Saturday, March 27, 2004

SHIKAR VINDALOO

Serves 6-8

1 kg (2 lb.) pork
6-8 dried red chillies
1 cup vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
7 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
.5 teaspoon ground black pepper
.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
.5 teaspoon ground cardamon
.25 teaspoon ground cloves
.25 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
2-3 tablespoons ghee
2 med onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)

Cook in earthenware, enamel or stainless steel pot.

Cut meat into cubes. Soak chillies in vinegar for 10 mins. Any kind of vinegar may be used but if using double strength cider vinegar, dilute with an equal quantity of water. (Ideally coconut vinegar gives the correct flavour). Put chillies, vinegar, ginger & garlic into container of electric blender & blend until smooth. Add ground spices and salt. Marinate meat in this mixture for 2 hours.

Heat ghee and fry onions gently until soft and golden. Stir frequently and cook until all liquid from onions has evaporated & the oil comes out. Drain meat from marinade & fry. Add the marinade, cover pan and simmer on low until meat is well cooked. Stir in sugar, if used. Serve hot with plain rice and accompaniments.


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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Friday, March 26, 2004

STEAK DIANE

This is an upmarket version of the classic Australian way of cooking a fancy steak

Cook in Frypan at 380 deg for 6 mins total.

6 fillet steaks
6 cloves garlic
3 tblspn oil
Butter for frying, salt & pepper, French mustard



Sauce:

2 dspns worcester sauce
8 tblspn cream
8 tblspn claret or dry sherry
8 tblspns tomato sauce

Use steaks 1" thick; Pound with a meat mallet to 1/2" thick; Crush garlic and mix with oil & salt; Rub into fillets, both sides. Cover and stand 2 hours. Add butter to heated frypan; Cook steaks 2 mins to seal; Turn & smear sealed side with mustard; 2-3 mins on second side; Reduce temperature and put steaks to one side; Add wine & sauces and bring to boil; Set temperature to simmer and stir in cream; Do NOT boil cream; Serve sauce over steak.

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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Thursday, March 25, 2004

PORK FILLET SAUTEE NORMANDE

1.5 lb pork fillet/tenderloin
1 oz butter
1 med onion, finely sliced
1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1 wineglass of dry cider
.25 pint stock
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons double cream

Brown pork fillet on all sides in the butter, remove from the pan, add onion & cook for 2-3 mins add apple to the pan & continue cooking until both onion & apple are golden brown. Stir in flour, cider & stock & bring to the boil. Put fillet back into the pan, season, cover the pan & simmer gently for 45-50 mins until meat is tender.

Remove the meat from the sauce & cut in slanting 1.5 inch slices & place on a hot serving plate. Strain the sauce, reheat & then stir in the cream. Taste for seasoning & spoon over meat.

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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2004

QUICK SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE

Half a kilo of lean minced beef (In the USA: 1 lb lean ground beef)
Half a packet of spag (Where a packet is 500g or approx 1 lb.)
Half an onion
Olive oil
salt
A bottle of your favourite pasta sauce. About a 350g bottle. I buy a tomato sauce with garlic and herbs.
Grated cheese -- Parmesan, of course

Defrost the mince (ground beef) first if needed and spread out evenly in the bottom of a big frypan.
Add a cup of water, chopped onion, plenty of salt (to taste: say 2 tsp) and a tablespoon of olive oil.
Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to break up the mince and see that it is not burning. Add extra water as needed to prevent burning. Keep the mix boiling a bit all the time.

After the mince has been on for 10-15 minutes, drop the spaghetti into a big saucepan half full of boiling water (gradually, so it does not go off the boil) and add plenty of salt.
Then tip the sauce into the mince and stir frequently to blend the sauce fully into the mince

By the time the spag is soft (about another 10-15 minutes), the mince should be ready too
Tip the spag into a colander and serve up with the mince and grated cheese on top.

Serves 2-4


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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Tuesday, March 23, 2004

LIPTAUER CHEESE SPREAD

250g (half a pound) cream cheese
60g butter
300ml (half a pint) sour cream
1/2 bunch chopped chives (or shallots or scallions)
2 teaspoons French mustard
4 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons caraway seeds

Blend cream cheese, butter and sour cream. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
Serve with crudites or Melba toast.


Liptauer is an important ingredient for a "Hungarian" open sandwich: Simply spread Liptauer on heavy rye bread and top with Hungarian salami and slices of capsicum (bell peppers). Not for dieters. But it is just the thing if you ever have to feed stout middle-aged ladies from central Europe with lots of rings on their fingers!

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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Monday, March 22, 2004

MOUSSAKA

The great Greek specialty

Ingredients:

3 aubergines (eggplant; melanzane)
2 onions,thinly sliced
750g (1.5 lb) minced lamb
1 tomato skinned and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons tomato concentrate
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
salt
olive oil
Black pepper
1/2 pint hot milk
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch grated nutmeg
1 egg yolk

Method:

Slice aubergines thinly, unpeeled and sprinkle slices generously with salt and allow their bitter juices to drain away in a colander for at least 1/2 hour. Squeeze, wash in cold water and pat dry. Fry lightly in oil, turning the slices once. Remove and drain on absorbent paper.

Fry the onions in 2 tablespoons oil until pale golden. Add the meat and fry until well browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and flavour with allspice. Add the tomato, tomato paste and parsley. Stir well, moisten with a few tablespoons of water and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the meat is well cooked and the water is absorbed.

Put alternate layers of aubergine slices and meat mixture in a deep baking dish, starting and ending with a layer of aubergines.

Prepare the Bechamel sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir over low heat for a few minutes until well blended. Add the hot milk gradually, stirring until it boils, taking care not to allow lumps to form. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer until sauce thickens. Beat the egg yolk, stir in a little of the sauce and beat well. Pour back into the pan slowly, stirring constantly. Do not allow the sauce to boil again.

Pour sauce over the meat and aubergines and bake, uncovered, in a preheated moderate oven (375 F) for about 45 minutes until a brown crust has formed on the top and the layers have fused and blended.


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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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Sunday, March 21, 2004

GREEK EASTER LAMB WITH ORZO


Roast at 180 deg Celsius or more


A 2 kg (4lb) leg of lamb
2 cloves garlic
.5 cup lemon juice
.5 cup hot water
1 tablespoon chopped oregano -- less if dried
1 cup extra hot water
2 onions chopped
A 500g packet orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 cup tomato puree or .5 cup tomato paste


Remove excess fat from lamb. Cut small slits in surface of lamb. Peel & slice garlic cloves and insert slices into slits. Place lamb in roasting tin, mix lemon juice with 125 ml hot water, pour over lamb, then sprinkle with oregano. Roast lamb in moderate oven at 180 deg C for 1 hour, basting frequently. Add extra hot water to pan, the add onions and cook for a further 1.5 hours or until lamb is cooked to taste. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil, add orzo and boil rapidly for 7-8 mins or until orzo is tender. Drain well and keep hot. Remove lamb from roasting tin, keep warm and stand for 15 mins before carving. Add orzo and tomato puree to sediment in roasting tin and stir in onion and pan juices. Return to oven and bake, uncovered, for 10-15 mins or until orzo is heated through. To serve place lamb on warm serving plate and place orzo around lamb. Serve with Greek salad (e.g. lettuce, onion, cucumber, tomato, fetta cheese & olives) and fresh bread.


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Disclaimer:The recipes here have been collected from various sources over the years and I have lost track of where most of them came from. If anybody believes that I have "stolen" their recipe, however, I will be happy to add an acknowledgement of the original source. To my knowledge, however, most of the recipes here do contain SOME element of originality. The element of originality, however, comes mostly from my ex-wife Jenny rather than from myself.

Comments? Email me here or here.
My Home Page is here or here.

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