Beef Bake – Family Meal

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Delicious ground beef casserole with sweet and spicy mango chutney. Can be made in advanced and just placed in the oven for 20-25 minutes before serving. Great dish to prepare for many. Kids usually love this too!

Serves 4

500 g ground beef
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil

1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp curry
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp mango chutney (I like the Sharwood spicy version)

3 large eggs
1 tsp turmeric
300 ml single cream

50 ml grated cheese

Extra mango chutney and salad to serve.

1. Oven at 200 C.
2. In the olive oil, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the ground beef and fry until done.
3. Add the spices and the chutney.
4. Place in oven proof dish.
5. Combine the egg mixture, pour over the beef and sprinkle the cheese on top.
6. Bake in oven 20-25 minutes.
7. Serve with mango chutney and a salad.

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Asian Lamb with Lime Quinoa and Salad

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Great lamb dish, full of flavour. Low fodmap recipe.

Serves 6

900g Lamb leg steaks, trimmed

Marinade:
4 tbsp tamari soya sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp sunflower oil

Sesame seeds for adding towards end of frying.

Quinoa dressing:
1 tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp sesame oil
50 ml Tamari soy sauce
½ tbsp brown sugar
Zest from 1 lime (take care only using the green part of the peel)
1 tbsp limejuice
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

400 ml Quinoa
1 orange, cut in segments, then smaller pieces
1 red chili, chopped (seeds removed)
100g water chestnuts, sliced
100 g baby leaf spinach

Salad:

1 cucumber, cut in thin slices lengthwise (a mandolin will give the best result)
3 carrots, cut in thin slices lengthwise
A small piece of white cabbage, cut in thin slices
3-4 tbsp lemon juice
Chili flakes
Salt, pepper

 

  1. Combine the marinade and pour over the lamb. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  2. Prepare the quinoa dressing and set aside.
  3. Prepare the salad. Season and add the lemon juice. Set aside a minimum of 20 minutes.
  4. Rinse the quinoa and boil according to the instructions on the package.
  5. Prepare the orange by cutting off the peel (all the white membrane too), then, using a sharp knife, cut each segment just inside the thin white membrane, thus fully removing the membrane. Cut the remaining flesh into smaller pieces.
  6. Heat oil in a sauté pan. Fry the lamb steaks a few minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the cut). Remove from pan, roll in sesame seeds and then fry on a lower heat another minute. Leave the meat to rest 4-5 minutes.
  7. Drain the cooked quinoa, stir in the spinach, water chestnuts, the orange and chopped chili. Pour the dressing on top.

Marvellous Midday Muffins

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This recipe was part of a great brunch my daughter served me a while back.
 
Serves 4 – makes 12 small muffins

8 mild sweet piquante peppers
6 mushrooms
3 shallots
Fresh spinach, a handful
8 eggs
20 pecan nuts, chopped
 
4 slices prosciutto ham
 

  1. Oven at 200C
  2. Chop peppers, mushrooms, shallots and spinach and place in greased muffin tins.
  3. Pour whisked eggs on top (fill up to max 2/3 of the tins)
  4. Top with the pecans.
  5. Bake in oven 12-15 minutes or until slightly browned.
  6. Place one muffin on the serving plate, the ham on top and then the other two muffins on top.

Spicy Beef Casserole with Nutty Fruity Quinoa

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This fantastic casserole I’ve found in a magazine and now love to cook with very few adjustments. The nutty fruity quinoa goes well with the many spicy flavours of the casserole. Take care with the chili and the red curry paste as to not make it too spicy. I usually remove the seeds of the chili, taste a small piece of the flesh and then decide if I can use all or just part of it. Tasting and adjusting the seasoning is key when making a casserole.

Serves 4
500g lamb or beef, cut into pieces
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 spring onions, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp ginger, freshly grated
1 chili, seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tsp red curry paste
1 dl water
2 tsp gluten free soy sauce
100 g spinach

Nutty Fruity Quinoa:
300 ml multicolored quinoa (mix of red, black and white), washed
600 ml of chicken or vegetable broth
Dried mango, chopped into small pieces
100g of pecans, dry pan roasted and chopped

  1. In a hot pan brown the meat, season with salt and pepper
  2. Add garlic and spring onion , sauté until soft
  3. Add cinnamon, ginger, chili, curry paste, water and soy sauce
  4. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stalk.
  5. Add the spinach, heat until wilted.
  6. Cook the quinoa in the broth according to directions of the package. Add the mango and pecan pices.

Sweet and Spicy Meatballs with Tricolore Pepper Salad and Walnut Cabbage

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These meatballs are so rich and full of flavour so they don’t need anything else than a salad or two to go with them. In this recipe I have combined the meatballs with a pepper salad, a walnut cabbage salad and a honey chili sauce.

The Sweet and Spicy Meatballs

To make the perfect meatballs, you need a binder. Here I have substituted the traditional breadcrumbs/egg mix for some Chia seeds. The Chia seeds provides the binding agent through the gel it will form with the liquid. Chia also ensures moist and delicious meatballs. Some people use mashed potatoes instead but please try the Chia, it is well worth it!

Serves 4

500 g ground beef
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ grated yellow onion
Fresh coriander, chopped
1 cm ginger, grated
2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tbsp chia seeds

Glaze:
50 ml gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon of rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey

  1. Mix all the meatball ingredients together. Let sit in the refrigerate for 30 minutes in order to let the Chia seeds swell and form the gel.
  2. Heat the oven to 225 C. Line an oven sheet with greased baking parchment.
  3. Form small balls and place on baking sheet.
  4. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through.
  5. Combine the ingredients for the glaze.
  6. Pour the glaze in a (non-stick) frying pan and fry the meatballs a few minutes.
Tricolor Pepper Salad

1 orange pepper
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
Juice from ½ lemon
Salt and black pepper

  1. Half and slice the peppers very finely using the fine blade on a food processor or a mandolin.
  2. Mix in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Walnut Cabbage

200 g red cabbage
20 ml red wine vinegar
60 ml walnut oil
40 g walnut halves

  1. Discard the outer leaves. Quarter the cabbage and cut off root.
  2. Taking a few leaves at the time, cut the cabbage into very fine strips. Place in bowl.
  3. Heat the vinegar and pour over cabbage. Add the oil. Cover bowl with cling film and shake to cover evenly. Let sit to soften a few minutes.
  4. Toast the walnuts.
  5. Mix the walnuts into the cabbage just before serving.
Honey Chili Sauce

150 ml greek yoghurt
2 tsp crushed chilli
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients.

Wild Rice with Chanterelles and Chorizo

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In this recipe, the Chorizo provides a little heat (depending on what kind you choose to use) and the tomatoes a hint of sweetness. The Parmesan cheese allows the molded shape to stay together on the plate. If you can’t find fresh chanterelles, use a mix of any other fresh mushroom you like. A delicious, quick and easy dish! May also be served as an accompanying dish for very hungry guests, goes well with baked, fresh salmon.

Serve as part of a menu together with
Starter: Smoked Salmon Salad with Lime
Dessert: Chilled Strawberry Coconut Dessert Soup

Serves 4

300 ml Wild Rice
300 ml white wine
350 ml chicken broth

½ leek, finely sliced
400 g fresh chanterelles (or any other mixed mushrooms such as Chestnut mushrooms, Portobello mushrooms…)
150 g Chorizo, diced
5 sundried, marinated tomatoes, cut into fine strips
250 g fresh baby leaf spinach, shredded
4-5 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper
Olive oil for frying

  1. Boil the rice a few minutes shorter than the time indicated on the package.
  2. In the oil, sauté leek and mushrooms on low to medium heat until most of the water has evaporated.
  3. Stir in the chorizo and the sundried tomatoes. Sauté until hot.
  4. Add the spinach, stir until wilted.
  5. Take off heat and add the cheese.
  6. Add the rice and mix well.
  7. Season with some salt, if needed.
  8. To serve; use a small bowl covered with cling film. Press the rice firmly into the bowl. Turn out onto a plate (put the plate on top of the bowl and then turn over), remove the bowl and cling film and sprinkle some black pepper on top and over the plate.

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Cognac BBQ Marinade

This marinade will bring lots of flavour to, as well as tenderize, the meat of your choice.

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Nutty Guacamole Pie, Spicy Plum Chutney, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tbsp maple syrup
5 tbsp Cognac
3 tbsp of Gluten Free Soy Sauce
A few drops of Tabasco (optional)
1 tbsp concentrated tomato puree
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ cm of fresh ginger, finely grated
100 ml olive oil

  1. Combine all the ingredients, pour over meat in a plastic bag. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, turning the bag over from time to time.
  2. Before grilling, allow the meat to return to room temperature. Dry off the meat with a paper towel.
  3. During the grilling, baste with the excess marinade.

Spicy Plum Chutney

A great condiment on the BBQ! A pinch of added sugar will bring out the flavour (but, personally, I seldom cook with sugar).

Serve as part of a BBQ buffet together with:
Buckwheat Corn Fritters with Sweet and Spicy Chilli Sauce, Nutty Guacamole Pie, Cognac BBQ Marinade, Marinated Tofu and Berry Crumble Yogurt.

2 onions, sliced
300 g red plums, stones removed and quartered
2 medium sized courgettes, sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, shredded
Salt and black pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil to sauté in

Sauté onions, plums and courgettes. When soft, add remaining ingredients and let simmer in sauté pan 7-8 minutes or until until everything is soft and the flavours well blended. Serve hot or cold.

Perfect Pizza

A rustic, delicious pizza – it does not taste nor look gluten free!
Gluten free pizza is sometimes hard, crumbly and stale. This recipe overcomes all that. You will have a dough that is elastic and easy to handle and a ready pizza with a thin beautiful crust. Try spinning it the air to make it even thinner – I’m afraid I have not yet mastered the spinning technique myself though…
If you are fortunate enough to have a pizza stone – use it! The crust will turn out even better!

Serve as part of a Children’s Party Menu with:
Churros, Chocolate Maple Sauce, Very Blueberry Scones, Banana Choco Bread and Grandma’s Chocolate Balls.

200 ml water, 37C

Up to 50 ml additional water
20 g fresh yeast (or 7g dry used as per the manufacturers advice)
1 tbsp Psyllium Husk
50 ml olive oil
1 tsp salt
350 g gluten free flour (not self rising)
1 tsp baking powder

Tomato sauce:
6 plum tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1,5 tbsp oregano
fresh basil
2 tbsp olive oil
salt

Pizza toppings:
2-3 tbsp tomato puree
Sliced ham
Grated cheese

The sauce:
1. Set the oven to 200C
2. Place the tomatoes in shallow casserole, sprinkle the other sauce ingredients on top. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
3. When done, let cool slightly, then puree in food processor. Set to cool further.

The pizza dough:
1. Keep the oven at 200C. Make sure you have heat from above and below.
2. Dissolve the yeast and Psyllium Husk into 200 ml water. Let stand 10 minutes to form a gel.
3. Add the oil and the salt. Stir carefully.
4. Add the baking powder to the flour.
5. In a stand mixer (or in a bowl using the dough hooks of an electric mixer), pour in the yeast mixture and gradually add the flour mix. Work the dough for about 10 minutes. If the dough is too hard, add a few drops of the additional water, but do this slowly – just a few drops at the time. Work the dough a few more minutes so that the extra water is well mixed in.
6. Cover with a cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
7. Roll out the dough very thinly with a rolling pin . If sticky, sprinkle some flour on the pin.

Assembly:
1. Spread tomato paste on the pizza. Fold up 2 cm of dough all around the pizza to make a small “wall”
2. Spoon the tomato sauce on top.
3. Sprinkle with ham and then the cheese.
4. Place in oven on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes.

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Venison with Smokey Bean Puré and Sauce Poivrade

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Venison is a game meat but can be eaten all year round. Be careful not to overcook the meat, as it contains very little amount of fat it can easily become dry. The sauce is a typical game sauce, and works well with other types of game meat! Do not add more juniper berries than in the recipe as they give off plenty of flavour.

Serve as part of a menu with:
– Starter: Seared Scallops with Butternut Squash Puré, Balsamic Vinegar and Roasted Pistachio
– Dessert: Daim Cake

Serves 4

600 g venison loin

For the bean puré:
500 g dried pinto beans, soaked overnight in water
1 l chicken stock
1/2 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 bay leaf
50 g smoked bacon
100 ml double cream
50 g butter

For the sauce poivrade:
1/2 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
40 g tomato paste
1 garlic clove, crushed
200 ml red wine
750 ml veal stock
5 juniper berries, crushed
1 peel of 1/2 orange
5 g crushed black pepper
20 g unsalted butter

2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
olive oil
1 pack button mushrooms
50 g butter
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
10 g flat parsley, chopped

1. For the bean puré: Assemble the onion, celery, carrot and bay leaf in a muslim cloth, and using a string close it up into a bag, as in the picture. muslin clothStrain the pinto beans and add to a pot together with the muslim cloth, chicken stock and bacon. Cook with lid on until the beans are soft, about 30 minutes.
2. To start making the sauce: In a bit of olive oil, fry the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in a pan, without giving colour, until they have become soft. Add the tomato puré and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook over high heat to reduce to 50%. Add the veal stock, juniper berries, pepper, orange peel and let simmer over low heat for 30 minutes (or longer if possible), to let the flavours evolve. Foam will appear, and this should be removed using a spoon.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 150. Add the red onions to an oven-proof pan, season with salt and pepper and add olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 40 min. Take out and keep warm.
4. Cut the mushrooms in 4 and fry together with the garlic in a pan with butter to give a golden colour. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley.
5. Once the beans are soft, mix in a blender, adding cream and a bit of the cooking liquid if needed for the right consistency. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Add butter, taste and season with salt and pepper.
6. Put the oven to 180 degrees. Sear the meat in a hot pan with some butter to give colour, then transfer the meat to the oven for 5 minutes. Take out and let rest wrapped in aluminium foil before carving up pieces (the resting process will allow the meat to tenderise).
7. Once the sauce has simmered for a while, strain it through a fine sieve, reduce it about 70% (the consistency should be that of a thick sauce which covers the back of a spoon). Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add butter while slowly whisking until it has dissolved.
8. For the plating, using a spoon add bean puré to the plate and run the spoon across the plate to create a line. Carve pieces of the meat and plate. Finish off with the garniture and the sauce.

Pulled Pork

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This is a great sunday dish! Prepare it in the morning, put it in the oven and let it cook by itself for the whole day. It gives a great smell in the apartment and tastes just as good the following day, so don’t worry about leftovers.

Serves 6

1 kg pork shoulder, skin removed
1 whole garlic, cloves peeled and halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 pieces
1 red chili pepper
3 tbsp smokey ground paprika
6 dl barbecue sauce
salt and pepper

2 avocado
½ lime
1 tbsp coriander
1 ml chili flakes
salt and pepper
1 bunch coriander leaves, roughly chopped
green sallad
onion jam
cashew nuts
gluten-free tortilla wraps

1. Add the onion, garlic and chili to a casserole.
2. Season the meat with salt, pepper and rub in the ground paprika using your hand, then add it to the casserole.
3. Pour the sauce over the meat and the remaining ingredients. Cook in the oven at 100 degrees for 7 hours. Every once in a while, pour some of the sauce from the casserole over the meat.
4. To make the guacamole put the avocado, lime juice, coriander and chili flakes into a food processor and process until smooth. Keep chilled until use.
5. Before serving, take out and pull the pork meat apart using two forks. Put it into a bowl and add some of the sauce from the casserole. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve the pulled pork wrapped in the tortilla together with the guacamole, sallad, coriander, onion jam and nuts.

Rack of lamb with a parsley crust, mint dressing, rösti and red wine sauce


Lamb is a classic for easter. Try it together with the egg en cocotte and pavlova as a menu. Although the trimming of the lamb may take some time, it looks so much prettier when served. If you would like to leave the racks as you bought them that is fine too. The mint dressing is wonderful and can also be used for other dishes, like in salad or accompanied to other meats. Make sure to prepare it ahead of time so that the flavour can fully evolve.

Serves 4

2 racks of lamb, each 6 or 8 ribs

60 g breadcrumbs
10 ml olive oil
60 g flat parsley leaves
salt and pepper
40 g Dijon mustard

50 ml chopped mint leaves
75 ml caster sugar
50 ml water
1 tbsp malt vinegar

4 large potatoes, for example baking potato
1 egg
salt and pepper
oil for frying

200 ml red wine
600 ml veal stock
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp cornflour
salt and pepper
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Desired vegetable, like baby carrots and green beans

1. Start off by making the mint dressing: Mix mint, sugar, water and vinegar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Put aside for 8 hours.
2. Trim the lamb: Remove the skin and excess fat. Cut away the silver skin (the shiny thin layer on the meat), it doesn’t dissolve during cooking and is hard to chew. Clean the bones by removing any meat and fat between them, all the way into the filet at the end of the bone (but still making sure the bone is attached to the filet). Scrape the bones clean with the knife all the way to the end (this will look neater after cooking). Tie a string around the meat between each bone to keep the shape of the meat during cooking.
3. For the crust add breadcrumbs, oil, parsley, salt and pepper to a mixer and blend. Put aside until needed.
4. For the wine sauce combine wine, stock, honey in a small pan. Let simmer until reduced 75%. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp cold water add to the sauce while stirring (this will thicken the sauce). Set aside.
5. Make the rösti: Peel and grate the potatoes, mix with egg and season. Using a ring mould, form round shapes in the pan and fry in oil on high heat to give golden colour on both sides. Place the rösti in the oven and continue cooking for another 20 minutes at 200 degrees.
6. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Seal in oil in a pan on high heat (make sure the pan is very hot before adding the meat), turning the meat to get colour on all sides. Put the meat in the oven for 10 minutes at 200 degrees, take it out and let it rest for 10 minutes in room temperature covered with aluminium foil. Remove the string and coat the outside of the lamb with mustard, then roll the lamb in the crust and make sure it is attached. Put the meat back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Take it out and let rest under aluminium foil for another 5 minutes.
7. Cook the vegetables in salted boiling water until tender but still with resistance.
8. Reheat the sauce. While whisking add butter and keep stirring until it has dissolved. Cut pieces of the racks of lamb. Serve the dish on warm plates.