Did you know that animals (at least those meant for culinary uses) are classified as "babies" up until the age of 2? In other words, "lamb" meat is not necessarily that of a new born lamb, still wiggling on its tiny legs, suckling on his momma's teat, but could be from a grown lamb up to the age of 2. (Whew, thank heavens, I was always a bit taken aback by the term "lamb", would rather by meat classified as "sheep" than "lamb", but now I know!)
This dish didn't come out exactly the way it shouldv'e, probably because we didn't use lamb, but sheep. And probably because I didn't slow cook it to soften it well enough. The taste, however, is exactly what I wanted. The lamb meat is supposed to be cooked to be soft, so it can be shredded into the pasta.
Nonetheless, here is the recipe:
Ingredients
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, cubed
50g butter + 30g butter
500g shell pasta
2tbl sugar
2 tb worsecershire sauce / soya sauce
1 tb balsamic vinegar
1kg lamb, cut into small chunks
1 tb rosemary
1 cup red wine
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen, not canned)
Method
1. Bring enough water for the pasta to a boil. Add 1tbs salt. Add the pasta and cook till al dente. Once done, pour off any excess water.
2. While the pasta is busy, melt 50g butter in a pan. Fry onion till just soft. Add balsamic vinegar and sugar. Fry until lightly caramelised. Remove from pan into separate dish.
3. Fry the mushrooms in the same pan. Add 30g butter. The mushrooms are very quick - do not fry until it starts to water and shrink! Remove from pan into separate dish.
4. Fry the lamb meat in the same pan. Brown on all sides. Add worcestershire sauce and rosemary. Fry until nicely browned. Add the wine, turn down the heat and simmer.
5. Add the mushrooms, onion and peas to the pasta. Mix well.
6. Serve the pasta with the lamb chunks, or shred the lamb in a blender and mix with the pasta.
7. Serve warm and enjoy!!
Yours in oil and veggies
Risch
What is time?
My word, whatever it is, it sure does fly!!
We are only allocated a certain amount of time on this earth, and that time is divided into 24 hours per day. What we do with this time, is entirely up to us. No, this is not suddenly a philosophy blog, I'm just sharing... Sometimes, (...times... get it?) we have to TAKE time. You cannot wait until you have enough time - you will never have enough time. It can't be stored, you can't save it for later... When you have it, you have to use it!!
I want cook and bake (among many, many other things). I want to blog about my cooking, and I want to publish a recipe book. So, I am TAKING time, and will accomplish just that.
What do YOU want to do?
Today's recipe is a Mince Pie with a Yoghurt crust. It is something different, but still very delicious, easy to make, and can be made with the budgeted version, or the more delectable version... I have run out of soya sauce, and have started substituting it with worcestershire sauce, and I am impressed. It browns just as nicely and tastes just as great.
Ingredients
500g mince
2tbs worcestershire sauce/soya sauce
1tbs spice for mince
1 onion, cubed
1 can tomato & onion
1 packet Mushroom soup
600ml water
1/3cup flour
salt & pepper
Topping
4 eggs
500ml plain yoghurt / amasi
1/3cup flour
salt & pepper
Method
1. Heat a pan to hot, add the mince and stir it, loosening it well, until browning.
2. Add the worcestershire sauce/soya sauce, & spice for mince.
3. Brown the mince well, make sure it is well loosened.
4. Add the onion, mix.
5. Add the mushroom soup to the 600ml warm water and dissolve. Add to the mince.
6. Cook on slow heat for about 15 min, until it begins to thicken.
7. Add the flour and whisk it in. Stir continuously top prevent it from sticking or burning.
8. Whisk together the eggs, yoghurt/amasi, flour, salt & pepper to taste.
9. Scoop the mince into a baking dish, or several individual dishes.
10. Pour the topping over the back of a spoon onto the mince (this prevents it from making a hole in the mince).
11. Bake in an oven @ 160degrees C, until the topping is set.
12. Switch on the grill, up the temp to 200, and grill until lightly browned.
Serve warm!!
Optional Extras
250g/ punnet mushrooms, sliced
green pepper, cubed
1 rind feta
1/2cup cheddar cheese, grated
Add the mushrooms, green pepper and feta with the onion to the mince.
Add the cheddar cheese to the egg mixture and blend in a blender to make it fine.
Yours in oil and veggies
Risch
