who picks a recipe allowing entry in Random Recipes and you know what that Omen of a toy came up with Arto der Haraoutunian's Middle Eastern Cookery Tzirani Gololig.

But let's wind up a little, in order to count the cookery books, they needed to be gathered. Something, somewhat difficult in the aftermath of new kitchen. Where cookery books used to live, there is now a pantry.

Undeterred, I asked an ex-neighbour for help, we drove to Catford timber which is one of these wonderful emporium stacked with "all sorts of..." in this case raw timber, we bought enough poplar to make a bookcase. he designed it, we struggle with it, used the longest clamps I ever saw, cut, placed, glued, puzzled, laughed and produced this:

Which was rapidly filled up like so:



From which this, was extracted:



 Tzirani Gololig or Meatballs in apricot sauce

This is said to be a recipe from Armenia, the land of apricots, Arto der Haroutunian describes it as, 'Virtually unchanged from the distant past" if I had to do it again I would definitely drop the rice in the balls and replace it by breadcrumbs and choose the paprika more carefully for the sauce.

Ingredients

for the lamb meatballs:1 lb/450g minced lamb
1 egg
1 medium onion
100g/4oz cooked rice
1teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, cumin, and salt
1/8 teaspoon each allspice and Aleppo pepper
1/4 tablespoon minced parsley
3 tablespoons arak (or ouzo though I only had pastis)
1.2litres/2pints stock
pepper

for the sauce:
100g/4oz dried apricots, soaked overnight in 300ml/half pint cold water
2 medium-size onions, finely diced
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh coriander or 1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon flour
1 teaspoon paprika

Method:
To prepare the meatballs you will need to pass the meat through a mincer with the onion so that you can a very fine mixture. Then in a large bowl you add all the balls ingredients, mix well and divide them in small portions which you roll to form a ball and place in a saucepan with the stock.
Bring to boil simmer for 15 minutes and drain

Meanwhile prepare the apricot sauce, put the apricots, garlic, coriander and 5 tablespoons of apricot water in a liquidizer and blend
Heat the fat and fry the onion until soft, add the flour and paprika and continue frying for a couple of minutes. Add the apricot mixture and gradually thin with the stock.
When it's sauce like add the meatballs and simmer gently for 30 minutes

I am entering this recipe in





A Great British Chef's Slow Cooked recipe : Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary

Slow Cooking:  A method for busy people who let the pot do the work. 

How does it work? Throw all the ingredients together in a pot and cook slowly on the stove or in the oven. Slow-cooked recipes often call for a 24h marinade prior to cooking.

Tagine, Casseroles, Stews are all slow-cooked dishes. The advantages of long braises and hours of cooking exceed by far the ease of cooking.

#1: Tougher pieces of meat will go from zero to hero allowing for cheap cuts. These kind of recipes don't call for tender/expensive ingredients as they all cook for hours. It's hardly surprising that the end result will melt in the mouth. 

#2: Flavours are enhanced by the slow process. Cooked this way, food will soften and absorb all the flavours only to bring them out in an harmonious melting pot

#3: No need for oil or fat of any kind, all simmers in the juices. It's an healthy way to cook.

Lamb, beef, pork, mutton all beneficiate from hours of cooking. My best friend always slow-cooks her Christmas goose.  Greek cuisine enjoys a chequered reputation but its Kleftico, individual lamb shanks cooked with lemon and herbs would almost redeem it all.

British Chef, Martin Wishart  wrote his own take of slow-cooked lamb shanks  for Great British Chefs with a succulent Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary. Hope you'll give it a go.

Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary

Ingredients

• 30ml of vegetable oil
• 4 lamb shanks
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 250ml of red wine
• 2l of chicken stock
• 1 400g tin of chopped tomato
• 4 sprigs of rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 150g of unsalted butter, cold and diced
• 1 tbsp of caster sugar
• 3 tbsp of red wine vinegar
• salt

Method 

1. Start on this lamb shank recipe by setting the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6. Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. When you feel a good heat rising from the pan, season the lamb shanks with salt, then carefully brown each of them on all sides

 

Marinating lamb shanks

To boost the flavour and tenderise the meat even more, marinate the meat in the wine for 24 hours before cooking, draining well and patting the meat dry before sautéing. 

 

2. In a large casserole pot, heat the olive oil. Then add the onion and garlic and gently sauté them until golden brow.

 

3. Pour the red wine into the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the wine by two-thirds

 

4. Add the stock, tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves, bring to a simmer and then add the lamb shanks

Disclaimer: This is a post sponsored by Great British Chefs who authorized the reproduction of the recipe and photo.
       

Slow Cook Lamb

2010 is on its way out and as far as I am concerned it is good riddance. I do not want to see another like it. I had almost forgotten what it was like to do battle with ill, loss and demons with my guard down.

I am, certainly, not grateful for the reminder. Falling hurts bad. But at least I have been reminded that every moment is precious and if treated well, there is fun in each and every of these moment.

So good-bye 2010 bring the next one on, I am focused and this time, I am not loosing sight of what is important, frivolities included.

2010 was also a year when I got much more involved in the world of food, I hope you have enjoyed reading my posts as much I have enjoyed researching and writing them.

There has been many recipes which stood out and delighted my taste buds but the  one which got my vote is "Slow Cook Lamb". I first saw it on Greedy Gourmet. Michelle describes it as a memorable meal, spot on. The first thing, my friend Anne said, after Wow was : "this is a memorable dish." Don't be put off by the cooking time, there is nothing for the cook to do whilst the lamb seats in the oven,  here is the link to the recipe.

Only one thing left to do and that is to wish you and you and you, a great 2011.

Haricot de Mouton or the Power of Twitter

How long does it take to become addicted to a new form of communication?

answer: in my case no-time.

Never thought about twitting until "the book" pre-launch. I was offered a Westwood Rocks necklace for a twitty. A fortnight later, I am cooking by twitter.

Not knowing how to use twitter, I mistakenly joined Jamie Oliver, who twits a recipe a day. Haricot de mouton was on the menu a couple of days back. Straight away, I spotted the grammatical mistake, shouldn't it be Mouton aux Haricots?. You see, Jamie is an alumni of my ex-place of work and as we know teachers talk so I knew that French studies were not well attended....However, I was intrigued by the fact that there were 2 mistakes in a 3 words sentence and blow me with the kitchen torch.

Haricot derives from an ancient word "halicoter"which means cutting in pieces so this was right. 20 out of 20 Jamie. But there is a twist in my twit, traditionally "le haricot aux mouton" is prepared with potatoes and turnips no haricots in the pot.

As we know, eating words is not palatable when Haricot de Mouton was simply a huge win- pot left clean- time in the kitchen 30 minutes. brilliant.

here is my take on the recipe Haricot de Mouton

• 2 chopped onions
• 1 lamb shoulder or breast (500g) cut in roughly in cubes
• 2 tins of white beans
• salt, pepper, parsley
• little bit of olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbs of flour

and wait for it....... 3 sausages (very optional)

In the pressure cooker, heat oil throw in onions and garlic, cook until soft

Add the lamb and cook until brownish, add salt, pepper, parsley

Add flour, 2 or 3 tumbles of water, stir

Put the lid on high heat until the pressure starts to come out turn the heat down and cook for 15 minutes.

Let the steam off, open, add the beans and cook under pressure for a further 10 minutes.

A Meatballs Recipe

What is this a picture of? humble meatballs. Look again. These are geopolitical statements. All based on the same idea but each so very very different from their neighbours.

I used to think that my grandfather's Moroccan fatty lamb meatballs filled with breadcrumbs, harissa, spices all sorts and a hint of mint were the best and only kind. Then, I discovered that my college friend Myriam Andreoletti, nowadays better known as clown "Julietta" and co-founder of the Bataclown, had beef and pork meatballs as staple-food on her spaghetti, .

Travelling on, I enjoyed many Bakso breakfasts, Indonesian floating meatballs made of beancurd as next door in the Philippines Bola-Bolas are really crackling pork. And now I am told that New-York meatballs, possibly yet another version of Myriam's nana's recipe are all the rage.

Unable to write down my childhood meatballs recipe so much it changed throughout the years. Here is the closest I found, in taste if not in location: Greek meatballs as described by Jill Dupleix recipe book "Lighten up".

Ingredients3 thick slices white bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
125ml red wine
500g minced lamb
1 small onion, grated
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 medium egg, beaten
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus extra to garnish
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the tomato sauce
500ml tomato passata
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Put the bread in a bowl and soak in the wine for 5 minutes. Lightly squeeze out the wine – reserving it for the sauce – and put the bread pieces into a bowl with the lamb, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, cumin and cinnamon. Season and mix well.
2. Shape the mixture into 12 medium-sized balls, each slightly bigger than a golf ball. Put on a large, non-stick baking sheet and cook for 20 minutes, until golden.
3. Meanwhile, combine the reserved wine with all the sauce ingredients in a wide saucepan. Put over a medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until thickened. Season. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for a further 10 minutes, turning halfway to coat. Discard the bay leaf.
4. Divide the meatballs and sauce between serving plates. Serve with mashed potato and garnish with extra parsley.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 418kcals, 21.1g fat (8.5g saturated), 29.2g protein, 24.4g carbs, 11.5g sugar, 1.2g salt

more about meatballs