Gord's Kitchen

Paella

2011-12-04T06:47:00.001-08:00

Photo credit: Shelley Banks

Paella is originally from Valencia, where it is often eaten as a Sunday meal. There are many variations of it with different ingredients.
The name paella is the word for “frying pan” in Valencian. However, the dish has
become so popular in Spain that the word paellera is now usually used for the pan
and paella almost exclusively for the dish.

I love this dish. It is tasty, hearty and easy to make. If you don’t have a paellera try using a wok or a large deep skillet.

I like mine to have a variety of ingredients but, you could easily make it into
seafood dish or leave out the seafood and use chicken or rabbit. Don't go overboard and put too much of a variety in however. It could turn into what has been called " pointless baroque exhibitionism."

The Spanish love the crusty toasted rice buildup from the bottom of the pan
called socarrat so, if you are having a Spaniard for supper, when it is pretty
much done, turn up the heat until you smell the rice beginning to toast. Try very
hard not to burn the bottom.

600 grams chicken thighs or legs
Salt & pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 red pepper, chopped in small pieces (Morgan would say leave these out)
1/2 tsp saffron threads
6 cups chicken or fish stock
1 tsp oragano
2 tbsp Spanish smoked paprika
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 cups, short grain rice
2 links of Chorizo Sausage fresh or dried, cut into bite sized pieces
12 to 18 large raw peeled shrimp
12 mussels or 12 clams

a few small squid
1 cup frozen peas

Heat a swirl of oil in the pan and brown the chicken pieces well then remove from the pan and set aside. (If you are using fresh sausage brown it separately and set it aside as well)
Drain off all but a bit of the oil and add the onion and garlic and cook them until they are soft. Stir in the rice and the red pepper and spices, stir well for a minute or so then add the tomatoes.
Meanwhile dissolve the saffron in the stock and add 2 cups to the rice mixture. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high. Return the chicken to the pan and it is now time to add the sausage, what ever kind you are using. Cook uncovered 20 minutes stirring occasionally adding more stock as it begins to
dissolve. Don’t stir it as you would a risotto. It only needs an occasional mixing.
Stir in the shrimp, peas and shellfish and add the rest of the stock.
If the rice mixture gets too dry during this process you might add a bit more stock or water. You don’t want it to dry out and burn.
Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until most of the moisture is absorbed, the shrimp are opaque and the shellfish have opened. Discard any that have not.

Enjoy

The last time I made this dish I had bought some frozen squid but, they were in a solid block and it became impossible to thaw the few of them I needed. I had to thaw the whole damn block so...I simply cut off and used all the heads and tentacles and threw away the rest. It least one of my guests was a bit put off by the squid tentacles sticking up and out of the rice.

Chicken and Leeks with Penne, for two

2011-09-20T10:07:00.000-07:00

I grew leeks for the first time this year and although they were a bit slow to get started they were ready by September for a good meal or two.
This is a very simple dish to make and it turned out very well.

2 chicken legs
2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups leeks cut into small rounds
1/2 cup pancetta
Penne, enough for two
Salt and pepper to taste

If the legs have the backs attached cut them off and set them aside for the next time you make stock.
Cut the pancetta into 1/4 inch cubes and fry until crispish, and set aside..
Heat the chicken stock.
Put 2/3 of the leeks on the bottom of an oven proof earthenware dish, add the cooked pancetta then place the chicken legs on top. Pour the stock over the chicken until it is not quite covered. Add the rest of the leeks.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and put into a 450 degree oven for 35 or 40 minutes.
If the dish doesn't have a cover, just use aluminum foil.
At about the 30 minutes mark, put the penne into boiling salted water,
When it is done drain and toss with butter.
Put the penne in a pasta bowl.
Take the chicken out of the oven and place a leg on top of each bowl of penne. Spoon the leeks over top of the penne and chicken then add a bit of the chicken stock to the penne and serve.
Enjoy.
Simple and scrumptious.

Smoked Picnic Ham with Guinness

2011-02-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

It had been some time since we'd cook a ham so I picked up a Smoked Picnic Ham the other day for under $8.00. I thought, for that price how could I go wrong.
I didn't want to cook it an a very sweet sauce to I improvised.
It was very good.

1 smoked picnic ham shoulder
1 large onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 can Guinness
2 or 3 cups chicken stock
1 tsp each of Rosemary, thyme and oregano
1 good pinch black pepper
1/2 a cup maple syrup

Heat the oven to 350 F degrees
These hams are often wrapped in Cheesecloth. Don't forget to unwrap that cheesecloth and throw it away. It will make your life easier later on.
Scour the fat on top of the ham with a sharp knife.
In a large dutch oven or other large heavy saute the onion until translucent, then add the garlic and the herbs
in another minute or so, add the ham
Pour in the Guinness and then the stock
Pour the maple syrup over the ham
Heat the stock on the stove until it almost boils
Cover the pot tightly, use tin foil if the pot's cover won't fit with the ham in there
Put it in the oven for 3 hours turning the ham twice and so the last hour the fat side is up.
After three hours take the pot out and remove the ham. It should be at least 160 F
Place it in a roasting pan, turn the heat up to 450 F and put it back into the oven uncovered.
Take a couple of cups of stock along with the onions etc, add a few more of the herbs and a Tbsp of Dijon mustard then either using a handheld blender or a stand alone blender blend the mixture until it is like a sauce or gravy. Put the sauce back into the pot. Reduce the ham gravy on the stove top and if needed at the end add a small amount of cornstarch to thicken.
If you prefer a sweeter flavour add some more maple syrup but I don't think you need it.
Serve it with potatoes and a vegetable
It is very good

Cassoulet

2010-12-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever had this dish Shelley and I were visiting my brother Sandy
and his wife Barbara who were living in the south of France. We drove to see La
Cite de Carcassonne, an amazing walled city which is about 90 km south east of
Toulouse. It poured rain and we got soaked to the skin exploring the castle and
the city. At lunch time we stopped at an old stone built restaurant within the
walls and warmed up with steaming bowls of cassoulet.
This is Sandy and Barbara’s recipe.

Ingredients

5 or 6 bay leaves
3 cups of dried white
beans, (lingots)
Olive Oil
2 Toulouse sausage,
thinly sliced. Choriso
would do in a pinch
1/2 kilo of pork cut into
1 inch pieces
1/2 kilo of any one of
the following cut into 1
inch pieces
- duck
- chicken
- turkey
5 or 6 cloves of garlic
chopped
1 shallot chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp rosemary
2 tbsp Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper
A few sprigs of parsley
chopped
1 or 2 hot peppers
chopped
2 tomatoes roughly
chopped
Reserved bean water
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs

First, soak the beans overnight. Boil the beans with 3 or 4 bay leaves until the
beans are chewable but not mushy. Set them aside but don’t drain them.
Preheat the oven to 375 and then drizzle olive oil into a large skillet and saute
the meat, garlic, shallot, red pepper, onion, along with the spices until the meat
is lightly browned.
In a large oven proof pot put enough beans to cover the bottom. Put 1/3 of the
meat mixture over the beans and some of the tomatoes, hot peppers, and the remaining
bay leaves. Continue to layer like this until you are out of ingredients.
Add the bean water and chicken stock until the liquid is just below the beans.
Bake the mixture for 2 hours. Let cool for a bit. Top up the pot with bean water
and chicken stock until it is back to its previous level, just below the beans.
Add the breadcrumbs and bake for another 1 1/2 hours or until the breadcrumbs have
browned.
Serve in large shallow bowls and serve with red wine. A Minervois or a Corbiere
would be authentic.

Coconut Risotto with Prawn Korma

2010-12-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

Coconut Risotto

4 cups Chicken Stock

1 400 ml can coconut milk

2 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp chopped Green Onions

¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 ½ cups arborio rice

¼ cup dry white wine

2 Tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

In a pot, combine the chicken stock and the coconut milk. Bring just to a boil, remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a large frying pan on medium, heat olive oil and add green onions and stir until soft. Add the coconut flakes and rice and continue stirring for 1 minute

Pour in wine and stir until almost all is absorbed.

Add stock-coconut milk mixture ½ cup at a time and stir until almost absorbed before adding another. Continue stirring gently and adding broth mixture until it is all gone and rice is tender. This will take about 35 minutes.

Remove from the heat and add butter, salt and pepper and serve.

Prawn Korma

1 Onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove finely chopped

1 Tbsp butter

1 can of Patak’s Korma Curry

½ a cup of water

500 grams of raw prawns peeled

½ a cup of whipping cream

About 10 minutes before you expect the Risotto to be ready

In a frying pan sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent in butter

Add the Curry and the water

Heat until simmering

Add the prawns and stir gently until they are cooked

Stir in the cream and reheat

Serve the risotto in a shallow bowl and distribute the curry evenly on top of each dish.

Serves 4 to 6 people

Paprika Chicken with Garlic

2010-11-28T19:34:00.001-08:00

This is my new favorite chicken recipe. Paprika Chicken with Garlic. A Spanish dish.

It is a dish that any restaurant would be more than happy to charge you $25.00 for.

So why pay through the nose for something which is so simple to make.

Ingredients

6 to 8 chicken thighs

2 cups of flour

3 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 couple of glugs of olive oil

20 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved

2 cups heated chicken stock

1/3 of a cup of dry white wine

3 bay leaves

2 Tbsp dried thyme

Salt & pepper

Dredge the chicken in flour then in the paprika. If is isn't covering well take some paprika in your hands and rub it into the chicken. Set it aside.

Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a deep frying pan or a dutch oven. Add the garlic and heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Don't let it brown. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set it aside.

Brown the chicken well on both sides. Don't crowd it. Three at a time is probably the easiest depending on the size of your pan. When all the chicken are well browned place the chicken pieces skin side up in the pan. Hopefully your pan is large enough to have the chicken all on one layer,

Put the garlic back into the pan distributing it evenly and between the pieces of chicken. Add the bay leaves, the thyme and the salt and pepper.

Add the hot stock and wine to the pan and turn up the heat bringing it to a boil.

When it boils, turn the heat to simmer, cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes.

After the chicken is done, take it out and put in in a warming oven.

Take out the bay leaves.

Bring the stock back to a boil and reduce it to about 1 1/2 cups.

Put the chicken on warmed plates and pour the sauce and the pieces of garlic over the chicken.

I like this with roasted small potatoes with the skins on. Take a couple of handfulls of the small potatoes you can buy packaged in most stores, red or yellow it doesn't matter. Put a bit of olive oil in a cast iron fry pan and on high heat fry them for a few minutes shaking them often. Sprinkle them with some rosemary, salt & pepper and perhaps a little bit of garlic powder. Shake them up one last time.

Put them, pan and all into a 450 degree oven and cook them for about 20 minutes.

Yogurt Pancakes

2010-09-26T14:51:00.000-07:00

Looking for a slightly different and somewhat healthy pancake recipe I tried this one.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour all- purpose
2 tbl. sugar
2 teas. baking powder
1 teas. baking soda
2 or 3 eggs
2 cups (16) plain yogurt

In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl whisk the 3 wet ingredients
Add to the dry ingredients just until moistened
If it looks to dry, add a bit of milk.

Cook up like regular pancakes

Banana Bran Muffins with Dates

2010-09-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

I have always found most banana muffins too sweet but these are just right for my taste.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 bananas, mashed
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat bran
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dates cut into thirds

Directions
First preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan, I really like those soft silicone ones.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together until fluffy. Add bananas, milk, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Stir in flour, bran, baking powder, soda and salt; blend just until moistened. Stir in walnuts and dates. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the cups for 5 minutes, then remove muffins and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Salmon Filets with a Ginger Glaze

2010-08-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

I was looking for something a bit different for some salmon filets the other night and came across this recipe which I thought was very tasty.

A great catch from north of Cambell River

Mix up the following

3 TBSP grated Ginger
3 TBSP honey
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
2 TBSP Dijon mustard
2 TBSP lime juice
(don't add salt, there is more than enough in the hoisin sauce)

toasted Sesame seeds

Heat the oven to 450 degrees

Put the salmon filets in a baking dish, cover the top with a generous portion of the glaze and pop them in the oven

Cook them for about 8 minutes depending on thickness

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve with some greens and rice

Olive Dip

2010-07-25T10:41:00.001-07:00

Kalamata Olives

The last night we were in Vancouver we went to a Greek Restaurant just under the Dees Tunnel, then a bit north.

We went for the Mussels which were reported to be in the “to die for” category.

They were out of mussels.

What we had instead was not memorable except for the olive dip. It was great. I savoured every bit trying to figure out how they made it.

I tried last night and I think I have it.

I was making Greek food for supper yesterday so I first made hummus. (For those who have my We Love to Cook With Wine cookbook, it is on page 11) Then I took about ¾ of a cup of pitted kalamata olives, 1 Tbls of olive oil and ¼ cup of the hummus and pureed it all in a blender.

Serve with warm pita. If you like olives, you'll love it.

Tourtiere

2009-12-16T06:11:00.000-08:00

I love this traditional Quebec recipe or, perhaps I should say my compilation of several old Quebec recipes. We serve it around Christmas.

Ingredients:

1 pat butter
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup celery leaves chopped
2 large onions finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 kilo of ground pork or mix other ground meat with the pork such as beef or perhaps a bit of chicken
1 cup water
1/2 cup parsley chopped
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 heaping tsp dried savory
Salt & pepper
Pastry for 2 or 3 double crusted 9 inch pies

In a large saucepan, saute the celery, onions and garlic with a good sized pat of butter. When the onion is transparent add the meat and the water and simmer until it begins to brown.
Add the salt, pepper cloves, cinnamon, savory, celery leaves and parsley, then stir.
Simmer for about half an hour adding a bit more water if needed.
Correct the seasoning at this point if necessary.
Pour off the fat and let the mixture cool.
Add the mixture to the pie shells and cover with pastry cutting a few slits into the top crust. I ofter cut in a Christmas tree design.
At this point you can either pop them into a 400 degree oven or freeze them.
If you decide to cook them now they will take about 30 to 40 minutes - a bit longer if they are frozen - in either case cook them until the pastry is browned.
Serve hot or cold.

Chicken with Rosemary, Sherry and Lemon

2009-10-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

I tried a new chicken recipe the other day and although it was meant for a roast chicken, and I used a couple of chicken legs it was very good, if not what the original recipe intended.

Ingredients

2, 3 or 4 chicken legs with the backs removed
the juice on 1 lemon
1 lemon thinly sliced
1 medium onion thinly sliced

Marinade

3 Tbsp of Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 Tbsp sherry or port
2 or 3 Tbsp fresh chopped rosemary (dried if you can't get fresh)

Sauce

1 1/2 ounces sherry or port
1/4 cup whipping cream

Cooking Instructions

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the paste (You could whip it all together with a hand held blender if you have one.)
Rub the marinade into the chicken legs gently pushing some under the skin where you can.
Put it all in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least an hour

Preheat the oven to 350
Take a small roasting pan, put the onion and the lemon slices in the pan and place the chicken on top. Squeeze out any marinade left in the bag and make sure the chicken is evenly covered with it.
Pour the lemon juice over the chicken.
Put it in the oven.

Cook for about 45 minutes or until the chicken seems done.
Take the chicken out of the pan and keep warm.
While the chicken rests, place the roasting pan on the stove and heat the pan juices. add the sherry or port and bring to a boil. Scrape the pan bottom with a wooden spoon loosening the bits.
Turn the heat down and add the whipping cream. Stir until it thickens a bit.

Serve the chicken with some sauce poured over the top.

Yum!

Lamb Shanks with five Heads of Garlic

2009-08-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

There already is a lamb shanks recipe here somewhere I think but I tried a new one yesterday and thought I'd share it. I like it because as a lazy cook I am always looking for shortcuts. You have to braise this lamb first, it braises in the oven really, which is fine with me.
The recipe is from the Aragon region of Spain.
If you are not a garlic fan, move on to something else. If you are, this smells great while it is cooking and tastes delicious.

3 or 4 lamb shanks
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large or 2 medium onions cut into wedges
2 carrots peeled and cut into chunks
1 head of garlic separated into cloves and peeled, then lightly smashed
4 heads of garlic with the outer skin removed
Olive oil
3 large rosemary sprig
3/4 cup white wine
About 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock

Pre-heat the oven to 475 F

Brushs the lamb with olive oil then rub the lamb with salt and pepper.

Take out your heavy cast iron pot or dutch oven with a lid (If there is no lid tin foil will do in a pinch) and put the onions, carrots and garlic in the bottom of the pot. Pour in a bit of olive oil and stir them up until they are coated. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Place the shanks on top of the vegtables then tuck in the heads of garlic and the rosemary between the shanks. Brush everything with a bit more olive oil then put the pot into the oven uncovered.

At the 25 minute point check to make sure the vegetables at the bottom of the pot are not starting to burn. If they are add a little water. Bake the shanks for about total of 45 minutes at 475 F.

After 45 minutes take out the pot and turn the heat down to 425. Add the wine and the stock until the cover the shanks and the heads of the garlic about half way. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and pop it all back into the oven.

Bake the lamb shanks for about 2 more hours turning them a couple of times during this period.

Move the shanks, vegetables, garlic heads and all onto a serving platter. The pan juices are ready to go and serve as a delicious gravy. It they are thinner than you like reduce them on the stove top.

Serve with a fresh vegetable and potatoes.

Frittata for Breakfast

2009-04-10T11:53:00.000-07:00

A frittata is a kind of quiche on steroids. It is Italian in origin but my guess is this recipe is not really as much authentic as it is delicious. Generally I make frittata with whatever I have in the fridge so the outcome can vary tremendously however, I never cooked a frittata I didn't like.

A few left over boiled potatoes cut into small pieces.
Olive oil as needed
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 red pepper cut into small pieces
2 round slices of pancetta cut into small cubes
5 eggs
¼ cup milk or cream
1 cup cheddar cheese grated
½ cup Parmesan cheese grated.

Turn the oven on to heat at 450 degrees.
First fry up the pancetta until it begins to crisp. Set it aside.
Put a bit of olive oil in a cast iron frying pan a fry up the potatoes. As the potatoes begin to brown add in the onion and garlic and shortly after season with salt and pepper.
When the onions are translucent add the pepper and the pancetta. Mix it all up making sure that nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Beat the eggs with the milk and add them to the pan. The egg mixture should almost cover the potato mixture.
Spread the cheeses on top and put it all into the hot oven.
After 10 minutes or so take the pan out and check for doneness by sticking in a knife or fork. It is is runny inside, pop it back into the oven. If not, it is ready to serve.
Make sure the sides will free up easily by running a knife around the outside.
Take a plate and place it over the pan. Turn the pan upside down. The frittata should come out cleanly onto the plate. Place a new plate on top of the frittata and turn it over again.
Serve it cheese side up.
It will easily cut into 4 or 6 servings as needed.
It is good hot or cold.

Note: Feel free to experiment, if you don't have left over potatoes use frozen hash browns, try bacon or sausage instead of pancetta, almost any vegetables will work in this dish, artichoke hearts, zucchini or green onions. You can mix up the cheese as well.

Quick and Easy Chicken Cacciatore

2009-03-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

I have a great recipe for Chicken Cacciatore made from scratch but, there are days where I just don't have the time or energy to put it all together. Quick and easy doesn't have to mean bland. This recipe proves that.

There is no need to cut up a whole chicken, buy legs or thighs for this dish. Dredge them with flour and brown them in some olive oil using a deep fry pan.
When they are well browned, take them out and set aside.
Add one finely chopped onion to the pan along with a couple of finely chopped cloves of garlic. Cook then until the onion is translucent being careful not to brown them. Put the chicken back into the pan, stir things around, add one can of Hunt's chopped tomatoes with Olive Oil and Garlic along with a cup or so of chicken stock. Stir.
Bring it all up to a slow boil. Add a tablespoon of oregano and a couple of shakes of red pepper flakes and stir again and turn down the heat.
Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.
Before it is quite done cook up some of your favorite spaghetti. Drain and put it into a serving bowl. Add your favorite cheese then pour the tomato mixture over the pasta.
Stir and serve.

Mussels a la Plancha

2009-03-15T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite way of cooking mussels. This is as simple as a recipe gets but it is very good.
I prefer cultivated P.E.I. mussels but chaque un a son gout as they say in Quebec.
A la plancha means on the griddle or skillet.

You will need about a kilo of mussels or less depending on how many you are feeding. Much more and you should do two batches, otherwise it will become unmanageable.

Take a large cast iron or other type of skillet and get it quite hot. Hot enough so that drops of water will dance across the pan when dropped on it.

Put one quick swirl of olive oil in the pan then drop in all the mussel at once. It works best if there is only the one layer of mussels but don't worry if you have a double layer. It will work fine but you might have to stir them up as they cook.

The mussels will cook in their own juices and will open as they cook. A couple of times, shake in a bit of salt and pepper mixing them up each time.

When all the mussels are open, squeeze the juice of a couple of limes all over them and serve them in the pan you cooked them in.

You might want some melted butter to dip the mussels in if you insist but, I don't really think you need it.

Banana Butterscotch Mousse

2009-03-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

I don't have a sweet tooth so don't eat dessert very often.This one is from Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food and I think you'll like it. It is everything you want in a recipe, simple, quick and very tasty.

1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2 1/4 cups whipping cream
4 large bananas
a squeeze of lemon juice
good dark chocolate to grate on top.

Put the sugar, butter and 2/3 of a cup of whipping cream in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted. Once that is done let it bubble away for a couple of minutes, stirring often, then set aside and let it cool.

Pour the remaining cream into a blender. Add the bananas, broken into small peices along with a squeeze of lemon and blend until the mixture is smooth, thick and creamy.

Spoon a bit of the butterscotch sauce around the edge of a martini glass smearing it for effect. Divide up the banana mousse amongst the 4 glasses. Use a small teaspoon to ripple the remainder of the butterscotch through the mousse. Chill.

Just before serving grate a bit of chocolate over the top of the mousse.

Peas with Double Smoked Bacon

2009-03-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

Peas are not a favorite vegetable in our house. I like them but...everyone else would just as soon pass them up. I was looking for something a bit different and came across this. This was originally a Jamie Oliver recipe. I have adapted it a bit for my own taste. It was a big hit. I think you'll like it.

4 or 5 slices of double smoked bacon
an ounce or more of olive oil
frozen peas (to feed 4 or 5)
a squeeze of lemon
1 Tbsp butter

Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry them in the olive oil until crisp, set aside. Drain most but not all the oil off
Cook the peas up according to the package instructions, drain
Put them into a serving bowl, mix in the bacon, the butter and add the squeeze of lemon
Stir and serve.

Chicken Legs with White Wine, Sage and Honey

2009-02-13T13:08:00.000-08:00

I like to use chicken legs because they are often on sale, in bulk, with backs attached. They are a good buy generally. I almost always cut off the backs and freeze them. When I have enough, I make stock.

This dish is very easy to make and is very tasty. The sauce is sweet and full of flavour.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 chicken leg and thighs,

salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped

7 sage leaves, 1 tablespoon
1/2cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock
2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon, honey
balsamic vinegar

Fettuccine, enough for 4

Season chicken. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the Olive Oil and heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown. Remove chicken from the pan, Pour out all fat except 1 tablespoon. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add and Sauté the onions. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often so they don’t burn. Add garlic the last few minutes. Rub the sage leaves between your hands then lay the sage leaves into the pan and then add the thyme. Stir.

Return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up. Add the wine, stock and honey. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 35 or 40 minutes. Remove the chicken, place on a plate put in a warming oven to keep warm. Place the skillet on a medium flame, add the balsamic vinegar to the braising liquid, and reduce until it starts to thickened Adjust seasoning.

Serve on a bed of fettuccine with a good dab of butter or olive oil mixed in. Lay a chicken leg on top and spoon the liquid the chicken cooked in, over the chicken and pasta.

Serves: 4

Skillet Cornbread

2009-02-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

I really do think a great way to start a weekend morning is to make some cornbread. I often made cornmeal muffins Saturday mornings but lately I have decided that skillet cornbread is the way to go. It is very good and very easy to make. I quite dislike the sweet cakey cornbread that restaurants tend to serve. Montana`s Restaurant cornbread is particularly bad. Mine is firm and not very sweet. It should be served with butter and, if you like, a bit of maple syrup. If you are more of a traditionalist, serve it with molasses.

What you need to start, is a cast iron skillet. First thing, heat the oven to 425 degrees, wipe some oil around the skillet and put it in the oven.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Mix these ingredients together in a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together

2 large eggs,
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup milk
3 Tbsp melted butter of vegetable oil

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Take the skillet out of the oven and scrape the mixed batter into the hot skillet. Put it back into the oven for 20 to 25 minutes. When the top is brown it is ready and should easily turn out onto a plate.
Slice it as you eat it a piece at a time, to keep it warm.

Spanish Potato Tortilla

2009-01-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

First thing...this ain't your Mexican Tortilla.

This is a kind of Spanish Omelet, good hot or cold. It is very popular in Spain. Over Christmas I have been reading several books written by people who have walked the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, the old medieval pilgrimage route, and almost all of them talk about eating this tasty dish for breakfast most days.

This recipe is a compilation of about 5 different ones I found, on the internet in some of my recipe books. I think it is quite authentic.

I like using a cast iron frying pan but a non stick shallow pan would work just as well.

1-3/4 cups olive oil for frying
1-3/4 lb. (about 5 medium) potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, peeled
2-1/4 tsp. coarse salt
12 to 14 oz. onions (2 to 3 medium), diced
5 medium cloves garlic, chopped
6 large eggs
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Slice the potatoes thin, into about 1/8 inch rounds. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle on 2 tsp. of the salt, tossing to distribute it well.

Heat a 10-1/2-inch cast iron frying pan on medium high. Add the oil. When the oil is very hot gently slip the potatoes into the oil with a spatula. Fry the potatoes, turning occasionally (trying not to break them) This can be tricky particularly as they are almost done. Adjust the heat so they sizzle but don't crisp or brown.

When the potatoes are tender, after 10 to 12 min., transfer them to a plate using a spatula. Use paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

Lower the heat a bit then add the onions and garlic to the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally. Cook, until the onions are very soft and translucent but not browned, about 7 to 9 min. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the onions and garlic to the plate with the potatoes. Drain most of the oil from the skillet, reserving at least 1 Tbs. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel so it's clean. Scrape out any stuck-on bits, if necessary.

By now you have beaten the eggs In a large bowl with 1/4 tsp. salt, and the pepper. Add the drained potatoes, onions, and garlic and mix gently to combine with the egg, trying not to break the potatoes.

Re-heat the skillet on medium high. Add the 1 Tbs. reserved oil. Let the pan and oil get quite hot (important so the eggs don't stick), and then pour in the potato and egg mixture, spreading it evenly. Cook for 1 min. and then lower the heat to medium low, cooking until the eggs are completely set at the edges, halfway set in the center, and the tortilla easily slips around in the pan when you give it a shake, 8 to 10 min. You may need to nudge the tortilla loose with a knife or spatula.

Set a flat, rimless plate that's at least as wide as the skillet upside down over the pan. Lift the skillet off the burner and, with one hand against the plate and the other holding the skillet's handle, invert the skillet so the tortilla lands on the plate (it should fall right out).

Set the pan back on the heat and slide the tortilla into it, using the spatula to push any stray potatoes back in under the eggs as the tortilla slides off the plate. Once the tortilla is back in the pan, tuck the edges in and under itself. Cook until a fork inserted into the center comes out clean, hot, and with no uncooked egg on it, perhaps another 5 to 6 min.

Transfer the tortilla to a serving platter and let cool a few minutes. Serve

Can be eaten cold the next day.

Bog Man Chicken

2008-12-31T17:17:00.000-08:00

This is what I think of as Italian country cooking. It is really called Chicken Legs in Red Wine or Pollo Al Vino Rosso. Shelley called this dish Bog Man Chicken because in the serving dish it looked like something like 1000 year old remains, dug up in some peat bog. Like the Lindow man or something like that. Don't be deterred. It is great.Simple but very tasty.
I would suggest that you use a good full bodied red wine and not just some plonk you may have around. It makes a difference.

1 package brown mushrooms
1 good glug of Olive Oil
2 Tbsp rosemary assuming, you can't find fresh in which case use a full sprig
2 bay leaves
4 chicken legs
1 1/2 cup red wine
2 half inch slices of pancetta, cut into strips
Salt & pepper

Get a pan large enough to easily take all four chicken legs and thighs and heat it on medium high. Add the oil, let it heat then add the rosemary and the bay leaves and finally the chicken.
Brown the chicken well on all sides then add the mushrooms, stir them in.
Pour in the wine and stir again. Cook the wine and mushrooms until the alcohol evaporates this will take perhaps 10 minutes. Turn the chicken often.
At this point add the pancetta laying in over the chicken.
Turn the heat down to medium or medium low and cook the mixture uncovered for at least half an hour.
Stir and turn the chicken fairly often during this last phase of cooking.
When it looks like it is close to falling off the bone it is done.
Serve with rice, a vegetable and the rest of the bottle of red.

Thai Red Curry Chicken Wings

2008-12-28T11:33:00.000-08:00

This recipe originates at Meinhardt Fine Foods in Vancouver. I have played with it a bit. I think you will like it. A link to Meinhardt is at the bottom of the page.

2 Tbsp Thai Red Curry Paste
1 can coconut milk
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 pinch salt
4 lb chicken wings
7 oz Asian sweet chili sauce
1 fist full of Cilantro, chopped

Mix the red curry paste, garlic, ginger and salt together in a bowl. Add the chicken wings and mix them up until they are well coated. Transfer to a large resealable bag and refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the wings and all the sauce in a roasting pan. Total cooking time should be about an hour.

After half an hour of so check the wings and stir them up in the pan so none are sticking on the bottom and so that the marinade spreads evenly as they cook. You might have to do this more than once during the last half hour of cooking. After an hour taste one, If they are not quite ready mix them up and leave them a bit longer.

When they are ready, take them out of the oven and put them into a large serving bowl, toss with the sweet chili sauce and sprinkle the cilantro over them all.

Serve

Meinhardt Fine Foods

Baked Beans with Molasses and Guinness

2008-12-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

Boxing day I thought I would try and put a bit extra into baked beans. I played around with recipes and this is what I came up with. I thought it turned out quite well.

1 lb dried navy beans

A splash of extra virgin olive oil

¼ lb of double smoked bacon

1 medium onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely chopped

¾ cup molasses

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bottles of Guinness

2 cups stock (chicken, beef or vegetable)

½ tsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

Put the beans and three times their volume of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Biol for about 3 or 4 minutes, take off the heat cover and let sit for an hour.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large oven proof casserole, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, then add the bacon and cook it just until it begins to turn colour then add the garlic. Stir for a few second then add the beans, molasses, mustard, chilli flakes, paprika, a little salt and pepper and stir it all together. Add one bottle of Guinness and some stock to cover the beans.

Put the cover on the pot and place it in the oven for an hour. From that point on check every ½ hour or so, each time stirring the mixture and topping the liquid up with the other bottle of Guinness and stock until the beans are covered. Then put it back in the oven. The process will take six hours or so, It is tough to be exact with beans. When they are ready let them sit for a bit to cool off and serve with some nice fresh crusty bread.

Radicchio Risotto

2008-12-26T08:33:00.000-08:00

I think of radicchio as something I put into a salad but, I had seen a number of recipes in which it is cooked. Curious but skeptical , I thought I'd give this one a try. I encourage you to take the risk. You will be surprised. It was delicious.

1 head of radicchio finely chopped
6 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
115 gm thick cut pancetta cut into small cubes
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
2 cups orborio rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
4 Tbsp chopped parsley
salt & pepper

Half the radicchio, cut out the heart and discard. Chop the remaining head finely.
Bring the stock to a boil then set aside but keep it quite warm.
Get a large saucepan, if you have one slightly larger that you normally use for risotto, one with high sides, use it. You will be glad you did when it comes time to put in the ridicchio in. Initially it takes up quite a bit of space in the pan.
Heat the oil and butter in the pan at a medium heat and add the pancetta, cook until it starts to colour. About 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the onion and the garlic and cook for about a minute then pour in the rice and turn the heat down slightly.
Stir the rice and when it begins to turn translucent, add the ridicchio and cook stirring for about a minute.
Increase the heat and add the wine and stir until it evaporates, then gradually add the warm stock, a ladle full at a time waiting until each is pretty much absorbed into the dish before adding another. Keep it bubbling.
Continue until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is creamy and fully cooked. It you run out of stock before this happens you can supplement with a little water without any loss of flavour.
Stir in the cream, the cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon onto warm plates and serve immediately.

Shrimp Pilaf

2008-11-04T08:53:00.000-08:00

1/2 kilo shrimp
2 Tbsp butter
half a cup of red and or yellow peppers finely chopped
half a cup pine nuts
1 cup rice
12 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper

Peel the shrimp
Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan that can be covered. Saute the pepper until they begin to soften, add the pine nuts then the shrimp and stir until the shrimp begin the become pink, a minute or so. Then add the rice and stir the rice until it is coated with the oil but before it begins to brown, add in the stock and the salt and pepper.
Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Let sit for 5 minutes, uncover, fluff up the rice and serve.

Red Snapper Amandine

2008-11-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

On Canada's West Coast red snapper is most likely rock cod. This is a nice way to serve it up.

4 nice sized snapper fillets
2 cups of flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 glugs olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
juice of 2 lemons

Mix eggs into milk. Dip the fillets in the egg mixture, then dredge them with the flour and set them aside. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper
Heat a large skillet, add the olive oil then saute the fish in the hot skillet

Meanwhile in a smaller skillet, add a dab of butter and slightly brown the almonds. Put then aside in a small dish then in the same pan melt the rest of the butter allowing it to brown but not burn. Squeeze in the lemon juice then stir in the almonds.

Pour the butter almond mixture over the snapper

Serves 4

Prawns in Garlic and Lemon

2008-11-04T08:20:00.000-08:00

24 large prawns, heads off but unpeeled
2 glugs Olive Oil
1 Tbsp butter
2 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon

Heat a medium sized skillet then add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted add the garlic and just before it browns add the prawns all at once.
Cook the prawns until they are pink on both sides, this will only take a few minutes, then add the lemon juice stir and, they are ready

Serve the prawns up in a small dish with the oil, a slice of lemon and some crusty bread for dipping.

This recipe will serve four, six prawns each, as an appetizer.

Coconut Risotto with Prawn Korma

2008-10-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

This is a risotto with a very distinctive flavour. Hardly one bit Italian.

4 cups Chicken Stock
1 400 ml can coconut milk
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp chopped Green Onions
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 ½ cups arborio rice
¼ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

In a pot, combine the chicken stock and the coconut milk. Bring just to a boil, remove from heat and set aside.
Heat a large frying pan on medium, heat olive oil and add green onions and stir until soft. Add the coconut flakes and rice and continue stirring for 1 minute
Pour in wine and stir until almost all is absorbed.
Add stock-coconut milk mixture ½ cup at a time and stir until almost absorbed before adding another. Continue stirring gently and adding broth mixture until it is all gone and rice is tender. This will take about 35 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add butter, salt and pepper and serve.

Prawn Korma
1 Onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 of a bottle of Patak’s Korma Curry
½ a cup of water
500 grams of raw prawns peeled
½ a cup of whipping cream

About 10 minutes before you expect the Risotto to be ready
In a frying pan sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent in butter
Add the Curry and the water
Heat until simmering
Add the prawns and stir gently until they are cooked
Stir in the cream and reheat

Serve the risotto in a shallow bowl and distribute the curry evenly on top of each dish.

Serves 4 to 6 people

Old Fashioned Roast Duck Crispy Style

2008-10-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

The following recipe, though it calls for many hours of roasting, is simple as can be – and it leads to perfectly crisp skin and melting tender duck meat. To serve the ducks, you could simply cut each one in half, and serve each person half a duck with the bone in. Or, you could fillet the breast and legs (making sure to keep the crisp skin intact), cut the fillets into ½ inch wide pieces, and arrange the slices attractively on dinner plates.

2 large ducks (fresh or thawed, frozen) each about 6 pounds

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 250º.

2. Trim the duck: With a sharp knife, cut away excess fat and skin that hangs at both ends of the duck. Trim thoroughly (you should end up with about 2 or 3 cups of excess fat and skin, which can be discarded or used to render duck fat).

3. Fill cavity with orange and lemon and prick each duck very thoroughly with a fork on both sides (25 to 30 pricks for each duck).

4. Place the ducks on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Place pan in the oven, and roast ducks at 250º. After 1 hour, prick the ducks thoroughly on one side, turn them over, and prick thoroughly on the other side. Continue to roast with the newly turned side up. Repeat this process every hour.

5. After 4 hours of roasting, prick and turn once again. Increase oven temperature to 350º. Continue roasting, pricking and turning once for an additional 30 to 90 minutes. (See note below).

6. Before serving, let the ducks sit for about 15 minutes and season them well with salt and pepper.

If you roast them for 30 minutes on one side, prick and turn, and 30 minutes on the other side, they will be juicy and crisp.

Remove from oven. Sit for 15 minutes. Pour triple sec over surface of duck. Ignite carefully. When flame dies, serve immediately with Orange Sauce.

NOTE: The amount of additional roasting time at 350º is up to you. Do you want a juicier finished product or a crisper finished product?

Orange Sauce:

1 c. orange juice

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

3/4 c. Triple Sec

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

In medium saucepan, mix all ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Serve with roast duckling.

Makes 4 servings.

Dilled Salmon in Parchment

2008-10-20T19:51:00.000-07:00

Cooking in parchment is easier than it sounds. The results are delightful, flavourful and fun.

2 skinless salmon fillets (4 to 6 ounces each)
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped shallots and/or slices of sweet peppers (thin slices of carrots or zucchini)
2 oz white wine

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut 2 pieces parchment paper into 12-inch squares; fold squares in half diagonally and cut into half heart shapes. Open parchment; place shallots and/or peppers on one side of the paper then put a fish fillet on top.
Put pat of butter on top of fish. Drizzle lemon juice over fish. Sprinkle with dill and salt and pepper to taste. Pour wine over fish.
Fold parchment hearts in half. Beginning at top of heart, fold edges together, 2 inches at a time. At tip of heart, fold parchment over to seal.
Bake fish about 15 minutes or until parchment pouch puffs up. To serve, cut an "X" through top layer of parchment and fold back points to display contents.

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

2008-10-20T08:15:00.001-07:00

I recently bought a tagine which is used for slow cooking tagines coincidentally. When Morgan was in Morocco the markets were full of them, at about 1 Euro each but they were tough to ship. I bought mine on line. I was a bit skeptical at first but it worked like a charm and this meal is just wonderful.

2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch saffron
1 lemon (zest)
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound lamb (cut into bite sized pieces)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
2 tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes or tomato paste

* beef stock
2 carrots (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/2 cup dried apricots (chopped)
1/2 cup dried dates (chopped)
1/2 cup dried figs (chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons harissa
1 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon toasted almond slices

Directions:
1. Mix the paprika, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, ginger, garlic, coriander, saffron, lemon zest and oil in a zip lock bag.
2. Add the lamb, mix well and marinate the fridge for a few hours to overnight.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot.
4. Add the lamb, brown well on all sides and set aside.
5. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for about a minute.
7. Add the lamb and tomato paste and cover with beef stock.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered until the lamb is fall apart tender, about 2 hours.
9. Add the carrots, apricots, dates, figs and more stock to cover.
10. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.
11. Add the honey and harissa.
12. Serve garnished with cilantro, parsley and toasted almonds.

Seafood Risotto with Lemon and Saffron

2008-10-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is a very special risotto. It is a lovely yellow colour and the sweet scallops blend very well with the shrimp and the saffron and lemon flavours

6 Tbsp butter

2 minced cloves garlic

1 medium white onion finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup dry white wine

A pinch of saffron threads

500 grams peeled shrimp

250 grams scallops

Optional (250 grams squid sliced into small pieces)

1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper (optional but recommended)

The juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, or more

Salt and pepper to taste

In separate pots, bring the stock and the wine to the edge of a simmer then turn the heat down but keep warm.

Melt 4Tbsp of butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the onion then sauté until it begins to become translucent. Add half the garlic stirring, being careful not to brown either. Add the rice and stir in to coat the rice, a minute or two.

Add the wine and stir it in. As it begins to be absorbed add a bit of stock, half to 3/4 of a cup. Put in the saffron. Stir the rice until most is absorbed and repeat, stirring often. Keep it bubbling but not too high. This will take about 20 minutes.

As you are nearing the end of this process, take a fresh saucepan and put it on medium heat. Add the remaining butter. When that is melted but not brown, add the shrimp. (If you are using squid, add it first) When the shrimp are almost pink add the scallops. If you haven’t drunk all the wine left in the bottle by this time add a splash to the seafood. Add the juice of one lemon and stir.

Take out the seafood with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add the liquid from the seafood pan into the rice. If and is stuck to the bottom deglaze using what remains of the stock.

Add the remainder of the liquid then add the cheese. Stir until you have a creamy mixture, stir in the seafood and serve immediately

Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Rosemary

2008-10-19T21:54:00.001-07:00

For reasons I simply do not understand, it has been hard to find lamb shanks these days in Regina chain supermarkets so, I would recommend Fellinger's Red Meat Wagon on 13th Avenue. Kurt has a good supply and it is Canadian Lamb, not New Zealand.

One of the things I really like about lamb shanks is that they are easy to make, fall off the bone tender and, no carving, everyone has their own shank.

I have several recipes. This is one of my favorites and it is what I'll be cooking for supper this evening using tomatoes and rosemary from my garden.

INGREDIENTS

* 4 lamb shanks
* 3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
* 1 large onion, chopped finely
* 1 to 2 carrots, finely diced
* 3 sticks celery (no leaves), finely diced
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped
* Oregano
* Rosemary
* Thyme
* 4 bay leaves
* 2 or 3 fresh sprigs rosemary, if you can get them
* 2 or 3 large tomatoes chopped
* 12 ounces rich stock
* 6 ounces red wine(Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)
* Black Pepper, freshly ground

Heat oven to 350

Brown the lamb shanks in the oil in a heavy frying pan.

Transfer to a large cast iron pot

Cook onion, carrot and celery in the same frying pan over low heat until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add the mixture to the meat and deglaze, pan with the stock and wine then add the liquid to pot.

Turn the heat on under the pot and add the herbs, rosemary sprigs and freshly milled pepper (NO salt), tomatoes. When it starts to bubble, cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Cook at 325° F for 3 hours turning meat every 30 minutes and stirring gently.

After that time, remove 2 or 3 good sized ladlesful of the vegetable mixture in the pot with plenty of liquid and whizz in your blender until smooth. Add this puree back into the casserole and gently mix it in. Add a bit of flour if it needs to thicken a bit. Serve one lamb shank and a portion of the sauce to each person. Don’t serve the left over carrots in the pot. They were for flavor while cooking.

Serve with mashed potatoes, and carrots, peas or Brussel sprouts