Hello everyone.  Hope those of you in Sydney are navigating the weird weather and coming out relatively unscathed.

One of the things I love about cooking is receiving recipes from friends that have been handed down or across the back fence or torn from books in the dentist’s waiting room.  Nobody can really say where they originated so cooking them truly allows us to put our own slant on things.  This week we have two such recipes.  I have used the measurements as they are in the recipes because I didn’t want to mess things up by converting ounces to mils.  Hopefully you have scales that convert for you.

However, before I go on I have something exciting to tell you.  Well, exciting for me that is.  I have been gifted a Kitchen Aid Artisan stand mixer.  I am over the moon.  Okay, okay, I know what you are thinking…….. yes, get excited over a piece of jewellery or a new handbag.  For me, it is kitchen appliances, in particular this one which I have lusted after for some time now.  If you could see my face you would see I was smiling even whilst typing about it.  Weirdo, right?

I do hope you’ll give these two a go.  I think they are a must.  So until next week……

From my table to your with love.x

Slow-cooked Lamb Shoulder with Fresh Dates

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 kg lamb shoulder
• 600 g fresh dates
• 4 red onions
• 6 garlic cloves
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 small stick of cinnamon
• olive oil
• sea salt and ground pepper
• 500 ml hot beef or chicken stock
• 2 tbsp date molasses
• splash of red wine vinegar

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 160°. Take your lamb shoulder out of the fridge 20 minutes before you want to cook it. While it is coming up to room temperature, halve the dates and remove the stones (this is easy to do if you cut them through the stem). Peel the onions and slice into 1cm wedges. Crush the garlic with the skins on, using the side of a chef's knife.
2. When the lamb is ready, pierce it in 4 places and poke in the bay leaves. Scatter the dates, cinnamon stick, onions and garlic, in a large roasting tray and place the lamb on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season generously then pour the hot stock into the tray. Take a large piece of baking paper, run it under cold water, scrunch it up and tuck it over the top of the lamb. Tightly cover the tray with foil and place in the oven for 4 hours.
3. After 4 hours, remove the foil and paper and drizzle the lamb with the date molasses. Return it to the oven and cook for a further 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the lamb is sticky and incredibly tender, and the stock has reduced. Finish by adding a splash of red wine vinegar to the cooked-down dates and onions, season to taste, then serve. It's perfect alongside a bowl of steaming bulgur wheat of coriander roasted potatoes.

Notes

Source: Origin unknown

Lemon Cake

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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz butter
• 6 oz self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 6 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk
• grated zest of one lemon

Method

 

1. Beat all ingredients (I do this for 7 minutes)
2. Line 8 inch cake tin with greased greaseproof paper
3. Bake for approx. 50 mins at 180°
4. Mix together juice of one lemon and 4 oz of caster sugar and pour over the warm cake once removed from the oven.

Notes

Source: Origin unknown