Another lamb dish packed full of taste!!

Hi Everyone,

When I was browsing through the August Taste Magazine I found these two wonderful recipes that take the old traditional dishes we know and love and do something different and wonderful with them.

The Chilli Con Carne is yet another beautiful slow cook recipe.  The added flavours of dill, oregano, lemon, coriander and red wine create a smell throughout the house that will have you salivating until dinner time.  The added oomph of a can of butter beans not only adds fibre to this dish but bulks it out and makes it very economical for a large family.  I would definitely reduce the number of chillies used next time.  Six is a lot even without the seeds in but, of course, it is personal taste.  Creamy whipped feta and yoghurt top it off with a sprig of mint.

What the family loved was being able to spoon this onto the pita bread and make a bit of a mess in the process.

When you cut into it the meringue is soft and super high, in fact you can barely see the filling until you start eating it. Using the kitchen blow torch is almost an art form – I got a bit carried away with it but it looked great.  I was nervous that the MAV would be horrified that he was eating veg for dessert but he actually loved it.  Bonus!  8/10 all round.

Please try these two recipes, you won’t be disappointed.  Taste magazine has done it again!

Until next week,

From my table to yours with love x

Greek Chilli Con Carne with Whipped Feta

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1.5 kg boneless lamb shoulder excess fat trimmed, cut into 4cm pieces
• 1 brown onion finely chopped
• 3 fresh dill sprigs stems finely chopped, fronds reserved
• 4 anchovies drained
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 60 ml red wine vinegar
• 500 ml beef stock
• 400 g can diced tomatoes
• 70 g tomato paste
• 6 long fresh chillies halved lengthways, deseeded
• 1 sprig fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 lemon remove 2 strips of rind then cut into wedges
• 400 g can butter beans rinsed, drained
• 145 g pitted black olives
• 4 large pita bread split, each disc cut into six wedges
• fresh mint sprigs to serve
• 200 g soft creamy feta
• 90 g greek-style yoghurt

Method

 

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook the lamb, in 3 batches, tossing, for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the onion and dill stems to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the anchovies, garlic, oregano and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic.. Add the vinegar and cook, stirring and scraping the base, for 2-3 minutes or until almost evaporated. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Return the lamb to the pan with the tomatoes, tomato paste, chilli, bay leaves, honey and lemon rind strips. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Stir in the beans and olives. Cook for 10 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
3. Meanwhile, preheat a chargrill pan over high heat. Chargrill the pita bread for 2 minutes each side or until crisp.
4. To make the whipped feta, place feta in a bowl and use a fork to mash until smooth. Add yoghurt and mix with fork until well combined and almost smooth. Season with pepper.
5. Spoon chilli con carne into serving bowls and top with shipped feta, mint and reserved dill fronds. Serve with pita crisps and lemon wedges.

Notes

Source: Taste Magazine August 2020

Sweet Potato Meringue Pie

Start this the day before required

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 250 g butternut biscuits
• 100 g butter melted
• 500 g sweet potato peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
• 375 ml can Carnation Creamy Evaporated Milk
• 2 eggs
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 315 g caster sugar
• 4 egg whites at room temperature
• large pinch of cream of tartar

Method

 

1. Place the biscuits in a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add butter. Process until well combined. Press biscuit mixture over base and side of a 5cm-deep, round 24cm (base measurement) pie or ovenproof dish. Place in the fridge to chill.
2. Preheat oven to 160°c/140°c fan forced. Cook sweet potato in a saucepan of boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 80ml of cooking liquid. Transfer the sweet potato and reserved liquid to the clean food processor. Process until smooth (you need about 425g puree). Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves to puree. Use a balloon whisk to whisk until well combined. Pour over biscuit base. Bake for 1 hour or until filling is just set. Place in fridge overnight to chill.
4. To make meringue, stir sugar and 60ml water in a saucepan over low heat, brushing down the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals forming, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture reaches 115c (soft ball stage) on a sugar thermometer. While syrup continues to cook, use electric beaters with whisk attachment to whisk egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl until soft peaks form. When syrup reaches 120°c (hard ball stage) and with beaters on low speed, gradually add syrup to egg shite mixture. Increase speed to high. Whisk for 10 minutes or until thick, glossy and cool.
5. Spoon meringue over chilled pie. Use a flat-bladed knife to make peaks. use a cook's blowtorch to caramelise the meringue. Serve.

Notes

Source: Taste Magazine August 2020